Events Archives - Page 11 of 34

AllFord At Alford: McRae Cars Added To Line Up

Aug 292014

Grampian Transport Museum is delighted to announce a few late additions to the vehicle line up of the inaugural AllFord event at Alford this weekend. With thanks to Martyn Smith, Marketing and Events Organiser, Grampian Transport Museum.

A 1979 Ford Escort MK2, built to the exact specifications of the late Colin McRae, will be displayed for the first time in a number of years when it appears at AllFord this Sunday.
Now owned by the late WRC champion’s wife Alison, the vehicle was commissioned by Gordon Birtwistle of Proflex UK, on behalf of Colin.

With DJM Motorsport confirmed to undertake the special project, work began on the donor vehicle in early 2003.

The Escort was ready by July 2004 and went on to make a number of appearances during 2004 & 2005, rekindling the legendary partnership of McRae and Grist once more.

Also on display at AllFord will be the former WRC champion’s 2001 Ford Focus – Y4 FMC. This car, co-driven by Nicky Grist, was one of the Ford works vehicles which featured in the 2001 World Rally Championship, at a time when Ford was within sight of their first World Title in some 20 years. It was at the Welsh stage of the Rally of Great Britain that an accident in this very vehicle ultimately cost Colin the title.

The Focus was rebuilt and then competed in by Cumbria based Paul Benn before changing hands again and competing in the BTRDA rally, driven by Hugh Hunter. It is now locally owned by north east businessman Bob Shepherd of Station Garage, Torphins.

The final McRae vehicle on display is Colin’s father Jimmy McRae’s 1987 Sierra RS Cosworth. The vehicle was most recently driven at the Colin McRae Forest stages with Olympic Gold medallist Sir Chris Hoy co-driving alongside Jimmy himself.

The organisers of AllFord would like to pass on their sincere thanks to both Jimmy and Alison McRae for their kind support of the event.

Another late addition to the line up is a brand new 2014 registered Ford Mustang Shelby GT500. The Supercharged V8 will add a touch of Americana to the event and will prove to be a real head turner when it arrives from Inverness.

A show ‘n’ shine competition as well as an award for ‘The Choice of the People’ – the vehicle the public vote as their most popular at the event – will add an element of fun to proceedings.

AllFord at Alford takes place on Sunday 31st August from 11am – 4pm. Admission to the event is £5, with children under 16 admitted free.

Tommy Sheridan YES Talk In Aberdeen

Aberdeen City, Events, News No Responses »

Aug 222014

With thanks to Dave Watt.

Tommy Sheridan is in Aberdeen on Wednesday 3rd of September at the Copthorne Hotel in Huntly Street as part of the Hope Not Fear Tour where he has spoken at venues all over Scotland alongside YES campaigners David Hayman and Ian Hamilton to over 15,000 people in the last eight months.

Thumbnail image credit: “TommySheridan2007” by D. Natanson – Self-photographed. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons

AllFord at Alford: More Star Cars Confirmed.

Aberdeenshire, Events, Information No Responses »

Aug 222014

Grampian Transport Museum, Alford, is preparing to welcome Ford fans next Sunday (31st August) for the inaugural AllFord event. With thanks to Martyn Smith, Marketing and Events Organiser, Grampian Transport Museum.

AllFord at Alford will be a celebration of everything ‘Fordie’ from 1908 to the present day and is the museums first ever gathering of everything connected with Ford.
Over 170 vehicle entries have already been received, with everything from standard family cars to high performance rally vehicles and rare examples from the pioneering days of the motor
car.

Local businessman Sandy Dalgarno will be displaying a number of ex-works rally cars, including a 1972 Group 4 Escort Mexico rally car which competed in the Sydney to London Rally earlier this year. An unregistered MK5 Cortina, clocking up just 92 miles from new, will also be brought for display.

Another exciting addition to the event is the ‘Charles Bang’ slingshot dragster, which featured in this years SpeedFest event, will also be on show, falling under the banner of ‘Ford powered’ specials – thanks to its flathead Ford V8 Engine. Built in 1955 it went on to set the USA ‘D’ class record in 1965, running a quarter mile with an elapsed time of just over 10.3 seconds.

Recently on display at the Trinity Centre in Aberdeen the dragster will make its final appearance in the North East at AllFord. Although a static event, the dragster will be fired up to give members of the public an idea of the immense sound it produces.

Also in attendance will be a 1992 Escort Cosworth, driven by Malcolm Wilson. Wilson achieved his long-held ambition of winning the British Rally Championship in 1994 at the wheel of this very vehicle, which was subject to a complete nuts and bolts restoration in 2002. Powered by a turbocharged Cosworth engine, producing around 350bhp, the car also featured in the 1996 Scottish Rally Championship under the care of current owner George Gauld.

Commercial vehicles will also be represented, with entries including a 1976 F100 pick up, and 1970 MK1 Escort van confirmed so far. Historic vehicles including no less than 6 Model T Fords, ranging from as early as 1911 to 1926, will also be present, along with a pair of 1930 Model A examples from the Stonehaven area

Fans of the classic American TV series Starsky and Hutch will also be delighted, with a replica of the shows iconic Gran Torino – signed by Huggy Bear himself – brought by Celebrity Car Hire in Aberdeen.

Away from the vehicle displays a number of trade stands will be present, including the likes of Autoglym and RA Plates and Signs. North East Scotland College will also be on site, providing visitors with information on a range of courses including mechanical courses available.

Museum curator, Mike Ward, explains the rationale behind this new event:

“Where better than Alford to stage AllFord! Our location gave us the idea! Ever since the museum first opened in 1983 there has been a Model T in the exhibition. You simply cannot explain the history of the car to school children without one.

Henry Ford’s immense contribution to transport history with his introduction of ‘motoring for the masses’ was continued by the Ford Motor Company with successive innovative and popular cars. That legacy and the popular appeal of Ford’s family cars and competition cars, makes Ford the obvious choice for the museum’s first one marque celebration!”

AllFord at Alford takes place on Sunday 31st August from 11am – 4pm. Admission to the event is £5, with children under 16 admitted free.

Fast Car Rides at Grampian Transport Museum

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Jul 182014

The summer holiday fun continues at the Grampian Transport Museum on Wednesday 23rd July with the next rides session – Fast Car Rides. With thanks to Martyn Smith.

A selection of supercars and high-performance cars will once again take to the circuit to offer museum visitors a shot in the passenger seat for a couple of laps.
Some of the vehicles already confirmed to take part include a Ferrari 430 F1, Toniq R900, Aston Martin DB7 and a beautiful Morgan Plus 4.

This unique event is an ‘added value’ extra and is available to visitors over the age of 8, as part of the standard admission – £9.50 for adults, £7.50 for concessions and two children are admitted FREE with every adult ticket.

Following on from the Fast Car Rides session there will be an American Car Rides session on Thursday 7th August and a Family Fun Day on Wednesday 13th August from 1pm – 4.30pm. This will include arts & crafts, balloon maker, puppet show, vehicle rides and face painting.

Aboyne Strongman Lifts Some Extra Special Weights

Events, Featured, Sport No Responses »

Jul 112014

Forget cabers and stones – local Aboyne strongman James is practicing his weightlifting with some real, live Highland dancers. With thanks to Eoin Smith.

To celebrate the launch of this year’s Aboyne Highland Games official programme, local Aboyne weightlifter, James Dawkins, 21, put his super-human strength to the test by lifting a pair of highland dancers, Amy Lawson –Anderson, 6, and Kirsty Dundas, 9.

The girls, also from Aboyne, used the opportunity to demonstrate their impressive balancing skills by holding their dance poses perfectly on the palms of James’s hands.

The young strongman made balancing the girls look like a walk in the park and as if he could in fact toss them like a caber. They are all hoping to perform just as well at this year’s Games, on Saturday August 2nd on Royal Deeside.

The programme celebrates the activities and stories surrounding the Games as well as listing the attractions to enjoy on the day.

There will be 96 arena events, including the famous ‘heavies’ tossing the cabers, highland dancing, a fiddle competition and rousing pipe bands.

The Games will also host 70 trade stands and a fun fair for the kids to enjoy.

As well as the traditional events, there will also be some sporting events to participate in. Some are more competitive than others – from the high jump and junior sack race to the extra gruelling Fungle Hill Race.

As part of 2014’s Homecoming celebrations, the Games have marked this extra special year by finding a strongman to take on the Dinnie Stones challenge. UK strongman, Mark Felix, a competitor at the World’s Strongest Man, is taking on the challenge to lift and carry the original stones, which weight over 773lbs over a distance of 4 metres.

Mark is attempting to recreate the feat set by the legendary Donald Dinnie, celebrated as ‘The World’s Greatest Athlete of the 19th Century’, who famously carried the ‘Dinnie Stanes’ across the Potarch Bridge in Aberdeenshire in 1867.

Ian Scott, Aboyne Highland Games chairman, says:

“More than 9000 visitors from all over the world are expected to visit us on the village green on August 2nd. People of all ages will be able to enjoy the events whether they are competing or spectating. There really is something for all the family to enjoy – from the famous ‘Dinnie Stanes’ attempt to the highland dancing.”

Further information on the games and all of the activities can be found by visiting www.aboynegames.com

Forget ‘The Island’ – Become A Wild Woman!

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Jul 042014

With thanks to Jennifer Kelly.

As a response to the gripping TV show ‘The Island’, Wild things! has launched a Wild Woman weekend, giving women across the nation a chance to embrace their inner ‘Bear Gals’.

With no experience required, the weekend promises to inspire, educate and fulfill even the most unlikely Wild candidates.

Based on the Moray Coast, the environmental education charity is encouraging women to swap their hectic lives for a two-day wilderness escape on August 2nd and 3rd2014.

Arriving in true castaway fashion, the weekend will begin by boat to a remote location. From there, the intrepid explorers will learn traditional living skills such as how to identify wild edible and medicinal plants, cooking over an open fire, having a go at some creative camp craft, as well as sleeping in a hammock or tipi under the stars.

Jennie, the lead instructor for the course says:

“On this wonderful coast, the only sounds you’ll hear at night will be that of the coastal birds and, if we’re lucky, grey and common seals. The course will be restorative, inspiring and fun. You don’t have to be butch, brave or buxom as we will work together as a team. There will be some challenges but only those that will leave you feeling more alive than you ever thought possible, as well as totally in love with the natural world (if you weren’t already!).”

Wild things! is a Scottish environmental education charity based in Findhorn, Moray.

Wild things! offers a variety of inspiring wilderness and nature experiences for all ages and abilities regardless of learning challenges or physical and financial difficulties.

For more information about any of our programmes visit our website www.wild-things.org.uk, or call us on 01309 690450.

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‘Big Stuff Rides’ At GTM Thursday 10th July 2pm – 4pm

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Jul 042014

The Grampian Transport Museum in Alford is preparing to host its first Rides session of the School summer holidays when representatives from the world of commercial vehicles take to the circuit on Thursday 10th July.

‘Big Stuff Rides’ will give museum visitors the chance to jump in the passenger seats of some interesting and unusual commercial vehicles – including vintage buses from the Aberdeen & District Transport Preservation Trust, recovery vehicles from S.S Walker in Aberdeen and a 1975 Commer Fire Engine which is privately owned by an enthusiast from Aultmore, near Keith.

These ‘rides’ sessions are unique to the Grampian Transport Museum in Alford and offer museum visitors the chance to take to the passenger seat and enjoy laps around the dedicated road circuit at no additional cost, being included in the museums standard admission.

Curator, Mike Ward, is looking forward to summer at the museum.

“It’s always a great feeling when we reach the summer season. Our unique events programme gets into full swing with events just like these ‘rides’ sessions, which are always popular with families and youngsters.

“July and August are among our busiest months and once the Big Stuff event has passed we still have the Classic & Vintage Gathering and Fast Car Rides events to look forward to before the end of the July!”

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Help for Heroes Go Wild with ‘Wild things!’

Aberdeenshire, Events No Responses »

Jun 272014

With thanks to Jennifer Kelly.

This July, Help for Heroes Recovery Centre, Tedworth House in Wiltshire, will welcome environmental education charity Wild things! as they run a nationally accredited training programme for wounded, injured and sick serving and veteran members of the Armed Forces.

The course was developed by Wild things! founder and executive director, Jennie Martin in consultation with staff from the University of the Highlands and Islands, and the John Muir Awards scheme.

The Woodland Activity Leader Training programme is a nationally accredited qualification that gives participants the confidence, skills and qualifications to teach environmental education and Bushcraft skills to others. It is also a wonderful opportunity to learn outdoors in a natural environment for the wounded, injured and sick service personnel.

In their first collaboration with the nationwide charity, Wild things! will deliver the six day Woodland Activity Leader Training programme to 10 participants through Help for Heroes.

Tedworth House is one of four Recovery Centres run by Help for Heroes, which aims to inspire the wounded, injured and sick and returning veterans to lead active, independent and fulfilling lives, which will enable them to reach their full potential and to support them and their families for life.

It is a place of opportunities providing education, training, sport and adventure in a relaxed, understanding and caring environment. State of the art facilities and dedicated staff aid the road to recovery.

Tedworth House Centre Manager Giles Woodhouse comments:

“The Woodland Activity Leader Training will be incredibly beneficial for the wounded, injured and sick individuals taking part. This kind of training opens doors to new interests and opportunities that those we support may not have considered before. We are truly excited about the opportunity to work with Wild Things!”

Based in the idyllic conservation village of Findhorn in the North East of Scotland, Wild things! offer a variety of inspiring wilderness and nature experiences for all ages and abilities, regardless of learning, physical and financial challenges.

Charity founder Jennie Martin says,

“We are delighted to be able to offer this exciting course to such an worthwhile organisation as Help for Heroes. Our Woodland Activity Leader Training is jammed packed with information and experiences that leave our participants skilled up, confident and excited to lead adventures in our fantastic UK woodlands.”

Info re. Help for heroes –

Help for Heroes offers comprehensive support to those who have suffered life-changing injuries and illnesses whilst serving our country. This is provided through grants to individuals, other Service charities, capital build projects and our four Recovery Centres across the UK which will offer support for life.

The money raised by the hugely generous public has been used to support our wounded, but there is still so much more to do. Soldiers, sailors and airmen who are injured today will still need our support tomorrow and in the days that follow, for the rest of their lives. They are still battling and we won’t let them battle alone.

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You Broke More Than Just Your Mother’s Heart

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Jun 242014

Jasmine Minks release a new single in tribute to a lost friend and colleague, and stalwart of Aberdeen’s early indie/punk scene.

Background

Positivity is required. It’s 2014 and the World Cup. France are flying, England are…. well, doing what England tend to do in World Cup finals… keep everyone on tenterhook’s as to how it will go.

Scotland didn’t make it but we did beat the 2006 runners-up France on their own turf which felt as good as winning the world cup and the Jasmine Minks were there to witness it.

It was to be the last real get together for us with our friend and roadie Mark (aka SCARS). He died not too long after.

This song is a tribute to the Man; he was a soul that shaped us in so many different ways. He was one of us. It’s a song about remaining strong through a time of change and so often to many adversity and worry.

Production rationale

The main constraint to music these days is appetite. What drives us to keep on doing what we do? Positivity that’s what!

We believe in the capacity of (good) music to make a change for the better. We made a positive change. We have for the first time in a career spanning over 30 years included the bagpipes on a Jasmine Minks song.

Think the Minks meet McCartney on a boozed up Mull of Kintyre giving it a “wishing we were Brian Wilson” kind of vibe with some Jethro Tull flute thrown in for good measure with a twist of guitar alongside power drumming and you have a cocktail to provoke the senses that will leave them shaken and most likely stirred too.

Investment rationale

We made a genius move and have invested our lives in building our WALL – this WALL enables us to do our thing despite being in different areas all over the place – it’s a construction of our Work Art Life and Love

We did it ourselves via technology, the internet and the skill set of a group of musicians spread from fields afar such as Norway, Aberdeen and Glencoe to the London outskirts of Sutton to make this positivity happen. We hope you enjoy!

Available via digital download from iTunes, Amazon etc from 22nd June.

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Freedom Of Aberdeen City Punk Festival Coming

Aberdeen City, Featured, Gigs and Concerts No Responses »

Jun 242014

There’s a weekend of top punk bands playing next month at The Tunnels. Voice’s Andrew Watson previews this upcoming event.

Oi Polloi

‘Freedom of Aberdeen City’ is the area’s summer punk rock festival which is brought to you by DIY promoters Bile Yer Heid and Eck Ruffneck on Friday 4th at 18:00 and Saturday 5th July at 13:00.

Friday’s lineup is Steve Ignorant & Paranoid Visions, Rubella Ballet, Shatterhand, The Cundeez (Dundee) and local noise punks The Obscenities.

Paranoid Visions are Ireland’s most infamous punk bands, and have Steve Ignorant, the vocalist from Crass, guesting on this year’s tour.

Rubella Ballet, who scored a Top Ten hit in the UK Indie Charts, will be playing their first Scottish gig since the early 1980s..

Saturday sees The Mob, Oi Polloi, Hooligan (Dublin), The System (Wigan), Black Light Mutants (Manchester), Battery Humans (Northumberland), Subvision (Fife), Down To Kill (Edinburgh), The Eddies (Dundee), Aberdeen City’s Toxik Ephex, Against All Flags (Inverness/the West Highlands), and Aberdeenshire’s Mark Ayling and Skizofrenik.

The Mob are straight off the back of a USA tour, having recently reformed. The south-west of England melodic punk band have not played Aberdeen since around 1983.

Oi Polloi return to Aberdeen for the first time in three years and have new, original Gaelic-language numbers to play for the punks and skins.

This will be a complete one-off event with many notable and influential political punk rock acts, coming from all corners of England, Ireland and Scotland.

A Friday gig ticket is £15 for five bands, a Saturday gig ticket is £15 for thirteen bands. To see all eighteen bands over the two days duration is only £25. Tickets are available from Cafe Drummond, or from www.bileyerainheid.blogspot.com.

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