Last night there was a ceremony at the City Chambers when Edinburgh recognised one of its well-loved sons.
Sir Tom Farmer receives The Edinburgh Award 2015 from Phyllis Stephen on Vimeo.
Sir Tom Farmer was selected to receive the Edinburgh Award from a shortlist of nominations cast by the Edinburgh public last year. He was given an engraved Loving Cup from the Lord Provost in the presence of around 200 people.
The Edinburgh Award recognises an outstanding individual who has made a positive impact on the city in the last 12 months. Sir Tom Farmer’s influence is far wider reaching than that.
The Lord Provost said: “He is Edinburgh through and through. Born in Leith in 1940, he is a successful entrepreneur and keen philanthropist. He was educated at St Mary’s RC Primary School and Holy Cross Academy.
“He began his career at 15 at a local tyre firm before famously founding one of Europe’s largest and best known automotive repair businesses, Kwik Fit.
“His interests include property development and interests in new business start ups. He is the current major shareholder of Hibernian Football Club (this got a big cheer!) and is Chancellor of Queen Margaret University.
“In 1997 Pope John Paul II bestowed upon him the Knight Commander, the Star of the St Gregory the Great, the highest honour the Roman Catholic church can give to a layman.
“In 2003 Sir Tom commissioned artist Tim Chalk to create the city’s nativity scene which is used each year. This marvellous piece can be seen each year at the Nativity Carol concert is one of my favourite events in Edinburgh.
“In 2005 he was the first Scot to be given the Andrew Carnegie Medal for philanthropy. He is involved with The Duke of Edinburgh Award and started the Farmer Foundation.
“I think you should get this award for this reason. Every single time I have met you I have been impressed with the way you talk about Edinburgh. You make visitors jealous that they don’t live here and you make us who live here proud of our city. That’s why I think you deserve the Edinburgh Award.”
Professor Norman Drummond paid tribute to Sir Tom’s remarkable achievements, and particularly mentioned his gift of a large screen in Pilrig Park last year so that over 1000 Leith residents could watch the service and ceremony in Rosebank being conducted in the presence of HRH The Princess Royal in her capacity as Colonel in Chief of the Royal Scots.
Professor Drummond said: “May I thank you on behalf of all those present and those who could not be here for all that you have been, for all that you are and will be forever remembered.”
Christine de Luca the Edinburgh Makar had composed a special poem for the occasion which included the line: “This man was the first Scot awarded the Carnegie Medal – only the Rockefellers, Sainsburys and Cadburys got there before him.”
Sir Tom Farmer said : “it is the result of the tremendous support and encouragement that I have received all my life from so many people. It started with my mother and father, the best mother and father that any boy could have.
“All of these people were there to cheer me and when I failed, they were there to encourage me to get up and try again.
“I am optimistic about the future. What fuels my optimism is people in government, local government and charities. Let’s work together to make a difference. I feel that the future will be the result of the efforts we make to shape it. Nowhere is there a greater opportunity than here in this city.”
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
