Spectacular lighting trail’s glowing tribute to cancer support charity’s birthday
Scotland’s spectacular lighting trail Wondrous Woods – now extended to Sunday, November 21 – has honoured its charity partner with a glowing tribute to celebrate the cancer support organisation’s 25th anniversary.
Maggie’s is currently celebrating 25 years and last night (November 4) the spotlight shone on the charity with a special evening of illuminations at the Wondrous Woods event at Hopetoun House.
The magnificent stately home radiated with an amber glow as the charity’s orange logo was projected onto the mansion which was also lit up in the same hue. And along the woodland trail orange lasers punctuated the magical forest journey through the grounds in tribute to Maggie’s 25 years of providing expert support to people with cancer, their friends and family.
Visitors to this year’s Wondrous Woods, which runs until November 14th, are also being invited to help raise vital funds for Maggie’s by opting to donate to the charity, which relies almost entirely on voluntary donations, when they buy tickets for the trail.
Designed and produced by the team at 21CC Group, this year’s celebratory trail includes several sound and special effects installations and has been showcasing a host of new and exciting festival-themed features including Kaleidoscope, Rubik’s Cube, Loo Lane and UV Madness.
Geoff Crow, Director of 21CC Group says: “We’re just delighted to be associated with Maggie’s and wanted to pay tribute, in our own way, to the fantastic job they do – and have been doing for the past quarter of a century.
“Their support centres, empathy and advice are so important for people coping with a cancer diagnosis which is such shattering news for patients, family and friends.
“The fact that Maggie’s services are free is fantastic but that cannot happen without constant support and funding. We hope that by highlighting their amazing work we might prompt some additional contributions.”
Andrew Anderson, Centre Head at Maggie’s Edinburgh said: “Maggie’s Edinburgh was the first centre to open in 1996 so to have a light shone, literally, on our work locally is wonderful.
“It was a fantastic tribute to everyone who has enabled us to do so much over the last 25 years and a beacon of light for the years to come. Thanks to everyone who is supporting us through Wondrous Woods.”
For further information about Wondrous Woods and to purchase tickets, visit www.wondrouswoods.com
Scotland’s spectacular lighting trail proud to celebrate cancer support charity’s 25th anniversary
Scotland’s dazzling lighting trail Wondrous Woods is proud to announce its charity partner for 2021 is the inspirational cancer support organisation Maggie’s.
Maggie’s celebrates 25 years of providing expert support to people with cancer and their friends and family and Wondrous Woods is inviting centre visitors at Maggie’s to the lighting extravaganza to help raise vital funds.
The lighting trail, which runs from October 21st to November 14th, will illuminate Hopetoun House, just outside Edinburgh, and light up a magical woodland journey through its beautiful grounds.
This year visitors will help to pay tribute to Maggie’s vital work with the chance to donate to the charity which relies almost entirely on voluntary donations to support people living with cancer, their family and friends.
To celebrate the organisation’s 25th anniversary, on the 4th November a Maggie’s logo will appear illuminated against the magnificent backdrop of the House and orange lasers will punctuate the trail.
Wondrous Woods is also offering discounted tickets to 250 Maggie’s newsletter readers and running a social media competition to win family tickets for the event and the opportunity to experience the grandeur of the ancestral home with a sumptuous evening of drinks, plus a hamper of food courtesy of Maggie’s, served in the Tapestry Room.
Designed and produced by the team at 21CC Group, this year’s celebratory trail includes several sound and special effects installations and showcases a host of new and exciting festival-themed features including Kaleidoscope, Rubik’s Cube, Loo Lane and UV Madness.
Geoff Crow, Director of 21CC Group says: “Maggie’s do a truly amazing job providing support centres and information for people who are coping with a terrible change in their lives.
“And the fantastic thing is that their services are absolutely free. But they constantly need funding to provide these and we’re hoping that people who come along to Wondrous Woods will not only have a wonderful experience but also take the opportunity to combine that with supporting this inspirational charity.
“We are thrilled to be associated with Maggie’s and hope to do them proud in their silver anniversary year.”
Visitors who opt to support Maggie’s will be able to choose from different levels of donation when they purchase tickets for the trail.
Maggie’s Andrew Anderson at Maggie’s Edinburgh said:“We are honoured that Wondrous Woods has chosen to support Maggie’s this year. Maggie’s has been there for people with cancer and their families during the most difficult of times.
“Maggie’s Edinburgh was the first centre to open in 1996 and this year we are celebrating 25 years of expertise.
“We rely almost entirely on voluntary donations to support people living with cancer, as well as family and friends, so we are so grateful for your support.”
For further information about Wondrous Woods and to purchase tickets, visit www.wondrouswoods.com
Scottish Ensemble is putting wellness centre stage with brand new events aimed at enhancing wellbeing through both music, and techniques and tools aimed at helping people find calm.
At a time when so many are struggling in terms of their mental health – coping with working from home, home-schooling, loneliness and even bereavement – SE launch Breathe: Music and Your Mind with Maggie’s, three events inspired by their longstanding relationship with the charity.
Supporting and developing their brilliant work with people with cancer and their families by bringing live music into their centres, which they have been doing since 2016, SE are taking their music and mindfulness sessions online with three free, one-hour events on Sunday 28 March at 3pm and Tuesday 30 March at both 2pm and then again at 5.30pm.
The ensemble will continue to share its trademark music for strings alongside reflections from Maggie’s Lead Psychologist, Lesley Howells, on how we can all use music in our daily lives to help us feel better.
Listening to music is one of the easiest ways to enhance well-being and the ensemble are encouraging audiences from all over the world to join them in escaping the rigmarole of the daily grind and restrictions and to help restore focus in an undeniably tumultuous world.
Young people’s mental health is also at risk due to the pressures and anxieties stemming from the pandemic, so the ensemble has also programmed a Maggie’s event for schools on Monday 29 March at 12.30pm.
Like the events for adults yet tailored to the needs of school age children (years P6-S6) this event will address the types of stresses these young people might be encountering, while perhaps also introducing them to new music.
With the increase in pressure on everyone’s mental health, we could all do with taking some time out for ourselves and these special performances will help viewers find new ways to listen and give them a taste of how to channel music to sweep away daily pressures.
William Norris, Interim Chief Executive at Scottish Ensemble said:“These free events give people a much-needed opportunity to switch off, step back, and put their own wellbeing centre stage.
“Maggie’s Centres are at the forefront of the quest to improve mental wellbeing with music and conversation, and the way they resiliently continue to improve the lives of so many every single day is truly inspiring.
“We’re delighted to be working with them again to help bring the soothing and stress-relieving power of music to as many people as possible, and can’t wait to see what this partnership brings in the future.”
In addition to these events, Scottish Ensemble continue to promote innovation and collaboration with 2021 digital programme as they announce new film First Light with celebrated Guest Director Max Baillie.
Premiering online on Thursday 29 April at 7.30pm (and available to view online thereafter for ticket holders until midnight on Monday 7 August) First Light is a collaboration between SE and self-described cross-pollinator, soloist, chamber musician, improviser and member of Lodestar Trio and ZRI, Max Baillie.
First Light is an uplifting concert featuring works by Haydn, Vivaldi, Jessie Montgomery, Steve Martland and Max Baillie himself, performed by SE musicians Kate Suthers, Kana Kawashima, Tristan Gurney, Laura Ghiro and George Smith on violin, Jane Atkins and Andrew Berridge on viola, Alison Lawrance and Naomi Pavri on cello, Diane Clark on bass and Jan Waterfield on the harpsichord.
Bringing life and energy to audiences via their screens, First Light signals the transition from darkness to brighter times and Max will lead viewers on a journey through joyful, uplifting and optimistic music, bursting with luminosity.
From Jessie Montgomery’s explosive Starburst, through the tempestuousness of a new string ensemble arrangement of Haydn’s ‘Fifths string quartet to Vivaldi’s vivacious Concerto Grosso in G minor, the programme presents a visual and sonic dialogue between old and new, between the human and the natural, between darkness and light.
Working with Flux Video to create a striking film, Scottish Ensemble invite audiences old and new to join them online to re-energise. Created under Covid-secure conditions First Light was filmed in the Engine Works, Glasgow; a venue that brings the tradition of Glasgow’s proud industrial history and blends it with a modern, contemporary and visionary concept.
William Norris,Interim Chief Executive at Scottish Ensemble, said: “First Light symbolises the transition that we are all going through right now, both in terms of slowly coming out of restrictions and also the changing of the seasons.
“Max brings a unique creative flare to everything he does, and his music-making reflects our values around innovation, reaching new audiences and promoting cross pollination of sounds and styles; it has been a privilege to have worked with him.
“We really hope our audiences, both new and existing, enjoy tuning in.”
Max Baillie, First Light Guest Director, said:“It was an absolute pleasure working with Scottish Ensemble to create First Light, which to me symbolises positivity and hope as we look towards spring and the rest of 2021.
“We have all had to adapt over the past 12 months and to be able to work with such a forward thinking, adaptable and innovative organisation was a hugely refreshing and rewarding experience. I really hope that audiences the world over enjoy First Light as much as I enjoyed making it.”
