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Take A Dip On Boxing Day For CLAN

Aberdeen City, Information No Responses »

Dec 112015

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

A leading north-east cancer support charity is on the lookout for hardy volunteers to brave a popular Boxing Day fundraising event on its behalf.
Organised by Aberdeen Lions Club, the annual Nippy Dipper event is taking place at Aberdeen Beach on December 26 and will see individuals and teams from across the north-east plunge into the North Sea to raise money for a nominated cause.

Last year 30 people jumped into the icy water for CLAN, helping raise around £4,000, with all money brought in going towards the charity’s provision of free support services to anyone affected by cancer across the north-east of Scotland.

CLAN is now looking for fearless souls to replicate this feat and help raise funds for the charity.

Susan Crighton, CLAN’s fundraising manager, said:

“We had a fantastic response to our call for people to take the Nippy Dippy plunge in 2014 and hope to repeat that this year.

“We are so pleased to be involved with the Boxing Day event again. It really is something fun and different to do and we would be delighted to hear from anyone who would be interested in taking part for CLAN, either as an individual or in a group.”

The event begins at 10.30am on Boxing Day, with registration at 9.45am. For further information please contact CLAN’s Moureen Wilson on 01224 651026 or email moureen.wilson@clanhouse.org.

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.

Based in Aberdeen, the charity covers the whole of north-east Scotland, Moray, Orkney and Shetland. CLAN has a presence in Ballater, Banchory, Elgin, Inverurie, Fraserburgh, Lossiemouth, Peterhead, Stonehaven, Turriff, Kirkwall and Lerwick.

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

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Local Porter’s Gin Available For Purchase

Aberdeen City, Featured No Responses »

Dec 112015

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

The first bottles of gin to be distilled in Aberdeen for over 100 years are now hitting the shelves.
There is a rich history of whisky distillation around the city and shire, and a UK-wide gin boom, but there were previously no gin brands from the Granite City.

Porter’s was created by a team of licensed trade professionals Ben Iravani, Josh Rennie and Alex Lawrence, and named after Professor Andrew Porter from Aberdeen University, who sourced their distillation equipment.

In spite of being Aberdeen’s only gin in living memory, the team are quick to understate this claim to fame. Multi award-winning bartender, Alex, said:

“We are delighted to be playing such a big part in gin’s revival in the north-east, however it is our story and distillation technique that really make Porter’s unique.

“Gin is so important to bartenders across the world as a key component for cocktails, yet most brands were produced by large companies or family distillers. Porter’s is one of the few brands that was created by bartenders for bars.”

With bottles now available to pre-order from the first batch, the flavoursome spirit features aromatic and citrus notes which the trio are confident will win over traditional gin connoisseurs as well as those less inclined towards the juniper-based tipple.

The unique flavour profile comes from a fusion of traditional and modern distillation techniques. The equipment procured by Professor Porter, which is known as a rotary evaporator, allows botanicals to be “vacuum-distilled” at low temperatures. Through hundreds of small scale distillations and experiments with botanicals, the team discovered that this process extracts light refreshing flavours that cannot be produced in a traditional copper still.

The traditional component of the gin adds depth and balance to the flavour, and is created in partnership with a Warrington distillery that has been operating for over 250 years.

Ben, managing director at Langstane Liquor Company, said:

“Our whole production method is based on creating a unique but bold flavour for mixing drinks, and we put a lot of hard work into balancing the modern and traditional elements of the gin. We also use only 100% British grain wheat alcohol and certified ethically sourced botanicals. This all results in a world class product.

“The anticipation for Porter’s has been fantastic and we have been delighted to receive order requests already. Our first batch will consist of around 3,300 bottles which we are sure will go quickly. We have been in talks with a number of retailers both local and national, so there will be a number of different options for people wishing to try it out.”

Orchid and Ninety-Nine Bar and Kitchen in Aberdeen are owned by the sister company Monkey Bars Ltd and the group plan to sell Porter’s within their cocktail bars.

For more information or to pre-order a bottle please contact info@portersgin.co.uk or visit www.portersgin.co.uk

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Donald’s Degree Fae RGU: Remembering Bob Smith

Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Featured 2 Responses »

Dec 112015

Aberdeen Voice’s ‘poetry mannie in residence’ Bob Smith, who passed away on March 5.

In March 2015, Aberdeen Voice lost one of it’s most prolific writers and best loved team members, our ‘poetry mannie’, Bob Smith.

Bob was a fierce critic of Donald Trump, and would never miss an opportunity to ‘mention’ Trump in his popular poems, which he contributed weekly in Aberdeen Voice for a period of over 4 years.

In all, Bob contributed in excess of 200 poems, and a monthly column entitled ‘Smithy’s Scribblins’

As we digest the news that Donald Trump has had his honorary degree revoked by RGU, His Global Scot status revoked by Nicola Sturgeon, and a petition to ban him from the UK, launched by ‘Voice’s Suzanne Kelly, becoming the most popular petition ever to appear on the Government’s petition site, with, at the time of writing, nearly half a million signatures, our thoughts turn to Bob and how we miss his unique brand of humour.

Bob would have loved to have seen this day, and undoubtedly would be frantically scribbling down some new verses to mark the occasion.

Therefore it seems fitting to republish one of his many poems, this from September 2010, and raise a glass to a warm and genuine friend we were glad to know and very much miss.

– Fred Wilkinson, Editor.
.

(Noo the Richt Gits University)

by Bob Smith.

The Donald his been awarded
A University honorary degree
His the principal gin aff his heid
At yon learned placie by the Dee?

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Petition To Ban Trump For Hate Speech Goes Live

Aberdeen City, Featured, News 35 Responses »

Dec 082015

With thanks to Suzanne Kelly.

A petition demanding Donald Trump be banned from the United Kingdom has been approved and launched today. Should it attract the required number of signatures, it will be discussed in the House of Commons.

The launching of the petition follows closely another petition initiated by the same author demanding that Aberdeen’s Robert Gordon University strips Trump of the honorary degree it bestowed on him in 2010, which has already gathered nearly 9000 signatures.

The latest petition, raised in response to a recent series of distasteful, divisive comments made by Donald Trump as part of his US Presidential campaign, reads:

“The signatories believe Donald J Trump should be banned from UK entry. The UK has banned entry to many individuals for hate speech. The same principles should apply to everyone who wishes to enter the UK. If the United Kingdom is to continue applying the ‘unacceptable behaviour’ criteria to those who wish to enter its borders, it must be fairly applied to the rich as well as poor, and the weak as well as powerful.”

The petition can be found here: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/114003/signatures/new

Suzanne Kelly, petition author, said:

“The petition will allow all UK residents who want to stand up against hate speech and Donald Trump’s hate speech specifically the opportunity to do so. Trump persists with comments which I feel denigrating races, nationalities, women, religious groups. I would term this hate speech, and to my mind he becomes more outlandish and unacceptable as each day passes. I am not alone in feeling this way by a long shot.

“We are looking at a US Presidential candidate who wants to institute policies which to me are fascism. People have been barred from the United Kingdom for less.”

There is also a petition by Kelly on 38 Degrees asking Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen to strip Trump of an honorary degree it bestowed on him five years ago. Kelly will shortly contact the university; a protest has been suggested as the next step.

Kelly said:

“If this university adheres to its own principles of inclusiveness, then allowing the degree to stand is an insult to those who worked hard and earned degrees. We need to be celebrating diversity and increase our tolerance of other people and cultures; Trump is the antithesis to me of where we should be heading.”

Suzanne Kelly has been following Donald Trump’s exploits from the Menie Estate Golf Development to recent gaffes and today’s shocking suggestion Muslims be barred from entering the United States. She has written articles and reports on Donald Trump for Aberdeen Voice, a free, online newspaper serving Aberdeen and the North East of Scotland.

She also contributed to the BBC’s Panorama programme on Trump, and some of her work has been used by journalist Anthony Baxter in his film A Dangerous Game, which followed his award-winning film on Trump’s presence at Menie, ‘You’ve Been Trumped’.

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Entries Invited For The Toulmin Prize 2016

Aberdeen City, Featured, News No Responses »

Dec 082015

The University of Aberdeen’s Elphinstone Institute has launched the 2016 Toulmin Prize, with a cash prize of £500 for the winning entry. Courtesy of Leopard Magazine.

The competition, now in its eighth year, commemorates the work of one of the North-East’s finest exponents of the short story. John Reid (1913-1998) was an Aberdeenshire farm labourer from Rathen, near Fraserburgh, who spent most of his life working long hours for very small rewards.

In odd moments, he jotted down short stories, character studies and bothy tales.

Eventually, as David Toulmin, he had a few articles printed in local newspapers. The first of his ten books was published when he was 59.

The books consist mostly of short stories and reminiscences, with his one novel, Blown Seed, painting a harsh picture of farm life.

In the later years of his life, Reid moved to Pittodrie Place, Aberdeen, and later to Westhill. He was awarded an honorary degree by the University of Aberdeen in 1986.

The Toulmin Prize is open to all amateur writers over the age of 16. The short story, up to 4000 words in length, should be concerned with some aspect of life in North-East Scotland and may be written in Scots, including Doric, or English, or a mixture of the two. Previous prize-winners cannot submit an entry.

In addition to the cash prize, the winning entry will be published in Leopard Magazine and subsequently featured on the website of the Scots Language Centre.

The award for the best entry will be made at the University of Aberdeen’s May Festival 2016, when the winning story will be read aloud by the well-known North-East writer, Sheena Blackhall.

Emeritus Professor Ian Russell, former director of the Elphinstone Institute at the University of Aberdeen, says:

“We’re proud to be able to honour John Reid and his work in this way. His writing is powerful, evocative and witty, and he is one of the finest exponents of writing in the North-East. We have had a terrific response to the previous competitions and the standard of entries has been superb.”

The closing date for entries is the 31st March 2016. For entry details and a form, please visit: https://www.abdn.ac.uk/elphinstone/public-engagement/toulmin.php

Text and photo courtesy of Leopard Magazine.

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Spread Some Yuletide Cheer With CLAN

Aberdeen City, News No Responses »

Dec 082015

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

CLAN Cancer Support is appealing to the public to think of them when sending Christmas cards this year.

The leading north-east charity has a range of festive cards available across all of its bases and charity shops, with packs available for £2 and £3.50.

CLAN is also providing an E-card service for those who want to save a bit of time and help the charity by making a donation through their JustGiving page.

Susan Crighton, CLAN fundraising manager, said:

“We have a lovely selection of Christmas cards in stock and it would be great if people think of us when sending theirs out this year. For those that want to do something different, we also have our E-card service, which continues to grow in popularity.

“Whichever option you chose, know that every penny spent either on traditional cards or our online service makes such a difference to us and helps us continue to provide our range of support services across the north and north-east.”

To make a donation to CLAN visit www.justgiving.com/charity/clan/clanchristmascards2015

Based in Aberdeen, the charity covers the whole of north-east Scotland, Moray, Orkney and Shetland. CLAN has a presence in Ballater, Banchory, Elgin, Inverurie, Fraserburgh, Peterhead, Stonehaven, Turriff, Kirkwall and Lerwick.

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

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Bay Of Nigg Proposal Lacks Public Consultation

Aberdeen City, Community, Environment 5 Responses »

Dec 032015

With thanks to The Battle for the Bay of Nigg Committee.

As newcomers to the planning system, we are surprised at the lack of meaningful public consultation required for major infrastructure projects of national importance.

We have been advised that as the new harbour proposed for the Bay of Nigg appeared in the National Planning Framework (NPF), the community will have an uphill battle to stop it – even though the planning application hadn’t even been submitted at that point.

We would like to know what public consultation is required before projects are accepted into the NPF as no locals we know of were involved.

Also, for a £320 million project, why are the required methods of public engagement so dated/limited – a few newspaper adverts, occasional mention on local commercial radio, but no use of social media or even a local leaflet drop. The developers have not yet arranged a public meeting (as suggested by us) so that the risks, benefits and impacts could at least be fully debated, now that we finally have access to all the planning submissions and the full detail of the development.

In our opinion, the standard of consultation has been poor – for example asking people to comment on a project when they do not have facts to hand or do not have access to an unbiased, trustworthy source that they can rely on.

The Environmental Impact Assessment alone consists of 4 volumes and weighs 25kg. Yet locals are expected to read this and make informed comments within 42 days without any support from independent experts (the consultation also coincides with the run up to Christmas – very poor public engagement practice).

To us, something with this process feels broken – however we hope that there is a robust solution so the local community feels truly involved with this major planning decision that will have a permanent impact on all our lives rather than a consultation being viewed as a ‘tick box’ exercise.

We feel that public engagement in all planning processes should be in the true spirit of the recently-passed Community Empowerment Act.

More Info: The Battle for the Bay of Nigg Committee is a group of Torry residents trying to save our Bay from this disproportionate development. We have no specialised knowledge or qualifications. We are ordinary citizens trying to make our voices heard by Aberdeen Harbour Board, Marine Scotland, Transport Scotland, Aberdeen City Council and the Scottish Government.

Our Facebook pages have already attracted a following of almost 700 people, predominantly residents of Torry. For further information, please contact us at bay.of.nigg@gmail.com

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Premiere For Film Exposing Global Fur Industry

Aberdeen City, Information No Responses »

Dec 032015

With thanks to Flo Blackbourn.

International animal rights organisation, Animal Justice Project, is hosting a Nationwide tour of award-winning premiere documentary, Inside Fur, which takes viewers undercover inside the secretive fur industry in Norway and China.
On 8th December 2015 at 7pm the film premieres at A19, Taylor Building, University of Aberdeen.

The 57 min. documentary directed by Norwegian film director, Ola Waagen, follows the work of undercover investigator and psychologist, Frank Nervik, as he goes deep undercover to dupe fur farmers into believing he is entering the industry to farm animals for their skins.

Nervick reveals harrowing, never-seen-before footage using covert cameras in both Norway – one of the largest fur producing countries in the world – and China, the number one fur producer.

Major fur export markets include China, Russia, Canada, and the EU. Norway is a major fox fur producer, along with Finland and Poland. Skins from these countries are sold under the Saga brand through the Saga Furs auctions. The UK, Ireland, Switzerland, Austria, Croatia, Sweden, Denmark, The Netherlands, Germany and Italy are among the countries that have banned parts of or their entire fur industry, though these countries still allow imports.

The European Fur Breeders Association (EFBA) has an affiliated national fur breeder association in Norway, as well as Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, The Netherlands, Spain and Sweden.

Norway’s controversial fur industry – which involves over 200 fox and mink farms – has been exposed by several leading animal protection organisations in the country, revealing numerous and severe violations of the law, as well as wounded and suffering animals. State authorities in Norway have stated that there is ‘shocking’ evidence of animal abuse.

In May 2015, the Norwegian government announced that it would slash financial support to the industry and, this month, over 7,000 Norwegians took the streets in Europe’s largest anti-fur event to call for a ban on fur farming. The Government is now considering banning fur altogether following this event and the launch of a groundbreaking report on the industry.

Fur is currently a hot topic in Britain also, and the film tour follows closely an airing of the investigatory BBC1 television program ‘Fake Britain’, which exposes well-known high street shops such as TK Maxx and House of Fraser, to be selling real mink, raccoon, raccoon-dog and weasel fur fraudulently labeled as ‘Faux’.

Animal Justice Project Spokesperson, Flo Blackbourn states:

“This film, Inside Fur, is very relevant right now, as we are entering the season in which fur trim and the occasional fur coat are increasingly seen on the high street. This film is important viewing for anyone who has an interest in animals and the fashion industry, as it exposes the truth of the fur industry and the immense cruelty involved.”

Animal Justice Project is an international organisation working in Europe and the United States to end the use of animals in laboratory research and other forms of speciesism.

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MSP Speaks Of Solidarity At St. Andrew’s Day March

Aberdeen City, News No Responses »

Dec 032015

Christian speaking at the Aberdeen Trades Union Council St Andrew's Day parade

Christian Allard MSP speaking at the Aberdeen Trades Union Council St. Andrew’s Day March.

With thanks to Gavin Mowat, Constituency Assistant to Christian Allard MSP.

Christian Allard MSP has spoken of his thanks to the people of Aberdeen for showing solidarity with the people of France and the people of Syria at a St. Andrew’s Day march in Aberdeen.
Aberdeen Trades Union Council organised this year’s march which was themed “Refugees Welcome Here – No Racism”.

The French born MSP spoke of his wish to see more refugees coming to Scotland and suggested ways we can make newly arrived refugees feel welcome.

Speaking at the event, Mr Allard said:

“Here at the Castlegate, the French community living here with many our Scottish friends showed our solidarity with the people of Paris, the people of France. As an Immigrant from France, I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who came and send us messages of solidarity, Merci.

“And here today again, we are assembled at the Castlegate to show our solidarity to the people of Syria.

“I would have been much happier if we were celebrating today the arrival of 10,000 of Syrian refugees to Scotland.

“To put this welcome in context, last year, Sweden, a country of 10 million people, took 80,000 refugees – the highest number per head of population in the European Union, and second only in number to Germany.

The SNP MSP added that he could think of two simple ways to make refugees welcome:

“First, watch our language – word choice matters. You may have heard and read from many of our media, particularly the BBC, calling refugees names, calling them migrants. Let’s be clear, from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, “the two terms have distinct and different meanings, and confusing them leads to problems for both populations”. Refugees are persons fleeing armed conflict or persecution.

“The second easy way to welcome refugees is to smile, just simply smile. We greet guests coming in our own house with a smile, let’s welcome refugees with the same smile in our streets, when Christmas shopping and in our communities.

“Let’s remember where we all come from because, in Scotland’s Story, we are all worth the same.”

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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.]

SeaEnergy Support Brings CLAN House To Life

Aberdeen City, News No Responses »

Dec 032015

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

A technology usually used to photographically capture and manage oil platforms and crime scenes has been put to use to help north-east charity CLAN Cancer Support.
Perhaps not an obvious fit, the SeaEnergy team’s vision was to use its R2S visual asset management system to photographically capture CLAN House into its software to provide the charity with the ability to visually demonstrate the facilities that its Aberdeen headquarters offers.

Claire Fleming, SeaEnergy’s Corporate Communications & Research Manager, commented:

“There is no denying that it is a tricky time across our industry, but we wanted to look for some positives. We needed to find a project to help the continued professional development of our team, keeping them engaged and challenged while the demand for deployment was not high.

“We decided that one positive way we could embrace this challenge was to do something in support of a local charity and part of a corporate social responsibility initiative.

“CLAN is very local to our Rosemount offices where our R2S photographers are based. Like many others in the city, I was aware of the work CLAN did but regularly drove past CLAN House without a real understanding of what went on inside.

“It took no time for the team at CLAN to see the application as we did, but also how it would benefit them in other ways too.”

Dr Colette Backwell, CLAN’s Chief Executive, said:

“Sea Energy’s innovative approach to CSR during the current economic downturn is to be applauded and highlights its continued commitment to local charities.

“CLAN and our clients will benefit greatly from the virtual tour which will go on our website after our Christmas Cracker event this week. It will allow people with cancer, their families and carers to see what we have to offer and perhaps help them to make that first visit to access our wide range of wellbeing services and emotional support.

“The virtual tour also has an important role to play in allowing a number of people affected by cancer from across north-east Scotland, Orkney and Shetland to gain an insight into our facilities before making the journey to Aberdeen for treatment. We place a great emphasis on the comfort of our clients and anything that can make their time away from home that little easier is always greatly welcomed.”

Claire Fleming added:

“I know that many companies are facing operational and business challenges but finding ways to help in terms of donating time and skills can make a real difference – offering benefits to both the donor and recipient. All of us involved with the project have taken away a lot more than a greater understanding of CLAN as a charity; it has been a real privilege to be involved.”

The R2S capture of CLAN House was shown publically for the first time on Friday, November 27, at CLAN’s annual Christmas Cracker event.

About SeaEnergy PLC:

SeaEnergy PLC is an innovation-led offshore energy services business, based in Aberdeen, Scotland and listed on the London Stock Exchange’s AIM Market.

R2S Visual Asset Management system (delivered by SeaEnergy subsidiary Return To Scene) provides photographic capture and three dimensional modelling of oil & gas installations, linking these images to asset management databases for major international oil operators, allowing them to improve the performance of their assets whilst providing operational efficiencies.

R2S Forensic is an interactive software system that enhances planning, investigation and collaboration through the power of visual imagery. The R2S Forensic system has revolutionised the presentation of crime scenes. It creates an information rich walk through environment which seamlessly links all relevant technical data.

Return To Scene was acquired by SeaEnergy in August 2012.

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