NEW YEAR HONOUR FOR DODDIE WEIR
Rugby legend among Scots on New Year honours list
RUGBY hero Doddie Weir leads out the Scots in the New Year’s honours list.
The former Melrose, Newcastle Falcons and Scotland lock, who has motor neurone disease, becomes an OBE for his sporting prowess, fundraising for MND research and contribution to Borders life.
After revealing his MND diagnosis last year, the 48-year-old launched the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, who have raised more than £1million to help find a cure for the terminal disease.
Amanda Kopel, widow of the late Dundee United legend Frank, is awarded a BEM (British Empire Medal) for services to people with life-limiting degenerative conditions.
She has campaigned tirelessly for Frank’s Law, in memory of her husband, who died from dementia in 2014.
Former left-back Frank was diagnosed at the age of 59 but wasn’t eligible for free personal care until he was 65, so his family had to meet the £300-a-week cost.
Following Amanda’s campaign, the Scottish Government agreed that from April, those with degenerative conditions will get free personal care, whatever age they are.
Bus tycoon and philanthropist Ann Gloag, who co-founded the Stagecoach transport empire with her brother Sir Brian Souter, becomes a dame.
In 2008, Ann set up Perth-based charity Freedom from Fistula to provide free maternity care and surgery to women injured in childbirth. The charity’s three main projects are in Sierra Leone, Malawi and Kenya.
Ann, from Perthshire, founded Kenya Children’s Homes in 2002. She is also involved with charity Mercy Ships.
Already an OBE, Ann said: “I am humbled and grateful. Never in my wildest dreams, growing up in a council house in Perth, did I think this would ever happen.”
Louise Martin, president of the Commonwealth Games Federation, also becomes a dame, the female equivalent of a knighthood. The former
athlete is honoured for services to sport. She was chairwoman of Commonwealth Games Scotland from 1999-2007 and chairwoman of sportscotland from 2008-2015.
Louise played a key role in bringing the Commonwealth Games to Glasgow and was vice-chairwoman of the Glasgow 2014 organising committee.
Ayrshire-born violinist Nicola Benedetti is made a CBE for services to music, while Kate Caithness, from Angus, who is president of the World Curling Federation, is made a CBE.
The Gruffalo author Julia Donaldson was awarded a CBE for service to literature.
The 70-year-old, formerly of Bearsden, near Glasgow, said: “I am delighted to receive this honour.
“I want to take this occasion to highlight how the access of children throughout our country to reading and libraries is endangered with libraries shutting. This trend needs urgently to be reversed.”
Professor Colin Moffat, 58, from Cove Bay, near Aberdeen, is made an MBE for 40 years of voluntary service to the Red Cross in northern Scotland.
Colin said: “I always see the New Year honours list but I never imagined my name would be on it one day. It’s humbling to think a colleague took the time to nominate me.”
There’s a knighthood for Michael Ferguson, regius professor of life sciences and academic lead for research strategy at Dundee University.
Connor Roe, who was involved in rescuing 12 footballers and their coach from a flooded cave in Thailand during the summer, is honoured for services to cave-diving overseas. Educated in Scotland, Lance Corporal Roe, from 21 Signal Regiment, is made an MBE.
Former headteacher Elaine Wyllie is made an MBE for services to the fitness of children.
She founded the Daily Mile in 2012 when she was headteacher of St Ninian’s Primary School in Stirling, coming up with the idea of getting children out of the classroom for 15 minutes every day to walk or jog at their own pace.
The initiative has now spread to more than 6600 schools in 55 countries.
Charlie Irwin is made an MBE for services to beekeeping and the community in Glasgow.
There’s a BEM for Moira Forbes Welsh, formerly a postie in Balquhidder Glen, for services to her community.
Jonathan Hart, chairman of the Mountain Rescue Committee of Scotland, gets an OBE
For the emergency services, there are honours for Detective Superintendent Sara Buchanan, Assistant Chief Constable Nelson Telfer and firearms specialist Constable Liam Fitzpatrick, who all receive the Queen’s Police Medal.
Scottish Fire and Rescue Service group manager Brenda Gillan and Dundee firefighter Kevin Phillip accept the Queen’s Fire Service Medal.
Paul Gowens receives the Queen’s Ambulance Service Medal.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “The New Year honours list highlights the exceptional achievements of S c ots w hose outstanding service and dedication has made a lasting contribution to their communities.”