PREVIOUS WINNERS The Evening Times Scotswoman of the Year awards have been honouring the achievements of women since 1963. It is a celebration of female endeavour – from politicians to pioneers, from charity workers to community champions, the winners of the prestigious title are all ordinary women doing extraordinary things and all have a profound effect on the lives of others. The 60s were in full swing when the Evening Times Scotswoman of the Year awards burst on to the scene. Women’s lib had arrived, fashions were changing and workplace barriers were finally being broken down. Our first winners summed up the spirit of the event – which affectionately become known as SWOTY – and set the tone for the decades to come – meet the SWOTYs from 1963 – 1969. 1963: 1965: 1968: BESSIE JOHNSTON SISTER JUDE MARGARET BAYNE Our first SWOTY worked tirelessly As director of ’s pioneering Margaret helped to change attitudes for the Glasgow branch of the and world famous Notre Dame towards elderly people in her role British Red Cross for more than 50 Child Guidance Clinic in Glasgow, as honorary convener of Lamb’s years. She was a great supporter of Sister Jude (born Maureen McAleer House Day Centre for the elderly many other charities, and became in Glasgow, in 1912) devoted her in Leith. A well-known community a leading authority on civil defence. life to helping parents and children figure, Margaret, who lived in She received an MBE in 1953. with emotional problems. Under her Edinburgh, believed “old age” should Bessie was also a member of the directorship, a pioneering service for be fun. Her pioneering work at the board of management at Glasgow adolescents became the first unit in centre made a huge difference to Royal Mental Hospital and the Scotland to bridge the gap between the lives of the men and women who Glasgow Western Hospitals Group children’s clinics and adult out-patient attended, boosting their confidence and worked for the British Empire hospital departments. and reducing isolation. Cancer Campaign and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. 1966: 1969: 1964: HELEN TROUP MARGARET KIRKPATRICK Helen was a powerful figure in politics The first island community winner of DR NORA WATTIE at a time when it was considered SWOTY, Margaret represented the 1963-1969 For 31 years, Nora was principal predominantly a “man’s world”. She was courageous wives and widows of all officer of health for maternity and the first woman to be elected Provost the boatmen of Britain after losing child welfare in Glasgow. The service of Grangemouth and firmly believed her husband and two of her sons she set up and ran, with its ante- women had an important contribution in the Longhope lifeboat disaster in natal care and health visitor system, to make to both civic and national affairs 1969. The Longhope capsized in the gained national and international in the modern world. Helen was also a Pentland Firth while sailing from its recognition. This pioneer of social primary school teacher, local councillor, base in the Orkney Islands to rescue medicine, who died in 1994, was housewife and mother. the crew of a Liberian freighter which also in charge of the city’s home help had become grounded. and home nursing services and was a member of a string of associations, 1967: including the General Midwives ISOBEL MURDOCH Board and National Association for When Isobel and husband Tom Maternal and Child Health. learned their daughter, Lindy, had Down’s Syndrome, they were told she was unlikely to live longer than five years. Lindy survived, but, at the age of 16, all special schools and services stopped. Inspired by a visit to America, Isobel decided to set up the pioneering Hansel Village, a community of supervised homes and places of work and leisure for those with learning disabilities, in her home town of Symington in Ayrshire. PREVIOUS WINNERS Women continued to make their mark on Scottish society as the 70s arrived, and SWOTY was there to shine a light on the female campaigners, reformers and entertainers who enriched our lives – meet the SWOTYs from 1970 – 1979.

for the west of Scotland after the 1970: 1973: war. One of her first tasks was to try MARGARET HERBISON JEAN MILLIGAN to bring together the young people Former MP for North Lanark, As vice president of the Scottish of countries which had been at war Margaret, from Shotts, fought fiercely Country Dance Society, Glasgow- and in 1953 she organised her first for women’s place in politics and born Jean spearheaded a revival of German-Scottish holiday exchange championed social reforms. She interest in the genre, inspiring people for children. graduated from the University of all over the world. Her enthusiasm Glasgow and rose quickly through in researching old dances, teaching the ranks of politics, becoming and writing about dance – she 1977: Britain’s first Minister for Social published 25 books on the subject MOLLY WEIR/AGNES HOEY Security and the first woman to be – was infectious and the society’s Actress, author and appointed Lord High Commissioner annual summer school, held in St broadcaster Molly, from , to the General Assembly of the Andrews under Jean’s direction, had a special place in the hearts of Church of Scotland. was famous. She worked tirelessly many Glaswegians thanks to her as an ambassador for Scotland and down-to-earth personality and couthy Scottish dancing for many years. humour. Molly was a household 1971: name in Scotland thanks to long- BRIDIE CONNELL running radio and TV shows like Dr Bridie, from in Glasgow, 1974: Finlay’s Casebook, All Creatures was the driving force behind the EDITH WHITE Great And Small and Within These 1970-1979 renowned St Mungo’s Old Folks A keen church worker – and the Walls. Club in the city’s area. St first woman to be appointed to the Agnes lived for music and loved Mungo’s started as a lunch club congregational board of Orchardhill to share her passion with others. and, under Bridie’s direction and Church – Edith ran free dancing She founded the Glasgow Youth enthusiasm, grew into a day centre lessons for children, transporting Choir, regarded as “the pride of offering varied and valuable services them from the gloomy back-courts of Strathclyde”, in 1938, and travelled and help to the elderly. She was a 1930s to a magical world of with it all over Europe. member of the executive committee music and fun. Edith, who was from of the Glasgow Old People’s Giffnock, did not let her own health Welfare Association and part of the problems – she was partially sighted 1978: Scottish Council of Social Service in – stand in her way and she worked JANET HYSLOP Edinburgh. tirelessly to improve the lives of elderly For more than 30 years, Janet, from people and children with disabilities. Clydebank, worked tirelessly on behalf of the disabled. She was 1972: the first secretary of the Voluntary MARGARET STEVEN 1975: Association for Handicapped Through her work at Edinburgh’s CAPTAIN MARY CAMPBELL Persons in Clydebank and opened Saughton Prison, Margaret won Mary devoted her life to helping poor the town’s first hostel for disabled the respect and admiration of male and vulnerable people in southern children. inmates, supporting them through India. As a member of the Salvation their own difficult times. Described Army, she left her home in Stonehouse, as an inspiration by many of the Lanarkshire, to run a leper hospital, 1979: men she helped, Margaret took on a working amongst poverty and drought CLAIRE MULHOLLAND number of roles at the prison, from in an area which had the highest rate of When Claire Mullholland’s daughter organist, choir mistress and concert the disease in the world. Clara was diagnosed with leukaemia, organiser to head of the popular she became a dedicated supporter bible class and drama group. of the Leukaemia Research 1976: Fund. Following Clara’s death, ALICE SCRIMGEOUR Claire, from the west end, founded Church of Scotland deaconess Alice the Glasgow branch of the Scottish swapped life in Perthshire for the Leukaemia Research fund. She tenements of Glasgow’s Gallowgate dedicated her time to raising in the war-torn years of 1939 to thousands of pounds and offering 1945. Known affectionately in the vital support to parents of ill children. city’s east end as Sister Alice, she became the church’s youth organiser PREVIOUS WINNERS It was the decade of power-dressing and pop. The women who held the SWOTY title in the 80s summed up the confidence of the decade, taking the title for their courage, compassion and kindness – meet the SWOTYs from 1980 – 1989. 1980: 1983: 1987: JEAN McLEOD SHEILA BETT SUSAN WIGHTON Despite her own disability, Jean, from As matron of the Marie Curie Susan became known as the “Angel King’s Park in Glasgow, opened up hospice in Glasgow, Fife-born Sheila of Beirut” for her courage under fire. her home to dozens of fellow multiple ensured people in the final stages of Our youngest SWOTY, the Glasgow- sclerosis sufferers. Wheelchair their illness had happy, enjoyable and born health worker looked after the user Jean turned her living room fulfilling lives. She brought laughter sick and injured in Palestine refugee into support group meeting place, to the wards and raised huge sums camps, risking her own life as she welcoming members of all ages of money for the charity in her spare worked amongst squalor and death. for evenings of counselling and time. craftwork. She also helped to raise 1988: thousands of pounds towards a 1984: holiday home for MS sufferers. SHEILA HALLEY BETTY MCALLISTER Sheila was the driving force behind The outspoken champion of the the Dixon Day Centre for the elderly 1981: people of Glasgow’s east end, in , Glasgow. As its first, SHEENA WALKER “Battling Betty” improved life for and for a long time, only full-time /JEAN WADDELL thousands of her neighbours. She staff member, she made it one Driven by a desire to help other set up the Calton’s first residents’ of Scotland’s biggest and most parents with disabled children, association and campaigned for welcoming centres for the elderly, Cumbernauld housewife Sheena ran better homes, jobs and community creating a whole new community for two day centres and a youth club for facilities. She was involved in pensioners. 1980 - 1989 1980 young people with learning, physical numerous groups, including the and mental disabilities. She also Crime Prevention Panel and the 1989: set up religious instruction classes, Barrowland Action group. MARION ROBERTSON combining her charity work with the demands of looking after her own 1985: /JANET GIBSON Marion, from Simshill, was an four children, two of whom were born MARJORIE JACKSON with disabilities. energetic champion of elderly Marjorie became famous all over the people. After a lifetime of trade union On a church trip to Iran in the 60s, world in her quest to adopt David, missionary Jean was shot and held service, she became chairperson the young Peruvian boy helped by of Strathclyde Elderly Forum, captive by revolutionaries. She was her surgeon husband Ian. She cared imprisoned for seven months, much encouraging pensioners to lead more for him through a series of complex active lives and fighting for members of it in solitary confinement, gripped operations to restore his facial by desperation, uncertainty and fear. on everything from the poll tax to post features, and trekked through the office closures. She never lost hope and said her South American jungle to find his faith deepened as a result. Janet accepted her award on behalf biological parents. Her determination of the women of Lockerbie, the town and compassion helped to change devastated by an appalling plane 1982: attitudes to disfigurement around the bombing in 1988. As the tragic DR MARGARET KERR world. events unfolded, Janet and her Margaret’s expertise throughout neighbours rushed to the scene to a long and distinguished career 1986: support rescue workers and comfort in medicine saved the lives of BETTY SMART victims. hundreds of premature babies. The The larger-than-life Lenzie woman consultant paediatrician at the Royal was a fundraising powerhouse, Hospital for Sick Children in , collecting more than £1m for a Glasgow, won the respect of parents variety of charities, hospitals and and colleagues for her compassion people in need. She spent every and honesty. She also founded spare moment of her time helping the Friends of the Babies Society, others. raising much-needed funds for vital equipment. PREVIOUS WINNERS The 1990s arrived and SWOTY was still going strong. In a world where women were increasingly expected to juggle the demands of work and family life, our awards discovered Scotland had more than its fair share of superwomen – meet the from 1990 – 1999. 1990: 1994: 1997: DR ISOBEL MAIR MAXIE RICHARDS ANNE McKELVIE Isobel, a mother-of-five, minister’s The Bearsden housewife launched Anne, from Battlefield, was wife and medical health officer, set a one-woman crusade to change rewarded for her inspirational work up the Busby Care Centre, a part- the way heroin addicts were treated at Thornliebank’s Woodfarm High time clinic for children with complex in Scotland. A staunch opposer of School. The physics and guidance disabilities which later became heroin- substitute methadone, Maxie teacher saved the life of a depressed the Glendale Centre, a full-time preferred to use compassion and teenage girl who was on the brink service supported by more than 200 love to win users back to health and of suicide before Anne stepped in volunteer workers. After retiring, she she took many into her own home, to offer support. Anne also regularly joined Voluntary Service Overseas allowing them to live with her until they gave up all her free time to offer extra in Thailand, providing support to were drug free. tuition to her students. mothers with disabled children. 1995: 1998: 1991: BETTY BROWN ANN CONLAN ANNETTE TURNER Caring Betty put the heart and soul Ann worked tirelessly to improve The Paisley housewife embarked upon back into the community. asthma services in , a one-woman fundraising campaign As chairperson of Garnethill providing information, advice and when she founded the Paisley Friends Community Council she fought for a health care for sufferers and their of the Imperial Cancer Research children’s play park and a multicultural families. She set up the Drumchapel Fund. She was named Scotland’s top centre for the area, and organised Asthma Support Group and took on

1990 - 1999 1990 fundraiser for the charity, helping the regular community events including health chiefs in a bid to transform small group she chaired to collect pensioners’ clubs and bus trips. services. Many of the initiatives she £100,000 in five years. helped to establish were used as 1996: models in other areas of Glasgow. 1992: SISTER MARY CHISHOLM/ 1999: DR ANNE GILMORE GWEN MAYOR The former music teacher, who took Sister Mary Chisholm, of the DR ANNA MURPHY night classes to get into Glasgow Daughters of Charity, devoted her Between 1972 and 1984, Dr Murphy University to study medicine, founded life to battling for the rights of deaf established and developed the the internationally-respected Prince people. Working at the St Vincent country’s first renal unit at Yorkhill and Princess of Wales Hospice on Centre, she made herself available Hospital. After learning that French Glasgow’s south side. Countless 24 hours a day, learning to sign and hospitals were treating Scottish patients and their families were given completing a course in counselling to children who would have died from hope and comfort at the hospice in the be able to provide professional support kidney disease had they stayed in final weeks of illness thanks to Anne’s for people in need. this country, she was determined to vision and determination to create Gwen Mayor was the courageous provide the same care here. bright and cheerful surroundings. teacher from Dunblane, who died protecting the tiny children in her class 1993: after a gunman went on the rampage PEGGY O’DONNELL in the school. Her daughters collected Peggy was honoured for her round- the posthumous award on her behalf. the-clock commitment to the elderly. As co-ordinator of a street warden scheme in Govanhill, she was paid for a 35-hour week to oversee voluntary street wardens, but worked all hours to ensure the wellbeing of almost 800 pensioners. She created and ran two community care flats and provided a network of services for the elderly – everything from collecting their library books to draught-proofing their homes. PREVIOUS WINNERS The Noughties arrived in a blaze of excitement as Millennium fever gripped Scotland and SWOTY entered another decade of honouring inspirational women from all over the country - meet the SWOTYs from 2000 – 2009. 2000: 2003: 2007: SISTER CATHERINE TRACY COSGROVE LIZ CAMERON CAMPBELL On a trip to the Far East, Tracy, from Former Lord Provost Liz won the Our millennium SWOTY set up Alexandria, was appalled by the title of SWOTY for her unstinting Glasgow’s first one-stop breast conditions in which people were service to Glasgow. She represented cancer care clinic at the city’s living. She set up a foundation and the city all over the world and was Hospital. Catherine, of opened orphanages, day centres a major influence in the £35million Lenzie, was the patients’ advocate, and schools across Thailand and refurbishment of Kelvingrove Art co-ordinating their care and Burma, giving hope to vulnerable Gallery and Museum, and the £15m supporting them through the trauma street children and orphans in both renovation of the City Halls. of diagnosis and treatment. countries. 2008: 2001: 2004: JEAN DONNACHIE MAUREEN McKENNA OLIVIA GILES AND NOREEN REAL Maureen battled back from Olivia was a successful lawyer Two Glasgow grandmothers, who alcoholism and depression to help when she fell ill with meningococcal campaigned relentlessly to stop others rebuild shattered lives. The meningitis and had to have her hands Home Office dawn raids on asylum woman established and feet amputated. She campaigned seekers in Scotstoun, were named the Open Door Trust to support passionately to raise awareness and joint winners of SWOTY 2008. Glasgow’s homeless people, drug funds, helping to change outdated Jean and Noreen worked hard to addicts and alcoholics. Driving her attitudes towards disabled people. transform their community, bringing double decker bus, she was once a neighbours together and breaking 2000 - 2009 familiar sight in Glasgow, delivering 2005: down barriers. hope and compassion to those in need. SANDRA BROWN Sandra believed her own father was 2009: responsible for the death of a young DR MARGO WHITEFORD 2002: Coatbridge girl who disappeared The consultant geneticist, who EILEEN MCKIERNAN in 1957. She worked tirelessly to has spina bifida, helped to raise Eileen founded the Meningitis find the truth and set up the Moira hundreds of thousands for the Association of Scotland after Anderson Foundation to help sexually Scottish Spina Bifida Association. her teenage son died of the abused children and their families. She completed the London Marathon disease. The Glasgow woman has in her wheelchair and devoted her devoted her life to fundraising for 2006: time to helping people with the research into the disease to prevent condition. other families from suffering the PROFESSOR ANNA same pain. Over the years, she has DOMINICZAL raised hundreds of thousands of The Polish-born professor officially pounds. became Scottish when she picked up the SWOTY trophy for her achievements in medicine. A world leader in research, she led the fight to rid Glasgow of its label of heart disease capital of Europe and campaigned relentlessly to bring the state of the art British Heart Foundation Centre to the city. PREVIOUS WINNERS The new decade is very different from the one in which SWOTY began. Difficult economic times mean life is tougher for most – but one thing remains the same. In every walk of life, there are women who rise above their own problems and hardship to make life better for others. And SWOTY is here to celebrate them all – meet the SWOTYs from 2010 to date. 2010: 2012: 2013: EILEEN MCCALLUM ERIN MCNEILL ANN MOULDS Eileen, from Glasgow, is one of Erin McNeill nearly died in a fire which Ann, from Ayrshire, endured a terrifying Scotland’s finest actresses but it was left her with horrific burns to her arms two-year ordeal at the hands of a for her work in raising awareness of and chest and a severely damaged vocal stalker, having to move more than muscle-wasting diseases that she cord. Since the blaze, the 22-year-old from 80 miles away from her home, her was named SWOTY 2010. Driven Menstrie has dedicated her life to helping business and her friends. Waiving her by her desire to help her own educate people about the dangers of right to anonymity, she was determined grandsons, who have Duchenne fire, visiting schools and prisons across Muscular Dystrophy, Eileen lobbied the Central Belt and volunteering for the to ensure no-one else suffered in the the Scottish Parliament for a British Red Cross. Her inspirational work same way. At the time, stalking was breakthrough inquiry into support for with young people won her the charity’s considered a misdemeanor. patients with similar conditions. top humanitarian award in 2012, and she Thanks to Ann’s determination and has also raised more than £100,000 for courage, the law has now been firefighters’ charities. changed and stalking is recognised 2011: In the past year, Erin has won beauty as a crime, carrying severe penalties, DR MARY HEPBURN pageant titles in the US, Portugal, in Scotland, the rest of the UK and, The consultant obstetrician at France and Jamaica, including Miss subject to ratification in the coming Glasgow’s Princess Royal Maternity Scotland International and Miss months, across Europe. She also set Hospital has worked tirelessly for United Nations International. She up Action Scotland Against Stalking, more than a generation to improve believes passionately that people which has support from all political the lives of disadvantaged mothers in who have disfigurements should not parties, criminal justice agencies, the city and beyond. Known around hide away and, through her hard work the world for her ground-breaking and determination, plans to change victim support organisations, health work to help deprived and socially- traditional perceptions of beauty. organisations, educational institutions excluded women, Mary set up the and the legal profession, and Glasgow Women’s Reproductive introduced a national awareness day. Health Service in 1990 and she Because of Ann, victims of crime have remains in charge of the unit, now a voice – and lives have been saved. known as the Glasgow Special 2010 - PRESENT 2010 Needs In Pregnancy Service, more than 20 years later. 2014: CARA HENDERSON Cara suffered the loss of a friend but has battled for 15 years to overcome the pain of that loss and prevent others enduring similar hurt, by battling to cure a cancer in our society. She has faced challenges, abuse and hatred with a steely, resolute determination to continue the battle against sectarianism. After the mindless killing of her friend she founded a charity dedicated to transforming society and driving out the bigotry which so often divides our nation. 15 years on and Nil By Mouth is still speaking out fearlessly and campaigning against sectarianism across Scotland PREVIOUS WINNERS

2015: 2016: 2017: ADELE PATRICK LAURA YOUNG SALLY MAGNUSSON Adele was the driving force behind Since her eight-year-old daughter Sally is an excellent example of the Glasgow Women’s Library is passed away from Lupus and cancer, someone with vision and dedication; a place for all women, not a stuffy, Laura has devoted her time and who created something that, quite elitist place but rather a community energy to running the Teapot Trust. simply, is making life better for others. hub which welcomes women of all Verity Young spent much of her short Despite her own loss and grief, she ages, cultures and backgrounds, and life in hospital coping with illness rolled up her sleeves and created helps them get back in control of and until she discovered art therapy, something truly special, something their lives. Today Glasgow Women’s she hated the endless rounds of that is already changing the way Library is a multi-award-winning and injections and treatments. When people with dementia are treated not internationally respected institution, Laura saw the difference art made, just here in Scotland, but across the thanks to that vision … and thanks to she wanted to be able to help other UK. A diagnosis of dementia can be the determination and perseverance children in the same way. The charity devastating for families. But thanks of one woman. Adele has made an now employs 17 art therapists and to the compassion, the foresight and immense difference and has worked runs 22 projects in 11 towns and the sheer hard work of this woman, tirelessly to preserve and celebrate cities from Inverness to the Borders, there is suddenly some hope amidst the achievements of everyday women helping children with long term the despair. Playlist for Life is a vital in Scotland. health conditions cope with the fear life-changing service supported by and unpleasantness of hospital visits. leading health professionals across Despite her personal, devastating the country. It is ground-breaking. Its tragedy, Laura has spearheaded the founder is nothing short of incredible. charity’s fundraising to the tune of almost half a million pounds - and given hundreds of families across Scotland a lifeline. 2010 - PRESENT 2010