People working and volunteering in Scottish charities have achieved a wide range of honours in the Queen's Birthday honours list
Yvonne Strachan, head of equality, human rights and the third sector at the Scottish Government has been awarded a prestigious CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.
The CBE is the highest honour before being made a Dame. Strachan is joined on the honours list, which was unveiled over the weekend, by various people from across the Scottish and UK voluntary sector.
Ciarán Devane, chief executive of the British Council and former chief executive of Macmillan Cancer Support, achieved the highest honour of a Knighthood in recognition of his service to cancer patients.
Other third sector names to pick up CBEs include Clarissa Baldwin, former chief executive of the Dogs Trust, David Bull, chief executive of Unicef UK, Teresa Dent, chief executive of the Game and Wildlife Trust, and Gillian Slocombe, the UK’s chief guide.
In Scotland the OBE was awarded to the chief executive of the Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland Ian Welsh. Welsh was given the honour for services to his community of Ayrshire.
Welsh told TFN: “It‘s a great honour to have received the OBE. I have always believed in the ideal of public service and I have been privileged to work in a variety of organisations within Ayrshire over many years.
“During that time it has been an honour to engage with people from all walks of life committed to the development of community based assets and resources.”
Lynne McNicoll, founder and chief executive of Its Good to Give was also awarded an OBE. McNicoll is a former Scottish fundraiser of the year and has raised £1 million to create the Ripple Retreat, a Highland holiday getaway for the families of children with cancer.
She said: "On a personal level, I'm honoured and very proud to have been given an OBE. The past nine years have been incredibly fulfilling, I recommend volunteering to everyone!
"On a charity level, I'm proud of all we've achieved as a volunteer led and run charity, raising £1.2m in five years and this year building our stunning Ripple Retreat in the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park for young cancer patients and their families."
Edinburgh based chartered surveyor Ian Darling, who was recently appointed the UK chair of the RSPB, also received an OBE. Darling has been an RSPB trustee since 2000 and is currently chair of the Isle of May Bird Observatory Trust.
Stuart Housden, Director of RSPB Scotland said: “RSPB Scotland is delighted that Ian’s voluntary work has been recognised with this honour. Ian has contributed an enormous amount to our conservation programmes across the country since he became a trustee in 2000, including serving as RSPB’s UK chairman. His knowledge and experience combined with his enthusiasm are a great support to us. I’d like to offer RSPB Scotland’s congratulations to Ian on his very much deserved OBE.”
Darling himself added: “I am very proud to have received this honour which I feel sure is largely in recognition of my involvement on RSPB council over many years. Needless to say my contribution to the conservation of birds and wildlife could not have been achieved without the assistance of a great team of colleagues and whose support was so helpful. I hope the honour will also be seen as a recognition of the part that RSPB and other conservation bodies play in society in helping to conserve birds and nature in these changing times.”
Ann Maxwell, who set up paediatric epilepsy charity the Muir Maxwell Trust, was awarded an OBE.
Linda McDonald, the founder and current chief executive of Malawi Underprivileged Mothers, Michael Thornton, director of the Energy Savings Trust, and Howard Wood, chairman of the community for Arran Seabed Trust, were also awarded OBEs.
Michelle McCrindle, chief executive of the Food Train, was awarded an MBE. The former nurse joined Food Train in 2002 as a development officer and has been responsible for leading the regionwide development of the shopping service, becoming chief executive in 2005.
Elizabeth Baxter, former vice-president of the National Trust for Scotland and St Andrews resident, was given an MBE for services to heritage and the community in Fife.
Allan Fegen was awarded the MBE for services to scouting in north east Scotland while the chairman of the Scottish Traditional Boat Festival Roger Goodyear was awarded an MBE for services to tourism in Banffshire.
Dr Isobel Grigor, chief executive of the Calman Trust, was given and MBE for services to community and economic development in the Scottish Highlands.
An MBE also goes to Fiona Hamilton, community transport organiser East Scotland, for services to the British Red Cross Transport Service.
Other MBEs go to Dorothy Horne, senior manager 6VT Edinburgh Youth Café, Georgina Logan, president of Scottish Swimming, Hugh McClung, chairman of Stirling Tenant’s Assembly, Catriona Morrison, for services to sport and the voluntary sector in Broxburn, John Muir, founder of Inverclyde Anti-Knife Group, Adeline Reid, founder of Keith Cancer Link, and James Taylor, for services to sport and charity in Glasgow.
The British Empire Medal, which was reintroduced in 2012 to recognise local contributions, was awarded to a variety of voluntary and community sector representatives, including campaigner Gordon Aikman for services to Motor Neurone Disease awareness and research.
