Tributes have been paid this week to a “stalwart” of West Lothian’s volunteering community.
Andy Mount died peacefully with his family around him after a long illness, on February 23 aged 82.
He was a leading light in the voluntary sector in West Lothian for over 50 years.
Andy would have been married to wife Muriel for 60 years in July this year, though they did celebrate their 60th anniversary of their engagement in September.
He was a devoted family man, supportive he was of all his grandchildren - all he wanted was for them to be happy in whatever they did.
Originally from Banbridge in Northern Ireland, Andy travelled to Edinburgh in search of work in 1961. He met and married Muriel Hood, and they moved from Broxburn to Livingston in 1967 with their young family of three children.
They were one of the first families to move into Craigshill, when Livingston was being created, and from the beginning Andy and Muriel were both very much involved in community life and made many life-long friends in the town.
Andy’s interest in football, and his commitment to ensuring that young people had the best start in life, led him to volunteer in local youth groups, including managing youth football teams, and later he also became a trustee of Youth Action Project, using his previous experience and knowledge to support YAP’s activities.
He was also an active member of the church all his life, as an elder at St Columba’s from 1973 and as a supporter of the Livingston Ecumenical Parish, and latterly a founder of the LSCC at the Lanthorn.
Fellow worshippers described him as a “staunch advocate for social justice who worked tirelessly on many campaigns to wipe out third world debt”, such as Jubilee 2000.
His interest in social justice also led to him to an involvement in Fairtrade and his friend Anne Walsh described the way in which he won over local businesses and their head offices, in the UK and abroad, until Fairtrade goods became a common sight in Livingston and Livingston achieved the status of ‘Fairtrade Town’.
His mantra was: “If you want to change things in society, we can only do so much, then it’s the powers that be that have to do it.”
He was unafraid to speak truth to power if that was what was required.
Andy was able to combine his love of Fairtrade, football and children by striking up a relationship with Livingston Football team (of whom he was a season-card-carrying supporter) and visiting schools to further the cause.
He loved speaking to the children and getting them interested – “they are our future”, he said more than once.
In 2020 Andy received a special achievement award from the Scottish Fairtrade Forum in recognition of his unstinting efforts over nearly two decades. Modest as ever, Andy refused to take credit for his work, saying: “I know from my own experience of volunteering that you get more out of it than you put in.
“I can only do one per cent, but if 1000 people do one per cent, you can make big changes. This award is for West Lothian, I’ve done nothing on my own”.
He was also recognised as a Community Champion during Livingston’s 50th anniversary celebrations in 2012.
The award recognised those who had made an outstanding contribution to community life during the previous half-century.
Andy was well-known in West Lothian, and although ill-health meant that he had to take a step back from his volunteering in 2020, he maintained his keen interest in social justice at every level until the end of his life, inspiring his six grandchildren to also develop an interest in politics and equality.
Many will mourn the passing of such a devoted family and community man.
His funeral will take place at Livingston Crematorium at 3pm on Thursday, March 16. Those who knew him are warmly invited to attend.
Don't miss the latest news from the West Lothian Courier. Sign up to our free newsletter here
