A woman who has helped to raise more than £1.6million for a national children’s charity was honoured at Aberdeen University yesterday.
Juliette Paton has played a key role in organising one of the biggest events on the north-east’s social calendar for more than 20 years, the Tartan Ball in aid of Children 1st.
This year’s event, which was held at the Beach Ballroom in Aberdeen last week, raised £118,000.
Yesterday Mrs Paton, of Grandhome House, Aberdeen, was made a master of the university in recognition of her work with the charity, which she got involved with shortly after moving to the city 34 years ago.
The honour was bestowed in front of hundreds of engineering and geo-sciences students attending the final day of Aberdeen University’s winter graduation ceremonies at Elphinstone Hall.
Afterwards, Mrs Paton, who was joined by her husband David and sons William and Matthew at yesterday’s ceremony, said she had not had such a huge grin on her face for a “long time”.
She said: “It was very strange to hear all the achievements read out, it was an out of body experience – but a very nice one.
“A lot of my achievements are thanks to those who help me though. I don’t do it all on my own – I wish they could have been here too.”
Mrs Paton and her husband, whose family has owned Grandhome since 1673, have hosted several charity events at their home but her main focus has been Children 1st.
The charity – formerly known as the Royal Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children – works to support vulnerable children, help them recover from abuse and promotes their rights and interests.
As well as the Tartan Ball – of which Mr Paton is a patron – Mrs Paton organises an annual Christmas concert at Craigiebuckler Church, a ladies lunch and the Buchan Barn Dance in her capacity as chairwoman of the charity’s Aberdeen fundraising committee.
She said: “I just got involved in a few things that meant a lot to me.
“I can’t bear the idea of children being hurt, they are fragile and vulnerable and I can’t see why people would hurt them.