King's Birthday Honours: Scotland's recipients, from tartan to sausage rolls, history to hills

From the good and brave to the industrious, ingenious and selfless, all of life in Scotland can be found in the King’s Birthday Honours.

The country and its people have been well recognised in this summer’s accolades with a diverse list of recipients and their passions, causes and campaigns illuminated.

King's Birthday Honours: Writer and historian Alistair Moffat (top left), Zahrah Mahmood, President of Ramblers Scotland (bottom left) and John and Lorna Norgrove (right), of the Linda Norgrove Foundation, have all been recognised. | Contributed

From the Glasgow businesswoman who heads up Greggs the super bakers to a West Lothian lollipop lady, a tartan historian, a hillwalking figurehead and a couple who have saved and supported dozens of young Afghan women following the death of their own daughter in the country, the list reminds us of achievement, commitment and sacrifices made across the country, from the Borders to the Outer Hebrides.

John and Lorna Norgrove, of Uig on the Isle of Lewis, have both been made OBEs for services to women and children abroad and in Scotland, given their work in Afghanistan.

They set up the Linda Norgrove Foundation following the death 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.

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Recently the foundation 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.

In a statement, 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.”

They added: “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.”

Meanwhile, Peter MacDonald, who is regarded as Scotland’s foremost tartan authority, has also been made an OBE, the second highest honour of the British Empire, for services to the tartan industry.

Mr MacDonald, of Perth, who is the lead researcher of the Scottish Tartan Authority, said: “I am certainly very pleased and very proud. I take it as recognition of over 40 years work trying to preserve and promote the traditional textiles of Scotland.

“As I speak, I am rolling up a couple of lengths of 18th-century kilt, so it feels very apposite and humbling. My work is about preserving tartan for future generations and keeping alive something that would otherwise be lost.”

Author and historian Alistair Moffat, 75, 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. He was also a key figure in the creation of The Great Tapestry of Scotland in 2010, acting as co-chairman and narrative creator, which tells the history of Scotland in visual panels, similar to the Bayeux Tapestry.

Confirmation of the MBE comes as this year’s book festival takes place.

Mr Moffat described the honour as “just a monumental bunch of flowers to get”. He added: “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, who was made an OBE in recognition of services to veterans.

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Retired lollipop woman Shirley Jamieson, of West Calder, West Lothian, was named a Medallists of the Order of the British Empire (BEM) for services to the Safety of Pedestrians in Juniper Green.

She is remembered locally for her cheerful and helpful nature, and the care she took in helping the community - of all ages and abilities - to cross the road safely in all weathers.

Meanwhile, the president of Ramblers Scotland and the social media influencer known as the Hillwalking Hijabi has also been recognised.

Zahrah Mahmood, 34, president of Ramblers Scotland, has been 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.”

Labour MSP Pamela Duncan Glancy has been made an MBE for political and public service.

She has been MSP for the Glasgow region since May 2021 and is the first permanent wheelchair user elected to the Scottish Parliament.

The MSP said: “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.”

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Fellow Glaswegian Roisin Currie, the chief executive of Greggs, has been made a CBE for her services to hospitality.

The graduate of Strathclyde University took the top job at the company in 2022, having joined the Newcastle-based bakery chain, popular for its sausage rolls, 12 years earlier.

Greggs has been growing rapidly across the UK and has set its sights on exceeding 3,000 shops, with Ms Currie overseeing the chain topping £2 billion in annual revenue for the first time last year.

Fiona Campbell, chief executive of the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers, has been awarded an MBE for services to tourism. She has led the campaign against tighter restrictions and licensing requirements on those running short-term let holiday businesses.

Ms Campbell said she was “deeply honoured” to receive the recognition.

She said: “It reflects the resilience, passion and hard work of Scotland’s self-catering community, who have faced extraordinary challenges with courage and determination.

“This honour is not mine alone – it belongs to every small business owner, every rural family enterprise, and every operator who has stayed the course through crisis, reform and recovery. I remain committed to ensuring that our sector continues to be a vital, sustainable part of Scotland’s tourism landscape for generations to come.”