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Scottish sea eagle soars over Isle of Wight

A SCOTTISH white-tailed eagle has been relocated to the Isle of Wight as part of a reintroduction project. The young bird was collected by Forestry...

Scope fundraisers reach summit of Ben Nevis

A BOY with cerebral palsy has climbed Ben Nevis to raise money for disability equality charity Scope and his local hospital. Caeden Thomson, 7, from...
ABERDEEN, SCOTLAND, AUGUST 19TH 2020: MacDuff Distillery is celebrating its 60th anniversary on 1st September. 

Pictured: Jamie Winfield with his team of operators


(Photo: Ross Johnston/Newsline Media)

A week in whisky: ‘I’ll have a pea, please, Bob’

THOSE enterprising souls at whisky distiller Arbikie have followed-up their carbon-negative Nàdar gin with its vodka twin. Both Nàdar spirits absorb more carbon dioxide from...

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...

WHISKY

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT
SCOTLAND'S NATIONAL DRINK

Since its humble beginnings nearly ten years ago, the distillery has generated £50,000 for the local community.

GlenWyvis: World’s first fully community owned distillery offers whisky lovers chance to buy shares

In 2015, former Army Air Corps helicopter pilot John McKenzie decided to bring whisky back to Dingwall after a 90 year absence. His idea was...
HRH Prince Charles with Ian Urquhart Signing First Cask at Benromach.

Former Gordon & MacPhail chief Ian Urquhart dies following an illness

Scotch whisky legend Ian Urquhart has died aged 76. The Moray based businessman died peacefully on 15 March after an illness, with his family by...
Ewan, Jamie, Charlie and Lachlan Maclean.

Charles Maclean: Whisky writer launches new charity dram with his sons

Scotland's leading whisky writer Charles Maclean has launched a new dram - and every bottle sold will give at least one person clean water for...
Chef Tom Kitchin. Credit Marc Miller

Me and My Dram, Tom Kitchin: ‘You have to be in the right moment to enjoy whisky, that’s the magic of it’

Following a rocky start, celebrity chef Tom Kitchin has fostered an enduring love for whisky, finds Morag Bootland. He sits down with us for the latest...
The first legal dram from the Outer Hebridean Isle of Harris, The Hearach offers an elegant single malt, with fruit and floral notes and a long, slightly smoky, finish.

Isle of Harris: Distillery releases four new batches of the long awaited Hearach whisky

Last year the first batches of the long awaited Isle of Harris whisky sold out in less than five hours – after more than 25,000...
Rosebank Distillery.

Rosebank Distillery: ‘King of the Lowlands’ ready to re-open with 100-year-old mill still used in whisky production

It was closed three decades ago in 1993, but now the ‘King of the Lowlands’, Rosebank Distillery is to reopen.  The historic distillery has been...