James McAvoy backs Royal Conservatoire campaign

X-MEN actor James McAvoy is today launching the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’s (RCS’s) scholarship campaign. McAvoy – who graduated from the RCS’s predecessor, the Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama (RSAMD), in 2000 – has narrated a film entitled #WeAreStillHere to kick-off the fundraising campaign. “At this time, possibly more ever, the arts and…

Read More

Union Chain Bridge champion wins award

ONE of the people behind the campaign to preserve the historic Union Chain Bridge linking England and Scotland across the River Tweed has been chosen as the winner of the Tweed Forum River Champion Award. Edward Cawthorn from Berwick was a founding member of the “Friends of the Union Chain Bridge”, which was formed in…

Read More

Perth curry maker expands team of chefs

DEMAND for restauranteur Praveen Kumar’s frozen curries has soared during the pandemic. The Perthshire-based entrepreneur launched Praveen Kumar Authentic Indian Cuisine in April 2019 and has expanded his workforce to 18 people to cope with the demand. His curries are being delivered throughout the UK and two of his dishes – kodi koora and butter…

Read More

Is love in the air for Scotland’s eagles?

POTENTIAL courtship has been spotted between two golden eagles that were moved to the South of Scotland. John Wright, eagle officer at the South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project, spotted the birds displaying behaviour often used to communicate prior to mating. Wright watched as female Beaky, who was moved to the area in 2018, and…

Read More

Edinburgh celebrates links with Norway

A SIXTY foot Sitka spruce will be erected on The Mound in Edinburgh on Saturday to celebrate the city’s links with Hordaland in Norway. Hordaland has given a tree to Scotland’s capital city each Christmas since 1949 to remember the help given to Norwegians by Scots during the Second World War. Since 2008, the tree…

Read More

Botanics invites heroes to lights show

HEROES from the emergency services are being invited to the opening of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh’s Christmas lights display. Some 200 “Blue Light” card holders will be asked to come along to the launch of the trail, which will be open for 32 nights. Regius Keeper Simon Milne said: “The opening of Christmas at…

Read More

Amelia Windsor launches Brora’s ocean range

FASHION brand Brora has teamed up with model and environmentalist Lady Amelia Windsor for its latest collection, which will be launched on Monday. Lady Amelia selected the Blue Marine Foundation as the charity that will receive a donation of 10% of sales from Brora’s ocean-inspired range. “Blue Marine Foundation reminds us that we are all…

Read More

A pair of Scottish bird award winners

A TEENAGER from Glasgow and Scotland’s birdwatching club have each won prizes from the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO). Michael Sinclair, 16, was given the “Marsh Award for Young Ornithologist” for making a “significant contribution” to the BTO’s bird monitoring schemes and for sharing information with his peers, while the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club (SOC) received…

Read More

Doric presenter shortlisted for social impact award

A CHAMPION of Doric language and culture has been shortlisted for a national prize. Filmmaker Jill McWilliam, who runs the Doric Future website, has made the shortlist in the “social impact of the year” category at the Business Women Scotland Awards. The winners will be announced during a virtual ceremony on 6 November. McWilliam reached…

Read More

‘Abstraction’ opens at Gallery Q Dundee

WORKS by six artists have gone on show at Gallery Q Dundee. The exhibition, entitled “Abstraction”, runs until 15 November. Siobhan O’Hehir, who lives and paints at Ancrum in the Borders, is the featured artist. Originally from the West of Ireland, she trained in fine art at the University of Ulster and achieved her master’s…

Read More