Top honours for Shire stalwarts
Queen recognises clutch of exceptional figures
A number of worthy Perthshire and Tayside residents have been rewarded with recognition in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.
Archaeology expert Dr Thomas Dixon, badminton stalwart Ian Brown, Scouts deputy district commissioner Christopher Kirk, farmer and quality meat campaigner Jim McLaren, Highland games promoter Stephen Ryder, former Tayside and Scottish fire chief Alasdair Hay, and education leader Lilian Cook were all mentioned in the latest round.
Strathearn-based farmer Mr McLaren, who is Quality Meat Scotland chairman has been awarded the MBE.
The 49-year-old has been chairman of QMS since 2011, after serving as president of NFU Scotland from 2007 to 2011.
He is a director of NFU Mutual and a director of Angus Cereals. He has also served on the board of Scotland’s Rural College and is a trustee of The Cameron Trust.
Mr McLaren, is married to Shona and has two sons, two daughters and two step-daughters. He also makes time to support the work of charities such as the Royal Highland Education Trust and
Ian Brown regularly welcomes local school children to his farm, Dargill near Crieff, to gain a better understanding of where their food comes from.
He said: “It has been a huge privilege for me to have worked in, and for, the Scottish agricultural industry in the various roles I have undertaken to date.
“I am immensely proud of our industry and particularly of the people, the length and breadth of our country, who dedicate their lives to producing safe, nutritious food in a way which enriches Scotland’s environment.”
Scone resident and former BadmintonScotland chief Ian
Jim McLaren Brown was nominated for the British Empire Medal for his services to the sport.
Mr Brown has been involved with badminton at national and local level since 1968. He is a past president of Badminton Scotland and currently president of the Perth and District association.
He said: “I am absolutely honoured and delighted to be recognised.”
Mr Brown (73) has also served on Perth and Kinross Sports Council, he was vice-chair of the Commonwealth Games Council for Scotland between 1995 and 1999 and held other senior responsibilities and roles.
He added that the personal recognition was welcome for badminton in general: “Any sport receiving this sort of recognition is good for its organisation because of the work that everyone from volunteers up puts in.”
Highland Perthshire-based Dr Thomas Nicholas Dixon picks up the OBE for services to underwater archaeology, public engagement and the economy in Scotland.
He helped set up the Scottish Crannog Centre at Kenmore which this year marks its 20th anniversary.
Strathearn-based Stephen Ryder has been given the MBE. He has a lifelong association with Highland games, starting out aged 15.
Picking up the CBE is Christopher Kirk for his service to the scouting movement.
Former Mid-Scotland and Fife MSP Dr Richard Simpson has been made an OBE. He represented the Labour party and is a past deputy justice minister.
SFRS chief fire officer Alasdair Hay adds the CBE to his Queen’s Fire Service Medal he picked up in 2011.
He was a past chief at Tayside Fire and Rescue and the first person to head up the newly created Scottish Fire and Rescue Service when it was formed.
Lilian Cook of the Perth and Dundee tuition centres has been awarded the BEM.