Trinity Accies president awarded MBE

Carol Graham is pictured far right in the front row in front of the TARFC clubhouse before its demolishment at the start of the Bangholm development.

We also send our best wishes to Currie Rugby Board Chairman, Sean Scott, former North & Midlands representative who, in his role as divisional commander for the City of Edinburgh for Police Scotland, received the King’s Police Medal.

Carol, 70, received the award for services to the local community in the north of Edinburgh.

It followed a 35-year career as a language teacher and latterly deputy head at Trinity Academy and, after her retirement in 2015, she has continued to be active in the Trinity/Bangholm/Newhaven community, having joined the committee of Trinity Accies rugby club in 2016, the same year she started volunteering at St Columba’s Hospice.

Carol became President of Trinity Accies rugby club in 2019.

She explained: “After I had retired from teaching, Allan Spencer, who was our head of PE at school and who had coached rugby for many years, asked me if I would join the rugby club committee.

“I had been actively involved in all the school hockey, on the organisational side at Trinity Academy, and I’d also gone on the joint hockey/rugby school tours to Australia, South Africa and Canada.

“But when I started on the committee at Trinity Accies, I wanted to be very clear what my purpose was.  And it was two-fold: fund-raising and, probably more importantly, was to achieve better links between the school, the community and the rugby club.”

A key initiative from Carol was to kick-start a family fun-day at Bangholm, which ran before the pandemic and was a highlight of pre-season each August.

The development of a new clubhouse and playing facilities at Bangholm, via Edinburgh Leisure and the City of Edinburgh Council, came to fruition last year and brought an end to a challenging period for Trinity Accies, where they had trained with Edinburgh Accies at Raeburn Place, played matches at Inverleith Park, and used the clubhouse at Summerside Bowling Club for their post-match hospitality.

But through all that period, Carol continued to champion working with the community, bringing energy and drive in her role as President.

She added: “Nobody does all these things, whatever the context, whether it’s your working life or as a volunteer on the rugby side of things or at St Columba’s Hospice, for any form of recognition or to get an award.

“My attitude has always been it’s a privilege to be involved and it’s very humbling to receive this recognition.”

And with that, Carol, gets back to continuing arrangements for a “gold lunch” ahead of Trinity Accies East Regional League Division 3 derby against Edinburgh Northern this Saturday.

Scottish Rugby President, Colin Rigby, said: “Many congratulations to Carol for all that she has done and continues to do with great zest for Trinity Accies.

“Rugby in Scotland relies on unsung heroes like Carol, and she is a most worthy recipient of the MBE.

“We also congratulate Sean Scott, recognised in his professional role, with the award of the King’s Police Medal.”

Carol Graham is pictured far right in the front row in front of the TARFC clubhouse before its demolition at the start of the Bangholm development.