A number of Inspiring people across Perth and Kinross have been named on the Queen's Birthday Honours list this year.
Leading the local recipients is Eve Muirhead, with an OBE for her services to curling. While Guildtown's Mili Smith received an MBE also for her curling achievements with Eve.
Bill Duncan gained an MBE also for his services to curling and to charity in Perth.
Barry Klaassen is a team leader for Scotland Emergency Medicine - Malawi Project and a chief medical adviser for British Red Cross. He received an MBE for services to overseas healthcare.
Margaret Nicoll was awarded her MBE for public service in her role as resilience learning programme manager for the Scottish Government.
Julie Young got her MBE for services to dance and for supporting young people in Perth.
President of Perthshire Open Studios Glenys Andrews was awarded a BEM for services to the arts in Perthshire.
Music teacher Joan Blue received the same award for her services to education and to music in Perthshire.
President of Perth Strathtay Harriers Jim Hunter also got a BEM for services to inclusion in sport.
After a gold medal-winning campaign of pure curling delight Eve Muirhead, from Blair Atholl, said it was "an absolute delight" to be awarded an OBE.
Eve, a familiar face Perth’s Dewars Centre ice rink, earned legendary status earlier this year by leading Team GB to gold at the Winter Olympics in Beijing.
Her season also included triumphs at the European Championships and World Mixed Championships.
The OBE honour is the icing on the cake and she said: “It’s an absolute delight to be awarded an OBE. This is something that is really, really special.
“I could not have achieved what I have without British Curling’s support and without the support of my friends and family. Of course, I would not have been able to do this without my team-mates.
“All together we got that gold medal at the Olympic Games. It has been an unbelievable journey and season.
“Receiving awards like this does hit home how much I have achieved.”
Winning gold at the Winter Olympics had been a life-long ambition of Muirhead. The hours and hours of hard work led to that special – and emotional – podium moment.
“It was a massive achievement for the whole team,” Eve told the PA, reflecting on the success.
“It has been a complete rollercoaster of a journey.
“From a World Championships, not even qualifying for the Olympics, coming out a squad system of nine, to then win the Europeans, qualify for the Olympics and then come away with gold – it was a dream season, for sure.”
While the 32 year-old is already a role model to so many, she hopes to continue to inspire.
She said: “I hope I have inspired a lot of people and hope the interest in curling will increase.
“Over the years, if I have inspired a handful of people, for me that is a win. I have always wanted to get more people involved in curling and, for us, this is now a great opportunity to do that.”
Receiving an MBE this week was Mili Smith, a team-mate of Eve in the gold medal joy at the Winter Olympics.
The former Perth Academy student from Guildtown said: “It is such a privilege to receive this award in recognition for sporting achievements.
“Curling has always been a big part of my life, it has brought me so much happiness.
“I have made best friends, travelled the globe and learned so much about myself through the experiences in sport.
“I'm so grateful to receive this MBE for my dedication.
“The whole experience has been more than I ever imagined.”
Mili continued: “Over the years I have dedicated much of my life to curling with the goal of getting to an Olympic Games.
“To achieve that and come home with a gold medal is above and beyond.
“Even with time passing, the memories and experiences still remain in my head each day.
“The Olympics was such a special journey to be part of. Achieving the goal that I have always dreamt of since I was a little girl is incredible, I can’t really put into words how much it means to me.”
Since February, Smith has been busy on visits around the region and beyond to talk curling with the gold medal proudly around her neck.
“It has been amazing to see the impact this gold medal has brought to everyone since we got back home,” she said.
“I really enjoy visiting and sharing the experience with people.
“I remember seeing the likes of Eve, Anna Sloan and the team with their bronze medals from the 2014 Winter Olympics when I was younger – it inspired me to want to achieve as much as they had in the sport.
“It feels great to try to bring that inspiration to the next generation.
“The recognition that curling has had since the Winter Olympics after the boys success and ours has been fantastic.
“I can only hope it continues to thrive after such a successful year.”
