Rise from humble days at school

Lady Haughey is Her Majesty’s representative in Lanarkshire and spoke about her role to our reporter Stefanie (inset) Lady Susan Haughey grew up in the Gorbals, but has lived in Lanarkshire for the past 37 years.

After leaving Holyrood Secondary school, she and her husband, Willie, set up City Refrigeration Ltd.

She explained:“I left school at 16, and my husband and I didn’t have an O-level between us. He was a fridge engineer, and I knew I could do business.

“We now have 14,000 employees across the UK, Austria, Malaysia, France and the USA. We remember that if it wasn’t for the people who work for us, we wouldn’t be where we are.”

In 2002, Lady Haughey and her husband set up the City Charitable Trust, and have since donated over £9 million to deserving causes.

Lady Haughey is also a director of Kilbryde Hospice in East Kilbride.

She said:“I got involved with Kilbryde after my friend’s daughter passed away. The hospice provides care for anyone who has a terminal illness.

“There was already a hospice in North Lanarkshire so we felt like we needed one in South Lanarkshire. The place doesn’t feel like a hospice, it is very bright and colourful.”

Lady Haughey was awarded the Loving Cup, a Glasgow honour, in 2015 by the city’s Lord Provost, and won a Women of Influence Award in 2016, when she also received her CBE.

By royal appointment Success Lord and Lady Haughey at their City Refrigeration business