Businesswoman and charity fundraiser to inspire students at UHI Inverness graduation

A leading salon director whose business success and charity fundraising have had a lasting impact in the Highlands, will be the guest speaker at the UHI Inverness Graduation and Awards on Thursday.

Ali McRitchie of The Head Gardener in Inverness has had a major impact on the local hairstyling industry by building her business from the age of 22 and mentoring young stylists throughout her career.

The salon's longstanding apprenticeship partnership with UHI Inverness has helped many of them develop their careers.
She is also well-known for her outstanding contribution to the Highland Hospice over the past 12 years.

Through volunteering with patients in the inpatient unit, fundraising events and the annual event Catwalk for a Cause, Ali and The Head Gardener team have helped raise almost £900,000.

Ali will address the graduates at two ceremonies at Eden Court Theatre on Thursday 12 November. Around 1,000 people are expected to attend the ceremonies, including more than 240 graduates and prize winners.

Ali said:

"It is a real privilege to be invited to speak at this year's graduation ceremony. Graduations are about celebrating achievement, perseverance and the courage to pursue your ambitions, and I'm looking forward to sharing some of the lessons I've learned through running a business, mentoring talented people and fundraising. Qualifications are incredibly important and can open many doors, but I've learned that your attitude will often determine how far you go once you walk through them. My message to graduates is simple: be proud of what you've achieved, celebrate the success of others and never stop learning. Your reputation will be built over time through the choices you make every day, the values you uphold and the difference you make to others."

Ali will not be the only member of The Head Gardener team on stage at graduation. Her colleague Linzie Ross will graduate with a Professional Development Award (Level 8) in Workplace Assessment Using Direct and Indirect Methods.

Ali moved to Inverness from England when she was 20 to work at The Head Gardener and bought the business just two years later. Since then, she has demonstrated a passion for educating her team.

Her apprentices at The Head Gardener are trained at the salon and supported by UHI Inverness assessors and advisers who also verify their qualifications. Many of these apprentices have gone on to establish their own businesses or progressed to senior roles in other salons.

In September this year, The Head Gardener became the first salon in Scotland to be employee owned, securing its future in the hands of the team Ali has developed.

Ali will tell the graduates:

"It is because of their hard work, dedication and loyalty that the team at 58 Church Street now own The Head Gardener and have become the very first salon in Scotland to be run on an Employee Ownership Trust basis. This not only demonstrates to my team the importance of rewarding them and giving something back but securing their future and the future of the next generation of young apprentices.”