Dunbartonshire honours awarded

Eleven people from Dunbartonshire have been recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours List.

The awards range from Commander of the order of the British Empire (CBE) to Member of the Order (MBE) to the British Empire Medal (BEM.)

Professor Ewan MacDonald from Kirkintilloch, the Professor and Head of the Healthy Working Lives Group at the University of Glasgow, has been awarded the CBE for services to Occupational Medicine and to Reducing Health Inequalities.

Businessman and Philanthropist, John Watson from Bearsden, has also been awarded the CBE. His award is in recognition of services to Education and Charity.

Dr Catherine Hutchison from Bearsden, a consultant nurse at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre, receives the  MBE for services to Cancer Nursing.

Dr Richa Sinha from Bearsden, the Dunbartonshire Chair of the Scottish Hindu Foundation, has been awarded the MBE for services to the Hindu Community in Scotland and to tackling Hinduphobia.

Eric Brownlie from Lenzie, the Assistant Principal, curriculum and quality enhancement at Glasgow Clyde College, receives the MBE for services to Further Education.

Inspector James Dalgleish from Helensburgh, an officer with the Clyde Marine Unit of the Ministry of Defence Police, receives the MBE for services to defence policing.

Lynn Laughland, the Chief Executive of HRM Homecare Services, receives the MBE for services to Improving Care Services.

Stein Connelly from Dumbarton, Head of Transport Resilience at Transport Scotland receives the BEM For services to transport resilience.

Anne Marie MacDougall from Clydebank receives the BEM for volunteer work in the  community.

James McLaren from Dalmuir is awarded the BEM for services to people with disabilities and older people in Clydebank and Glasgow.

Robert Smith from Kirkintilloch, Chief Executive of Group Recovery Aftercare Community Enterprise, receives the BEM for services to charity and to the community in East Dunbartonshire.

Dunbartonshire’s Lord-Lieutenant, Mrs Jill Young MBE, has invested three local people recognised in His Majesty the King’s New Year’s Honours List at a ceremony in Clydebank Town Hall.

Linda Robertson was awarded the MBE for services to Ukrainian refugees, Audrey Mutongi-Darko received the British Empire Medal for services to tackling loneliness and isolation in older people in Scotland and Lorraine McInnes, a fundraiser for Maggies cancer charity in Glasgow, received the BEM for services to charity.

The ceremony was hosted by Provost of West Dunbartonshire Council, Councillor Karen Murray Conaghan.

Also in attendance from the Lieutenancy were Vice Lord-Lieutenant James Rogers DL, Maureen Cummings DL, Rev Dom Ind DL and Kenneth Grieve DL.

Dunbartonshire Deputy Lieutenant Tom Finnigan has received the MBE from His Majesty The King in an investiture at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

Tom, a businessman from Balloch, was named in the New Year's Honours List for services to the administration of justice and to the community in West Dunbartonshire.

Tom has sat as a Justice of the Peace in Dumbarton for 23 years.

He is a former chair of the Scottish Justices' Association and is a member of the Judicial Council.

He attended the investiture with his wife Teresa and daughter Sarah-Jane.

He said, "I am absolutely delighted and honoured. It's an award that is for myself, but obviously a great moment for my family and friends.

"It is also for the people who have supported me and worked with me in the court system.

The Lord-Lieutenant, Mrs Jill Young MBE, invested three local residents at a ceremony held recently at Kilmardinny House in Bearsden.

Mr Don Martin from Kirkintilloch was invested as a Member of the British Empire for services to Libraries and to Heritage in Scotland.

Ms Melody Whitley from Balloch was invested with the British Empire Medal as a Community Champion for services to Homeless People in Glasgow.

Mr Ah Yee Shek from Kirkintilloch was invested with the British Empire Empire as a Community Champion for services to the Chinese Community in Scotland.

Councillor Gillian Renwick, Provost of East Dunbartonshire Council, kindly hosted the event which was attended by friends and family of the recipients who enjoyed an afternoon tea after the ceremonies and music provided by the East Dunbartonshire Schools orchestra.