Fred at Aberdeen Voice, Author at Aberdeen Voice

Fred at Aberdeen Voice

Local Carer Shortlisted for STV’s Real Heroes Award

Aug 132015

David Forbes with his mother to whom he is full-time carer.

With thanks to Future Choices.

STV’s Real Heroes is back for it’s third series later this year to celebrate the achievements of our communities unsung heroes.

This series is set to feature an Aberdeen Charity Chief who is also a full time carer for his disabled mum. David Forbes (33) cares for his disabled mother, who suffers from short term memory loss, and has done so for over 10 years,.

David said:

“When STV rang me and informed me that I had been nominated and now ive been shortlisted, to say I was speechless was an understatement, I’m absolutely thrilled and humbled.”

STV will broadcast a special awards show at the end of the year,

David added:

“If I win the award it’s not only for my mum and I, but it’s to highlight other carers and the amazing work they do. Being a carer isn’t an easy job, so to be shortlisted is simply breathtaking. I’m representing the city of Aberdeen so want to make the city proud.”

To show your support for David and follow his amazing journey visit his facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/David-Forbes-Carer-of-the-Year/866559560048164?ref=hl

Comments enabled – see comments box below. Note, all comments will be moderated.

AllFord at Alford: Popular Event Returns This Sunday

Aberdeenshire, History No Responses »

Aug 132015

With thanks to Dave Macdermid.

This Sunday (Aug 16) more than 200 Fords will head for Alford for the second AllFord event, taking place at the Grampian Transport Museum.

Launched in 2014, AllFord at Alford is a showcase of everything ‘Fordie’ from 1908 to the present day and celebrates motoring for the masses.

A number of special entries have been received, including a rare Aberdeen bodied Model T van, owned by Les Coull of Keith.

Built in 1924 by Georgeson & Co of Aberdeen it is believed that the van spent its working life at a bakers in Bucksburn before entering into preservation.

Also making an appearance at this year’s AllFord will be the only Model T to have made it to the top of Ben Nevis. Having been taken to the foot of the hill by a group of enthusiasts to celebrate the models centenary it was taken apart in the car park before being lifted, piece by piece, to the top and then reassembled to celebrate the event. Descent from the summit was carried out in a similar manner, with the car being taken apart and then reassembled at the start!

Taking on a gruelling 850 mile round trip for this years show is Adrian Evans of Great Barr, Birmingham. Adrian will be travelling north in his 1969 MK2 Ford Cortina which won the 2014 Meguiars Club Showcase at the NEC, Birmingham.

The event will be supported by Ford UK who will be attending the event with a dedicated Ford Marquee, complete with Playstation driving simulator and brand ambassadors on hand to offer help and advice to enthusiasts. Arnold Clark, as part of the Ford stand, will showcase some of the latest models direct from the showroom.

The popular ‘Choice of the people’ award will once again allow visitors to vote for their favourite car of the show. Craft traders, specialist suppliers and accessories retailers will add to the show atmosphere of this unique event.

Vehicle entries are now closed for this year’s event. Public admission to AllFord is £5 for adults, with children under 16 admitted free.

Local Woman To Stand For SNP In Aberdeenshire East

Aberdeenshire, News No Responses »

Aug 132015

Richard Lochhead MSP, Gillian Martin and Alex Salmond MP MSP – (Credit-SNP Aberdeenshire)

With thanks to Aberdeenshire SNP

Gillian Martin has been nominated for approval by Aberdeenshire East SNP in an endorsement meeting today (Fri Aug 14) in Ellon.
If supported by the local membership, Gillian from Newmachar will become the SNP candidate to succeed Alex Salmond as the local MSP.

Commenting on her nomination, Gillian said:

“I am delighted to be nominated for candidacy in the place where I grew up and where I am bringing up my own family.

“For the last 15 years I have worked as a lecturer and I also run my own business producing training and information materials for the energy sector.

“As a founder for Women for Independence in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, I have seen first-hand how people have become more politically active all over this region.

“Our political landscape was transformed during the referendum and the entire Scottish electorate is now one of the most engaged in Western Europe with so many people finding their political voice.

“I hope to add my own voice to our group in Holyrood and do justice to the area which has been so well served by Alex Salmond for so many years.

“Luckily I will have the benefit of his experience close by as he serves the Gordon constituency for Westminster, as well as that of my other SNP colleagues in the North East.”

Alex Salmond commented:

“Gillian’s nomination now goes forward to a full constituency meeting this Friday.

“I am looking forward to seeing her confirmed as the candidate. She played a key part in my local campaign team in winning the Gordon constituency for the SNP and was a leading light in the Women for Independence movement nationally.

“It is great to have the chance to select such a highly talented and local woman candidate for Aberdeenshire East.”

Gillian (46) lives with her husband, John, a teacher at Turriff Academy, and two children, Louis and Eve.

She grew up in Newburgh and attended Ellon Academy before going on to study at the University of Glasgow.

She has been a lecturer at North East Scotland College for 15 years and runs her own production company making videos for the community and the oil and gas sector. She is also the executive and founder of Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire Women for Independence.

Comments enabled – see comments box below. Note, all comments will be moderated.

[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.]

Final Preparations Underway For Celebrate Aberdeen

Aberdeen City, Information No Responses »

Aug 132015

With thanks to Jessica Murphy.

From soulful singing to foot-stomping classics and drumming talent to folk beats – the Granite City will come alive this month for Celebrate Aberdeen.

Final preparations are now underway for the popular event, which is being held in the city centre on August 22 and 23.

Performers including award winning traditional folk singer Iona Fyfe, local sensation Best Girl Athlete, acclaimed musician Colin Clyne and Scottish rockers Uniform will take to the stage to entertain the crowds throughout the weekend.

They will be joined by local favourites The Lorelei, entertainer Samyouel, the Aberdeen Chorus of Sweet Adelines, Aberdeen Rock Choir and Acoustified in Union Terrace Gardens, Aberdeen Central Library and the Bon Accord & St Nicholas Centre and bandstand area.

The fun weekend will begin in style with the return of the third sector parade, which was first held in 2011 and has brought together more than 3,500 people from 130 diverse third sector organisations on each of the three occasions.

Different charities, social enterprises and volunteering organisations will unite in a colourful procession through the heart of the city on August 22 to illustrate the fantastic work they are involved in. Musical performances will be held on both days of Celebrate Aberdeen, which aims to foster community spirit in the city.

Morven Mackenzie, director of Aberdeen based integrated communications agency Citrus:Mix, the leading force behind Celebrate Aberdeen, said the event was shaping up to be the best yet.

She said:

“We are absolutely delighted with the wide range and diversity of talent that makes up the programme for Celebrate Aberdeen this year. There really is something for everyone and we hope everyone comes out to celebrate with us and enjoy all the entertainment throughout the city centre.

“It really will make for an incredible spectacle as the third sector organisations march down Union Street and kick off the weekend. These groups provide an invaluable service to people in Aberdeen and we are pleased to be able to say thanks and help raise their profile in this way.”

For more information on Celebrate Aberdeen contact Morven Mackenzie on 01224 439990 or morven@citrusmix.com

Bon Accord & St Nicholas Looks Back In Time

Aberdeen City, Information No Responses »

Aug 132015

Phil Moar, Account Manager, Citrus Mix.

A city centre shopping mall is looking to take shoppers on a trip down memory lane as part of its 25th birthday celebrations next month.

Bon Accord & St Nicholas will celebrate the milestone on August 22 with a day of special events that will see staff, both old and new, retailers and its visitors come together to mark the anniversary.

As part of these celebrations, the centre is appealing for help from local businesses, collectors and museums as it aims to install a pop-up 90s museum in the heart of the Bon Accord mall.

It is hoped that the focal point of the mini exhibition will be a range of 90s cars which will be on display on the big day in August.

To accompany this, the centre is on the hunt for quality pieces of 90s memorabilia that will help create a look back to life as it was when the centre was first opened by Her Majesty the Queen in 1990.

From sporting memorabilia, to music collections, computer games and clothes, it is hoped that a selection of iconic pieces will be present to allow shoppers to reminisce about times gone by.

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

“We’ve been thinking of various ways that we can mark our 25^th birthday next month and we’ve decided to try and bring a bit of the 90s back to the Bon Accord mall to highlight the special milestone.

“We often speak to shoppers who have been visiting us for the good part of the last 25 years and many regularly mention shops they remember. From nipping into Woolworths for a pick and mix to visiting C&A, there is always a warmness shown towards looking back on what was within the centres before.

“With this in mind, we want to create something that gets people thinking back to the time when we opened and we think the pop-up museum will help do just that. We’re delighted that Alford Transport Museum has donated the car towards the exhibition and we’re looking for help from any specialist collectors, museums or businesses which may have items that could sit within the display.

“From football memorabilia to collections of 90s fashion, games and music, we’d be really interested to hear from you.”

Throughout the last 25 years, the centre has continued to innovate and grow to where it stands today. Currently home to a number of the UK’s leading retail brands, the Bon Accord mall includes Scotland’s largest Next as well as Aberdeen’s only Topshop and Topman standalone stores.

At the heart of its future development are expansive plans to create a new leisure hub within the centres. At the core of the blueprint is a proposed 28,000 sq ft cinema complex and seven new restaurants totalling 30,000 sq ft.

Those interested in donating items or a collection to Bon Accord & St Nicholas, please contact the centre on 01224 647470 or email Customer.services@bonaccordcentre.com

Comments enabled – see comments box below. Note, all comments will be moderated.

New Recruit Puts His Energy Into Clark IT

Aberdeen City, Articles No Responses »

Aug 132015

Moving on to fresh challenges at Clark IT is Mike Scott has taken up a post at with the independent IT specialists after losing his job in the oil and gas sector.

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

The downturn in the oil and gas sector has brought about change in the jobs market which is allowing small to medium enterprises to capitalise by recruiting experienced personnel previously employed in the energy business.

Clark Integrated Technologies’ latest recruit Mike Scott was made redundant from a global oil and gas firm earlier this year.

A matter of a few months after losing his job he was appointed a senior technical support analyst at the Turriff-based firm – and is enjoying the challenges his new role brings.

He’s gone from working for a multi-national organisation to being part of a small but go ahead company that’s core business is providing IT managed services to a large and diverse range of clients.

While Mike (40) admits that losing his job was a blow, he says that it led him to seek out new opportunities.

He says:

“I’m a great believer that you can react or respond to any situation and I try and respond and aim to find the best solution I can.

“Losing my job has given me the opportunity to use my knowledge and skills and join a company that has a real buzz about it. Clark has a wide range of clients and that in itself provides different opportunities and clients to work with.

“I’ve settled in really well, and it’s a friendly workplace where people are motivated to perform and deliver results that meets the demands of the business. There’s a fantastic close knit team spirit throughout the organisation.”

He adds: “Apart from working from home, I’ve got one of the shortest commutes to work as the Clark IT office is just 2.9 miles from home!”

After more than 23 years of working, 17 of those in IT, Mike has seen many changes in the industry and says it is now much more positively embraced by the business world.

“The view of IT has certainly matured,” explains Mike.

“We used to be viewed as techy geeks like you see in the IT Crowd, but over time it has emerged and developed and IT has become more aligned to business strategy and policy.

“IT has shifted from being reactive to taking a more proactive approach, getting ahead of issues and taking control into IT instead of constantly firefighting. There’s more planning and that in turn provides better services.”

Mike has filled one of three new posts at Clark IT, reflecting a growing demand for its specialist services. Clark is expanding by taking on a new apprentice and new client account manager to support the provision of managed ICT solutions to a range of corporate and commercial clients across Scotland and beyond.

Globally, thousands of oil and gas jobs have been shed within the last few months as a result of falling production levels. Personnel are now are looking at different sectors for employment, with benefits for small to medium enterprises.

Commercial director Margo Robertson says:

“We’re thrilled to have Mike on board and already he has become a valued member of the team with his positive can-do approach.

“The down turn in oil and gas has seen an upturn in individuals contacting us to seek out alternative job opportunities. Whilst experience is required for many of our roles, the personal qualities of an applicant are important too.

“We look for individuals who are dynamic and who we know will fit in with our culture, current team and our clients. Qualities which are relevant in our current round of recruitment where we are looking to appoint two apprentices and two client account managers.”

Clark IT has over 20 years of experience in providing industry leading support and delivering business-class technology. The company’s integrated solutions provide industry leading services, productivity and cost effective IT platforms for business growth.

With a client base in both Aberdeen City and Shire, Clark IT has also expanded into the Inverness area.

Clark Integrated Technologies:

Clark IT was founded in 1991 and is one of Scotland’s leading independent providers of managed ICT solutions to a broad range of corporate and commercial clients across Scotland and beyond.

With a wealth of technological and commercial experience, supported by an established reputation, Clark IT offers clients reliable and honest strategic advice on all aspects of Information and Communications Technology. Find out more by visiting www.clark-it.com or calling 01888 511 441.

In March, Inverness-based The Castle Group, specialists in the provision of professional security services across Scotland, announced a new contract with Clark IT to provide the company with enhanced technology, upgraded devices and IT support.

Neigh Joke: Horse Trains For Highland Games

Aberdeenshire, Featured, News 1 Response »

Aug 132015

Socks, the new Lonach horse

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

A horse is in its final stages of training ahead of its debut performance later this month at one of Scotland’s leading highland games.

Across the country, musicians, dancers and athletes have been fine tuning their performances and training in order to be at the peak of their discipline for the highland games season.

However, in rural Aberdeenshire a horse has been undergoing a rigorous training regime to participate at the annual Lonach Highland Gathering and Games on Saturday, 22 August.

Socks, a six-year-old gelding, hasn’t been practicing his sword dance or fine-tuning his sprinting ability for the light athletics, but getting used to the skirl of the pipes and the beat of drums.

The young Irish Heavy Cob is making his first appearance at the popular traditional event where he will parade throughout the day with the Lonach Highlanders, and numerous pipe bands.

Having never encountered the sound and motions of the pipes and drums before, Socks has been attending the Lonach Pipe Band practice sessions over the last three months in order to become comfortable with the distinctive sounds ahead of his debut at the gathering.

A horse and cart has traditionally followed the Lonach Highlanders on their marches in order to convey their weapons when they became too heavy for the men to carry on long marches, particularly over uneven hill roads. Socks will follow in the hoof prints of a long line of horses to provide this supporting role to the Lonach Highlanders.

Socks is owned by Kildrummy resident and Lonach Highlander Derek Gray, who has looked after the Lonach horse on marches since 2013. Mr Gray bought Socks as a yearling and hopes he will become a long-standing part of the Lonach marches.

In addition to featuring in the Lonach marches, Mr Gray has set up Odd Socks Enterprises to offer horse-drawn carriage services, which will see Socks available to hire along with a restored four-wheeled wagon.

Organised by the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society, the Lonach Highland Gathering and Games is held annually on the fourth Saturday in August. Staged in the small, picturesque Aberdeenshire village of Bellabeg, this year marks the 174th time the gathering has been held. One of north-east Scotland’s best known and most popular traditional summer events, it attracts up to 10,000 visitors, including many from overseas.

Socks with his owner Derek Gray

A major feature of the gathering are the Lonach Highlanders.

First established in 1823, they are believed to be the largest body of non-military men to carry ceremonial weapons in Britain.

Dressed in full highland dress and armed with traditional Loachaber axes and pikes, which are over eight-feet in length and weigh up to 3 kg (7 lbs), the Highlanders form an impressive sight on their three marches on games day.

Membership of the Lonach Highlanders is drawn from residents of the local area who descend from the Forbes, Wallace and Gordon clans, and currently numbers 220 men.

Jennifer Stewart, secretary of the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society, said:

“A horse has long been a feature of the Lonach Highlanders marches and usually gets as a warm a reception on the games field as the Highlanders themselves. Our last long-term horse, Mac, filled the role for over five years but retired along with Willie Gray, who looked after the horse at Lonach previously. Last year Derek felt Socks was too young, so we had a temporary pony, Mhairi, who did a great job.

“The debut of a new horse is always special and we hope Socks will have a long association with the Lonach Gathering. A horse is an important part of the unique experience that is the Lonach Gathering. The sight of 220 Lonach Highlanders and the massed pipe bands leading the Lonach horse and cart onto the games field in such a stunning setting is a sight to behold.”

Socks’ owner Derek Gray said:

“Until a few weeks ago Socks had never encountered the sound of the bagpipes or the beat of a drum, so we’ve spent the last few months getting him used to them. Horses have very sensitive hearing so it is important to expose Socks to these unique sounds so that he is comfortable with them. He has a great temperament and has taken the training in his stride.

“I’ve been looking after the horse on the Lonach march for the last two years, taking over the role from my father who had done it for over 40 years before that. Having reared Socks since he was a yearling, I will be extremely proud to march alongside him on games day. There’ll be a few carrots close at hand to keep him sweet and ensure he behaves himself and doesn’t end up in the beer tent with all the other Highlanders.”

This year’s gathering, on Saturday, 22 August, will once again feature a full programme of traditional highland events. This will include individual and massed piping, highland dancing and light and heavy athletics, with some of the country’s leading pipers, dancers and athletes competing. The 300th anniversaries of the 1715 Jacobite uprising and opening of the Poldullie Bridge, a local landmark, will also be marked at the event.

Established in 1823, by Sir Charles Forbes, 1st Baronet of Newe and Edinglassie, the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society is a charitable organisation based in Strathdon, Aberdeenshire. The society organises the annual Lonach Gathering at Bellabeg Park, Strathdon, which is held on the fourth Saturday of August – this year’s event takes place on Saturday, 22 August. The main attraction at the gathering is the march of the Lonach Highlanders, a unique body of non-military men.

Further information on the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society, the Lonach Highlanders and the annual Lonach Highland Gathering can be found at www.lonach.org.

Comments enabled – see comments box below. Note, all comments will be moderated.

Steve Harris At The Lemon Tree – Reviewed

Aberdeen City, Featured, Opinion No Responses »

Aug 132015

Steve Harris spent some downtime from Iron Maiden at Lemon Tree with his new band, British Lion. Andrew Watson was in attendance. Pictures by Dod Morrison.

The album was released about three years ago, so it was refreshing that some newer material was thrown into the mix.

Upon the band name itself, Harris has reasoned it wasn’t necessarily harking back to the days of imperialist might on these shores; but more like supporting your local football team.

He certainly knows how to do that, with West Ham’s crest emblazoned across the body of his bass; his guitar strap a thick, woolly claret and baby blue.

Soft on the shoulders the key to his longevity perhaps. The Hammers, also known as the Irons because they were founded on Thames Ironworks – ‘Up the Irons!’ – provides a possible link to the origin in the name of his most famous musical endeavour.

One can’t help but draw at least some initial comparison to this setup and the formative spell of Ozzy Osbourne’s solo career. They were originally meant to be called Blizzard of Ozz, yet in the end that was only the name of the debut album and not the band itself. Yes, again as in Iron Maiden, Harris is the primary songwriter, unlike Ozzy.

However, why say onstage the band is called British Lion, when the CD says it’s Steve Harris and that’s merely the album title. It makes sense in both instances from a marketing perspective, one would suppose. Band rebelling against record label? Never!

Before all that, though, were support act The Raven Age, of London. These guys featured none other than George Harris, Steve’s son, on guitar. They were really interesting, actually. The brutality of more modern heavy metal, combined with a more classic rock sensibility of desire for melody and completely refraining from screaming and growls.

What’s more, they actually looked like they were enjoying themselves and, shock horror, you could even catch them smiling from time to time. The only drawback was the singer appearing to thank, come the end, Edinburgh for a good show. Whoops. Which was kind of strange because Aberdeen was mentioned mid set prior to that, so let’s put it down to a mere lapse of thought; engaging tongue before brain.

It turned out they were actually a man down, with their current guitarist away getting married. The fill-in did a tremendous job. Oh, and Harris Jnr was every bit as flashy, dextrous and brilliant as his father; albeit just on a different instrument. As is done a lot, both guitarists took dual responsibility for leads and solos, but you could tell he was their driving force; and that’s no disrespect to the aforementioned.

Overall, very good.

Main act British Lion opened with the thundering ‘This Is My God’. This was quite a grungy number and a fair old rocker to get the crowd going. Think Alice In Chains or Stone Temple Pilots. Yet another comparison would be that the singer sounds like Brandon Boyd of Incubus, and that’s only part of his range.

His opening salvo to the audience was something along the lines of ‘the harder you work for us, the harder we work for you’.

The Aberdeen audience, perhaps conscious of perceived reticence in comparison to more vocal places like Glasgow, and of course, Edinburgh, duly accepted the challenge and went on to do this with much aplomb. Later he said the latter were good but Aberdeen was better. Very diplomatic.

He went on, perhaps as a titbit in reward for the crowd’s raucous behaviour, to explain that ‘These Are The Hands’ was about his hometown, it’s history and it’s struggle and perseverance to this day. It’s driving, epic and links well to the tribal pride in your area or nationality.

There were chances aplenty to wave your arms in the air and clap to the beat of the drums, call and response football-esque chants and get shot by Harris Snr and his machine gun bass.

The song selection was generally good and featured, as said, a lot of new material. The likes of ‘Karma Killer’ was omitted, which was a shame because it’s punchy, groovy and little like anything Iron Maiden has ever done.

Speaking of the Irons there were at least a few numbers that sounded like that kind of material, but never explicitly so. Just like Bill Wyman warned his Rhythm Kings wouldn’t play Rolling Stones songs at the Music Hall a few years back, so British Lion are within right to demand the same.

However the influences do creep into some. Who is the audience to claim they don’t like the sound of dual guitars, or the performer to claim they don’t like pretending they’re Thin Lizzy when they’re doing them?

A pretty lively night, considering it was a Monday.

Hornblower’s Becomes 100% Scottish Sourced

Aberdeen City, Featured, News No Responses »

Aug 132015

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

Hornblower’s was opened in 2010 by Alex and Ruth Grahame, and specialises in locally-sourced seasonal food with an emphasis on seafood, .

An award-winning Aberdeenshire fish restaurant and takeaway has become 100% Scottish sourced for all its produce after a new deal was struck that guarantees the serving of Scottish poultry in the north-east.

For over two years, Alex Grahame, who owns Hornblower’s in Gourdon with his wife Ruth, has been campaigning to find a reliable and certified Scottish supplier for poultry.

The restaurant is committed to 100% Scottish sourcing, receiving daily deliveries of fish from either Gourdon or Peterhead harbour, fresh meat from The Store and even salt for its chips from the Hebridean Sea Salt company.

Despite this, affordable high welfare Scottish chicken was always missing from the Gourdon menu as a result of the country’s leading suppliers being tied in with exclusive supermarket deals. This shortage of chicken available for independent restaurants has meant that Hornblower’s has had to source its poultry from further afield.

But now, thanks to help from supplier Braehead Foods and Richard Lochhead MSP, Scottish cabinet secretary for rural affairs, food and environment, an understanding has been formed that will see a proportion of red tractor assured poultry from Blairgowrie made available by 2 Sisters Food Group in Glasgow. This will allow restaurants like Hornblower’s to dish up the nation’s chicken to its customers.

Alex Grahame said:

“This announcement is fantastic news for us and really signals an end to over two years of frustration in terms of countless attempts at trying to source affordable, Scottish, high-welfare chickens.

“The power of the supermarkets is really there for all to see and I’d like to thank Braehead Foods and Richard Lochhead for their role in lobbying this campaign. To have a guarantee of Scottish poultry for inclusion in our dishes is really a victory for every independent restaurant in the country and highlights that change can happen for the greater good.

“We’re delighted to now be in a position to add Scottish poultry to our menu and I’m sure our customers will be delighted to hear that the final piece in our sourcing puzzle has been placed. As a restaurant that is committed to 100% Scottish sourcing, from our local fish to our Scottish drinks and even our ice-cream, to finally get over the line with our promise is a great feeling and one that we’ll look to continue to enhance with the addition of new produce in the near future.”

Richard Lochhead MSP, Scottish cabinet secretary for rural affairs, food and environment, said:

“Hornblower’s in Gourdon is a great example of serving up Scotland’s fantastic larder on menus. We land the best seafood and shellfish in the world in Scotland, especially in the north-east, and Hornblower’s offers this alongside great Scottish beef and now top quality Scottish chicken too.

“It’s great to see Hornblower’s get behind Scottish producers: people want to know the story behind the food they eat especially in this important showcase year of food and drink.

“As Scotland takes its steps towards becoming a Good Food Nation, I would encourage as many retailers and hotels and restaurants to follow the lead of places, like Hornblower’s, that are helping Scotland’s growing reputation as the ‘Land of Food and Drink’.

“We have, with VisitScotland, created the ‘Taste our Best’ accreditation scheme which is going from strength to strength. ‘Taste our Best’ is a great way of helping customers find restaurants offering authentic Scottish provenance. I would be delighted if all hotels and restaurants across Scotland followed suit.”

Craig Stevenson, managing director of Braehead Foods, said:

“We are delighted to be able to offer our customers a fantastic range of Scottish produce, our aim first and foremost is always to source Scottish produce where possible. Braehead Foods work with a vast range of Scottish producers and are proud to promote Scottish produce, not only across the UK and Europe, but across the world.”

Hornblower’s in Gourdon, which specialises in locally-sourced seasonal food with an emphasis on seafood, was opened in 2010 by Alex and Ruth Grahame.

Renowned for its fresh produce, the restaurant and takeaway has built up a reputation for showcasing the best that Scotland has to offer from both sea and field. Committed to 100% Scottish sourcing for all of its fish and meat, the restaurant receives daily fresh deliveries of fish from either Gourdon or Peterhead harbour.

It has also received critical acclaim, most recently scooping the 2015 Best Chippy Chips in Scotland award from the National Potato Council. It was also awarded with a VisitScotland Thistle Award for best informal dining experience in the north-east and Tayside in 2014.

The restaurant has also announced plans to take over the lease for the site of the former Jimmy Chungs and TC Fish restaurant at Aberdeen Beach.

The proposal, which has been submitted for planning permission includes a two-storey 16,000 sq ft restaurant facing the sea front with terraces on the first floor and a heated outdoor sitting area on the ground floor. A 650 sq ft takeaway, a 2,500 sq ft ice cream parlour along with two other restaurants, including The Pier Bistro is also part of the plans.

Comments enabled – see comments box below. Note, all comments will be moderated.

UK Govt Proposals Threat To NHS Grampian Staff Numbers

Aberdeenshire, News No Responses »

Aug 102015

Christian Allard MSP at the Scottish Parliament.

With thanks to Lee Robb, Caseworker to Christian Allard MSP.

Home Office planned changes to working visas could see a number of NHS Grampian staff sent back to their home countries.

This comes after North East SNP MSP, Christian Allard, requested information from NHS Grampian on what the UK Government’s proposed changes to the current Tier 2 Visa system would mean for the local health service.

The proposals mean that, non-EU citizens who earn less-than £35,000 per annum, could find they do not qualify for a UK working visa. NHS Grampian counted 10 staff members who fall into this category – including nursing staff.

The Royal College of Nursing have projected that such changes could cost NHS Scotland 3,365 nurses.

Commenting, Christian Allard said:

“People who come to this country and contribute, in the way that NHS nurses do, should not be treated like second-class citizens.

“The prospect of losing NHS Scotland staff as a result of the Conservative government’s planned changes is totally unacceptable. This will have an effect everywhere, including here in the North East.

“NHS staff play a vital role in delivering our health service. Their experience and dedication cannot be allowed to fall victim to a backwards agenda from the UK Government.”

Comments enabled – see comments box below. Note, all comments will be moderated.

Older Entries Newer Entries