Retired detective who took on 2,500-mile cycle to Africa for charity awarded MBE in King's Birthday Honours List
Retired Bridge of Allan detective Johnny Dreczkowski has been awarded an MBE for his services to a local charity and respite home in the King's Birthday Honours List.
A retired police detective who has taken on multiple gruelling charity efforts was celebrating this week after receiving an MBE in the King's Birthday Honours List.
Johnny Dreczkowski was named as a recipient of the prestigious award for his services to a local charity.
Earlier this month, Johnny, 57, completed a 2,500-mile charity cycle from iconic Stirling Castle to Morocco in aid of the Eilidh Brown respite home.
The respite home is run by the Eilidh Brown Memorial Fund – set up by the family of the tragic Stirling schoolgirl.
Eilidh sadly lost her battle with a rare germ cell cancer on March 25, 2010, just nine days shy of her 16th birthday.
Her dying wish was to have a respite created close to her home in Stirling. That became a reality back in 2023, when her family oversaw the opening of the respite home in Thornhill.
Johnny – a former Detective Inspector who served as the Head of Counter Terrorism and Covert Specialist Training – has undertaken several huge efforts to raise much need fund for the charity. Prior to his cycle to Morocco, Johnny, from Bridge of Allan, he embarked on a bike ride stretching 875-miles – from Land's End to John O'Groats – i n May 2021,
His impressive record doesn't stop there, he has also conquered the West Highland Way, the demanding North Coast 500, took on the Three Peaks Challenge, persevered through the Cateran Yomp 24-hour Challenge, and completed the London Marathon.
In May 2023, he undertook a solo cycling expedition covering 1,400-miles, from Stirling Castle to the Colosseum in Rome, with the aim of raising funds for the respite home.
Just last year, he impressively cycled around the entirety of the UK and Ireland in a mere seven days.
Johnny's close ties to the home don't end there though. His wife, the architect Ally Croll, was instrumental in making the home a reality as she worked hand-in-hand with Eilidh's family.
On receiving the MBE, Johnny said: 'I am truly grateful and humbled to have been awarded the prestigious MBE by His Majesty The King in his Birthday Honours List, and very thankful to those who nominated me.
'Although I'm the recipient, every single person, family, friend, sponsor, and well-wisher who has supported me and the Eilidh Brown Respite Home over the years, has a hand in this success, and I'm sharing it with each of them.'
He added: 'I'm just floored and overwhelmed by their love and support and I feel it in my heart. To work with them, as we try and make a difference in the lives of children with cancer at Eilidh's is the privilege of my life, and I'm grateful to Gordon, Nicole (Eilidh's parents) and the family, to be able to help.
'I'd like thank my darling wife Ally, who's stalwart support of my endurance challenges and fundraising is nothing short of remarkable, and none of what I have achieved could have been done without that unstinting love and support.
'To my mother Margaret and my late father Mitch, I am the sum of my upbringing, and I owe my values, my work ethic, my concern for others and sense of community to you both.
'To my daughters Emma and Zoe, a father can only strive to make his daughter's and family proud, thank you for your love and support.'
As part of Johnny's most recent charity effort, he set off from Stirling Castle at the start of May and undertook a solo and unsupported cycle through seven countries, across two continents, spanning three different time zones – all within a mere 34 days, reaching the finish line in Marrakesh. That has so far netted more than £30,000 for the home, with the finally sum yet to be tallied.
In her valiant fight against this illness, Eilidh and her family, who are from St Ninians, Stirling, cherished their time together at Calum's Cabin, a respite retreat on the Isle of Bute. It was that experience that left Elidih hoping for a respite centre much closer to home.
The Eilidh Brown Respite Home requires a whopping £50,000 per year to operate and Johnny's efforts have all been with that in mind.
When Johnny reached Marrakesh earlier this month, Eilidh's proud dad, Gordon, said: 'Johnny has been an amazing, constant support since the very start. It astounds us as a family the lengths he goes too support us – he is a machine and we are so very proud of him and full of love.'
Over the years, Johnny's relentless efforts have helped raise more than £100,000 for charity, thanks to the steadfast support of friends, family, and the local community.
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Daily Record
5 days ago
- Daily Record
Retired detective who took on 2,500-mile cycle to Africa for charity awarded MBE in King's Birthday Honours List
Retired Bridge of Allan detective Johnny Dreczkowski has been awarded an MBE for his services to a local charity and respite home in the King's Birthday Honours List. A retired police detective who has taken on multiple gruelling charity efforts was celebrating this week after receiving an MBE in the King's Birthday Honours List. Johnny Dreczkowski was named as a recipient of the prestigious award for his services to a local charity. Earlier this month, Johnny, 57, completed a 2,500-mile charity cycle from iconic Stirling Castle to Morocco in aid of the Eilidh Brown respite home. The respite home is run by the Eilidh Brown Memorial Fund – set up by the family of the tragic Stirling schoolgirl. Eilidh sadly lost her battle with a rare germ cell cancer on March 25, 2010, just nine days shy of her 16th birthday. Her dying wish was to have a respite created close to her home in Stirling. That became a reality back in 2023, when her family oversaw the opening of the respite home in Thornhill. Johnny – a former Detective Inspector who served as the Head of Counter Terrorism and Covert Specialist Training – has undertaken several huge efforts to raise much need fund for the charity. Prior to his cycle to Morocco, Johnny, from Bridge of Allan, he embarked on a bike ride stretching 875-miles – from Land's End to John O'Groats – i n May 2021, His impressive record doesn't stop there, he has also conquered the West Highland Way, the demanding North Coast 500, took on the Three Peaks Challenge, persevered through the Cateran Yomp 24-hour Challenge, and completed the London Marathon. In May 2023, he undertook a solo cycling expedition covering 1,400-miles, from Stirling Castle to the Colosseum in Rome, with the aim of raising funds for the respite home. Just last year, he impressively cycled around the entirety of the UK and Ireland in a mere seven days. Johnny's close ties to the home don't end there though. His wife, the architect Ally Croll, was instrumental in making the home a reality as she worked hand-in-hand with Eilidh's family. On receiving the MBE, Johnny said: 'I am truly grateful and humbled to have been awarded the prestigious MBE by His Majesty The King in his Birthday Honours List, and very thankful to those who nominated me. 'Although I'm the recipient, every single person, family, friend, sponsor, and well-wisher who has supported me and the Eilidh Brown Respite Home over the years, has a hand in this success, and I'm sharing it with each of them.' He added: 'I'm just floored and overwhelmed by their love and support and I feel it in my heart. To work with them, as we try and make a difference in the lives of children with cancer at Eilidh's is the privilege of my life, and I'm grateful to Gordon, Nicole (Eilidh's parents) and the family, to be able to help. 'I'd like thank my darling wife Ally, who's stalwart support of my endurance challenges and fundraising is nothing short of remarkable, and none of what I have achieved could have been done without that unstinting love and support. 'To my mother Margaret and my late father Mitch, I am the sum of my upbringing, and I owe my values, my work ethic, my concern for others and sense of community to you both. 'To my daughters Emma and Zoe, a father can only strive to make his daughter's and family proud, thank you for your love and support.' As part of Johnny's most recent charity effort, he set off from Stirling Castle at the start of May and undertook a solo and unsupported cycle through seven countries, across two continents, spanning three different time zones – all within a mere 34 days, reaching the finish line in Marrakesh. That has so far netted more than £30,000 for the home, with the finally sum yet to be tallied. In her valiant fight against this illness, Eilidh and her family, who are from St Ninians, Stirling, cherished their time together at Calum's Cabin, a respite retreat on the Isle of Bute. It was that experience that left Elidih hoping for a respite centre much closer to home. The Eilidh Brown Respite Home requires a whopping £50,000 per year to operate and Johnny's efforts have all been with that in mind. When Johnny reached Marrakesh earlier this month, Eilidh's proud dad, Gordon, said: 'Johnny has been an amazing, constant support since the very start. It astounds us as a family the lengths he goes too support us – he is a machine and we are so very proud of him and full of love.' Over the years, Johnny's relentless efforts have helped raise more than £100,000 for charity, thanks to the steadfast support of friends, family, and the local community.
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Glasgow Times
5 days ago
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Sheriff notes Hogg's ‘compliance' with order in domestic abuse case
The 32-year-old pleaded guilty to a single charge of domestic abuse of his ex-partner, Gillian Hogg, over the course of five years when he appeared at Selkirk Sheriff Court in November last year. He admitted shouting and swearing, tracking her movements and sending her messages which were alarming and distressing in nature. Sheriff Peter Paterson sentenced Hogg to a community payback order with one year of supervision as an alternative to jail when he sentenced him in January. Stuart Hogg's parents John and Margaret Hogg were at Jedburgh Sheriff Court (Andrew Milligan/PA) Mr Hogg was banned from approaching or contacting Mrs Hogg for five years. During a review of the order at Jedburgh Sheriff Court on Monday, the rugby player was not present himself and was represented by his lawyer Mat Patrick. Mr Patrick said: 'This is the second review of this order. 'My submission is that the order should be allowed to continue.' Sheriff Peter Paterson said the only point on which he was unclear was whether Mr Hogg – who plays for the French team Montpellier – 'was back in the UK', to which Mr Patrick replied that he was not. Discussing the order, Sheriff Paterson noted 'that there has been compete compliance with it'. He said: 'My intention is that there would be no further review.' Mr Patrick was told that his client would have no further review of the community payback order. Hogg was sentenced to a community payback order with one year of supervision and a five-year non-harassment order after he admitted abusing his estranged wife over the course of five years (Andrew Milligan/PA) Hogg's parents John and Margaret attended the court hearing. The rugby player was banned from approaching or contacting Mrs Hogg for five years in December when he appeared at Jedburgh Sheriff Court after he admitted breaching bail conditions by repeatedly contacting her in June, when one night she received 28 texts from him. He was also fined £600, with an additional £40 victim surcharge. In relation to the domestic abuse charge, Selkirk Sheriff Court previously heard Hogg berated Mrs Hogg for 'not being fun' after going on drinking binges with his colleagues, and once sent more than 200 text messages to her in the space of a few hours. Hogg retired from professional rugby in July 2023 but last summer it was announced he was returning after signing for Montpellier on a two-year contract. The former Glasgow Warriors and Exeter Chiefs player was made an MBE for services to the sport in last year's New Year Honours list. However, SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn has called for Hogg to be stripped of his MBE in the wake of the court case.
