Honours go to many who have worked tirelessly during the pandemic

After another difficult year in which the coronavirus pandemic loomed large, the New Years Honours has celebrated individuals in Scotland’s third sector whose contributions had a positive impact on life in the UK.

Paul Reddish of Volunteering Matters received an OBE as did Rohini Sharma Joshi from Trust Housing Association.

Joshi has spent 20 years at the association in diversity and equality roles and received her accolade for services to equality, diversity and inclusion.

Paul Reddish said he was “absolutely delighted” with the award which capped a “rollercoaster 18 months.”

“It was a huge surprise to receive the letter and it caps a roller coaster 18 months or so with the amazing volunteers and staff at Volunteering Matters who have worked tirelessly,” he said.

Dorothy Tarrant, the founder of Veritas-Sighisoara was given an OBE for voluntary service in Romania, while Nadia Nasreen Ahmed, was awarded for services to the community in Edinburgh.

Businessman and former pub owner Jimmy Sinclair was awarded an OBE for services to charity.

Since beginning work in 1978, Sinclair has helped countless charities, providing aid to the homeless, people living in poverty and those living with extreme disabilities – in Scotland and across the world and has personally raised £1.4 million for charity.

And Lesley Winton from Tranent in East Lothian has been awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) for services to animal welfare.

She said she “couldn’t believe it” when she received the letter notifying her of the honour.

"Animal welfare is my first love and my true passion, so when I read it was for my services to animal welfare, I just burst into tears," she said.

Winton, who has worked in the voluntary sector for over 35 years, said: “For myself personally, and for my charities, it's a huge honour to be given this award and recognition for the work”.

She hopes that the honour will help raise the profile of her charities, and said: “I hope we’ve proved that even small charities that are built from the ground up from a simple idea can make a difference and make a big difference”.

The Cabinet Office said 63% of the 1,278 people to receive an award were recognised for outstanding work in their communities, either in a voluntary or paid capacity. 

And 15.1% of recipients were from an ethnic minority background, making it the most ethnically diverse honours list for the fourth time running. 

Below is a list of the volunteers and workers in the Scottish voluntary sector who have been recognised.

Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

Timothy Edward Douglas Allan OBE for services to Business, Charity and the Arts

Dr Elizabeth Kelly Cameron OBE, director and chief executive, Scottish Chambers of Commerce, for services to the Promotion of Scotland and UK

John Stephen Denholm, chairman, J & J Denholm Ltd, for services to the maritime sector and charities

Leslie Montgomery for services to the water industry, the environment and overseas aid

Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

Geoffrey Stewart Brown, lately chairman, St Johnstone Football Club, for services to Scottish football and to the community in Perth

Rohini Sharma Joshi, lately equality, diversity and inclusion manager, Trust Housing Association, for services to equality, diversity and inclusion

Paul Robert Reddish, chief Executive, Volunteering Matters, for services to the voluntary and community sector during Covid-19

John Gerard Timpson, disability and access ambassador, for voluntary services to people with disabilities and to the financial sector

Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

Hilda Campbell, chief executive, COPE Scotland, for services to mental health and wellbeing in the community in Scotland during Covid-19

Michaela Collins for services to the community in Glasgow during Covid-19

Hilda May Dalziel for services to young people in the east end of Glasgow

John David Vernon Dent for services to veterans, students and people with disabilities

Graeme Morris Hamilton, deputy UK chief commissioner, Scouts, for services to young people

Heather Rose Morrison for dementia services, for Scouting and to the community in Aberdeenshire

Ian McGregor Philip, for services to the community in Dunning, Perthshire

James Malcolm Sinclair for services to Charity, Dunbar

Craig Angus Stewart for services to young people in Dollar, Clackmannanshire

Millar Thomas Stoddart for services to sport and to the voluntary sector in Scotland

Dorothy Joy Tarrant, founder, Veritas-Sighisoara, for voluntary service in Romania

Lorna Ward for services to Children's Hearings in Dundee

Medallists of the Order of the British Empire (BEM)

Hardip Singh Atwal for charitable service in Annan, Dumfries and Galloway

Lynsey Helen Cargill for services to the community in Ancrum, Roxburghshire during Covid-19

Anne Elizabeth Doherty for services to Yorkhill Children's Hospital and to the Royal Hospital for Children, Glasgow

Reverend Archibald Murdoch Ford, for services to the community in Lochwinnoch, Renfrewshire

Joseph Freedman for services to the Jewish community in Glasgow during Covid-19

Johanna Mary Geddes for services to the Boys' Brigade and the community in Thurso, Caithness

Davina Mary MacInnes Gillies for services to Marie Curie Cancer Care and the community in Inverness and Ross-shire

Mary Elizabeth Kenyon, chair, East of Scotland Region, SSAFA, for voluntary service to ex-Service Personnel and to the community in Eastern Scotland

Elizabeth Sandra Kinnear, health, safety and sustainability advisor, University of Edinburgh, for services to the Environment and to Charity

Debrah Marie Murdoch for services to the community in Balmaclellan, Dumfries and Galloway

Helen Ramsay for services to the community in Ancrum, Roxburghshire during Covid-19

Josephine Robson for services to Foster Care in Tweeddale

For services to animal welfare, Tranent, East Lothian