Queen hands out Highland honours

Councillor Ian Ross becomes an OBE for his forestry work

A school clerical assistant, a fisherman and a councillor are among people from the Highlands included in the Queen's New Year Honours list.

Highland Council's director of education, David Robertson, has become an OBE for services to education.

Councillor Ian Ross became an OBE for services to Forestry while Jessie Doull was made an MBE for services to the community in Wick, Caithness.

Alan Michael has become an MBE for services to visually impaired people.

Mr Michael, who is from Balloch, Inverness-shire, set up Talking Newspapers for the Blind in the Highlands in 1981.

I feel very humble but very proud and honoured, especially when you consider so many people throughout the country do so much good work Alan Michael

He worked with the group, which produced more than 5,000 tapes a week, for 21 years before his retirement four years ago.

Mr Michael, 63, was also chairman of the Scottish Talking Newspaper group for 20 years, helping to develop taking newspapers across the country.

He said: "I was gobsmacked when I heard about this honour. Someone put my name forward when I retired but nothing happened so I forgot about it.

"But I believe MBE should stand for "Many Bodies' Efforts". I was the instigator but the service couldn't run without the excellent volunteers who are its backbone.

"I feel very humble but very proud and honoured, especially when you consider so many people throughout the country do so much good work."

'Most unexpected'

Mr Ross, who worked in the forestry industry for about 27 years, said of his OBE: "It was most unexpected and certainly a big surprise but I am extremely pleased to receive it."

The 49-year-old father-of-two, who is from Golspie in Sutherland, has chaired a number of groups within the Forestry Commission and advised the commission on social forestry issues.

Norma MacLellan, who works as a clerical assistant and typist at Caol Primary School, Fort William, was made an MBE for services to education and the community in Inverness-shire.

William Ritchie, a crofter/fisherman from Lairg, Sutherland, has become an MBE for services to the environment and to sustainable development.

Gordon Ellis, from Nairn, who is an area business manager at the Scottish Executive became an MBE.