Tag: documentary

BBC ALBA AIRS NEW DOCUMENTARY ON STRUGGLES WITH ADDICTION

The latest episode of BBC ALBA’s award-winning Eòrpa current affairs programme sees journalist Ruairidh Maciver marking 10 years of sobriety. In a powerful, personal, and thought-provoking programme, Ruairidh takes us from his childhood in the village of Brue in the west coast of Lewis, into adulthood, and a series of struggles with addiction to alcohol and drugs.

The report contains reflections from friends and family who have known him during this time, as well as those who he met along the way and were instrumental in his journey to recovery.

Since sobriety, addiction dealt another cruel blow to Ruairidh and his family, with the tragic and untimely death of his brother Alasdair in 2022 due to alcohol and drugs. Ruairidh reflects on this painful time and meets one of Alasdair’s closest friends, to remember his brother’s life.

Eòrpa: Recovery also brings together expert testimony from the world of science, academia, and outreach organisations who strive to minimise the effects, and understand the nature of drug and alcohol use in Scotland’s communities. With the festive season approaching, and with it a temptation to consume more alcohol, this is a time of year when worries about problem drinking can grow.

Ruairidh has known his friend Joanne Havinden since childhood.

Reflecting on Ruairidh’s addiction in his teens, she told him: “My memory of you when we were wee – you were so happy.

“And, you know, you were so good at word games and jokes and puns and making up stupid songs and all that kind of thing. 

“And you stopped doing that sort of stuff and you were unhappy. You were really sad. You know, it was just like watching an out-of-control train and we didn’t know what to do to help.”

Kenny Trainer is the Project Manager at the Bluevale Community Club in Haghill and Dennistoun. It started off as a boxing club, but has expanded, with volunteers now helping with a variety of social issues nearby.

Asked if things had moved on since a joint visit in 2021 by then First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, and then Scottish Conservative Leader Douglas Ross, Kenny told Ruairidh: “To be honest with you, probably not.

“I think that, politics as politics go, they want to point fingers at each other and blame each other and say that one is better than the other, when realistically a lot of the time they are the exact same while nothing really changes and they’ve got the power to make it change.”

This is the first time Ruairidh has spoken publicly about his past issues with alcohol and drugs, and of his journey through recovery.

Reflecting on making this special edition of Eòrpa, Ruairidh said: “It’s vital that we have an open, compassionate and non-judgemental conversation about where things stand with alcohol and drugs in Scotland today.

“Addiction is something that could affect any person and any family. The reason I wanted to make this programme is that I’ve reached a stage in my recovery where I feel ready to add to that conversation and share some of my own experience.

“My journey brought me into contact with many individuals and organisations who helped me and it was a privilege to be able to go back and speak to some of them. Everything I have in my life today is rooted in the sobriety that they helped me to achieve.

“If this programme can offer hope to anyone struggling with addiction, or encourage them to seek support, it will have been worthwhile.”

Eòrpa is BBC ALBA’s flagship current affairs programme, covering a variety of domestic and European stories.

Eòrpa: Recovery will premiere on BBC iPlayer and BBC ALBA at 9.00pm on Wednesday 27 November (in Gaelic with English subtitles). Watch live or on demand: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/b006mvwb/eorpa

WHY NOT SCOTLAND?

DRYLAW NEIGHBOURHOOD CENTRE – MONDAY 18th NOVEMBER

Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre are delighted to be hosting a recently-produced film WHY NOT SCOTLAND? on Monday 18th November from 6.30-9pm.

Across mainland Europe, nature is making a dramatic recovery – could Scotland be next?

Join us for a screening of Why Not Scotland? the compelling story of Flo, a young Scot, as she discovers #rewilding across Europe, prompting her to ponder the potential for a similar revival in Scotland. #RewildingNation#WhyNotScotland

https://www.scotlandbigpicture.com/why-not-scotland

This FREE screening will be followed by a Q and A session led by local artist Natalie Taylor who produced SCRAN FIR BEES on Ferry Road.

On our panel will be Dr Ian Edwards, ecologist and forest specialist formerly of RBGE, and Julia Pennycuik, co-founder of Midlothian Wildflowers.

Come along for an evening of inspirational visions of what Scotland could look like if nature is encouraged to return alongside the folks who live within and beside it.

No need to book but any questions to natalie@drylawnc.org.uk.

BBC ALBA explores male suicide in Scotland

One in 100 deaths worldwide are connected to suicide. In Scotland, that accounts for over 700 people a year and three-quarters of these are men.

A new BBC ALBA Trusadh documentary, Big Boys Don’t Cry, will air during National Suicide Awareness Week on Monday 9 September at 9pm with presenter Derek ‘Pluto’ Murray meeting people whose lives have been affected by mental health struggles and suicide.

Professor Rory O’Connor from the University of Glasgow, is Professor of Health Psychology, Director of the ‘Suicidal Behaviour Research Laboratory’, and leads research into suicide and self-harm.

Discussing the support available, Professor O’Connor says: “We did some work recently looking at trying to understand male suicide specifically and one of the messages that came back time and time again was that the services and support out there are not tailored to their needs.

“We have this traditional model of expecting men to go to clinical services; well, that might work for some people, but what about actually going to places that men are? Why don’t we go to places like football clubs, rugby clubs, the shinty club, whatever it might be, and use that as a mechanism of support?”

This is particularly important in a rural context. Professor O’Connor continues:

“We’re trying to make sense of why the suicide rates are particularly high there. Part of that is linked to access to services, and part of that is linked to the fact that if you live in rural communities, the likelihood of being socially isolated is increased.

“There’s also this idea people talk about of ‘living in a fish bowl’, that you’re less likely to talk about your emotions, your feelings, or if there’s problems going on in your life because you’re concerned about what your neighbours or friends might think.

“Reaching out for help is a sign of strength, it’s not a sign of weakness, so we need to engrain that in our young people. But we also need to ensure that the services and support out there is tailored to these men.”

Patrick Mullery from the ‘James Support Group’ explains: “We offer support – monthly meetings in various locations. There’s 10 actually, all the way from Thurso down to Fort William, across to Elgin, Inverness and lots of places in between.

“It’s a group setting, it’s specifically for people who are bereaved by a suicide but also for people who have suicidal thoughts. We bring those two types of people together for mutual support and understanding – the hope is that people who have suicidal thoughts will see the devastation that is left behind in an attempt to give them another barrier to stop them going that extra step.

“To actually just make them stay with us and realise that they are loved and they would be missed.

“We’ve all got emotions and we have to break the stigma around poor mental health and about suicide. Boys can cry and the best thing to do for yourself, if you’re in a bad place, is talk about it. Unfortunately, suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.”

In Glasgow, Derek visits Drumchapel-based charity ‘Men Matter Scotland’ to find out more about their approach to offering support and how they have created a safe place for men to visit. 

From street outreach to the facilities available at the welcoming hub, the team hope to build a self-sustaining and secure model that can be shared with other parts of Scotland.

Vice chair D I Brown says: “What is most important is that people talk. If people don’t start to speak about this, it will be hidden and more men will die from suicide. I’d say that people need to open up and be open.”

Professor O’Connor adds: “People sadly still believe that if you ask somebody about suicide, or if you talk about suicide, that you make it more likely that you’ll plant the idea in somebody’s head. There’s no evidence for that. Indeed, the evidence is for the opposite – suicide prevention is everyone’s business – and I mean that sincerely.

“We all have a role that we can play in preventing suicide. Anything we can do, no matter how big or small – a WhatsApp message, a text message, a phone call – anything that reaches out to someone who might be struggling, that sense of connection could be potentially lifesaving.

“I would encourage everybody and anybody, if you’re concerned about a loved one, a friend, a colleague, please reach out… That sense of human connection could save a life.”

Filmed and produced by Stornoway-based MacTV, Big Boys Don’t Cry premieres on BBC ALBA and BBC iPlayeron Monday 9 September at 9pm (in Gaelic with English subtitles).

Watch live or on demand: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0022vyn

BBC ALBA airs Eòrpa, Gaelic Census Special

2022’s Census saw the first increase in those able to speak Gaelic since 1971. The numbers were up from 57,375 to 69,701 – a 21% increase.

While the national data is welcome news for a language which has seen a long downward trend in speaker numbers, the picture is not as positive in the language’s heartland of the Western Isles.

There, Gaelic is now a minority language with 45% reported being able to speak it in 2022, compared to 52% in 2011 – a 7% decrease.

In this latest episode of BBC ALBA’s current affairs programme, Eòrpa, reporter Eileen Macdonald visits the Western Isles where she hears how depopulation and housing challenges are impacting traditional Gaelic-speaking communities.  In Glasgow Eileen hears the challenges faced by Gaelic speakers in Scotland’s cities when it comes to opportunities to use the language.

The northwest of the Isle of Lewis has traditionally been one of the areas in Scotland with the highest proportion of Gaelic speakers. There, Eileen met Kirsty and John, both plumbers and both part of a younger generation on which any improvement in the fortunes of the language depends.

Kirsty, a Gaelic speaker, told Eòrpa: “Not many people use it. If your parents or your gran or grandad have it, then you’ll probably speak it. But if your parents don’t have it, any the people you speak to regularly don’t either, then you won’t”.

John, who grew up with the language but rarely uses it, added: “I think if you’re not speaking it home, it’s definitely going to die down and I think less and less young people are out less and so they are not interacting with people who have Gaelic and they don’t know about it as well.”

Responding to the 21% growth nationally in Gaelic speakers, and sharp growth in parts of the the country with comparatively few Gaelic Services, Emeritus Professor Wilson McLeod of the University of Edinburgh said: “In places like Edinburgh and Glasgow, there are Gaelic schools and these places have always attracted Gaels from the islands for work and study.

“But in other parts of the mainland, there isn’t very much being done. Despite that, the biggest growth is seen in places like Aberdeenshire, Falkirk, Dundee and similar places where not much is happening in terms of Gaelic.”

Indeed, encouraging those able to speak the language to use it regularly remains a challenge. The Census tells us how many people in 2022 reported being able to speak the language, but not how many actually do.

In the Scottish Government, the responsibility for Gaelic is part of Deputy First Minister and Economy Secretary Kate Forbes’ brief.

Asked if she thinks Gaelic is in crisis, the Cabinet Secretary remarked: “You can be happy about the numbers that have gone up. People would always ask how best to provide more support for learners, and we’re seeing progress there. That’s good news.

“But a language has to be alive, like English is alive. Gaelic is alive in the traditional communities, but it’s bad news that the numbers there are falling. People ask if Gaelic is in crisis.

“I’m prepared to say “yes it is”, but that’s not going to make any difference if all it is is words. We need the right policies, as well as money and funding.

Reporter Eileen Macdonald: “Having visited communities, and met campaigners, experts, and poilicy-makers, it’s clear there are positives and negatives to take from the state of Gaelic today.

A national rise in speakers is good news, with Gaelic Medium Education continuing to play a large part in feeding that growth. However, there’s real concern about the decline of Gaelic in its heartlands and the fact that it is now a minority language in terms of speakers in the Western Isles.

“The challenge persists too, of how to make sure those able to speak it actually do.”

Eòrpa is BBC ALBA’s flagship current affairs programme, covering a range of domestic and European stories, ranging from the plight of refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh, to the impact of mass tourism in the Canaries, and the issue of gender-based violence in rural Scotland.

The new episode of Eòrpa: Suas leis a’ Ghàidhlig? premiered on BBC iPlayer and BBC ALBA at 9.00pm on Wednesday 28 August (in Gaelic with English subtitles).

Watch on demand: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/b006mvwb/eorpa

BBC ALBA investigates the lasting effects of long Covid

Four years after the UK went into lockdown due to the global COVID 19 pandemic, BBC ALBA explores the long-lasting impact of the virus experienced by people across Scotland in a brand new Trusadh documentary, Fo Sgàil Covid/Covid’s Long Shadow.

The Office of National Statistics estimated that there are around two million people in Scotland and England suffering with ‘long Covid’. For those who are still battling with the after-effects of the disease, it makes working and undertaking everyday tasks challenging.

Broadcaster Cathy Macdonald travels around Scotland to meet people living with the lasting effects of Covid to learn about the different ways in which the disease has affected them and how they have been managing their recovery whilst living in Covid’s long shadow.

David MacLennan from Gress on the Isle of Lewis is amongst those who Cathy talks to during the documentary, produced by MacTV. David has spent most of his working life in nature conservation and loves the outdoors. 

The impact the disease has had on him has been incredibly challenging.

He said: “I became ill about a year into the pandemic. Like everyone else, I isolated for 10 days, but after the 10 days were up, I was not fine.”

David was admitted to Western Isles Hospital, before being airlifted to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness and admitted to the High Dependency Unit. David was eventually discharged but it took him nearly four months to begin to show signs of recovery.

He continues: “For a man who has never been in hospital in his life, for that to happen so quickly was an absolute shock to the system.

“I remember everything I experienced, from the headaches and the high temperatures to the fatigue; I couldn’t walk 10 yards and I couldn’t breathe. Thankfully, the treatment I received in the High Dependency Unit worked, and the staff in Raigmore were fantastic; I owe them my life.

“I struggled to walk around the house when I got home. It took me four months before I could even think about starting back at work. I remember coming to Tràigh Mhòr beach with a colleague who I hadn’t seen for some time to just get out of the house. It was such a pleasure to be able to walk along the sand, something that was so precious to me before and I thought was being taken away from me by Covid.”

When asked about his health now, David says: “I am about 90% of who I was before Covid. I am back climbing hills and catching salmon.

“I feel privileged to do these things. At my work I am able to go out into the countryside and meet people, which I couldn’t do when I was ill.

“There is still a bit to go, but I am working on it.”

Fo Sgàil COVID Press PromoDownload

Learn more about the real lives and stories of those affected by long Covid in Fo Sgail Covid / Covid’s Long Shadow, premiering on BBC ALBA and BBC iPlayer on Monday 19 August at 9pm (in Gaelic with English subtitles).

Watch live or on demand: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00226wp

Teen inspires autism awareness in new BBC ALBA documentary

17-year-old Nuala has spent much of her life fighting for the support she needs as someone on the autism spectrum. BBC ALBA followed Nuala on her mission to pave the way for change, starting in her hometown in the north-west Highlands of Scotland.

Nuala’s push for change was inspired by a trip to Canada’s first autism friendly town in Channel-Port aux Basques, Newfoundland. The simple changes adopted by the town to make life easier for people with autism inspired Nuala to help her own community in Ullapool, and the surrounding area, become autism friendly.

Produced by MacTV this new 30-minute documentary, Saoghal Nuala / Nuala’s World – #MyAutismFriendlyVillage, explores how autism impacts the way people communicate and process the world around them; and follows Nuala working with schools, businesses and organisations to implement small changes to improve the lives of people with autism.

Nuala said: “Initially, before my diagnosis, I thought that I was odd and stupid and couldn’t understand it… It was a relief to get the diagnosis. It was good to see that I wasn’t just… that I was still sane but just in a different way. This also opened a lot of doors for me.

“Everyone was more willing to help me. The teachers were given extra training. There was extra support there and that was so beneficial for me.”

More than one in 100 people in Scotland have autism – all with skills, talents and ambitions. However, many don’t understand autism which is why Nuala wants to create change so that other youngsters don’t face the same difficulties.

Encouraged by the pioneering work of Joan Chaisson – a retired special education teacher and co-founder of the support group Autism Involves Me (AIM) – with schools, hotels, shops, and the hairdresser in Channel-Port aux Basques’, Nuala’s mum said: “They had drawn attention to how people with autism feel and their daily life.

“It was fascinating … It was clear that the whole town supported her plans. Nuala was so inspired by this. We realised that the same could be done in Ullapool.”

Offering viewers a better understanding of the unique perspectives that she and others on the autistic spectrum experience, and in turn, learning what we can all do as a society to make our communities more inclusive, and accommodating for all, Nuala explains: “I want the local businesses to be better informed about autism and also for the community to be autism friendly.

“People with autism will feel more comfortable here and that includes me… You should be proud of yourself and your capabilities.”

Sharing an insight into her skills, from her photographic memory to her understanding of rhythm which helped her win a bronze medal at the 2022 St Ayles Skiff World Championships, she says: “Lots of people ask me if I would rather not have autism. I tell them that I like having autism because I have these superpowers now and I like that. I’m so proud of myself and of my superpowers.

“I would like people on the spectrum to walk with their head held high. That’s very important. I want to be like that and to create a new stereotype. I look forward to that.”

Saoghal Nuala / Nuala’s World – #MyAutismFriendlyVillage, premiers on BBC iPlayer and BBC ALBA and on Monday 5 August at 9pm (in Gaelic with English subtitles).Watch live or on demand: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0021swp

BBC ALBA takes a deep dive into the life of Commonwealth Games’ first Hebridean swimmer

BBC ALBA follows the record-breaking athletic career of professional swimmer, Kara Hanlon, in a brand-new documentary, airing on the 24 July, ahead of the Olympic swimming schedule.

Produced by Sunset+Vine, Kara Hanlon: Dare to Dream takes viewers on a journey through the life of the Hebridean swimmer, from her childhood growing up in Stornoway to training for the qualifiers for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

The now four-time British champion was inspired to take up the sport from a young age after learning to swim in her local community pool in Stornoway.

Speaking in the documentary, Kara said: “I did a lot of other sports when I was younger like running, but swimming for me was the one that always stuck.

“I was taught to swim by some of the local lifeguards at the old Stornoway pool, and what I remember most was racing for badges that I could put on my swimsuit to show that I’d made it to 50m or to 100m.”

At 14, Kara’s competitive swimming career took a major step forward after a chance meeting with DR Morrison, a prominent Lewis-based swim coach.

Kara said: “I didn’t want to go cross-country one morning and my mum said, okay, if you don’t go to cross country, go swimming instead. So off I went swimming and I bumped into DR and he basically asked me to be part of his group that he was developing for the Island Games.”

Kara goes on to detail the sacrifices her family often had to make for her swimming development in terms of both financial cost and time: “There were a lot of times where my parents would have to take time off work to take me on the ferry over to the mainland, and I think they were just willing to support me through that and that just meant going to more and more competitions going up and up the levels.”

Kara, now 27, has since achieved top swimming accolades in her professional athletic career. Last year she became the fastest female breaststroker in Scottish history for both 50m at the 2023 Glasgow International Swim Meet, and 100m during the North District Open Championships in Aberdeen.

In 2022, Kara achieved her childhood dream by becoming the first ever swimmer from the Western Isles to represent Scotland at a Commonwealth Games when she competed at Birmingham 2022. Reaching the finals of the 50m and 100m Breaststroke events, Kara also swam the final of the 4x100m Women’s Medley Relay, helping her team to a 5th placed finish.

Talking about swimming, Kara says: “I think it kind of chose me. I feel like it was kind of my destined path. Breaking Scottish records is something that I’ll always have, and I’ll always cherish. And I have been the fastest woman in Scotland ever.”

Fiona MacKenzie, commissioning editor at BBC ALBA, said: “From a 12.5m pool to competing in the qualifying rounds of the Olympic Games, Kara has gone from a small pond to a big pool.

“She is one of Scotland’s most decorated athletes, yet maintains a humble demeanour as she candidly opens up about her life growing up on Lewis in this new documentary.

“We can’t wait for BBC ALBA viewers to see what it takes to become a competitive swimmer and hopefully inspire the next generation of talent.”

Kara Hanlon: Dare to Dream will premiere on BBC ALBA on Wednesday 24 July at 9pm and on demand on BBC iPlayer (in Gaelic with English subtitles): 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001v5wc.

Sex in Gaelic – All is revealed in new BBC ALBA documentary

BBC ALBA is delving into the ‘covert’ sexual history of the Gaelic language and it’s speakers in a new Trusadh documentary.

Feise ann an Gàidhlig | Sex in Gaelic explores the way sex has been perceived in Gaelic literature, poetry, music and customs across the centuries – studying language which has never been discussed on Gaelic TV.

Airing on Monday 20 May at 10pm, the fascinating, eye-opening, even shocking historic relationship between sex and the Gael will be uncovered with the help of artistic and academic experts.

Directed and presented by Scottish writer, Catriona Lexy Campbell, the 60-minute documentary will take audiences on a trip across Scotland to discover the Gaels who helped shape – or dispel – wider societal perceptions of and attitudes to sex. 

At the University of St Andrews, Catriona meets Peter Mackay, co-author of The Little Blue Book – the first collection of ‘obscene and transgressive’ Gaelic poetry. Together they discuss the oldest erotic verse in the Gaelic language and learn about the colourful characters who wrote them.

In the Isle of Skye Catriona meets singer and folklorist, Anne Martin, to learn about how women dealt with sex and risk – through song.

In Inverness-shire, acclaimed author Sarah Fraser tells the story of Alexander Macdonald, one of the most renowned Gaelic poets who – thanks to some of his more expressive verses – is also one of the most censored.

Catriona said: “For the first time, we are uncovering language that hasn’t been discussed on Gaelic television before.

“Though there is sometimes the view that the Gaels are particularly reserved people when it comes to discussing emotions or sexuality, when we look closely at this historic literature, that’s not really the case.

“There is clear evidence of people being more expressive about sex than was previously thought. That’s why we’re putting a spotlight on understanding and preserving the explicit, and sometimes downright obscene, language used throughout our history.”

The documentary also looks at changes in attitudes towards individuals’ sexuality. Catriona reflects on how the past has impacted modern attitudes and even uncovered new connections. 

Feise ann an Gàidhlig | Sex in Gaelic premieres on BBC ALBA and BBC iPlayer on Monday 20 May at 10pm (in Gaelic with English subtitles).

Watch live or on demand: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001zh25.

PANDEMIC: NHS Lothian releases film tribute to the exceptional response of staff to COVID-19

A special film which captures experiences of staff across NHS Lothian is being launched today (28 April 2022) to show the public and future generations what it was like to work during the pandemic. 

Premiering online, the film reveals how NHS Lothian staff mounted an extraordinary response to the unprecedented challenge of Covid-19.  

The health board was the first to receive and care for a COVID-19 patient in Scotland. It then went on to set up one of the first drive-through testing facilities and played a significant role in ground-breaking research, testing and vaccination. 

The one-hour documentary is told through a series of interviews, videos and photographs of staff, providing reflections of working during the pandemic over the last two years.  

Calum Campbell, Chief Executive of NHS Lothian said: “While this film cannot do justice to the work of every team or service, it offers a flavour of the outstanding commitment of all our staff.  We are extremely proud of how they responded to the pandemic and how hard our teams continue to work.  

“We recognise the journey is far from over. COVID is still with us, pressures on staffing are severe and the effects of the pandemic will be felt for a long time to come.  But we have learned a great deal and will put that to good use as we plan for the future.

“We want to thank all our staff for their continued exceptional service and our patients and the wider public of Edinburgh and the Lothians for the support they show our staff.” 

The film is part of NHS Lothian’s wider commemorative plans, which are supported by its official charity partner, the Edinburgh and Lothian Health Foundation. 

Also featuring in the film is a special commemorative song written and performed by Scottish singer and songwriter, Marina Rolink, especially to thank all NHS Lothian staff.   

Commenting on her involvement in the film, Staff Nurse Viv Conway, who was a student nurse during the first wave of COVID in 2020, said: “It’s still raw, and it’s still relevant in how we practice on our ward. It’s impacted our ward and it’s impacted the culture that we work in, the need to focus on our colleagues and our team. 

“I think the film really brings back a lot of emotions as a true representation of what it was like on the front line and the sacrifices that we made and how we came together at a very difficult time.” 

The film will premiere on NHS Lothian’s YouTube channel at 6pm tonight and will remain available for people to watch in the future.  

A trailer can be viewed now at: https://youtu.be/g5UOAedPv6Y 

PANDEMIC: NHS Lothian to launch COVID-19 documentary

Don’t miss the online launch of our documentary which tells the story of NHS Lothian’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic through interviews, videos and pictures of our staff.

Please join us to reflect and watch the premiere on our YouTube Channel on Thursday 28 April, 6pm. #pandemic #covid-19