Review

July

After spending nearly four decades dedicating his life to teaching, the head teacher of St John Ogilvie High put down his marking pen for the last time.

Eddie Morrison said his final farewell to staff, pupils and members of the community during a special mass service at St John Ogilvie Church.

A crooked mother and daughter, who stole more than £60,000 by taking bogus loans in a dead man’s name and plundering children’s bank accounts, faced jail.

Catherine Burnett (63) and Andrea Rodden (44) hatched a plot to pocket a fortune from the Whitehill Hillhouse Earnock Burnbank Credit Union. After 40 years the UWS on Almada Street, Hamilton, officially closed its doors for the last time.

This came after the university moved to the new £110m Lanarkshire campus based in Hamilton International Technology Park.

August

Hamilton Accies agreed a deal with a cannabis oil company which seen their stadium rebranded.

The SPFL side’s ground changed their name from New Douglas Park to the Hope CBD Stadium.

The deal will net the club a five-figure sum each season, while they are also believed to be in line for a slice of the profits from the sale of the cannabis-derived products.

Kilbryde Hospice officially opened a new wing in memory of a director who lost her cancer battle.

The Donna Mortimer Ballantyne inpatient wing was named after the Bothwell mum who lost her brave nine-year battle with malignant melanoma in 2011. Ladies’ Night returned to Hamilton Park Racecourse, with hundreds turning out for the glamorous event. Television star and model Calum Best joined the panel to judge the Best Dressed Lady Competition with a grand prize of £1000 cash.

September

A local business was under threat after a fire ripped through a carwash and tyre factory in the heart of Hamilton, Sponge ‘N’ Hoses. The community set up a funding page.

The town was rocked by the death of 12-year-old school girl, Rachel Stevens, who died after taking ill at her home. The St John Ogilvie High pupil had been due to turn 13 that week.

And the Advertiser teamed up with Hamilton Business Improvement District for their first ever 10k race. Our editor Robert Mitchell took part, as well as reporter Kirsten Mcstay, who raised £2300 for Eilidh Mchugh’s Beatson fund.