Groundbreaking project to help decarbonise Scotch Whisky industry

Plans for a groundbreaking project to help decarbonise the Scotch Whisky industry have been announced – saving 25,000 tonnes of carbon each year. The £45m AMP Clean Energy project will see an energy centre containing electric and biomass boilers built at the UK’s largest malting site. The energy generated at Simpsons Malt Limited’s Tweed Valley…

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British Wool to host fashion shows at Royal Highland Show

British Wool is hosting a series of fashion shows at the Royal Highland Show this year – all featuring models with an agricultural background. Flock to Fashion will debut the latest collections from brands such as Harris Tweed Hebrides, Lochcarran of Scotland and Eribé Knitwear. British Wool will also have a retail stand in the…

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British Wool wants farmers to be fashion models

FARMERS will be turned into fashion models for next month’s Royal Highland Show by British Wool. The promotional body wants “people with an agricultural background” to model garments at the event in Edinburgh. Farmers have until 12 May to apply for the gig, which will include “showcasing the best of British wool across a wide…

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£7,000 for The Capon Tree

THE Capon Tree, one of the few survivors of the ancient Jed Forest, has received £7,000 of funding to help with its conservation. The ancient sessile oak is estimated to be between 700 and 1,000 years old and is recognised by The Tree Council as “one of Britain’s 50 greatest trees”. The cash came from…

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Scottish designers at Dressed to Kilt

MORE than 65 outfits were on display on Saturday at the Dressed to Kilt fashion show’s 20th anniversary gathering in Washington DC. Scottish designers and brands taking part in this year’s show included: Calzeat; Glenisla Kilts; Harris Tweed Hebrides; House of Cheviot; Kinalba Scottish Cashmere; Lorna Gillies; Strathmore Woolen Mills; Slanj; Totty Rocks; and Walker…

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News from the rivers Dee and Tweed

IT’S been a busy month for the rivers Dee and Tweed. Actor Robson Green, Olympic rower Dame Katherine Grainger, and internationally-experienced river guide Al Peake have been appointed as ambassadors for the River Dee Trust. Green said: “It’s the bonniest river, not only in Scotland, but in Britain if not Europe. “But, like all rivers,…

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Scotland gives bees a helping hand

PROJECTS throughout Scotland are helping bees and other pollinators, according to a new report. The “Pollinator Strategy 2022 Progress Report” by NatureScot, the Scottish Government agency known previously as Scottish Natural Heritage, highlighted the work of organisations to create wildflower meadows, connect habitats, and gather evidence on how climate change is affecting pollinators. Projects highlighted…

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Bronze sculpture overlooks Union Chain Bridge

A BRONZE sculpture of designer Captain Samuel Brown now overlooks the Union Chain Bridge. The sculpture was placed on the Northumbrian side of the bridge, which links Scotland with England, to “oversee” the final stages of the current restoration work. Brown was a Royal Navy officer who made cables for ships using iron chains. His…

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River Tweed salmon catch up 14%

THE number of Atlantic salmon caught with rods in the River Tweed leapt by 14% last year, according to the latest figures. The River Tweed Commission said 6,690 salmon were caught last year, up from 5,862 in 2021, and approaching the five-year average of 6,810. The additional 828 fish were caught despite “extremely-low water levels…

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Firefighting with Scotland’s first female gamekeeping lecturer

Sophie Clark, Scotland’s first female gamekeeping lecturer, shares the story of why she’s also a retained firefighter. I GREW up in the small harbour village of Kinlochbervie in the north west of Sutherland. It was and still is an idyllic place to live and the community is very close-knit. I’ve always known I wouldn’t want…

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