Knighthood For Andy Murray As Sporting Stars Recognised In Honours List

31 December 2016, 06:05

Andy Murray rounds off a golden year as he receives a knighthood in the New Year's honours list, which also recognises sporting stars Katherine Grainger and Gordon Reid.

The accolade tops off a special 12 months for the Scot which saw him win a second Wimbledon title, retain his Olympic crown and named Sports Personality of the Year for the third time.

The tennis player, who also became a father in February, finished the season as world number one.

Murray, who is a Unicef UK ambassador, receives the knighthood for services to tennis and charity.

There is also recognition for other Scottish sporting stars, with rower Dr Grainger being made a Dame.

She is Britain's most decorated female Olympic athlete after winning Olympic silver at Rio 2016 and gold at London 2012, adding to her silver medals from Sydney in 2000, Athens in 2004 and Beijing in 2008.

She also has six world championships titles in her collection.

The rower, who was born in Glasgow and has a PhD in the sentencing of homicide, receives a DBE for services to sport and charity.

Wheelchair tennis star Reid receives an MBE for services to the sport.

He ended 2016 as world number one following a year which saw him win grand slam singles titles at the Australian Open and Wimbledon, and doubles titles at the French Open and Wimbledon.

At the Paralympics in Rio, he took singles gold and a silver medal in the doubles.

Jo Butterfield, who won gold in the F51 club throw final at the Paralympics in Rio, receives an MBE for services to field athletics.

Scots from a range of fields are also honoured, with the list including academics, business people, a lollipop lady and a glass blower.

Joshua Littlejohn, co-founder of Social Bite, receives an MBE for services to social enterprise and entrepreneurship in Scotland.

Social Bite cafes allow customers to ''pay forward'' coffee or a meal for the homeless and about a quarter of its staff are formerly homeless.

It has drawn support from movie star Leonardo DiCaprio, who stopped for lunch at Social Bite venture Home in Edinburgh's west end last month, while Hollywood star George Clooney visited Social Bite's Rose Street branch in the city a year earlier.

John Park Campbell, chairman of Glenrath Farms Ltd in the Borders, receives a knighthood for services to farming and charitable service to entrepreneurship.

Former Lord Advocate the Rt Hon Frank Mulholland QC receives a CBE for services to law in Scotland while a CBE also goes to Professor Susan Deacon.

Prof Deacon, assistant principal of the University of Edinburgh and the first female chair of the Institute of Directors in Scotland, receives the honour for services to business, education and public service.

Michael Cavanagh, who was chairman of Commonwealth Games Scotland (CGS) and represented CGS on the Glasgow 2014 board, receives an OBE for services to sport and the Commonwealth Games movement.

Meanwhile, Surjit Singh Chowdhary, vice-president of the Central Gurdwara Singh Sabha in Glasgow, receives an MBE for services to the Sikh community and charity.

The list also includes a British Empire Medal (BEM) for Rhona Ritchie, who has been a lollipop lady for more than 40 years.

Mrs Ritchie, lollipop lady at Pumpherston and Uphall Station Primary School in West Lothian, receives the honour for services to education.

One of the oldest recipients, 94-year-old Janet Gillespie, receives a BEM for her charitable service, having spent more than 60 years volunteering for Poppy Scotland, beginning with selling poppies in 1952 and only retiring last year.

David Mundell, Secretary of State for Scotland, said: ''Scotland's honours recipients are superb ambassadors for Scotland. They truly deserve their recognition today and I congratulate each and every one of them.

''The length and breadth of Scotland, an army of volunteers show unstinting dedication, commitment and compassion, week in week out. It is right that we mark that dedication and selflessness.''