b'PEOPLE THE CARNEGIE CLUBH I D D E N G E M S A L A N G R A N TAmbassadorIve been at Skibo Castle since before The Carnegie Club was founded. If Im feeling Four team members who have been at the Club from the very beginningfanciful, Ill call myself an ambassador, but tell us how Skibo Castle has changed and what keeps them here really I dont have a job title. My daily routine is to go to the castle and get to know everyone. Some mornings I play golf with INTERVIEWS Jane Fulcher PHOTOGRAPHY Amy Murrell members, I host dinners in the evenings, and sometimes I travel and give talks. I see what I do as living theatre. My favourite thing about working at The Carnegie Club is G L E N N H E R B E R T S O Ndefinitely the people, new and old. When Greenkeeper I started at the castle, I had my eyes wide open wondering whether Id get to know any of the My main role at the castle is maintaining the golf coursemembers, but now I can say they are actual to a high standard. In summer we start at 5.30am and getfriends. My connection to Skibo Castle goes the green prepared for when the members start comingback a long way. My grandfather used to rent out at 9.30am. We hand-cut the green every day anda house from the castle and my father was hand-cut the tees every second day using a walk-behindborn thereits now one of the guest lodges. mower. Ive worked at the castle for 26 years, since I wasIt feels a bit like destiny that Im now here. about 19, although I grew up in Dornoch and used to help the gamekeeper at the time when I was 13 and still at8 7 school. At the start, I was taken on to help turn the site7 9 of the original nine-hole course into an 18-hole course by transforming the surrounding farmland and getting rid ofT H E R E S A M U R R AY a rabbit problem. After that, I went on to work on the golf course, and I also help the pheasant shoots run smoothly.HostI love working outdoors. My favourite time of year is autumn and the transformation of the trees and wildlife.Im a front hall host at Skibo Castle and my job is to Its not a bad office but the roof leaks once in a while. meet and greet guests, arrange their day and look after whatever they need. Ive been here for 26 years, a year before The Carnegie Club started. Back then we used to spend most of the time cleaning the empty castle PA U L S M I T H from top to bottom, so it was an unbelievable change Mechanic seeing the castle full of people when the Club opened. On an average day, I come in and light the fires and then I grew up in Rosehall, about 20 miles away from Skibo.set up for guests who are leaving and arriving that day. I came to the castle for a six-week job and a quarter ofWere a second family to our members, so its important a century later Im still here! My first task was puttingto us that we greet each of them personally. We then up fences around the golf course before it was even a golfhelp with booking activities and with reservations course. I then worked on the estate, keeping it tidy,for members next destinations. Getting to know the and I also worked in transport, driving guests from themembers is one of the best parts of the job and I love castle to the lodges. Ive been working on cars sinceseeing families who have been coming to the castle I was about 15, but it was Skibo that trained me to becomefor years and seeing their children grow into adults. a qualified mechanic around 10 years ago. My role nowMy favourite time of year is Christmas, when the castle is includes looking after the garden machinery as well asbeautifully decorated and members come to celebrate. the motors used for activities. I love that every day isThe setting of Skibo is always spectacularwhen I first different and that Im always using my brain for problem- came here, I was in awe of everything but now I need solving. I also love the beautiful landscapeit certainlyto remind myself of how lucky I am to work in such has the wow factor. an amazing setting.'