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- The Independent
Historian likens becoming MBE to receiving ‘monumental bunch of flowers'
An historian who founded the Borders Book Festival has said being recognised in the King's Birthday Honours feels like receiving a 'monumental bunch of flowers'.
Alistair Moffat, 74, is celebrating becoming a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in recognition of services to literature and culture in the same week as this year's festival.
He has written more than 40 books on Scottish history and is considered one of the most popular Scottish historians.
He founded the Borders Book Festival 22 years ago, and is based in Ettrick and Lauderdale in the Borders.
The festival has become one of the UK's most highly regarded literary festivals, attracting an international audience, and now draws more than 30,000 visitors who have contributed an estimated £3 million to the local economy.
Mr Moffat was also a critical 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.
The Great Tapestry of Scotland, now installed in its purpose-built museum in Galashiels, in the Borders, has become a major tourist attraction and was visited by the King and Queen in 2023 on its 10th anniversary.
It was a collaboration of ideas shared between Mr Moffat, author Sir Alexander McCall-Smith and artist Andrew Crummy and was hand stitched by 1,000 women from across Scotland.
The tapestry tells the story of 420 million years of Scottish history, heritage, innovations and culture through its 160 panels.
Mr Moffat receives the royal honour for showing a 'strong and consistent commitment to bringing the arts to local communities', including through the tapestry.
Mr Moffat said: 'It is just a monumental bunch of flowers to get.
'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.
'The Great Tapestry of Scotland began 15 years ago, Alexander McCall-Smith rang me to say 'go and look at a tapestry in Edinburgh about Bonnie Prince Charlie'. It had 50 panels, I was astounded at how beautiful it was.
'I started working on the idea of The Great Tapestry of Scotland, it ended up with 150 panels.
'I had always dreamed of doing something like this.
' The King and Queen opened it in 2023, I showed them around. It is telling Scotland's history in pictures, and it was made by women.'
