Fay Lesley Allan was born on 20th September 1972 in Glasgow to mum Sheila and dad Malcolm. Her sister Heather was born in January 1975.
Even in early childhood, Fay started to show her determination and courage. At age five, she lost her hearing in one ear due to contracting mumps. It was something she dealt with bravely as a child and continued to do so her whole life, always politely and patiently dealing with people’s varying reactions towards her hearing impairment, and always thinking of everyone else’s feelings.
Fay grew up in the family home at 44 Robslee Road in Glasgow and she attended Robslee Primary School from 1977-1984, and Woodfarm High School from 1984-1990.
At primary school, she played in music groups, was in the netball team, and loved to get involved with the school shows. She was once asked to compose a song (music and lyrics) to be sung at an autumn harvesting assembly when she was in primary 7 – of course she did it brilliantly!
During her Woodfarm High School years, Fay’s interest in music continued to develop. She played the recorder, trombone and saxophone, regularly appeared on the school stage singing or playing an instrument, and in the S6 show she played Aunt Em in the Wizard of Oz. At one point she organised a balloon release for charity, and memories abide of a giggling group trying to contain masses of blown up balloons under a sheet before finally releasing them and watching them fly into the sky over the high school.
Fay also enjoyed English in high school, one of the highlights being the Shakespeare trip to Stratford with her friends Emma, Isla and Shorty.