Aberdeen City Archives - Page 35 of 206

Emeli Sandé: The face Of The Music Hall Transformation

Oct 272016

By Duncan Harley, and with thanks to Erica Banks, Communications Officer, Aberdeen Performing Arts.

Emeli Sandé has pledged her support to the multi-million pound scheme to launch the historic venue into the 21st century and beyond

Built to a design by Archibald Simpson and opened in 1822, performers as diverse as Charles Dickens, Elton John and comedy puppet duo Pinky and Perky have trodden the boards to entertain and amaze Aberdeen audiences. Politicians such as Tony Benn, Winston Churchill, and Lloyd George also put in appearances, and throughout its history the building has played host to everything from concerts and bazaars to theatre and sporting events.

Indeed many Aberdonians can still recall their shock introduction to Glam Rock when in far off 1972 a hopeful David Bowie accompanied by legendary guitarist Mick Ronson brought Spiders from Mars to a Music Hall audience.

As the “A Listed” venue begins an £8m restoration and regeneration uplift, Aberdeen Performing Arts (APA) has announced that Alford-born singer-songwriter Emeli Sandé has pledged her support to the multi-million pound scheme to launch the historic venue into the 21st century and beyond.

“The Music Hall holds so many fond memories for me” said former Alford Academy pupil Emeli,

“From the music festivals in primary school to my first tour, the beautiful atmosphere and stunning acoustics really make this a special place to perform.”

The project is spearheaded by APA, the charitable trust which runs the Music Hall, His Majesty’s Theatre and The Lemon Tree.

To date, fundraising efforts have raised a massive £6.5m towards the transformation, including major contributions from Aberdeen City Council, Creative Scotland, The Heritage Lottery Fund, Historic Environment Scotland, The Robertson Trust, The Foyle Foundation, Garfield Weston, The Wolfson Foundation and The Hugh Fraser Foundation.

This week a £150,000 sponsorship deal has been agreed between APA and Aberdeen Solicitors’ Property Centre. Aberdeen Inspired has also gifted £50,000, bringing the total funds raised to just over 80 percent of the final total, £7.9m, ahead of re-opening in Autumn/Winter 2018.

Jane Spiers, APA Chief Executive commented:

“We are so thrilled to have begun the next chapter in the life of the Music Hall. This is a huge campaign that has been years in the making – it has taken many months of planning and fundraising. However, this project is about much more than bricks and mortar. The Music Hall is a national treasure with decades of wonderful history behind it.

The range and calibre of artists, musicians and events the Hall has hosted over nearly 200 years is truly astonishing and its place at the heart of community and civic life is unassailable. You’d be hard pressed to find anyone who has a connection with Aberdeen who doesn’t have a story to tell about the Music Hall – a prize giving, graduation, great concert, school orchestra, a romantic encounter.

We’re delighted that Emeli Sandé is lending her support to the transformation and we are proud to be developing a venue which will be international in outlook and also operate at the heart of the ever-growing arts community in the North-east.”

Plans for the revamped Music Hall include upgrades to the historic auditorium with new seating, flooring and more flexible staging, new performance, rehearsal and education spaces, upgraded artist facilities, a new foyer, box office and café bar and new ramps and lifts to improve access to all areas.

Jane added:

“It really is an ingenious re-imagining of the space. We’re restoring and retaining the Music Hall’s historic fabric and its wonderful acoustic and at the same time we’re adding new features in keeping with the expectations of a 21st century audience … our venues are a vital part of cultural life in the city”

Aberdeen City Council leader Jenny Laing backed up Jane’s comments

“The Music Hall redevelopment is a wonderful example of projects taking place in the city centre which will deliver a positive impact”

and Sean O’Callaghan of main contractor Kier Construction commented that

“It’s a privilege to restore this historic and much loved building. Our expertise and experience in delivering a diverse range of iconic heritage projects across Scotland stands us in good stead as we renovate Aberdeen Music Hall for future generations to enjoy.”

If you would like to support the project via donations, by lending the support of your business or by becoming a Music Hall ambassador contact Aberdeen Performing Arts .

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History Behind Middle East Conflicts: Public Meeting Nov 3

Aberdeen City, Articles, Information No Responses »

Oct 272016

bullets With thanks to Jonathan Russell, Chair of Aberdeen and District Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.

Izhar Khan a local hospital consultant, lecturer, and activist will be talking on the History behind the Middle East Conflicts. He gave this talk to great aclaim last year. The talk will be followed by a discussion.

The Public Meeting which is also supported by Aberdeen Student Left will take place at 7pm at the MacRobert Lecture Theatre in the MacRobert Building at the University of Aberdeen.

The MacRobert building is just off King Street before the roundabout at Seaton. There is parking and cycle racks and the building is wheelchair friendly.

There will be a further meeting on the Kurds in the Middle East on November 10th (venue to be announced) and subsequent meetings on Syria and the Yemen/

If you want to find out more about the Middle East please come along and share this article with your friends.

Lots Up For Grabs In Annual Charity Auction

Aberdeen City, Charity No Responses »

Oct 272016

Michelle Ferguson, charity manager, Cash for Kids

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

North-east residents are being encouraged to dig deep and bid for a range of items as a local charity holds its popular autumn fundraising event.

Aberdeen-based Cash for Kids is once again holding its annual online auction, which runs until Sunday, 30 October.

The money raised will be used by the charity to support sick, disabled and disadvantaged children and young people living in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.

Cash for Kids provides quarterly grant funding to individuals, families and community groups to help improve the lives of local children and young people under the age of 18.

Proceeds of the auction will be used to fulfil these application. During each round of funding the charity distributes over £30,000 in order to meet the range of applications it receives.

Businesses across north-east Scotland have already thrown their weight behind the initiative. Local butchers, florists, photographers, garages, gyms, beauticians and attractions are among those who have donated goods and services to feature in the auction.

Each year, the online auction provides north-east residents with the opportunity to bid on a range of items, including one-off objects and unique experiences. This year it features pop and sporting memorabilia, portraiture sessions, car servicing packages, sports lessons, hotel stays, theatre tickets and dinner packages. Bidding closes at 8pm on Sunday, 30 October.

Auction highlights include an Aberdeen Football Club shirt signed by the first team, a One Direction T-shirt signed by band members Niall Horan and Harry Styles, and framed drum skins signed by One Direction, 5 Seconds of Summer and James Morrison.

A number of hotels have provided accommodation packages. Bids can be placed on one night’s bed and breakfast, with arrival champagne, for two at Meldrum House Hotel, dinner, bed and breakfast for two at Ardoe House Hotel, and dinner, bed and breakfast for two at the Marriott Aberdeen. Further afield, the King Robert Hotel at Bannockburn has donated a two-night stay with dinner, bed and breakfast.

Food fans have the chance to bid on Sunday brunch for four at Malmaison Aberdeen, afternoon tea for two at 210 Bistro, a voucher from Da Giorgio Trattoria, and meat packages from butchers Andrew Gordon and J&G Dossett. Also on offer are fourballs at Newburgh Golf Course, gym membership at Aberdeen Sports Village and a snow sport lesson at Aberdeen Snowsports Centre.

Michelle Ferguson, Cash for Kids charity manager, said:

“Our annual auction is always really popular with the public. Once again, we’ve had a great response from local businesses who have been very generous with the items that they have donated. The auction really is an example of how the whole local community can pull together and make a difference to lives of sick, disabled and disadvantaged north-east children.

“We have a diverse range of items in the auction again this year, so there is something to suit all ages, tastes and budgets. If you are looking for a bit of pampering so that you are ready for your festive nights out there are a number of beauty treatments on offer, or some fantastic family experiences including trips on the Royal Deeside Railway and visits to The Den and The Glen. Some items still have low starting bids, so they might be secured very reasonably.”

To see the full list of auction items and place bids, visit https://northsoundcashforkidsonline.auction-bid.org. Bidding closes at 8pm on Sunday, 30 October.

Cash for Kids is Northsound Radio’s listeners’ charity. It makes grants to individuals, families, children’s groups, organisations and projects throughout the Northsound transmission area. All money is raised locally and spent locally to benefit local disabled and disadvantaged children and young people under 18. More information on Cash for Kids can be found at www.northsound1.com/cashforkids, or telephone 01224 337010.

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Wiszniewski And Stevenson: Jazz At The Lampie – Nov 3

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Oct 272016

wiszniewski-and-stevenson-feat With thanks to Rob Adams.

It’s a varied life on the road for saxophonist Konrad Wiszniewski and pianist Euan Stevenson who bring their acclaimed New Focus Quartet to the Blue Lamp on Thursday, November 3.

Already this autumn Wiszniewski and Stevenson’s touring schedule has taken them to a blues club in Cupar and churches in Edinburgh and Falkirk as well as the former seamen’s mission down by Eyemouth harbour.

“Blues and church music are two of the main ingredients in jazz,” says Wiszniewski, who is also one of the stars of the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra’s saxophone section.

“Jazz musicians improvise on blues scales and a lot of jazz, especially the soul-jazz style that came out of the 1950s and 1960s, draws on gospel music, so we felt at home in both types of venue and particularly enjoyed the acoustics in Craiglockhart church in Edinburgh.

“We thought it made an ideal jazz venue – and the minister agreed!”

Wiszniewski and Stevenson have been touring to promote their new album, New Focus on Song, the second release by a group that grew out of an Edinburgh Jazz Festival tribute they paid to the great saxophonist Stan Getz. In 1961, Getz recorded a trailblazing orchestral album, Focus, and in 2011 Wiszniewski and Stevenson were commissioned by the festival to recreate the music on the album to mark its fiftieth anniversary.

They so enjoyed working with the ensemble that performed Focus, a nine-piece featuring jazz quartet, string quartet and concert harp, that they turned it into their main outlet, although for economic reasons gigs with the string quartet and harp tend to be quite rare at the moment.

“Although we don’t actually sing, the music on the new album is really songlike in style,” says Wiszniewski.

“The idea was that the compositions would be roughly the same length as a pop single because people’s time is so precious these days and we wanted to try and capture their attention quickly with strong melodies, although we stretch out a bit more in live performances than we did on the album.”

Atmosphere plays a strong role in the music, too, and there’s also quite a prominent Scottish element.

“The Scottish folk influence is something that came quite naturally, just through living and working here,” says the Glasgow-based Wiszniewski, who in addition to various jazz projects has toured with award-winning folk fusion band the Peatbog Faeries and with fiddle player Aidan O’Rourke, from Lau.

“We toured with the American saxophonist Ravi Coltrane’s group last year and his musicians were very complimentary about how we were playing jazz that reflected our own culture rather than theirs, so we feel we must be doing something right.”

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Former Apprentice Nominated For Ambassador Title

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Oct 272016

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

Sophie Ewen.

Aberdonian Sophie Ewen (20), who began her career as an apprentice, has been nominated as Apprentice Ambassador of the Year in the 2016 Scottish Apprenticeship Awards.

Sophie, who completed her business and administration modern apprenticeship with Aberdeen Asset Management, is now the firm’s graduate programme co-ordinator.

The awards, which are organised by Skills Development Scotland will be announced at The National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh on 3 November.

The awards aim to showcase excellent apprentices who deserve recognition for their hard work as well as employers who are committed to the apprenticeship programme.

Sophie, who is a former pupil at the city’s St Machar Academy, was one of the first apprentices recruited by Aberdeen Asset Management in 2012 when the apprenticeship programme was introduced to complement the company’s existing intern and graduate programmes.

As well as studying for her Highers and Advanced Highers, Sophie was an active participant in the school’s extracurricular groups as well as being on the school’s charity committee and involved with the equal opportunities group.

Initially considering applying for a University course, Sophie was attracted to the business and administration modern apprenticeship as a way to join a large global company where she could earn while she learned and gain valuable working experience. Through the structured rotation programme between different departments, Sophie quickly realised that HR was the perfect fit for her.

On completion of her apprenticeship, Sophie remained in the HR team where she helps in the co-ordination of Aberdeen Asset Management’s talent programme including apprenticeships, investment trainees, interns and graduates. Sophie also runs employability workshops for school leavers, mentors young people to help them get job-ready and finds time to volunteer with a number of training related charities.

Aberdeen supported Sophie to complete her investment operations qualification and she is currently working towards an HR chartership.

Martin Gilbert, chief executive of Aberdeen Asset Management commented:

“Sophie clearly has all the attributes and skills needed to be an Apprentice Ambassador of the Year. With her ambition and initiative she is a popular member of the Aberdeen team and never fails to help colleagues. Just like Sophie, we’ve found all our apprentices to be keen, motivated individuals who are committed to on-the-job training and learning.

“By rotating to different departments, our apprentices learn a wide range of skills and develop knowledge that will stand them in good stead for the future, while gaining a feel for the business and finding out which area best suits them and their skills and interests. We will all be cheering on Sophie in November when the winners are announced.”

The Aberdeen Asset Management programme for apprenticeships which will start in September 2017 will open in February 2017. The apprenticeship runs for 12 to 24 months and apprentices rotate to different teams every four months to give a well-rounded view of the asset management industry and its related functions.

The rotational aspect of the programme helps apprentices learn about the organisation, meet the people involved and help them decide which area of the business to begin their career in. As well as learning on the job, Aberdeen provides apprentices with an extensive induction, access to training courses and qualifications during their apprenticeship. More can be found at http://graduates.aberdeen-asset.com/en/graduates/apprenticeships.

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Dons 1976 Stars Reunite To Support North-east Charity

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Oct 212016

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

graham-findlay-ceo-ness Aberdeen Football Club legends are reuniting from across the globe at a charity lunch in Aberdeen this month.
Eleven of Aberdeen Football Club’s 1976 Scottish League Cup winning squad will reunite for the first time in 40 years at a sell out event in aid of North East Sensory Services (NESS) on 28th October at the Chester Hotel, Aberdeen.

Legends of the exciting campaign, whose final took place on 6th November 1976 at Hampden Park, including international star Arthur Graham, Stuart Kennedy, Willie Garner and Joe Harper will join teammates to reminisce over the historic cup win.

The AFC heroes are travelling from as far afield as Australia for the reunion, which is the second fundraising football lunch for NESS.

NESS, which is based in Aberdeen, with centres in Dundee and Elgin, supports over 5,000 people who have vision or hearing loss. The charity has been helping people in Aberdeen since 1879 and is the only organisation that supports both deaf and blind people.

BBC sports presenter, and AFC fan, Richard Gordon, who was born and bred in Aberdeen, will compere the afternoon, and squad members will discuss the thrilling cup-winning run and take part in a question and answer session.

Guests will have the opportunity to get autographs and photographs with the team members, and some players have generously donated unique items for auction on the day.

Graham Findlay (pictured), CEO for NESS, said:

“We are delighted that 11 players of the AFC legendary 1976 squad are taking time out to join us in our celebration. With George Campbell coming from Australia, and others traveling from England and across Scotland, this will be a truly unique event.

“For fans like myself who just about remember the game in 1976, this is a real treat. We have some pretty incredible auction prizes which cannot be found anywhere else, and so we hope to raise some much needed funds for deaf and blind people in the North-east.”

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This Kitchen Works For Me: Fin Hall Reviews.

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Oct 212016

By Fin Hall.

It’s not very often us country folk venture into the big city for anything else other than work and football: but today we did just that.

Keen to try somewhere new for lunch, we went into a very recently opened establishment, The Kitchen Works in Summer Street.
We had the place to ourselves at this time, but were made welcome.

There was a limited choice of sandwiches available. This was deliberate and made it easy to chose.

We both had the excellent roast beef on a sour dough bun. The chill display cabinet has the selection of sandwiches by the counter. But a fresh one will be made if needed.

With coffee, the bill came to just over £11.

The evening menu also looks good. The dishes, apparently, are smaller portions, not tapas I am assured, which show in the reasonable price.

I prefer places where the menu choices aren’t too extensive, as it means the cook/chef can concentrate on getting quality rather than quantity. It is also licensed in the evening

The wooden tables are laid out along the wall with bench type seats on one side.

Upstairs is a smaller space which looked like it was laid out for a private function.

The industrial style lights hanging from the ceiling and black and white large photographs on the wall, add to the ambience of the room.

My one complaint is that the coffee cups are only half full. Apart from that, it is a place I would return to again. It is good to see new, locally owned businesses opening up.

Coffee shops/tea rooms seem to be the way forward, as barely a week goes by without another pub or restaurant closing its doors for the final time.

Pictures used: Property of https://www.instagram.com/p/BEsktyygeDK/

Converged Installs Defibrillator To Benefit Community

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Oct 212016

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

convergedpic To mark European Restart A Heart Day an Aberdeen business has installed at its premises a potentially life-saving piece of kit which can be used by the local community
North-east IT company Converged Communication Solutions has purchased a defibrillator for its premises at the Spires Business Park on Mugiemoss Road.

Local companies and residents will be able to access the equipment in an emergency during office hours.

The firm’s defibrillator is being added to the public access register which is currently being compiled by the Scottish Ambulance Service register.

This means that should anyone in close proximity suffer a cardiac arrest and require assistance, a 999 operator can direct someone to the defibrillator.

Converged, which specialises in providing Internet connections, telephone systems and IT support services, offered CPR training to its entire workforce, with around half of its 30 employees taking part.

The ‘shock box’ was fitted to coincide with European Restart A Heart Day, which is organised by the European Resuscitation Council and takes place annually on October, 16. The initiative aims to increase survival rates from out of hospital cardiac arrests by improving CPR knowledge and providing people with the confidence to use it. To mark the day, hundreds of CPR training events were held throughout Britain on Tuesday, 18 October.

Defibrillators give someone suffering a cardiac arrest more time while an ambulance gets to a patient’s location. It is estimated that every minute without CPR and defibrillation reduces a person’s chance of survival by 10 per cent.

Public access defibrillators are designed for anyone to use on someone in cardiac arrest. The devices talk users through the steps required, including CPR and patient analysis, and will only deliver a shock to the patient if it detects that one is required. This means that there is no chance of malicious or accidental usage.

Neil Christie, managing director at Converged, said:

“Each year, an estimated 3,500 people of all ages in Scotland suffer an out of hospital cardiac arrest. The first few minutes after one has occurred is crucial to survival and defibrillation can help. Increasing the ease of access to public access defibrillators is important in helping to improve the chances of survival.

“As a responsible employer with a growing workforce, we felt we should install a defibrillator onsite in case the need arose. The device can also be used by local businesses and nearby residents.

“European Restart A Heart Day is a great initiative to raise awareness of sudden cardiac arrest and how to deliver CPR and defibrillation. Public access defibrillators, such as ours, are straightforward to use and guide users through the steps required. I will be encouraging the entire Converged workforce to familiarise themselves with the device and its location to mark European Restart A Heart Day.”

Converged Communication Solutions is an independent, Aberdeen-based IT support, telephony and Internet service provider. Established in 2005, the company has grown from a two-man operation into a fully integrated communications company with around 30 staff, which includes a strong technical support team. The firm provides businesses across the north-east with a single and accountable service for their telephony, Internet and networking requirements.

Converged is an official partner on CityFibre’s Aberdeen project which has brought a Gigabit speed fibre network to the city. More information about Converged Communication Solutions is available at www.converged.co.uk or by telephoning 01224 656380.

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The Broons at HMT: Duncan Harley Reviews

Aberdeen City, Featured, Opinion No Responses »

Oct 212016

Duncan Harley reviews ‘The Broons’ at His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen.

broons_1c Long ago, childhood Sundays were punctuated by an obligatory visit to Sunday School, and then on to Grandma and Grandpa’s for the Sunday roast. The day of course began with a breakfast of tea and groats, followed by a wee read of the Sunday Post pull-out Fun Section which, then as now, sported a full page sitcom monochrome comic strip featuring Maw, Paw and the entire Broon family.

Although nowadays relegated to page 50 or thereabouts, the Fun Section is still going strong.

Other DC Thomson titles may have gone digital, but the likes of the Broons and Oor Wullie keep truckin’ along in good old-fashioned print.

That is of course until now; for in a bold step for Mankind, the tenement-dwelling Broons of No 10 Glebe Street, Auchenshoogle have taken to the tartan stage to celebrate their Oaken Anniversary in glorious 3D.

Penned by Glasgow-based playwright Rob Drummond, The Broons stage-show takes 80 years of comic-strip familial ultra-conventionality and introduces alien concepts such as personal ambition and – gasp – character development into the endearingly familiar Groundhog Day mix. Alongside the obligatory bonnets and whiskers, the Scottish Waltons are brought bang up-to-date with the addition of laptops and tablets.

As various family members announce radical career plans involving moving away to far and distant places, Torry-born Joyce Falconer’s formidable Maw Broon is faced with the task of trying to keep the whole family together for yet another 80 years, or else face a lonely old age stuck in front of the telly with just Paw for company. The familiar hijinks of life in a Scotch sitting room come under threat and Maw’s deviousness in the face of adversity knows no bounds!

Maggie, admirably played by Kim Allan, starts the ball rolling when she announces her plans to get hitched. Joe then decides to move to London to pursue his love of boxing. The lanky Hen, played by Alaskan born Tyler Collins, is about to take off hiking round Australia to find himself. Euan Bennet’s Horace decides on a career in confectionery, and even Daphne gets a man at long last. What could possibly go wrong?

Sing-along and clap-along are never far away in this Sell A Door production, and the musical numbers cover every tartan-clad genre from White Heather Club ballad to Bay City Rollers brash ultra-pop.

Alongside the music there are frequent bursts of slapstick and lots and lots of one-liners. Some are painfully familiar such as when the desperate Daphne tells Paw that she has met up with a braw new guy while surfing. Predictably perhaps, Paw retorts “An did you fa’ aff your board?” But all in all, this is a skilfully researched production and the familiarity of the dialogue and humour simply adds to the appeal of the performance.

broons_2 A good measure of the audience laughed in all the right places, and that surely must indicate success.

Very much a family variety show and with an element of traditional Panto showing through at the seams, The Broons does push the boundaries a wee bit on occasion. The long suffering Auchenshoogle vicar, a grandfather of four, is the willing recipient of a gay snog or three; and in a scene worthy of a Waltons bedtime routine, Paw Broon very nearly gets his oats.

But, so help ma boab, it’s all in the best possible taste and if The Bairn can take it then weans of all ages will simply love this show. Plus of course Oor Wullie makes a cameo appearance as himself, and that can’t be bad.

The Broons plays at His Majesty’s Theatre Aberdeen until Saturday 22nd October.

Tickets from Aberdeen Performing Arts Tel: 01224- 641122

‘Trump’s spokesperson’s No Sister’: Petitioner Slams Spokesperson

Aberdeen City, Featured, News 3 Responses »

Oct 212016

trump sticks fingers up With thanks to Suzanne Kelly.

Suzanne Kelly, who launched a petition to ban Trump from the UK for hate speech, ridiculed spokesperson Sarah Malone’s recent defence of his reputation.
Kelly commented: “It’s risible. We are expected to take the word of a former beauty contest winner working for Trump that he’s not a sexist. The evidence is out there that he is a sexist and worse. He is damned by women coming forward and by his own words, whatever Malone might expect us to swallow.”

Kelly was responding to a Sunday Times piece on the topic of his sexism, in which Sarah Malone Bates defended Presidential Hopeful Trump, saying:

“That’s not the man I know,

“It’s not the Trump I’ve dealt with.”

Malone was curator of a local museum until Trump hired her for a post she had no real previous experience for; she admitted at the time to know very little about golf.

Kelly says:

“Jumping from a museum to being Vice-President at a multi-million pound golf resort and housing building project is a leap and a half. Please do not try to tell me she has any idea of what constitutes sexism, feminism or fair play or is qualified to tell us what to make of Trump’s own words.”

Malone is married to Damian Bates, the editor of the Aberdeen Press & Journal. The paper often features pro-Trump advertorial material and Bates decided not to include any material from local protest group, Tripping Up Trump.

Kelly added:

“Malone-Bates had better think again before defending a man who admits to grabbing women by their genitals and kissing unsuspecting women out of the blue. She’s certainly not been a sister to the women who live on the Menie Estate she presides over. Photographer Alicia Bruce was threatened by a security guard who was going to smash her camera.

“Local residents had male security guards demand identification from them, and according to one woman, guards would jump out at her late at night demanding ID and to know where she was going – when they must have known full-well she was a resident.

“This self-proclaimed icon of feminist doctrine did nothing to help Sheila and Molly Forbes when Trump cut their water supply – accidentally – and left it like that for years. She let a woman in her late 80s carry water from a stream. Very sisterly.

“There are plenty of people who would look askance at a woman being plucked from a small local museum with no knowledge of golf to be involved in the controversial Trump. When that woman, who entered a beauty contest, tries to tell us her employer Trump is not a sexist, well – why would we listen?

“Any credibility she might have had ended when she went for a beauty crown, took a job she had no relevant experience for, and when she sat by when women were getting mistreated by the security guards she employed.”

Kelly’s petition to ban Donald Trump from the UK under its existing hate speech laws attracted 580,000 signatures. She has reported extensively on developments at the estate, including severe storm damage to part of the course, and revealed the marriage of Sarah Malone to Damian Bates, editor of local newspaper Aberdeen Press & Journal, where Donald Trump had an ‘exclusive’ column.

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