THE man behind a revolutionary hearing loss clinic at a university and the founder of a Sikh foodbank are among those from Greater Glasgow to be named in the New Year Honours list.
Usman Rafiq set up Hear to Help at Glasgow Caledonian University four years ago and has been named a BEM in recognition of his services to education and to students with hearing impairments.
The clinic offers learners on-site hearing aid repairs and provides free check-ups to the city’s elderly.
Usman, 40, said: “It’s so nice to receive recognition for the outreach work in the community.
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“For our students studying full-time, it isn’t always possible to take a day off and travel across town to get batteries or something like that.
“A lot of people don’t realise batteries don’t last that long. They last a week or so and need to be replaced.”
Usman, who has worked at the university for 10 years, established Help to Hear after discovering a best friend’s brother had hearing loss issues, but was too embarrassed to wear an aid.
“All his life he hadn’t worn a hearing aid and relied on lip reading,” Usman added. “You can imagine the impact that had on his life. Young people see hearing loss as something that only affects the elderly so are not keen to wear hearing aids.”
The senior IT assistant added: “I only found out about the BEM last a week. I had an email in my inbox and I was convinced it was one of my friends winding me up.
“Frankly, I had never heard of the BEM and when I got the email I had to phone up some of my colleagues to check what it was.
“It’s so nice to get the honour and an example that you can have success if you work hard.”
Meanwhile, some of Glasgow’s other heroes honoured this year are simply out of this world. Just like Professor Sheila Rowan, the chair of Natural Philosophy at Glasgow University’s School of Physics and Astronomy.
She was made a CB for her work on the project to confirm Albert Einstein’s prediction of the existence of gravitational waves and, since 2016, her role at the chief scientific adviser to the Scottish government.
She said: “During my career I’ve been lucky enough to work with hugely talented people, in the UK and from around the world, as part of the LIGO Scientific Collaboration which made the historic first detection of gravitational waves in September 2015 and established gravitational wave astronomy as a new way of understanding our universe.
“I’ve also been honoured to help support the Scottish government on questions of science. I’m grateful to have had the opportunity, throughout my career, to work with great colleagues.”
One Scot who has made it his mission to feed people in need is Charandeep Singh, who has been awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) for his charitable work.
The former director of the Glasgow Gurdwara and the current executive director of Sikhs in Scotland, Charandeep was recognised for his heroic efforts to deliver over 100,000 meals to struggling families across Scotland during the coronavirus pandemic through the Sikh Food Bank.
He said: “I am truly humbled to receive this recognition and I wish to dedicate this award to the whole team of volunteers and supporters without whom none of this would be possible.
“The Sikh Food Bank has been a lifeline service for families in need and I hope to continue serving all those in need in the future.”
Also honoured were former Coatbridge MP Tom Clarke, who was knighted for his services to politics, and his fellow townsman William Paterson for services to the economy and the community, named an OBE.
Michael Tobias of Giffnock was awarded an OBE for his services to the Jewish community.
Professor Allister Ian Ferguson was made a CBE for his services to science and industry in his role as a professor of photonics at Strathclyde University, as was Professor Ian Gardner Findlay, a consultant surgeon at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary, for his services to medical education and training.
Lorraine Canavan, of Kilsyth, head of payment operation at HMRC, was given an OBE for her services to leadership and service delivery.
Bothwell’s Abdul Majid was recognised with an MBE for his services to integration in Glasgow and to charity in the city and abroad.
Paul Malcolm Miller’s work as senior manager in health for Asda was recognised with an MBE for his services to customers during the pandemic.
Robert Kilpatrick Rankin, a project manager at Watt’s Improved Safety Headguards in Glasgow, was awarded an MBE for his services to civil engineering and innovation.
Glasgow’s Swaran Chowdhary was given a BEM for her services to Kidney Research UK, organ donation and South Asian communities in Scotland.
Jamie Kinlochan was given the same honour for caring for the vulnerable through his work with Who Cares? Scotland.
Govan’s Elspeth Millen was recognised with a BEM for her services to social housing and the community.
A BEM was awarded to the head of Mayfield Nursery in Crosshill, Jean Shirley Smith, for her services to pre-school education and charity.
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