Zahrah Mahmood, President of Ramblers Scotland awarded MBE

ORN congratulates Zahrah Mahmood, President of ORN Member organisation Ramblers Scotland on her MBE in recognition of her Voluntary Service in Scotland. For hundreds of members of the public who value Zarah’s voluntary work it was a moment to celebrate and recognise her commitment to making the outdoors accessible to everyone by sharing hundreds of positive comments and reactions on social media. But for others it was the opportunity to share racist comments.

Zahrah commented:

“Receiving an MBE is a meaningful honour, but a small part of me couldn’t fully enjoy it, knowing the racist and anti-Muslim comments were coming.

“That in itself is heartbreaking – that joy can be dimmed by the expectation of hate. But I’ve also been uplifted by the many wonderful people who challenged those comments and stood up against the negativity.

“It’s why organisations like the Ramblers are so important: to challenge discrimination, stand in solidarity, and ensure everyone feels they belong.”