Community champion Hardip Atwal said he is “over the moon” with his British Empire Medal awarded in The Queen’s New Year’s Honours.
He is one of three people across the region to receive a BEM.
The 46-year-old Annan dad has been given his for “charitable service” in Dumfriesshire, while patron of Moat Brae, actress Joanna Lumley, becomes a Dame.
There is also an OBE for Rockcliffe’s Lieutenant Colonel Roderick Edmund Forbes Morriss, who is Deputy Lieutenant for the London Borough of Hackney.
Hardip, who is married to Harjinder with children, 21-year-old Navdip and Pardip, aged 18, said: “I was delighted but deeply shocked when I received the letter telling me I am being awarded the BEM.
“I am over the moon and it is a lovely, lovely feeling.
“I love my community and care deeply for the charities I support. I never looked for any honour or award and I couldn’t have done any of it without my good friend, Graham Smith, who is always there to help and give support and encouragement, and to my family.
“It has been an honour to help the charities and my community.
“Thank you to everyone who has supported whatever we have done.”
Although popularly known for his family’s grocery business and award-winning post office – Atwal Stores on Springbells Road in Annan – Hardip is known throughout Dumfriesshire for his service to the community and his fundraising.
He is also a special constable and an ambassador for local policing.
His store is at the heart of the Newington community and has a defibrillator.
In March, manager Hardip, his family and staff, won the UK’s Best Customer Service Award from Post Office Counters Ltd.
The business, started by his parents, has been going for 32 years and has previously won awards in 2004, 2005 and in 2015.
Hardip’s charitable fundraising has varied from supporting the region’s stillbirth and neonatal death charity, SANDS, to collecting teddy bears in 2018 which were sent to under-privileged children around the world through the Million Teddies for Wojtek campaign.
Close to home, he helped support a local family affected by Down’s Syndrome and has raised more than £1,000 a year for three consecutive years for Down’s Syndrome Scotland through an annual fundraising day.
Hardip has also been part of the support team for the region’s involvement in the UK Police Unity Tour which raises awareness of police officers who died in the line of duty. It also raises money solely for the UK registered charity Care of Police Survivors, who are dedicated to helping the family of police officers who have lost their lives.
And, together with Graham of Lochmaben, organised the fundraising Run Doonhame endurance challenges by police officers.
The pair have also organised two hugely successful fundraising multicultural balls in Dumfries and hope to stage their third – put on hold because of the pandemic – this
year.
• Also to receive the BEM are 47-year-old shop owner Debrah Murdoch for services to the community in Balmaclellan, and the director of Get it Loud in Libraries, Stewart Parsons, 55, of Palnackie for services to the music and library sectors.
