Angus - Aberdeen Voice

Glamis Gathering 2013 – 18th And 19th May

Community, Featured, Information No Responses »

May 132013

The picturesque Glamis Castle plays host to a varied programme of events this weekend. Fred Wilkinson writes.

Encouraged by the success of their Diamond Jubilee Gathering last year, Glamis Castle provides the venue for a similarly family friendly series of activities and entertainment this weekend.

This year’s gathering will surely be of great interest to the thousands who enjoyed Scotland’s biggest Jubilee Celebration in 2012.

A healthy turnout will ensure that chosen charity, Ninewells Cancer Campaign, receive a boost from the event.

This year, Glamis Gathering will take place over two days. The Saturday is billed as ‘Live on The lawn’ and is essentially a series of live music performances headlined by Michael Buble tribute, Drew Wilson.

The Sunday is a Family Fun Day, the climax of which will be the ever popular Singing Kettle performing their new show.

Saturday 18th - Live On The Lawn

In front of Castle from 3pm

Featuring:

MICHAEL BUBLE Tribute - Drew Wilson

IRON BROO - Ceilidh Band

GLITZ - All Girl Rock Band

Pipe Band Blairgowrie

Paul Anderson - International Fiddler

Local Choir

Master of Ceremonies – Mr Doug Duthie

.

Sunday 19th - Family Fun Day

Family Day of Music/Dance including Food/Crafts from 10.30am

Featuring:

THE SINGING KETTLE - With their new show

GLAMMERJACK - a take on the famous CRACKERJACK television programme
Hosted by
HILARY WHITLEY of BBC SCOTLAND

TEDDY BEAR PICNIC
Competition for best dressed Teddy

IRON BROO - Ceilidh Band

GLITZ - All Girl Rock Band

GARRY SEAGREAVES - Magician for Children

LOCAL MUSICIANS - on Stage during the afternoon

COOKERY DEMONSTRATION – CRAIG WILSON
The Kilted Chef from Eat on the Green Restaurant
with a special guest appearance from
ANDREA BRYMER of STV

FOOD AND CRAFT VILLAGE
including stalls from local producers and crafts

POLICE AWARENESS UNIT ON SITE

ANGUS COMMUNITY COUNCIL DISPLAYS

Funfair and Food Outlets all day

To book tickets, click here

‘You’ve Been Trumped’ Wins Edindocs Festival Award

Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Articles, Community, Featured, Information, News No Responses »

Sep 302011

You’ve Been Trumped – the documentary film branded ‘a failure’ by Donald Trump has just won its third major documentary award – and first in Scotland – clinching the Scottish Screen Archive Prize for Best Feature Documentary at the Edindocs Festival in Edinburgh. Suzanne Kelly reports.

The award means the film will be archived as an important piece of Scotland’s history and stored at The National Library of Scotland ‘forever’.

This latest award follows two other major festival awards for the film.

In June You’ve Been Trumped won the Green Prize – the top environmental award for UK documentaries – at the Sheffield International Documentary Festival. And in August, the film scooped the Special Jury Prize at Michael Moore’s Traverse City Film Festival in Michigan.

You’ve Been Trumped was rejected for funding by Creative Scotland and passed over for this year’s Edinburgh International Film Festival.

However, it has proven to be a hit at some of the world’s most prestigious documentary festivals and will shortly be screened in Australia, Taiwan, Bermuda and at several major film festivals in the United States.

You’ve Been Trumped tells the story of Donald Trump’s attempts to build what he claims will be ‘the greatest golf course in the world’ on a supposedly protected environmental site in Aberdeenshire. The plan involves building 1500 houses and a luxury hotel on what scientists have described as ‘the crown jewels of Scotland’s Natural Heritage.’

You’ve Been Trumped has just begun a Sheffield Doc/Fest winners’ tour – playing at major independent cinemas across the UK and is also part of the Take One Action Film Festival which takes in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Inverness. The film is also due to return to cinemas in Aberdeen and Dundee next month. Meanwhile, You’ve Been Trumped will be travelling to the Vancouver International Film Festival later this month and will unspool for its official New York premiere in early October.

Director Anthony Baxter said:

“It’s a great honour for You’ve Been Trumped to be recognised as an important historical document and reassuring to know that future generations will be able to learn lessons from the environmental destruction that’s been unfolding on the Menie Estate for precious little economic benefit.”

Scottish folk singer-songwriter Karine Polwart (“exceptionally subtle and melodic” Q Magazine) is currently penning a new song inspired by events captured in the film, which will be unveiled when You’ve Been Trumped is screened at the FilmHouse in Edinburgh on 2nd October as part of the Take One Action Film Festival.

Footnotes:

You’ve Been Trumped (UK, running time 95 minutes) was made by Angus based independent production company Montrose Pictures Ltd.
The film score features music from world the world renowned Sigur Rus and the band’s front man Jonsi.
Many of You’ve Been Trumped’s future screenings can be viewed here – with more dates to be added.
Latest news on the film can be seen here.
For further information call Montrose Pictures: +44(0)1674 677 233 or email: projects@montrosepictures.co.uk

Campaign For Recognition Of Battle Of Nechtansmere Site

Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Articles, Community, Featured, Information, Opinion Comments Off

Mar 082011

With thanks to Kevin Hutchens.

Kevin Hutchens, Scottish Labour’s Scottish Parliament Candidate for Angus North and the Mearns and William Campbell, their candidate in Angus South have united behind the call for formal recognition of the importance of the Battle of Nechtansmere site near Dunnichen in Angus.

According to Kevin Hutchens :

“First indications are that the site of the battle may be near Letham which is clearly in Angus South, however the exact site is unclear, and it is almost certain that skirmishes will have taken place in the Forfar area before and after the main battle and that the battle took place around the area.

What is clear is that at present no archaeological evidence has been found to indicate exactly where the battle site was. So both of us as candidates could lay claim to having the site of this important historical battle in our constituency “.

William Campbell stated:

“Angus is widely known as Scotland’s Birthplace because of the signing of the Declaration of Arbroath in 1320. The Battle of Nechtansmere was arguably even more significant because it established more than six centuries earlier that the Northumbrian forces could not successfully challenge the Picts in their own territories.

It was a defining moment in Scottish history, and Kevin Hutchens and I are therefore issuing a joint call to Fiona Hyslop MSP to ensure that the battle, with its contribution to Scottish history and culture, is fully recognised.”

Kevin Hutchens adds:

“Such recognition is long overdue for this important event that helped shape much of the built landscape and place names of Scotland as we know them today “

Footnote by Fred Wilkinson.

The Battle of Nectansmere is recorded as having taken place on 21st may 685AD and is regarded as a key event which assured Scotlands future as a Nation. The Northumbrian Angles, led by King Ecgfrith sought to expand their territory further at the expense of the Picts led by King Bridei Mac Bili.

It is believed that the Picts tricked the Angles by splitting their force into two armies – one cohort fleeing, only to lead them into an ambush by both cohorts, and overwhelming them with ” a hail of stone and spear, as the Pictish army attacked from both sides.” ( source – http://www.information-britain.co.uk/famdates.php?id=172 )

King Ecgfrith died in the battle, as did the vast majority of the Angles, either as a direct result of conflict, or being drowned in the loch in their attempts to retreat. Of the relatively few survivors, many were enslaved by the Picts.

Previous to the battle of Nechansmere, the Northumbrian Angles had for thirty years steadily expanded their territory North at the expense of the Picts.

The Northumbrian Angles numbers were so decimated in The Battle of Nectansmere that they never again recovered the capacity to advance their territory beyond The Firth Of Forth.