Jean makes her mark as club's first lady president

Jean Lennie was announced as president for 2010-11 at the club's recent handover dinner. The retired businesswoman is well known in curling circles and is also Brown Owl with the 1st Penicuik Brownies.

In her acceptance speech, Ms Lennie, who will lead a team of volunteers, talked about Rotary International's theme of Building Communities - Bridging Continents.

The club provides a varied programme of opportunities for young people and care for the elderly.

Competitions such as Young Chef and Young Technologist, which are run in conjunction with Beeslack Community High School, offer pupils the chance to pit their skills against students from outside the town.

Penicuik Rotary Club also supports the international community, whether by providing donations in the wake of natural disasters or supporting the work of WaterAid.

MORE than 50 Macmillan Cancer Support welfare rights advisers have recently graduated from a course designed to help prevent cancer victims falling into fuel poverty.

Following City and Guilds Energy Awareness training, courtesy of ScottishPower, the new energy advisers will help charity users to cut the cost of heating their homes.

One of the advisers to receive a certificate is Julie Stuart, from the City of Edinburgh Macmillan Welfare Rights Partnership, who is based at the advice shop on South Bridge.

She said: "Due to their illness, many patients find themselves spending more time at home.

"They also feel the cold more so have the heating on for longer periods. All this contributes to higher fuel bills at a time when a patient's income is reduced.

"I have learned a great deal from attending the energy awareness course and I am looking forward to making a real difference by helping patients to stay warm and alleviating some of the money worries they have."

Advisers also learn about the health risks from the lack of affordable warmth, the causes and control of damp and energy-saving measures such as effective insulation and draught-proofing.

In addition, they gain expertise in tariffs, the cost of running household appliances and about the financial help available for energy improvements.

Elspeth Atkinson, Macmillan's director for Scotland, said: "We know that fuel poverty has a direct effect on cancer patients' health which is why it is so important that we do what we can to help them. This certificate will ensure our advisers are trained to the highest standard and have the expertise to have a huge impact on the lives of cancer patients."

"Macmillan has around 70 advisers in Scotland and our ambition is to eventually have them all trained to this very high standard."