Highland residents recognised in King Charles III’s New Year Honours list
Community-spirited stalwarts across the Highlands have been recognised in the New Year Honours list.
A string of MBEs, OBEs and British Empire Medals have been awarded to community figures living in communities across the region although none in the strath this time.
In Inverness, a highly popular neighbourhood stalwart who has given decades of service to the community she loves was among those honoured.
Dell McClurg (74), from Merkinch in Inverness, was awarded the British Empire Medal for services to wildlife and the community.
Conferring the British Empire Medal on Ms McClurg, a spokesperson for the Cabinet Office said: “She became the voice of the voiceless and has ensured they have been heard for over 40 years.
“From the early steps of creating a playgroup to saving the local primary school and the community hall, she has hesitated to step in when her community needed her.
“A member of the community council for over four decades and latterly chair for 13 years she not only encouraged support for the Friends of Merkinch Local Reserve, but is also a hugely active supporter and campaigner for this amazing ‘island’ of true wilderness in the community.
“One of her many roles, that of project worker for local vulnerable children, ensures each child learns to appreciate and value nature and this is the first step in their healing.”
Another British Empire Medal recipient was Nairn man Alex Mackintosh, who was honoured for his decades of service to Highland League club Nairn County.
The 73-year-old, who has volunteered for the club for more than 50 years, said it was a huge honour to be recognised.
Falling in love with the club as a child, he later joined its committee as a volunteer when he was 21.
For 52 years, he helped raise money to pay for running costs at the club as it looked for footballing success.
He said: “I am basically just a fan who wanted to raise money for his football club.
“I first started fundraising for the club in 1972 where I would organise raffles and help out with the stalls as well as knock on doors.
“I never played for Nairn County, as I only played welfare football, but I have been a fan since I was eight and would go to games with my Dad.
“To receive the BEM is not necessarily about me and it doesn’t cost the club anything either.
“I don’t usually like a fuss, and when I was offered the BEM, I wasn’t sure that I would accept it. But my wife insisted that I did as it is something to remember.”
“I am over the moon to be recognised in this way.”
Elsewhere, Nairn woman Kirstin Ann Grant (49) has been made an MBE for her services to young people with special needs.
She introduced the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme (DofE) while she was a pupil support assistant at Nairn Academy. Prior to this no one in the area was facilitating the opportunity for young people.
Her leadership encouraged many able-bodied pupils to join, but she was not content to see special needs pupils excluded and embarked on a plan to include all.
To adapt the support required for the range of complex needs and severe disabilities, she had to consider many factors: specialist equipment; appropriate activities; suitable accommodation and providing emotional support for children not used to being away from their home and routines.
Kirstin successfully galvanised her local community, church, councillor, and Nairn Academy to join her in fundraising and in providing support, allowing the project to become a reality.
She assured the young people and their parents they could meet the challenges and worked closely with the DofE team to ensure the programmes met with the standards required.
She also retained connections with support workers who had previously assisted, essential to the participants to have familiar and trusted carers.
Kirstin ensured that a wheelchair was able to taken along the route, which was a very challenging hill climb in atrocious weather.
The remaining three young adults, after six years, have now completed their DofE Gold Award, a huge feat for the students as they are one of the first Additional Support Needs groups to finish all 3 DofE stages.
Kirstin was also given the volunteer of the award at Highland Heroes in 2019.
Congratulating all New Year Honours recipients, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “Each and every day, ordinary people go out and do extraordinary things for their communities.
“They represent the very best of the UK and that core value of service which I put at the centre of everything this government does.
“The New Year Honours List celebrates more of these unsung heroes, and I thank them for their incredible contribution.”
Other recipients of honours in this year’s list who live in the north also include:
OBE
Alexander William ADAM - Chair of Springfield Properties plc, for services to the Construction Industry in
Scotland (Elgin)
MBE
Hayley Dawn BANGS - For services to the community in the Kyle of Sutherland, Ross-shire and Caithness (Ardgay)
Michael Jonathan BRETT YOUNG DL - For services to veterans and to the vulnerable in Sutherland (Lairg)
Graeme Alexander DUNNETT - Head of Reactors, Dounreay, a Division of Nuclear Restoration Services - For services to the nuclear industry (Thurso)
William David LIPP - Chair, Lifeboat Management Group, Invergordon Lifeboat Station, Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) - For services to the RNLI (Alness)
British Empire Medal
John David GOULDER - For services to dry stone walling and to the community in Rosehall, Sutherland (Lairg)
