A reader who discovered the Guardian during the miners' strike talks about what it was that kept him reading
It was the Guardian's coverage of the miners' strike that provided a political awakening for me as a student. The reporting of Seamus Milne and Don MacPhee's photography – in particular the "face off" image between the NUM picket and the police – captured the essence of transition within the country. I've read the paper ever since.
In 1988 I won a Guardian competition with the prize of a three-day trip to New York to visit the Metropolitan Museum with critic David Brook. I did the tourist circuit, too: the Empire State building, the ferry to Staten Island, China Town. It changed my view of a country I'd never wanted to visit before. It was a superb experience and one I owe to the Guardian.
I buy the paper every day. I love Marina Hyde's sense of humour – she's often just witheringly funny. Alexis Petridis always has his finger on the pulse of bad fashion and good music, and I'll often try the G2 weekly recipe. The chocolate brownies I made with my daughter were a triumph. I like the fact the paper publishes non-left wing writers – not many papers are willing to give a platform to different political persuasions. It helps with variety.
I work in organisational development for the NHS in Dumfries. The restructuring going on south of the border really worries me as I think it's going to create huge inequities, not just within England, but between Scotland and the south, as the underlying philosophy of the NHS north of the border looks like it will remain intact.
I'm a huge fan of the mighty Partick Thistle. They're a fantastic club, rich in history with well-humoured fans and a real community spirit. They're Glasgow's great alternative – supporting them is a good way to get out of the Old Firm rivalry. I feel that mentioning them here will more than double their existing coverage in the paper!