The club welcomed Lady Stewartby as their speaker for the evening.  Lady Stewartby is the granddaughter of the famous novelist, the late John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir.

John Buchan is best known as being the author of the best selling book/film “The 39 Steps”.  In addition to being an author Buchan led a full and active early life, serving in the Foreign Office in a political and administrative capacity in various colonies in South Africa.  He was briefly involved in Parliament when in 1927 he stood for and won the Scottish Universities Seat.  Being of a single minded personality he felt himself unsuited to the parliamentary life and continued a very successful diplomatic and writing career in fiction and non fiction which brought him favourably to the attention of King George V

In 1933 he achieved his own personal pinnacle by becoming High Commissioner of the Church of Scotland.  Later, in 1938 he became Warden of Neidpath Castle, Peebles. 

He visited Canada in the mid 1920s, was fascinated by the country and later wrote on the subject.  Due to his accepted knowledge of Canada, at the invitation of the Canadian Prime Minister, MacKenzie King, King George V elevated Buchan to the Peerage as 1st Baron Tweedsmuir and appointed him Governor General of Canada in 1935.

Lady Stewartby ably illustrated the full and active life of her grandfather John Buchan with many tales and descriptions.  Rotarian Peter Baxendale accorded Lady Stewartby a very well deserved vote of thanks.

Under other business President John Gennard advised members of the Club’s quiz team’s thrilling one point victory over Polmont Rotary at Polmont.  On the more social scene, John reported that a group of 35, comprising of Rotarians, their wives and grandchildren had enjoyed the pantomime at the Pavilion Theatre in Glasgow the previous Sunday.

The Shop Window of "Choices" on Hamilton Street, Carluke, showing the Recruitment Display put on by The Rotary Club of Carluke revealing some of the facets of Rotary membership and some of the successes of the Club over the past 30 years.

This year’s Carluke rotary Citizen of the Year is Anne Forrest.

Anne is an elder in St John’s Church and has been involved in running the Choices Charity Shop in Hamilton Street since it’s opening in 1992.

The Charity shop was set up by the local churches and the intention was to sell Bric a Brac etc at affordable prices.

Over the years the shop has expanded and now sells such things as baby jackets and offers a sewing service.

Choices has supported many charities over its 17 years and particular it has contributed over £250000 to the local youth organisation at Street Level.

Anne was delighted to receive the Citizen of the Year Award and was surprised that she had been chosen.

However the Rotary’s Community Services Committee felt that her contribution to Charity throughout the years had merited Anne winning this years Citizen of the Year.

Rotary President John Gennard presented Anne with a crystal rosebowl engraved with her name at the club’s annual ladies night held at Carluke Golf Club.

All the club members agreed that Anne was a very worthy recipient of the award.