THE family of a Scots-born charity founder will today be presented with the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy at a ceremony in Edinburgh.
Dame Janet Wolfson de Botton, chair of the Wolfson Foundation and the granddaughter of its Glasgow-born founder, will collect the award - known as the "Nobel Prize of philanthropy" - at the Scottish Parliament.
It is only the second time since the awards were launched in 2001 that the ceremony has been held outside the US.
Sir Isaac Wolfson, who set up the foundation, was born in Glasgow in 1897 and went on to create one of the largest retail conglomerates in Europe: Great Universal Stores (GUS).
His foundation, established in 1955, has awarded £1.25 billion in real terms to 10,000 projects, including more than £110 million in the past three years alone.
Major projects that have been funded in Scotland include the Wolfson Medical School at Glasgow University, the new National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh, major science infra-structure projects across the country and numerous hospice and disability projects.
Dame Janet said: "I am delighted and honoured to receive the Carnegie Medal on behalf of my father, and I would like to pay tribute to him and to my grandparents who established the Wolfson Foundation.
"I would also like to thank everyone past and present who has contributed to its work."
Paul Ramsbottom, Chief Executive of the Wolfson Foundation, added: "Our Glaswegian roots are important to us and we are keen to encourage excellent projects in Scotland.
"I am pleased that we continue to fund more than ever in Scotland."
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