Markinch Piper Awarded With MBE

Jim Banks is one of several Fifers to be included in the New Year Honours

Jim served with the Scottish Guards for 23 years. He still teaches young Pipers today and judges competitions. In his time he has played at state banquets for the queen and served all around the world while in the Army.

He told Kingdom FM news he got the letter in November asking if he'd like to accept the MBE. Only now it's out in the public he's allowed to talk about it. He expects to be invited for the ceremony either in London or Edinburgh sometime in the next 8 months.

The full list of the six Fifers to be honoured are:

Ronald Denholm Webster. For services to Tennis in Scotland. (Crail)

Professor David Tregar Ulph, FRSE. Professor of Economics and director, Scottish Institute for Research in Economics, University of St. Andrews. For services to Economics and Social Sciences. (Cupar)

James Milne Banks. For services to Bagpiping and voluntary service in Scotland. (Markinch)

Mrs Elizabeth Ann Cumming. For charitable services through the Calvert Trust, Exmoor. (Fife)

Mrs Heather Constance Cunningham. For services to the community and the Arts in the East Neuk of Fife. (Pittenweem)

Ms Christine Ann McCoy. Manager Diversity and Equality and Accessible Tourism, VisitScotland. For services to Social Equality. (West Wemyss)