Edinburgh retailer Linda Williams attended the opening ceremony of the Scottish Parliament on Saturday (2 October) and met members of the Royal Family.
Williams was selected to attend by the Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone for setting up a coronavirus hardship fund at the Premier Broadway Convenience Store, Oxgangs, that raised more than £10,000 to help hundreds of locals pay for essentials.
Williams said: “I am very happy to have been nominated, although I certainly wasn’t looking for any thanks or recognition.
“It has been such a hard 18 months for everyone, and I think we played a small part in making life a bit easier for our customers and neighbours by setting up a free same day delivery service and starting a hardship fund to help those who slipped through the cracks of the financial help that was available.
“Our community rose to the occasion magnificently; people were incredibly generous with their donations, and the whole experience became a shining light of hope during a hard time.”
