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Historic Athletics Timepiece On Display At ASV

 Aberdeen City, Sport  No Responses »
Jul 142017
 

With thanks to Yvette Rayner, PR Account Manager, Frasermedia.

Aberdeen athletics coaches gathered at a leading sports facility this week to celebrate the work of an early 20th century sporting official at a unique historical presentation.
Aberdeen Sports Village, based on Linksfield Road, held the opening ceremony in honour of the work of Andrew Ross Scott (A R Scott), a former Scottish Athletics judge.

Mr Scott’s great grandson, Andrew Walker, visited Aberdeen Sports Village with his wife, Hilary, to see the display featuring A R Scott’s original timepiece, a unique athletics record book, and the medal awarded to Mr Scott by Queen Alexandra, at the 1908 Olympic Games in London.

Mr Scott was a Scottish Athletics official for over 15 years, taking on the role of president of the organisation in 1903. The Summer Olympics of 1908 was to take place in Rome, but due to an eruption of Mount Vesuvius, the venue was changed to London, with each of the UK nation’s supplying officials.

The final of the 400m was declared void due to elbowing, and the final was rerun with only one runner, after the other athletes refused to take part. Wyndham Halswelle, a Scot, ran the race to win gold, becoming the only athlete ever to win an Olympic gold medal by a walker. A Ross Scott was one of the judges for the rerun.

Mr Walker was given his great grandfather’s memorabilia by his mother, and approached a current Scottish Athletics coach, Alex McGregor to find the best way to display the unique pieces. Mr McGregor decided to approach ASV, having run on the original Linksfield Stadium ash track as a boy over 60 years ago.

Several seasoned officials from Aberdeen Athletics Club met Mr Walker to hear the unusual story, which is now on display in a specially produced pod at ASV.

Duncan Sinclair, CEO ASV, said: 

“The story of A Ross Scott and Wyndham Halleswelle is unique, and so we are delighted to display the beautiful timepiece, book and medal at our facility. It is fascinating to hear about sporting endeavour from over one hundred years ago, and it was a great pleasure to meet with so many experienced judges and coaches who came to welcome Mr Walker to Aberdeen.”

Mr Walker commented:

“The display pod is everything I could have wished for. My mother and my great grandfather would be very proud to be part of this tremendous facility, encouraging young people to achieve their best.”

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Sponsorship Boost For Celebrate Aberdeen

 Aberdeen City, News  No Responses »
Jul 142017
 

With thanks to Ross Anderson, Senior Account Manager, Citrus:Mix

Organisers of Celebrate Aberdeen have welcomed a sponsorship boost from a leading oil and gas company as they aim to hold their largest ever event in the city this year.
Nexen Petroleum UK Ltd have provided £8,500 in sponsorship for the summer extravaganza which features Union Street mile running races, a third sector parade and musical performances across the city centre.

Nexen joins existing sponsors CNR International (UK) Ltd, as well as event partners, Aberdeen City Council and Aberdeen Inspired, who help to fund the annual event which was first held in 2011, and media partner Northsound Radio.

As well as local charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups, musicians and city sports groups have been invited to take part in the event which will be held on Saturday, August 26 and Sunday, August 27, alongside the inaugural Great Aberdeen Run.

More than 140 local groups have signed up to ensure their place in the celebratory parade since the date of the event was announced earlier this year.

Ray Riddoch, Nexen’s Managing Director UK & Sr. VP Europe, said:

“Giving back to the communities where we live and work is deeply rooted in Nexen’s values and we are very excited about our partnership with Celebrate Aberdeen. Our investment in the event reflects the importance Nexen places on supporting the third sector and the excellent work they do. 

“Celebrate Aberdeen is a fantastic example of collaboration between charities, the local community and business and embodies Nexen’s cultural belief of ‘win together.’ We are looking forward to a fantastic weekend and to the most successful Celebrate Aberdeen to date.” 

Morven Mackenzie, the leading force behind Celebrate Aberdeen, added:

“We’re delighted to welcome Nexen to the Celebrate Aberdeen family and look forward to working with them in the lead up to our event this summer which will be the biggest and best yet.

“We rely on support from organisations like Nexen and CNR International, as well as our key partners Aberdeen Inspired, Aberdeen City Council and Northsound Radio, to make the event happen and I’d like to thank them for all of their fantastic support.

“As well as the parading organisations, we also look forward to welcoming performers from across the city who would like to take part. This year we are keen to hear from musicians, singers, bands and dancers, all of whom can all play a part in the weekend’s activities.”

More information about the Celebrate Aberdeen weekend can be found at: www.celebrateaberdeen.org

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N.E. Company One Of Britain’s Most Inspirational

 Aberdeenshire, Articles  No Responses »
Jul 142017
 

With thanks to Yvette Rayner, PR Account Manager, Frasermedia.

A leading provider of fire control and safety solutions for the energy sector has been recognised in a prestigious report celebrating Britain’s most inspirational companies.

Blaze Manufacturing Solutions (Blaze), which was established in 2006 by Howard and Ann Johnson to serve the global oil and gas and renewables markets, has been identified as one of London Stock Exchange Group’s 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain.

Mr and Mrs Johnson attended a special ceremony in London, held at 10 Downing Street, to celebrate the achievements of the UK’s fastest-growing and most dynamic small and medium sized businesses named in the report.

To be included in the list, companies needed to show consistent revenue growth over a minimum of three years, significantly outperforming their industry peers. Blaze, which is headquartered in Laurencekirk, and is at the forefront of fire control and safety systems technology, was noted for its 500% growth in revenue in four years.

The specialist company offers fire safety protection, detection and loss prevention solutions for harsh and challenging environments including offshore production platforms, drill rigs, floating production units, onshore oil fields, terminals, refineries and petrochemical plants.

Blaze’s commitment to research and development has recently seen the firm entering the renewables sector, and other areas of interest include mining and working with the Ministry of Defence.

Howard Johnson, managing director at Blaze Manufacturing, said:

“It is an honour to have been recognised in the Stock Exchange Group’s 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain. We have continued to invest heavily in research and development to enable us to enter new markets, which makes us significantly cheaper than some of our European counterparts.

“Having the correct personnel in place is vital as we continue to enter new markets and diversify our services, and we would like to thank our dedicated team who play a major role in the success of the company.”

Xavier Rolet, Chief Executive, London Stock Exchange Group said:

“Four years on, LSEG’s ‘1000 Companies to Inspire Britain’ report continues to highlight the dynamic, entrepreneurial and ambitious businesses across the country that are boosting UK productivity, driving economic growth and creating jobs.

“London Stock Exchange Group is fully committed to supporting and implementing initiatives which improve access to and cut the cost of finance for growing companies. We welcome the Government’s focus on supporting SMEs as part of its Industrial Strategy and await the outcome of its review into long-term patient capital.”

The Rt Hon Greg Clark, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said:

“Championing high growth innovative SMEs is crucial for the continued success of the UK economy and a country that works for everyone. We are committed to ensuring that companies of all sizes can access finance to grow, scale-up and create high quality well-paid jobs across the country.”

‘Blistering’ Connectivity To Support SMEs’ digital needs

 Aberdeen City, Featured  1 Response »
Jul 142017
 

With thanks to Esther Green, Senior Account Executive, Tricker PR

As small businesses look to compete, grow and develop in today’s fast-paced digital world, they need first-class connectivity that will support their business needs today and far in to the future, one of Scotland’s leading experts in digital industry has said.
According to Graeme Gordon (pictured), Chief Exec of Aberdeen-headquartered IFB – a leading managed service and data network provider – keeping apace of the digital transformation will ensure firms are not overtaken by competitors, giving opportunities to increase productivity and future-proof their businesses as the thirst for greater bandwidth continues to grow.

“Digital technology is developing at rapid speeds, and although small businesses may find it hard to keep up, we’re constantly working on new solutions to ensure all businesses, regardless of size, can stay ahead and have access to the best digital connectivity for their business and to suit their needs,” comments Graeme.

“There is now a new wave of full fibre digital infrastructure available in Aberdeen and Edinburgh which provides superior connectivity speeds, and opens up greater opportunities for businesses. World-class connectivity is the key to success for running any business in the digital age. That’s why we’re constantly striving to meet businesses’ digital needs now and for decades to come.”

Powered by this new full fibre infrastructure, IFB Ultrafast offers lightning speeds to support businesses and help them grow and take up new opportunities that the digital economy offers. It’s a platform for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) – the backbone of Scotland’s economy – to be part of the latest tech transformation with connectivity that is fast, reliable and fit for purpose, as speeds and connectivity take on even more relevance to the way business is done.

An increasing number of everyday business services and applications are now online and used as a matter of routine, these cover banking, accounting, sales tools, customer management systems, voice telephony and critical data backup and recovery systems   – all of which need to be accessed reliably and securely to support  the day-to-day workings of all modern businesses.

Graeme adds:

“Connectivity is at the heart of how all businesses operate and the next stage has arrived. This state-of-the-art full fibre digital infrastructure provides blistering connectivity speeds to support SMEs now and moving forward.”

The ultrafast network is delivered by IFB and powered by CityFibre in Aberdeen and Edinburgh – two of Scotland’s ‘Gigabit Cities’. It is being hailed as an affordable independent network offering superior speeds that leads to increased efficiency and productivity by dramatically accelerating the digital capabilities of business, providing quick data transfers between locations for backup and recovery.

To find out more call 0845 270 2101 or email geton@ifb.net

Aberdeen-based IFB is one of Scotland’s leading managed service and data network providers. For over 20 years IFB has been providing critical connectivity and ICT services to the UK market place. Its key markets include the demanding on and offshore oil and gas sector, professional services and public and third sector. It designs, deploys, manages and supports key services including Cloud, Backup and Recovery, Internet Access, Networks, Hosting, Workplace Recovery and Telecoms through national, multi-Gbit/s network that links Aberdeen, Edinburgh and London points of presence.

IFB can be contacted on 0845 270 2101 or geton@ifb.net. More about the company can be found at www.ifb.net

CityFibre is the UK’s builder of Gigabit Cities and the national alternative provider of wholesale fibre network infrastructure. It has major metro duct and fibre footprints in 42 cities across the UK and a national long distance network that connects these cities to major data-centres across the UK and to key peering points in London.

The company has an extensive customer base spanning service integrators, enterprise and consumer service providers and mobile operators. Providing a portfolio of active and dark fibre services, CityFibre’s networks address 28,000 public sites, 7,800 mobile masts, 280,000 businesses and 4 million homes.

CityFibre is based in London, United Kingdom, and its shares trade on the AIM Market of the London Stock Exchange (AIM: CITY).

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Canada/US Oil And Gas Pipelines: City Protest 08.07.17

 Aberdeen City, Environment  No Responses »
Jul 062017
 

With thanks to Aberdeen Climate Action.

Aberdeen Climate Action are organising a protest outside Barclays Bank 163-165 Union Street, on Saturday 8th July, 11am. Barclays and HSBC, both of whom have banks in Aberdeen, facilitated investments in both the Dakota Pipeline and Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain Pipeline’

The Royal Bank of Scotland to their credit have said that they have removed their investment links to the pipelines.

After months of protests, more than 750 arrests, and high-profile intervention the first part of the battle over the Dakota Access pipeline has ended. One of the first things that President Trump did was to overturn President Obama’s ban on the pipeline.

Oil is now flowing through the pipeline—and, crucially, beneath Lake Oahe in North Dakota, which is sacred to local Lakota and Dakota people and their only source of water.

But the battle over the pipeline is not over yet. A legal challenge to the pipeline, and to President Donald Trump’s rapid approval of it in January, is awaiting summary judgement in federal court in the District of Columbia.

The pipeline now runs more than 1,800 miles, linking oil fields in North Dakota to refineries, ports, and further pipelines in southern Illinois.

UK financial giants HSBC, Barclays, and Aviva also have significant financial stakes in the company behind a controversial tar sands oil pipeline known as the ‘Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain Pipeline’ approved by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Financial data seen by DeSmog UK shows HSBC holds almost $118 million (£93.7m) worth of shares in Kinder Morgan, which owns the recently approved Trans Mountain Pipeline.

Barclays’ shares are worth around $48 million (£38m), and Aviva holds $27 million (£21.4m) worth.

On a much brighter note, France is to stop granting Oil and Gas licences for oil and gas exploration as part of a transition towards environmentally friendly energy. Nicolas Hulot the ‘Ecological Transition Minister’ in Emmanuel Macrons Government has said that a law will be passed by the Autumn.

We need to put pressure on the UK and Scottish Governments to do the same.

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SuperCLAN Event Returns For The Seventh Year

 Articles  No Responses »
Jul 062017
 

With thanks to Ross Anderson, Senior Account Manager, Citrus:Mix

A popular event which sees some of the most prestigious supercars flock to the north-east to raise funds for a leading cancer charity is set to return.

SuperCLAN, which first took place in 2011, returns to the north-east on Sat, July 8 and is set to be the biggest yet, with all proceeds going to CLAN Cancer Support.

Organiser and Founder Ross Gatt will welcome more than 40 vehicles to the exclusive event with an array of prestigious cars already secured including a Lamborghini Huracan and McLaren 650s.

Attracting car enthusiasts from across Scotland, supercar owners are invited to take part in the drive which will set off from Aberdeen, before touring the north-east and finishing at the Marcliffe Hotel and Spa, Pitfodels, in the afternoon.

The cars will then be on display at the Marcliffe from 3.30pm until 4.30pm, with members of the public welcome to come along, make donations and view the very special collection.

Mr Gatt is proud to again be supporting CLAN Cancer Support through the SuperCLAN event.

He said:

“Upon creating SuperCLAN, we really had no idea how popular this event would become. Consecutively returning for its seventh event, we now attract prestigious vehicle owners from across Scotland who relish the chance to take part in this drive while helping to raise vital funds for such a worthwhile charity.

“During the past seven years of the event, we have raised in excess of £50,000 for CLAN and with this year looking bigger and better than ever, we are considerably adding to that running total.

“The support we receive from those taking part and local business sponsors is fantastic. This year I am delighted to welcome Aston Martin as the events headline sponsor, with Aberdein Considine, Cavitas Energy, Jamieson & Carry, Baird’s Pharmacy, Poor Boys World and Asset Integrity Group as proud sponsors of the event.”

Steph Dowling, CLAN Cancer Support Senior Fundraising Coordinator, said:

“We are delighted to again be the chosen charity for the SuperCLAN event. It’s fantastic to see how much the event has grown over the years and it really is an amazing sight to see so many high calibre supercars in one place.

“The organisers are already forecasting a bumper event this year and we look forward to joining members of the public to welcome the cars home to the Marcliffe Hotel at 3:30pm.”

For more information about SuperCLAN, please visit www.superclan.co.uk or join the event’s Facebook page.

CLAN Cancer Support is an independent charity which provides comfort support and information, free of charge, for anyone, of any age, affected by any type of cancer. CLAN aims to support people to reduce anxiety, stress and to increase their ability to cope with the effects of a serious illness.

Based in Aberdeen, the charity covers the whole of north-east Scotland, Moray, Orkney and Shetland. CLAN has a presence in Ballater, Banchory, Elgin, Buckie, Inverurie, Fraserburgh, Lossiemouth, Peterhead, Stonehaven, Turriff, Kirkwall and Lerwick.

For further information about CLAN please contact (01224) 647000, or email enquiries@clanhouse.org

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Rathbones Invests Support In Aberdeen Family Charity

 Aberdeen City, Articles  No Responses »
Jul 062017
 

With thanks to Clare Scott, Communications Consultant, CJS Communication & Marketing.

A local family charity has received a two-year pledge of support from the Aberdeen branch of Rathbones, a leading investment management company.

Home-Start Aberdeen has recently benefited from a £5,000 donation towards its work with vulnerable families in 2017. This donation will be repeated in 2018 after the scheme was selected by the Rathbones Aberdeen as its nominated charity.

Employees from Rathbones also plan to augment the initial donation by getting involved with additional fundraising activities over the next 24 months.

Meera Dennis, investment director at Rathbones said:

“We are aware of the work that Home-Start Aberdeen does to support families in our local communities, who may be struggling as a result of various challenges and circumstances beyond their control.

“The cause resonated with many of our team members and we are looking forward to deepening our involvement with Home-Start Aberdeen – and our understanding of their various support services – over the coming period.”

The support from Rathbones comes at a pivotal point in Home-Start Aberdeen’s history; the charity is currently celebrating 30 years of support for families in the city, however it faces the challenge of a growing waiting list.

Georgette Cobban (pictured), Home-Start Aberdeen’s scheme manager said:

“This new pledge of two years of support from Rathbones is incredibly welcome and very much appreciated.

“Home-Start Aberdeen currently has over 100 volunteers, who are working with more families than ever before, but we still desperately need to recruit and train more. Our third volunteer preparation course of the year is set to take place in August. The amount donated by Rathbones will enable us to deliver this crucial training with a view to helping families on our waiting list as soon as possible.”

Home-Start Aberdeen supports around 220 families and 360 children each year and is one of the largest Home-Start schemes in the UK. Its trained volunteers work with referred families to help them access relevant health and welfare services, manage family budgets and nutrition, engage with their communities and enjoy family life again.

Further information is available at www.homestartaberdeen.org.uk.

 
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That’s Funny! Aberdeen Comedy Festival Returns Oct 2017

 Aberdeen City, Featured  No Responses »
Jul 062017
 

With thanks to Ross Anderson, Senior Account Manager, Citrus:Mix

Some of the most popular stand-up comedians from UK and beyond will return to the Granite City later this year for the second Aberdeen Comedy Festival.

Launched by Aberdeen Inspired in 2016, this year’s festival will run from Thursday, October 5 to Sunday, October 15.

The eleven-day festival, which has been organised with programming partner Breakneck Comedy, will feature national and international comedians performing at more than 20 venues throughout the city centre.

Sponsored by McGinty’s Meal An’ Ale, the festival will comprise around 50 events, including five free stand-up shows, comedy workshops for children and adults, kids shows, local talent showcases and comedy films screened at the Belmont Filmhouse.

Described as the Canadian Billy Connolly, Craig Campbell (pictured) will headline the launch of the festival at the Lemon Tree in partnership with Aberdeen Performing Arts (APA).

Scottish comedian Fred MacAulay, who performed at the festival last year, will make a return alongside other comedians, including Justin Moorhouse, Gary Delaney and Shazia Mirza – who have all recently featured on a range of panel shows on TV.

Adrian Watson, chief executive of Aberdeen Inspired, said:

“We’re delighted to launch the second Aberdeen Comedy Festival following its tremendous success last year. It really captured the imagination and people turned out in strength for shows across the city centre which had a positive knock-on effect for businesses in the area.

“As well as Aberdonians, we welcomed people from the wider north-east area and beyond, and a group even travelled from Norway to see their favourite comedians perform on stage.

“Our aim is to provide the best comedy for both residents and visitors to Aberdeen to enjoy. We have some fantastic comedians already confirmed and the full line-up will be announced soon.

“We hope the public will take the opportunity to enjoy the fantastic range of comedy which will be performed on their doorstep.”

Alan Aitken, Operations Director of McGinty’s, added:

“As a local business, it’s great to welcome cultural events like the Comedy Festival to our city and following the success of last year, we’re really delighted to support the event again.

“It was great to see the people from Aberdeen and around the north-east out in force and enjoying a laugh, and we hope to see even more this year.”

More than 3,100 tickets were sold during the laughter filled extravaganza in 2016, as well as over 1,500 tickets from APA and Beach Ballroom promoted events.

Aberdeen Performing Arts’ director of programming and creative projects, Ben Torrie, said:

“We’re very excited to be supporting the Comedy Festival and we are looking forward to kicking things off with the gala launch night here at The Lemon Tree.”

Aberdeen Inspired is the banner under which the Aberdeen BID (Business Improvement District) operates. It is a business-led initiative within the city centre in which levy payers within the BID zone contribute.

Proceeds are used to fund projects designed to improve the business district. More information about Aberdeen Inspired is available at www.aberdeeninspired.com

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Online Registration For Aboyne Games Competitors

 Aberdeenshire, Featured, Information  1 Response »
Jul 062017
 

With thanks to Ian McLaren, PR account manager, Innes Associates.

Heavy athlete Kyle Randalls competing at the 2016 Aboyne Highland Games

As Aboyne Highland Games prepares to mark its 150th anniversary next month, the event is moving its competitor registration process
online.

Individuals looking to compete in the highland dancing, piping and fiddle competitions, light and heavy
athletics events, and the hill race, and teams in the tug o’ war contest, will need to register their entry online before Monday, 31 July.

The move is designed to speed up the process of checking in competitors on games day by removing much of the administration that normally takes place.

Advance registration for the children’s races is not required and entries for these events will be accepted on games day in the normal manner.

Those competing at this year’s Aboyne Highland Games will receive a special pin badge to mark their participation in the event as it celebrates its 150th anniversary. 

To coincide with that milestone, organisers have announced that the field for the popular Fungle Hill Race is being limited to 150 places. This year, the 6.8-mile race, which follows part of the historic Fungle Road and circles the base of Craigendinnie hill, will have both men’s and women’s sections with £100 prizes for the first male and female runners to complete the route.

After a near 40-year absence, pole-vaulting will return to this year’s programme. The sport featured in the first Aboyne Highland Games in 1867 and is being included in the 2017 programme to acknowledge the contribution it made to that inaugural games 150 years ago.

One of north-east Scotland’s leading summer events, this year’s Aboyne Highland Games will take place in the Royal Deeside town on Saturday, 05 August. The event, which attracts around 10,000 visitors every year, features a packed programme of 98 traditional highland events. Leading athletes, dancers and musicians from across the country will compete for a combined prize fund of over £13,000.

Alistair Grant, chairman of Aboyne Highland Games, said:

“This year’s games is shaping up to be a great day with our 150th anniversary being marked in many ways. Aboyne Games has always kept pace with the times and our decision to move competitor registration online is reflective of that.

“The change is designed to remove some of the administration that normally takes place on games day. Competitors will still need to sign in in the normal manner, but by pre-registering we’re aiming to remove unnecessary waits and hassle, making their day at Aboyne more enjoyable.”

Those looking to compete at this year’s Aboyne Highland Games can register at www.aboynegames.com.

Founded in 1867, Aboyne Highland Games is a traditional Scottish highland games held annually on the first Saturday in August. The Aberdeenshire event, held under the patronage of Granville Gordon, the 13th Marquis of Huntly, attracts crowds of up to 10,000 people each year.

Featuring a programme of traditional highland games events, including highland dancing, tossing the caber and piping, the event on the town’s green attracts visitors from around the world and makes an important contribution to the local Deeside economy. 

Further information on Aboyne Highland Games can be found at www.aboynegames.com.

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New Deeside Guide Launched For Visitors And Locals

 Aberdeenshire, Information  No Responses »
Jul 032017
 

With thanks to Ian McLaren, PR account manager, Innes Associates.

(L to R) Sarah Harker and Moira Gash of DeeTour and VisitScotland regional director Jo Robinson.

A pair of Aberdeenshire entrepreneurs have launched a new tourist guidebook aimed at attracting more visitors to Royal Deeside.
Moira Gash and Sarah Harker, who run tour and activities business DeeTour alongside their own separate businesses, have created the Royal Deeside PassporTour, a pocketsize guide showcasing things to see and do in the Aberdeenshire valley.

The pair previously worked for tourism body Visit Royal Deeside.

Aimed at national and international visitors and locals alike, the 128-page book highlights the diversity of the area’s tourism offering. The guide was created after local tourism businesses called for this type of publication.

With stunning scenery, a wealth of locally produced food and drink, and an array of tourist attractions, golf courses and outdoor activities to enjoy, Royal Deeside has something for visitors of all ages. The book is designed to provide a comprehensive insight for those planning a trip to the area, while also acting as a guide and money saving tool as they explore the region.

Along with highlighting key tourist attractions and profiling the amenities and activities on offer in each of the main towns, the guide features interviews with local artists, tour guides, musicians, sportspeople and tourism professionals, helping to bring the region to life. A golf trail and a tea and cake trail each present further incentives to explore Royal Deeside, with participating businesses offering discounts to customers.

The history, heritage and culture of Royal Deeside and Scotland is also outlined, and a handy summary of Doric words will help visitors to grasp some of the basics of the distinctive north-east dialect.

Priced at £9.95, the Royal Deeside PassporTour provides purchasers with over £200 worth of savings through the 23 vouchers and two trails that it features.

The guidebook is also suitable for local families looking for inspiration for things to do during the summer holidays. Vouchers include 15% off at Go Ape at Crathes Castle, 50% off at Battlegrounds Paintball, two for one entry to Braemar Castle and 20% off day rover tickets at the Deeside Railway.

Co-director of DeeTour, Moira Gash, said:

“The Royal Deeside PassporTour aims to allow travellers to make informed choices as they plan their trip to Aberdeenshire and also act as a reference tool while they are visiting. Thanks to its royal connection, Deeside draws visitors from around the world and we’ve had interest in the guide from far and wide.

“Not only is it suitable for those visiting the area for the first time, but the huge savings offered by the featured businesses makes it a fantastic tool for locals. For families planning day trips during the summer holidays, the savings on offer at Go Ape at Crathes Castle and Battlegrounds’ paintballing, near Banchory, more than cover the cost of the book.”

The initiative has received the backing of VisitScotland, and was showcased at this year’s Royal Highland Show as part of the Aberdeenshire Village display, where it was given an enthusiastic reception from show visitors.

Jo Robinson, VisitScotland regional director, said:

“I think the Royal Deeside PassporTour is a great idea to inform visitors coming to beautiful Royal Deeside of the vast array of attractions, entertainment, locations and handy hints and tips, as well as locals looking for ideas for the summer holidays.

“Partnership and collaboration is at the heart of Scottish tourism and VisitScotland works with local industry to develop and deliver innovative initiatives that grow the regional visitor economy. We need to think big about Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire as a tourism destination to ensure we fulfil our potential – every visitor must get a quality experience, every single time.

“The Royal Deeside PassporTour reveals some of Aberdeenshire’s best-loved places as well as its hidden gems, and is a fantastic celebration of everything that this charming corner of the world has to offer visitors.”

Copies of the Royal Deeside PassporTour can be purchased from a number of businesses in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire or online at www.deetour.co.uk.

DeeTour is an Aberdeenshire-based tour and activities business that was established by business partners Moira Gash and Sarah Harker. The business provides bespoke tour and activity packages to help visitors explore Aberdeenshire. In 2017, DeeTour launched the Royal Deeside PassporTour, a new guidebook highlighting the wealth of things to see, do and sample in the region. The pocketsize book, which costs £9.95, includes over 20 vouchers that provide more than £200 of discounts at local business. 

Further information about DeeTour and the Royal Deeside PassporTour can be found at www.deetour.co.uk.

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