Scottish footballers, university principal and Beano artist on New Year Honours list

A university principal, footballers and an artist are among those recognised in the New Year Honours list.

Professor Peter Mathieson, principal and vice-chancellor of the University of Edinburgh, is knighted for services to higher education, while two others with Scottish links receive knighthoods and three become dames.

Anita Frew, the first female chairwoman in Rolls-Royce's history and one of only 18 women leading boards among Britain's biggest listed companies, is given a damehood for services to business and the economy.

The Scottish businesswoman said: "It is a great privilege to be recognised in this way.

"I'm sure that if anyone had told me, as a young girl growing up in Scotland with a father and a grandfather who worked at Rolls-Royce, that one day not only would I chair that company but would have the honour to be made a dame, I would not have believed it."

Dr Julie Maxton, executive director of the Royal Society and originally from Edinburgh, receives a damehood for services to science and to the law, while Professor Heather McGregor, provost and vice-principal of Heriot-Watt University, Dubai, receives a damehood for services to education, business and heritage in Scotland.

Professor Sir Peter said he is "honoured and flattered" to receive the knighthood.

He said: "I do see it as recognition of the standing of the university. I'm privileged to lead one of the world's great universities and we've got a quarter of a million alumni around the world and almost 50,000 students.

"I feel there's a big community and I think it's a recognition of the standing of the university in society within the world and I'm very proud of the university, proud to be its principal."

William Robertson, who founded Robertson Group in Elgin, Moray, in 1966 and is executive chairman of the company, is knighted for services to the construction industry and to charity in Scotland, while Norman Keith Skeoch, previously chief executive of Standard Life Aberdeen, receives a knighthood for services to the financial sector.

From the field of sport, Scottish footballers Kim Little and Jen Beattie are made MBEs, as is Scotland captain and Liverpool player Andy Robertson, who is from Glasgow.

Scotland and Arsenal player Beattie is made an MBE for services to association football and to charity, while Arsenal player Little, Scotland's vice-captain at the 2019 Women's World Cup, is honoured for services to association football.

Robertson is recognised for services to association football, charity and young people.

Ian Reid of Kilmacolm, Inverclyde, who was chief executive of the organising committee of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, is made a CBE for services to sport.

Many people involved in the arts are also honoured in the list, including David Sutherland, illustrator of The Beano, who becomes an OBE for services to illustration.

Andrew Crummy, the artist behind the Great Tapestry of Scotland, has been made an MBE for services to art and cultural heritage.

Mr Crummy has worked on a number of large-scale public projects, including designing a 143-metre (469ft) long tapestry which tells the history of Scotland.

The 63-year-old, of East Lothian, said it was an "honour" to be given the rank and to have worked with people on the various projects he has been involved with.

An artist who has drawn for the Beano for 60 years has been recognised in the New Year Honours list.

David Sutherland, an artist with Dundee-based DC Thomson, is made an OBE for services to illustration.

Mr Sutherland, who was born in 1933, has been drawing The Bash Street Kids since 1962 and was responsible for Dennis the Menace from 1970 until 1998.

Mr Sutherland said: "When I entered the DC Thomson art competition more than 60 years ago, I couldn't have guessed where it might lead.

"I've been so lucky to be able to do something I love for a living, and work with so many talented writers whose words have helped bring these characters to life.

"Working on The Bash Street Kids for so long, these mischievous kids have become a second family to me, and I continue to love spending time in their company.

"To them - Danny, Toots and the rest - I'd like to extend my thanks, and of course to the readers, who I hope continue to enjoy reading about them as much as I enjoy drawing them."

Mr Sutherland was born in Invergordon in the Highlands, the youngest of three children.

His mother died when he was two and his father had to work to support his three young children, so the young boy and his siblings moved to Stirling where his father's family helped bring them up.

Shortly afterwards, the family moved to Kirkintilloch near Glasgow.

There, Mr Sutherland joined Rex Studios where he learned about art and illustration while attending evening classes at Glasgow School of Art.

In 1959, Mr Sutherland entered a drawing competition organised by DC Thomson in Dundee.

Although he did not win, his entry made a good impression and he was offered the chance to illustrate adventure strips for the comic.

He began to work on Beano on adventure strips including Danny On A Dolphin and The Great Flood Of London.

His talent was recognised and he was soon working on some of the most famous Beano strips, and understudied for established comic creators.

Between 1970 and 1998, he drew well over 1,000 episodes of Dennis The Menace, but it was on The Bash Street Kids that he created his legacy.

He started on the strip in 1962 and continues to draw it to this day, delivering the Bash Street Kids comic strip every week for the past 60 years.

Two people who helped save one of Charles Rennie Mackintosh's historic tea rooms in Glasgow have also been made MBEs.

Celia Sinclair Thornqvist, founder and patron of The Willow Tea Rooms Trust, and Professor Pamela Robertson have both been honoured in recognition of their work helping to restore the Scottish architect's original Willow Tea Rooms in Glasgow's Sauchiehall Street.

Others recognised include Professor David Crossman, former chief scientist (health) to the Scottish Government who is made a CBE for services to public health in Scotland, while Stuart Liddell, pipe major of Inveraray and District Pipe Band, is made an MBE for services to piping and music education.

School crossing patrol attendant Joyce Murray, 79, from East Dunbartonshire, receives the British Empire Medal for service to the Boys' Brigade and to the community in Glasgow.

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: "Those recognised in the New Year Honours list have made exceptional contributions to communities across Scotland and beyond. These honours are particularly poignant as they are the first to be awarded since the passing of Her Majesty The Queen, who reigned for over 70 years.

"The service and dedication of our successes, from the arts, education and sport to business, charity, community cohesion and science, has helped to promote Scotland all over the world and benefited people throughout society."

Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said this year's New Year Honours list underlines the "outstanding contributions made by Scots to the life of the nation".

He added: "It's great to see recognition of our men's football captain Andy Robertson, not just for his efforts on the pitch but for his work with young people.

"The UK's Scottish Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Christine Middlemiss has been deservedly honoured for her work on behalf of the veterinary and farming industries, as has Dr Julie Maxton, the first female executive director of the Royal Society in its history of over 350 years."

Others honoured include James McEwan from Islay, four times master distiller of the year and inductee to the Whisky Hall of Fame, who is made an MBE.

British Empire Medals go to Lucy Lintott, 28, from Moray, who has motor neurone disease and is honoured for her campaigning and fundraising to tackle the condition, and Sinclair Barbour, from Thornhill in Dumfries and Galloway, who for more than four decades has inspired people to participate in and learn the skills of Scottish country dancing.