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New Chief Executive Sets Out Vision For CLAN

Sep 072015

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

The new chief executive of CLAN Cancer Support has reinforced the charity’s vision to be the centre of excellence for the provision of cancer support services in the north and north-east of Scotland after she officially took up the post.

Dr Colette Backwell was announced as the new chief executive of the cancer support charity in June and has linked up with staff at CLAN House in Aberdeen this week.

Dr Backwell aims to build on the charity’s leading reputation for providing a range of cancer support services that meet the individual needs of those affected by cancer, their carers, family members and close friends.

Looking ahead to 2020 and reinforcing CLAN’s position as a trusted hub of community-based cancer support services is an integral component of Dr Backwell’s vision for the charity moving forward.

CLAN Cancer Support was established in Aberdeen in 1983 and has grown considerably to provide free services to anyone affected by cancer across the whole of north-east Scotland, Moray, Orkney and Shetland. The charity has a presence in Ballater, Banchory, Elgin, Inverurie, Fraserburgh, Peterhead, Stonehaven, Turriff, Kirkwall and Lerwick.

Dr Backwell brings over 20 years’ experience in policy development, research, industry support and business management within the charity, public and private sectors to the role, alongside expertise in the challenges of service delivery in rural communities.

A member of the Scottish Rural Policy Centre’s Advisory Group, as well as a visiting professor at Robert Gordon University, she also currently sits on the Scottish Committee of the Institute of Directors.

Dr Backwell said:

“I’m delighted to now officially be in post with CLAN and I look forward to meeting staff, volunteers, clients and supporters across all areas that the charity covers in the weeks ahead.

“CLAN is renowned for its level of professional support and values, providing a welcoming, empathetic and caring environment alongside enhancing the quality of lives affected by cancer. It is my aim to build on this as the charity moves forward.

“At the heart of everything the charity does is the wellbeing of the individuals it supports. Listening to their needs will be essential in shaping our service moving forward.”

Dr Backwell will lead a team of over 60 staff and 400 volunteers and will later this month visit both Orkney and Shetland to see first-hand the work the charity currently delivers on the islands.

She added:

“CLAN’s geographical spread sees its service provision cover the north-east of Scotland, Moray, Orkney and Shetland and, as each individual area comes with its own specific set of unique requirements, it is integral that we continue to listen and react accordingly.

“To be able to successfully provide comfort and care across such a large area is undoubtedly a challenge but one that I, along with CLAN’s dedicated team, look forward to tackling. CLAN plays a massive part in so many people’s lives throughout the north of the country and it is our goal to continue to reach out and support those who require our help.”

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.

For further information about CLAN Cancer Support please call (01224) 647 000 or visit www.clanhouse.org

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Gin Distillation To Commence In Aberdeen City Centre

Aberdeen City, Featured No Responses »

Sep 072015

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

A trio of trade professionals have become the first to start distilling in Aberdeen city centre for 100 years.
Founders Ben Iravani, Josh Rennie and up and coming UK bartender Alex Lawrence, have spent the past few years fine-tuning their gin – undertaking hundreds of small scale distillations in order to perfect their method and recipe.

They have been working closely with the UK’s oldest distillers G&J in a collaboration to bring a premium gin to the market this autumn.

The result is the flagship Porter’s Gin, an aromatic and flavoursome spirit which the trio hope will take off in the booming UK gin scene. This quintessential British drink has enjoyed a surge in popularity in recent years, with 70% of all gin produced in the UK now coming from Scotland.

Their juniper-based spirit, which features refreshing aromatic and citrus notes, has been named after Professor Andrew Porter of Aberdeen University, who sourced cold-distillation equipment which allowed the team to extract light refreshing flavours from botanicals. This is an innovative approach to gin distillation with the vast majority of distillers favouring traditional, but less controlled, methods.

Ben, managing director at Monkey Bars Aberdeen, said:

“Gin is enjoying an incredible renaissance worldwide and is now the drink of choice for many. This is down to a number of reasons, including the role of gin in the rise of classic cocktail culture. The gin market has almost become saturated over the past few years, but the good brands are finding their way to the top.

“We are confident that we have created a unique and delicious flavour profile in our gin which will work in both classic cocktails and also stand out in the traditional GnT.”

Alex Lawrence, whose cocktails and palate have won him numerous accolades both nationally and globally, said:

“It has been an amazing opportunity to be part of a team focused on creating a modern gin with classic potential. Looking at it from a bartending point of view has aided us in creating a versatile but bold product and I’m excited for the future as I genuinely believe in the liquid we have created. We want to add a fresh twist to the market with a genuine and honest product.

“It is incredibly exciting to be a part of the gin movement and to have researched, created and now produced a flavoursome, top-end product. People are now more aware of the provenance of drinks and supporting locally made products. This is something we kept firmly in mind while creating Porter’s Gin, which we are delighted to now be bringing to the market.”

The knowledgeable team have a rectifier’s license which enables them to distil part of Porter’s gin within their award winning cocktail bar Orchid, while the more traditional part is distilled in partnership with G&J distillers in Warrington, the world’s oldest gin distillery. Orchid and Ninety-Nine Bar and Kitchen in Aberdeen are owned by Monkey Bars Ltd and the group plan to sell Porter’s within their cocktail bars this autumn, followed by a launch in London.

While Porter’s is the only gin currently being produced in the Granite City, this was not always the case. Aberdeen was once home to a number of distilleries and breweries, among them the Devanha Distillery.

More than a century later, Ben and his colleagues hope local gin fans will embrace their creation and kickstart a new era for distilling in Aberdeen.

Ben added:

“The best gins are those that have been created with a focus on exceptional flavour, and we have achieved this with Porter’s. Aberdeen has a fantastic bar scene and we are looking forward to introducing our brand, before looking to expand throughout the UK.”

Pre-orders for Porter’s Gin will be available soon. For more information please contact info@portersgin.co.uk.

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Force Friday Arrives At Disney Store In Aberdeen

Aberdeen City, Articles No Responses »

Sep 072015

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

The force was strong at Bon Accord & St Nicholas on Friday as north-east Star Wars fans were able to get their hands on the official merchandise of the Star Wars: The Force Awakens film.

The Disney Store within Bon Accord & St Nicholas opened at 8am as part of the Force Friday global launch of merchandise for the highly anticipated film.

Wannabe Jedis snapped up the range of new toys, books, clothing and other products as Disney give eager fans a glimpse into the film which is set for release in December this year.

The Disney Store will continue its Star Wars theme this Saturday and Sunday, offering free Jedi training experiences for children, along with various giveaways to welcome the countdown to the film’s launch in style.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens will be the first film in the planned trilogy after Disney acquired Lucasfilm in October 2012 and will star British actor and actress John Boyega and Daisy Ridley.

Craig Stevenson, manager at Bon Accord & St Nicholas, said:

“The Disney Store has always been popular with shoppers at the Bon Accord mall and the addition of Star Wars to its product range will increase this even further.

“There was a real buzz of excitement this morning when the shop welcomed the first customers through its doors and with the free Jedi training for children and other giveaways taking place this weekend, it’s shaping up to be a must-visit for all north-east Star Wars fans.”

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.

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Forty Years Of The Forties Field

Aberdeen City, Articles, Featured 1 Response »

Sep 072015

By Mike Shepherd.

This month marks the 40th anniversary of first oil from the Forties field in September 1975.

A quick search of the internet and you will find photographs of the Queen inaugurating the Forties field on the 3rd November 1975. But don’t tell her majesty, the Forties field was already in operation by that time.

It wasn’t quite the first oil on stream from the UK side; the Argyll field had been producing since June that year, but given the scale of the Forties development, it was a major event.

The Forties field figures prominently in my new book Oil Strike North Sea which is out next week.

In terms of reserves it is the largest field in the UK North Sea and deserves attention for that alone; but not only that, I was to take a prominent role in its development and this allows me to give a first-hand account of what it takes to operate a North Sea field.

Between 1981 and 1986, I was responsible from the geology side in planning a large number of wells in the oil field. I worked both onshore and offshore. After planning the wells in British Petroleum’s (BP) office in Dyce, working closely with the drilling engineers, I would then go offshore to monitor the reservoir section. Amongst other responsibilities, I would tell the drillers when to stop once we were below the oil pay.

The Forties field wasn’t the first commercial oil field discovered on the UK side, that honour goes to Amoco’s Montrose field which was discovered in 1969. When Amoco discovered oil in the first well, the offshore personnel were astonished. They were looking for gas and had no idea that there was oil in the North Sea. Other companies had come across oil shows in wells before, but had kept this highly secret.

There were no sample jars for oil on the rig, so the first sample of commercial oil in the North Sea was brought onshore in a pickle jar that had been grabbed from the rig’s galley.

Amoco had hired the Sea Quest drilling rig from BP to drill the well and handed it back afterwards. The BP geologists were rather surprised to find that a copy of a log showing that oil had been found had arrived with the rig. It had been accidently left on board.

BP had identified the Forties prospect on their seismic data, a massive dome covering 90 square kilometres. It looked enormous and the unintended gift from Amoco gave them comfort that there could be an oil field there.

Yet the BP management had been most reluctant to drill the prospect and for good reasons too; the oil price had been low since 1950 as a result of the large-scale production from the Middle East and North Africa, and a large offshore field requiring very expensive infrastructure could not be assured to make a profit. On top of that, the engineering capability of providing the infrastructure was an unknown, the oil companies had never ventured into such deep and stormy waters.

One of the reasons BP drilled the discovery well was out of desperation. BP had been thrown out of several countries after the oil had been nationalised and the future of the company was somewhat uncertain at the time. It was only with the Yom Kippur war in 1973, when the oil price quadrupled on the back of OPEC sanctions, was it likely that the North Sea would be a profitable concern.

The Forties field is still producing after forty years, with over 2.7 billion barrels of oil recovered. The current operator Apache is still actively chasing the remaining oil in the field by drilling new wells. The Forties field, like many other fields in the North Sea had not been expected to have produced for as long as they have. It’s a testament to the amazing skills developed in the North Sea that our fields have recovered so much oil.

The book launch for Oil Strike North Sea is at Waterstones in Union Street on Wednesday 9th September at 7pm, all are welcome.

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Clark IT Gains ISO Seal Of Approval

Aberdeen City No Responses »

Sep 072015

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

Aberdeen, Tuesday, 24th March 2015 Clark Integrated Technologies, Auchterless, Turriff, Aberdeenshire, AB53 8EP (Picture by Michal Wachucik/Newsline Media Ltd)

Margo Robertson says gaining the ISO 9001 accreditation is a boost for Clark IT

Gaining an international standard could help open the door to new business opportunities for North-east technology specialists Clark Integrated Technologies.

Following assessment of the company’s systems for improving customer satisfaction and quality requirements, Clark IT has been awarded ISO9001 accreditation from certification body NQA.

ISO standards ensure that products and services are safe, reliable and of good quality, based on a number of quality management principles.

Recognising the specialist nature and rigorous processes required to gain accreditation, Clark IT enlisted the services of CBO Associates and its consultant Clark Boles to develop and work with them on quality management systems.

Achieving the globally recognised standard is an indication of Clark IT’s commitment to quality and excellence, says commercial director Margo Robertson.

She says:

“This helps sharpen business processes, increases efficiency and, we hope, will open doors to new clients as well as strengthening our existing business.

“We are a heavily focused process environment, committed to delivering a quality service and it is great to achieve this quality stamp that shows we are doing things by the book.”

Based near Turriff, Clark IT has almost 25 years’ experience in providing industry leading support and delivering business-class technology. It is a leading independent provider of managed Information and Communications Technology solutions to a broad range of corporate and commercial clients across Scotland.

It has a large client base in both Aberdeen City and Shire, and has also expanded its client base in the Inverness area.

For more information, visit www.clark-it.com

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Denmark Orders Seizure Sea Shepherd Boat – In Shetland

Environment, News 4 Responses »

Sep 042015

With thanks to Michelle Mossfield, Media Director, Sea Shepherd Global.

Authorities in the Shetland Islands, Scotland, have seized a small boat of the Sea Shepherd ship, Sam Simon. The seizure was enacted at the request of Denmark, in response to a Letter of Request issued by the Chief Of Police of the Faroe Islands on August 22.

The warrant for the seizure was presented to the Captain and Ship Manager of the Sam Simon, which was in the Shetland Islands to refuel.

In the warrant, authorities claim that there are “reasonable grounds for suspecting that an offence has been committed under the law of Denmark.”

It is understood that the confiscation relates to the small boat’s involvement in the defense of 61 pilot whales at a grindadráp at the killing beach of Sandavágur in the Faroe Islands on August 12.

The small boat is now in police custody in the Shetland Islands. Sea Shepherd is seeking further legal advice on the matter.

CEO of Sea Shepherd Global, Captain Alex Cornelissen, stated,

“On the one hand, the government of Denmark refuses to abide by EU laws that protect cetaceans. On the other, Denmark is abusing its EU position and resources to try to silence Sea Shepherd’s opposition to the grindadráp. Denmark’s ongoing support of the slaughter of pilot whales in the Faroe Islands is a national shame.”

The seizure of the small boat comes in the wake of a legal challenge against the Faroe Islands Pilot Whaling Act (grind law/grindalógin).

Faroese legal consultant, former police officer and adviser in issues regarding safety, security, defense and emergency preparedness, Henrik Weihe Joensen, has filed charges against the Faroe Islands Ministry of Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, challenging the legality of the grind law.

In a statement made on August 20, Joensen says that the grind law is “invalid” because Faroese Parliament does not have the legislative authority to implement new laws in relation to police activity “which concerns action against persons and objects.”

Joensen believes that, if the Pilot Whaling Act is declared invalid, it may have a great impact on the cases already brought against Sea Shepherd and may also have implications for the political relationship between the Faroe Islands and Denmark.

The Pilot Whaling Act has been used as the basis for the arrests of 14 Sea Shepherd volunteers in the Faroe Islands this year, five of who have already been deported.

Today, the verdict in the case against another five Sea Shepherd volunteers who have been charged with violating the grind law will be handed down in a Danish court in the Faroe Islands.

The volunteers; Rudy de Kieviet of the Netherlands, Lawrie Thomson of the United Kingdom, Tobias Boehm of Germany, Alice Bodin of Italy, and Frances Holtman of the United States, are charged with disrupting the same slaughter at Sandavágur on August 12.

The slaughter of cetaceans is outlawed throughout the European Union, including Denmark, in accordance with Appendix II of the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (Bern Convention).

However, in the Faroe Islands, the slaughter of pilot whales and other small cetaceans continues with the assistance of the Danish police and navy, and with the blessing of the Danish government.

This year alone 490 pilot whales have been slaughtered in the Faroe Islands with Denmark’s backing.

“Sea Shepherd has both the legal right and the moral obligation to protect the pilot whales that pass through the Faroe Islands, and that is exactly what we will continue to do,” said Captain Cornelissen.

Sea Shepherd has been leading opposition to the grindadráp since the early 1980s, and is currently in the Faroe Islands for the organization’s sixth Pilot Whale Defense Campaign, Operation Sleppid Grindini.

Sea Shepherd Global:

Established in 1977, Sea Shepherd is an international non-profit, marine wildlife conservation organization. Our mission is to end the destruction of habitat and slaughter of wildlife in the world’s oceans in order to conserve and protect ecosystems and species.

Sea Shepherd uses innovative direct-action tactics to investigate, document, and take action when necessary to expose and confront illegal activities on the high seas. By safeguarding the biodiversity of our delicately balanced ocean ecosystems, Sea Shepherd works to ensure their survival for future generations. For more information, visit: http://www.seashepherdglobal.org/

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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.]

Animal Shelter Operator Is A Smooth Operator

Aberdeenshire, Opinion 25 Responses »

Sep 042015

Kelly Cable of Northfield Animal Haven (Northfield Farm. Glasslaw. New Pitsligo. Aberdeenshire. AB43 6PX) juggles a host of moral dilemmas:

Raises funds to save ‘all farm animals’
Claims to be wholly dependent on public support.
Sells animals destined for slaughter.
Refused to let other animal shelters rescue ponies free of charge – but she is seeking £5,000 from the public to rescue.
A former bankrupt, once denied signing for a £5,000 loan: foiled by forensic handwriting expert.

By Suzanne Kelly.

Kelly Cable of Northfield Animal Shelter, Aberdeenshire, seeks funds cap in hand “to provide a rescue/re-homing centre for any unwanted, neglected, abused or retired equine, farm and small animals.”
This laudable aim appears on at least one internet site seeking donations.

A sign for the organisation depicts a wide range of animals including sheep.

What the sign and many fundraising websites didn’t make clear was that Cable also wears a very different hat: she makes money from other farm animals – selling them at auction where they are likely to end up on plates, not in rescue pens.

Websites which initially sought donations for Northfield to save farm animals now have long explanations from the Cables as to their other business. Long, rambling posts by Cable attempt to justify why they save some animals and sell off others at market. Much of this newly-added prose is down to a recent article in Aberdeen Voice.

The article clarified Kelly Cable’s method of doing business: funds from the animals sold at market are used to support the animals they choose to save.

Despite images of sheep clearly shown on Northfield’s various rescue appeals, the Cables are now adamant they don’t save sheep. Those who look at the pictures and read the initial posts were hardly likely to know that.

On a social media page for the Haven, Cable claimed ‘everyone’ knows about the working farm side of the business. As to using photographs of animals destined for slaughter, not sanctuary, Cable offers this explanation:

“The only reason we post pics of the sheep/cows etc. is because we’ve been asked to. Some of the people who donate and live far away love seeing pictures of all the animals.”

The assertion that people who donate to save animals also want to see photos of the cow destined to become steak and the lamb that’s for the chop is an odd one.

Kelly recently posted on social media:

“all of our supporters are aware of what we do with our sheep”

When questioned in detail about whether or not the sold animals are killed she replied:

“I don’t send them [sheep] for slaughter the people who buy them after me probably do but I don’t personally so what I stated was fact….”

The interest in Cable’s working farm and rescue operations were sparked by her online Go Fund Me page asking for £5,000 to rescue Shetland ponies. Two other area animal shelters came forward ready to rescue the animals without raising the £5,000 for the purpose. These were turned away by Cable, who wrote of a ‘vendetta’ and said the ponies’ owner only wanted Cable to get the animals.

The owner of the Shetlands is unknown at present. The ‘vendetta’ referred to seems to be nothing more than a voluntary regulatory body, REACH, being formed to provide a code of ethics for animal rescue. The Cable school of thought falls far short of this ideology, which says breeding animals is wrong for anyone in the rescue business, as is selling animals, especially for slaughter.

One donor who discovered that the Cables also raise lambs and other animals to sell at local auction market (Thainstone’s) commented:

“Disappointed an ‘animal haven’ sends animals to slaughter. Did you read their reply re. refusing help from Hillside? Sounds odd to me.”

Unhappy donors who learned of the sales, concerned animal welfare organisations, and people who have had past dealings with Cable came forward with serious concerns on her business model and details of a decidedly sketchy financial past.

The Haven is a voluntary organisation, and as such there is little visibility of the organisation’s structure or finance. Transparency, honesty, and clarity are what many potential donors expect of those they support. Potential Northfield donors might be interested to know that Cable was made bankrupt in 2009. Not all of her creditors were paid.

However, when it comes to transparency and honesty, one particular episode in Kelly Cable’s colourful career stands out. She and a former partner were lent £10,000 with which to buy a home together. This money came from her partner’s parents and his pensioner grandparents. The couple each signed a loan agreement for the money in August of 2000. The couple split up after buying the Aberdeenshire home.

When asked to repay her £5,000 share of this loan, Kelly Cable astonishingly tried to claim she had never received the money – claiming the signature on the handwritten loan and repayment agreement were not hers.

A forensic handwriting expert put paid to that claim by examining the document and samples of Cable’s writing. The expert concluded the writing was by the same person, or as the report put it, there were:

“overwhelming similarities indicating they [the loan document and Kelly Cable’s writing] are of common authorship”

It is understood that fundraising regulatory authorities are interested in Northfield’s fundraising activities.

Northfield have announced on social media that they are seeking legal advice concerning Aberdeen Voice’s article by Suzanne Kelly, which can be found here https://aberdeenvoice.com/2015/08/controversial-animal-organisation-declines-pony-rescue-offers/

It is strongly recommended that anyone who wants to donate money to an animal rescue or any other charity should research it thoroughly beforehand, and not rely solely on pictures and testimonials written by the operators.

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The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time – Reviewed

Articles, Opinion No Responses »

Sep 042015

Voice’s Duncan Harley reviews The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time at HM Theatre, Aberdeen.

When Wellington, the next door neighbour’s dog, is found murdered; fifteen year old Christopher Boone, a brilliant mathematician with some pretty complex personal issues, turns sleuth.
Emulating his hero Sherlock Holmes, he must solve the mystery of who killed Mrs Shears’ pet and absolve himself of complicity.

In the course of the ensuing who-dunnit Christopher discovers skeletons galore in the family cupboard.

After a long and often painful journey, including the realisation that Holmes was in fact a fictional detective, he solves the crime and is absolved.

Based on the book of the same name, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time highlights some of the issues faced by those who come into contact with those who differ markedly from the norm and of course many of the issues faced by those who are by nature quite different. The book’s author Mark Haddon comments that “Curious is not really about Christopher at all, it’s about us.” He may have a point.

Christopher, played by Joshua Jenkins, exhibits what can only be described as mind-blowingly challenging behavioural traits. He cannot bear to be touched, he becomes unbearably swamped by external stimuli, he cannot use a stranger’s toilet, he cannot tell a lie and takes everything completely literally – the list goes on and inevitably ticks all of the diagnostic boxes.

The play presents as a reading of Christopher’s own written thoughts, read aloud in segments mainly by his mentor and school teacher Siobhan, played beautifully by Geraldine Alexander. The unfolding story takes place within a high-tech multi-media set representing a gateway into Christopher’s consciousness. The drama literally takes place in Christopher’s head.

At times funny, often terrifyingly intense and always challenging, Curious is a superb production. Joshua Jenkins’ performance is both electrifying in its intensity and engaging in its complexity. There are lighter moments. Animal lovers will drool over the cute Andrex Puppy. They may even take a fancy to Toby, Christopher’s pet rat.

Stuart Laing and Gina Isaac excel as Christopher’s long suffering and often desperate parents, kindly neighbours peek into his life and at one point a cheerily upbeat railway policeman takes time out to help him on his quest but it has to be said that this is essentially a stage show all about Christopher.

The technical aspects of the production are worthy of a Hollywood blockbuster and have to be experienced to be believed. Aboyne born video designer Finn Ross has worked on everything from Festival Fringe through to Broadway and his expertise in combining live and pre-recorded imagery takes live performance into exciting new realms. Lighting, sound and set design are likewise superb.

Ultimately this play examines the nature of abnormality and the challenge of defining limitations. Having solved the gruesome dog murder and dismissed lingering doubts regarding his mathematical ability Christopher asks Siobhan “Does this mean I can do anything?” She does not reply.

Only those members of the audience who elect to remain in theatre following the final curtain call are likely to discover the answer.

Adapted for stage by Simon Stephens and directed by Marianne Elliott – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time plays at HM Theatre Aberdeen until Saturday 5th September.

Tickets from Aberdeen Performing Arts Tel: 01224- 641122

At The Pictures: Hitman – Andrew Watson Reviews

Articles, Opinion No Responses »

Sep 042015

Action thriller, Hitman: Agent 47 is a tad more intelligent than its non-direct 2007 predecessor, but isn’t as entertaining. Aberdeen Voice’s Andrew Watson takes a look at this computer game-based reboot.

There were maybe a dozen people at Cineworld at the Queens Links during the Monday afternoon showing, which was probably not bad given the overall profile of the film.
Katia van Dees (Hannah Ware) is searching the globe for her father. In the process she finds out that she’s a product of bioengineering, along with Agent 47 (Rupert Friend), who turns out to be her brother.

Whilst the latter is a stealthy killing machine, she’s a ‘90’ and thus more advanced than he is. She has extra sensory awareness and can perceive things outside the scope of mere mortals.

The bad guys want to take over the aforementioned bioengineering program for their own ends, which in turn is a threat to the world as we know it.

There are a few nice twists here and there, mostly concerning the dubious role of Agent 47 as purely protagonist or antagonist. Sometimes it seems more like a spy film in the vein of the James Bond series than a more straight ahead action film.

However, there is enough intrigue, plus interesting science fictional aspects that consider the nature versus nurture debate, to keep the viewer reasonably engaged.

Go for the guns and explosions, trying your utmost not to analyse it too much and you might leave the screening happy.

Saltire Award For Youth Council Chair

Aberdeen City, Information No Responses »

Sep 042015

With thanks to Martin Carle, Public Relations Officer, Aberdeen City Youth Council.

Piotr Teodorowski, chairperson at Aberdeen City Youth Council has been awarded a Saltire Award, an accolade that recognises his dedication to volunteering, and also helps develop vital skills and experiences that will help for the future.

The Saltire award is extremely sought after with many 12-25 year olds taking part, and only 12 awards being given out each year.

Piotr was one of two from Aberdeen to be given the award, and received it for his Youth Council volunteering. He is chairperson, but has also served as a dedicated treasurer previous to his current role.

Speaking of his achievement, Piotr says:

“I am proud to be recognised. I have received this prize mostly for the exchange with the University of the Basque Country and other youth council activities.”

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