PEOPLE who delivered Glasgow's Commonwealth Games have been recognised for their achievements in the New Year's Honours list.

 

Gold medallist Euan Burton and a host of men and women who worked behind the scenes during the summer event are among the 150 Scots honoured in the 2014 list, which also recognises the efforts of many from the worlds of sport, entertainment and politics.

Actress Joan Collins was made a Dame, along with her fellow thespian Kristin Scott Thomas, TV personality Ezther Rantzen and Glasgow-born Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy.

Actors John Hurt received a knighthood and James Corden an OBE for their services to drama.

But it was Glasgow's successful staging of the Commonwealth Games in the summer that left the biggest mark on the list, with a number of figures connected to the event being honoured at the end of Scotland's remarkable year.

Leading the way, as he did during the Games, is judoka Burton, who received an MBE for services to his sport.

Burton, of Edinburgh, who was chosen to be Scotland's flag bearer at the Games, claimed gold for his country in the under-100kg division - one of the highlights in a strong series of early performances from Scotland's judo team.

Bridget McConnell, Glasgow 2014 board member and the chief executive of Glasgow Life, received a CBE for her services to culture.

Joining her in the CBE category is Gordon Matheson, the leader of Glasgow City Council, while deputy council leader Archie Graham picks up an OBE.

Both are being honoured for their services to local government while Mr Graham gets an additional nod for his contribution to the Commonwealth Games.

Mr Matheson said: "It is a completely unexpected but very touching honour to be recognised in this way for doing a job that I love and that is, in itself, a privilege to hold.

"I am both fortunate and proud to work with a team of highly committed and talented people at Glasgow City Council and I am delighted a number of them have also been honoured by the Queen, along with others in every walk of life across the city.

"It is a wonderful way to recognise what has been a remarkable year of achievement for this great city in what was the Year of Glasgow."

Behind-the-scenes officials who helped contribute to the Games' success have also been recognised.

Jon Doig, the chief executive of Commonwealth Games Scotland, receives an OBE as does Francesca Osowska, the director of Commonwealth Games and sport at the Scottish Government.

Derek Bearhop, head of the Games delivery team at the Scottish Government, and Diane McLafferty, deputy director Commonwealth Games for the Government, pick up MBEs.

In the year in which Scotland hosted welcomed hundreds of thousands of visitors to the Games, golf's Ryder Cup and the MTV Europe Music Awards, VisitScotland chairman Mike Cantlay was honoured with an OBE for his services to the tourism industry.

Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy said she was "delighted" to be recognised.

The Glasgow-born writer, who was appointed to the prestigious post in 2009, has written verse on subjects as diverse as the MPs' expenses scandal, the deaths of the last surviving British soldiers of the First World War and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

She said: "I am delighted that the long tradition of the Laureateship and poetry in general are part of these celebrations. We have many wonderful poets in this country and it is a privilege to represent them."

In other categories, Faith Liddell, the director of Festivals Edinburgh, collected an OBE for services to the arts.

Louise Tait, the Scottish communications secretary for the Royal household, was made a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian

Order (LVO), which recognises personal service to the monarch.

Anne Houston, former chief executive of the Children 1st charity, received an OBE, as does Bruce Minto, chairman of the board of trustees at National Museums Scotland.

An MBE goes to Dr Brian Keighley, former chair of the British Medical Association (BMA).

The Queen's Police Medal has three recipients from Police Scotland this year - Deputy Chief Constable Stephen Allen, chief superintendent Mark McLaren and special constable Marshall Moyes.

Scot Philip Winsor, HM chief inspector of Constabulary, received a knighthood for public service.

The achievements of dozens of ordinary people are also recognised in the honours.

Among them is Mairi O'Keefe, Chief Executive of Leuchie House in East Lothian, which provides respite care for people suffering from diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis, stroke, Huntington's Disease, Parkinson's, Motor Neurone Disease.

In a coincidence rarely seen since the Order of the British Empire was established in 1917, Mairi received an MBE for services to people with disabilities, while her mother Catriona MacKinnon was given a British Empire Medal for services to the Gaelic language and culture.

Mairi said: "I'm very humbled to have been honoured in this way - and could not have been more surprised when I received the letter from the Cabinet Office.

"I'm hoping it will help in our ongoing efforts to promote Leuchie House as a model of excellence in the integration of health and social care."

British Empire Medals go to to a number of Scots, including William Hughes, for services to the fishing industry in the East Neuk of Fife and Janice Hendrie, senior athletics coach at Inverclyde Athletic Club.