A Perthshire woman has been presented with a British Empire Medal for services to kayaking and canoeing.
Mary Kidd Conacher received the prestigious honour on Friday, November 1 at a special ceremony at Perth and Kinross Council’s headquarters in Perth.
Mary became a leading light in both the local area and in Scotland for kayaking and canoeing.
She went on to become a senior canoeing instructor after getting hooked on the sport and competing at a Scottish, UK and European level.
Mary did all of this while she was raising a family and running a cafe and bakery business.
Over the years she has also developed outdoor access rights.
She got involved in efforts to seek a resolution to issues arising around access to land and water rights as the first volunteer access officer for the Scottish Canoe Association in the mid-1980s.
During this time, she worked tirelessly to improve matters with the introduction of the Land Reform Act in 2004.
Mary now continues to work on outdoor access matters through the Perth and Kinross Outdoor Access Forum, on which she is the longest serving member.
She was presented with the British Empire Medal by Stephen Leckie, the lord-lieutenant of Perth and Kinross.
Along with her family and friends, Mary enjoyed a civic reception after the ceremony, hosted by Provost Dennis Melloy.
Speaking afterwards, Provost Melloy said: “It was a great pleasure to welcome Mrs Conacher to 2 High Street for the presentation of the British Empire Medal, an honour she richly deserves for her commitment to encouraging people, and particularly people with disabilities to take part in kayaking and canoeing - sports which Perth and Kinross is well suited to with many miles of waterway to enjoy.
“Moreover, her work to support access to the outdoors for all, and her continued enthusiasm, cannot be underestimated.”
The British Empire Medal is awarded to individuals for meritorious civil or military service worthy of recognition by the crown.
