Posts Tagged: Scotland

Our unhealthy interest in childless women.

Childless women. It’s none of our business. The news that Nicola Sturgeon had a miscarriage when she was Depute First Minister was one of the most read stories on the BBC website on Sunday.  It earned headlines on radio news and was shared countless times on social media. There were those who were cynical about… Read more »

Inverness to Edinburgh by bike? Crazy idea!

If there was one text which summed up last weekend it was the one I received from my friend Jinny at around 8pm on Saturday. It read ‘Arnica here, Prosecco poured’, which meant it was time to heave my aching limbs out of the bath in our hotel room in Perth and make my way… Read more »

Meet John Thurso: the top man at VisitScotland

There were a few raised eyebrows in March when former Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross Liberal Democrat MP Lord Thurso was announced as the new Chair of VisitScotland. The surprise came from a couple of directions; from those who were impressed that an SNP government would appoint a Lib Dem to such an important role,… Read more »

Clever, clever NC500, and Pokemon GONE!

Castle of Old Wick. Image Alan Hendry

What’s not to love about NC500? At the time of writing (and I fully expect this record to be broken again soon) the fastest time for cycling all 518 scenic but hilly miles of the NC500 route is 29 hours. That record was set by cyclist James McCallum in June, who pedalled almost non-stop round… Read more »

Scotland’s Named Person Scheme. What’s to fear?

Scotland’s Named Person Scheme. What’s to fear? As I write this column the Scottish Conservatives are preparing to use this week’s Holyrood debating time to call for a rethink of Scotland’s Named Person scheme before it comes into force later this summer. From 31st August a ‘Named Person’ will be appointed to monitor the welfare… Read more »

Has Assisted Suicide been forgotten in Scotland?

Has Assisted Suicide been forgotten in Scotland? A news story from The Netherlands caught my eye last week and has left me deeply conflicted; I have been both saddened, and heartened, but mostly frustrated. The story is about Assisted Suicide, and my frustration is that the issue seems to have been forgotten at Holyrood. It’s… Read more »

2015 – The Year of Scotland’s Food & Drink

2015 the Year of Food and Drink in Scotland

2015 is Scotland’s Year of Food and Drink. Hot on the heels of the successes of 2014 – the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, the Ryder Cup and the Year of Homecoming – Scotland’s larder will be in the spotlight. From the freshest of fish and cheeses, the finest lamb, beef and venison, tothe best and brightest… Read more »

Proud of Nicola Sturgeon, and a peek at Inverness Campus

Last Wednesday was a momentous day for women and for Scotland when Nicola Sturgeon became the first female First Minister of our proud nation. And that milestone for women was enhanced even further two days later when Sturgeon’s first cabinet was announced. Where the Westminster Government, in spite of a concerted effort to balance the… Read more »