Inspirational mentor awarded St Mungo Prize

Dr Iain MacRitchie, who has won plaudits for his pioneering work supporting young people was awarded the city's St Mungo Prize on Thursday 9 March 2017.

Lord Provost Sadie Docherty presented the coveted medal to Dr MacRitchie at the City Chambers in recognition of his commitment to improving the lives of young Glaswegians through his mentoring programme MCR Pathways.

Previous recipients include: Sir William Burrell, Sir Alexander Gibson, former Lord Provost Susan Baird, Lord MacFarlane of Bearsden and Sir John Arbuthnott.

Dr MacRitchie said: "As a Glaswegian it is inspiring and humbling for our work to be recognised with the St Mungo Award. Everything I have achieved has been with and through an exceptional team of committed people. People make Glasgow and with more than 1,300 volunteers registered and 400 mentors, MCR Pathways is a fantastic example of this in action.

"I am very motivated to fully represent the values and ethos of this award and our great city. Glasgow has world class opportunities and we are very determined to ensure that every disadvantaged young person has equal if not greater access to them to realise their potential.

"Our young people will be determined by their talents and never by their circumstances. MCR Mentors and Talent Taster experiences bridge talent with opportunity and transform outcomes.

"Glasgow City Council's commitment of 10% of the workforce to become MCR mentors as part of the normal working week is pioneering and exceptional. I would urge every organisation to get involved and benefit from helping reach every young person who needs the support to find, grow and use their talents.

 "Anyone can become an MCR mentor. All you need to do is build a positive relationship with a young person, we will take care of the rest. You will get as much if not more out of a deeply fulfilling and transforming experience."

The Lord Provost said: Dr MacRitchie is an inspirational individual committed to giving back to this city. His highly regarded mentoring programme MCR Pathways for young people has received many accolades and the city council is proud to be part of its success, raising the aspirations of all our care experienced and disadvantaged children.

"He is living proof that people make Glasgow and really do make a difference every day. Everyone who has encountered Iain cannot fail to be impressed and humbled by his enthusiasm, positivity, practicality and bold ambition for our young people who are seeking guidance as they navigate a complicated adult world.

"Glasgow is fortunate to have such a high achiever with such a caring and philanthropic attitude. I'm sure everyone will agree he is a deserving recipient of this honour."

Glasgow City Council has teamed up with MCR Pathways to provide mentoring support to vulnerable youngsters across its secondary schools.

Paul Hearn, Head of Trustee Services at Glasgow's Mazars accountancy company, overseeing the St Mungo Prize nomination process said: "My firm is extremely proud of its association, as secretaries, to the Trust and looks forward to continuing that collaboration as the prize goes from strength to strength in the years to come."

St Mungo Trust

The St Mungo Trust was founded by the late Mr Alexander Paterson Somerville in 1936. A Glaswegian who became a successful businessman in the city and took a great interest in the welfare of his fellow citizens.

His firm belief in 'the power of concentrated thought as an instrument of progress' led him to anonymously set up a charitable trust into which he paid a capital grand to provide a prize to be known as 'The St Mungo Prize' and £1000 in cash, which was a substantial sum in 1936.

He directed that a Board of Prize Selectors should award this prize to the individual, in their opinion, who had done most for the city by way of action, instruction or suggestion to either:

•    Beautify the city
•    Increase wellbeing of the city and its citizens
•    Improve the environment
•    Create or foster good or better relations among the people of the city
•    Extend cultural and educational development
•    Bring Glasgow into honourable prominence.