Dunnottar Continues To Enthrall

 Aberdeenshire, Information  No Responses »
Nov 162015
 

Aberdeen City and Shire Hotels’ Association launches new tourism awards at Dunnottar CastlefeatWith thanks to Eoin Smith, Senior Account Executive, Tricker PR.

Dunnottar Castle, the spectacular medieval ruin in Aberdeenshire, continues to enthral audiences around the globe after an array of Hollywood film appearances. In 1990 the castle played a starring role in the film ‘Hamlet‘ featuring Mel Gibson.
More recently it provided inspiration for the castle in Disney Pixar’s ‘Brave’ and this December Dunnottar will feature in ‘Victor Frankenstein’, a remake of the horror classic Frankenstein, starring James McAvoy and Daniel Radcliffe.

Last year Dunnottar was awarded seventh place out of over 200 entrants in a competition to find the 8th Wonder of the World, an incredible accomplishment for the small team of staff who are all passionate about showcasing Dunnottar to the world.

Their dedication appears to have paid off, as footfall to the castle more than doubled from 35,000 in 2009 to just under 89,000 in 2014.

These recent achievements for the team have resulted in Dunnottar Castle being shortlisted for Best Visitor Attraction in the Aberdeen City and Shire Tourism Awards (ACSTA). The Best Visitor Attraction award celebrates Scottish attractions which are dedicated to providing excellent customer service to visitors.

Jim Wands, Custodian of Dunnottar Castle who recently took over from Wendy Sylvester, says,

“The ACSTA nomination continues an extremely successful few years for the team at Dunnottar. It is a fantastic feeling to receive recognition for all our hard work and commitment towards improving the castle and the overall visitor experience.

“We want visitors to enjoy the magnificence of Dunnottar as much as we do, so visitor satisfaction, the preservation of the castle and its environment are our main priorities. We have people visiting daily from all corners of the globe and we aim to provide them with the best memories of the North-east of Scotland.

“The castle now has a prominent social media presence which has created a loyal and interactive following from around the world. We have also received a Tripadvisor Certificate of Excellence for three consecutive years. I firmly believe these achievements have been made possible by the dedication and persistence of the staff at Dunnottar.”

As well as working exceptionally hard to enhance the overall experience for both domestic and foreign visitors, the team of staff at Dunnottar Castle works very closely with local businesses and attractions in their local town of Stonehaven.

Jim explains,

“We have built strong connections within Stonehaven as we realise the mutually beneficial roles we both play in attracting visitors to the area. We have helped to support and implement projects such as information boards, granting land for projects and regular donations to local charities via our wishing well fund. With each other’s help, businesses in Stonehaven and Dunnottar Castle have continued to flourish together, bringing in a larger number of visitors each year.”

Dunnottar Castle was once considered significant enough to house the Scottish crown jewels, or the ‘Honours of Scotland’, during Oliver Cromwell’s invasion of Scotland in the 17th century. The Honours were smuggled out of the castle during a siege by Cromwell’s army. For 11 years they were buried in nearby Kinneff Church, until they were finally returned back to Edinburgh Castle.

Dunnottar Castle is nominated for the Best Visitor Attraction in the 2015 Aberdeen City and Shire Tourism Awards and will be up against Macduff Marine Aquarium and Drum Castle.

The winners of each category will be announced at an award ceremony on Friday November 27, 2015 at Ardoe House Hotel and Spa, and the winners will then go on to represent the region at the national Thistle Awards.

For more information about the Aberdeen City and Shire Tourism Awards, visit www.acsta.co.uk

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Who You Gonna Call For Spooky Halloween Retreat?

 Aberdeen City, Opinion  No Responses »
Oct 292015
 

Pumpkin2With thanks to Eoin Smith, Senior Account Executive, Tricker PR.

Calling all wannabe Ghostbusters: are you brave enough to spend Halloween in a haunted hotel?
Guests at The Caledonian Hotel in Aberdeen are amongst the bravest of the brave, as the building is thought to be the home of a ghostly presence that walks the corridors.

Legend has it that the ghost of Mary Littlejohn, a much-revered restaurant manager from the hotel’s dim and distant past, has been spotted in the hallways of the hotel, which opened on Union Terrace Gardens in the Granite City in 1892.

Hotel staff are more than willing to share their stories of ghostly goings on – and can even point guests intrigued by the paranormal to the spots where they are most likely to encounter some paranormal activity.

Babs Dawson, a member of the housekeeping staff for over 19 years, is the hotel’s unofficial ghost expert.

She says,

“I am one of the longest serving members of staff at The Caledonian, and as long as I have been here there have been whispers of a ghost.

“Everyone who works in the basement office has experienced a supernatural presence. When people are working alone down there, they often hear footsteps in the corridor but when they go to check who it is… no-one is ever there.

“Some members of staff have also mentioned that there is a cool spot on the right hand side of the fourth floor corridor – we think this might have been where Mary lived while working in the hotel.

“The hotel has been open for over 100 years, and I really do believe that there could be an otherworldly presence here. I think even after all these years, Mary is still checking in on us to make sure the hotel is running smoothly!

“Some guests are intrigued and actually want to see the spirit, but I can assure those who have no desire to come face to face with her that she has never been mischievous. She seems to want to ensure our guests have a restful and relaxing stay, just like the rest of us.”

The Caledonian isn’t the only haunted location in Aberdeen city centre, and there are dozens of other spectres that will delight – and terrify – fans of TV shows like Most Haunted.

His Majesty’s Theatre – just a few hundred yards from the hotel – is said to be haunted by not one but two spooks. The most famous is Jake, the spirit of a stagehand who died in a tragic rigging accident during a circus performance at the time of World War II.

Many actors and crew have reported unusual goings-on during performances, with disembodied footsteps heard backstage and props and tools mysteriously vanishing without a trace. There are also rumours of a Grey Lady, who has been spotted gliding through the foyer.

There are other paranormal hotspots close to the hotel too. Halloween ghost hunters might spot the ghost of Friar Charles Gordon – affectionately known as Priest Gordon – near the Castlegate. After 50 years’ service at St Peter’s Chapel, Gordon died in 1855 and was so loved by the city that the citizens lined the streets for his funeral.

They might also catch a glimpse of the ghoulish monks that haunt the historic Green marketplace, or the pale apparition of a dark haired woman dressed in white that hovers in St Nicholas Kirkyard.

And The Caledonian Hotel is not the only member of The Hotel Collection in Aberdeen to house a ghostly presence. Anne McIntosh, duty manager at The Aberdeen Skyway Hotel, has come face to face with one spectre in the dead of night.

Anne says,

“When you’re working the nightshift, you often feel like there’s a presence there with you – but I think that’s part and parcel of working alone at night. There was one time, though, about five years ago that I saw something I really can’t explain.

“I was working on my own at the reception. I left for a second to look at the security monitors and noticed that there was a woman sitting on a seat next to the reception. I went through to speak to her, but she had disappeared. When I went back through to look at the monitors again, she was still sitting there.

“As far as I know, no-one before or since has seen the ghost – but it was pretty terrifying at the time!”

For those looking to jump into their Mystery Machine and head to Aberdeen for a spooky break, rooms at The Caledonian Hotel are available on Halloween from £67.15 per room (based on double occupancy, bed & breakfast). Rooms at The Aberdeen Skyway Hotel are available from £58.65 (based on double occupancy, bed & breakfast).

The Caledonian Hotel and The Aberdeen Skyway Hotel are part of The Hotel Collection, which has one other venue in the city – The Aberdeen Altens 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/aberdeen

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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.]

Nessie In National Dream Award Challenge

 Articles, Featured  No Responses »
Sep 182015
 

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

Loch Ness Marathon selfie with Nessie story. Tricker PR

Tricker PR’s Nessie Selfie campaign hit the headlines across the globe, offering £50,000 to anyone who is photobombed by the iconic loch beastie.

A low budget PR campaign to promote the Baxters Loch Ness Marathon – with a fund for props of just £5.99 – will go head to head with global brand giants Sky Atlantic, PG Tips, The Discovery Channel, Acer Computers and Eurostar Trains in the national Dream Awards.

Nessie will be involved in a six-way challenge with animatronic polar bears and sharks – and a knitted monkey that scaled The Shard in London – at the Grosvenor Hotel in London in a bid to be recognised as one of UK’s most remarkable marketing campaigns.

The big idea and creative concept behind the Nessie Selfie campaign has been nominated in the Best PR Event or Stunt category for Aberdeen PR agency Tricker PR. 

The stunt involved offering a £50k cash prize for any marathon runners who could have the race day selfie photobombed by the internationally renowned prehistoric sea monster … and World Hide and Seek Champion since 565 AD.

“In times of trouble and consternation, we have a little mantra in the Tricker PR office – WWKKD,” says Managing Director Beverley Tricker.

“It’s not a code word to crack out bizarrely coloured alcopops. It’s an acronym for the question, What Would Kim Kardashian Do? Faced with the challenge of dreaming up a way to get global coverage for the Baxters Loch Ness Marathon, we looked to Kimye for inspiration and once again found the answer in her sage advice. Take a selfie, of course!

“We made a splash with our headline-grabbing stunt, generating coverage in consumer press, television shows and running magazines across the continents. In the digital world alone, the story was seen by 2.13m people and shared on social media 4.19K times. Even Nessie herself sent us a Tweet to say she’ll be there for the right price so who knows what will happen on race day?

“Our team estimate that their budget was considerably less than those of the competitor campaigns which included the PG Tips monkey scaling The Shard for Comic Relief, sharks in the boating pond in Finsbury Park and a moving polar bear on the Tube.

“But even with little budget for major ‘stuntery’ and scant allowance for props for a photo, we’re now in the finals of a national award against global giants. Who’d have thought the wee beastie in the loch could still command such global reverence?

“And more to the point, who would have thought that we’d be sitting slack-jawed by the conversation we had with a US-based journalist who obviously thought Nessie (whisper it) was real! Total circulation of the media coverage exceeded 4 million and it received international coverage in Europe, North and South America, Australia and Africa.”

Tricker PR’s trophy cabinet already holds more than 30 industry awards for their creative campaigns such as the ‘Save Our Dram’ campaign which sought the validation of the ‘dram’ as an official measure for whisky to promote the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, and the introduction of Venison Ice Cream for the Royal Deeside Venison Festival. Tricker PR also works for a host of business to business clients including Clark IT, Hall Morrice and Aberdeen Asset Management.

More about Tricker PR can be found at www.trickerpr.com, by calling 01224 646491 or by emailing pr@trickerpr.com. Like Tricker PR on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TrickerPR1 and follow @trickertweets on Twitter.

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Lloyd’s Staff Step Out To Raise Cash For Kids

 Aberdeen City, Articles  No Responses »
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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Oil & Gas Firm To Expand After Winning £1.3m In Contracts

 Aberdeen City, Environment, Featured  No Responses »
Sep 102015
 
Tim Martin2

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

 Aberdeen City, Articles, Featured  No Responses »
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

 Aberdeen City, Featured  No Responses »
Sep 072015
 

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

Porter's10A 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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Clark IT Gains ISO Seal Of Approval

 Aberdeen City  No Responses »
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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Celebrate Aberdeen Takes Over The Granite City

 Aberdeen City, News  No Responses »
Aug 282015
 

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

Celebrate Aberdeen logoThe Granite City was transformed into a kaleidoscope of colour at the weekend as a celebratory event took over Aberdeen.

Supporters lined the street on Saturday (August 22) as festivities kicked off with the Celebrate Aberdeen Union Street Mile for youngsters and competing adults, before more than 100 charities, social enterprises and volunteering organisations united in a colourful procession along Union Street to the Castlegate.

Organisers have hailed Celebrate Aberdeen, which is now in its fifth year, as a tremendous success as the sun shone down on the city centre.

Morven Mackenzie, director of Aberdeen based integrated communications agency Citrus:Mix, the leading force behind Celebrate Aberdeen, said she was delighted with the public’s response to the weekend.

She said:

“There is so much to be proud of in Aberdeen, from our charities, social enterprises and voluntary organisations and the people that keep them going – to the talented local performers and groups. It has been fantastic to see the way that Celebrate Aberdeen has grown over the past few years and the weekend was such fun.

“The colour, noise and happiness of the parade really was great and we would like to thank all the supporters who came along to cheer on those who took part. We were delighted to provide a platform to highlight all of these organisations and the hard work they do in the city centre on a daily basis.

“It was lovely to see people of all ages enjoying the performances and activities that were on throughout the weekend, which really brought such a sense of community to Aberdeen.”

Performers during the weekend included award winning traditional folk singer Iona Fyfe, local sensation Best Girl Athlete, acclaimed musician Colin Clyne and Scottish rockers Uniform.

They were joined by local favourites The Lorelei, entertainer Samyouel, the Aberdeen Chorus of Sweet Adelines, Aberdeen Rock Choir, Acoustified and the Wrestlezone team among others.

Celebrate Aberdeen burst into life in 2011, with the aim of celebrating and supporting the third sector in the Granite City. The colourful event was a huge success bringing together more than 3,500 people from 130 different third sector organisations, to highlight the hard work they carry out.

The 2012 and 2013 parades were hugely popular, with numbers building each year. The organisers decided to alter the format of Celebrate Aberdeen in 2014 to build on the success of the parade, but with the same ultimate aim; to unite people in a positive manner to celebrate the great people of Aberdeen.

A host of performers and community groups took to stages at various venues throughout the city centre to entertain attendees for the Celebrate Aberdeen gathering, which was enjoyed by both locals and visitors to the city.

The parade was brought back this year and marked the start of an entertaining weekend packed full of fun, performers and above all, celebration.

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Film From The Past To Celebrate Aberdeen

 Aberdeen City, News  No Responses »
Aug 212015
 

Celebrate Aberdeen logoWith thanks to Phil Moar, Account Manager, Citrus Mix.

A film which was commissioned to celebrate 200 years since the construction of Union Street commenced is set to be shown in public this weekend for the first time in 21 years.
‘No Mean Street – Union Street 200’ will be shown this Saturday and Sunday (August 22 and 23) at Belmont Filmhouse as part of the Celebrate Aberdeen weekend festivities that will take place at various venues across the city centre.

The film, written and directed by Alan White, was commissioned by Aberdeen City Council in 1994 to celebrate 200 years since the act of parliament authorised the construction of Aberdeen’s main thoroughfare.

Starring local ex-drama teacher, actor and stand-up Ally Dunbar as Doctor Kelly, the film follows the time travelling architect as he guides viewers into the past and present history of the street. The film also features the song Abercrombie’s Dream by Old Bling Dogs which lyrics tell the story of Abercrombie, the young civil engineer who came up with the street’s design.

It was shown daily during the Union Street 200 celebrations over four months in 1994 in a temporary exhibition and cinema that utilised the arches within Union Terrace Gardens.

The flick is being revived thanks to support from business organisation Aberdeen Inspired, with Aberdeen-based filmmaker Roy Stewart, whose short video on Aberdeen went viral online earlier this year, also forming part of the programme across the weekend.

Aberdeen Inspired is also supporting the parade element of the Celebrate Aberdeen weekend which will take place on Union Street on Saturday morning and will see hundreds of third sector groups take to the streets in a celebration of the work they do within the city.

Aberdeen Inspired has teamed up with four charities – Aberdeen Cyrenians, Aberdeen Forward CFINE, Bethany Christian Trust and VSA – as sponsor.

Gary Craig, chief executive of Aberdeen Inspired, said:

“Both No Mean Street – Union Street 200 and Roy’s video on Aberdeen give an insight into the past and present of the city and we’re delighted to be able to play a role in bringing them to the big screen this weekend.

“Aberdeen has so many aspects that are worth celebrating – from its landscape and heritage to the charities, groups and volunteers that work so tirelessly for the benefit of the city – and we’re really looking forward to a weekend of showcasing what is great about the place so many of us live and work within.”

‘No Mean Street – Union Street 200’ will be shown at Belmont Filmhouse on Saturday, August 22, at 1.30pm and Sunday, August 23, at 3.30pm. Tickets are free and are available on a first come, first served basis.

Celebrate Aberdeen takes place this weekend, August 22 and 23, at various venues across the city centre. For more information, please visit www.celebrateaberdeen.org

Aberdeen Inspired is the banner under which the Aberdeen BID (Business Improvement District) operates. It is a business-led initiative within the city centre in which levy payers within the BID zone contribute. Proceeds are used to fund projects designed to improve the business district.

Further information on the work of Aberdeen Inspired is available at www.aberdeeninspired.com

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