A restaurant owner who give thousands of free meals to NHS staff in Glasgow has been recognised in the Queen’s Birthday honours.
The honours lists focused on people who had contributed to the efforts to tackle Covid-19.
David Maguire of GWR at Gartnavel has been made an MBE after he repurposed his restaurant to provide free food to thousands of NHS workers at the hospital.
His efforts soon expanded to provide 800 meals per day to the elderly, those self-isolating and children who were missing free meals whilst school was shut down.
Mr Maguire recalled the start of the operation when he and head chef Steven Caputa served nurses from Gartnavel.
He said: “We looked at each other and went we just can’t charge them. We’re just making pizza and pasta but these girls were risking their lives to keep going with their patients, so we thought we’ll just give it to them.”
Mr Maguire said: “The restaurant kind of changed from a restaurant to a massive food production centre.”
He said he is “really pleased” to be recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list, but stressed it was a team effort and without Mr Caputa and employee Melody Whitley he “wouldn’t have lasted a week”.
Mr Maguire also said he would have been lost without his wife Veronica.
“She was shielding so I had to live in our garage for 11 weeks,” he said. “And for 11 weeks, my wife made sure that I got a breakfast, and a dinner and kept the place warm for me and tidy and did absolutely everything so that I could spend my time out and about.”
Others in the list include Christian Delles MBE, Professor of Cardiovascular Prevention Glasgow University.
He volunteered to join a team of NHS Scotland consultants working shifts on the COVID-19 wards of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.
Duncan Mackay of Balfour Beatty is made an MBE For Services to Construction leading the team converting the SEC into the Louisa Jordan Hospital.
Professor Matthew Walters, Head, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing, Glasgow University is made MBE for taking responsibility for the review of newly admitted acute patients with suspected COVID-19 infection.
Debby Barnett, from Glasgow, Co-ordinator for Milk Bank Scotland is made an MBE for growing the bank from feeding 20 babies a week to more than 500.
Scottish Secretary, Alister Jack said: “This year, in the face of the global pandemic, we have seen many Scots come to the aid of their fellow citizens. I salute all of Scotland’s frontline and community covid heroes.”
Garage and Cathouse owner Donald Macleod was recognised for his services to the music industry and for his long-running charity work with the Nordoff Robbins Music Therapy in Scotland for 23 years.
Mr MacLeod said: “I am delighted and quite humbled at being chosen to receive such a distinguished accolade. Music has been my life’s work and passion, and throughout most of my career, Nordoff Robbins and the fantastic work it carries out in Scotland has been a great source of pride and inspiration.
Others in the list include TV presenter Lorriane Kelly. who has been made a CBE for services to broadcasting and charity.
She said: “This is such an unexpected honour I’m very grateful and humbled. Particularly as I am in far more deserving company, especially all of those front line workers who are true heroes.”
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