North Ronaldsay sheep dyke gets help from a prince

THE Prince’s Countryside Fund (PCF) has given a further grant to the Orkney Sheep Foundation (OSF) to help preserve North Ronaldsay’s sheep dyke. A 12-mile dry stain wall circles the island, keeping its native sheep on the shore to eat seaweed. The fund – which was launched by Prince Charles, the Duke of Rothesay, in…

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South of Scotland launches virtual advent calendar

SCOTLAND Starts Here, a campaign to promote businesses in the South of Scotland, has launched a virtual advent calendar. Behind each of the 24 windows, Christmas shoppers can find an exclusive experience, gift or treasure, only available from the website. The range of gifts available includes food and drink experiences, sport and outdoor activities, and…

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Schools tuck into lamb for St Andrew’s Day

MORE than 9,800 pupils have been cooking and eating lamb donated by Scotland’s livestock auction markets as part of the “Make It Lamb for St Andrew’s Day” campaign. Organisers want Scots to associate lamb with St Andrew’s Day in the same way that we mark Burns’ Night with haggis. More than 1.25 tonnes of lamb…

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Doddie toasts whisky auction success

RUGBY legend Doddie Weir has toasted the results of a whisky auction, which raised more than £50,000 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…

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Inverness 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…

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Scots 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…

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Bethany 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…

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Montane 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 £4,500) 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…

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Chip 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…

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