logo
Three family members among Scots honoured in King's Birthday Honours

Three family members among Scots honoured in King's Birthday Honours

The trio, from the Isle of Bute, started Calum's Cabin after Calum, who had an inoperable brain tumour, died.
An MSP and a couple who set up a charity after their daughter was killed in Afghanistan are also among the Scots recognised in the list.
Nationwide's chief executive, who becomes a dame, and the Scottish boss of Greggs are also among those honoured, along with a historian who was involved in creating the Great Tapestry of Scotland, and the manager of a poppy factory.
Labour MSP Pam Duncan-Glancy is made an MBE for political and public service.
Read More:
King's Birthday Honours List 2025: Scottish list in full
She has been MSP for the Glasgow region since May 2021 and is the first permanent wheelchair user elected to the Scottish Parliament.
She said: 'I'm really, really proud to have been given this honour for the work that I've done in the community and for disability rights.
'It's a real honour to do this. When I got elected as an MSP, I said I was a wee working class woman in a wheelchair.
'To think that I could be a wee working class woman in a wheelchair who's also got an MBE, I just thought that was pretty special.'
John and Lorna Norgrove are both made OBEs for services to women and children abroad and in Scotland.
They set up the Linda Norgrove Foundation in memory of their daughter Linda, an aid worker who was kidnapped by the Taliban and died in an attempted rescue by US forces in October 2010.
The foundation funds education, health and childcare for women and children in Afghanistan.
Recently it worked with both the Scottish and UK governments to bring 19 female Afghan medical students to Scotland to train to continue their degrees as they were barred by the Taliban from completing their university studies in Afghanistan.
The couple said: 'We are honoured to have received this recognition of the work being carried out by the Linda Norgrove Foundation.
'We are a tiny charity, mostly volunteers, who all share the same goal – to make life better for women and children in Afghanistan.
Pam Duncan-Glancy (Image: Newsquest) 'We dedicate this honour to all those brave women who remain in Afghanistan, or who have made the decision to leave their homes and families behind to move abroad and continue their studies and careers. Their struggle continues and they are the real heroes of this story.'
Debbie Crosbie, the only woman to lead a 'big six' bank in the UK, has been given a damehood for her services to financial services.
Dame Debbie told the PA news agency: 'I try to encourage people to think beyond, 'I'm a female', but when it comes to this (honour), I am actually hugely proud.
'I grew up in Glasgow, I wasn't different to any of my peer group, so to be given the opportunity to lead… I've had a massively rewarding career.
'As a woman, I hope that sends a message of opportunity and hope, not just to young people.'
Roisin Currie, a fellow Glaswegian and alumnus of Strathclyde University, has been made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for her services to hospitality.
Ms Currie became the chief executive of Greggs in 2022 having joined the Newcastle-based bakery chain, popular for its sausage rolls, 12 years prior.
Historian Alistair Moffat, 74, who founded the Borders Book Festival, is also recognised in the list.
He becomes an MBE in recognition of services to literature and culture.
Mr Moffat founded the Borders Book Festival 22 years ago and was also a key figure in the creation of The Great Tapestry of Scotland in 2010.
News of the MBE comes as this year's book festival takes place.
Mr Moffat said: 'It is just a monumental bunch of flowers to get.
'One of the reasons was for starting the Borders Book Festival, which starts on Thursday.
'The announcement will be in the middle of the book festival, which started 22 years ago.
'It has a big, beneficial impact on the region, and it brings in lots of visitors. The MBE has been very well-timed.'
Others recognised include Charles Pelling, manager of the Lady Haig Poppy Factory in Edinburgh.
He becomes an OBE in recognition of services to veterans.
A team of disabled ex-servicemen and women make all items for the Scottish Poppy Appeal at the factory, which was founded in 1926 by Lady Haig.
A social media influencer known as the Hillwalking Hijabi has also been recognised.
Zahrah Mahmood, 34, president of Ramblers Scotland, is made an MBE for her contribution to voluntary service in Scotland.
She said: 'If I'm being honest I'm still taking it in. I'm grateful, and I hope I can continue using whatever platform this brings to keep doing the work which matters to me and so many others.'
Others recognised include recently retired Police Scotland Assistant Chief Constable Gary Ritchie, who has been awarded the King's Police Medal (KPM), while the force's chief officer of human resources, Nicky Page, becomes an MBE for services to policing, equality and health.
Scottish Secretary Ian Murray said: 'The honours list showcases the remarkable achievements of individuals across Scotland who have gone above and beyond in their respective fields.
'Their service to our communities represents the spirit of dedication and excellence that makes Scotland proud.'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Dad of tragic Scots boy in government help call after selling home amid treatment nightmare
Dad of tragic Scots boy in government help call after selling home amid treatment nightmare

Daily Record

time6 hours ago

  • Daily Record

Dad of tragic Scots boy in government help call after selling home amid treatment nightmare

Jamie Tierney, whose son is terminally ill, has sold the family home. The dad of a tragic Scots boy has called for more help for families with terminally ill children - after selling their home while shelling out thousands of pounds on his treatment. Devoted dad Jamie Tierney believes there should be a body set up to help families navigate the difficulties a terminal diagnosis brings, from accessing benefits to help with housing and other issues. ‌ The 33-year-old, of Dunfermline, Fife, said he was forced to make his family homeless as it was the best option due to the difficult circumstances they find themselves in. ‌ They can put money from the sale of their home towards treatment for their six-year-old son, also Jamie, who suffers from rare muscle wasting disease Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Jamie senior said the youngster's condition meant the family home had become unsuitable for him, and they are now staying with different family members as they wait to hear if they will be given a council house. They receive support from the Muscular Dystrophy UK charity, and the NHS, as well as carers' allowance, but have to deal with each organisation individually, and Jamie believes a streamlined service would make it easier for families. Jamie's call for change comes after the family were denied the chance for Jamie junior to get a wonder medication which is provided free to the NHS. The family has headed abroad on a number of occasions for Jamie to receive treatment. Givinostat, a groundbreaking new life-extending treatment which slows the progress of the condition, has been cleared for use in the UK and is being used in England. ‌ Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. But Scottish health boards have not given the drug to any patients through an early access programme, despite patients south of the border benefitting from it. Jamie, 33, said: "We sold our family home for many reasons — it was a townhouse with too many stairs, completely unsuitable for Jamie. We needed to find a way to give him independence. ‌ " Jamie's needs are increasing year by year. Our street is on a hill, and watching the kids play there breaks my heart — knowing Jamie can't join in this summer. "We need to keep money for future treatments and medical needs for Jamie. I think there should be supportive pathways for families who are in this situation and to aid them with options and help as currently we are jumping through hoops. ‌ "We were told we were the last family accepted on a clinical trial in the U.S. We were petrified but ready to move for Jamie. It fell through — we were devastated." The family have headed to the United States and Mexico for treatments for Jamie, paid for with the help of fundraising from raffles and GoFundMe pages. The incurable muscle-wasting disease, which gradually weakens all muscles in the body, affects one in 5,000 boys and sees sufferers having a life expectancy of around mid-20s. ‌ Jamie added: "As of this Friday, we're technically homeless. We can't buy again — my wife had to give up work to care for Jamie, and I'm in the early stages of building a new business that just about keeps us afloat. "Housing are trying to help, but we're told we just meet the criteria of 'homeless'. Yes, we could rent privately — but a suitable ground-floor property would cost double our old mortgage. ‌ "The system isn't built for families in extreme, complex situations and when you don't fit the system the system forgets you. How are families supposed to survive like this? I think there's certainly got to be some sort of help. "If we weren't in this situation my wife and I would both be working. She is no longer working and the stress and worry on your child's health affects your work. I'm in a first year start up struggling to support us. "If we had to go private rent it would financially cripple us. We are self funding Jamie's treatments with fundraising but fundraising has become harder and harder for us. We just feel sorry for other families in this situation. ‌ "There's families that are being affected every day. I wouldn't wish this on anyone. We would live on the streets for Jamie to be healthy, but the system doesn't seem to consider us." You can donate to their GoFundMe page here. The Scottish Government said: "We have every sympathy with the Tierney family and the hardships they're facing. We want disabled people and carers to get the support they are entitled to, making sure the application process is as straightforward as it can be. ‌ " Child Disability Payment is designed to mitigate some of the additional costs of caring for a disabled child or young person and we have a fast-track application route for people who have a terminal condition. "We have also transformed financial support for unpaid carers in Scotland, in recognition of the impact caring can have on a family's finances. "Local authorities will be provided with £15 billion this financial year for a range of services, including housing options services – an advice process councils use when someone approaches them with a housing problem."

Scottish Government warned over single-sex toilet policy
Scottish Government warned over single-sex toilet policy

The Herald Scotland

time14 hours ago

  • The Herald Scotland

Scottish Government warned over single-sex toilet policy

In a formal legal letter sent on Wednesday, the organisation said ministers must urgently rewrite internal guidance on single-sex facilities to bring it into line with a recent Supreme Court judgment on biological sex. READ MORE The warning centres on the Scottish Government estate — made up of 66 sites and 1,016 toilet facilities — where existing policy allows staff to use facilities based on self-identified gender rather than biological sex. Around 18% of the facilities are gender-neutral single-user 'superloos', while the rest are designated as either male or female. There are also numerous smaller sites — including fisheries and field-monitoring offices — where facilities may be shared or gender-neutral. In April, the UK's highest court ruled unanimously that a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC) does not alter a person's sex for the purposes of the Equality Act. The judgment clarified that the terms 'man' and 'woman' in the legislation refer to biological sex, not acquired gender. That ruling meant every organisation in the country needed to review their equality policies. The Supreme Court ruled that sex in the Equality Act means biological sexWhile First Minister John Swinney initially welcomed the 'clarity' provided by the ruling, the Scottish Government has said it is waiting for further guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission before issuing new advice to Scotland's public sector — including prisons, schools and the NHS. However, earlier this week, Dr Lesley Sawers, Deputy Chair and Scotland Commissioner for the EHRC, told The Herald that Scottish ministers had 'a responsibility to ensure their adherence to the Public Sector Equality Duty' — the legal requirement for public authorities in Scotland to consider protected characteristics, including biological sex, when carrying out their functions. In response, a spokesperson said work was 'proceeding at pace to implement the ruling across Government'. The Scottish Government's trans inclusion policy, signed off in January, states that 'staff should choose to use the facilities they feel most comfortable with' and that a GRC is not required to access single-sex spaces. In a letter to John Somers, Director of Equality, Inclusion and Human Rights, Maya Forstater, Chief Executive of Sex Matters, said the policy was 'clearly unlawful'. She added: 'The problem is not lack of infrastructure, but that the Scottish Government continues to operate an unlawful policy. 'As far as we can see, there is nothing to stop the Scottish Government immediately bringing the policy on toilets into line with the law, by making a statement that all facilities designated as male or female within the Scottish Government estate are to be interpreted as meaning biological sex, and that gender-neutral options are widely available. This would be in line with the Supreme Court judgment and the action taken by the Scottish Parliament. 'It is clearly a reasonably practical step in order to address the risk of individuals using opposite-sex toilets and other facilities. 'Please confirm, therefore, that you will take this step within seven days of the date of this letter. 'To the extent that the Scottish Government does not immediately stop the unlawful practices set out in this letter we may decide to commence proceedings without further warning.' The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 require separate changing and toilet facilities for men and women 'where necessary for reasons of propriety'. Failure to provide such facilities, or to protect staff from discomfort or distress in those spaces, may also amount to unlawful harassment under the Equality Act. The Scottish Government has been approached for comment.

Minister ‘worried' about rise in crime reports near consumption room
Minister ‘worried' about rise in crime reports near consumption room

The Herald Scotland

time14 hours ago

  • The Herald Scotland

Minister ‘worried' about rise in crime reports near consumption room

Asked if she is concerned about some residents reporting a rise in crime and discarded needles since its opening, she told the PA news agency: 'Of course it worries us. 'The safe consumption drug facility was sited here because it was already an area where these challenges occurred. 'So there was lots of street usage and lots of littering challenges. 'In time, I would expect that the challenges faced by the community will reduce as the confidence in this facility increases.' Asked if she accepts locals who believe crime and needle sightings have gone up, she added: 'I'm not sure the statistics bear that out. 'I think it's really important that we're not cloth-eared to the concerns that the local community are raising. 'It is causing them concern. They think there has been an increase in crime, and they think there has been an increase in littering. 'We need to pay attention to that, and we need to reassure them on that front. Whether that is actually what has happened, or whether the increased focus is what is making people worried about that, I'm not sure.' Maree Todd (Image: PA) She added it is 'important' that 'appropriate treatment' is not 'stigmatised'. By the end of June, 348 people had registered with The Thistle, with staff overseeing 3,008 injections in six months. Ms Todd said it is 'very difficult' to say whether the facility has been a success – but she believes it will be. She said: 'We do hear first-hand, anecdotally, from the staff working here about some of the incidents that they are facing. 'For example, a few months ago there was a cluster of contaminated drugs being used in Scotland, which almost immediately resulted in very severe overdose and threat to life, and that was able to be reversed here. 'Not only that, they could identify that there was contamination in the drug supply in Scotland, feed that back into our radar systems in Scotland and make sure the message got out all over Scotland. 'In other parts of Scotland where those drugs were being used, death did occur. Here in this facility, death was avoided. 'That's a really powerful indicator that actually this can save lives, and that's really important for us in Scotland.' Glasgow's Safe Drug Consumption Facility (Image: Newsquest) Asked about her first month in the job since taking over from the late SNP minister Christina McKelvie, she said: 'It's quite a daunting task but it's one I feel really confident I can make a difference in.' While Scotland has the worst drug deaths rate in Europe, the minister said she is 'confident' she can make a difference, and she added the Scottish Government has been 'creative' in its response to the issue. Helen Clark, prime minister of New Zealand from 1999 to 2008 and one of the commissioners at the Global Commission on Drug Policy, toured the site with Ms Todd. Ms Clark said while the facility will have to be 'studied closely', it has already shown positive signs of success. She said: 'The fact that in the five months of operating, they've recorded 39 medical emergencies tells you they've avoided 39 deaths. If people had had those emergencies happen with the drugs they consumed out there, they'd be dead. 'That's 39 lives saved. It's hard to put a value on that. It's incalculable.' She added: 'You have to meet people where they are, and if where they are is on a street corner in central Glasgow, unsafely injecting or inhaling a substance which potentially could kill them, it's better they're here. 'So again, it's about humanity. It's about not marginalising people who make choices which the vast majority don't make, but we're human beings. 'People make choices. They may be very risky. The key thing is to keep them alive.' Scottish Conservative shadow minister for drugs Annie Wells MSP said: 'This is an astonishing display of arrogance from Maree Todd. 'In the same breath, she's claiming she isn't cloth eared to the concerns of local residents whilst simultaneously dismissing them out of hand. 'Her claim, too, that this facility has saved 39 lives is also debatable, given the latest drugs deaths statistics showed the number was up – a rise since The Thistle opened. 'While we must look at all ways to treat those who need support, arrogant SNP ministers can ill-afford to pin all their hopes on state-sponsored drug taking, especially when locals are bearing the brunt.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store