Gordon Brown in King’s Birthday Honours for public and charitable service

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Former Kirkcaldy MP and Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, has been recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours.

He has been made a Companion of Honour for public and charitable services in the UK and abroad. The honour recognises significant contributions to the arts, science, medicine or government over a long period of time and is limited to just 65 people at any one time.

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Mr Brown has been at the heart of a number of initiatives across Kirkcaldy, and beyond, since leaving politics in 2015. He is patron of the Cottage Centre, and helped to launch the Multibank - the groundbreaking project which, as of last year, had donated more than 1.5 million essential products to families across Scotland and Greater Manchester.

It was launched by, and remains at the heart of The Cottage’s Big Hoose project in the Lang Toun with a ‘click and collect’ service which now supports over 1000 local charities and professionals including social workers, teachers and midwives wh

Gordon Brown on a visit to Kirkcaldy Foodbank. (Pic: Lisa Ferguson)Gordon Brown on a visit to Kirkcaldy Foodbank. (Pic: Lisa Ferguson)
Gordon Brown on a visit to Kirkcaldy Foodbank. (Pic: Lisa Ferguson)

It began when Mr Brown secured the support of Amazon to donate surplus goods to The Cottage. That link has now expanded to include a host of major businesses and retailers, and sits at the heart of an operation which supports frontline organisations across Edinburgh, the Lothians and Falkirk, and also Wigan, Swansea and Manchester after a visit to its Lochgelly warehouse by Mayor, Andy Burnham.

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Mr Brown paid tribute to everyone who has worked with him to deliver the frontline project.

"I feel slightly embarrassed as the opportunity to serve is an honour in itself and my preference has always been to recognise all those brilliant, unsung, local heroes who quietly and selflessly give their time to contribute to the vitality of our communities,” he said. “"I want to thank those who put my name forward and thank my family and all who have worked with me during the last 50 years in public life, to whom I owe everything."

Mr Brown was also heavily involved in the campaign to save Raith Rovers, and is also honorary president of Seescape, formerly known as Fife Society for the Blind.

More than 1,000 people from across the UK received honours in this list announced this week.

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