News
Parents splurged £1,608.97 on children’s presents
THE five most popular presents for Christmas 2020 cost a grand total of £1,608.97, according to figures from technology website Music Magpie. Last month’s total swelled following the launch of Apple’s iPhone 12 Pro (£999) and Sony’s PS5 video games console (£449.99). Computer game Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (£64.99), Lego’s Super Mario…
Read MoreMixed picture for songbird breeding
DATA from bird ringers suggests that not all birds benefited from last spring’s mild weather and lack of human disturbance during the lockdown. Figures from the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) reveal how 24 species of songbird fared, with some suffering from a mismatch between breeding and food availability. Lee Barber, the BTO’s demographic surveys…
Read MoreNew Year’s Day art ideas
NEW Year’s Day is the ideal time to start thinking about the exciting art exhibitions taking place online or perhaps in galleries in the weeks ahead – and we’ve got some great suggestions to whet your appetite. If you haven’t caught Pete McKee’s new style yet then check out his online exhibition, which ends today…
Read MoreOnline video ideas for New Year’s Day
LOOKING for something to watch to brighten up your New Year’s Day? Then we’ve got some exciting suggestions. If you have missed going to a theatre to see a pantomime this winter then check out the King’s Theatre in Edinburgh’s production of Panto Presents….. Where Has Panto Gone? at https://vimeo.com/486885836/c28b0ce4cf You can also find out…
Read MoreWhisky film launches with Burns celebration
A DOCUMENTARY telling the story of Scotland’s national drink is being launched online in the run-up to Burns Night. The Water of Life, produced by Los Angeles-based Blacksmith & Jones, will be screened each night between 22 January and 27 January. Each showing will be followed by an hour-long session featuring the stars of the…
Read MoreTheatre company creates ‘Clanagrams’
THE Walking Theatre Company (TWTC), a social enterprise based in Argyll, is spreading cheer around the globe with innovative video messages from Scotland’s past. Sadie Dixon-Spain, TWTC’s creative director, has invented the “Clanagram“, a personalised video greeting. TWTC’s team of professional actors brings to life a selection of Scotland’s great names – recipients can become…
Read MoreAlexander McCall Smith wins Edinburgh Award
THIS year’s Edinburgh Award will be presented to author and academic Alexander McCall Smith. The emeritus professor of medical law at the University of Edinburgh will receive the honour in recognition of legal career and writing success. McCall Smith has become a hugely successful novelist through his The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, The Sunday…
Read MoreBook marks Bonnie Prince Charlie’s 300th birthday
A BOOK published to mark the 300th anniversary tomorrow of the birth of Prince Charles Edward Stuart calls for a reappraisal of his character and career. Reminiscences of a Jacobite by Michael Nevin, chairman of The 1745 Association, draws on Bonnie Prince Charlie’s previously unpublished words, as well as a number of other first-hand accounts.…
Read MoreGleneagles Hotel bags record awards haul
GLENEAGLES Hotel in Perthshire has won 16 new awards during the past year. Prizes scooped by the five-star estate include being named “Best UK Hotel” in the Condé Nast Traveller’s Readers’ Choice Awards. Conor O’Leary, Gleneagles’ managing director, said: “We’re proud and humbled to have received so many fantastic awards which reflect our unwavering commitment…
Read MoreTen easy ways to help Scotland’s wildlife
HALF of Scots want to do more to help our native wildlife, according to new figures. NatureScot, formerly Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), carried out its research during the pandemic, when more people visited nature reserves and green spaces in cities. The Scottish Government agency has now come up with ten top tips to help Scots…
Read More