Lauren Dalziel, Johnny Cowley and Carolyn Girvan

Johnny Cowley, 23, from Mossblown, serves as a butler at Dumfries House. His journey to this prestigious position represents a perfect example of how training and apprenticehips on offer at the estate have helped local people into employment.

“Before I got the opportunity to go to Dumfries House on the Prince’s Trust Get Into Hospitality course, I was unemployed and registered homeless," explains Johnny. "I went to the job centre and was advised that the Prince’s Trust was carrying out interviews and running taster days at Dumfries House involving some work in front of house and in the kitchen. I wasn’t sure, as I had been to college and studied bricklaying and considered myself an ‘outdoorsy’ person. The taster went really well, and I loved it. After my first week, spent in the kitchen, I wanted to be a chef. After the second week, in front of house, I said ‘I’m not going back to the kitchen!’ My third week was spent on placement at The Marine Hotel in Troon, and they eventually offered me a job. Looking back, the experience I gained there was fantastic, but six months into the job Dumfries House called and wanted me to go back. To commute there, I knew I’d have to drive, but I saw a great opportunity to return to a fantastic place to work and booked myself onto an intensive driving course in Blackpool and had my licence within a week."

The ex-Ayre Academy pupil continued: "From being depressed and homeless, I am now living in a beautiful apartment with my partner and our daughter at Knockroon in Cumnock and have a great job as one of the house butlers. Our team looks after VIP guests during Royal visits, weddings and other events. With other members of the team, I have had the opportunity to work at events at other palaces and royal households. It’s quite scary how my life has changed. If it wasn’t for Dumfries House and the Prince’s Trust course, I don’t know where I’d be. I used to be really quiet and nervous when I started here, but now I’m far more outgoing and can approach people because I feel better in myself.”