People of Inverclyde: Singer songwriter Brian Heron

Brian Heron talks today about his influences, those who inspired him and those who stepped in to save him along the way.

The dad-of-three was shaped by some massive events in his life - a year in care as a teenager, a grassroots youth movement in Gibshill, his faith, his long and happy marriage and, later in life, the tragedy of losing his eldest child.

The 66-year-old has used all those experiences to help others.

Brian believes in the magic of music and the story telling in reaching out and healing others.

Since retiring from social work he has gone back to where it all began for him, Gibshill, where he runs a weekly jam session in the community centre.

Brian said: "When you are from Gibshill you look after one another, it has an extraordinary sense of community. There's obviously the mix of deprivation, poverty, mad behaviours, drinking - it has its problems.

"But Gibshill has always looked after its own.

"That's why I'm glad to have come back with my jamming sessions, for me it's where it all began. I've come back to my roots."

Brian grew up in Keir Hardie Street and spent a year in care following the breakdown of his parents' marriage.

He returned home at 16, having left school with no qualifications and more than a little lost.

But in 1970s and 80s Gibshill there was massive grassroots community activism among the youth - and the next five years would shape Brian's life.

There was a huge figure in the area in Danny Keenan, a retired bus driver, who turned the tragedy of losing his 12-year-old son into a lifetime commitment to young people.

He ran a youth club called Danny's Place and took Brian under his wing and they became lifelong friends.

Brian said: "He encouraged me to take on leadership roles, it gave me purpose and I was learning life skills.

"Danny was a huge presence in Gibshill and he did so much for young people. He was an inspiration. He never got over the death of his son, who drowned on the anniversary of his wife's death."

Brian had also started to learn the guitar and joined a local band.

He said: "Right away I was interested in writing songs. It became a lifelong passion."

Around this time another youth worker, Alex Stevens, came into Brian's life.

Brian said: "I was about 22 at the time, Alex was not much older than me and he managed to get funding and came up with the idea of a the Gibby Roadshow. 

"I got a job as the bass guitarist. I had never played bass guitar in my life, but I got £30, I bought a bass guitar and I had a job and was writing songs. It was a great time in my life."

Brian also found the Church of the Latter Day Saints, which gave him stability and it was there he met and married his wife Margaret, now 63.

The church has remained a massive part of Brian's life, having employed him as a janitor, he was also a lay minister.

He said: "In many ways the church saved me, I made lifelong friends. They gave me a job for seven years with access to a piano in the hall.

"I think what I loved about the church was the community, it was a church that was all about reaching out and community."

Brian's community work opened another door for him, leading to a sociology course and a career in social work.

He went on to help generations of young people beat circumstances not of their own making and also set up a community flat - and music therapy followed.

Brian said: "I was from the same background as them, I had faced the same problems and experiences they had. I was told that if I did the conventional work during the day I could run my music groups.

"You need to build resilience in young people. It is the key, and music unlocks it."

One of Brian's proudest achievements was the Boilerhouse Project based in the Devol Industrial Estate, which won a national award from John Hunt, who led the first successful British expedition to Everest.

At home, Brian and Margaret raised their four children, enjoying Haven holidays and singing together.

But they faced tragedy 12 years ago when their eldest, Kirsty, died aged 29 on New Year's Day in hospital, having suffered mental health illness.

Brian said: "Kirsty was born on 29th of July 1981, the same day as Lady Di married Prince Charles. Her picture was on the front page of the Tele the next day.

"She was beautiful and had a beautiful voice, we used to enter Haven holiday singing competitions and win about three holidays a year."

Brian has since used music therapy to help with grief.

He said: "Grief never leaves you, it is always there but I believe that the best way is to talk about it, we speak about Kirsty all the time."

Brian is incredibly proud of all his children Michelle, 41, Brian, 39, and Marc, 34, and his eight grandchildren.

He said: "Family, community and music has been at the heart of everything I do and the church gave me a belief system, a spiritual life."