The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
‘It’s been an amazing day’
Holyrood: Sport stars, campaigners and veterans honoured by the Queen
Stars of Scottish sport, charity campaigners and military veterans have received honours from the Queen during an investiture at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.
Former Scotland rugby international and motor neurone disease campaigner Doddie Weir was among the recipients.
A “very proud” Mr Weir said that his OBE was testament to all those who have helped “on my journey to find the ultimate cure”.
The 48-year-old former lock, capped 61 times for his country, revealed in 2017 that he had the terminal illness and set up the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation to raise funds for research and provide grants to help those affected by MND.
After receiving the award, Mr Weir said: “It’s been amazing but I’ve got to thank so many hundreds of thousands of people who have helped me on the journey to try and find a cure for MND.
“It’s been an day.”
Mr Weir, who was joined by his family at the ceremony in Edinburgh, said that receiving the OBE was “certainly up there” among his life highlights. amazing
Renowned for wearing vibrant tartan, he sported a new suit and said: “This is the Holyrood diamond jubilee tartan. Every time I put this tartan on I’ll have a lot of lovely memories.”
The Church of Scotland’s first-ever female Moderator, Alison Elliot, became a CBE and said: “It’s a great privilege to be here”.
Ms Elliot, now the general secretary of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, said she spoke to the Queen about showing her three grandchildren her medal.
The former chairwoman of Sport Scotland, Louise Martin, who brought the Commonwealth Games to Glasgow in 2014, was awarded the honour of Dame Commander of the British Empire for her services to sport.
Tourette’s syndrome campaigner John Davidson, who became famous from a 1989 BBC documentary about his life called John’s Not Mad, became an OBE.
Brigadier Sir Melville Jameson, Lord Lieutenant of Perth and Kinross and chief executive of the Edinburgh Military Tattoo from 1995 to 2007, received a knighthood – along with newly-knighted scientist Professor Mike Ferguson of the University of Dundee who works on developing new drugs.