50 Years of Giving: A Celebration
2011 marks the 50th anniversary of the Robertson Trust. In the five decades since we were established we have awarded over £100m to Scottish charities.
The three sisters who founded the Robertson Trust in 1961 could not have imagined the magnitude of the journey that has led to this, its half century celebration of giving in Scotland.
It was my privilege to have known Elspeth, Agnes and Ethel Robertson, fondly known as Babs, who donated their shares in the family business founded by their grandfather and father to the Trust for charitable purposes.
All three sisters were Trustees of the Robertson Trust which they insisted held true to its core principle of helping to make a difference to the charities they supported. It was typical of the sisters that early donations from the Trust were anonymous.
While the scale of the Trust is significantly larger than I am sure the sisters could have imagined, the guiding principles that they set up for the Robertson Trust remain today and are secured well into the future.
For some charities, a small donation of a few hundred pounds to a lunch club for the elderly can make as much difference as a major donation to one of our universities. The aim then, as it is today, is to improve life in Scotland.
Our 50th year is one of great pride of the Robertson sisters’ legacy and benevolence. As part of our celebrations to mark our anniversary year we have set up a special 50th award programme. This will total £2.5m. The recipients will be announced towards the end of 2011.
Sir Ian Good
Chairman
Our 50th Anniversary Dinner Gallery
