A who helped restore the world's last seagoing paddle steamer and hopes to achieve the same success with a pleasure boat on has been recognised in the King's Birthday Honours. John Beveridge, 71, has been made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to paddle steamer preservation and charity. Mr Beveridge enjoyed childhood trips on paddle steamers and his involvement in restoration projects dates back to the .
The PS Waverley is the last seagoing paddle steamer and it regularly travels from its base on the Clyde as far as the Bristol Channel after Mr Beveridge led a team of volunteers to raise £3.6 million to restore it. He now hopes to see the Maid of the Loch fully restored and sailing again on Loch Lomond under her own steam.
Mr Beveridge, who lives in Helensburgh, Argyll and Bute, founded the Loch Lomond Steamship Company and educated himself on applying for grants as a hobby, leading a team of 40 volunteers, in addition to being director of the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency. The father-of-two is now on the board of directors for the Waverley Paddle Steamer after stepping down as chairman. His royal honour comes close to the anniversary of the Waverley's maiden voyage, on June 16 1947, and Mr Beveridge said he hopes the recognition will renew interest in the Maid of the Loch project.
Mr Beveridge said: "The honour is for work I did on Maid of the Loch, which was a wreck and sinking in the 1990s. I helped save the Waverley back in 1974 wh.