A very happy New Year for local heroes in honours list

Lothian-based gold medal winners Chris Hoy and James Anderson, a Paralympian who won BBC Scotland Sports Personality of the Year, have both become Members of the British Empire.

They are joined by dozens of less well known but equally worthy recipients from a range of different backgrounds.

Across the UK, a glittering array of stars from showbusiness and figures from literature, arts, business and journalism are recognised.

There are awards for veteran actor Eric Sykes and rock icon Roger Daltrey. Another master of the TV sitcom, Geoffrey Palmer, received an OBE.

There was an OBE for Pete Waterman, the British record producer, songwriter, DJ and X-Factor pundit. He is said to have been behind more No 1 singles than The Beatles and Elvis Presley.

An OBE was also given to John Sullivan, a top TV scriptwriter, whose successes include Only Fools and Horses, Citizen Smith, Heartburn Hotel and Micawber.

Colin Montgomery ended a rollercoaster year - which saw his marriage end and him play a leading role in Europe’s Ryder Cup win - by landing an OBE.

Kelly Holmes, who won the 800m and 1500m at Athens to become the first Briton for 84 years to achieve an Olympic middle-distance double, was made a dame and rower Matthew Pinsett was knighted. All these rub shoulders with a wide range of people from the Lothians, many of whom have been nominated by their local communities.

Richard Staite, the headmaster at Beeslack Community High School in Penicuik, has been knighted for his services to education. Sir Richard, known locally as Dick, was highly praised for his approach involving pupils and parents in running the school.

He took up his post at the 975-pupil local authority school when it opened 21 years ago but left at the end of last term to take up a job with Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education (HMI) in the new year.

Congratulating Sir Richard on his knighthood, Midlothian Council leader Adam Montgomery said: "Dick Staite has made a tremendous contribution to Beeslack High School in his 21 years as head teacher.

"He demonstrated exceptional leadership and inspired both staff and pupils to pursue excellence. I know the pupils, staff and parents connected with Beeslack High School would want to join me in congratulating him on receiving this outstanding recognition of his achievement in education."

Meanwhile, the mother of Mr Anderson, from Broxburn, described her son’s MBE as the "icing on the cake on an incredible year". Mr Anderson, who suffers from cerebral palsy, notched up an amazing tally of four gold medals at the summer Paralympics in Athens.

The latest award comes on the back of Mr Anderson’s coronation as BBC Scotland’s Sports Personality of the Year, where he saw off stiff competition from Colin Montgomery to land the crown.

His mother, Brenda, said: "Jim was still wearing rubber armbands when he was 18 so for him to come so far has been absolutely amazing."

The trip down to Buckingham Palace is a familiar one for Jim - he was honoured along with his fellow British paralympians at a champagne reception hosted by the Queen in October.

And Brenda joked: "The Queen and Jim will be firm friends the way things have been going."

Graeme Morrice, leader of West Lothian Council, also praised James’s efforts.

"This is absolutely fantastic news. Robin Cook, Bristow Muldoon and I nominated Jim for recognition last year and I am absolutely delighted that his efforts have been rewarded."

Dr Lesley Yellowlees has travelled to schools around Scotland for the past ten years in a bid to inspire hundreds of youngsters to take an interest in chemistry.

The mother-of-two, who was awarded an MBE for services to science, said: "I was absolutely amazed. I am delighted to receive recognition for what I have done, but when you start off, you never think you will get honoured for it."

The 51-year-old, who lives in Fairmilehead, admits she has become part of the furniture at Edinburgh University, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science and PHD and now is a Reader in chemistry. But she revealed she could not believe it when the letter from the Prime Minister arrived and her husband joked it might be an honour.

"We just fell on the floor," she said.

Dr Yellowlees, who has been a key player in encouraging more women into chemistry, also teaches and carries out research at Edinburgh University.

Steven Torrie, 47, said he was "absolutely thrilled" to be Buckingham Palace-bound after picking up a Queen’s Fire Service Medal.

The Deputy Firemaster at Lothian and Borders Fire Brigade, who lives in Howdenhall Road, has been with the Lothian Fire Service since he was 18, when he fulfilled his dream of becoming a fireman.

Since joining the brigade, he has worked his way through the ranks and is now one of the Scottish service’s most prominent individuals.

He sits on several service steering groups and is the chair of the Scottish Integrated Risk Management Group - a committee charged with coming up with brigade modernisation programmes.

He told the Evening News he felt the medal was a reward for his efforts at a national level.

He said: "A lot of my work these days is concentrated on formulating ways to make sure the service stays ahead of the game.

"The fire brigade needs to make sure it is proactive, rather than reactive, and we are working hard to make sure that this is the case."

Mr Torrie said that his family - wife Libby, and children Douglas and Stephanie - were already looking forward to accompanying him to London when he goes to pick up his medal. He added: "It really is a huge honour, and a complete bolt from the blue."

Paddy Tomkins, Chief Constable of Lothian and Borders Police, paid tribute to Detective Superintendent Robert Swanson who won the Queen’s Police Medal

He said: "I am delighted that Bert’s contribution to our force and the Scottish Police Service has been recognised with this award.

"He has proved an invaluable asset to Lothian and Borders Police in many specialist areas, not least the investigation of serious crime.

"As the senior investigating officer for numerous murders and other serious crimes, he has been responsible for many successful results which have seen criminals put behind bars."

John Shepherd-Barron, a former Edinburgh University student who revolutionised banking by inventing the automatic cash machine, was also honoured.

Mr Shepherd-Barron, 79, who installed the world’s first ATM almost 40 years ago, has been awarded an OBE for services to banking.

He came up with the idea of the auto-teller in the early 1960s after becoming frustrated at not being able to access his own money at weekends.

Other locals honoured in the list include George Anderson, the former head of the school of horticulture at the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh, who becomes MBE, and Keith Manson Miller, chief executive of construction giants, the Miller Group, who was awarded a CBE.

Royal approval for Lothian's great and good

KNIGHTS BACHELOR

Richard John Staite, OBE. Headteacher, Beeslack Comm-unity High School, Penicuik, Midlothian. For services to education. (Ratho Station)

ORDER OF THE BATH

Colin McLauchlan Baxter. Formerly head, police and community safety group, justice department, Scottish Executive. (Haddington, East Lothian)

ROYAL VICTORIAN ORDER

CVO

Graeme Neil Munro. Formerly director and chief executive, Historic Scotland.

ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE

CBE

Peter Lederer, OBE. Chair, Visitscotland. For services to tourism.

Keith Manson Miller. Chief executive, The Miller Group. For services to the construction industry in Scotland and to charity. (Edinburgh)

Susan Ilene Rice. Chief executive, Lloyds TSB Scotland. For services to banking.

OBE

Professor Dorothy Hanson Crawford. Robert Irvine Professor of medical microbiology, Edinburgh University. For services to higher education and science. (Edinburgh)

Professor George Hazel. Formerly president, Institution of Highways and Transportation. For services to transport. (Edinburgh)

Joyce Sara Ramsay Johnston. Principal, Fife College of Further and Higher Education. For services to further education in Scotland. (Edinburgh)

David Ross Leslie. Service development manager, Edinburgh City Council. For services to local government.

Roger James Mercer. Formerly secretary, Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. For services to archaeology. (Edinburgh)

William Ian Mitchell. For services to Housing in Scotland. (Edinburgh)

Professor Charles William Munn. Chief executive, Chartered Institute of Bankers in Scotland. For services to banking. (Dalgety Bay, Fife)

Michael Walker. Formerly vice-chairman, NHS Lothian and Consul for Finland. For services to the NHS and to the community in Edinburgh. (Edinburgh)

MBE

George Anderson. Formerly head of school of horticulture, Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh. For services to horticultural education. (Joppa)

James Allan Anderson. For services to disabled sport. (Broxburn, West Lothian)

Peter John Antonelli. Music development officer, Preston Lodge High School, East Lothian. For services to music education. (Gullane, East Lothian)

Keith Richard Cowan. For services to diversity in Scotland. (Edinburgh)

Clementina Bowie Dodds. For services to the British Red Cross Society in Fife. (Dunfermline, Fife)

Morag Graham Gray. Formerly chief executive, Hamilton Park Race Course. For services to horse racing. (Edinburgh)

Gillean Stewart Hoehnke. Staff development manager, Edinburgh’s Telford College. For services to further education in Scotland. (Edinburgh)

Chris Hoy. For services to cycling. (Edinburgh)

Aileen Margaret Ramsay. Personal assistant, Edinburgh College of Art. For services to education. (Edinburgh)

Wendy Joyce Stirling. Grade A3, Education Department, Scottish Executive. (Edinburgh)

Graeme Alexander Stuart. Policy adviser, Education Department, Scottish Executive. (Edinburgh)

Dr Margaret Whoriskey. Formerly commissioner, Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland. For services to mental health and to disabled people. (Edinburgh)

Lesley Ann Wilson. Social work practice team manager. For services to social care in Edinburgh. (Edinburgh)

Dr Lesley Yellowlees. Reader in chemistry, Edinburgh University. For services to science. (Edinburgh)

QUEEN’S POLICE MEDAL

QPM

Deputy Chief Constable David Mellor. Fife Constabulary.

Robert Swanson. Detective Superintendent, Lothian and Borders Police.

QUEEN’S FIRE SERVICE MEDAL

QFSM

Daniel O’Donnell. Deputy firemaster, Fife fire and rescue service.

Steven Cameron Torrie. Deputy firemaster, Lothian and Borders Fire Brigade.