Hillary Clinton, the JFK dynasty and now Ann Gloag: Scot in top US honour

ANN Gloag, the co-founder of Stagecoach, has become the first Scot to be honoured with a prestigious international award in recognition of her charity work.

The former nurse, who is one of Britain’s wealthiest women, said it was a “huge privilege” to receive the Eleanor Roosevelt Val-Kill Medal, whose previous honorees include US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Queen Noor of Jordan.

Organisers of the accolade hailed Ms Gloag’s tireless work to improve the plight of impoverished African women and said she “embodies the spirit and leadership” of the former US First Lady after whom the award is named.

The first Scottish recipient of the medal in its 24-year history, Ms Gloag has donated millions to an array of charitable causes. Though she remains a non- executive director of the transport empire she built with her brother, Sir Brian Souter, the 68-year-old from Perth now devotes much of her business acumen towards humanitarian work.

Most notably, she established the Freedom From Fistula Foundation three years ago, which helps provide free medical care to some of the estimated two million women in Africa who have been injured in childbirth.

With a personal fortune of about £650 million, making her the 12th richest woman in Britain and the seventh wealthiest Scot, she has donated millions of pounds to other charities, including Mercy Ships, which provides free medical services and humanitarian care to the poorest people around the world. She has also has helped establish an orphanage and school in Nairobi, and set up a women’s rescue centre with the co-operation of Masai chiefs.

The medal, set up to honour campaigning individuals and organisations which typify the values Eleanor Roosevelt followed in her public life, will be presented to Ms Gloag on Sunday during a ceremony in New York. She said: “It is a huge privilege to have been chosen to receive the Eleanor Roosevelt Val-Kill Medal as the former First Lady was such an inspirational and well-respected woman, advocate and leader.

“I have been intimately involved in charitable projects for more than 30 years, but the last three years have been particularly focused on helping the forgotten women of Africa – women who have been seriously injured in childbirth, leaving them rejected by their families and outcasts in society. It is not a trendy or popular cause and that is why it is so important.”

Judy Polkinhorn, executive director of Mercy Ships UK, said: “We are all delighted for Ann as she works tirelessly to help people at home and abroad. Her support for Mercy Ships has been invaluable to our organisation and the Africa Mercy would not be here today without her.”

Kathleen Durham, executive director of the Eleanor Roosevelt Centre, said: “We are delighted to be honouring Ann Gloag and the other medalists on the 25th anniversary of the centre.

“Ann embodies the spirit and leadership displayed by Eleanor Roosevelt during and after her years as First Lady and this year’s outstanding medallists are further proof that one’s philosophy is not best expressed in words; it is expressed in the choices one makes.”