New Year honours

Island woman Kay Mackay has been awarded a MBE in the Queen’s New Year honours.

Mrs Mackay has dedicated over 35 years to fundraising for Cancer Research UK. She joined the Cancer Research UK Isle of Lewis local committee in 1980.

After leaving a successful career in nursing in the 1990s, she decided to utilise her natural leadership skills and took on the role of chair of the committee.

Thanks to her leadership and passion for the cause, the Isle of Lewis local committee now raises more than any other Cancer Research UK committee in Scotland.

Under her leadership the committee increased its annual fundraising from £2,000 in the 1980s to over £70,000 in 2013/14.

It is thanks to her dedication and leadership that the committee’s total contribution to Cancer Research UK’s life-saving research is now over £1 million.

The Stornoway resident is the driving force behind the committee’s hugely successful fundraising activities.

As chair, she has increased committee membership to 35 active and dedicated ladies who are equally passionate about raising funds for Cancer Research UK.

The 76-year-old dedicates most of her spare time to working on the committee’s fundraising events and drives herself and the committee to achieve more each year.

Islander Kay Mackay receives MBE in New Year honours

29 December 2017