Three named in birthday honours list
Tenants’champion Hugh receives MBE
A trio of locals have been named in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.
Hugh McClung, chairman of Stirling Tenants’ Assembly, receives an MBE after more than three decades representing tenants both in Stirling and the wider region.
Stirling University’s Chair of Court Alan Simpson has been awarded an OBE for services to education.
And Ann Kerr, who founded and chairs the Forth Valley branch of MND (Motor Neurone Disease) Scotland, has been awarded a British Empire Medal for services to charitable fundraising.
Hugh described himself as “surprised, delighted and thoroughly overwhelmed” when he received the letter advising him of the honour.
He added: “There are a lot of unsung heroes out there who do wonderful things in their communities and for me to be selected out of all these folk is a great honour indeed.
“I was delighted, not just for me but all those other tenant volunteers and people who do things their communities, if the awards system is recognising these types of people.
“I certainly didn’t do all the volunteering and efforts on behalf of tenants to get an award so to be recognised in this way is really fantastic.
“I’m looking forward to going to London if I can as I haven’t been there since my children were five and eight - and they are now in their 30s and 40s. But wherever the investiture is it will be a great experience.”
Although he has been chair of Stirling Tenants Assembly since 2003 and more recently also of the 76-strong regional network of tenants’ associations, his involvement with housing issues and associations goes back to the late 1970s.
He added: “A recent report showed that the Scottish Government needs to build 23,000 new houses every year. Waiting lists are astronomical so it is important to be involved in discussions around that and for tenants’ issues to be represented.
“Stirling Council has always been very good at this and consulting us on what we think of the service provided and what kind of service we would like to see, particularly through the Housing Advisory Group. We can’t take decisions but we can make recommendations and by and large Stirlig Council is very supportive and progressive. Even when we might not see eye to eye we are all able to sit round the table.”
Alan Simpson said he was “absolutely delighted” to receive an OBE.
“I had no idea that it was being considered, and it is the icing on the cake following eight wonderful years at the helm of the university court. It clearly recognises the excellent work being carried out in all parts of the university in teaching and research.
“Highlights have included the university’s outstanding results last December in the Research Excellence Framework, being ranked 47th in UK and fifth in Scotland, the Queen’s Anniversary Prize received last year for groundbreaking research into the effects on children’s health of marketing tobacco, alcohol and junk food, and the improvements on campus covering, among others, the new residences and renovated library.”
The Chair of Court – independent from the university – is responsible for its mission, vision and strategy, and welfare of students and staff and for its overall governance and Alan will step down from the role in July.
Ann Kerr, who lives in Falkirk, set up the MND support branch 14 years ago following the diagnosis of her husband and son with the muscle wasting disease.
The 79 year-old “It’s quite an honour and a very nice gesture whoever nominated me. I work with a committee and they work as hard as I do.”
Ann set up the group in 2001 after her late husband, Archie, and son, Gordon, were diagnosed with the disease. Archie was diagnosed just six months before he died, aged 64, while Gordon was diagnosed a year later and passed away in 2003 aged 44.
Initially the committee of volunteers provided support for carers and MND sufferers but now concentrates on various fundraising and awareness raising activities in the Stirling and Falkirk areas but also helps with the official MND Scotland support groups.
Also honoured in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List is former Stirling economics lecturer Dr Marianthi Leontaridi, now Director of Public Service Transformation at the Cabinet Office in Whitehall. Dr Leontaridi is awarded an OBE for public service.
I had no idea that it was being considered