Posts by Peter Ranscombe
Doddie toasts whisky auction success
RUGBY legend Doddie Weir has toasted the results of a whisky auction, which raised more than ÂŁ50,000 for his My Name’5 Doddie Foundation. The Whisky Shop’s online auction was one of the foundation’s biggest fundraising events this year. The charity supports people with motor neuron disease (MND) and funds research. Foundation chief executive Jill Douglas…
Read MoreInverness hotels share positive figures
RESIDENTS in the North of Scotland are being encouraged to discover “what’s on their doorstep” as Inverness’s hotels report brighter figures amid the covid gloom. Chris Taylor, regional leadership director at national tourism marketing agency VisitScotland, said: “Right now, we are encouraging local people in the Highlands to discover what’s on their doorstep, in line…
Read MoreScots firm unveils plastic-free crackers to support food banks
SCOTTISH company Love Tiki has unveiled plastic-free Christmas crackers to support food bank operator The Trussell Trust. The Central Belt business, which made its name supplying equipment to bars and restaurants, has launched four festive designs, made from Kraft paper. All the crackers are recyclable and don’t contain plastic. The gifts inside the crackers are…
Read MoreThe stories behind NatureScot’s 2021 calendar snaps
NATURESCOT, the Scottish Government agency previously known as Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), has unveiled the photographs it is using for its 2021 calendar. The agency received more than 700 submissions from members of the public. Francesca Osowska, NatureScot chief executive, said: “We were struck by the range of subjects captured – from underwater wildlife encounters…
Read MoreScottish Whisky Awards – winners in full
THE full list of winners at the Scottish Whisky Awards has been unveiled. The awards – for which Cask & Still magazine is the media partner – announced the winners during an online ceremony. Forty experts blind tasted 155 whiskies to choose the winners. The top prize in the competition, “Whisky Distillery of the Year,…
Read MoreBethany grows its Caring Christmas Trees scheme
HOMELESSNESS charity Bethany Christian Trust has expanded its “Caring Christmas Trees” scheme this year with extra home deliveries and a further collection point in Edinburgh. Each year the charity sells Christmas trees to raise money for its work with homeless and vulnerable people throughout Scotland. This year, Bethany is wrapping its trees – which are…
Read MoreMontane turns Black Friday ‘Green’
OUTDOOR clothing brand Montane is donating its enitre “Black Friday” marketing budget to the European Outdoor Conservation Association (EOCA). The Northumberland-based label will give €5,000 (about ÂŁ4,500) to the charity to fund projects including tackling plastic pollution in Brazil, Columbia, Italy, Spain, and the UK. Global marketing manager Matthew Hickman said: “Throughout the year, Montane…
Read MoreChip shop lands sustainability prize
THE Bay Fish & Chips in Stonehaven has netted an award for its sustainability. The chippy scooped the “Sustainable Business Award” at “The Cateys”, an hospitality industry awards virtual ceremony. Calum Richardson, owner and chef at The Bay, said: “Being a sustainable business has been our number one priority for a long time now and…
Read MoreDame Judi Dench supports Scottish forest
ACTRESS Dame Judi Dench and her family have dedicated a grove at the Woodland Trust’s Ledmore & Migdale Wood in Sutherland “for the people we love.” The former James Bond star sent Christmas cards last year telling her friends that she was dedicating an acre of woodland to them. A post has now been erected…
Read MoreREVIEW: Damiani grazing boxes
Peter Ranscombe takes delivery of some tasty Italian treats. ONE of the few bright spots amid the coronavirus restrictions has been the explosion in the number of grazing boxes being ferried around the country. As businesses switch from welcoming guests into their premises to delivering treats to their homes, there seems to be no limit…
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