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Glasgow Times
2 days ago
- General
- Glasgow Times
Glasgow hillwalking champion on King's Birthday Honours List
'It was a pretty weird gift,' agrees the 34-year-old, who lives on the Southside of Glasgow. 'But I had been going through a difficult time in my life and they thought it might help me.' She pauses. 'It did, and it has had a lasting impact on my life.' Zahrah Mahmood (Image: Zahrah Mahmood) Zahrah is the Hillwalking Hijabi, newly appointed president of Ramblers Scotland, and a diversity champion who documents her adventures on social media to inspire people across the country. She has received an MBE in the King's Birthday Honours List, something she says 'is still sinking in.' Zahrah adds: 'I'm incredibly grateful, it just feels very surreal.' The name of her Instagram account was her sister's idea, she laughs. 'As I got more into hillwalking, I was telling my sister that I didn't really see many people like me when I was out there,' explains Zahrah. 'I got a lot of stares. 'So my sister just said, 'lean into it – you're the hillwalking hijabi.' She grins. 'And it stuck.' Zahrah is receiving the MBE in recognition of her voluntary service and commitment to social change. She has become a leading voice in the movement for diversity in the world of hillwalking. 'There are barriers to the outdoors, not just in terms of race but also for people who are on low incomes, or who are new mums, for example,' she says. This is a subject close to Zahrah's heart, as the chartered accountant is currently on maternity leave with her eight-month-old baby daughter Hafsah. She and husband Tom also have a son, three-year-old Harris. 'I am honoured to receive an MBE, and I hope I can continue, with Ramblers Scotland, to reduce those barriers and make the outdoors accessible to everyone," she adds. For Monty Cowen, finding out he had been awarded an MBE was an especially bittersweet moment. 'My wife, Phyllis, died on May 3 five years ago, and it was on May 3 this year I received the letter,' says the 92-year-old. 'It made me very sad, as I know she would have been very proud.' He adds: 'I am honoured and thrilled, of course. It means a great deal to receive this.' Monty receives the MBE for services to the Jewish community and to the community in Giffnock over the last 60 years. His many accomplishments include helping the synagogue in Giffnock move to a bigger building, now known as Giffnock Newton Mearns Hebrew Congregation, and organising fundraising events. Monty is an honorary president of the Glasgow Hebrew Burial Society, and as an active member of the Kashrut Commission, he ensures supervision of Kosher food suppliers and caterers for Glasgow and the west of Scotland. He is actively involved with the Association of Jewish Ex-Servicemen and Women (AJEX), a cause close to his heart, as he served in Egypt during his National Service in the 1950s. The retired optical manufacturer is the Area Brigade Commander, and runs the local Armistice Day parade. 'Supporting my community is a passion,' says Monty, who has a son, a daughter, four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. 'I'm just interested in what goes on around me and I have loved playing a part in helping people.' Leanne McGuire (Image: Newsquest) Glasgow City Parents Group founder Leanne McGuire is to receive the British Empire Medal for 'services to parental and carer engagement in education.' The 45-year-old said: 'I'm filled with pride to receive this honour. This isn't just about me. It's a reflection of the collective effort of so many parents, carers, campaigners and community voices who have worked tirelessly to make our education system fairer and more inclusive.' She paid tribute to her daughter, who she said 'was my main motivation for all of those voluntary hours I worked on top of my full time job and most importantly being her mum.' Leanne added: 'She was a constant reminder me why it all mattered.' Pam Duncan-Glancy MSP (Image: Newsquest) Labour MSP Pam Duncan-Glancy will receive an MBE for her political and public service. The 43-year-old, who has served Glasgow since May 2021, is the first permanent wheelchair user elected to the Scottish Parliament. Pam has used her own experience to highlight the challenges disabled people face, and she has pushed the Scottish Government and the Labour Party to move faster in improving accessibility for disabled people. Pam said she was 'surprised and proud' to receive the MBE. 'As a working-class woman in a wheelchair, things like this don't happen to us,' she says. 'I never thought it possible to become an MSP, never mind receiving an MBE. 'I'm overwhelmed and will continue to work tirelessly for my community, and to public service to have a positive impact on society.'
Scotsman
2 days ago
- General
- Scotsman
King's Birthday Honours: Scotland's recipients, from tartan to sausage rolls, history to hills
A huge variety of Scots have been named in this summer's King's Birthday Honours. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... 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. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 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. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 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. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 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. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 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. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 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. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 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. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 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.' READ MORE: 10 highlights of Edinburgh International Book Festival 2025 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. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 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. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
