Palace honour for big-hearted businesswoman helping young Scots enjoy sport
Bakernadiya: Icould never imagine this
there were no disability iceskating initiatives in the UK and I started thinking about setting one up.”
However, life moved on and she was busy juggling parenthood with her job as a financial services lecturer, so it was 2010 before she finally started the project, having moved back to Scotland in 2009.
“It was amazing to finally see children with disabilities on the ice and clearly loving it at all levels of participation,” she said.
“My own children love skating and Juliana started skating in 2010.
“Skating is fun and gives them a real sense of achievement.
“If the skills are set to their level they get a tremendous sense of satisfaction when they learn something new.
“It improves health because they are active and mental health because they can have friends and are in a community.
“The family and friends can take part in skating too and the parents get as much from it as the skaters.”
The I n c l u s i ve Skat i n g format was recognised by the International Skating Union and worldwide impact is huge.
“We have skaters participating from as far away as Australia now,” said Margarita.
“They compete in our
Nadiya Hussain has said she wished her grandparents were alive to see her become an MBE in the New Year’s Honours.
The TV star, who won The Great British Bake Off in 2015, has been honoured for her services to broadcasting and to the culinary arts.
She shared a photograph of her car with the letters MBE smeared on it and wrote: “Even my car is crying tears of joy! Thank you for all the kind words and absolutely wonderful messages.
“Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine this would ever happen to me.
“I know my grandparents would be really proud, they wouldn’t understand what was going on, or what it means, but they would be proud nonetheless.
“I just know it. Little old rice farmer’s family in the middle of nowhere with a granddaughter with an MBE. Who would have thought it?!
“I wish they were alive to enjoy this moment with us. I have had an exhilarating and exciting few years and I have done weird, wonderful and scary things. Long may it continue.
“Thanks to all the people who have supported me and believed in me and just made it all just a little bit easier.
“For all the love. For believing in me. Thank you!”
Before being crowned winner of the sixth series of Bake Off, mother-of-three Hussain was already a fans’ favourite on the show.
This was thanks to her extraordinary bakes, hilarious facial expressions and her rock-solid calmness under pressure.