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TCF volunteer, Hugh McAninch, honoured with MBE

Huge congratulations to Hugh McAninch who has been made an MBE in the King's New Years Honours for services to bereaved parents and their families in Scotland. Hugh volunteered for The Compassionate Friends for over 30 years after the death of his son, Christopher. He was nominated for the honour by the charity's volunteer team in Scotland and we are all delighted that all his hard work on the behalf of bereaved parents has been recognised on the national stage.

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Hugh told us:

"On hearing the news of my MBE, I felt both humbled and honoured to be nominated and to receive this award. I take enormous pride in The Compassionate Friends (TCF), and the great privilege of being one of its volunteers in Scotland for over 30 years.

I am certain that it was through my voluntary work that I was eventually able to face up to the tragic loss of my dear son Christopher in 1989 and start the long and difficult road to living a near normal but different life again.

I was extremely fortunate to work with the most fantastic people including bereaved parents, co volunteers, staff of TCF and other kindred bereavement charities like CRUSE and Child Bereavement UK.

I was privileged to be Scotland’s TCF Regional Coordinator for over twenty years, to be involved in things like induction training and the selection of new volunteers, chairing and being an active member of the emerging committees who have organised the annual Scottish Gathering since the first in 1998 in Perth.

One of my many highlights within TCF was the creation of the children’s memorial garden in Scotland in association with the then involved local charity Beautiful Perth led by the wonderful John Summers OBE.

I shall always be grateful to those within The Compassionate Friends for their incredible support and the invaluable understanding that they have given me and my wife Maureen since the loss of our dear son and for all the opportunities offered to me as a volunteer.

Finally, I want to say a huge thank you to the kind and thoughtful person or persons who nominated me for this honour and privilege of a lifetime. THANK YOU".

READ MORE ABOUT HUGH'S VOLUNTEERING WITH TCF HERE - PAGE 1 and PAGE 2

Carolyn Brice, CEO of The Compassionate Friends UK commented "This honour for Hugh is hugely well-deserved. All of us at TCF are so proud of you. You have made so much difference to so many parents over the years, Hugh – including me. I still quote some of the things you said to me when I was first in contact with TCF and began working for the charity. Your impact on many, many grieving parents has been vast – not only with all the ways you have offered peer support over so many years – the Scottish Gathering, the support group, training volunteers, one-to-one support, the beautiful memorial garden in Perth and more, but all the thousands of pounds you have raised for TCF which has enabled the charity to continue the lifeline of peer support. I feel honoured and privileged to know you and to have worked with you Hugh. And, I can think of no better person to receive such an honour".