IT was a moment of TV gold. She handed him a mop and bucket to clean the toilets, and in return he gave her a cheque for £225,000.

IT was a moment of TV gold. She handed him a mop and bucket to clean the toilets, and in return he gave her a cheque for £225,000.

One emotionally-charged episode of The Secret Millionaire brought the untiring dedication of Veronica Rodden to the small screens of millions of homes.

Importance of good role models

THE Scotswoman of the Year awards are sponsored once more by St Enoch Centre.

Susan Nicol, General Manager of St. Enoch Centre, said: "I'm delighted that we are once again supporting the Evening Times Scotswoman of the Year awards.

"These awards generate a huge amount of interest and are clearly regarded with a great deal of affection by the people of Scotland.

"One of the main reasons for that is that the Scotswoman of the Year promotes pride in the community by giving recognition to people who really deserve our admiration.

"Playing an active part in the local community is something which we at St. Enoch's see as a vital element of our own business and is at the heart of our current redevelopment programme.

"In my view it is extremely important that we provide our young people with good role models and the achievements of previous award winners have been both exceptional and inspirational and will undoubtedly encourage other young women to follow in their footsteps.

"What particularly impresses me is the fact that so many of the nominees have worked extremely hard to achieve success in their own careers but also use their talent, expertise and experience to benefit others in our community."

For the last 28 years, Ronnie, as she's better known in Possilpark, has fought the cause for disabled people across the north of Glasgow.

And her efforts melted the heart of multi-millionaire Nick Leslau when last year he traded his £15million Mayfair mansion for a tenement on Hawthorn Street to film an episode of Channel 4's award-winning riches-to-rags series.

Nick admitted he was shocked by the poverty in Possilpark and that his experiences with Ronnie had changed his life.

" I had a fear of disability. When I saw someone in a wheelchair at an airport I was a metaphorical road-crosser. Afterwards, I thought what a twit I was for being afraid of talking to a kid with Down's syndrome."

The unlikely benefactor, who made his fortune through property and owns Madame Tussauds and Alton Towers, pledged almost a quarter of a million pounds of his own money over the next five years.

The funds will be used to finance a bigger, better centre for the disabled and buy a new bus for its members.

The overnight fame hasn't gone to the head of the veteran campaigner, who is a mum of seven and great-gran to five.

But being asked to turn on Possilpark's Christmas lights did make an impression.

"My claim to fame," laughs Ronnie, who celebrated her 65th birthday earlier this week. "It was lovely, really nice."

She put a condition on her appearance: that members' singing group The Forum Players got to perform the tracks they've recorded for a fundraising CD using money from Nick's donation.

Music rings out across the entrance to The Disability Community building on Closeburn Street as a group of visually-impaired members enjoy a sing-song.

Nick, whose estimated fortune is £200m, encouraged Ronnie to change its name from the Possil and Milton Disability Forum.

He returned to the centre in November last year to film scenes for Christmas Day special The Secret Millionaire Changed My Life.

The centre's history dates back to 1980 when Ronnie was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis following the birth of her youngest child, Brian.

She helped form a steering group who campaigned for seven years to see their vision of a social hub for disabled people realised.

Despite years of setbacks and rejections, funding was secured and the centre finally opened its doors in 1990.

Its facilities and cafe are used by 150 members every week; its Cook'n'Care Service delivers free hot meals to an additional 70 housebound locals every day; and it hosts regular activities for 65 young members of its Out and About project.

The Disability Community receives £190,000 annually from Glasgow Community Planning Partnership, and fundraises the rest of the costs, which total over £300,000.

With the help of their Secret Millionaire windfall - which Ronnie hopes will provide extra leverage with the Lottery and other grant-giving authorities - building should start on the new £1.3m centre in October.

It's to be built in the car park and the existing building demo-lished when the centre opens.

Ronnie is chair of the charity and her work is voluntary, earning her an MBE in 2002. She's also on the board of the local housing association, health board, regeneration agency and community planning authority.

Ronnie has acted as a Justice of the Peace for the last ten years, the framed certificate for which sits proudly on her desk.

You might say a fighting spirit is in her genes.

"My mum Elizabeth was a 4ft 11in firebrand," says Ronnie, who grew up in a single end in Maryhill with five siblings.

"There were beds under beds and over beds.

"My mother went up to one of the councillor's houses when he was having a party and sat on the doorstep and said she wasn't moving until something was done. We got a new house just after then in the Gilshy', or Gilshochill between Cadder and Maryhill."

Ronnie's own brood lived in a room and kitchen in Maryhill overrun with rats before she was moved to a four apartment on Tannock Street.

"I thought I'd died and gone to heaven," she said. "I'm not saying it's perfect, but I love Possilpark. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else."

A member for around 12 months, Irene McElvar, 54, was one of the people whose story had a big impact on Nick.

"What can you say about Ronnie?" said Irene, who lost her eyesight when she was 30.

"She's just one of these people who like to get up and do things, not for herself but for others and I'm sure Nick must have seen that."

A comment about the buzzing atmosphere in the centre makes Ronnie's eyes glaze over.

"See the architect who built this? He stood in the door and said I've just got a good feel about this place'.

"I'll never forget that. I said you're only showing off because you built it.

"I think I'll get the same feeling with the new place."


BUSINESS WOMAN: Mary helps First ScotRail get back on track
FIRST ScotRail is on track to being a better business - and much of that is thanks to one woman.

Mary Grant is the boss of one of the UK's largest and most complex rail franchises.

Better known as Mary Dickson before her marriage last year to businessman Cameron Grant, the 39-year-old has transformed Scotland's rail services since she became managing director in October 2004.

Passenger growth is up 20% since the original franchise was awarded in 2004 - and train punctuality at a record high.

The latest available National Passenger Survey by Passenger Focus, the independent regulatory organisation, also put customer satisfaction with First ScotRail at a record 88% - 8% above the UK train operators' national average.

Last year, the awards came thick and fast.

When Mrs Grant received Quality Scotland's leadership award, First ScotRail's transformation under her stewardship was described as "remarkable".

She was also HSBC Rail Manager of the Year and Passenger Transport Professional of the Year.

First ScotRail received Investor in People accreditation across the company in 2008.

It was also named UK Passenger Operator of the Year at the National Rail Awards - and for the third consecutive year was Scottish Public Transport Operator of the Year.

The problems encountered by track operator Network Rail over the New Year and into this week have caused problems for many Scottish passengers. But Mrs Grant is determined rail travellers will get better service She has inspired a culture change among the 4300 First ScotRail staff so they have a nothing is too much trouble' attitude to deliver better services.

It speaks volumes for her leadership that a three-year franchise extension was awarded by the Scottish Government last April.

Mrs Grant's lifelong learning commitment includes being part of the Skills Utilisation Leadership Group championed by Scottish Education Secretary Fiona Hyslop.

The rail boss is also a member of the Climate Change Business Delivery Group challenging Scottish business to do more to tackle the problem.
SPORTS WOMAN: Early starter Katherine is intent on being golden girl
WHEN the rest of us are turning over for another few winks, Katherine Grainger is already out on the River Thames putting herself through her paces.

Come cold or wet or even snow, the 33-year-old rower, originally from Bearsden, near Glasgow, is up before dawn and out on the river at sunrise, breaking the ice if she has to.

Katherine is a three-time Olympic silver medal winner and has put in a lot of hard graft behind the scenes to get to the level as Britain's top oarswoman.

Her team was just pipped at the post by the Chinese in last year's Olympics but, undaunted, Katherine has announced she will be going for gold in the 2012 Olympics in London.

"It was a big decision. I had to weigh everything up carefully," Katherine admits. "I don't feel any older - I think sport keeps you in good shape physically and mentally. "

While former classmates have been climbing the career ladder, Katherine, a law graduate, has put her professional career on hold to concentrate on her rowing.

So she had to consider whether she could continue to do that.

But the lure of a gold medal is too strong and Katherine, who has lived for the past decade in Marlowe, Hertfordshire, where the women's rowing team is based, has promised to give it one more try.

She went to school at Mosshead Primary and Bearsden Academy, took her law degree at Edinburgh University, a masters in medical law from Glasgow University and is halfway through a part-time PhD in forensic psychology.

"Your sport dominates everything at this level," says Katherine, who is single and says there is little time for a social life.

"It takes over your life. I am up at 6am most days and on the water by 7.30am, with two training sessions in the morning and a third in the afternoon.

"Rowing is like a full-time job and yet, you feel you never have a real job. It is a daily challenge - effectively trying to be the best in the world at something. It tests you physically, mentally, emotionally.

"There is the mundane routine of hours and hours of training and the relentless slog through the winter months and you are buoyed up by the excitement of the championships in the summer. Then it is finished and you start all over again."

Meantime, her sculls crew are reigning world champions and there's the World Cup in May to train for.