The Queen's birthday gift to the worthy

Published on Saturday 12 June 2010 11:23

A DANCE instructor, lifeboat chief and charity fundraiser are among the Lothian residents recognised in today's Queen's birthday honours list.

Nineteen people were included in the roll call of honours for the region in 2010.

An RNLI volunteer who is the only station chief in Scotland to hold the twin roles of lifeboat operations manager and chairman receives an MBE.

Thomas Robertson, 68, has devoted 37 years to the South Queensferry RNLI station and for the last 18 has been at the helm. His branch is one of the busiest in Scotland and Mr Robertson has twice been commended for bravery.

"It came as a complete surprise but I regard it as an acknowledgement of the work we do here at the lifeboat station," said the grandfather of three. "I am very pleased to be named in the list, but this is a reflection of everyone at Queensferry RNLI."

Mr Robertson's date with the Queen marks his second brush with royalty in as many years, after he guided Princess Anne on a tour of his Queensferry Lifeboat Station in 2009.

In one dramatic rescue, Mr Robertson and his crew saved themselves after their engines failed in high seas. The resourceful volunteers devised makeshift sails using silver survival blankets to catch the wind and take them towards the shore.

Patricia Douglas, 71, has become an MBE after dedicating a lifetime to teaching youngsters ballet, modern, jazz and tap dancing. For 51 years the Edinburgh tutor has been devoted to her students, with several going on to successful careers in the field. One former student joined Pans People, while others won places in Scottish Ballet, Ballet Rambert and National Theatre of Scotland.

She set up the community-orientated Patricia Brown School of Dancing at just 16 years of age in reaction to some of the poverty she witnessed in 1950s Edinburgh.

She continues to waive fees for families who cannot afford classes, offering thousands of children the chance to be taught dance, many of whom would not otherwise get the opportunity. Mrs Douglas said she was "surprised and thrilled" to be acknowledged for her work.

"I thought it was a hoax at first and called my son and read out the letter and there was silence on the other end of the phone. I thought the line had gone dead, but he was crying."

Edinburgh fundraiser Olivia Giles, 44, receives the OBE for charitable services, particularly to disabled people. The former lawyer lost her hands and feet to meningitis in 2002 but battled back to become a formidable fundraiser for Meningitis Research Foundation and Meningitis UK, personally raising more than 450,000 for the charities.

She also launched Leap for Meningitis to raise awareness about the devastating effects of the illness and to support research.

Ms Giles visits Zambia and Malawi yearly to support disabled people in the African countries. She is a former Institute of Fundraising Scotland's Volunteer Fundraiser of the Year.

In 2005 she won a Junior Chamber International Award for Humanitarian Services and a Rotary International Paul Harris Fellowship.

"It is such a compliment, and when you work on your own and do not have a team around you, something like this is really encouraging," she told the News. "It's a vote of confidence that what you are doing is worthwhile and positive.

"I feel it's a validation of what I'm doing."

Dr Simon Gage has walked on water and across hot coals, all in the name of science. Now the director of the Edinburgh International Science Festival has been made an OBE for services to science communication.

Dr Gage, who has been director of the festival for 15 years, said "I am, of course, delighted to be awarded an OBE. However, I see this primarily as recognition of the pioneering work that the Edinburgh International Science Festival, and its many partner organisations across the city, have done over the last 20 years to show the world a new way of communicating science."

Chair of Highland and Islands EnterpriseWilliam Roe is one of four regional recipients of the Commander of the British Empire. Mr Roe, who lives in Edinburgh, was appointed chair of HIE in 2004 and re-appointed for a further four-and-a-half years in 2007.

The CBE was awarded in recognition of his contribution to local government.

"This honour may be in my name, but what pleases me most is that it recognises the contribution made every day by the dedicated staff and board members, past and present, of Highlands and Islands Enterprise," said Mr Roe."

"I truly believe the Highlands and Islands is a fantastic place."

Other CBEs include John Douglas Orr, from Colinton in Edinburgh, who is a consultant paediatric surgeon and lately president of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, for services to medicine; Colin Jack the honourable Lord Tyre, former president of the Council of Bars and Law Societies for Europe, for services to administration of justice; and Edinburgh's Professor Veronica Van Heyningen, president of the Genetics Society, for services to science.

SUPER SCOTS AND SOUPER SCOTS

HIGH-PROFILE figures honoured include Scottish Formula 1 ace David Coulthard, who is made an MBE for services to motor racing. Other Scots honoured are Gordon Baxter, founder of Baxters soup (CBE) and Blair Jenkins, former head of news and current affairs at BBC Scotland (OBE).

Hollywood A-lister Catherine Zeta-Jones is made a CBE for services to the film industry and charity. Midsomer Murders detective John Nettles gets an OBE, as does Velvet Underground founder John Cale.

Coronation Street actresses Eileen Derbyshire and Barbara Knox are MBEs and pop star turned television physicist Professor Brian Cox today said he was "surprised and chuffed" to be made an OBE for services to science.

Dinnerladies star Anne Reid said she had "never dreamt in a million years" that she would be made an MBE. Food guru Prue Leith was made a CBE for services to the catering industry.

Musician Graham Nash has been awarded an OBE in the diplomatic and overseas list, having taken US citizenship in 1978.

England's goalkeeper at the 1950 World Cup, Bert Williams, received an MBE for more than seven decades of service to charity and football.

RECOGNISED FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS

• William Roe, Edinburgh: CBE for public service.

&#149 John Douglas Orr, Edinburgh: CBE for services to medicine.

&#149 Colin Jack the Honourable Lord Tyre, Dunbar: CBE for services to the administration of justice.

&#149 Professor Veronica Van Heyningen, Edinburgh: CBE for services to science.

&#149 Utheshtra Chetty, Edinburgh: OBE for services to medicine.

&#149 Olivia Giles, Edinburgh: OBE for charitable services.

&#149 Rosalind Newlands, Edinburgh: OBE for services to the tourist industry.

&#149 David Sim Paterson MBE, Edinburgh: OBE for services to Sino-British co-operation on biodiversity.

&#149 James Aitken, Edinburgh: MBE For services to student sport.

&#149 Roy Frederick Davidson, West Lothian: MBE for voluntary service to the Scouts.

&#149 Susan Jane Clapham, Edinburgh: MBE for public service.

&#149 Patricia Anne Douglas, Edinbugh: MBE for services to dance.

&#149 Margaret Ann Forisky, West Lothian: MBE for services to further education.

&#149 Martin Jones, Edinburgh: MBE, former manager of the Motor Services Unit at the Scottish Executive.

&#149 Frederick Rockley Kaye, Bathgate: , MBE for service to the Royal British Legion Scotland.

&#149 Moira Niven, Edinburgh: MBE for services to Education.

&#149 Thomas James Robertson: South Queensferry, MBE for voluntary service to Queensferry Lifeboat West Lothian.

&#149 Margaret Allison Stewart, Midlothian: MBE for services to the Scottish Red Meat Industry.

&#149 Dr Simon Gage, Edinburgh: OBE for services to science communication.