Lady Claire Macdonald accepts top honour at Union annual dinner
NFU Scotland’s annual dinner provided a fitting backdrop for Lady Claire Macdonald, a dedicated supporter of Scottish food and farming, to receive the annual NFU Scotland Ambassador award.
Established by the Union in 2009 and supported by NFU Mutual, the award was set up to recognise the industry’s ambassadors – those individuals who, through their own efforts, have played an influential role in communicating the work, challenges and the value of Scottish food and farming to a wider audience.
Along with her husband and family, Lady Claire runs the Michelin-starred Kinloch Lodge restaurant and hotel on Skye. In addition to her role in running a busy and successful food business, Lady Claire has put considerable time and effort into promoting Scottish produce. As well as writing regular food columns in a number of newspapers, Lady Claire is patron of both Scottish Food Fortnight and the Scottish Association of Farmers Markets. Lady Claire regularly conducts cookery demonstrations to packed audiences at major events, and the finest Scottish ingredients always feature on the menu.
Lady Claire collected the award in front of 500 guests attending the Union’s annual dinner in St Andrews on Monday, 14 February.
Announcing the award, NFU Scotland President Jim McLaren said:
“Scottish farmers, more than ever before, see themselves as part of a chain that runs all the way from farm to fork. A lot of hard work goes into producing the raw materials needed for Scotland’s successful food and drink industry but that hard work seems worthwhile when we have a stalwart supporter like Lady Claire who can relay the fantastic story we have to tell straight to the consumer.
“Through her business, her articles and patronage of key organisations, Lady Claire’s support for the efforts of Scotland’s primary producers is unflinching and her recognition of the quality of food and drink we produce is heart-felt. Those who have seen Lady Claire’s cookery demonstrations, performed in front of pack audiences at events like the Highland Show, will have seen her infectious enthusiasm first hand and appreciate what a worthy winner of this award she is.”
On receiving the award, Lady Claire said:
“I feel from the bottom of my heart that this award is such a huge honour. However, it should not really be an award about one person.
“There is a fantastic team of hard working and talented individuals without whom Scotland’s ingredients would be very dull. My respect for the farmers, crofters and fishermen continues to grow and these people are all too often the invisible food heroes of Scotland. These are the people who produce the goods that continue to truly inspire Scotland’s cooks and chefs. It is to them that I offer my immense gratitude.”
Making the award, Ian Leech, Sales and Agency Director of NFU Mutual said:
"With a hundred years experience insuring farmers we appreciate the tremendous value of people who have the expertise and ability to communicate food and farming issues to the general public – either through the media or face-to-face. Lady Claire has a fantastic way of describing the virtues of Scottish food and farming to many different audiences and is very worthy recipient of this award.”
Notes to Editors
- Award-winning cook and food writer, Lady Claire Macdonald is married to Lord Godfrey Macdonald, High Chief of the Clan Donald and they have four children. For nearly four decades, the Macdonalds' have run their Isle of Skye home, Kinloch Lodge, as a unique luxury hotel.
- Lady Claire is the energetic Patron of Scottish Food Fortnight and The Scottish Association of Farmers' Markets. In recognition of her contribution to Scottish food, the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland presented Lady Claire with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Other awards received include an honorary degree from the University of Abertay, in 2008, and in November 2010, Lady Claire was awarded the title of Ambassador of the Highlands for 2011.
- Lady Claire writes a weekly food column for the Scotsman newspaper and a fortnightly column for the Press and Journal. In addition, Lady Claire is a regular freelance writer and broadcaster.
- The inaugural winner of the NFU Scotland Ambassador award, first made in 2009, was former BBC broadcaster Ken Rundle. Ken is currently Head of Communications at SAC. In 2010, the award was given posthumously to the journalist and broadcaster Dan Buglass, Rural Affairs Editor of The Scotsman.
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Contact Bob Carruth on 0131 472 4006