Honour for Scott
Honour for telephone engineer
An engineer from Rutherglen who went beyond the call of duty during the Covid- 19 lockdown has been awarded the MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.
Scott McPartlin, 46, camped out on the Inner Hebridean island of Coll to restore service to a vulnerable remote resident who was shielding.
Customer service engineer Scott was nicknamed Openreach’s Bear Grylls after he camped out on Coll for three days between ferries, as no accommodation was available due to lockdown restrictions.
The dad- of- one faced a three- mile hike over a Hebridean beach, carrying his tools during a heatwave, to reach one remote household which needed connections restored.
Scott also answered a late- night emergency call- out from the local GP surgery and made a series of return trips to improve broadband connections for islanders.
Commenting on his honour, Scott said: “I’m in total shock. I was lucky enough to get to go to Coll and I’ve now been mentioned in the House of Commons and recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours, all for doing my job.
“This is for my mum, my daughter and all the engineers who’ve been out there working flat out day in and day out, sometimes in very challenging circumstances, to keep everyone in contact and online.”
Openreach CEO Clive Selley said: “Scott is an exceptional engineer who sums up everything that’s best about Openreach. He has a cast-iron reputation for always going the extra mile and always being ready to help anyone.
“We’re delighted to see him recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours, representing all the key workers who’ve helped keep the UK connected at a time when it’s never been more important.
“Every engineer who’s played a part in this mammoth effort are heroes and heroines in our eyes. We’re very proud of each and every one of them.”
The Queen’s Birthday Honours recognise the achievements and service of people across the UK, from all walks of life.
“The announcement of this year’s Birthday Honours was postponed from June due to the coronavirus outbreak.”