The full list of Scotland's charity workers and volunteers who featured in the Queen's 2017 New Year's Honours list
Scottish charity workers and volunteers have once again featured heavily in the Queen's New Year Honours list.
North of the border there were 98 recipients with many of those well known within the sector, such as Social Bite founder Josh Littlejohn, as well as a number of lesser known heroes, including 94-year-old poppy seller Janet Gillespie.
With no knights or dames coming from within the sector this time round, Dr Margo Whiteford, chair of Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus (SBH) Scotland received the highest award of anyone in the third sector with a CBE for services to healthcare and charity.
Based in Cumbernauld, Dr Whiteford was diagnosed with spina bifida at birth and is paralysed from the waist down.
Despite spending most of her life in a wheelchair, she has dedicated her time to charitable causes, taking particular interest in organisations that support lifelong conditions.
She is also president of the International Federation for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus is chair of a global expert panel which looks to improve treatments for people with spina bifida on a worldwide scale.
Paying tribute to her, SBH Scotland chief executive Andrew HD Wynd MBE, said: “I would like to offer my congratulations to Dr Whiteford whose support over the past 30 years has been indispensable to SBH Scotland.
“She is an incredible woman whose achievements demonstrate that physical disability does not have to be a barrier to success.
“As a voluntary member of organisations like ours, Dr Whiteford utilises her spare time to attend meetings and seminars across the world. Her dedication to improving the lives of those affected by these complex conditions is irrefutable and she is truly an inspiration to all of us.”
Elsewhere, Catherine McCulloch, co-director of the Children’s Parliament, based in Edinburgh received an OBE for services to children’s rights and wellbeing, while Alison Spurway, vice president of Girlguiding Glasgow picked up the same award for services to Girlguiding and charity.
One of the most well-known faces from the Scottish third sector to receive an award was Social Bite founder Josh Littlejohn who received an MBE for services to social enterprise and entrepreneurship in Scotland.
Littlejohn co-founded the sandwich shop chain in 2012 and has built it into an empire which boasts of shops in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen.
Last year he also opened a restaurant in Edinburgh which provides free meals to homeless people and recently announced plans to create a village for local homeless people to live in, in the capital.
Of his award he said he wished to dedicate it to the hundreds of ‘marginalised’ homeless people Social Bite works with.
"I'm relatively young but I hope to dedicate the rest of my working life to helping people who have been excluded from the system,” he said.
"By working alongside the amazing Social Bite team — and other charities — I hope I can play my part in eradicating homelessness from Scotland and spread the social enterprise business model further afield."
Other notable people to receive MBE’s included Tanya Castell, founder and chief executive of Glasgow based diversity charity Changing the Chemistry; Sheena Russell Dunsmore, general manager of Larbert based charity Kidney Kids Scotland and Louise Kilby, chair of respite care charity Geeza Break, for voluntary services in Glasgow.
A number of volunteers and charity workers were made medallists of the Order of the British Empire (BEM) including Charity Champion at the 2014 Scottish Charity Awards Gail McKeitch.
McKeitch who has two sons with autism and a part-time job, founded the Ellon Branch of The National Autistic Society Scotland in 2008, and has been its chair ever since.
Speaking of the honour, McKeitch said: “I hope it helps to raise awareness of autism and the many families like ours who struggle with the daily demands of supporting those with this very complex condition.
“I started volunteering because I felt there wasn’t enough support and information available to parents both at point of diagnosis and through difficult times. It brings huge rewards for all those involved - especially the person with autism.”
Also receiving a BEM is 94-year-old poppy seller Janet Gillespie who has fundraised for Poppyscotland for 64 years as the Scottish Poppy Appeal area organiser for Crossmichael and Parton in Dumfries and Galloway.
Despite having retired as area organiser last year she continues to help her successor raise vital funds for the Armed Forces community in Scotland.
Poppyscotland’s head of fundraising Gordon Michie said: “This is richly deserved recognition for one of our longest serving and most remarkable volunteers.
“The Scottish Poppy Appeal simply couldn’t happen without the dedicated support of our army of volunteer collectors and area organisers.
“Janet is an example to us all having dedicated much of her adult life to ensure those left disadvantaged by their service receive the life-changing support they urgently need.”
New Year's Honours list - full round-up of Scottish voluntary sector awardees
Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)
Dr Margo Whiteford, chair, Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Scotland. For services to healthcare and charity. (Strathblane, Stirling and Falkirk)
Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)
Catherine McCulloch, co-director, Children’s Parliament. For services to children’s rights and wellbeing. (Edinburgh)
Susan Miller, director of cultural services, Glasgow Life. For services to culture in Glasgow. (Fife)
Alison Katherine Spurway, vice-president of Girlguiding Glasgow. For services to Girlguiding and charity. (Glasgow)
Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)
Salena Margaret Eileen Begley, partnership development manager (Scotland), The Family Fund. For services to children’s welfare. (Glasgow)
Dr Stephen Johnston Bruce, for voluntary service in Fife. (Dunfermline)
Catherine Caskie Khan, Scottish Wheelchair Dance Association. (Port Glasgow, Renfrewshire)
Tanya Castell, founder and chief executive, Changing the Chemistry. For services to diversity in business. (Glasgow)
Surjit Chowdhary, vice-president, Central Gurdwara Singh Sabha, (Glasgow)
Jane Carr Davidson, director outreach and education, Scottish Opera. For services to opera and education. (Glasgow)
Sheena Russell Dunsmore, general manager, Kidney Kids Scotland. For services to children with renal and urology illnesses. (Banknock, Stirling and Falkirk)
Fiona Macdonald, Lady Fraser of Carmyllie, chair, The Ninewells Cancer Campaign. For services to charity. (Arbroath, Angus)
Louise Kilby, chair, Geeza Break. For voluntary services in Glasgow. (Bothwell, Lanarkshire)
Josh Littlejohn, co-founder Social Bite. For services to social enterprise and entrepreneurship in Scotland. (Edinburgh)
Julie Love, chair, Death Abroad You’re Not Alone. For services to the families of people who have died abroad. (Glasgow)
Joan Kirsteen Mitcalfe, for voluntary service in Moray. (Moray)
James Carle Buchan Muirhead, vice-president, Buchan Battalion. For services to the Boys’ Brigade. (Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire)
George Powell, Captain. 1st Troon Boys’ Brigade. For services to the Boys’ Brigade and the community in Ayrshire. (Troon, Ayrshire and Arran).
Agnes Provan Miller Whyte, chair, Breathe Easy, Kirkcaldy. For services to people with lung conditions. (Leven, Fife)
Juanita Anne Francis Wilson, founder, Mossburn Community Farm. For services to vulnerable children, adults and animals in Dumfries and Galloway. (Lockerbie)
Medallist of the Order of the British Empire (BEM)
Elizabeth Jane Bannerman, founder Hawick Action Medical Research committee. For services to community healthcare. (Hawick, Roxburgh, Ettrick and Lauderdale)
June Craig, For services to charity in Perthshire. (Perthshire)
Audrey Kerr Fraser, volunteer Beanfeast Children’s Charity, Greenock Sheriff and JP Court. For services to children and the community in Inverclyde. (Greenock, Renfrewshire)
Agnes Fullerton for voluntary service in Glasgow. (Glasgow)
Janet Isabelle Gillespie, for charitable service (Castle Douglas Dumfries)
Ann Isabella Katherine Hamilton, office manager, the Scottish Vetrans’ Garden City Association. For services to veterans. (Bonnyrigg, Midlothian)
Marjory Mackenzie Jagger, manager Skye and Lochalsh Young Carers Service. For services to young people and the community in the Inner Hebrides. (Isle of Skye, Ross and Cromarty)
Christine Margaret Johnston, captain Third Kilsyth Boys’ Brigade Company. For services to young people in Kilsyth, North Lanarkshire. (Kilsyth)
Margaret Barbara MacBean, captain 4b Cauldeen Girls’ Brigade. For services to Young People in Inverness. (Inverness)
Gail Adele McKeitch, branch chair, Ellon Branch, National Autistic Society. For services to people with autism and their families in north east Scotland. (Ellon, Aberdeenshire)
Jane Martin Munro, for voluntary services in Inverness-shire. (Inverness)
Patricia Newton, convener, Age Concern Eastwood. For services to older people in East Renfrewshire. (Clarkston, Renfreshire)
Juliet Robb, founder, the Olive Tree. For services to interfaith relations and charitable services abroad. (Bridge of Weir, Renfrewshire)
Lillias Robinson, director and trustee, St Andrew’s Clinics for Children. For charitable services in Africa. (Rutherglen, Lanarkshire)
Marie Ross, for voluntary services to people with cancer and the community in Clackmannanshire. (Alloa)
Helen Ross, for services to country dancing and charity in Nairn and Inverness. (Inverness)
Elizabeth Karen Smith, Stonehaven, RNLI Fundraising Branch. For services to charitable fundraising and the community in Scotland. (Stonehaven)
Margaret Ann Worsley, for voluntary services to the community on the Isle of Tiree, Inner Hebrides. (Argyll and Bute)
If we have missed someone from your organisation email details to [email protected]
