Dumfries and Galloway girl Megan Kerr from the outside comes across as your model athlete. A medal winning competitor and qualified coach at Baton Twirling, a keen dancer, and a formidable Netball player – it seems out of place that she is also an esteemed and distinguished author: at the young age of just 17 years.
In June 2018, Megan was one of the founding members of the company Idiom: which originally started life as a School Young Enterprise Company before the transition into Idiom Marketing Ltd. Currently, the Director of Business Development Megan oversees the creation of new products – including writing books.
Releasing her first book ‘Bonnie the Beltie’ – as a joint author in November 2018, Megan never for a second believed that her book would take off and be sold in countries across the globe.
Bonnie the Beltie explores the adventures of the main character Bonnie, as she searches the Dumfries & Galloway region for her brother Ben. The story is aimed at children aged 3-8, and is carefully designed to promote some of the best tourism and hospitality venues Dumfries & Galloway has to offer.
Bonnie the Beltie quickly became a sensation, with the company selling out of their first 500 books within 4 weeks of trading. Since then, books have been sold across the globe, in countries including Australia, Canada, Germany and France – as well as across the United Kingdom.
Coming from a very humble home – Megan lives with her Mum, Clare; her Dad, Gary; her Brother Aiden; and her Dog, aptly named ‘Bonnie’ (who is often seen walking around the forests with her TuTu!) Megan places a lot of emphasis on her family and the support and encouragement they have given her over the past 18 months.
Megan often jokes of the fact that she holds a ‘D’ in her Higher English: and is having to resit the subject (and attend a Private Tutor), despite being a published author with books across the world!
As well as being a keen sportswoman across the region, and an essential director with the Idiom Team – Megan also takes part in Drama Productions and has been cast as a dancer for the upcoming Pantomime ‘Aladdin’ being shown at DG1. This is all on top of her Academic Studies, and two other jobs at The Swan in Dumfries; and DB Alison Insurance Brokers!
Megan also spent four weeks in the summer of 2019 touring Kenya with Camps International, alongside a cohort of other volunteers. While in Kenya Megan built schools, supported communities, and tried to encourage literacy – by reading, and leaving a copy of Bonnie the Beltie in every village she visited.
Being so busy, Megan often has a hectic daily diary: but comments that she “always needs to find time to paint her eyebrows in the morning” regardless of how busy she is.
Megan has also been instrumental in being a leading figure in the ‘Idiom Initiative’ – the companies Learning and Teaching Initiative designed to get Primary Students involved in Entrepreneurial Activity, and thinking Creatively: all while supporting prospective Primary Teachers by giving them the chance to gain valuable work experience. The programme has already been identified as an example of Best Practice by Scotland’s Enterprising Schools; and has been supported by Dumfries & Galloway Council and The University of Glasgow.
More recently Megan has been working on her second book ‘Ben’s big adventure’ which was very recently released and is now available for sale at various retailers across Dumfries & Galloway: as well as online at www.idiomonline.co.uk!
The new book focuses again on different Tourism and Hospitality venues across Dumfries & Galloway: all of which are some of the most popular for families to visit both on holiday, or as a day out for local residents.
The genius of creating a book that tells a story; as well as providing information to prospective tourists earned Megan a shortlist for the ‘Innovation in Tourism’ VisitScotland Scottish Thistle Award – and gives visitors to the region something special to take home to keep as a memento of their visit to the region.
When asked about the next 10 years – Megan was very candid saying: “I’m looking at studying PE Teaching, and I’d really like to work in a Secondary School – I think I’ll keep writing, its something I really enjoy: and the back up is to marry a rich man!”
Reflecting on the past year and a half with Idiom: who have grown to became a nationally recognised Marketing Company specialising in the Tourism and Hospitality Sector – Megan’s most enjoyable moment was the 2019 Young Enterprise National Finals, when Idiom came away with Second Place – followed in a close second by the launch of her first book in the preceding November.
A very modest and grounded person, Megan wanted to thank all those who had worked with her and the Idiom Team: particularly her illustrator, Jon Crawford – whose support has been imperative to the success of Idiom.
Jon, a Secondary Teacher based at Lockerbie Academy – teachers Home Economics, and RMPS: and simply draws in his spare time. Jon’s artwork is the envy of many, and he is in high demand to produce all kinds of images: including all the illustrations for Idiom’s products!
Megan would also like to thank Kenny Bowie, the Chairman of Young Enterprise Dumfries & Galloway for all his support – and our Printers, Solway Print for all their patience and guidance in the printing and publishing of Megan’s books. Finally Megan would like to pass major thanks to Derek Crichton: who acted as the companies Business Advisor for 2018/19: and was awarded ‘National Business Advisor of the Year’ for his work!
As Megan, and Idiom move to the future – she plans to release more books, and continue to work with the Tourism and Hospitality Sector: as well as the Idiom Team, to continue to promote the phenomenal region we have around us – and break the status quo and perception that Young People cannot achieve great things!
