Scots feature in Queen’s Birthday Honours List

Tom Devine is being given a knighthood. Picture:Greg MacVean

Prof Devine, who has enjoyed an academic career spanning 49 years and is the author of dozens of publications on Scottish history, receives a knighthood.

The 68-year-old will step down from his role as director of the Scottish Centre for Diaspora Studies at the University of Edinburgh this summer.

Franchitti, who won the IndyCar Series four times, is awarded an MBE, and tweeted: “So this morning has been pretty special so far.#solucky.”

The 41-year-old from Bathgate, West Lothian, was involved in a serious crash last year when his car flew into fencing at the Grand Prix of Houston, in Texas.

Franchitti, who was married to Hollywood actress Ashley Judd, suffered two fractured vertebrae, a broken ankle and concussion in the accident and announced his retirement from racing on medical advice in November last year.

Others honoured include young entrepreneur Fraser Doherty who is awarded an MBE.

He used his grandmother’s recipes to set up a global jam empire and founded SuperJam a decade ago aged 14. The 24-year-old, from Edinburgh, became the youngest-ever supplier to a major supermarket when in March 2007 Waitrose – the supermarket arm of John Lewis – launched the range.

Ewan Brown, chairman of Scottish Financial Enterprise and a senior governor at the University of St Andrews, is also knighted.

Edinburgh Festival Fringe boss Kath Mainland, entertainer John Barrowman and author Hunter Davies, who was born in Johnstone and wrote the only authorised biography of the Beatles, are also honoured.

Fringe boss Kath Mainland said she never expected to be honoured and was “genuinely surprised” on discovering she was to receive a CBE.

Ms Mainland, who was recognised for services to culture in Scotland, took over the running of the arts festival five years ago and has seen it grow in its number of performers as well as experiencing a rise in audience numbers.

Earlier this month, organisers announced this year’s festival would be the biggest in history, featuring more than 3,000 shows.

Originally from Orkney, Ms Mainland began her career in the arts in 1991 as an administrative assistant at the Fringe and has worked in roles around Edinburgh’s festivals ever since.

She was appointed chief executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society in 2009.

Glasgow-born entertainer Barrowman was thrilled by his award of an MBE and declared: “I’m going to enjoy it for the rest of my life.”

The Torchwood star, who has also hosted a number of TV shows and enjoyed a successful West End career, has been honoured for his services to entertainment as well as his contribution to charity.

Davies, 78, is the author of more than 70 books including the only authorised biography of the Beatles and The Glory Game, which is based on a season he spent behind the scenes at Tottenham Hotspur during the 1971-72 season. He was raised in Carlisle.

Inventor, David Gow, who created the revolutionary i-limb bionic hand, receives a CBE along with Aberdeen-born dancer and choregrapher Michael Clark, Alistair Buchan, chief executive of Orkney Islands Council, and Alistair Dodds, chief executive of Highland Council, who receive awards for services to local government. Dr Francis Dunn, president of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, and Colonel Robert Jefferies of the Royal Regiment of Scotland are similarly honoured.

A total of 22 people received OBEs.

Among them is Kathleen Donegan, governor-in-charge of Cornton Vale women’s prison in Stirling.

Mrs Donegan is recognised for her services to the criminal justice system.

Also receiving an OBE is Trishna Devi Pall Singh, director of Edinburgh’s Sikh Sanjog, which operates the popular social enterprise cafe Punjabi Junction. She is honoured for her services to the community.

MBE recipients include Suzann Barr, who is recognised for services to vulnerable children in the Highlands.

Jan Brown and Stephen Bunyan are similarly awarded for their voluntary service in Argyll and East Lothian respectively.

This year’s list also honours two senior figures from Police Scotland.

Chief superintendent Andrew Bates and Derek Penman, assistant chief constable for local policing north, are both recipients of the Queen’s Police Medal.

Mary Moriarty who ran the Port of Leith pub in Edinburgh for more than 25 years, is awarded the British Empire Medal for services to the people of Leith during the Leith festival.

• In full: Queen’s Birthday Honours List

Tragic cancer hero Stephen adds sparkle to a myriad of stars

STARS from the stage, screen and world of sport as well as an inspirational cancer sufferer were prominent in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours list.

Stephen Sutton was honoured with an MBE just weeks after losing his fight against cancer. The 19-year-old, who accepted the honour before his death on 14 May, is joined by Hollywood star Angelina Jolie, who receives an honorary damehood for her work to fight sexual violence.

She has been co-chairing the End Sexual Violence in Conflict (ESVC) global summit with Foreign Secretary William Hague in London this week.

Announcing the latest round of honours yesterday, the Cabinet Office said more than 1,100 people received awards.

Pride of Miss Jean Brodie to Downtown Abbey star Dame Maggie Smith is made a Companion of Honour, while Daniel Day-Lewis receives a knighthood, and Homeland star Damian Lewis gets an OBE.

Britain’s winter Olympians joined their summer predecessors with a flurry of awards.

Skeleton gold medallist Lizzy Yarnold, who won Britain’s first gold medal of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, receives an MBE, as do visually-impaired skier Kelly Gallagher and her guide Charlotte Evans, who won Britain’s first ever gold medal in the Winter Paralympics.

An OBE goes to Wales rugby head coach Warren Gatland, while England women’s cricket captain Charlotte Edwards receives a CBE, with an MBE going to her deputy Jenny Gunn.

MBEs also go to Kevin Sinfield, captain of Leeds Rhinos Rugby League team. Meanwhile golfer Laura Davies becomes a dame, as do author Hilary Mantel, economist Katharine Barker, fashion designer Zandra Rhodes and Professor Jessica Corner, dean of health sciences at the University of Southampton.

Pianist Andras Schiff receives a knighthood, while MBEs go to singer songwriter Cerys Matthews, broadcaster and founder of the band Catatonia, and Nicola Clarke, chair of the Military Wives Choirs Foundation.

A CBE goes to BBC Radio 4 Gardeners’ Question Time presenter Roy Lancaster, while OBEs go to Mercury Prize-winning musician Talvin Singh.

Laurie Johnson, composer of the themes for The Avengers and The Professionals, receives an MBE, as does folk musician Eliza Carthy.

Those who helped in the aftermath of the floods that hit the south-west of the country in February are also recognised.

MBEs go to Shirley Fewings, manager of Dawlish and East Teignbridge Volunteer Service as well as Steven Iles, head of highways at Croydon Council, who gets the award for services to the community during the 2014 flooding.

An MBE also goes to the Rev John Wood, vicar at St Ann’s Church in Tottenham, north London, who helped build local relationships after the 2011 riots.

Political historian and head of Wellington College Anthony Seldon, whose books include Tony Blair’s biography, receives a knighthood, as does Robert Francis QC, who chaired the public inquiry into the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust.

Martin Lewis, founder of MoneySavingExpert.com, gets an OBE, while John Simpson, chief editor of the Oxford English Dictionary from 1993 until last year, also gets the award.

Women receive 49 per cent of the honours, after the New Year honours became the first in which they outnumbered men.

• In full: Queen’s Birthday Honours List