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Scottish Youth Award for Excellence in Mountain Culture
THE Scottish Youth Award for Excellence in Mountain Culture has been presented to Steph McKenna from Lochaber. McKenna divides her time between local charity Lochaber Hope and local business Off Beat Bikes. Last summer, she worked as a seasonal ranger with the John Muir Trust and ran a junior ranger scheme. “We live in such…
Read MoreEdinburgh Science Festival launches line-up
THE line-up for the Edinburgh Science Festival has been announced. Thirty-one venues will host events on 1-16 April. “Edinburgh Science Festival continues its commitment to championing the achievements of women in science and science communication, and strive for a balance representation of gender in its programming,” said the festival’s organisers. “With 60% of artists and…
Read MoreWalter Scott Prize longlist unveiled
THE longlist for the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction has been published Twelve novels are in the running for the £25,000 prize, which celebrates books published in the UK, Ireland, and the Commonwealth. James Robertson won last year’s prize with News of the Dead. Katie Grant, chair of the judges, said: “This year’s submissions…
Read MoreThe story behind the Doddie Weir Cup
SCOTLAND beat Wales on Saturday to win rugby’s Doddie Weir Cup. Ahead of the Six Nations match, the silversmiths from Hamilton & Inches in Edinburgh reflected on how the trophy was created. “We were privileged enough to welcome Doddie into our workshops during the crafting of the Doddie Weir Cup, a perpetual rugby union trophy…
Read MoreMountain rescuer ‘Heavy’ Whalley honoured
THE Scottish Award for Excellence in Mountain Culture has been presented to David “Heavy” Whalley. Heavy has spent more than 40 years rescuing people from Scotland’s mountains and teaching hillwalkers about safety. He was part of the Royal Air Force’s (RAF’s) mountain rescue service for 37 years, and spent a further three years with the…
Read More£1m Scottish castle bought by American
KNOCKDERRY Castle, a category-A listed Baronial pile at Cove on Loch Long, has been sold to a buyer from the United States. The castle, which was on the market for offers over £1.25 million, was built in the mid-19th century for James Templeton, a Scottish textile manufacturer. Knockderry was designed by Alexander “Greek” Thomson, with…
Read MoreScotch £6bn exports bonanza and more whisky news
SCOTCH whisky exports broke through the £6 billion barrier last year for the first time. Distillers exported £6.2bn-worth of our national drink, climbing from £4.52bn in 2021, and up from £4.92bn in 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic struck. The equivalent of 1.67 billion 700ml bottles left Scotland’s shores last year, up by 21% year-on-year. That…
Read MoreInstagram star Less Waste Laura helps NatureScot
NATURESCOT, the government agency known previously as Scottish Natural Heritage, has teamed up with Instagram star Laura Young, better known as “Less Waste Laura”. Young will help to promote the organisation’s “Make Space For Nature” campaign on social media. The partnership includes social media posts and an episode of the “Make Space For Nature” podcast.…
Read MoreNHS Lothian unveils hospital art project
TWO hospitals are running art workshops and displaying art on their walls to help improve the wellbeing of patients, staff, and visitors. Art is now on display at the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh and at Haddington’s East Lothian Community Hospital. The East Lothian facility also hosted community craft events. The artworks includes a tactile…
Read MoreStirling opens ‘pay what you can’ winter shop
A SHOP inviting customers to “pay what you can” for coats and other winter warmers has opened in Stirling. The Thistles shopping centre has opened the store in partnership with local charity Transition Stirling. The shop sells coats, rain jackets, jumpers, accessories, and boots for adults and children. Gary Turnbull, Thistles’ centre director, said: “These…
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