Aberdeen City Archives - Page 64 of 206

Lloyd’s Staff Step Out To Raise Cash For Kids

Sep 102015

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

Some of the Lloyd's Register Kiltwalk team

Some of the Lloyd’s Register team that completed the Kiltwalk in aid of Cash for Kids

Staff from the Aberdeen office of Lloyd’s Register pulled on their walking boots recently and completed a 26-mile walk in aid of local children’s charity Cash for Kids.
A 26-strong team from the global engineering, technical and business services organisation took part in the Aberdeen Kiltwalk, which saw them walk from the city’s Duthie Park along the Deeside Way to Potarch.

In the process the group raised over £4,800 for Cash for Kids, which supports sick, disabled and disadvantaged children and young people living in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.

This was the second successive year that a team from Lloyd’s Register had taken on the Aberdeen Kiltwalk. Nineteen staff completed the route last year and encouraged others to participate this year.

The team was inspired to complete the walk in aid of Cash for Kids after learning about the work the charity does to support young people living in the region. Both the walk and the charity fit with Lloyd’s Register’s values of supporting local children’s charities, encouraging team building and promoting health and well-being. Staff took the opportunity to strengthen relationships with staff in the firm’s other Aberdeen offices by including them in their team.

In total the group raised over £7,700, with £2,900 being distributed amongst the event’s other charity partners.

Dressed in kilts and tartan tutus, the group encountered mixed weather on their fundraising stroll. It was warm throughout, and although they basked in some sunshine they did endure heavy downpours of rain and hail. Each team member took an estimated 58,000 steps to cover the distance, with some picking up blisters along the way, caused either by poorly chosen socks or footwear.

Jason Harris, senior integrity engineer, Lloyd’s Register, said:

“I came up with the idea of participating in the Kiltwalk in 2014 and roped in a large group of colleagues to take on the challenge. It was such a fantastic experience that I jumped at the chance of participating again in 2015. The aim was to put together an even bigger squad and surpass the phenomenal amount of money we raised last year, which we did.

“My walking partner for the majority of the day, Stuart Murdo, and I were first from our team to cross the finish line in a time of six hours and 26 minutes. The final member of the LR Kiltwalk team that I had ‘willingly assembled’ completed the route 10 hours and 9 minutes after setting off from Duthie Park.

“As we sat in the park at Potarch, enjoying the live music with some well-earned refreshments, comparing our aches and blisters whilst watching walkers finish the event, it started to hit home with everyone what a fantastic achievement we had made as a collective team.

“The incredible fundraising efforts through sponsorship and events supported by the local LR office for Cash for Kids made every painful mile worthwhile. Motivating us along the route were pictures of the children that the money raised would be directly helping. It spurred us all on and will do so when we take on the challenge again in 2016.”

Cash for Kids charity manager Michelle Ferguson said:

“This was a fantastic effort by all of the Lloyd’s Register team. Walking 26 miles in one go is no mean feat, and resulted in blisters, sore feet and aching joints. The sense of achievement in completing the walk and the knowledge of how much they had raised will no doubt have soothed their aliments for a short while.

“It is the individuals and groups that take on challenges such as the Aberdeen Kiltwalk which plays an important role in the charitable sector. This donation of over £4,800 to Cash for Kids could either help to fund intensive physiotherapy for a child with cerebral palsy, purchase equipment for children to use at a community skatepark, or buy a specialist bed for a disabled child.”

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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Salmond Hails Aberdeen To Inverness Corridor Of Prosperity

Aberdeen City, Opinion No Responses »

Sep 102015

With thanks to Tom Collins, Press Officer, Rt. Hon. Alex Salmond MP MSP

Alex Salmond MSP (Aberdeenshire East) MP (Gordon) has hailed the Aberdeen to Inverness transport network as a “corridor of prosperity”.
Earlier this month, Derek Mackay MSP, Minister for Transport and Islands, unveiled the first of 40 new-look trains as part of a £14-million modernisation project.

The refurbished trains are tailored for use on Scotland’s scenic routes and will be released onto the rail network at a rate of one a month.

The SNP’s local agenda for transport and economic development includes more than £170 million worth of improvements to the railway line and the development of key tourist destinations around each station. The upgrades will be complete by 2019.

The Scottish Government has also put plans in place to dual the A96, which will involve a total of 86 miles worth of upgrades. The project will deliver many benefits including improved journey time and reliability, delivering economic growth, improved connectivity and reduce the rate and severity of accidents.

Commenting, Mr Salmond said:

“The SNP Government is dedicated to improving transport services throughout Scotland. This is evident in the £177 million worth of improvements that are planned for our existing railway line.

“I am pleased to hear that the Scottish Government continues to invest in public transport and I cannot wait to see these tailored carriages on our fantastic Aberdeen to Inverness line.

“It is also important that we continue to improve our road network too – ensuring that it is both reliable and safe for passengers to use.

“This dedication to our transport network will create a corridor of prosperity between Aberdeen and Inverness.

“All of these important upgrades will provide an economic boost as well as reducing overall CO2 emissions, benefitting communities at every stage of the 108-mile long line.”

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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.]

Aberdeen Boxing Legend Receives Prestigious Award

Aberdeen City, Featured, Sport No Responses »

Sep 102015

With thanks to Steve Kearney.

ABC - Adam Smith - Ken Buchanan - Frank Gilfeather

Adam Smith (rear, second from left) with Ken Buchanan and Frank Gilfeather.

One of Aberdeen’s best-known boxing personalities has been given a long service award from the sport’s national federation in recognition of his seventy years of voluntary work in the city and beyond.

Adam Smith was presented with the award by Boxing Scotland for seven decades of dedication to developing and supporting the sport in the North-east in a variety of roles.

Having started as a junior boxer, Smith was heavily involved with Aberdeen Amateur Boxing Club, and between 1972 and 2009 served as only the second Club Secretary, taking over from local legend Tommy Begg, who had run the club since it was founded in 1920.

Working alongside Begg, Smith was a judge, trainer and delegate, equally happy dealing with the administrative side of the sport as he was working to develop young boxers.

In addition to the role of Secretary, Smith became Head Coach after Begg passed away, overseeing the most successful period in the club’s history and moving the base from Shiprow to Mastrick, then in 1989 to its current home at Cumming Park Community Centre, where the club recently re-opened after a two-year gap due to a lack of facilities.

Other roles Smith occupied include a spell as Scotland Manager between 1979 and 1982, while he was also a referee of considerable acclaim, as well as being the elected President of the North-east District of the Scottish Amateur Boxing Association between 1978 and 2000.

In 2009, the club was passed to Adam’s son Leroy, who as President and Head Coach has steered the club through recent challenges to once again be the centre for boxing in Aberdeen.

The legacy of one of Scotland’s oldest and most highly-regarded boxing clubs looks to be in safe hands as Leroy is currently studying for his BSc in Sports Coaching at Abertay University and has also recently taken on a post at Sport Aberdeen, both of which will benefit the club.

Run entirely by a team of volunteers and with a growing group of committed boxers, Aberdeen Boxing Club, as it is now known, is looking towards a bright future, but with one eye firmly on the past, and the incredible legacy Adam Smith and his input over a seventy year period.

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Oil & Gas Firm To Expand After Winning £1.3m In Contracts

Aberdeen City, Environment, Featured No Responses »

Sep 102015

Tim Martin, managing director of Aberdeen-based Ramboll Oil & Gas UK

With thanks to Leanne Carter, Account Manager, Tricker PR.

Global engineering consultancy Ramboll Oil & Gas plans to expand its workforce in Aberdeen by up to one-third after securing £1.3m worth of new work since the start of the year.

The company hopes to recruit at least seven new members of staff to its team in the Granite City across process engineering, technical safety, structural and piping disciplines.

Ramboll Oil & Gas, which launched in Aberdeen just over a year ago, has won several new contracts for key clients operating in the UKCS over the past eight months.

One of the most significant pieces of work has been for Maersk Oil UK on its Culzean field 145 miles east of Aberdeen. The contract was for the detailed design of two jackets for a central processing facility platform and a separate utilities and living quarter platform.

Ramboll Oil and Gas UK managing director Tim Martin (pictured) expects business to be brisk at the firm’s Offshore Europe stand this week, with a substantial amount of interest from jobseekers.

He adds,

“The progress we have made over the past year has been above any expectation that we had for launching Ramboll Oil & Gas in Aberdeen, particularly in such a challenging economic climate. We are working on a wide range of contracts that reflect the scope of our capabilities, from subsea and topside projects to detailed design and procurement for a range of key North Sea operators.

“This is a huge achievement in a declining energy market, however this exceptional performance has happened by good design rather than good luck. It is clear that the market in Aberdeen is ready to embrace a different approach, and that is what we are offering with our model of cost-effective engineering solutions that are fit for purpose.

“We have an excellent global network of highly talented consultants, and we are keen to add to this by expanding our Aberdeen team. We need to recruit at least seven additional members of staff in order to deliver on what we expect will be a continued period of growth over the next year.

“Due to the very difficult job market in Aberdeen we are already responding to a huge rise in recruitment enquiries, and we will be manning our stand at Offshore Europe with personnel specifically to deal with new CVs and applications.”

Ramboll Oil & Gas will be joined at Offshore Europe by colleagues from Ramboll Environ. The division is working closely with the Aberdeen team on a number of projects, particularly in relation to North Sea decommissioning.

Ramboll Oil & Gas is a business unit within the Ramboll Group. With more than four decades of experience, the company is a well-established, independent and highly regarded provider of offshore and onshore engineering consultancy services for the oil and gas industry. Today, Ramboll has offices in the USA, Qatar, Abu Dhabi, India, Denmark, Norway and UK, and employs around 900 specialists.

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Hotel Reception Manager Secures Prestigious Scholarship

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Sep 102015

With thanks to Eoin Smith, Senior Account Executive, Tricker PR.

Aberdeen, Tuesday 10th March 2015 Thistle Altens Hotel Aberdeen (Picture by Michal Wachucik/Newsline Media Ltd)

Gabor Petia (33), reception manager at The Aberdeen Skyways Hotel.

A reception manager at one of Aberdeen’s top hotels has recently returned from a prestigious scholarship in Switzerland.

Gabor Petia (33), reception manager at The Aberdeen Skyways Hotel, attended a week-long course on leadership in the workplace as part of the Hospitality Industry Training (HIT) Scotland Scholarship at the École Hotelière Lausanne in Switzerland.

Originally from Hungary, Gabor was one of just 14 scholars selected for the week long programme that focused on leadership and management in the hospitality sector.

Gabor explains,

“The whole HIT Scotland experience was incredible and I was honoured to be a part of it.

“I met a number of inspiring individuals and there was a great sense of camaraderie throughout the week. In the evenings we were able to relax and enjoy each other’s company, like a sort of working holiday.”

Throughout the scholarship, Gabor learned a number of skills that will help him become a more effective manager in his post at The Aberdeen Skyways Hotel, including how to motivate his team to perform to the best of their abilities.

He says,

“The most important thing I learned on the scholarship was that being a manager and being a leader are two very different things. A manager is focusing on tasks and schedules, but a leader’s main focus is people.

“I often meet with individuals in the industry who work in hospitality just to pay the bills and have absolutely no passion. I believe that the hospitality industry has no place for this attitude as it has an immediate impact on the level of service.

“The experience reaffirmed my belief that it’s not a mistake to aim for perfection. Striving towards a 100% success rate can bring out the best in a team and encourage teamwork.

“Luckily, our reception team already performs very well, but there’s always room for improvement. I’m looking forward to sharing my experiences so that we continue to focus on the guests, their individual needs, and ways in which to give them a unique experience.”

Gabor also realised that sometimes the biggest hindrance in any professional’s work is their own outlook, and that it can be important to step back and re-evaluate one’s priorities in the workplace.

He says,

“The daily pressure at work can mean we sometimes forget the bigger picture. We can focus so much on resolving the issues directly in front of us that it can hold us back from delivering the level of service we are capable of.

“Getting away from daily routines and receiving professional tutoring in how to excel in hospitality is a fantastic experience, and a real motivator to perform well. It reminded me why I entered into the hospitality industry in the first place.”

Gabor, who has worked at The Aberdeen Skyways Hotel since 2011, has long been a valued member of the team. General manager, Alison Christie says,

“Since Gabor returned from his HIT Scotland Scholarship he has been re-energised and really focused on improving the customer experience, putting into place his learnings as soon as he stepped back through the door.

“Being awarded a scholarship is a really fantastic achievement, and we were thrilled that Gabor was selected earlier this year. He is a credit to the hotel, and we look forward to working with him for many more years to come.”

The Aberdeen Skyway Hotel is part of The Hotel Collection, which has two other venues in the city – The Aberdeen Altens Hotel and The Caledonian Hotel. There are 446 bedrooms across the three venues, and each has conferencing and banqueting facilities. The Aberdeen Altens Hotel also has a health and leisure club. Further information is available at www.thehotelcollection.co.uk/region/hotels-in-scotland/

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Gin Distillation To Commence In Aberdeen City Centre

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Sep 072015

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

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

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

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

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

Ben, managing director at Monkey Bars Aberdeen, said:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ben added:

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

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

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Force Friday Arrives At Disney Store In Aberdeen

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Sep 072015

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bon Accord & St Nicholas are at the heart of Aberdeen city centre’s retail sector, offering 840,000 sq ft of prime space and home to around 100 stores. Scotland’s largest Next, Aberdeen’s only Topshop and Topman standalone store as well as the City’s largest New Look and River Island are among the key retailers.

The centres, which attract an average of 275,000 visitors a week, are owned by BMO Real Estate Partners and managed by specialist retail agency Savills. For further on the centres visit www.bonaccordandstnicholas.com.

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Forty Years Of The Forties Field

Aberdeen City, Articles, Featured 1 Response »

Sep 072015

By Mike Shepherd.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Clark IT Gains ISO Seal Of Approval

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Sep 072015

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

She says:

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

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

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

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

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

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Saltire Award For Youth Council Chair

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Sep 042015

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

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

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

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

Speaking of his achievement, Piotr says:

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

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