Burns & Beyond festival goes online

EDINBURGH’S “Burns & Beyond” festival is returning for a third year, with a series of free online events. The fesitval will begin on 23 January and run until Burns Night. Singer KT Tunstall will perform “Ae Fond Kiss”, while Aidan O’Rourke from musical trio Lau has selected artists to deliver music and poetry during a…

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Ski champs raise money for instructors’ website

A WEBSITE for booking ski instructors is poised for further expansion overseas. Maison Sport was set up in 2016 by three former British skiing champions, including Edinburgh-based chief executive Nick Robinson. Robinson founded the business alongside his brother, Olly, who is the firm’s chief operating officer, and Aaron Tipping, who serves as its chief financial…

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Shooting body calls for restraint during cold snap

THE British Association for Shooting & Conservation (BASC) is calling for voluntary restraint in Scotland during the cold snap. Britain’s largest shooting organisation highlighted the need for voluntary restraint when hunting ducks, geese, wading birds – including woodcock – coot, and moorhen. BASC Scotland director Colin Shedden said: “We are fully aware that the current…

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School joins Doddie Weir exercise challenge

PUPILS at Kelvinside Academy in Glasgow will be clocking up thousands of miles during learn-from-home physical education (PE) classes to support motor neurone disease (MND) research inspired by rugby legend Doddie Weir. The school has included the “The Doddie Gump” challenge – which calls on participants to log exercise miles to raise money for the…

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Lidl combines Burns Night and ‘veganuary’

LIDL has become the first supermarket to release its own haggis, neeps, and tatties ready meal that’s been certified as vegan. The German discounter’s dish got the seal of approval from The Vegetarian Society. Its own-brand McKinlay’s vegetarian haggis, neeps and tatties meal is available across all 104 of the chain’s stores in Scotland. News…

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Brass Neck spices up rum market

A GROUP of entrepreneurs is spicing up Scotland’s rum market with the launch of its first batch. Brass Neck’s spiced rum features Scottish botanicals including nettle and milk thistle. Freddy Drucquer and Dougie Jeffries – who created the rum with business partner Chris Dowdall, owner of brand agency The Bakers Dozen – also selected orange…

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Beaver appeal raises £60,000

CONSERVATION charity Trees for Life has raised nearly £60,000 through a crowdfunding appeal to help protect Scotland’s beavers. The fundraising effort sets the scene for a court challenge to the Scottish Government’s beaver policy, which the charity claims is causing “needless loss of beavers’ lives”. Trees for Life and rewilding charity The Lifescape Project claim…

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Helping nature: Scotland’s successes and challenges

A NEW report reveals what progress has been made towards tackling biodiversity loss in Scotland – and the challenges that lie ahead. NatureScot, the Scottish Government agency previously known as Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), has published its biodiversity duty report covering 2018 to 2020. The document details the work carried out to tackle the loss…

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Historic farm gets new lease of life

A TECHNOLOGY entrepreneur has unveiled plans to turn a historic farm in East Lothian into a museum. George Mackintosh bought Papple Steading in 2017 before adding the farmhouse and adjoining Papple and Papana Woods. Papple Steading was part of the Whittingehame Estate – owned by Arthur Balfour, who served as prime minister between 1902 and…

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Whisky 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…

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