Saturday 10 September saw the 2016 Fletcher Awards announced for contrution to Scotland in the arts and humanities, sciences and Scottish public life.
2016 Fletcher Award for Outstanding Contribution to Science
Dame Professor Jocelyn Bell Burnell
Dame Jocelyn made one of the greatest astronomical discoveries of the 20th century when she detected the first radio pulsar.
Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell, Prof. Ian Brown
Speaking on receiving this award, Dame Jocelyn said:I am delighted, surprised and honoured by your decision – thank you very much. I have great pleasure in accepting.
2016 Fletcher Award for Outstanding Contribution to Arts and Humanities
John Byrne
John Byrne & Prof. Les Mitchell
Described as the first postmodern poet from Paisley, artist and playwright John Byrne said on recieving his award:
I am delighted to accept your prestigious Fletcher of Saltire Award 2016 and deeply honoured into the bargain. I plan to continue with a vengence!
2016 Fletcher Award for Outstanding Contribution to Public Life
John Angus Mackay
On receiving his award, John Angus Mackay said:
I am very pleased and deeply honoured to receive the Fletcher of Saltoun Award from the Saltire Society. In particular, I would like to accept it not only on my own behalf, but in recognition of the advice, encouragement, support and friendship that I have had from many people along the way - not only in Scotland but internationally. Gaelic language and culture has contributed to Scottish life, and the wider world, for many years, and I have been privileged to have the opportunity to ensure the continuity of that contribution through engaging with communities and changing institutional perspectives and behaviours. I am very grateful to the Saltire Society for recognising that.
2016 Fletcher Award for Outstanding Contribution to Arts and Humanities
Dame Evelyn Glennie
Commenting on receiving the award, Dame Evelyn said:
A huge thank you for awarding me the Fletcher Award for Arts and Humanities. This is a huge surprise and honour for me and I think as with all awards or moments of recognition, it just allows me to pause, and reflect, to look back and to also think where am I now, and to also look forward.
I feel very proud to have had my education in Aberdeenshire, where that seed of curiosity towards the arts, and in particular music in my case, was very, very strong indeed and that sense of journey and faith I suppose really gave me the impetus to pursue music as a profession.
So thank you very, very much indeed and please keep up the wonderful work you do that affects so many of us.
2016 Fletcher Award for Outstanding Contribution to Arts and Humanities
John Angus Mackay with Doli MacLennan
John Angus Mackay said:
I am very pleased and deeply honoured to receive the Fletcher of Saltoun Award from the Saltire Society. In particular, I would like to accept it not only on my own behalf, but in recognition of the advice, encouragement, support and friendship that I have had from many people along the way - not only in Scotland but internationally. Gaelic language and culture has contributed to Scottish life, and the wider world, for many years, and I have been privileged to have the opportunity to ensure the continuity of that contribution through engaging with communities and changing institutional perspectives and behaviours. I am very grateful to the Saltire Society for recognising that.