Rangers and Scotland captain Barry Ferguson wasn’t the only person in the Southside on the Queen’s Birthday Honours List. People living or working in the Southside had honours bestowed on them for their work in areas as diverse as housing, law, education and industry.

Agnes Cormack, chair of Linthouse Housing Association, was awarded an MBE for ‘services to social housing in Glasgow’. She said, ‘I was very surprised but delighted and proud to have received such a prestigious award, but this is not just about me. Over the 32 years of the Association’s existence the encouragement and support of the people of Linthouse have ensured that the Association has gone from strength to strength.’

Pollokshields’ Jean Couper received the OBE for services to the administration of justice for her work as chair of the Scottish Legal Aid Board. She said, ‘I’m delighted that my contribution to legal aid, namely the development of the legal aid system and the operation of the legal aid board, has been recognised in this way.’

Another Pollokshields resident, Dr Peter West, Secretary of Strathclyde University, was awarded the OBE for services to higher education in Scotland and Malawi. He has served as convener of the Malawi Millennium Project, encouraging links between the University and its Malawian counterpart and delivering aid to the African country. 

‘I see this award as a recognition of the achievements of the whole community of the University of Strathclyde to support our Malawian friends and colleagues through dark times to a better future’, said Dr West. ‘All of us have gained from this partnership.’
Also in education, Thomas Chambers, Art and Design Teacher at Govan High, was recognised with an OBE for services to education. As the LOCAL NEWS went to press, Mr Chambers was in the USA and unavailable to comment.

Gerard Docherty, managing director of Pollokshields-based IT consultants Real Time Engineering, was awarded the OBE for services to industry. He said, ‘I’m absolutely delighted. It’s a great credit to everyone involved at Real Time Engineering.’

Ashley Page, director of Scottish Ballet, was awarded the OBE for services to dance. Mr Page, who lives in Pollokshields, said, ‘I am genuinely surprised and very touched that my work has been recognised in this way. It is a welcome endorsement of the artistic excellence and recent achievements of Scottish Ballet, and I am absolutely delighted to accept this honour.’

Alan Wilson, Chief Executive of the Scottish Council for Development and Industry (SCDI), was awarded the OBE for services to business. Mr Wilson, who lives in Whitecraigs, said, ‘It probably won’t make any difference to my pay or pension, but I’m quite chuffed. It’s recognition for SCDI as much as me. The best thing about it is the emails and letters from old friends. I’m very happy.’