Lifestyle Moray Magazine - April May 2021

MAY 2021

2 TICKETS

DOX PROJECT FOR UNORTHO ENT E BLACK TI EV

STRATHISLA

DISTILLERY

O ING FOR TW

CELLAR TAST

O TEA FOR T W AFTERNOON LE ST CA IE AT DELG

DEANS

CE & GROMIT NEW WALLA RANGE SHORTBREAD

SNUG E PRENATAL TH

FTH

2X ONE MON MEMBERSHIPS

FOOD & DRINK | HEALTH & WELLBEING DE-CLUTTERING | BEAUTY | FITNESS | MUSIC BUSINESS | TRAVEL | ARTISTS | PREGNANCY

Showroom Open Now in Tyock!

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Showroom Now in Tyock! our dream kitchen intokitchen aOpen real kitchen at JNK Turn your dream into a real kitchen at JNK

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25 Tyock Industrial Estate, Elgin, Moray T: 01343 542777 Visit our showroom today Visit our showroom today TyockElgin, Industrial Estate, Elgin, T: 01343 542358 25 Tyock Industrial26/27 Estate, Moray - Tel:Moray 01343 542777 25 Tyock Industrial Estate, Elgin, Moray T: 01343 542777 E: sales@jnkkitchens.nadsl.net 26/27 Tyock Industrial Estate, - Tel: 01343 542358 25 Tyock Industrial Estate, Elgin, Moray T: 01 343Elgin, 542777Moray 26/27 Tyock Industrial Estate, Elgin, Moray T: 01343 542358 26/27 Tyock Industrial Estate, Elgin, Moray T: 01343 542358 E: sales@jnkkitchens.nadsl.net Email: sales@jnkkitchens.nadsl.net E: sales@jnkkitchens.nadsl.net

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FEATURES 2

Delgatie Castle Hire my home

6

Forty Winks New premises

COVER IMAGE BY Cath Waters, Isle of Skye Page 26

10 Strathisla Distillery

Welcoming you back 14

Recipe from the Bearded Chef Carbonara

30 Beauty

with Michelle I-Lash

15 Unorthodox Project

New project

34 De-cluttering

with The Tidy Coo

16 Deans

New Wallace & Gromit

Shortbread range

36 Well Being

Moray Wellbeing Hub

18 Travel

with Inverness Travel 20

40 Fitness & nutrition

with Glynis Ferguson

Music Algorithm

22 TMSA

Virtual festival 24 Local Images

Sunsets in spring and more 28 PreNatal Snug

Support for Mums to be

47 Fergus

back to normality THIS MONTH’S COMPETITIONS

48 WIN, WIN, WIN...

•

UNORTHODOX - 2 TICKETS FOR THE BLACK TIE EVENT

•

STRATHISLA DISTILLERY - CELLAR TASTING FOR TWO

•

THE PRENATAL SNUG - 2X ONE MONTH MEMBERSHIPS

•

Creatives Eve Russell Advertising Rhona Patterson Distribution Gordon Duncan Ltd

DELGATIE CASTLE - AFTERNOON TEA FOR TWO

•

Editor Rhona Patterson

DEANS - NEW WALLACE & GROMIT SHORTBREAD RANGE

All material within this magazine is subject to formal copyright restrictions and therefore the reproduction of any listings, editorial, advertising artwork or any other content, without the publisher’s prior consent, will be considered a breach of copyright. Intellectual copyright: Lifestyle Magazine.

To advertise in Lifestyle Tel: 07900 954134 and speak to Rhona Patterson or email: rhona@lifestylemoray.scot

1

After

PROPERTY

HIRE MY HOME

@Delgatie T he fabulous 11th Century Delgatie Castle in Aberdeenshire is lovingly looked after by Joan Johnson, her daughter Melanie and a dedicated team of family, staff and volunteers.

Joan and Melanie have lived in Delgatie for nearly 40 years. Joan was Captain John Hay’s estate manager and she has continued as Trustee, along with Melanie, after Captain Hay’s death in 1997.

Both are very passionate about the Castle; looking after it and honouring Captain Hay’s memory is a labour of love. “It consumes your life” said Joan, who had made a promise to Captain Hay before he died. As she explains: “he did me the honour of asking me if I would shuffle on when he shuffled off, and I’m doing that”.

When Melanie saw the Channel 4 Programme Hire my Home on Facebook looking for ‘failing holiday lets’ to apply for their homes to be transformed by a leading designer, she convinced her Mum to apply. Joan applied in early 2020 hoping that the programme might be tempted by a Scottish Castle. By Aug 2020 they knew they had been successful.

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The Hire my Home team came in August to do the early survey and then arrived back at

Delgatie in October for the makeover, which took two weeks.

The programme has two leading designers who go up against each other with two properties from the same area and have to transform them.

The one that increases their bookings potential wins.

Anna Campbell-Jones convinced fellow designer Zeena Shah that she should take on Delgatie’s makeover as she had worked on a Castle before.

Zeena went on to make over River Cottage, 5 miles away from Delgatie.

Joan and Melanie provided a £2000 budget and they were given the opportunity to sit down with Anna to discuss her design vision. The only thing Joan said she wouldn’t want them to do was paint the stone wall in the sitting room, but apart from that she gave them a free rein.

Joan and Melanie managed a sneaky look at the colour right at the beginning when they were asked for their permission to remove the bookshelves from the sitting room windows but after that they saw nothing until the final reveal.

Anna focused on three key areas, the entrance, the lounge and the bedroom. She looked for her inspiration around the Castle as she wanted to bring more character into the rooms and give the sense of ‘playing at living in a Castle, even if just for a weekend’.

Anna found original delft tiles in one of the bedrooms and they inspired her to have tiles commissioned for the apartment bedroom.

Anna felt Delgatie hadn’t capitalised on the fact they were giving the opportunity to stay in a Castle. The interior decoration didn’t give any of that magic and Anna wanted to deliver a balance between practicality, heritage and antique feeling.

Before

Bold new colour schemes were introduced to the rooms, along with wonderful accessories and furniture placement to make the most of the space.

When Joan and Melanie were eventually shown round the finished rooms they were both completely overwhelmed. They thought it was such a transformation it was absolutely amazing.

Joan was delighted when she saw the hand painted tiles in the bedroom which depicted Delgatie and all the wildlife from the grounds.

Lifestyle MAG

3

Before

“Oh Anna you are so inspirational” said Joan. “Anna has done something new, but the way she has used what was here originally and kept the spirit of the place, is wonderful” said Melanie.

Anna and Delgatie won the programme contest as, when asked, the uplift in holidaymakers who would now come and stay at Delgatie was the highest.

All the time the team were working at Delgatie they were shown good Scottish hospitality by Joan who provided coffee and amazing cakes on tap. Lasting friendships have been made.

Joan is continuing on the good work and said she hopes she can do justice to the rest of the rooms. With Joan’s dedication and the help of the amazing family and volunteers at Delgatie, there’s no doubt.

After

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Melanie said “This never happens to people like us” I’m sure you’ll agree they deserve every bit of it. If you would like to see the whole programmes go to Channel 4 https://www. channel4.com/programmes/hire-my-home/ episode-guide/ If you would like to go to Delgatie and stay or just visit for some coffee and cake:www.facebook.com/DelgatieCastle T: 01888 563479 E: joan@delgatiecastle.com

Traditionally Hand Crafted Kilts Full Highland Dress & Accessories At Watergaw Ceramics we are so excited to be welcoming you back to the pottery on Monday 26th April 2021 at 11am with all the necessary Covid precautions in place.

SILVER DARLINGS TARTAN

DESIGNED BY AND EXCLUSIVE TO

We are normally open Tues to Sat 10am to 5pm at 4 Chapel Street, Whitehills, Banff AB45 2NB

www.watergaw.com

Interior Inspirations 24 MID STREET CORNHILL • BANFF

We specialise in curtains, blinds and soft furnishings

READY TO WELCOME YOU BACK FROM THE 26TH. Bookings being taken now for Kilt fittings.

Soy Kilts Ltd

WE ARE OPENING WITH OUR NORMAL HOURS FROM 26TH APRIL Tuesday - Friday 9am - 5pm Saturday 9am - 3pm Sunday & Monday CLOSED

facebook.com/interiorinspirations Tel: 01466 751328 info@interior-inspirations.co.uk

Moira George

T: 01261 843303

54 Seafield Street • Portsoy • Banff • AB45 2QT Emai: soykilts@yahoo.co.uk

Images by Ceamara Photography

NEW PREMISES

Inspired Living with

Forty Winks

C

ovid and lockdowns have impacted on all of us. Some businesses have diversified, some have completely redesigned and redecorated their premises and some have bitten the bullet and have relocated.

One such business is Forty Winks: Brian and his team had grand plans and have completely relocated, moving from Buckie to Keith.

Opening their fabulous new store in Mid Street, Keith (formerly Thirds) on the 5th April just as Covid restrictions were lifted was a mammoth task for all. Brian would like to thank everyone involved from the joiners, M & M Joiners Ltd and Robbie Henderson, plumber NJH Plumbing and plasterer George Milton.

6

There are far too many family and friends to mention but Brian is eternally grateful to every one of them for the tremendous amount of work they all achieved in a short time. As you can imagine, the Forty Winks team have mixed emotions as they are sorry to have left Buckie, their home for the past 13 years, but they are very much looking forward to the future.

They want to thank Sandy and Meg of Sandy’s Carpets for their support over the years and wish them and Claire all the best for the future. Their time in Buckie would not have been so fabulous without the kindness and friendship shown by fellow shopkeepers and locals - and of course last, but absolutely not least, their customers who supported them for all those years.

They now have such exciting times ahead with a bigger, brighter showroom allowing them to display a wide range of the same good quality but affordable furniture, bedding and ornaments as before. I am sure the customers they have built up over the years can’t wait to visit the new showroom and with Keith’s central position on the A96 I am sure it will bring many new customers through the doors of this fabulous new showroom.

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Lifestyle MAG

Proud to have worked on the refurbishment at Forty Winks.

Wishing Brian and his team every success in their amazing new premises.

07846 158326 07846 158326 NEW BUILDS NEW BUILDS EXTENSIONS EXTENSIONS

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Craigewan, 67 Land Street Keith AB55 5AN

8

NJH

Plumbing & Heating 07368 448 775 neilhowie77a@gmail.com

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are

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SMUGGLERS WHISKY AND GIN BAR

carkare ALADDINS

Service Cent C A&V MOT E New premises opening 26th April

stuart robert

Next to Inspired Living with ‘Forty Winks’

33 Tyock Ind E Elg Mora carkare PhoneCOMING 01343 54552 Service & MOT Centre SOON www.carkare-elgin.co. stuart Email: roberts carkareelgin@hotmail.com &carkareelgin@hotmail.co MOT Centre 33 TyockService Ind Est Service & MOT Centre 162 Mid Street, Keith | 07880 871976 Elgin Service & MOT Centre COME IN FEEL FREE TO LOOK AROUND. SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE.

JEWELLERY, BAGS, T-SHIRTS, FOOTWEAR, CANDLES, MELTS, WOOL, COLLECTABLES AND MUCH MORE.

carkare carkare carkare Children's clothes, American Sweets and Sweet Bouquets

Moray

stuart roberts stuart roberts

WHISKY

WELCOMES YOU BACK 10

We are delighted to be re-opening our We will open form 12pm – 4pm Tuesday

We are happy to venture out in all weathers, please check the forecast and come in appropriate clothing.

choice we can offer samples and small

Virtual SSWF 29th April – 2nd May

whisky shop on Tuesday 27th April.

– Saturday and to help you make your flights in our courtyard.

Come down and let us help you find the perfect dram for your spring picnic or garden get together. Or, as restrictions lift finally get the chance to first foot with a fantastic bottle – have you ever gone first footing in April or May before?!!

We hope to restart indoor tasting experiences from 17th May and have opened bookings on our website https://www.maltwhiskydistilleries. com/strathisla/ - Fingers crossed government restrictions continue to be lifted as planned.

Strathisla Stroll - £15 from 17th May

Your Virtual Festival Pass which costs £15 will gain you access to over 60 events throughout the weekend from 29th April - 2nd May 2021.

Chivas Brothers events are all free to join and we are offering 10% off all featured whiskies with code SSWF when purchased from our online shops. https://www.theglenlivet.com/en-UK/buynow#filter=* https://www.chivas.com/en-GB/page/strathislaeshop https://www.aberlour.com/en/distillery-reservecollection/

There is more to Strathisla Distillery than goes on behind (currently) closed doors. Let us take you on a walking tour around the special Home of Chivas site and to some nearby landmarks which are also part of the rich history of Keith, with great stories to tell.

We are happy to venture out in all weathers, please check the forecast and come in appropriate clothing.

Explore the surroundings of Keith’s stunning distillery, which has been a cornerstone of the community for 230 years, and discover nearby landmarks that also occupy special places in the town’s rich history. Hear about fascinating folklore and tales from Michael and Donnie, both local loons* with a passion for Keith and whisky. Take home miniatures of the world renowned Chivas Regal Blended Scotch Whisky, each bottle of which has Strathisla Single Malt at its heart. *Loon definition: boy in Keith’s local dialect.

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Strathisla @ SSWF Friday Mixology with Strathisla Distillery. 30-Apr 1900 1 Hour.

Rhys Wilson Special Guest .

Friday night is cocktail night with Strathisla Distillery and an opportunity to explore the single cask Distillery Reserve Collection and signature Chivas Regal serves.

Join your host Rhys Wilson, International Brand Ambassador, plus special guest bartender in an exploration of cocktail culture and cask strength serves!

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Rhys will guide you in a tutored tasting of Strathisla before discussing the latest trends and creating a signature serve with Chivas Regal. *To buy Strathisla 16 Distillery Reserve Collection visit (https://www.chivas. com/en-GB/page/strathisla-eshop).

Use offer code SSWF to receive 10% off all whiskies.

Strathisla Online Shop Introducing the Distillery Reserve collection. This limited release of rare and exceptional whiskies is guaranteed to impress any whisky aficionado. Released from Chivas Brothers’ single malt whisky distilleries, each bottle is filled with single malt whisky bottled at cask strength for an intense expression of the best of Scotland. Normally only available at the Distillery we can now deliver to your door.

Call: 01542 850395 MA KITCHEN

Ahm afa ta'en up wi ma kitchen, its the bonniest kitchen fur miles.

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Ah bocht it fae "RIVERSIDE KITCHENS" Their service wis canny and quick, ye man send aat fowk oot tae yer granny.

And ken that she winna get swickt!

The mannies wis couthie an decent, they cam fan they said - twis richt fine!

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Sae folks - listen here tae ma story Times are tough, ye maun need a wee boost. Get yer tonic fae RIVERSIDE KITCHENS

Looking forward to welcoming you back on the 26th.

NEW MENUS AND COCKTAILS. Home deliveries and take out still available.

BY MADGE BRAY THE HOME SPECIALISTS ASSOCIATION

Riverside Kitchens The Oakwood Forres Road, Elgin, IV30 8UN Tel: 01343 552202 info@riversidekitchens.co.uk

All available now on Just Eat or check Facebook message or call the hotel for details and to place orders.

info@millhousehotel.com

www.millhousehotel.com

RECIPE

Carbonara • • • • • • • • •

100g Pancetta 300g Spaghetti 100g Parmesan Cheese 2 Garlic Cloves 1 tsp Chilli Flakes 1 tsp Basil 1 tsp Oregano 3 Egg Yolks Olive Oil

Get a saucepan with boiling water and start to cook spaghetti.

Heat a sauté pan with Olive Oil and garlic, you want it to go golden in colour for a beautiful nutty flavour Add the pancetta and cook off for a couple of minutes.

Once your pasta is cooked add the pasta to the pancetta, keeping the water to one side.

Add your dried herbs and chilli flakes and cheese, then take ladles of your pasta water to coat the pasta Once the cheese has cooked out, remove from heat and add the yolk mixture, stirring like your coffee. Serve.

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The Bearded Chef HQ 104 South Street, Elgin, Moray, IV30 1JB Tel : 01343 200240 www.the-beardedchef.com

NEW PROJECT

The Unorthodox

T

his amazing unique project is kicking off in Moray but their future plans will take them across all 32 local authorities in Scotland The vision is to have a chain of restaurants, bars, hotels and music venues. They will provide exceptional service but at the same time providing over 2,000 SVQ’s annually.

Lifestyle will cover their full story in the next issue so don’t miss it.

Jordon MacDonald the founder of The Unorthodox Project has only spoken briefly to Lifestyle so far and it is obvious how passionate and committed he is.

He already has collaborations with The Bearded Chef and Clarity Walk to deliver workshops.

Some have already taken place and there are many more planned.

The Unorthodox project has announced their first major event which is a black tie affair in the Elgin Town Hall on the 19th June.

At the event they will introduce the project and explain all about its values and objectives.

It will detail the timeline of the projects development and the key milestones they aim to achieve over the coming 12 months.

Dates of future events and workshops will be announced and of course you will have the opportunity to try out the best from their menu, including, sliders, brisket, ribs, cocktails and much more.

This event is invite only but there are several ways you can get yourself on that guest list.

Check out The Unorthodox Project on social media or enter the competition here in Lifestyle.

Lifestyle MAG

15

FOOD

Dean’s launch new Wallace & Gromit biscuit range

O

n Friday, 9th April, family-owned Aberdeenshire based bakers Dean’s announced a range of shortbread and biscuits in collaboration with multi awardwinning studio Aardman and their hugely popular characters Wallace & Gromit. The new range features five biscuit flavours and three special keepsake tins containing Dean’s melt in the mouth all butter shortbread and will extend to include an assortment tin in time for Christmas.

The biscuit range features postcard images of Wallace & Gromit on holiday at popular spots around the UK. Using these images as inspiration, Dean’s developed five biscuit flavours: chocolate chunk, stem ginger, oat and honey, strawberries & cream and savoury cheddar bites. The tins are sure to be a hit with fans across the country.

Dean’s managing director, Bill Dean said “We are incredibly excited to be launching this new range featuring Wallace & Gromit. These two characters have enormous appeal across age ranges from 8 – 80 and this collaboration will help introduce Dean’s baking to a wider customer base. It is exciting to think of a new audience engaging with the Dean’s brand and enjoying our shortbread and biscuits.”

16

Adam Vincent-Garland, Category Manager – Interactive & Toys at Aardman added: “Just

like the rest of us, Wallace & Gromit have been staying in the UK this year. But the unique partnership with Dean’s has allowed the duo to share beautiful images of their travels around the country. Delicious complementary biscuit flavours include: Honey and Scotch Oats beside Loch Ness and Savoury Cheddar at the foot of Cheddar Gorge. Working with Dean’s has been an absolute pleasure and we can’t wait to see the mouth-watering biscuits in stores”.

The collaboration with Aardman for the Wallace & Gromit range follows in the footsteps of successful partnerships with Steven Brown Art in 2017, Oor Wullie in 2019 and Villager Jim in 2020.

The Wallace & Gromit biscuits and shortbread are available to buy now from Kellockbank, Inverurie Garden Centre and Baird’s Pharmacy as well as Dean’s Gift Shop and online at www.deans.co.uk.

Dean’s first started baking shortbread in the 1970s, when company founder Helen Dean started baking in her Aberdeenshire kitchen to raise funds for the local pipe band. Today, the family-owned business still bakes shortbread and biscuits to Helen’s exacting standards and has grown to become a household name across Scotland, and beyond.

A.M. McPherson Ltd 154 Mid Street, Keith, AB55 5BJ | 01542 882736

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01542 882736AND www .ammcpherson.co.u INSTALLATION RECYCLING

on selected Siemens extraKlasse appliances in-store only

*Terms & Conditions apply. Sold as an agent of Euronics Limited. All rights reserved. All offers are subject to availability while stocks last. Delivery & Installation See in-store for full details. Images for illustration purposes only. Copyright Euronics 2021. E&OE March 2021.

Tel: 01542 882736

FREE DELIVERY WITHIN 40 MILES OF KEITH

SIEMENS-FREE INSTALL & RECYCLING-LOCAL PRESS ADVERT-LANDSCAPE-GENERIC-2021-MAIN.indd 1

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*Terms and Conditions apply. Sold as an agent of Euronics Limited. All rights reserved. All offers are subject to availability while stocks last. Delivery & Installation charges may apply. Exclusions and Radius Apply. Prices correct at time of print but can be subject to change. See in store for full details. Images for illustration purposes only. Copyright Euronics 2017. E&OE October 2017. Saving compared to a higher price charged for 28 days in the last six months unless otherwise stated.

FINE WINES, MALT WHISKIES AND BEERS 96-98 High Street, Aberlour, AB38 9QA info@speylarder.com

www.speylarder.com

COOKERY BOOKS, QUALITY GIFTS & LINENS

SCOTTISH & CONTINENTAL FINE FOODS PICNIC LUNCHES AND GOURMET SANDWICHES

Tel: 01340 871243 Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri & Sat 9am to 5pm. Closed Wed & Sun

Visit our charming Victorian Shop in the heart of Whisky Country...

GIFT HAMPERS AVAILABLE ALL YEAR

TRAVEL

FUTURE IS BRIGHT FOR TRAVEL

O

n Wednesday, April 7th, Scottish travel agency Inverness Travel announced its expansion across the Highlands and Moray in a move that is expected to quadruple its business.

Inverness Travel was established in 2014 by husband-and-wife team Scott and Sarah Murray, who also co-founded Wanderluxe, a homeworking agency based in Sawbridgeworth, near London. Mr Murray is also managing director of Highland hospitality group, Cru Holdings.

The family-owned business has taken over operations of well-known local agents Alba Travel and Beaver Travel. As part of the transfer, staff from the firms’ Inverness, Elgin and Forres branches will join the Inverness Travel team. Two additional members of staff will join the team in newly-created support roles.

Scott Murray said: “Alba Travel and Beaver Travel are trusted names in the Highlands and Moray, and we are committed to delivering the same high quality of service to the communities they have served for over 40 years.

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“A big part of that commitment is ensuring that staff are able to continue to work in the communities where they have built lasting relationships with holidaymakers over the years.

As a business, it is incredibly important to us that we are able to create and retain jobs across the Highlands and Moray – and ensure that travellers receive the continuity of service

they require for stress-free travel.

“The last 12 months have been unprecedented in the travel industry, but we are confident that as restrictions are lifted there will be a resurgence of people looking to travel abroad. We are already seeing signs of hopeful travellers making plans for the latter half of 2021 and into next year.”

Mr Murray, who grew up in Forres, is looking forward to bringing Inverness Travel’s services to his hometown. He added: “For the last seven years, we have prided ourselves in providing trustworthy and reliable advice to those looking to travel abroad in Inverness. We are grateful for the opportunity to bring our expertise to Elgin and Forres, to help even more holidaymakers book their dream trips.”

In Inverness, staff will relocate to Inverness Travel’s stylish new travel boutique on Strothers Lane. The company is also committed to maintaining a presence in Elgin and Forres, and is looking for premises to launch new travel boutiques in the coming months The Inverness Travel team has won numerous awards for its high quality of customer service and innovative business practices. Inverness Travel is a member of ABTA, AITO and the Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association – and offers ATOL protection to all customers.

For more information, visit: www.invernesstravel.co.uk or head to @invernesstravel on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

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FOR OUR CURRENT OPENING TIMES PLEASE FOLLOW US ON

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MUSIC

For 20 years Andrew Still had been playing and writing songs, all written for the acoustic guitar.

During this time he released numerous albums – 8 albums as the Galipaygos and 2 as Mr Still.

However, Andrew had always loved disco and electronic music and in 2018 he bought some new software which allowed him to create electronic music. It was a double edged sword as he had a passion for electronic music but he would have to put aside his guitar, forgetting everything he knew – and start all over again.

He recruited Ali Brown on bass and then Bev Fraser on Sax/ EWI (electric woodwind instruments). Andrew had always wanted to write for a female vocalist, as up until then he had always sung his own songs. They wanted a female vocalist for the band and Amy Mullen, who was running Stagecoach (School of Performing Arts,) was a keen singer/songwriter and perfectly fitted the bill.

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When lockdown came along it gave Andrew the opportunity to really get to grips with the software. With less distractions Andrew’s song writing took off and he has now written over 50 songs. He is so prolific that the other band members are actually now looking for lockdown to end in order to put the brakes on Andrew’s writing.

As with everyone involved in live entertainment, the band can’t wait to get back to performing and to have the opportunity to perform all Andrew’s compositions.

Lifestyle MAG

Algorithm launched their debut single ‘Left Unsaid’ in March, along with a feature video that was created during lockdown with the help of over 100 supporters. 105 friends shot an amazing variety of ‘shh’ clips at home and sent them all to Andrew. His 12 year old daughter Eva Still then produced a wonderful video which can be seen on YouTube: https://youtu. be/S_QCocn8a7I The single was released on Spotify on the 5th March.

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MUSIC: FESTIVAL

Barbara Dickson Launches Virtual Keith Festival

D

ue to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic the Keith Traditional Music & Song Association (TMSA) Festival have taken the difficult decision to cancel their in-person festival for the second year running.

However, as the saying goes “the show must go on” and on it will go! The festival will, once again, be going virtual building on the success of the 2020 Virtual Festival. The Keith TMSA Virtual Festival 2021 will take place over the weekend of Friday 11th - Sunday 13th June 2021 on Facebook and YouTube.

Barbara Dickson

The announcement of the virtual festival was made by Olivier award-winning actress and TMSA patron Barbara Dickson in a video on the Festival’s Facebook page. In the video the chart-topping singer said that this year there would be concerts, a virtual dance, sessions and sing--arounds as well as a suite of virtual competitions for the first time.

Amongst some of the guest artists appearing over the course of the weekend include 7-time bothy ballad champion of champions Joe Aitken, BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year finalists Iona Fyfe, Calum McIlroy and Ellie Beaton, champion accordionist Leonard Brown and singing duo Jim and Susie Malcolm.

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Iona Fyfe

For the virtual dance there will be 14 Scottish dance band leaders providing a programme of old time dances that folk can join in with at home.

Joe Aitken

Jim and Susie Malcolm

Ellie Beaton

Leonard Brown

There is also an array of competitions being held with the deadline for entries being 9pm on Sunday 16th May. The entries will be released on the Festival’s YouTube channel on the Saturday morning with the results being revealed at the virtual Prize-winners Concert in the evening.

Commenting on the launch of the virtual festival Chairman of the committee, Kathleen Anderson, said: “We are so disappointed that once again we’ve had to cancel our in-person festival.

However, we are determined that the show will go on so we are trying to build on last year’s successful virtual festival and provide audiences with even more opportunities to enjoy the very best of traditional music and song.

Lifestyle MAG

“As usual we have managed to attract a fantastic line up of guest artists to perform with more yet to be confirmed and we are particularly delighted that we are able to run some of the competitions this year. We hope that we will be overrun with entries!

“There really will be something for everyone and we can’t wait to share with everybody.”

More information can be found at www.keithfestival.com and the festival will be broadcast on facebook.com/keithfestival and youtube.com/c/KeithTMSAFestival

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OUT AND ABOUT

Share your images of our wonderful area!

By tagging us and using #LifestyleMorayMagazine or email your images to eve@lifestylemoray.scot

Images..

YOUR

By Graham Hendrey, Moray

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@LifestyleMorayMagazine @LifestyleMorayMagazine

Instagram @tracygoesoutside - Cullen

Whitehills, Aberdeenshire

Pauline Smith Grant

Pauline Smith Grant

Pauline Smith Grant

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ARTIST

C

ath Waters is an award winning Scottish Landscape digital artist working from her studio overlooking the Cuillins on the beautiful Isle of Skye. Her distinctive artworks are inspired by a love of the Scottish landscape and reflect the solitude and calm of the special places she finds on her travels.

As well as selling prints of her work, Cath designs high quality and unusual gifts, jewellery, homeware and stationery many of which are handmade by a small team at her workshop in central Scotland. Cath welcomes visitors to her studio on Skye and her work can also be found in stockists across Scotland and beyond.

FEATURED ON THE COVER

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Vi s i t : www. ca t hwa t e r s . s co t

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Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm Saturday 9am - 4pm Sunday CLOSED WE ARE FOLLOWING ALL GOV GUIDELINES 27

160 Mid Street, Keith, AB55 5BL | Tel: 01542 880293/839800

THE PRENATAL SNUG

Pregnant? You need to know this…

W

hat comes to mind when you think about giving birth?

A comedy scene from TV? A red-faced woman profusely sweating whilst squeezing her partner’s hand so hard it might fall off? A 1960s midwife rushing around with a pile of steaming hot towels? A screaming woman lying flat on her back in a hospital bed?

Or, do you envision a woman calmly responding to the needs of her body?

Chances are you didn’t imagine that last one, and that’s because we’ve been led to believe that giving birth is excruciating, long and painful.

The truth is that feeling calm and relaxed during labour can make for a far better birth. Some women actually enjoy it. Is it possible for you to feel this way when a tiny person is travelling through your body into the world? Yes, and here’s why.

Your unborn baby is snuggled up in your uterus (womb), which is a muscular organ.

5 reasons to feel calm and relaxed during labour: •

Your contractions will be more effective

•

You will feel less pain and more comfort

•

You have less risk of tearing

•

You will feel more in control and able to make informed decisions about the birth

•

Your baby will be more calm

Sophia Hanson is a prenatal yoga and hypnobirthing teacher based in the Highlands.

She runs an online sanctuary, sophiahanson. com/services, so you can prepare for the best birth possible.

During labour effective breathing gives the uterus a good blood supply so it can work at its optimum; without it we experience pain, tension and fear.

Fear creates a cocktail of stress hormones which in turn impact on mind and body creating more tension and pain. Being calm breaks that cycle.

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M: 07787 701 131 | E: Sophia@sophiahanson.com | Facebook.com/theprenatalsnug

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SERVING FOOD ALL DAY Beer Garden Craft Beers, Gins and Cocktails Home Baking and Barista Coffee Our Famous Cullen Skink Breakfasts - Lunches – Light Bites and Evening Meals Pop in for refreshments and food after a walk along the beautiful sandy beaches on our doorstep.

Your dog is welcome too!

Tel 01343 821 809 Purity Health Beauty & Well Being George Street Fochabers Moray IV32 7EG Lifestyle MAG

Come for an overnight stay-cation in our beautifully refurbished en-suite bedrooms. www.theroyaloakcullen.co.uk Tel: 01542 842762 Email stay@theroyaloakcullen.co.uk

BEAUTY

I-Lash

by Michelle

I

t is a brave step to take. To start a new business at the age of 40 and with absolutely no experience of the field in which you intend to make your mark - takes a lot of courage and self-belief. A huge leap of faith that could be rewarding in more ways than you imagined and, hopefully, not an ill-timed decision.

Thankfully, the former happened for Michelle Williams and she has gone from strength to strength, laying down the foundations for her daughter’s future inheritance.

Michelle had a background in child protection and childcare whilst living in Lossiemouth but she has relocated both home and business to Elgin. Her passion for lash extensions and the desire to work for herself in convivial surroundings have prompted her to branch out. After extensive research assessing all the options available to her, Michelle decided that Novalash, with their award winning products and global support, outclassed all the opposition.

Michelle joined the Novalash family in 2018 and, with only three years’ experience under her belt, has picked up two Global Novalash titles in 2021 (Lash Artist of the Year and Fans Choice Artist of the Year). To underline the measure of her success, Michelle is the first person in Novalash’s 10 year history to collect

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two awards, the second UK Lash Artist of the year and the only Scottish winner of Fans Choice Award and Lash Artist of the Year Award.

To put Michelle’s success into perspective, every year Novalash hosts a competition for talented artists around the world, who submit their work in the chance of winning different titles; it is therefore a superb achievement for Michelle to win not one, but two titles. Sadly, because of Covid and lockdowns, Michelle did not have the opportunity to attend the annual party in Houston, Texas and had to receive her prizes via a live stream on social media.

On describing how it felt to win the two titles, Michelle said “I could never have imagined being in the final, let alone wining two awards. Winning Fans Choice is global recognition for my work and for my passion. I never expected to win Lash Artist of the Year as the quality of the talented artists alongside me in the final was so high. The experts chose me and my work – a lass from a wee town in the north of Scotland! There are not enough words to describe that feeling”.

This is just the beginning of her journey; the future beckons and we can only wish her every success at each step of the way.

Lifestyle Lifestyle MAG MAG

Facebook: I-Lash by Michelle

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DE-CLUTTERING

Rosie Barron is The Tidy Coo, a Professional Declutterer and Organiser, Certified KonMari Consultant and Photo Manager based in the North East of Scotland.

When tidying any of your belongings, it is important to remember the golden rules: •

Commit to tidying

•

Start with your vision of what you want your life to look like.

•

Declutter first, then organise.

•

Choose positively what to keep.

•

Start with the easiest decisions.

•

Handle everything, nothing gets a free pass.

•

Work in categories rather than rooms.

First of all, start by finding 2 or 3 of your very favourite items of clothing. Pick them up and see how you feel when you are holding them.

Often when I am working with clients I will see them smile when they start to tell me about the item they are holding. It is this positive lift that Marie Kondo refers to as Sparks Joy. Keep these items visible whilst decluttering your wardrobe and use them as a reference point. It is important to remember that items can Spark Joy for practical reasons, such as a work uniform which allows you to earn money, or a warm vest.

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Remove all of your clothes from their storage space, right down to the pants and socks, and then sort them in to categories. It is important to take them out from their usual place as that

can help change your mind set. If it is too overwhelming to get all of your clothes out at the same time, then you can get out one category at a time, but do make sure that you have found the entire category and don’t give anything a free pass. My clients often say things like, “All my socks are fine!”, but when we go through them, they discard about half! Whilst it may sometimes feel a little like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic to organise your sock drawer, you will find that these small steps add up pretty quickly.

Remember to start with the easiest decisions first, such as those that you definitely want to keep or those that you wonder what they were doing in your wardrobe at all! Any that you are not sure of, leave to one side until you have done the others. Perhaps try them on if you are really not sure.

The most important question that you will ask yourself as you declutter your clothes is: “Does this Spark Joy?”, but other questions can be super helpful in clothing too, such as, “Would I buy this again?”

“Do I reach for this?”

“Does this make me feel good?”

“How many of these do I have?”

If you really can’t decide whether or not to keep an item, I encourage you to keep it with confidence. Put the item in an easily accessible and visible space and see if you wear it in the next 6 months. I do a wardrobe check in the Spring and in the Autumn to check my clothes.

Common pitfalls when decluttering your wardrobe are: Keeping Clothes that are the Wrong Size – I often find that people keep clothes that don’t fit, often entire wardrobes of them. Keeping large number of clothes that don’t fit is often counterproductive. The mental weight of lots of clutter can mean that you find it hard to lose physical weight. Let the clothes go that are in the wrong size and if you lose weight, buy yourself some beautiful new clothes.

Keeping Clothes because they cost a lot You won’t get your money back by shoving it in a drawer. If you are very concerned by the amount of money that you spent on an item, you can try and sell it, however, do give yourself a date by which it needs to be gone by and if it doesn’t sell, then donate it.

Storage - When it comes to putting your clothes away, store like with like and designate each type of item a specific area. So a drawer of t-shirts and a drawer of jumpers, rather than having them mixed in together. It makes them easier to find and allows you to see how many of them you have.

File fold your clothes. By this, I mean fold them so that the edges are sticking up. Otherwise it’s like having a pile of books where you can only see the top one, rather than storing them spine out so that we can see them all. File folding takes up less space than conventional folding and makes it so much easier to see and use your clothes.

For items that are hung, I love to use velvet hangers. The slim line shape of them creates space in your wardrobe and the material prevents clothes falling off them.

Lifestyle MAG

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Images: Laura Walter Photography

WELL BEING

CREATIVE STEPS FORWARD IN VOICE FOR THOSE ‘WIRED DIFFERENTLY’ IN MORAY.

A

utism, dyslexia and ADHD are just some of the diagnosis labels included under a local Neurodiversity campaign over the last year.

Hosted by Moray Wellbeing Hub CIC, the campaign aims to explore how we are all wired differently and the impact of the language we use around this on barriers such as stigma.

“Everyone’s brain is different, but they are not all valued equally.” Campaign contributor.

Activities have been happening throughout lockdown, with online conversations taking over from in-person chats and a focus on creativity to support exploring identity for all ages. To complement their existing vibrant campaign animation (available for sharing on their website), Champions at Moray Wellbeing Hub have pushed the campaign further with three great opportunities this Spring. An artist led workshop, a campaign t-shirt and a walk in Cooper Park Elgin.

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“Last summer we worked with a group of humans who identify as neurodiverse to come up with a list of words and phrases that express their individual identity, that which makes them uniquely them. This list is made of descriptive and subjective responses ranging from personal roles, character traits, things that give pleasure and how they view themselves.” Explains Moray

artist Fiona Percy, who conceived and led the art projects within the campaign: “The words and phrases are open to interpretation with crossovers and similarities which hopefully spark connections between us.”

Interest in this work has been strong with 55 people completing an online survey to select their words from the long list. This has both honed the 132 original words to a shortlist of most popular choices and revealed individual ‘identity patterns’ for a new animated artwork.

Whilst creating her final animation, Fiona then worked on a way for people to ‘wear their identity’. She created a new t-shirt design and alongside this a workshop activity to decorate these based on the language survey results.

On March 30th a group gathered online with

Moray’s 39 Eng Regt fa Moray Wellbeing Hub

their new t-shirts, paints and a grid to create something special.

“The whole process in the build-up to this session created a sense of community and solidarity. It was really nice to reconnect with neurodiverse people who have been to previous events. For many reasons, neurodiversity is such a broad but intricate web of understanding, meaning, discussion, development and growth. It has been fascinating to explore all links to identity and selfidentity. It’s amazingly complex and ever changing no matter what age you are.”

8th of April then saw Champions gather in Cooper Park Elgin for their first in-person event for the campaign. COVID restrictions required this to be a health walk led by an NHS trained leader. However the social distancing, and heavy downpour, did not dampen their enthusiasm for discussing how best to promote diversity in a positive way and showing off their brand-new campaign t-shirts.

“It was a chance to chat, meet other neurodiverse people and supporters, share ideas on what we could do next in the campaign,” shares Heidi Tweedie, who leads the campaign at Moray Wellbeing Hub, “as a neurodiverse person myself, I really enjoyed meeting up in-person with others and feeling connected. It was a small event, but we plan to have more as walking takes the pressure off many of us when discussing potentially challenging topics.”

Top on the discussion list was diagnosis and how this could be an opportunity for many people to be much more positive, focusing on strengths

rather than what they can’t do. Heidi was quick amilies partner with to clarify the welcome is open for all, “We don’t want people thinking that unless a medical b to keep connected Lifestyle MAG nges.

professional gives you a label you are not neurodiverse.

We also welcome those who have not experienced medical diagnosis but feel different and drawn to the term ‘neurodiversity’ to join in the conversation and campaign. We also need neurotypical people to join us as supporters and help make Moray a more inclusive place for all.”

To learn more about the campaign, order a “We are all wired differently” t-shirt or view the campaign animations visit:

www.moraywellbeinghub.org.uk or search for them on Facebook.

The campaign is supported by funding from the Knowledge is Power programme, hosted by SCDC and Poverty Alliance, with additional support for creative activity from YOUCHOOSE4, local participatory funding administered by tsiMORAY.

www.moraywellbeinghub.org.uk Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Email hello@moraywellbeinghub.org.uk

Phone 01343 576219

(answer phone checked regularly)

37

01542 888457

www.advancedelectrics.com info@advancedelectrics.com Unit Q1, Isla Bank Mills, Station Road, Keith, AB55 5DD

Celebrating 31 years in business Advanced Electrics are proud to serve the largest names in the distilling industry.

Advanced Electrics offer a design, build and installation service.

• Established in 1986 now employs 26 people locally • Recognised expertise • Reputation of Excellence • CompEx trained technicians for hazardous area installation and inspection • Control panel design and manufacture for various production process controls • Thermal imaging, power analysing and power factor correction surveys, reports and supply Also specialise in break-down, routine maintenance and new plant installations

Celebrating 31 years in business Advanced Electrics are proud to serve the largest names in the distilling industry.

Advanced Electrics offer a design, build and installation service.

• • • • • •

Established in 1986 now employs 26 people locally Recognised expertise Reputation of Excellence CompEx trained technicians for hazardous area installation and inspection Control panel design and manufacture for various production precess controls Thermal imaging, power analysing and power factor correction surveys, reports and supply

Also specialise in break-down, routine maintenance and new plant installations 01542 888457 | info@advancedelectrics.com www.advancedelectrics.com Unit Q1, Isla Bank Mills, Station Road, Keith, AB55 5DD

HEALTH

G

lynis Ferguson is a Personal Trainer in Buckie, who like the rest of us, had to adapt during lockdown. Glynis successfully ran zoom classes like many others, which were a fantastic alternative in the beginning.

Unfortunately class members started to lose some enthusiasm and motivation was lost as her clients became desperate to meet up in person once more.

As a certified women’s health and fitness coach Glynis knew March was Endometriosis Awareness month and thought it the perfect opportunity to offer a different challenge and regain that motivation.

Endometriosis affects 1.5 million women in the UK. It’s a long-term condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb forms in other places, such as the ovaries and fallopian tubes, causing chronic pelvic pain and infertility.

Glynis gathered a group of 10 female clients to undertake the annual 1 in 10 challenge to raise awareness in support

40

of the 1 in 10 with endometriosis and fight the stigma often associated with the condition. The team undertook 10 active challenges in an effort to raise awareness and funds for Endometriosis UK, enabling them to continue their work supporting those affected by endometriosis and to ensure that everyone is able to access the appropriate care, support and treatment they need.

Each of the ten ladies had to set their own individual challenge and then the whole team completed each challenge together in solidarity of each other.

Every challenge was completed while adhering to COVID social distancing rules at that time.

Our activities included: •

The CrossFit inspired ‘Betty’s WOD’;

•

1,000 squats in a day;

•

The Bin Nevis Challenge – the worst one! (inspired by Lara’s desire to scale Ben Nevis. So what do you do when you can’t make it to the mountain? You bring the mountain to you!

Stepping in to help us out is Nevis’ humble local cousin, The Bin, Buckie.

Ben Nevis summit: c. 1,345m; top of the Bin: c. 320m. (Four times up & down in a row, with the addition of a wee skirt round the lower trails should just about do it.)

Unfortunately for us, it rained the whole day so we were soaked to the bone.

•

Logie Burner: running up & down the 90 steps of the local hangout 10 times in a row. The fear was real.

•

The ‘Cycling Jaunty: a bike ride from Buckie to Garmouth where the quines stopped for coffee & bacon butties before heading back to nurse sore bums.

•

Kimmy’s Tyre Flippin: 1,000 flips of a 91kg tractor tyre – brutal.

•

Fit Quines Trail: walked the Fish Wives Trail from Newmill to Buckie in homage to the fish wives of Buckie. The first activity we were able to complete as one group due to the relaxing in social distancing measures.

•

80’s Jane Fonda Style workout, complete with neons & side pony tails: but realized I was useless at instructing aerobics or fitness to music as I couldn’t remember the routine never mind the cues, therefore we opted for a Cher exercise video instead. Hilarious and tragic in equal measures.

•

Marathon Roller Relay: 26 mile marathon completed in roller boots in a relay format.

Thankfully no casualties on the day.

•

Finished with the Polar Plunge: a ‘dook’ at Strathleen beach. It was horrendous!

Following two beautiful days, the last day of the month ended up being cold, wet, wild and miserable. Never to be repeated.

Undertaking the challenge meant that not only were we able to raise awareness of Endometriosis but the team were motivated to increase their physical activity once more and raised funds for a worthy cause at the same time.

Lifestyle MAG

We raised £2,540 plus £340 in gift aid. This money will help Endometriosis UK give much needed support and healthcare to those affected.

Why did Glynis Choose to support Endometriosis UK? “I have a number of clients who are affected by various female health conditions including endo. When they first approached me individually, I barely knew anything about their conditions. Whereas women make up almost two-thirds of all personal training clients, health issues that relate specifically to them remain largely underserved by much of the fitness industry.

“Beyond the usual guidance on resistance training and nutrition, topics critical to their health are rarely addressed.

These can include: •

Pregnancy

•

Menopause

•

Hormonal health

•

Menstrual cycle

•

Body image issues and disordered eating

•

Exercise related incontinence due to pelvic floor disorders

“For this reason, I purposefully sought to fill the gap in my knowledge so that I could better connect with these women and coach them through their struggles. Now, I understand not only what these conditions are, but also how they may affect health and lives outside of the gym. I look to guide them so they have a better understanding of their conditions and how to manage appropriate exercise practices in respect of the same.”

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Being a member of Endo UK: •

Joining their network of supporters, giving them a bigger voice for change and helping them extend their reach for their services and info.

•

Help them be the leading provider of support and info on Endo in the UK.

The team members gave their reasons for being involved: Member A:“I understand the difficulty involved with obtaining a diagnosis for endo. The charity provides excellent support and advice for those going through the diagnosis process and how to deal with the symptoms.

I was motivated to help others understand the condition by raising awareness. The challenge provided much needed motivation during the lockdown and I really enjoyed the activities.”

Member B: “I had never done anything like it before. I was never interested in exercise or fitness but wanted to challenge myself. I gained confidence in my own ability to overcome challenges I believed were out with my capabilities. I got a sense of achievement once the challenge was complete. I really had fun with the group – it was a laugh most of the time”.

Member C: “I know people who have the condition and the hardships they have faced obtaining medical help and diagnosis.

I believe it should be better funded and better understood. I really enjoyed completing the activities as part of a team – solidarity. I would have struggled if I had undertaken it as a solo project. “

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Member D: “It got me out of the house and motivated during lockdown, something I had been lacking. I enjoyed all of the challenges and the sense of teamwork. It raised my awareness of the condition and the lack of support that’s available. It has made me want to continue to raise awareness and help the charity to continue to offer those with the condition the support and guidance they sorely need.“

Glynis Ferguson 07738 734501 - Buckie vfitness_nutrition@yahoo.com Facebook: V fitness & nutrition

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COMMUNITY

Digital date to raise a cuppa to Portsoy’s award-winning volunteers

T

he outstanding work carried out by volunteers in Portsoy was celebrated during an online gathering attended by the Lord Lieutenant of Banffshire.

Andrew Simpson joined Portsoy Community Enterprise volunteers at a ‘virtual fly cup’ where he raised a cuppa in their honour, for gaining the UK’s highest award given to local volunteer groups.

The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, regarded as the MBE for volunteer groups, was awarded to Portsoy Community Enterprise last year but coronavirus restrictions put paid to plans to hold a gathering for the presentation to take place.

Rather than delay matters further, the Lord Lieutenant was invited to join some of the group’s volunteers for an online afternoon tea on 44 Tuesday, 30th March.

Portsoy Salmon Bothy director Anne McArthur said that going online provided a safe and socially distanced solution when lockdown rules have prevented volunteers meeting up in the usual way, as well as a valuable way to keep connected.

Miss McArthur added: “In a normal year we have a social get together with our Bothy volunteers in March, but as we couldn’t meet in person, we planned a virtual fly cup instead.

“Everyone taking part received a selection of home bakes delivered to their door” “By reaching out to our volunteers in this way, we want to maintain connections and rebuild confidence after a year of coronavirus restrictions that have impacted on us all. It was great to be joined by The Lord Lieutenant to mark the achievement of receiving the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

Portsoy Community Enterprise last year became the first recipients of the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in the historic county of Banffshire, for its work in promoting the area’s maritime and rural heritage to achieve social and economic regeneration.

“Portsoy Community Enterprise is truly an exceptional group and is to be congratulated on its many successes. It also stands as an example to others as to what can be achieved by volunteering. It is the first group in historic Banffshire to receive the QAVS.

David Urquhart, chairman of Portsoy Community Enterprise said: “This is an honour that recognises volunteers at every level of our organisation and it is through the collective effort of all involved that we have gained this accolade.”

“However, nominations for the 2022 awards open in April. I would encourage other groups to celebrate their achievements by putting themselves forward for this outstanding award.”

The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service recognises outstanding work by volunteers in their own communities.

Any group doing volunteer work that provides a social, economic or environmental service to the local community can be nominated for the award. Each group is assessed on the benefit it brings to the local community and its standing within that community.

Ahead of the virtual afternoon tea, Mr Simpson paid a visit to Portsoy to hand over the glass trophy and framed certificate to Mr Urquhart and Miss McArthur.

Mr Simpson encouraged other groups to follow in the footsteps of Portsoy Community Enterprise by putting themselves forward for the next round of award applications.

Mr Simpson said: “As the representative of Her Majesty The Queen, I am delighted to be able to present the award to the Portsoy Community Enterprise.

Its hard work, imagination and long-term commitment, combined with practical skills and knowledge has resulted in many benefits. It has brought together the local community by encouraging volunteering, promoting the area and celebrating their heritage.

Lifestyle MAG

Portsoy Community Enterprise operates Portsoy Links Caravan Park, The Sail Loft Bunkhouse, The Scottish Traditional Boat Festival, The Salmon Bothy and The Boatshed for the benefit of the local community. This in turn provides economic benefit from tourism for Portsoy and the surrounding area while upholding the heritage and cultures of the north east of Scotland.

While Covid 19 has impacted on all areas of its operations, the board of directors remain committed to offering the local community and visitors to Portsoy opportunities to take part in authentic cultural experiences and are continuing to work collaboratively to provide economic benefit through tourism for the town of Portsoy and surrounding area.

More information about PCE and the community-owned enterprise can be found at www.portsoy.org

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Specialists in sandstone carving, bespoke work, lime work, building and monument restoration and general stonemasonry

Speyvilla, 51 High Street, Rothes, Morayshire AB38 7AY gl@glaingstonecraft.com www.glaingstonecraft.com

Tel/Fax 01340 831482 Mobile 07789 693446

FERGUS EWING MSP CABINET SECRETARY FOR RURAL ECONOMY AND TOURISM

Cautious return to normality..

I

’m hoping that by the time you read this, Spring will actually have arrived and we will be getting to enjoy the lockdown restrictions easing.

Opening up our communities and local economy really matters to areas like Moray, particularly for everyone in the hospitality and tourism trade. We’ve done all we can to support people through these hard times, with specific grants for important sectors like self-catering and weddings, as well as general support through the hardship funds administered by local authorities. We are also providing ongoing support through 100% non-domestic rates relief and have also provided restart grants to help businesses prepare for re-opening.

There is no doubt we are ready for it. It has been a long hard year, and this last lockdown in particular has been really tough on everyone. We all want this opening up to stick, so it is important that we all still keep following the rules on social distancing, face coverings, hygiene and ventilation. The vaccine too will keep more of us safe, so make sure and keep your appointment. We all need to behave cautiously and responsibly. Testing becoming more widely available is another tool to try and keep the rate of infections low and help us manage our daily lives.

And if we can just get the weather, then we can look forward with hope to a brighter few months ahead!

26th April sees a real shift. Allowing travel from the rest of the UK will help tourist businesses in particular, with accommodation opening up, as well as hospitality venues, restaurants, cafes and pubs until 8pm without alcohol, while post wedding and funeral events can take place without alcohol for up to 50 people. These businesses are crucial contributors to the wider economy in their communities, supporting countless supply chain businesses, especially in food and drink. Their re-opening is good news for everyone.

With schools going back full time throughout April, and more of us able to meet up outside from 16 April and travel within Scotland for exercise and recreation, and shops, gyms, libraries and even driving lessons re-starting from 26 April, it really will feel like we are returning more to normality.

Lifestyle MAG

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Closing dates: 25th MAY 2021 • Email: competitions@lifestylemoray.scot at Strathisla Distillery value £80 what a great experience that is.

Here we are with again with another issue offering a remarkable variety of terrific competition prizes. I once again want to thank my clients who so generously offer these fabulous prizes to Lifestyle readers.

I know that you do appreciate the fabulous prizes offered in Lifestyle as you tell me in your postcards and e-mails. I also appreciate the feedback from the winners of the prizes who have had some amazing treats.

You are spoiled for choice once again starting with the opportunity to attend the Unorthodox Project’s first Black Tie Event on the 19th June in the Elgin Town Hall.

Once restrictions are eased I’m sure you will be delighted if you win the Cellar Tasting for two

Or a trip out to Delgatie Castle could be on the cards for one of Joan’s delicious afternoon teas and you can take a friend, how long have we been waiting to do that?

The marvellous new Wallace & Gromit collection has been offered by Deans of Huntly as another amazing prize. Invite friends for tea to share or keep them all to yourself the choice will be yours, if you win!

Finally for this issue this prize is quite specific and not for all readers this time. It is a superb one months membership from the Pregnancy hub for two of our lovely readers who are Mums to be who will benefit from prenatal yoga, hypnobirthing and confidence building to prepare for a better birth. This would be ideal for women in their second or third trimester.

COMPETITION CODES UNORTHODOX PROJECT 2 Tickets for the Black Tie Event.

STRATHISLA DISTILLERY Cellar Tasting for two.

DELGATIE CASTLE Afternoon Tea for two.

THE PRENATAL SNUG 2x one month memberships.

DEANS New Wallace & Gromit Shortbread Range.

Email competitions@lifestylemoray.scot with your name, address and contact number or send a postcard to: Lifestyle Magazine, 5 Green Lane, Newmill, Keith AB55 6NX

Remember your competition codes and please send multiple entries on one card.

Terms & conditions: All Lifestyle competition prizes are kindly donated by Lifestyle advertisers. There is no entry fee, one e-mail or postcard with the relevant codes is all that is necessary. Winners are chosen at random by a computer generated programme. There is no cash alternative available. Names of winners will be published in the following issue.

Congratulations to our Feb/March winners.

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