A dedicated Glasgow volunteer who helped to deliver hundreds of food parcels to those in need during the pandemic is amongst those who have been recognised in the New Year Honours list.
Emergency response volunteer David Mackay has this year been awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) for his work with the British Red Cross.
The 40-year-old began working with the humanitarian charity in 2020 and worked tirelessly to deliver food parcels, help in Covid test centres and personally deliver prams, nappies and toiletries to pregnant mums struggling to access vital supplies during lockdown.
READ MORE: From small gestures to huge donations - amazing ways Glasgow helped Ukraine in 2022
Explaining what first motivated him to volunteer with the British Red Cross, David said: “I work in Technology, so I wanted to do something completely different in my spare time.
“I was looking at opportunities to be more hands-on in my community and that’s when I came across the Red Cross.
“I love being a volunteer as I get to meet people and give something back.
“Everyone we support is so grateful.”
After receiving an email with the news that he had been recognised in this year’s Honours List Mr Mackay said: “I work in cyber security so naturally I assumed it was a scam.
“I was about to delete the message but the more I read, the more I began to realise it was real.
“When it eventually sank in I couldn’t believe that someone had gone to the trouble of nominating me.
“I work as part of a team, so I feel like this is an award for all of us."
READ MORE: Kids Eat Free scheme returns to Tesco cafes for one more week
British Red Cross chief executive Mike Adamson is said to be "delighted" that David has received recognition for his work and has praised him as a "remarkable" volunteer team member.
He said: “David exemplifies the characteristics of a British Red Cross volunteer.
"He is inspiring, dedicated and leads by example.
"His passion and commitment to supporting vulnerable communities is remarkable and humbling.
“I would like to congratulate David on this award and thank him for his vital work with the British Red Cross.
"We are incredibly lucky to have his continued support.”
For more information on the British Red Cross click here.
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules here