Day: September 29, 2021

Fore Play Crazy Golf celebrates third birthday celebration with new cocktail and wristband prizes

Tunnocks Tea Cake Cocktails, Tequila Rose Cart and Free Cocktail Week Wristbands For Happiness Guaran-tee-d    

Glasgow favourites Fore Play Crazy Golf is turning the ripe old age of three and whilst it’s not technically a milestone birthday, they’ve decided to go all out with a month of celebrations that are gauran-tee-d to leave their guests happier than when they arrived. 

Marking their first three successful years in business, Scotland’s favourite adult-only alternative night out are supporting local with sweet collaborations with Tunnocks Tea Cakes and Glasgow Cocktail Week. What’s more, if it’s your birthday during their celebrations, you’ll be in for a special treat on your visit to the venue. 

Running now until the middle of October, there are endless surprises for guests including party favours, birthday badges and cake-cocktails and on the spot prizes on the green. 

Feeling lucky? Guests can win one of Fore Play’s countless prizes including discounted games, gift vouchers and free food, what’s not to love?

With supporting small businesses at their core, they’ve teamed up with Tunnock’s Tea Cakes to create an exclusive birthday cocktail that sweet tooth lovers will adore. Complete with Unicorn Gin 20, Malibu, Monin creme de cacao, toasted marshmallow syrup, milk, chocolate sauce and a full Tunnocks Snowball – this is a must try. 

The venue has also had a birthday makeover with balloon arches, bunting and countless birthday secret shenanigans, Fore Play Crazy Golf is the gift that keeps on giving. Bonus points: if you happen to share a birthday with Fore Play, flash your ID and the odds are sure to be in your favour. 

This weekend you’ll also find a Tequila Rose cart popping up as part of Glasgow Cocktail Week, with free wristbands on offer for guests. While in Edinburgh, they will be collaborating with Edinburgh Beer Factory on some thirsty prizes. 

After opening their doors back in 2018, Fore Play Crazy Golf opened their flagship venue in Glasgow, followed by their year-long temporary venue in Edinburgh in late 2020. After a pause through COVID, they’ve continued to grow and have cemented their place as a much-loved institution for fun-filled naughty nights out and competitive socialising. 

Craig Neilson, Chief Greenkeeper at Fore Play Crazy Golf said: “We can’t believe it’s been three years since we swung open Fore Play Crazy Golf. It’s been one hell of a journey so far, and we wanted to mark our anniversary by celebrating our success with some of our favourite independent businesses. 

“The support from our guests and local businesses has been incredible and we continue to seek out new experiences in our venues to ensure our mission of ensuring people leave happier than when they arrived. Come and help us celebrate, you won’t be disappointed.” 

To make a booking visit their website:  https://www.foreplaycrazygolf.co.uk 

Edinburgh Napier student’s film showcased at prestigious film festival

A film which won a prize in this year’s prestigious Gaelic Film Festival, FilmG, has been screened at a prestigious Film Festival in Glasgow which celebrates emerging filmmakers.

John Nicholson (22) from Bearsden, won Most Promising New Director at the FilmG awards in March for his film Bròn, and it was selected to be shown at the Assumption Studios short film showcase at SWG3 in Glasgow in July.

The film incorporates a dark atmosphere and clever writing to centre on the feeling of isolation – a topic many of us can relate to following this past year’s circumstances. 

Bròn tells the story of two brothers that drifted apart who finally confront each other and their past. It then comes to light that after a freak accident one of the brothers had killed their father and lived with the guilt for all those years.

Speaking about his success, John said: “To think that I’ve only just started out and my short film has won an award and has been screened at a festival gives me the inspiration and the hunger to create more films and be even more creative.

“I really enjoyed writing and directing my own film which was made better by the chance to include my Gaelic.”

John’s passion for filmmaking began when he got the chance to do some work experience for BBC ALBA and he discovered he had a talent for directing and writing scripts.

A recent graduate from Edinburgh Napier University, the talented young filmmaker studied a BA (Hons) in Television, after previously studying at Glasgow College.

John grew up in Glasgow and attended Sgoil Ghàidhlig Ghlaschu (Glasgow Gaelic School) Primary and Secondary, where he immersed himself in learning through the Gaelic language.

Debbie MacKay, FilmG Project Manager, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for John. We hope to see many films from him in the future and look forward to tracking what we believe to be a very promising career.”

This year’s FilmG competition will be launching soon, with this year’s theme announced on social media as ‘Lorg’ (Find).

Watch John Nicholson’s film Bròn on the FilmG Website.

Shred your personal information for charity at Morrisons on National Shred Day


BSIA partners to take nominal donation for charity Crimestoppers to safely and securely dispose of business and personal information    


A new nationwide event that aims to help members of the public to dispose of their personal information safely and securely using professional services is taking place in Glasgow and Edinburgh at the beginning of October.

National Shred Day, organised by the British Security Industry Association in partnership with independent national charity Crimestoppers, is an opportunity to safely dispose of confidential waste for a nominal donation using the services of the BSIA Information Destruction (ID) members.

All donations will go towards regional projects carried out by Crimestoppers and your confidential waste will be shredded in an eco-friendly and safe way.

The event is taking place over multiple locations with the assistance of Morrisons superstores on Saturday (2 October) at 9.00am, and members of the public will be able to bring along as much as they wish to dispose of, including lever arch files, paper documents and boxes of statements, which will be securely shredded on-site before being baled and recycled into paper and tissue products.

The venues for National Shred Day in Scotland are:

  • Portobello Road, Edinburgh EH8 7BQ
  • 900 Crow Road, Anniesland, Glasgow G13 1JD

Under the theme of ‘Shredded, sorted’, National Shred Day aims to raise awareness of the potential risk of fraud if personal information is not disposed of effectively.

Kristian Carter, Chairman of the BSIA’s Information Destruction section and Commercial Director of Shred Station, said: “No matter how well you may think you’ve shredded your personal information and confidential waste at home it is not 100% safe from thieves.  

“Over lockdown many small companies and independent traders will have stored up a considerable amount and often small shredders will not be sufficient enough to dispose of it safely. 

“It is essential now more than ever that confidential documented information on people and businesses is destroyed securely to avoid the possibility of fraud occurring, and the BSIA’s ID companies play a crucial role in maintaining confidentiality with all kinds of paper data. 

“For a small donation you can dispose of your data securely and professionally and be assured that they won’t get their hands on your personal information.” 

Mark Hallas, Chief Executive at the charity Crimestoppers, said: “I know that many of us – from businesses to people – have kept too much personal information as a result of lockdowns and the pandemic, especially with people working from home.

“This is a fantastic opportunity to protect yourself by safely disposing of your or other’s personal information – and at the same time help raise valuable funds for Crimestoppers and our important work locally.

“I’d also like to say a big thank you to BSIA for supporting our charity.”

For more information visit www.bsia.co.uk/national-shred-day

False Alarms Consultation: Firefighters respond to 30,000 workplace false alarms each year

Around 64,000 hours of firefighters’ time is needlessly spent each year checking out false alarms from workplaces, figures from the latest Scottish Fire and Rescue Service consultation show.

The Service mobilises on average two fire appliances and nine firefighters to each of the 28,479 false alarms – equating to around 57,000 unnecessary blue light journeys annually.

Most alarms are activated by faults or other causes like steam or burnt food with only two per cent actually involving a fire, most of which are put out before the arrival of crews.

The information has been shared by the national Service as part of its consultation on how to safely reduce call outs to false alarms, known as Unwanted Fire Alarm Signals (UFAS).

Assistant Chief Officer Stuart Stevens says businesses and partners can play a key role in reducing the figures and called on them to get involved in the consultation.

“The advantages of getting duty holders to accept their legal responsibilities and reducing these callouts are clear” said ACO Stevens, “Making this change means we can free up firefighters’ time, be even more responsive in genuine emergencies and use SFRS resources more effectively.

 “We can also carry out more training and fire prevention activity, as well as realising the related benefits of improving road safety and reducing our carbon impact. These unnecessary blue light journeys bring risks to our crews, other road users and pedestrians as well as impacting the environment with an estimated 575 tonnes of carbon emissions produced – the equivalent of heating 230 homes a year.

“Businesses will also experience less disruption as they no longer need to wait for us to attend to give the all clear after a false alarm.”

The twelve-week consultation – which seeks views on three proposed options – is underway and while early analysis is encouraging with many members of the public taking part it also indicates a low response rate from the businesses and workplaces that are potentially most affected by the proposed changes.

Assistant Chief Officer Stuart Stevens added: “It may be that these businesses and organisations are taking their time to fully consider the proposed options and I’m also aware last month we were just coming out of a holiday period which is why we’re issuing this appeal for those most affected to take part in the consultation and play their part in helping to shape the future response model.”

The consultation brings the SFRS into line with the majority of UK fire and rescue services response to workplace automatic fire alarms (AFAs) explained Assistant Chief Officer Stevens: “The legal responsibility for dealing with an AFA alert lies with the duty holder of a property and most UK fire and rescue services now seek confirmation of a fire before attending. It’s now time for the SFRS make this change too.”

ACO Stevens added: “Each of the options, which have all been risk assessed, will see a significant reduction in the number of UFAS calls we attend. We want to know what those most affected think of our three proposed options I urge them to have their say on how they think we can best use our resources to keep them, their families and their communities even safer.”

The consultation document ‘Time for Change: Reducing Unwanted Fire Alarm Signals’ (UFAS) and survey can be accessed online at /consultations/ufas-consultation.aspx until Monday, October 11.

A report based on analysis of the consultation responses – including a preferred option – will be considered by the SFRS Board in December 2021. Any changes to service delivery will be implemented in a carefully managed process and in partnership with directly affected stakeholders.

The Big Dog Walk goes to Glasgow!

Event designed in a Covid safe environment

Touchpoint Live Media, the organisers of the hugely popular DogFest events, are delighted to announce that their Big Dog Walk Series is coming to Chatelherault Country Park,  Glasgow on October 10th, our first in Scotland.

The Big Dog Walk is a unique opportunity for dog owners and their families to walk together in the stunning Chatelherault Country Park. Dogs and their owners can choose from either a 2k, 5k or 10k route and walk times have been staggered this year for the comfort and safety of all taking part. 

Brand new this year, there will be a Puppy’s First Socialisation Walk, this will be a 2k walk for those with little legs and is a fabulous opportunity to introduce your new addition to other dogs and socialise them in a safe organised way.

If your dog is not one for crowds you can join our ‘Beat the Rush’ walk for dogs who love their walkies, but may be a but more anxious s and prefer having their own space. You and your dog will be left to explore the walk at your own pace on our first walk of the day.

Our walks aim to bring together dog lovers and dogs to encourage socialisation and exercise. The walk will be the best walk ever for dogs as you join hundreds of  other pups and their owners on a beautiful route with photo points and pit stops on the route for you and your dog to stop and have a drink and a snack at.

Back at the Event Village there will be plenty to do and see including  shopping, expert advice, the fun dog show, and plenty of festival food and drink. 

We are delighted this year to have the Dogs Trust on board as our Official Charity Partner who will be bringing along their Temptation Alley to challenge your dog. Participants can also raise more money for any charity of their choice upon signing up.

Prices are £10.50 per adult and children 5-16 years are free of charge. For more information and to book tickets, visit The Big Dog Walk.

Nicole Cooper, Managing Director of Touchpoint Live Media, says: “The Big Dog Walk is a wonderful opportunity for all dog lovers to get out and walk with the four-legged member of the family.

“We are so thrilled to be hosting walks again this year at these six beautiful locations, and very excited to be bringing these events to Scotland for the first time. These walks are a brilliant way to all get together in the great outdoors with all the family, and we cannot wait to welcome everyone.”

Students fly the Edinburgh College flag at WorldSkills UK competition

Four Edinburgh College students have qualified for national WorldSkills UK finals having triumphed in a series of qualifying heats in their respective fields of study.

Damian Tchorzewski and Liam Ward have qualified for the Automotive Technology final, while Ben Nicolson and Corrie Kettrick have qualified for the Stonemasonry final.

Automotive Technology

Damian, who recently studied Electric/Hybrid Vehicle System Repair and Replacement, and Liam, who studies Light Vehicle Repair and Maintenance Principles, reached the finals following a qualifying process.

Stage one saw the duo sit a test that consisted of 30 questions in 30 minutes. The highest scorers from regions across the UK then progressed to stage two where they were tasked with completing five challenges on a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) program, under timed conditions.

Damian and Liam were among the six best performers in this qualifier and will compete in the national final taking place at Cardiff and Vale College on Friday 19th November.

Stonemasonry

This year’s Stonemasonry qualifiers – SkillBuild – did not take place due to COVID-19, however Ben and Corrie will have the chance to experience competition as they have been selected to participate in the national final.

The duo, who study at the College’s Forthside Construction facility, will travel to the National Construction College in Norfolk on 16-18 November where they will complete a set of stone-cutting challenges in competition with two Stonemasons students from Bath College.

Scott Warden, Head of the Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment at Edinburgh College, said: “Congratulations to Damian, Liam, Ben and Corrie on qualifying for their WorldSkills finals – it is an outstanding achievement.

“WorldSkills UK, and skills competitions in general, are a fantastic way for our students and apprentices to network with peers from across the country, to test their skills in a new and challenging environment, and to boost their confidence.

“We’re delighted that four of our students will experience that this year and have the opportunity to be named among the best in the UK in their field. We wish them the best of luck.”

Keep the Lifeline: Holyrood votes to oppose Universal Credit cut

Yesterday, Lothian MSP, and Scottish Greens Co-leader, Lorna Slater joined the overwhelming majority of MSPs in voting to oppose the cruel Tory £20 cut to universal credit that is being inflicted by Westminster.

The cut will impact tens of thousands of families in Lothian, cutting their income by £1,040 per year.

Lothian MSP and Scottish Greens Co-leader Lorna Slater said: “The Tories have shown their true colours. This is one of the biggest social security cuts ever seen in this country and could plunge tens of thousands of families in Lothian into despair.

“It is particularly unwelcome at a time when so many people are still struggling with the impact of the pandemic.

“£20 a week may not be a lot to the Prime Minister and his colleagues, but for far too many families it is crucial to their budgeting and their wellbeing. For many people across this city, it could be the difference between a warm home and a cold one this winter

“Many people claiming universal credit are in fact in work. The so-called uplift was not an act of generosity, but an admission of failure – an admission that the system had been so damaged by cuts that it was no longer able to provide adequate support for people needing help with their incomes for reasons beyond their control.

“The cut is symbolic of a UK government that knows the price of some things but the value of nothing. It shows why Scotland needs the powers to chart a different path that prioritises human need and builds a fairer, greener recovery for all.”

Holyrood Social Security Minister, Edinburgh Northern & Leith MSP Ben Macpherson, closed yesterday’s debate:

#KeepTheLifeline

Tackling coronavirus in Scotland: £25 million to improve ventilation

Business premises will be able to access a £25 million package to improve ventilation and reduce the risk of coronavirus (COVID-19) transmission.

Grants will target a wide range of high risk settings where people come into close proximity, including restaurants, bars and gyms, with support available to help companies undertake work such as the installation of carbon dioxide monitors and altering windows and vents.

An expert advice group, chaired by Professor Tim Sharpe from the University of Strathclyde, unanimously recommended that businesses should be supported to improve ventilation. The Group was established in August to advise how enhanced ventilation can help reduce transmission of the virus.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “As we step away from other mitigations, improved ventilation will play a significant role in reducing transmission indoors, support the sustained opening of society and contribute to our wider Covid recovery.

“Many of the businesses we are targeting have been closed for long periods and it is right that they are helped to undertake this work. We are allocating up to £25 million to assist small and medium-sized enterprises and expect to begin making payments in November.

“The package will initially target higher risk sectors where people spend significant amounts of time in close proximity to each other, such as hospitality and leisure, and will make indoor settings safer, especially through the winter months.”

Further details of the grants, including eligibility and timing, will be published on findbusinesssupport.gov.scot in due course.

Rare Birds Books opens its first female-centric bookstore – and welcomes more than 1,500 visitors over first weekend

Best-selling book club has launched to unprecedented success in the heart of Stockbridge

A picture containing text, building, outdoor, street Description automatically generated

Home of female fiction, Rare Birds Books has launched Scotland’s first female-centric bookshop, right in the heart of Edinburgh’s Stockbridge.

In a bold move that saw the globally beloved book club show resilience and innovation in a time of retail uncertainty, founder Rachel Wood welcomed over 1,500 visitors into the shop over the first trading weekend.

Opened on 6th August, at 13 Raeburn Place in Stockbridge, Rare Birds Books saw over 2,000 customers during its first month, selling around 3,000 books – proof that the nation’s love of reading has not abated following the end of lockdown.

In an even further show of local solidarity, Edinburgh shoppers came out in force, with one of the shop’s top four best-sellers over the last month being Luckenbooth, a haunting novel by Scotland-born Jenni Fagen.

A story set in Edinburgh, it is joined by Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia and The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett, which were both past Rare Birds Book Club picks, as well as Things Remembered and Things Forgotten by Kyoko Nakajima. 

Besides the books that customers from around the UK have flocked to purchase, the store has also had to re-stock its now iconic tote bag and a number of the newly launched scented candles, which are made to be paired with whatever genre you are reading. ‘True Crime’ scent and ‘Writer’s Block’ have both flown off the shelves and are looking to be Christmas must-haves this year.

Book club founder and shop owner, Rachel Wood, said: “The store was always supposed to be the physical representation of our beloved book club, and we are thrilled our rare birds have already shown so much support in these initial days of launch.

“So far online and in-store sales are neck and neck, so we like to think that our neighbours are enjoying visiting us in person, whilst the rest of our fans around the world continue to join us virtually month on month as we discuss our club picks.

“Now that we are allowed to start hosting events, we will be welcoming in readers from all over for shopping evenings, author events and in-person book club sessions – it’s going to be amazing!”

Set to have its best Christmas yet, the book club you can’t read without, just got better! For more information visit:

https://rarebirdsbookclub.com/