Jim's reward for taking sport to greater heights

Jim Aitken, the director for Scotland's leading sports centre has been awarded an MBE for his contribution to its success.

Mr Aitken, 51, was "thrilled" after receiving news of the royal honour in May this year after being with the Centre for Sports and Exercise at the University of Edinburgh for over 15 years.

The award, given for services to student sport, will see him travelling to London to attend the investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace on December 9.

After receiving the notification he found it difficult to keep it a secret for five weeks until the Queen's birthday honours were revealed in June.

He explains: "I was absolutely delighted and honoured. It was a complete bolt from the blue - it always seems to happen to other people."

His role as funding chair at Scottish Universities Sport, a national organisation set up to aid the country's higher education sporting centres, aided his recognition as an individual worthy of the honour. Yet he remains modest about the award.

He said: "In some ways it felt quite disingenuous. In my view there are many people who work with me who are equally deserving.

"Of course, I greatly appreciate it, but no one around me was acknowledged in the same way - it seems I've been singled out for public exhibition.

"We're all just working for the benefit of the student and local communities."

He began his career working in Dundee University, where he taught classes and delivered physical training. Though he had the option of working in schools, he believed his permanent calling lay in higher education.

His career saw him move to Edinburgh University in 1995 after six years with Sports Scotland, and he subsequently gained the position of director around 2001. He has since contributed to the centre's transformation, which has allowed it to attain the reputation for quality that it holds today.

The centre stands as the biggest sporting centre in the country, reaffirmed by the recent opening of its 5-million extension at the Pleasance gym.

He said: "When the All Blacks rugby team came in they said that they thought it was one of the best gyms on the planet.

"It was a great thing to hear. I feel really privileged and excited for Edinburgh."

Mr Aitken graduated from Jordanhill College of Education, now part of Strathclyde University, with an Honours degree in physical education, following a lifelong interest in sports.

Originally from Dundee, he "firmly" considers Edinburgh his home, which he shares with his supporting wife, Sheila.

He once coached his two daughters' hockey teams but allows the girls to pursue their own passions.