Fred at Aberdeen Voice, Author at Aberdeen Voice

Fred at Aberdeen Voice

Campaigners Raise Awareness Of Cyclical Vomiting Syndrome

Feb 112016

There is a little-understood, little-known syndrome that strikes 1-2% of the population. Aberdeen Voice’s Suzanne Kelly, a sufferer, is joining with others around the world to raise awareness of this condition, particularly among health care professionals.

Imagine an illness that works like this. You can be fine for weeks, months, and then with less than a minute’s notice, you get hit.

If you manage to take a preventative medication at absolutely the right moment, then chances are you’ll be lucky and avoid an episode. And if you’re not lucky?

Cyclical Vomiting Syndrome attacks see sufferers vomiting for anything from a few hours to a few days.

In rare cases some people have attacks that stretch to weeks, possibly months.

Looking back, I see that I had very infrequent attacks for at least 20 years; I always put these down to food poisoning. Then they increased in frequency and severity, until for a fortnight, I thought I was dying. I spent a day and a half on my bathroom floor, completely unable to get up except to hunch over and be ill again. The pain was searing; then I threw up bile; then I threw up blood.

I really thought ‘this is it’ and assumed I had some kind of cancer. I was either shaking with cold or burning up, or spending hours wondering if I could manage to get up to get any water, and if so, how long I’d keep it down.

Finally making it back to work a week later, I was straight onto my doctor, then a specialist. Being into research, yet knowing the stupidity of self-diagnosis, I came across this illness called ‘Cyclical Vomiting Syndrome’ – it struck people like me, who used to experience migraine headaches (I had them as a child and they abruptly stopped).

Little was known, there was no cure.

The specialist I went to talked to me for nearly an hour – this was after all the blood work was back and had ruled out any terminal illness. He determined that it was CVS I had. The medicine I got to prevent attacks is not without potential side effects, but it seemed to work a charm. That is, if my attack was during the daytime. More often than not, this hits me between 2 and 4 am.

My first waking thought then is not to take a pill, and sometimes before I realise what’s happening, it’s too late. (I sleep with the medicine within reach, and have some stashed on me, and virtually every place I spend time).

I’m an extremely lucky person with this condition.

I’ve found a network of others with the illness. Many of them have it far, far worse than I do. I’ve never had to be hospitalised (although with hindsight, there were two attacks that I probably should have gone to the ER with). I’ve never had to be fed by IV. I’ve never had to plead with doctors or nurses for medicine, never been ridiculed, patronised or ignored.

My back teeth aren’t rotting from being ill as frequently as some of the other people I’ve come to know. And as I’m in a country with free health care (and am lucky enough to have additional health cover through my work), I’ve not had to spend thousands of pounds on treatment. And I’ve not had to have permanent feeding tubes put in me, either. And I’m not either a little child or an elderly person going through this. I am extremely lucky.

Being ignored at ER, being told ‘you’re just after drugs’, being sent home only to throw up blood on the way out of the hospital – this is how people are being treated by those in the health care profession who’ve never heard of CVS. My attacks, and most people’s attacks, have nothing to do with: drinking, emotions, stress, diet. One time I was walking down the street, felt a bit sick, and then that was that.

The worst occasion remains a quiet night in doing some work, and being sick for a week. In all of my attacks I’ve not had a care in the world, and oddly, I’ve never been sick when drinking. The worst parts of this illness is just that – no one really understands what sets it off, how to stop an attack, or how to cure CVS.

Here’s what some of the people with CVS say, and why they want to raise awareness.

“I’ve had CVS for 20+ yrs and still to this day get treated like a drug seeker. I’ve been left feeling tortured & in agony for hours laying in an ER bed more times than I can count.”
– Ryan

“Too many to count, not just medical staff, friends and family too! A few years ago, before I was diagnosed, my best friend in the whole world was bringing me to the ER in the middle of an attack and asked me if there is any chance that my symptoms were psychosomatic? It still hurts me to this day that that was a real question from her.”
– Jenna

“A specialist put me through every grueling test and when they were all negative, told me he could do nothing and I was obviously making it up to get sympathy. My daughter actually figured it out by watching Gray’s anatomy! Researched it, took it to my family Dr who researched further and here I am. Can only manage symptoms is what I get.”
– Susan

“I’ve lived in the same area (so, near the same hospital) since 2004. For 12 yrs. here in VA (20-yrs total with CVS), I’ve had to go to the ER only 2-3 times/year, and I’m STILL treated like a drug-seeker, by about 1/3 of the ER docs I’ve seen. When they do refuse my simple (approved & recommended) abort-meds, my cycle does not end. It can go for days. So, I have to return to the ER after having been kicked out 6-12 hours earlier.

“You must go back; dehydration is no joke. I’ve had to call an ambulance for some of these return trips when I’m completely disoriented. I don’t see how a hospital can bill you for the 2nd stay when treatment was REFUSED during the 1st stay. I’ve fought that before & won – I think everyone should contest billing for any repeat-visits that are due to malpractice: neglect of duty.

“They see me coming back, the nurses at least recognize me, and viola(!) the new doc is suddenly ready to take things seriously. I have much less trouble if someone is with me, “vouching” for me. To summarize, I am luckier than some patients who have more frequent episodes. But, only 2-3 trips to the ER per yr & they think I’m drug-seeking?! (Yes, I’m a 3-time-a-year addict. So dumb!)

“I’m a 40 yr old mom, nothing “wild” looking about me at all. (Not that it should matter, but some advice to others: I’m treated like a drug-seeker more often if I look really messy/out of it. I actually prepare an outfit & hair ties, etc. every night before bed in case an episode starts & I have to go to the ER.)

“I had an episode last weekend & encountered a doc I’ve had the misfortune of seeing in the past. He has a line he loves to use, and he YELLS, no, BELLOWS at me:

“I’m not going to distribute narcotics as they are not indicated for CVS!!!!!”

“The nurses stare in horror at HIM. My preventative meds are anti-anxiety meds. At the ER, to abort an episode, I need 2mg (yes, only 2!!) dilaudid, 25-50mg phenergan (over time), & Ativan or similar & at least 1 bag of fluids. Dr. Pain here should be avoided at all cost. I went back the next day with my father, and there was no delay in giving me that exact Rx to stop the episode. I was very dehydrated by then, however, so the IV was extremely hard to establish & left 10+ huge, black/purple bruises all over my arms & hands.

“I’ve had the great honor of emailing with Dr David Fleischer, “The Father of CVS.” He expressed to me in 2010 that my episodes seemed to require very little to abort, & he added that dilaudid is preferred over morphine bc it is not likely to create nausea – like morphine does.

“I was diagnosed by a GI in Manhattan after every test known to man & even gall bladder removal. I was referred by him to a Neuro back here in VA, who then passed me off to a shrink who only did my Med. Mgmt for anti-anxiety meds & then said I should just have my Primary taking care of this. My Primary is pretty lazy about it, though. On occasion the ER has tried to contact her by her emerg svc, but she’s not very forceful in her care of me, her patient. None of them care!!”
– Emily

The aim of the initiative is to raise awareness in the medical profession of the seriousness – and painfulness of this condition.

A support group is there to help. Colleen from CVS Speaks said:

“CVS Speaks actively works raising awareness and helps support Facebook support groups. We currently have 14 groups teamed up helping suffers in the day to day struggles. We have groups by age kids thru adults, caregivers to suffered only, men’s groups, women, mothers. You name we probably have a group to fit sufferers diverse needs.

“CVS patients often need safe place to feel validated, accepted and learn from others what helps relieve symptoms. Medical professionals often do not have much experience with CVS. So along with groups like CVSA www.cvsaonline.org, we help get them in touch with the most up to date treatment options and research to talk with their providers about.”

More information can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/CVS.Speaks/

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Shire Schools Plans Raised At Education Committee

Aberdeenshire, News No Responses »

Feb 112016

With thanks to Martin Ford.

East Garioch councillor Martin Ford has welcomed progress towards improvements in school accommodation in the ward he represents.

Item 9 on the agenda at Aberdeenshire Council’s Education, Learning and Leisure Committee last Thursday (4 February) was an update on the Council’s Learning Estates Strategy.

During discussion of the Learning Estates Strategy report, Cllr Ford raised issues relating to local school accommodation including at Newmachar, Kintore, Blackburn and Hatton of Fintray.

Included in the learning estates project plan for 2016 is a Newmachar primary school option appraisal. Said Cllr Ford:

“House building is on-going in Newmachar and planning permissions for housing are in place on sites at Kingseat and on the east side of Newmachar – so the Council does need to move forward with planning for additional capacity at Newmachar.”

Land is reserved for a second primary school in Newmachar within the Newmachar East mixed-use development site.

Cllr Ford welcomed the reported good progress Morrison Construction are making with building the new Kintore Midmill School.

He said:

“After the long delay in getting started, it’s obviously excellent that the actual building work is getting on so well. The new school building is now clearly visible from a number of locations in Kintore.”

On the site choice for the replacement building for the current Kinellar School, Cllr Ford said:

“The choice between rebuilding on the present school site or continuing to try to acquire the replacement school site identified in the local development plan is not an easy decision. There are advantages and disadvantages with both options. Neither choice is risk free.

“On balance, the certainty that comes with the Council already owning the current school site is probably a decisive advantage. But the site identified for the new school in the local development plan is larger and moving the school to it would free up the present school site, potentially for other community facilities. The present site is smaller than ideal for the larger school needed.

“Also, there may be other planning applications for the site allocated in the local development plan for the new school if it is not used for that purpose.”

Cllr Ford raised concerns about the accommodation at Hatton of Fintray School. The Council’s rating of the overall suitability of the Hatton of Fintray school building is ‘C’ (= ‘poor – showing major problems and/or not operating optimally’). Cllr Ford said:

“Hatton of Fintray School Association has contacted the Council in particular about the lack of proper office facilities in the school for the head teacher and administrator, and suggested a way forward. I hope the Council will be able to respond positively.”

Cllr Ford also questioned officers about overall school roll forecasts for Aberdeenshire, which show continuing roll increases are expected in many areas.

“We have become used to ever-rising school rolls in much of Aberdeenshire,” said Cllr Ford.

“The forecasts predict that to continue. But will it? There’s no sector of the north-east economy that’s looking likely generate significant additional employment that will more than compensate for other job losses. So what would be the driver for population increases that would cause on-going rising school rolls?

“Increasing school rolls have been a given in many parts of Aberdeenshire for many years, but that might be going to change – and our planning for school accommodation would then need to change too.”

Officers assured Cllr Ford that school roll forecasts are kept under constant review.

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[Aberdeen Voice accepts and welcomes contributions from all sides/angles pertaining to any issue. Views and opinions expressed in any article are entirely those of the writer/contributor, and inclusion in our publication does not constitute support or endorsement of these by Aberdeen Voice as an organisation or any of its team members.]

Range Of Films Planned For Bon Accord & St Nicholas

Aberdeen City, Articles No Responses »

Feb 112016

With thanks to Phil Moar, Account Manager, Citrus:Mix.

A series of insightful public information films which showcase the work of a number of Scotland’s leading charitable organisations is set to be shown in an Aberdeen shopping centre.

DFP Television is to stage a community roadshow within Bon Accord & St Nicholas for seven days, starting from Monday, February 22. A total of seven films will be shown within the Bon Accord mall with an aim of raising awareness to the north-east of their subject matter.

The work of St Andrew’s Children’s Society, Scottish Safety Camera Programme, NHS Grampian, Victim Support Scotland, Aberdeen Housing Partnership/Moray Housing Partnership, Home Energy Scotland and Guide Dogs will all fall under the spotlight.

In addition to the films, the DFP team and representatives from the organisations taking part will be available throughout the week to offer help and advice alongside handing out various information packs to those who require it.

Craig Stevenson, centre manager at Bon Accord & St Nicholas, is delighted to welcome the roadshow to the Bon Accord mall.

He said:

“We’re looking forward to welcoming both DFP Television and representatives from the organisations to the Bon Accord mall for what is sure to be a range of informative and insightful short films on some of the country’s most-loved organisations.

“At Bon Accord & St Nicholas, we are always looking at ways of adding to a shopper’s own experience and I’m sure the various subjects included in the films will strike a chord with many of our visitors. If we can help direct people to the correct support that they may require then we would be delighted to do so.”

Bon Accord & St Nicholas are at the heart of Aberdeen city centre’s retail sector, offering 840,000 sq ft of prime space and home to around 100 stores. Scotland’s largest Next, Aberdeen’s only Topshop and Topman standalone store as well as the City’s largest New Look and River Island are among the key retailers.

The centres, which attract an average of 275,000 visitors a week, are owned by BMO Real Estate Partners and managed by specialist retail agency Savills. For further on the centres visit www.bonaccordandstnicholas.com.

Picture Credit: “Inside the Bon Accord centre – geograph.org.uk – 1241608” by Stanley Howe. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Commons

City Date For ‘The Original Rude Boy’

Aberdeen City, Featured No Responses »

Feb 112016

The Legend that is Neville Staple, playing The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen, Friday 26th Feb. With thanks to Jill Lerner, James Soars Media Services.

Neville Staple is credited with changing the face of pop music not only once but twice.

From the early days with The Coventry Automatics, The Specials, and FunBoy3 in the late ‘70s and 80’s, to The Special Beat and various other collaborations during his solo career from the 90’s up to the present day, Neville Staple’s thirty-five year career in the music business is well documented.

Nevilles autobiography, THE ORIGINAL RUDE BOY, published by Aurum Press in the UK in May 2009, is an amazing story which tells of Neville’s interest in music back in the early 60’s, his relationship with Pete Waterman, having met him at a club in Coventry, and his rise out of hell into stardom.

Following on from the 2009 Specials reunion and his departure from the band in late 2012, he continues to be a forerunner of the ska movement, and continues to thrill audiences with his own excellent band at venues and festival appearances worldwide.

In 2015 Neville headlined The Avalon Stage at Glastonbury, the highlight of what was a very exciting year which saw him touring the UK, playing festivals, gigs and private house parties. One reporter in his review commented:

“It isn’t hard to work out why The Specials lack energy on stage, it’s because Neville Staple took it with him”
– (Steve Oliver – Nottingham Post Review).

Neville has a way with people, he cares about his audience and wants to give them a good time. in return, the crowd, are word perfect on every song, and each event turns into a party.

In 2013 Neville produced a new album called ‘Ska Crazy’ with his band which was released in May 2014, ahead of his extensive tour, which includes old Ska classic covers and brand new material. His wife Christine Staple and long time friend Daddy Woody, a Jamaican DJ/Artist, also provide vocals on the album.

Neville has also worked on various collaborations with ‘The Mutants’ (Rhythm and Punk Review) including co-writing 4 tracks on the album – one of them co-written with his wife Christine, ‘The Talks’ and ‘Flipron’ as well as tracks with ‘The Dub Pistols’ (released 2014) and ‘Duplex’. Many more collaborations are underway and ‘The Original Rudeboy’ is as busy as he has ever been.

“Out on his own, still pretty special”
– Record Collector

The Neville Staple Band

Friday 26th Feb,
The Lemon Tree,
5 W N Street,
Aberdeen,
AB24 5AT

Tickets:£16.60 (inc. bf) Doors:7.30pm Ticket Office: 01224 337688

Jazz Posse Smith & Kellock’s Trail Begins In Aberdeen

Aberdeen City, Events, Featured No Responses »

Feb 052016

Leading Scottish jazz duo Tommy Smith & Brian Kellock appear at The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen on Thursday, February 11. With thanks to Rob Adams.

It’s their first concert of 2016, which is shaping up to be as busy as last year when the saxophone and piano partnership covered the UK almost literally from Land’s End to John o’ Groats.

Lyth Arts Centre near Wick and St Ives Jazz Club in Cornwall, the last stop on the UK jazz circuit before the Atlantic Ocean, were both on their summer 2015 tour.

Saxophonist Smith and pianist Kellock have worked together extensively over a long period, having known each other since the 1980s when they emerged on the Edinburgh jazz scene around the same time.

Smith was then a gifted teenager who released his first album, Giant Strides, aged sixteen in 1983 and Kellock was the energetic keyboard talent with Scottish blues singer Tam White’s band.

After studying at Berklee School of Music in Boston, Smith joined vibes virtuoso Gary Burton’s quintet and recorded for the legendary jazz label, Blue Note Records. He also founded and still directs the internationally acclaimed Scottish National Jazz Orchestra, and tours the world with Norwegian double bass master Arild Andersen’s trio.

Kellock, meanwhile, has become established as one of the UK’s finest jazz pianists and the first choice accompanist for visiting American soloists including saxophonists Stanley Turrentine, Scott Hamilton and Herb Geller and singer Sheila Jordan.

As well as recording three duo albums and touring together on both sides of the Atlantic, Smith and Kellock have been central to several of the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra’s most successful projects, including Smith’s reorchestration of George Gerswhin’s classic Rhapsody in Blue, an internationally praised recording of Duke Ellington’s music, and last spring’s Frank Sinatra centenary celebration with American singer Kurt Elling.

Smith describes Kellock as his own personal orchestra.

“I’ve worked with a lot of great piano players over the years,” he says,

“but I can’t think of anyone who brings the same drive and responsiveness as Brian. He can play very, very quietly and still be inspiring and yet he’s so rhythmically powerful that we don’t need a bass player and drummer.”

In concert, with an encyclopaedic knowledge of tunes to draw on, the pair can go wherever the mood takes them and their relaxed, natural onstage rapport adds to the entertainment value.

“We’re old friends and it’s probably just as well because we do a lot of travelling together,” says Smith with a wry smile.

“We’ll be playing tunes that jazz fans and casual music listeners alike will know. It’s a simple presentation: two guys playing acoustically, with no PA, and enjoying each other’s company.”

Right Budget Decisions Can Protect Services

Aberdeenshire, Opinion No Responses »

Feb 042016

With thanks to Martin Ford.

Aberdeenshire Council faces some tough choices when it comes to set its revenue budget for 2016/17 on 11 February – but most of the savings required can be achieved without damaging services.

That is the view of the authority’s Democratic Independent and Green Group (DIGG) councillors Paul Johnston and Martin Ford.

“The Council does have scope to make a range of substantial savings in its budget that will not affect service delivery,” said Cllr Paul Johnston.

“For instance, compared with expectations, the Council will save well over £1 million on borrowing costs in financial year 2016/17, due to continuing low interest rates. Fuel and electricity prices are also lower than had been forecast. Demand for some services has been less than expected in 2015/16, meaning the current budget allocation is more than required.”

Said Cllr Martin Ford:

“The Council’s budget position has also been eased by additional income. New houses have been built and occupied bringing in additional Council Tax. Sales from the Council’s quarries are up by more than £1 million this year and next year’s budget can be adjusted to reflect an expected higher income too. The Council has gone for renewable energy – biomass and photovoltaic panels – to supply some of its buildings and this both saves on fuel or electricity costs and generates an income.”

The DIGG put forward draft budget proposals at the November 2015 Aberdeenshire Council meeting showing how the Council could effect savings of £17.97 million – slightly more than the total savings of £17.561 million then anticipated to be required to balance the 2016/17 revenue budget.

After the November Aberdeenshire full council meeting, officers identified further budget pressures. Then the Scottish Government’s grant settlement to the Council announced before Christmas was less than the ‘flat cash’ funding anticipated, creating a further £6.390 million shortfall for 2016/17. The Council thus now needs to find savings of £28.312 million to balance its 2016/17 revenue budget.

Since November, the DIGG councillors have been working on how further savings could be effected. While the Council will set a one-year budget on 11 February, it will do so in the context of knowing it needs to make at least a further £30 million of savings in the years to 2020.

The DIGG councillors have made clear their opposition to continuation of the Council Tax freeze.

Cllr Martin Ford said:

“Vital public services such as education and social work must be protected from cuts as top priority. To do that, the Council must re-examine everything it does and seek increased efficiency whenever possible.

“There is certainly scope for some genuine efficiency savings.

“The Council could replace stand-alone public toilets with partnership arrangements for public access to toilets in buildings such as hotels, both improving the service and reducing costs.

“We also believe the Council can make further savings by additional investment in energy efficiency, such as LED street lights, and renewable energy.”

The DIGG is a separate and independent group on Aberdeenshire Council that reached a ‘confidence and supply’ agreement with Aberdeenshire’s new administration last year. Some specific budget commitments were included in that agreement.

Said Cllr Paul Johnston:

“The new administration has already accepted our conditions that there are no cuts to the community learning and development budget line, £250,000 is transferred to increase the budget for cycling and walking and £100,000 is redirected to preventative local health and social care services, specifically to fund third-sector organisations in Aberdeenshire to support vulnerable residents achieve or maintain independent living.”

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New Ticket Sales Record For Whisky Festival Events

Articles, Information No Responses »

Feb 042016

You’ll find whisky galore here….X marks the spot for the nation’s treasure.

With thanks to Account Director, Tricker PR

New ticket sales record set as Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival events go on sale to whisky-loving public

Ticket sales for the 2016 Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival have set new records, with over 2,700 tickets valued at almost £75,000 being bought within the first hour of their launch this week.

Just 10 minutes after the website went live on Tuesday (February 2) transactions reached the same level that took an hour to achieve in 2015, while the same amount of sales in an hour took 24 hours on last year’s opening day.

Over 60 events in the packed programme taking place in whisky’s spiritual home from April 28 to May 2 have already sold out, and many more have limited availability. The events attracts thousands of visitors to Speyside to raise a glass to Scotland’s national drink.

Visitors from the UK, Europe and North America have been the driving force behind the sales, with whisky lovers from as far afield as Bahrain, Australia, Japan and India also snapping up tickets on the opening day.

Festival manager Pery Zakeri says the phenomenal demand has taken everyone surprise, and there seems no sign of sales slowing down.

She adds,

“We have had ticket sales from a total of 22 different countries and in the first 24 hours of going live we had reached a sales value of over £91,000.

“I think this just goes to show how eagerly anticipated the Festival is this year. We have garnered a fantastic reputation for putting on a world class event, and people are making sure they get in early to get tickets for the activities they really want.

“As with previous years, the exclusive distillery tours have sold out first. The real whisky aficionados are always looking for very special experiences that are only available at the time of the Festival, so tours of distilleries not normally open to the public, such as Strathmill and Dalmunach, were snapped up within minutes.

“However, with 467 different events on the programme from whisky tasting and blending experiences and from heritage walks to traditional ceilidhs, there are still plenty of tickets available.

“The beauty of the Spirit of Speyside Festival is that it is small enough to be incredibly friendly and welcoming, but big enough so that there is something for everyone. But we’d urge anyone thinking about coming to book their events soon as tickets are selling very quickly indeed.”

The Festival is taking part in Scotland’s Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design, and many of the events are focused on the theme. There will be the chance to enjoy drams against the background of stunning architecture, and visitors will learn about the innovation born in the region which is home to the world’s best-loved whiskies.

Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland’s Director of Events, says,

“The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival is always a massively popular event with visitors from around the world and we are delighted to see so many people eager to take advantage of the opportunity to sample this unique aspect of Scotland’s history and culture in 2016.

“Much more than simply whisky tasting, the Festival celebrates Scotland’s national drink with an exciting and innovative programme of events, and we’re confident that the hugely encouraging sales over these first 24 hours will be maintained ahead of the Festival over the coming months.”

Along with helping whisky fans organise their itineraries and finalising details of the Festival, organisers are balancing that with planning their new mini-festival in the autumn.

It takes place from September 9 to 11 at Elgin Town Hall, and will bring many of the region’s whisky producers together under one roof on their own doorstep from September 9 to 11. Tickets for that event are due to go on sale after the main Festival in May.

Tickets for all events in the 2016 Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival programme are available to buy now at www.spiritofspeyside.com The Festival is also active on Facebook, Twitter and on Instagram.

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AWPR And Our Relationship With The Earth

Aberdeenshire, Environment, Opinion 4 Responses »

Feb 042016

By John Fraser.

It is with dismay that we watch our beautiful countryside being ripped up for the new Aberdeen bypass here at the Burn of Muchalls.
We are also keenly aware that it is only the start.

Soon we will have 20000 cars passing us, when before it was more like 20, along with all the pollution, fumes, noise and litter.

Our little burn is now constantly full of mud and plastic from the site, industrialising our once unspoilt piece of countryside.

The boast goes that this 36 mile is something to be proud of but is it really? It is the longest possible route destroying thousands of acres of arable farmland, areas of wild habitat and mature trees, disrupting the wild life and the people who live on it, creating a development corridor which is already taking shape (urban sprawl), and encouraging people to use cars. Is this really something to be proud of?

There appears to be no acknowledgement of the loss.

It is already well known that city bypasses create more traffic. A report says Aberdeen will be as congested in 2030 as it is now. A combination of solutions could have benefitted the environment in the city and surroundings.

Forward looking cities like Copenhagen have managed to reduce car usage massively making their city a much healthier place to live. We are now much more aware of the damage that exhaust fumes cause to peoples health, yet, we are still building major roads with more in the pipeline.

The bypass could have been much shorter. Money could have been put into cycle routes and a good integrated public transport could have been created. Instead, 2 billion is being spent on a road.

We hear a lot about the plight of the Tiger, Elephant and Whales to name just a few but our very own Hedgehog is in danger of disappearing all together down from an estimate of 35 million in the 60s to less than a million now the grey partridge the brown hare the salmon and brown trout all in critical danger of slowly disappearing these are all iconic animals of our land this is borne out by simple observation. People have become used to not seeing these creatures so it has become normal. But in fact, it is a crisis.

Taking in the bigger picture the Earth’s systems are all struggling to cope with the constant and growing demands on her. The sea is polluted with plastic, chemicals and even radiation whilst the air carries all sort of toxins and harmful particles. Our soils are being lost through erosion, roads, mining and many more kinds of developments, and everyone knows about deforestation.

Mining of ores which this road will use is a source of large scale environmental destruction, pollution and displacing of people and animals.

The Earth can heal, regenerate and recover from all sorts of damage. It is a natural process to regenerate, but has to be given time to do so.

Science tells us that the earth has been evolving for perhaps billions of years and humans and other life forms for a relatively short time but still a long period of time and now in our time we have the potential to degrade our home to an unimagined state and this has come about mainly during the last two hundred years. In trying to create a technological wonderland, we are creating a wasteland.

What is peoples’ relationship with our planet? We share many of the same genes with all of life. More and more, science is finding that everything is connected and the destiny of our human and non human communities are connected to the Earth. The air, water and ground is our commonality. We cant simply think it will take care of itself – we have long passed that situation.

If we could find a new connection with the Earth where all life, human and non human, and the land above and below is the effective operating principle in all our human institutions, professions, programs and activities, we would soon bring healing to our damaged planet. This is bound up with our personal relationship to our home. Do we see it as a precious gift?

It is up to everyone to decide what is really important in life and act on that.

John Fraser
Bridge of Muchalls.

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Aberdeen Inspired Aim For Further Five Year Term

Aberdeen City, News No Responses »

Feb 042016

With thanks to Jessica Murphy, Senior Account Executive, Citrus:Mix.

Gary Craig, chief executive of Aberdeen Inspired and Julie Haig of city centre butcher Haigs (an Aberdeen Inspired levy payer).

A leading business organisation is planning to invest a projected £6.5 million in Aberdeen city centre as voting opens today (February 04) for a crucial renewal ballot.

A wide range of city centre projects and initiatives have been outlined for the next five years as part of Aberdeen Inspired’s planning towards the renewal, with an estimated £1.3m budget forecast annually in its new business plan.

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.

Levy players will begin to vote from today (February 04) on whether the organisation returns for a second five-year term, with the ballot running until March 17. The majority must vote “yes” to allow Aberdeen Inspired to make these ambitious plans a reality.

Gary Craig, chief executive of Aberdeen Inspired, said:

“The next six weeks are vital for Aberdeen Inspired as we look towards our future plans should the ballot be successful. We are proud of what has been accomplished in our current term and are even more excited about what lies ahead.

“As part of the renewal process we have set out our aims in a business plan for our levy payers which highlights our aspirations and level of ambition for our next term, along with budgets and projects that will be carried out if there is a positive ballot outcome.

“If we do return for another five years we have estimated that Aberdeen Inspired will have a minimum of £6.5 million to utilise on a variety of enhancement and improvement projects throughout the city. This is a great investment in the future of Aberdeen which equates to around £1.3 million per year – funds which could play a part in regenerating the city centre.

“We are passionate about building on the positive work that Aberdeen Inspired has already carried out and hope we are in a position to play a major role in ensuring a bright future for our city centre.”

The organisation has organised future projects under four main themes – attractive city centre, promoting our city centre, safe and welcoming city centre and helping your business – all of which aim to be beneficial to its 700 levy payers throughout the BID (Business Improvement District).

Planned projects to improve the city centre aesthetic for the year ahead (2016-17) include a variety of multi-faceted clean-up campaigns ranging from a concentrated focus on Union Street to an extended programme of decorative floral baskets and bedding to further creative lighting projects of a similar nature to the well-received installation within Golden Square.

Aberdeen Inspired intends to bring forward a number of ‘Adopt an Area’ and street art projects – as well as utilising vacant properties in the city centre by lobbying owners to consider providing free and discounted space for pop-up enterprises and exhibitions.

The organisation also plans to build on the success of the Aberdeen Christmas Village, which welcomed more than 500,000 visitors, by increasing the size of the Village and attractions as well as organising a bigger programme of festivals throughout the city centre. This includes the recently announced Play Me, I’m Yours street piano exhibition – which aims to encourage people to engage with their city by providing pianos for the public to express themselves and interact with each other.

Other plans that will be carried out if Aberdeen Inspired is voted through include further backing of the city’s Purple Flag status – an accolade which recognises a safe and secure night time economy – as well as a follow-up to the current wayshowing project, which would involve suspended signage installed throughout the city centre to identify specific streets and quarters.

Gary Craig added:

“All of the projects we have outlined for the next five years would bring tremendous benefits to Aberdeen. If we are lucky enough to be voted through for another term we promise to bring forward major enhancements to the BID and city centre, all of which aim to drive footfall to the zone and increase dwell time. This is of huge benefit to our levy payers, as well as to residents and visitors to the city.

“We work closely with our levy payers on a very close basis and have taken on board their ideas and concerns when devising our projects, paying particular focus to the aesthetic of the city centre, as well as bringing new events to Aberdeen as part of our festival plans and continuing to help towards safety and security.

“Everyone in the Aberdeen Inspired team is passionate about making the city a better place and we are confident that we will be given the chance to carry out our plans and continue to revitalise the city centre.”

Aberdeen Inspired has led key projects over the past five years, with the Aberdeen Christmas Village and the rooftop garden at the St Nicholas centre particularly popular. The organisation has also been involved in key infrastructure initiatives, such as the installation of Big Belly Bin solar compacting technology throughout the city centre in addition to funding deep cleans of Union Street, floral enhancements across the BID and shopfront improvements.

The organisation is currently finalising two major projects in the city centre – installing over 50 street information signs and lighting up the Colonnade at St Nicholas Kirk.

Further information on the work of Aberdeen Inspired is available at www.aberdeeninspired.com

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Salmond Welcomes News On ‘Corridor Of Prosperity’

Aberdeen City, News 1 Response »

Feb 042016

With thanks to Tom Collins, Press Officer, Rt. Hon. Alex Salmond MP MSP

MSP for Aberdeenshire East, Alex Salmond, has welcomed a response from Transport Minister Derek Mackay MSP on Monday (1 February 2016) informing him that Network Rail are progressing well with rail improvements between Aberdeen and Inverness.

The 108-mile route is set to benefit from a £170 million upgrade which will include platform extensions, signalling enhancements and the re-doubling of the line between Aberdeen and Inverurie.

Mr Salmond had also raised the issue of the need to mitigate for flooding along the line, to reduce the risk of disruption to services.

In his response, Mr Mackay said:

“The project remains on target for completion by March 2019, and within the spending cap.

“With regard to flood mitigation, Network Rail is working with industry partners to make Scotland’s rail infrastructure more resilient to the current and predicted weather and climate change impacts across the network. This should help to ensure that efficient and reliable train services are maintained, including those between Aberdeen and Inverness.”

Mr Salmond said:

“The upgrading of this service is good news for the people of the North East and will ensure that the full potential of the corridor of prosperity between Aberdeen and Inverness will be realised quickly and efficiently. I met with representatives of Network Rail last month, and I am pleased that their work remains on schedule.

“The redoubling of the line between Inverurie and Aberdeen, alongside the new station at Kintore will only serve to enhance these benefits of this essential transport link and help bring new people and opportunities to our local communities and what they offer.”

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