Loraine Swan from Lanark awarded BEM in the King's first New Year honours list

However, the well-kent Lanarkian was sworn to secrecy – not even her family knew about the British Empire Medal for voluntary services to the community.

She had planned to tell them on Hogmanay but the news leaked a day early and on Friday night Loraine’s phone started to explode with text messages, congratulating her.

So some of her friends knew before her family did!

Loraine quickly brought her husband David, son Colin (44) and daughter Lorna (42) up to speed, then let her grandchildren know too – Calum (20), Alana (21), Kiera (17) and Joshua (15).

Much celebration had been enjoyed by the time we caught up with her on Monday.

Loraine (72) said: “I’d received a call in November because an email telling me about the BEM had gone missing.

"At first I thought it was a wind up but the man who called me resent the email and I realised then that it was for real.

"I was sworn to secrecy until Hogmanay but my phone started pinging between 11.30pm and midnight on Friday night – the news had been released early so a lot of people in the town knew before my family did!

"I feel very humbled as there are so many people out there who do so much for the community; in the groups that I’m a part of, it’s a team effort so I feel truly honoured to have been nominated for this award.”

There can be very few people in the town who don’t know proud Lanarkian Loraine.

Born and brought up in the town, her parents Ninian (Ninie) and Betty made their home at Kildare Farm, where Loraine and her husband David now live.

Ninie was well-kent locally, not only as a farmer but as the midnight milkman!

And his name and the family home inspired Loraine to found a Lanimer Lorry group when she was 19 which is still going strong today – the Kilninie Club (Kil for the farm and Ninie for her dad).

Loraine has been involved in the Lanimers since she was a girl and served as the committee’s chairwoman for a number of years, as well as being crowning lady in 1990.

Her association with Cairns Church, now Greyfriars, also began when she was a child. She started as a Sunday School teacher when she was just 14 and now, aged 72, continues in that role, as well as being as a church elder.

She also serves as the group co-ordinator for the Lanark and District U3A, of which she is a past chairwoman, and the Inner Wheel Club where she also served as chairwoman and is now programme co-ordinator.

Generations of parents and pupils will know Loraine from her other role, as teacher – firstly at Lanark and Douglas Water Primary Schools before joining the team at Stanmore House in Lanark, where she worked for more than 30 years, retiring in October 2010 as the depute head.

She helped form the school’s holiday playscheme which ran successfully for 20 years, prior to lockdown in 2020. Loraine is now keen to see the scheme re-established, which should come as no suprise to anyone who knows her well!

Given her many years of voluntary service to so many local organisations, perhaps the only person who was truly shocked at Loraine’s name being included in this year’s New Year’s Honours list was the lady herself.

She has been awarded the British Empire Medal for her many years hard work.

While delighted, Loraine was modest about her nomination.

She said: “I was really taken aback when I found out; it’s very humbling and I really appreciate it but you’re not thinking about things like that – you do what you do because you want to help, not for awards.

"It’s lovely to get this kind of recognition but there are so many different people I work alongside who work equally as hard. I’m part of a team in each of the organisations and you need a team to get anything done. I have been told I’m pretty good at persuading people to get involved in things though!”

Loraine will find out later this year when her BEM will be presented and will likely be taking her “understanding” husband David along for the celebration.

The couple married in Cairns Church on July 6, 1972, followed by a reception in the Toftcombs Hotel near Biggar.

They celebrated their Golden Wedding in Ibiza last year, followed by a family party on their return in August.

The couple have two children – Colin (44) and Lorna (42) – and four grandchildren, Calum (20), Alana (21), Kiera (17) and Joshua (15).

Loraine’s brother Ian Barrie, who lives in Inverurie, was also delighted to hear of her New Year honour.