14 BUSINESS
Rotary: Join the club
By STAFF REPORTEROUTLINE HAIR in the Old Town, was
recognised by Cycling Scotland’s Cycling
Champion Awards for owner Kay Corbett’s
efforts to support staff and customers to
cycle, including by installing cycle parking
inside the hair salon.
The salon based in Edinburgh’s Old
Town, and has been announced today as
winner of Business Champion of the Year.
Having experienced difficulty with
storing her bike at previous workplaces,
owner Kay Corbett was determined to
make her new salon as cycling friendly a
space as possible when opening the
business in 2020.
In providing dedicated indoor space for
cycle parking for both customers and staff,
Kay has helped foster a welcoming
environment for anyone choosing to travel
by bike, with nominations commending
her proactive and positive support for the
wider health benefits of cycling.BUSINESS DECISIONS
Kay said: “It feels so great to be recognised
for the choices we’re making as a business.
Having always cycled to work, I know how
much of a problem it can be to not have
anywhere to keep your bike. So, it’s
important to me to do anything we can to
help staff or clients who want to get to the
salon by bike to be able to do that easily.”
A spokesperson for the awards panel
said: “We are thrilled to be able to
celebrate each of these worthy award
winners, who have each worked incredibly
hard to support cycling in their local
communities and to champion the many
benefits that cycling can bring.”
The Cycling Champion Awards are
Scotland’s national cycling awards. They
recognise the people and organisations
that have made the largest impact on
cycling in the past year. The awards were
first presented in 2017, making 2023 the
seventh time they have been presented.Kay wins cycling
award for Old
Town hair salon
New members encouraged to have some fun while helping others
By PHYLLIS STEPHENMEET GABRIELA Aguado, the President of
the Rotary Club of Portobello, who is keen for
anyone who lives or works in the area to
consider joining their club.
Gabriela is an engaging and charismatic
Mexican woman. She describes herself as
creative, and always interested in knowing
more about different cultures, traditions
and religions.
She enjoys art, writing, walking, nature and
meditation and she says she is also interested in
emotional well-being, self-knowledge and
emotional healing. Gabriela works as an art
therapist and is also an Interior Designer.
She said: “I am an entrepreneur, with diverse
business experiences, nowadays, in charge
of Yekta a unique shop in the Old Town on
South Bridge.
“I first started in interior design in 1991
when I set up a business there. But I have
done a lot of different things - I am the author
of the novel “La historia equivocada de
Wanda Petunias”, (Awareness of sexual abuse)
published in Spanish, in 2012 and I am now
working on its translation.”EMPOWERING PEOPLE
Gabriela is the former CEO of IFIP Instituto de
Finanzas Personales (Personal Finances
Institute) in Mexico City, from 2009 and is well
used to media interviews about using Personal
Finance advice to empower people.
In a past life she worked with people,
especially single mothers - and many of them
girls or teenagers - living in poverty, homeless
and/or struggling with drug and sexual abuse.
She has used art therapy workshops as part of
their healing process and recovery.
Her Rotary career has been a long one. She
said: “Rotary is in my veins, my grandfather
was a Rotarian. I became a Rotarian in 2000.
“I have been the representative for
Community, dealt with the Club’s
administration and PR, been the Rotary
Foundation Officer, and also the Secretary.
I was president four times at my former Club
Rotario Contreras in Mexico City. I have served
as Diplomatic Relations and Peace and
Mediation District Officer in D4170 in Mexico
City, at “Revista Rotary Mexico” (Mexico’s
Rotary Magazine) in charge of Rotary
Diplomatic Section, interviewing diplomats
in Mexico City, and am now happily
President 2023-2024 of Rotary Club of
Portobello D1320.”
Gabriela came to live in Edinburgh when she
found love here and then became involved in
Rotary in Portobello.
She said: “Rotary is a way of living that brings
me a lot of nurturing moments when I am able
to change forever the lives of others. Rotary
gives me satisfaction while being able to draw
smiles, touching people’s hearts and making a
better world. Rotary is part of my ‘Ikigai’. We
base our ethics on the Four Way Test, from
what we think, feel and do, either with personal
or social matters, family or business:- Is it the truth?
- Is it fair to all concerned?
- Will it build goodwill and better friendships?
- Will it be beneficial to all concerned?
Gabriela explained more about the Rotary
Club and what members get involved in. She
said: “The Portobello club has participated in
several very important projects. Locally, with
the CBS at Newcraighall Station Park & Ride
every last Sunday of the month (from March to
October), we contribute to allowing people to
make an income and to recycle unused things.
The income that we earn, we donate to charities
like VOCAL, which cares for unpaid carers in
Edinburgh and Midlothian.
“Lend with care is an international micro-
loan project that supports entrepreneur
families, Polio Plus, a Rotary International
world-wide programme, to eradicate polio, we
vaccinate every child in remote places. And
Children’s Visual Health in Mexico City
involves eye tests for students from very
low-income schools and delivering spectacles
to the ones who need them. This year, along
with other clubs in Scotland and Mexico, we
have delivered more than 500 lenses. Our vision
is to improve their vision and to change their
lives forever.
“Service above self ” is our motto and we
would welcome new members at our club - for
example someone who would like to contribute
to create a better world while having fun with
new friends all over the globe.”
http://www.facebook.com/portobellorotaryGabriela
AguadoKay Corbett