NEWS

Thomas Macrae.

Life With Isle of Harris Distillery: ‘The Hearach is special, it has done so much for the island’

Isle of Harris distiller Thomas Macrae talks to us about his earliest memories of whisky and why The Hearach is so special to islanders. And...
Dr Max Coleman and Emma Beckinsale (RBGE), plant one of the two new wych elm saplings. This sapling was recovered from the site of the Beauly Wych Elm after the tree fell early last year and is thought to have come from the ancient tree.

The Beauly Elm: New life at the site of ‘Europe’s oldest’ wych elm

For more than 800 years it stood in the Highland village of Beauly until last year when it succumbed to Dutch elm disease and fell...
Ewan McCuish.

Life With a skipper: ‘I’ll never tire of the stunning surroundings we are blessed with’

Ewan McCuish, Master on MV Coruisk, talks to us about life on the water, Scotland's beauty, and how he fell in love with the sea. ...
Jane Dodd during an interview about flapper skate for Countryfile with Hamza Yassin.

Life With NatureScot: ‘The only way we are going to counter climate change is by working together’

Operations Officers Jane Dodd on the marine life around Arygll, her work with the flapper skates and the impact of climate change on our seas....
Credit: Rachel Bolton.

Faces of Edinburgh: We find out what people love about the Scottish capital

‘This is a city of shifting light, of changing skies, of sudden vistas. A city so beautiful it breaks the heart again and again,’ Alexander...
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Life With a horologist: ‘In watchmaking you can’t cut corners or learn things overnight, it takes time’

Laings watchmaker Annika Leppala on following in her grandfather's footsteps as a horologist, learning the art of patience in a world full of immediacy and...

Directory supports rural and island businesses

SHOPPERS can now support even more rural and island businesses following the launch of the Rural Enterprise Directory Scotland (REDS). Joe Sykes, founder of Perthshire-based...

First autumn mammal survey gets underway

THE first autumn "Living With Mammals" survey kicks off on Monday, with Scots being asked to keep their eyes peeled for creatures, tracks and droppings...
A 12-year-old school student had a huge surprise when she was taken to Redford Barracks and presented with a professional recording made by Army musicians of her rap inspired by the Windrush generation. 
Leila McPhate, from Larbert High School in Stenhousemuir, wrote The World Is A Dark Place as her entry for Never Such Innocence, an international arts competition to give children and young people a voice on conflict.
Leila, who has autism spectrum disorder (ASD), had learned at school how people from the Caribbean were invited to the UK to help it rebuild after WWII but frequently faced injustice and discrimination. After seeing the black British artist Dave on the Brit Awards she decided to address the issue with a rap.
The Army was among the supporters of the 2019/20 competition and Leila’s song caught the eye of Lieutenant Colonel Wendy Faux, the Army’s head of arts, who led the team behind this year’s three-week Army@TheVirtualFringe event.
She was so impressed that she arranged for the Countess of Wessex’s String Orchestra to create a new soundtrack for her rap. Leila was invited to the barracks where Colour Sergeant Richard Kerr, Musician Brittany Johnnie and Corporal Scott MacFarlane of the Band of the Royal Regiment of Scotland presented her with flowers and a copy of the music on behalf of the Army.
Wendy said: “Army@TheVirtualFringe has shone a light on many issues including racism and equality. We have also been trying to support young and emerging talent. So working with Leila has been a perfect way to round off the event.  
“The contribution of people from Commonwealth nations in Africa and the Caribbean to the Army and to civilian life has been immense but is often overlooked, along with the discrimination so many of them experienced.
“The fact that young people like Leila are determined to use their talents to demand a better world gives real hope for the future.
“We are really proud to have been able to bring her together with some s

Pupil hears her rap recorded by the army

A RAP written by a 12-year-old school pupil and inspired by the Windrush generation has been recorded by army musicians. Leila McPhate, from Larbert High School...
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Mains of Taymouth puts luxury timber lodges on sale

MAINS of Taymouth, the five-star country estate and golf course at Kenmore in Perthshire, has begun marketing phase two of Balloch Park, its residential, holiday...
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Ivy’s floral flourishes in Edinburgh and Glasgow

THE Ivy restaurant chain has brought a splash of colour to its outlets in Edinburgh and Glasgow. The Ivy on the Square in Edinburgh has...

Outdoor venue for Edinburgh Craft Beer Festival

ORGANISERS have moved Edinburgh Craft Beer Festival from The Biscuit Factory to The Corn Exchange’s outside venue. The event, which is due to take place...