Abuse Archives - Page 4 of 7

Community Cafe Donates Money To Rape Crisis Charity

Dec 132013

With thanks to Kathryn Russell.

Rape and Abuse Support (RAS) are delighted to accept a generous donation of £1,000 from the Fine Piece Community Cafe based in Sheddocksley Baptist Church, which marks its 5th Anniversary on Friday 13th December.

The Fine Peace Community Cafe launched almost five years ago and this year won an Aberdeen Impact Award for Best Emerging Social Enterprise.

Supported by 30 volunteers, the Cafe has established a reputation for providing good food and good service.

To mark their 5th Anniversary, the Cafe will make a series of donations to local community groups and schools as recognition of the good work being carried out locally.

Rape and Abuse Support provides support for anyone who has experienced rape, sexual abuse or sexual exploitation at any point in their life, as well as working within the community to develop awareness of the issues surround rape, sexual abuse and sexual exploitation.

Lorraine Dobson, Volunteer Co-ordinator at RAS says:

“We are delighted to accept such a generous donation from the Fine Piece Community Cafe.

“It is always uplifting to have the hard work of our staff and volunteers recognised and the donation will allow us to progress with plans to develop the service we provide.”

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Aberdeenshire Pupils Secure Vital Funds For Local Charity

Aberdeenshire, News No Responses »

Nov 282013

A group of pupils from Ellon Academy deliver a cheque for £3000 to RAS

Rape and Abuse Support (RAS) would like to congratulate pupils at Ellon Academy and Kemnay Academy who have successfully secured funding of £4,330 for the local charity.

RAS provides support and advocacy to female survivors of sexual violence, whether recent or historical, as well as challenging public attitudes towards rape through outreach work and they were delighted to be chosen by pupils taking part in the Youth Philanthropy Initiative at Ellon Academy and Kemnay Academy.

As part of the initiative, both groups visited the charity’s base in Aberdeen to find out about the organisation and presented their findings to a panel, fielding tough questions about their research.

The group at Ellon Academy dazzled the judges with their in depth knowledge of the issues tackled by the charity, securing the top prize of £3,000 – sponsored by the Wood Group and the Toscan Castle Foundation.

The panel at Kemnay Academy were so impressed with the calibre of the presentation delivered by the group representing RAS that Aramark Workplace Solutions offered to match funds raised by them during a no uniform day, raising £1,330.

Chair of RAS, Kathryn Russell said:

“I would like to congratulate the pupils at Ellon and KemnayAcademy on securing this funding. We are delighted to accept the donations secured by both groups.

“Donations like these are vital for charities like ours, as it allows us to put the money towards initiatives which we know will enhance the service we already provide. We are currently developing our volunteer base in Aberdeenshire and we are hoping to open a drop-in for survivors next year and unrestricted funding like this helps support such initiatives.”

Alayne Jones, Centre Co-ordinator at RAS attended both events to listen to the groups presentations. She said:

“I thoroughly enjoyed working with the young people and I was thrilled to see how interested they were in the work we do.

“I would like to thank them for all their hard work on behalf of RAS and I hope that they will continue to raise awareness of the work we do.”

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Old Susannah No. 135 – Garden Salad

Opinion, Satire and Humour 1 Response »

Oct 182013

Old Susannah, aka Suzanne Kelly, gets to grips with her greens this week, with the never-ending Union Terrace Gardens saga, GM crops and various vegetables – including Eric Pickles – all vying for news coverage this past week.

Another vibrant and dynamic, connectivity-laden, smart, successful Scottish week passes in Aberdeen.

The weather is taking a turn for the cooler at night, and I’m starting to throw old unread copies of the Evening Express (is there any other kind?) onto the fire at night (living without central heating has its charms).

Alas, I’ve been down in London and missed many events here, including Thrashist Regime, who I’m told were so lively the staid Lemon Tree staff were freaking out at all the rule infractions the band committed.

London was wonderful, but the Londoners seem to think they can manage without one central square smack in the geographical centre of town. Somehow they carry on, in a city which is more like a series of different villages, each with its own ‘green/living/vibrant/dynamic’ heart, as our Evening Express reporters would put it.

Why, they haven’t even drawn up a map to show what is the Civic Zone or the Merchant Quarter, like we’ve done. London clearly needs a transformational project – if only one man with a horrific – sorry terrific vision would come along, put money on London’s table (well theoretical money anyway) and tell Boris Johnson what to build and where to build it, London would start to thrive.

Thankfully, we have Sir Ian Wood.

Looking at aerial maps of London, huge great green open spaces abound. Some call these parks/wildlife reserves/wetland centres/leisure spaces. Some people hold that these green spaces help give London a decent air quality, encourage wildlife, provide leisure space – even decrease stress levels and improve fitness.

Such spaces are, at least to the more sophisticated billionaire and ACSEF member, development opportunities. Oddly, London chooses to build in its disused brownfield rather than ‘transforming’ its green areas. Thankfully, we’re not falling for that stuff here. (I did hear a rumour that Hampstead Heath was going to be lowered to ground level for greater accessibility and connectivity. Watch this space).

Trafalgar Square remains a focal point, but it is far too small.

That will make London and Moscow take note.

At some 12,000 square metres for a population that’s around 8 million, it’s clear they are out of step with our Aberdonian city square project, otherwise known as the thing that wouldn’t die. Our much needed outdoor square will, if Sir Ian gets his way, be larger than Moscow’s Red Square.

Perhaps Aberdeen’s quangos, committees and elite have more in common with Moscow than London, come to think on it.

The City Square/Granite Web/Garden Project is proof that reincarnation is real; the thing just keeps coming back under new names, with increasingly beautiful, workable, desirable details. Our broken heart (aka Union Terrace Gardens) could have had a new beating heart (copyright Evening Express), dwarfing both Trafalgar and Red Squares, for our population which is around, er, a quarter of a million people.

That will make London and Moscow take note.

You have to hand it to Sir Ian Wood (or so he thinks); he is persistent. If half the goings-on I hear of were true for his retinue, finding time for any granite web project flogging would be nigh on impossible.

Aside from London’s museums, I saw the amazing Deborah Bonham and band at the Half Moon in Putney; I hope that someone is working on getting them an Aberdeen date…

Returning from London to the Deen, I eagerly bought the first P&J I could find, and started to catch up on the news; learning that former top cop Ian Paterson has just been found guilty of sexually harassing and assaulting several women over time. Looking back over old news stories, council records and so on, I find he was involved not only with the AVCO but also with groups working with young and vulnerable people. How wonderful.

Old Susannah remembers first moving to the Deen, and reading stories about old people being neglected, abused and mistreated in residential homes. There was even a home that had a broken lift for weeks – leaving people stranded and unable to get outside (I’ll bet it was a jolly adventure and fun for them, rather than a hardship).

Some might find his behaviour sleazy, contemptible, inexcusable, predatory and degrading

Naively I wanted to do my part, and I called my nearest residential home, asking how I could volunteer / help. ‘Oh, no, you have to get all kinds of clearance and be security checked’ was the response I got; I was definitely discouraged from taking it further. Fair enough – leave the volunteer work to the professionals, I thought.

All the while, some people were allowed access to vulnerable, young and old people because they were important – like Paterson.

Kindly, Patting Paterson would ‘comfort’ women – whether they wanted him to or not – by touching them where he had no business touching them. Sounds very comforting indeed. Then again, he only did this for a few years to a score of women. If those around him knew about this, they were quite right to leave it be, so he could continue ‘comforting’ others.

Some might find his behaviour sleazy, contemptible, inexcusable, predatory and degrading, but you can’t argue with a policeman, or indeed an ex-policeman, can you?

Old Susannah wonders now just who his friends/colleagues were (kerb crawling ex-councillors perhaps like Gordon Leslie?). Who knew what of his activities? What work was he presiding over as Chief Superintendent, or as chief executive of Aberdeen Council of Voluntary Organisations?

Could his actions and decision-making have been compromised at any time? Could he have been coerced or influenced by people who knew what he was doing? Was he around when the police were tasked by Audit Scotland to look into the dodgy property dealings uncovered in 2008?

Thankfully, we don’t need to bother with any such questions, because it’s all in the past. The police could find no wrong-doing on the former council’s part, for instance when we sold land for peanuts, ripping off the taxpayer, and keeping very shoddy records. Who knows what could be unravelled, but I’ll certainly not be pulling at that loose piece of yarn on the jumper, will I?

Time for some definitions (and a shot of BrewDog’s Watt Dickie) after thinking over this week’s news. Note to self – I must try some ‘Hello my name is Sonja’, a new addition to the ‘Hello’ BrewDog collection. And to Messrs Dickie & Watt, and all at the BrewDog Aberdeen Bar, a Happy Third Birthday.

Garden Salad: (modern English compound noun) – A dish comprising leafy and other vegetables, or a recipe for same.

Take one small, perfectly formed natural hollow, fill with trees, greens and flowers. Add greed, a pinch of desperation for immortality, and lashings of ego. Add in various vegetables (Tom Smith, Ian Wood, Stewart Milne, etc.) and toss. Add a few hundred inches of column spaces, revoltingly poor architectural grandiosity, and unintelligible drawings.

Garnish lavishly with hundreds of thousands of pounds of taxpayer money (for consultants, PR, etc.). Serve with a side helping of indigestible financial sauce. Add £50 million pounds; remove; add again; remove. This dish can be served again and again. And again. Keep serving until someone, somewhere swallows. Best eaten out of Sir Ian’s hands.

Yes, he’s at it again. We can’t keep our only city centre green space, despite having so much unused brownfield, because Wood wants it.

Barney Crockett has promised that if the garden is raised, it will not be for parking spaces – which are what was wanted by the ACSEF/Wood mob in the first place. If you have any opinions on this, please let your elected councillors know, lest they then turn around and say no one ever got in touch with them.

Let your council know how great a glass pyramid will be, or how ruining the back side of Belmont Street’s businesses which overlook the park will somehow add to connectivity. Tell your councillor how destroying our only natural wind break, getting rid of the few city centre trees we have will mean to your sense of transformation.

Pickles: (English noun) A sour, bitter, bloated vegetable, preserved in brine.

Eric Pickles. Where does one even start with this one man’s accomplishments? He’s been in the news again lately, and like me, I’m sure you relish reading about him. I love to ketchup with his doings, even if some people find Pickles unpalatable.

MP Pickles claimed expenses for a second home so he wouldn’t have to commute the massive 37 mile trek from his first home to Westminster. (I wonder if Pickles’ second home is close to the Gherkin?) This may have seemed a bit greedy to some, but for Eric to have to travel so far to get to work just wouldn’t have been right.

If he was tired in the House of Commons, he might not be able to cut the mustard. He also needed at least £300 in cleaning expenses, which he kindly repaid when asked to, at the height of the MPs expense scandal.

One of the reasons he’s rated so highly is his love of the countryside, as development opportunity anyway. As Secretary of State, he refused to call in controversial plans which saw a vast swathe of historic Dover and an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty turned into a housing development / complex.

Area residents found Pickles jarring.

If the refusal to listen to a public demand sounds familiar to anyone in the Balmedie area, another quote from this particular debacle may ring bells with Union Terrace Gardens watchers: defenders of the plan said “This is about building for the future; unlocking the economic potential of our heritage assets.” – the tone of which somehow seems familiar to me.
http://pickles_public_inquiry_into_controversial_development

You can’t help but wonder if Pickles and his supporters would find a spiritual home in city and shire.

teenagers at the Kendall House home in Gravesend were restrained with huge doses of tranquillisers

He was also instrumental in getting rid of greenbelt in Yorkshire, Liverpool and other formerly boring areas in favour of skyscrapers and parking lots- and a gas plant in Tewkesbury where the objections were virtually unanimous. We do need a man of his vision here.

But in his latest pickle, Eric told a woman with health issues, who had severe side effects to ‘increase her medication’ as he wisely disputed her story of residential care home forced drugging. His friend (yes, I didn’t know he had any either) told the BBC that Pickles “was giving her a frank piece of advice in private. It wasn’t meant in any way to offend or insult her”.

What a nice guy. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-24324556

The BBC story goes on to say “An investigation… claimed that teenagers at the Kendall House home in Gravesend were restrained with huge doses of tranquillisers and other drugs… 10 girls who were heavily sedated while living at the care home during the 1970s and 1980s went on to have children with a range of birth defects.” – Doesn’t sound like much of a big deal to me; perhaps upping her medication was just Eric’s fatherly, well-meant advice. With Pickles around, there is never a dill moment.

Golden Rice: (Modern English noun) A genetically modified, patented rice variety.

Are you one of those people who are unsure about GM foods – not certain that Monsanto should be able to splice genetic material from arctic fish into strawberries, own entire strains of food, seek a monopoly on existing seed businesses, charge farmers each season for food crops rather than farmers being able to store and use their own seed?

Are you unsure about environmental and health aspects of newly-nascent GM plants entering our food chain? Do you have ethical qualms about the third world being indebted to Monsanto forever for using GM food? Maybe you’re not convinced farmers should be sued for theft when GM pollen gets into their own crops (as happened in Canada)?

Then Minister Owen Paterson knows what you are: wicked.

Paterson said as much to the BBC; quite rightly too. The proliferation of GM food into our environment is nothing to fear at all, no more so than when the pesticide DDT came into wide use, and was hailed by the Patersons of the day. Of course, traces of the deadly stuff can now be found in EVERY living organism in the planet, but there you go; no harm done.

There may have been the occasional reason to harbour doubts about scientific advancements, but Science is always right, and technological advances are not made for profit, but for the betterment of the world in every instance. The odd nuclear accident, Thalidomide birth defects, tranquilisers with deadly side effects such as Halcyon – that sort of thing doesn’t happen anymore, well hardly ever.

Don’t question, don’t worry, don’t object – doing so is wicked. Where would we be without the guiding moral compass of Paterson and his ilk?

You wicked people should be ashamed; Paterson also says it is your fault people are starving in the third world, and golden rice will solve everything. That’s you told, then. And here I was thinking centuries of colonialism, civil war, disease, violence and draught were to blame.

Next week: A look at recent Trump news including his classy new roadside sign and 2012 accounts; a glance at Stewart Milne-related news, and more definitions.

Confidential to anyone who is feeling old: In passing, someone in their mid 50s told me they were old. First of all, I was Old Susannah way before anyone else decided to be old. Secondly, don’t be old if you don’t want to be old. One of the most youthful people I’ll ever meet was Les Paul (the guitarist and innovator).

I had the extreme pleasure of watching him play many times. There was nothing like it; the music he made; the passion for what he was doing all kept him at a mental age of perhaps 21. He’d joke; he always smiled; he had a twinkle in his eye, and he loved every moment. (And I wish I could see and hear him again). Did he have pains, aches, heartache, problems the same as the rest of us? Absolutely. He just chose to be young.

I hope to be as young as he was one of these days. Anyone who’s reading this at a computer/phone, in a warm building with food in their stomach is pretty lucky compared to most of the rest of the world, something too easily forgotten. If you have some kind of talent or gift, you have much more reason to lighten up.

Refuse to be jaded. Carpe Diem. Do something new. Go somewhere you’ve never been. Go on an adventure. Start something. I can promise you, you can stay young in heart and mind if you want to. As they say, ‘this is not a dress rehearsal’.

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Animal Related Crime – Vigilance Required – How To Help

Aberdeen City, Information 4 Responses »

Sep 172013

By Suzanne Kelly.

In the past few weeks several serious incidents have brought home the fact we must watch out for our pets and our neighbours’ pets.

Pet cats that don’t normally stray are going missing in all parts of the city but notably Torry, Cove and Kincorth.

Animals are also being abandoned by their owners which is a criminal offence.

More alarming incidents include the following:-

Ponies were attacked in the Strichen area of Aberdeenshire this past week. They were found distressed and had hair cut off.
A cat was viciously flung from a moving red car in Kincorth. The cat was struck by another car and injured. Thankfully kind passers-by came to its aid.
A Staffordshire Bull Terrier was abandoned on Bonnyview Road near Aberdeen’s Auchmill Golf Club. It was let out of a silver car and the owner deliberately and cruelly drove off and left it behind. Thankfully it was found and brought to the Scottish SPCA.
A Shetland pony was found in its field covered in deliberately inflicted wounds.
A dog was found at the base of a tower block of flats. It had broken bones and may have been thrown from a window.

Perhaps the most alarming recent story is this one:

A man (slender build, northern English accent) tried to steal someone’s pet Labrador on Sunday 15th September in the Bridge of Don area. The would-be thief deliberately lured the pet (which had been running free on a beach with its owner nearby) with food and then put a lead on the dog, attempting to remove it. The owner thankfully was able to run to the scene.

When confronted the would-be thief attempted to say he believed the dog was his – which he claimed to have lost. As any dog owner can tell you – this simply doesn’t wash: you know your dog from other dogs.

It is possible that animals are being stolen to be sold on for profit or to be kept in the hope that a finders’ reward will be offered. It is also possible that dogs and cats are being used in illegal, brutal dog-fighting. In case there is any doubt at all – dogfighting is illegal and conviction can lead to severe penalties in law.

Most dogs do not naturally want to fight other dogs. Sometimes they are tortured and beaten until they will do so. In fighting dog training other animals including cats and smaller dogs can be used to “blood” dogs and brutalise them.

Individuals who enjoy inflicting pain on other living creatures who are otherwise innocent and helpless often go on to do the same to people. It is a cycle of violence which must be spotted and broken before it escalates.

The police and the Scottish SPCA want to know of any illegal activity going on concerning animal abuse, abandonment and dog fighting. You can be completely anonymous. Sometimes rewards are offered depending on the situation.

It is far better to share your suspicions and let them be checked out than to do nothing. You may be in the position to stop suffering; please don’t just turn away if you have any information.

Here’s what to do:

If you know anything about organised dog fighting please contact without delay the police, the Scottish SPCA and/or Crimestoppers. You can do so anonymously if you wish. You could help save innocent animals from extreme pain and suffering.

If you see any animals being mistreated or neglected please get in touch with the authorities as above. The people who can help these animals need as much information as they can get and they need it as quickly as possible.

Look out for the signs: dogs that have obvious injuries or scars on their bodies and faces may be involved in dog fighting. If you have any suspicions it is important you raise them with the Scottish SPCA. A quick SSPCA inspection can rule out deliberate cruelty or dog fighting or it could provide the evidence needed to rescue animals from further cruelty and prosecute the perpetrators.

Anyone who is not comfortable making direct contact with the Scottish SPCA, the police, or Crimestoppers can, for non-urgent matters, send an email to stop.dogfights@yahoo.co.uk. You can also write to that email address to go on an anonymous mailing list to be kept updated with the campaign. No one else will get your details.

Finally – keep an eye out for your pets and your neighbour’s pets. If you see anything suspicious report it swiftly. Only intervene if it is safe to do so. Note details of any people and vehicles involved. Remember cruelty to animals is a criminal offence. If you see a crime in progress dial 999 immediately. Everyone can help protect our pets; we must not let these crimes go unsolved.

Contacts:

Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Main number 03000 999 999
Website http://www.scottishspca.org/

Animal Concern Advice Line (ACAL)
John F. Robins, Secretary, c/o Animal Concern
Post Office Box 5178, Dumbarton G82 5YJ
Tel: 01389 841 111
Mobile: 07721 605 521 Fax: 0870-7060327
Website http://adviceaboutanimals.info

Police Scotland: Emergencies: 999 (free). Non-emergencies: 101 (15p per call mobile or landline).

Crimestoppers: Tel. 0800 555 111

Email for any dog fight info: stop.dogfights@yahoo.co.uk

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Petitions Committee Snubs 19,000+ Citizens

Aberdeenshire, Featured, Opinion 6 Responses »

Sep 132013

By Suzanne Kelly.

Menie Estate resident David Milne started a petition to ask for a public inquiry into the past, present and future events and issues arising from Donald Trump’s takeover of the Estate to build ‘the world’s greatest golf course.’

As per previous coverage of the problems faced by residents and visitors to the estate, there are many questions that have remained unanswered as events have unfolded. The Scottish Government called in and approved Trump’s plans – a move which was without precedent.

The actions of the police, local and central government, and Scottish Enterprise as well as the SNH since golf course construction began have included the arrests of two journalists on the charge of ‘breaching the peace’, as shown in Anthony Baxter’s award-winning documentary, You’ve Been Trumped.

Environmental monitoring which was to be robust, was patchy at best, and now seems non-existent. Residents have been stopped by Trump private security. Surely the SNP government, keen to show the benefits of an independent Scotland, would want to honour the request of 19,000 petition signatories, and shed light on its actions if they were above board?

The petitions committee members have decided otherwise.

The brief statement now on their website reads:-

“3 September 2013: The Committee agreed to close the petition, under Rule 15.7, on the basis that all of the organisations that responded state that they have made, and continue to make, details of their involvement with the Menie Development public, and that there is little to demonstrate that another inquiry is necessary or justified.”
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/GettingInvolved/Petitions/PE01474

Astonishingly, the method used by the committee when asked to consider investigating these five institutions was to ask them if they thought an investigation was needed. The outcome was inevitable, once the decision was made to rely on the word of the organisations to be investigated.

The committee’s statement refers to ‘another inquiry’. Whilst there was a report on the planning process in 2008, a great deal has happened since then. The statement refers to ‘another inquiry’ – there has not been any inquiry remotely like what was requested by the thousands who signed Milne’s petition.

David Milne’s letter to the Petitions Committee has been heavily redacted. Future articles will look at why Milne’s final statement was cut in this way.

What did he plan to say that the committee did not want the public to see?

Were any of the people on the committee likely to want to prevent an investigation into how Alex Salmond wined and dined Trump, and then intervened in the live planning application? Why did the police arrest two journalists on the say-so of Trump’s site manager, yet decline to even look at potential evidence caught on video of property damage and theft from the Milne property?

Reactions are still coming in from residents, campaigners and politicians; these will be aired in due course as well. But for the time being it is clear that the wish of the people to have a proper, public examination of what is now a cause celebre does not matter to central government.

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Willows Animal Sanctuary Open Day Saturday 22 June

Aberdeenshire, Featured, Information No Responses »

Jun 192013

Willows Animal Sanctuary invites you, your friends and family to its next Open Day – 22 June.
Come join the staff, farm, domestic, exotic and wild animals living at Willows. There will be loads to do and see, and animals to meet.

New arrivals at Willows include a family of Shetland ponies. Penny the Shetland mare, rescued from a very uncertain fate earlier in the year, has given birth to a beautiful colt foal. Bertie was born on the 30th April 2013 and is an absolute treasure. He currently lives with his mum Penny and his sister Daisy.

Here is Penny’s story.

We were contacted recently by a very desperate lady who urgently needed help with two Shetland pony mares and a filly foal. The lady suffers from an auto immune disease and has become allergic to daylight which had made looking after her ponies very difficult.

She also expressed concern that the paddock they were in, which had looked good in summer, was now so wet that the ponies were sometimes up to their hocks in mud and she feared that two of the ponies were again in foal. Her only other option had been to put the ponies into a market which would risk a very uncertain future for them.

The ponies were quite a way from Willows on the border between Perth and Angus, but Animal Health were extremely helpful with facilitating the move to Willows. It was also some time since their feet had been trimmed and all in all Animal Health felt that the sooner they could be removed the better.

They all arrived safely and have been checked and blood tested by our vets. The filly foal has been named Daisy and the two mares are called Ruby and Penny.

The events run from 11:30 am through 4:30pm; they include:-

Live music,
Bottle Stall,
Tombola,
Plant sale,
Lucky ducks,
Gift shop,
Coffee Shop,
Raffle,
and Home-bakes.

Willows Animal Sanctuary, Lambhill Farm, Strichen, Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire AB43 6NY

Reg. Charity No. SCO29625
Tel. 01771 653112
www.willowsanimals.com
email kate@willowsanimals.com

Old Susannah No. 122 – The Lady Vanishes

Opinion, Satire and Humour 4 Responses »

Jun 072013

Voice’s Old Susannah takes a look over the past week’s events in the ‘Deen and beyond. By Suzanne Kelly.

Interesting times in the Granite City of Culture; there have been two notable photography exhibitions.

On Friday 1^st June a group show of hundreds of images of Aberdeen was launched in the City of Culture HQ (formerly known as One Up). It was a good event; the Lord Provost made an upbeat speech and promised we would have a year of culture, regardless of the city’s city of culture bid.

A show of photography work at St Machar’s Cathedral by the River Don group was very impressive.

With the help of award-winning photographer Alicia Bruce, the group spent time shooting along the Don; the results are stunning (more on that elsewhere in Aberdeen Voice).

The only fly in the ale was last week’s outing by local CAMRA group, holding another real ale festival in Pittodrie. I’d been several times over the years, going on different dates, but never experienced the shortage of cask ales that my friend and I encountered Saturday afternoon. Paying full price to get in with no warning they’d run out of nearly half the advertised beers, disappointment was in the air and then some.

“Every beer I’m getting tastes the same” John said

“… as a token gesture I’d have accepted a £ reduction” Stephen said

“*%£!!”N S £”!~*$%%^*!!” Paul said.

Well, the beers that were left were, er – probably not stored or shipped very well. They were the last turkeys in the shop for a reason.

Without shaming the breweries involved, one was immediately spat out, the others bar one half (we got half measures in more ways than one) were poured out. And for comic effect, one with a ‘citrusy hint’ was so acidic that I gave a few people a good laugh as they watched my face as it hit my taste buds.

Hint of citrus? It was as much a ‘hint’ of citrus as the scene in Public Enemy where Jimmy Cagney smashed a grapefruit into Mae Clark’s face.

I was wearing a Brew Dog teeshirt, having just left their alternative beer festival. 80% of the Pittodrie crowd commented that they’d be heading to the dog soon. The thing is, I genuinely respect CAMRA; they helped me a decade ago stop some small pubs from closing. I feel like a favourite pet has bit me.

The first five minutes were spent poring over the long list of available beers; we decided what we’d have. Rounding the corner to where the casks were, we saw disappointed faces and hardly any casks. The word ‘FINISHED’ hung on signs on at least 40% of the casks.

We’d gone back to the guys who sold us full price admissions less than 10 minutes after we arrived. We explained we were not happy. They explained they usually drop the admission price when the stocks get low. What they were waiting for remains a mystery. They told me I could ‘write an email’ if I wasn’t happy. I told them I’d write an email and a bit more.

The original newsletter for Councillor Owen is no more to be found!

By way of contrast, a meal in Golden Square’s Granite Park took an overly long time. A talk with the manager about this and a minor issue or two, and the matter was amicably settled there and then.

The beer wasn’t the only disappearance last week. Alas! The original newsletter for Councillor Owen is no more to be found!

Visitors instead receive a message ‘This user has elected to delete their account and the content is no longer available’. I understand that copies of the lovely photo of the Councillor with Donald Trump senior and his hairpiece can be obtained by ebay, or at the Snappy Snaps near Little Belmont Street – feel free to ask. If only there were some way to see the cached evidence of this newsletter. Hmmmm.

And while ‘this user’ expunged her newsletter, making it disappear, a new Register of Interests appeared on Aberdeenshire’s website. The Snappy Snaps job is now registered. I couldn’t find the previous version on the Shire’s site, but happily I do have a copy saved.

Last week said councillor took time out from their busy life to comment on my column to say:-

“I object to the serious implication you make that I have or will receive or accept bribes. I refute entirely your allegations and put you on notice that I consider these defamatory and therefore actionable. I request that you desist from repeating them with immediate effect”

Old Susannah is a little confused at Gillian’s mode of attack. She seems to be telling me that I’ve been a bad girl and could be in trouble, and is backing her statement up by…. taking down her newsletter and updating her register of interest. Of course, this potential threat of my writing being ‘actionable’ is deeply distressing to me.

So much so that I’ll have to calm my nerves with a half or two of Jackhammer, Dead Pony and AB13.

Finally, spare a thought for 62 year-old Isle of Wight woman Dawn Martin. She either lost or ended a short-term lease and somehow wound up with nowhere to go. The Council are investigating, but the story is that she was given temporary accommodation in…. a tent. I think there will be a tax issue – it is a three-person tent. How this will sit with the bedroom tax officials remains to be seen.

This week the beer at Pittodrie was gone despite my paying full price to taste it; Gillian’s newsletter faded into the ether; and there have been other disappearances and losses to related to these . Time for some topical timely definitions on the things that have disappeared

Sense of Humour Loss: (compound English noun) a failure to find humour in a joke, prank or situation.

They can’t say we don’t have a great sense of humour in Aberdeen. We’ve elected kerb-crawlers, teenagers, plumber’s mates and embezzlers to Council – and they were the more serious element. The latest Aberdonian stunt to hit the nationals will no doubt impress those City of Culture judges.

Merry pranksters Jack Hearns, 20, and Owen Petrie, 21 played a hilarious joke this week; they attacked HazelheadAcademy during a school day with paintball guns. How teachers, parents and pupils would have laughed as two strange men drove to the school and started brandishing guns and firing.

Alas, some crabby parents, teachers and law enforcement officials seem to have lost their sense of fun, and arrested our pranksters.

I can’t for the life of me see what’s wrong with making kids and adults think they were under a gun attack at a school; it’s not like that could ever happen. Perhaps we’ll see another sly joke from this pair when they appear in court, probably pretending to be filled with remorse, telling tales of how tough their lives have been and that they’ll never do anything like this again.

Now that would be funny.

Evidence: (noun) tangible proof indicating an event or crime has definitely or likely taken place.

Spare a moment for the Scottish Police; they have managed to lose evidence in a few instances which hit the news this week.

Firstly, evidence seems to have gone walkies in the case of Seal slayer Graham McNally. He was found guilty of using nets designed to drown seals near his salmon cages (some would define this as a salmon farm; these installations are as much a ‘farm’ as a cage in the zoo is a lion or tiger farm).

At the end of May, evidence proving such acts occurred must have existed, but now:-

“John Robins, of the Save Our Seals Fund, said that McNally originally pled not guilty to setting illegal nets between August 2009 and August 2011, based on evidence that seals had been entangled and drowned in such nets.

“Robins has written to the COPFS asking if the charges were amended in return for a guilty plea or for any other reason, asking why the reference to the killing of seals was removed from the charges.”

See: http://www.shetnews.co.uk/news/6885-court-challenged-over-dead-seal-evidence

Could this be a case of plea bargaining? Quite possibly.

Next we have claims from one golf course owner, one Mr Donald Trump. He told the media on several occasions that there had been acts of vandalism and theft at the Menie Estate. Did the protesting rabble had damaged Mr Trump’s property.?

Interestingly the police were keen to arrest film- and trouble- makers Anthony Baxter and Richard Phinney; they were charged with breach of the peace on the say-so of Trump’s site manager. The calm, reasonable, level-headed arresting officer was caught on film. However, the police were keen to make photographer Alicia Bruce’s complaint against a member of Trump staff disappear. Bruce had called the police while being threatened – but the police seemed more interested in getting her to forget the incident, saying a prosecution would be hard on the accused. Again, evidence of wrongdoing seems to have gone astray.

In a Freedom of Information request (more details of this FOI in the future), the police revealed the number of cases of vandalism against Trump. That number is – zero.

Evidence of damage to property belonging to David Milne and to Michael Forbes exists, but alas, the police have problems finding it. This includes a videotape of vandalism taking place which Milne offered to them.

To lose one piece of evidence is unfortunate. To lose a half dozen or so pieces looks like carelessness. To refuse a piece of evidence of potential crime on film looks like something altogether different.

Here is part of a recent exchange between the police and Old Susannah (my questions in bold):-

“How many claims/complaints of vandalism, theft, trespass and/or damage have been made by the Trump Organisation and/or its employees since 2010 involving the Menie Estate?

Vandalism (Damage) – 4
Theft – 3
Trespass – 0

How many of these claims/complaints of vandalism, theft, trespass and/or damage made by the Trump Organisation and/or its employees were dropped due to lack of evidence?

No crime report has been ‘dropped’ – however, the figures in brackets below indicate those that are currently closed, having been investigated to their conclusion.

Vandalism (Damage) – 0 (4)
Theft – 0 (3)
Trespass – 0 (0)”

All of which is a bit odd. The Trump organization claimed in 2010 that £50,000’s worth of vandalism occurred – to vehicles, fences and the all-important marram grass, which is stabilizing the dunes so effectively and ‘preserving them’ in such an environmentally friendly manner.

in June of last year the Evening Express wrote:-

“VANDALS caused thousands of pounds of damage at Donald Trump’s Menie golf course just weeks before it is due to open, the Evening Express can reveal today. A police investigation was launched after gardening equipment on the Menie estate near Aberdeen was targeted. It came after a vandal attack last month when paint was thrown on to part of the course.

“A spokeswoman [but presumably not the chief spin doctor Malone] from Grampian Police said up to £10,000 of damage was caused as a result of the latest incident. The vandalism of equipment used to cut the grass on the estate took place between May 30 and June 4.”

Well, we’ve got fences, grass, grass cutting equipment, trucks vandalised and items stolen. But no evidence to bring to trial. Presuming any of this was reported to insurance companies, as would normally be expected possibly required, it does make you wonder where the evidence has gone.

Surely you wouldn’t cry vandalism or theft without evidence? As to the allegations of paint spilled on the course, I wonder if anyone will be charged with the turquoise colour now evident on most of the greens.

Unfortunately other than Michael Forbes being accused of stealing the white border flags worth a staggering eleven pounds or so, I can’t find any news items relating to anyone stealing from the Donald. Perhaps we can charge the North Sea with vandalizing the course at Blairton Burn early this year. Other than that, the claims of crimes against the course have, well, disappeared.

More on evidence of crime at Menie will be coming in the weeks ahead….

Time to disappear down to BD. Tally Ho!

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Skinned, Chopped And Cooked

Information, Opinion 5 Responses »

May 312013

Can you be an animal lover and eat animals? Would it be better to say “I am a pet lover”? Trish Healy questions the nature of our relationship with animals and the food industry.

People are happy to love their pets and spend much time and attention including toys & treats upon them but would be horrified at the thought of killing, skinning, chopping, cooking and eating them.

The same people, however, would be happy have this done to a ‘farm’ animal.

I ask you, why is one beings life less important and of less value than the other? If a ‘pet’ is abused there is an outcry and yet, are we not abusing the animal we see as food?

The same lamb that is cooed over in the fields at springtime is thought not about when on our plates. We give our children cuddly toys, pigs, calves, lambs, and serve the same animal to them in the guise of a breaded dinosaur.

Just how much are we as the consumer aware of the horrors of the slaughterhouse? Do we connect that we pay the hand that takes the life? We don’t want to know that part, better hidden, no glass walls to see through.

What is humane about a life not given but taken? How many meat eaters have watched any footage at all of a slaughterhouse? It’s not pretty, it’s not humane, its soul destroying but hey it tastes good…do we have the right to kill because of taste?

Free range – at least they have had a good life. Has anyone truly investigated this free range or do you take the labels word for it?

In 2011 an undercover investigation by Hillside Animal Sanctuary made public the horrific conditions on a Norfolk UK ‘Freedom Food Farm’, a scheme – backed by the RSPCA – which is meant to guarantee high animal welfare standards . The farm was suspended from the freedom food scheme but the animals where left in distress.

We are brainwashed by so many adverts that deviate from truth. How many are aware that the cow’s milk on the shelves is the milk a baby calf went without?

The male is the by-product of this industry and is too costly to maintain so off to slaughter this baby goes and we can have the milk for our coffee, ice cream, goodness there’s even milk in crisps.

Gummi Bears, a children’s favourite sweet contains gelatine which is made from the bones of mainly pigs and cows, unsuitable then for the vegetarian, vegan, and those religions that do not allow the consumption of certain animals.

Many items bought do not by law have to state certain ingredients; wine for example contains proteins, egg whites and isinglass, a derivative of sturgeon bladders, Safer to buy the vegan version if you wish to stay clear of any animal agents

We are a nation of fast food junkies who pay no heed to why these meals are so cheap as long as they stay this way.

Who wants to think of the battery caged hens, twisted in the packed cages, featherless and broken? They will be barely a year old before they go to feed the fast food outlets.

Who cares that they are hatched in their thousands, the males minced in the mincing machine and the females kept for the cages or the free range market, same beginning…same end. They are no longer living beings but commodities as are all animals raised for the food industry.

I ask when are we as a species going to ‘evolve’ from the ‘food chain’ and become compassionate to those beings we share this planet with.

In past years, women were laughed at for believing they were entitled to vote; that the black slave would be free; that women would preach in the ministry. So I ask you to nurture these thoughts I have put into words and ask yourself, “to eat without meat?” … why not?

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SOS: Save Our Sheep! Farmer’s Threat To Rescued Lamb

Aberdeenshire, Featured, News 20 Responses »

Apr 182013

By Suzanne Kelly.

Some weeks ago, a lamb was brought to Willows Animal Sanctuary near New Pitsligo. It had been found nearly dead, half drowned in a stream.

Tender loving care by the person who found it nursed it back to a state of health, and it continued to recover at Willows, all the while being hand fed and tended to frequently.

It recovered, and is now an adored pet for the many people, especially children who benefit from the Animal Assisted Therapy which Willows offers.

This should be the end of the story; the animal was saved, helped to recover, and has a home for its life being adored at a sanctuary.

However, if one local farmer has his way, the lamb will be seized, and Willows charged with theft and hauled to court.

Outraged animal campaigners and users of Willows’ facilities are appealing to this farmer. After all, there is absolutely no proof where the animal came from. It was found in a stream far from any farms. It had no marking/brand/dye.

Court action will mean cost for Willows. Appealing to this farmer’s better nature seems like a slim hope however.

As the Aberdeen Voice Editor Fred Wilkinson reacted:-

“I think the idea of a sanctuary for rescued animals handing over a rescued animal to someone who has no more interest in the creature than how much fat and growth hormones he can stuff into it and sell it purely for it’s weight as a corpse is quite disturbing. “

It is hard to believe that anyone would claim a lost animal is theirs without any evidence, threaten and intimidate a charity with court and police, all to remove a rescued animal from emotionally vulnerable people who have bonded with it – but that is what is happening.

Footage of the lamb playing with a rescued dog, and other information can be found on Willows page on Facebook where you will also find related information.

The Facebook page also has a photo of the sheep; anyone who is opposed to the removal of this animal is urged to share the photo on Facebook to increase awareness; the campaign is called ‘Spam This Lamb’.

Aberdeen Voice is in touch with a variety of animal welfare organisations on this matter as well as the Blackface Sheep Association; we hope to report a happy outcome in the days to follow.

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Rodgers And Bonham Charity Success: Willows To Benefit

Aberdeenshire, Articles, Featured 1 Response »

Apr 122013

Paul Rodgers And Deborah Bonham. Photo By Noel Buckley

On Saturday April 1st, Paul Rodgers, Deborah Bonham and her band (along with special guests) returned to The Venue in Chichester to raise the roof one more time for animal charities including Willows Animal Sanctuary in Aberdeenshire.

Paul Rodgers and his wife Cynthia are Patrons of Willows which takes in a massive number and variety of welfare cases from cats to pigs to horses.

Currently they are home to 300 animals.

Deborah Bonham and her husband guitarist Pete Bullick have adopted both of her dogs from Mount Noddy which specialises in dogs and cats.

Cynthia Kereluk Rodgers and Deborah visited the Cat & Rabbit Rescue Centre near Chichester and were impressed with the care and handling of their two hundred cats! So a donation will be made to them as well.

Rock memorabilia were the hot items in the live auction with two Autographed Led Zeppelin Posters bringing in £500 ($763.00 ) and £850 ($1298.00 ).The highest grossing auction item was a Bad Company autographed guitar including tickets to a concert this summer in the US bringing in £1100 ($1679.00 ).

The biggest surprise of the evening was when Elaine and Chris Fairfax from Animal Friends Insurance handed over cheques to the tune of £15,000 ($22,888 ) to be divided equally between the three charities.

Jenny of Willows Animal Sanctuary commented:-

“We are absolutely over the moon to have such wonderful, lovely talented people supporting Willows Animal Sanctuary! It means so much to have dedicated Patrons. Paul Rodgers and Cynthia Kereluk Rodgers are such kind hearted and beautiful individuals and care so much about animal welfare.

“Our thanks go to all that helped with the fantastic concert: we know it took a lot of organising and many dedicated volunteers. Deborah Bonham and Peter Bullick are also amazing. Thank you both so much for all the time and energy you have put in to this concert. Everyone at Willows thanks you all from the bottom of our hearts.”

Deborah Bonham performed some songs from her new CD Spirit (limited edition pre release CD Digipak out now on tour ahead of the September CD, Vinyl and Digital release) during her 1 hour set. To the fans’ delight Rodgers played a 90 minute set of songs from just his Free catalogue, some he had not performed in 40 years!

Paul Rodgers said:-

“Once again the evening was a huge success. Our fans and friends come through every time- it’s quite amazing. Now Willows can breathe a sigh of relief as this funding will see them through July. Thanks to everyone from the fans, musicians, volunteers to all of the musicians and artists who donated items.”

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