2016-12-30

Andy Murray's rise to become tennis world number one has been rewarded with a knighthood in the New Year's Honours list.

The 29-year-old from Dunblane will become Sir Andy Murray in recognition of his contributions to tennis and to charity. He had previously been awarded an OBE in 2013.

The honour caps a remarkable year for Murray that saw him win major titles on the way to topping the men's rankings for the first time. The Scot won Wimbledon for the second time and picked up a gold medal at the Rio Olympic. He also reached the final of the Australian and French Opens.

That success, and six other tournament wins, saw him close in on Novak Djokovic in his quest to top the rankings and became world number one at the ATP World Tour Finals in London, defeating the Serb in the final to finish the season with another career first.

This year also saw the star host Andy Murray Live, a showpiece event in Glasgow with all proceeds going to Glasgow charity Young People's Futures and Unicef.

Murray's knighthood is not the only reward for Scottish sporting success.

Rower Katherine Grainger, Britain's most decorated female Olympian, becomes a Dame and wheelchair tennis player Gordon Reid has been awarded an MBE.

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

Scots from a range of fields have also been 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.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: "The Queen's New Year honours list provides richly-deserved recognition for Scots who have shown outstanding service in their chosen fields and admirable dedication in their local communities.

"As a massive tennis fan who, like millions, watched in awe this year as Andy Murray reached the pinnacle of his sport by becoming world number one, I am absolutely delighted to see his talent, achievement and sheer hard work recognised in this way.

"And, having cheered Katherine Grainger on in successive Olympic Games, most recently in Rio this summer, I could not be more pleased to see Scotland's most successful female Olympian honoured with a damehood.

"It's equally great to see the incredible achievements of many of our Olympic and Paralympic stars recognised with well-deserved honours.

"It's not just people in public life who have had their achievements rewarded - every single person on this list has achieved remarkable things and my heartfelt congratulations go out to all of them.

"Every one of us in Scotland should take pride in and inspiration from those who have gone above and beyond in serving their local communities and whose achievements are rightly celebrated today."

Show more