Honoured: OBE for Solheim hero Beany
Solheim Cup-winning captain Catriona Matthew – known as Beany to those close to her – has been made an OBE in the New Year Honours list. The 50-year-old, from North Berwick, who led Team Europe to victory over the United States at Gleneagles in September, has been recognised for services to golf, ten years after becoming an MBE.
Solheim Cup-winning captain Catriona Matthew has been made an OBE in the New Year Honours list.
The 50-year-old, who led Team Europe to victory over the US at Gleneagles in September, has been recognised for services to golf, 10 years after becoming an MBE.
The sportswoman was honoured alongside former Royal Bank of Scotland chief executive Ross Mcewan, who becomes a CBE for services to the financial sector.
Describing how she felt at receiving the honour, Matthew said: “Starting out, you always want to do well, but if someone had said back then that I’d achieve everything I have, and now this, I probably wouldn’t have believed it.
“I’m still getting people coming up to me in the street and offering congratulations for the Solheim. It’s amazing, really, the impact this one has had compared to others.”
New Zealander Mr Mcewan announced in April he was stepping down from the RBS role, which he took on in 2013
When he took the helm, the bank was more than 80 per cent Government-owned, but the taxpayer’s stake has been reduced to 62.4 per cent.
One of his challenges was preparing the bank to return to private hands – a task still not complete, but with progress being made after RBS posted profits for the second consecutive year in February.
Also being made an OBE is actress Maureen Beattie, who stars with David Tennant in the forthcoming TV drama Deadwater Fell.
Beattie, whose father is the Scottish actor and comedian Johnny Beattie, is recognised for services to the entertainment industry, having become the second female president of the Equity trade union last year.
An MBE goes to Rose Reilly, the Scottish footballer who took Italy by storm in the 1970s and 80s.
Despite having turned out for Scotland’s national team, she went on to play for Italy before captaining the side that won the Mundialito – a competition seen as a predecessor of the Women’s World Cup – in 1984.
Gordon Buchanan, conservationist and wildlife cameraman, whose credits include Planet Earth II, is made an MBE for services to conservation and wildlife film-making.
OBES go to two people involved at the V&A Dundee.
Lesley Knox, the museum’s former chairwoman , receives the honour for services to culture, while director Philip Long is recognised for services to heritage and culture.
Helen Holland is also made an OBE for services to survivors of childhood abuse, having co-founded the Wellbeing Scotland project In Care Abuse Survivors.
Scotsman columnist and former Labour politician Brian Wilson is made a CBE for services to business and charity in Scotland. He served as a minister under Tony Blair and is the chairman of Harris Tweed Hebrides and a nonexecutive director at Celtic FC.
The same honour goes to Joanna Baker, who was formerly managing director of the Edinburgh International Festival and chair of the National Youth Choir of Scotland.
Professor Rowena Arshad, head of Edinburgh University’s Moray House School of Education and co-director of the centre for education and racial equality, is made a CBE for services to education and equality.
Prof Arshad was a member of the first black women’s group in Scotland and equal opportunities commissioner for Scotland from 2001 to 2007.
Ian Curle, who was chief executive of spirits company Edrington, which owns brands including Macallan, the Famous Grouse and Highland Park whiskies, is another being made a CBE. He is being honoured for services to the whisky industry after stepping down from the firm in March.