Honours well deserved for our humble heroes

Welcome to the first Rutherglen Reformer of 2018.

I hope all our readers had a thoroughly enjoyable festive season.

January can be a difficult time. Apart from the obvious dark nights and cold weather, the Christmas credit card bills will arrive in the middle of the month leaving many people wondering how they will pay for the festivities.

Rutherglen and Cambuslang Foodbank has already told us this can be a lean time of year for them, but the need for local families, struggling to keep their heads above water, is as great now as it is all through the year.

However there was some good news this week to lift the doom and gloom.

The British honours system may have its critics, but those who are recognised at this time of year are right to feel both pride and joy at their achievement.

Almost everyone who receives an honour is quick to spread the credit among those other volunteers who they have worked with. This is a testament to their character. These truly are ordinary people who have achieved extraordinary things but remain humble all the way through.

That is certainly the case with Nora Dillon and Isabella Banks, who received MBEs in the New Year’s Honours List this week.

Both women will be known to hundreds across Rutherglen and Cambuslang - Nora through the local housing association, and Isabella through the Lightburn Elderly Association Project.

In each case, both were there at the start of their respective organisation and have seen them flourish.

These honours are well deserved and both Nora and Isabella should be rightly proud. Well done from all at the Reformer. Douglas Dickie