Democracy in Action at RGU

Voting is now open for the 2012 RGU student elections.


This year there were a record number of nominees, signifying an impressive increase on the 2011 Elections.

Steven Mills, current president of RGU:LGBT is running for Vice President of Equality and Diversity.
He said: "The election is fun but very difficult. We make friends with anyone running but we have to remember that we are running against each other and it gets dirty and political very quick. Unfortunately the election is often a popularity contest which is a real shame as you want to just campaign, express your views and win a position in a fair manner. You have to get your name out there and be as diplomatic as much as possible. If I won my position I would be thrilled. Winning through a vote is definitely confidence boost but it is important to to remember why I applied for role on the first place. I would want to get started as quick as possible and make sure I represent my manifesto and more to make my supporters proud."

Aberdeen Lib-Dem No Fly Zone

Liberal Democrats in the North-east have been asked for answers after their London mayoral candidate said he wanted to cut short haul flights to Scotland.

Campaigners, including business representatives and politicians have been calling for landing slots form Heathrow to Aberdeen to be preserved to boost the North-east economy.

But Brian Paddick, who is running for London Mayor, said in an interview he wanted short haul flights to be scrapped in favour of more long haul flights.

SNP Aberdeen Central MSP Kevin Stewart said he had written to senior Lib Dems in the North-east asking them to clarify their position.

North-east Lib Dem MSP Alison McInnes said there had been no let up in her party's support.
She said: “We would all like to see less reliance on short haul flights, but the reality is that suitable high speed rail alternatives are not on the horizon for Aberdeen. It is for that reason that local Liberal Democrats have consistently backed calls to give special protection to landing slots at Heathrow for flights from Aberdeen and Inverness and we will continue to do so.”

Mr Stewart¸ who is standing down as a councillor on the SNP/Lib Dem coalition led Aberdeen City Council at the May elections, said: “This is a deeply damaging proposal which I hope will be strongly argued against from all sides.All representatives in the North East need to be pulling in the same direction to promote business and investment. Proposals such as this could be devastating to the local economy."

Aberdeen Art Gallery Extends Opening Hours

Aberdeen Art Gallery is extending its opening hours to help meet the demand for its latest exhibition.

"From Van Gogh to Vettriano" opened in February and has attracted a record number of visitors.

The gallery will now be open until 8pm two nights per week.

The exhibition features work by Vincent van Gogh, Camille Pissarro, Claude Monet, British artists Stanley Spencer, Paul Nash and modern artists Lucian Freud, R.B. Kitaj and Jack Vettriano.

North East is Costa Del Sol

Aberdeen was the hottest place in the UK yesterday with temperatures reaching 16C, warmer than holiday hot spots Malta and Alicante.

Today is officially the start of spring and forecasters are predicting more good weather over the coming week sending the Mercury to double the average for this time of year.

MET office forecaster Dan Williams said: "At this time of year, around the equinox, the sun is a bit stronger, so when it does come out it allows the temperatures to warm up."

City Centre Traffic Distruption

A busy Aberdeen road is to have a one-way system installed.

From Monday March 26th, Craigshaw Road will have a one-way system put in place.This will continue to be in place until the 2nd of April.

The system is being used to ensure public safety during pavement and kerb reconstruction work.

An alternative route for eastbound vehicles is available at Craigshaw Drive and Wellington Road.

Police Investigating Vandalism in Fraserburgh

Police are investigating after windows at a north-east garage were smashed.
Officers were called to Strichen Court in Fraserburgh after windows at a garage were broken.
The incident happened around 9pm on Saturday.
The value of damage to the windows is estimated at a low three figure sum.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Grampian Police.

MacMillan Cancer Support Needs Volunteers

A cancer charity is seeking volunteers to take part in a fundraising run in the North-east.

Macmillan Cancer Support is urging people in Aberdeen to sign up for this years Balmoral 10km run to raise money for people affected by cancer.

The charity is hoping to raise £5,000 from the run on April 28, and hopes as many people as possible will join the Team Macmillan to raise cash.

All funds from the run will be used to fund Macmillan's vital cancer services..

Road to Cup Glory

Tickets for Aberdeen's Scottish Cup semi-final match against Hibernian will go on sale to season ticket holders this Saturday at 9am.

Dons fans have been allocated an initial 12,500 tickets for the North and West Stands at Hampden Park, Glasgow.

Aberdeen face Hibs who have released a press statement denying an alleged training ground bust up between manager Pat Fenlon and striker Leigh Griffiths.

Aberdeen beat Motherwell 2-1 in the last round of the cup while the Edinburgh side knocked out first division Ayr United.

Tickets for the North Stand are priced at £23 for Adults. Tickets for the West Stand are priced £15 for Adults and £5 for under 16's.

Supporters are also urged to retain tickets from upcoming matches with Inverness Caley Thistle and Dundee United as well as any post-split fixtures as a voucher system will operate for tickets to the final should the Dons make it.

The semi-final will be played on the 14th of April at 12:45pm and tickets can be purchased by calling or visiting the Pittodrie ticket office.

A Long Way From Cod Liver Oil

Scientists from the University of Aberdeen are working to turn bacteria from the ocean floor into drugs to treat diseases such as cancer.

The University's Marine Biodiversity Centre held an event at the King’s College Conference Centre today to discuss how nature can be used as medicine.
A waxy green substance from a sea creature found in the Great Barrier Reef, and bacteria from the depths of the ocean off the Californian coast are just two of the examples that researchers are hoping hold the key to treating a range of diseases.

Professor Marcel Jaspars, Director of the Marine Biodiscovery Centre, said that the centre had been working alongside academics from St Andrew’s University for the past two years, but the research had been ongoing for just over seven years.

He said: “The greatest diversity of life on our planet can be found in the world’s seas in the form of marine organisms which live in a huge variety of habitats. Cutting-edge work being conducted within the University’s Marine Biodiscovery Centre is using state-of the-art technologies to break new ground in the development of drugs using the rich and diverse range of unique compounds which exist in these deep sea organisms."

The Marine Biodiscovery Centre which was launched in 2010, is one of only three centres in Europe dedicated to the exploration of the natural resources from the sea. The centre brings together chemists and biologists to work together on the development of new pharmaceuticals.
Around 50 representatives from the academic world and industry attended the one day event.

Game Over

The popular video games retailer Game has formally filed for administration.

Earlier this week, Game Group had suspended their shares pending clarification of the company's financial position.

The retailer have suffered from competition from online stores such as Amazon and Play.com

The company have two stores in Aberdeen and 600 across the UK. 

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Budget Bonanza

The nation's fingers are poised on their purse strings as the details of Chancellor George Osbourne's latest budget become clear.

This budget is the third in the three years that the coalition government have been in power.

Osbourne outlined the aim of the proposals:"This budget rewards work. This budget unashamedly backs business.

"It's on the side of aspiration, of those who want to do better for themselves and their families. This is how Britain will earn its place in the world, with wide- reaching tax reform.

"A tax for the lowest paid are kept out of tax altogether, and the tax of the wealthiest increase".

The most prominent revelation is the dropping of 5p on income tax by 2013, meaning that it is down to 45p.

Income tax personal allowance is also to be increased to £9,205 by April 2013.

Smokers will have to dig deeper, with an increase of 5% on cigarettes, which means that the price for a pack of 20 cigarettes will go up by 37p.

Permission has also been granted for oil industries to capitalize on North Sea oil fields near Shetland.

He also pledged an extra £100,000 to the accommodation of our armed forces, and council tax relief for those fighting abroad.

Tax credit is also to be given to the video game, animation, and TV production industries of Britain, in a similar vain to the current tax credits given to the film industry.

Osbourne said: “It is the determined responsibility of this government that we keep Wallace and Gromit exactly where we are.”

Thank god.

Ed Miliband, leader of the shadow cabinet said:"Today marks the end of "We are all in this together. Because after today's budget millions will be paying more while millionaires pay less.

"They promise change but things have gotten worse, not better.He promised growth of 3.5% by 2012. He comes to the house and tells us it will only be 0.8%. The reality is his plan has failed. Same old budget. Same old Tories."

Miliband went on to ask the Conservative leaders to either "nod or shake your heads" if they, personally, would benefit from the budget and went on to suggest that now Prime minister Cameron could finally "buy his own horse", a clear jab at the prime minister's previous scandals involving retired metropolitan police horses.

Proof positive.

It wasn't just the opposition who had something to say about the budget, as we found out on the streets of Aberdeen.

Dave Campbell, a student, said:" It's all a bit too little too late to be honest. I probably won't get a job when I graduate."

Social worker Katherine Reynolds said:" I see lots of people out of work and I'm not sure even 1000 more jobs here would make a difference."

Douglas Soutar, retired, said:" There are jobs out there, but people just don't want them. That's why everything is so bad."

Morrisons clashes with council over road safety

Morrisons has revised its plans for a new supermarket to be located in the Summerhill area of Aberdeen.


The supermarket giant had lodged a bid with Aberdeen City Council to build a new store on the Lang Stracht.

General Manager at the Morrisons King Street store, Sean Carty was optimistic that the new store would "release pressure" on the King Street supermarket which is very busy.

The company have now changed their plans to build a store in this location amid safety concerns over road congestion.


Morrisons now plans to remove all bus lanes near the prospective store to secure planning permission from the council.

Phone Mast Move Put on Hold

A mobile phone mast which was dubbed a "rotten tooth" has remained in place even after planning permission for it expired.

A community group today hit out as the latest deadline for the Hutchison 3G mast passed.

The mobile phone company, Three, was meant to dismantle and remove the pillar, stationed in Sheddocksley before this week's expiry date.

Planning bosses have already approved an alternative site for a new permanent mast at the kennels in Lang Stracht.

The move is the latest chapter in a two year long saga for Mastrick, Sheddocksley and Summerhill Community Council.

Community Council Chairman Steve Delaney, who has previously described the installation as a "rotten tooth on the landscape", insisted there was no legitimate reason for the mast to remain intact as permission for a permanent replacement was granted before the end of last year.

The construction of the new mast has only begun in the last few weeks according to the community leader. He has now requested enforcement action by Aberdeen City Council. He said "the old mast is in breach of planning permission. Each time they've gone over their planning permission and have asked to extend it."

A spokesman for Three and Everything Everywhere, the company that operates the mast for Hutchison, said "we are finalising as quickly as possible the arrangements for a permanent replacement to this temporary site and are now only awaiting the mains power electricity from the supplier. "This should be completed very shortly and then we will remove the temp. All this is being done along with discussions with the relevant council departments."

It's a Rich Man's World

Aberdeen city council will be issuing Council Tax reminder letters in the coming weeks to people who have not paid April's instalment.

Council tax bills advise people of the amount to pay and how it was calculated. The bill also sets out the dates on which each should be paid.

Payments are due on the 1st of each month, unless people choose to pay by Direct Debit, which is due on either the 5th, 15th, 20th and 28th of each month.

In previous years the date by which people could pay in full was 01 May. However, this has now
been changed to 01 April.

Payment of Council Tax ius required to be made over 10 monthly payments, beginning in April and ending in January the next year.

More information can be found on the council's website at http://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/

Drive to Give Golfer Freedom of the City

A bid has been launched to give North-east golfer Paul Lawrie the freedom of Aberdeen.

City Councillor Jim Hunter lodged the motion saying that the work of the world famous golfer and fund-raiser should be recognised.

Mr Hunter said: "He does so much for charity and also for the North-east. He is a fantastic ambassador for Aberdeen and I think it would be a great boost for the city."

Paul Lawrie won the open championship in 1999, has won seven European Championships and is currently ranked 45th in the world. He created the Paul Lawrie Foundation which supports young people in 2001.

He was forced to pull out of the Andalucian Open last week due to bronchitis and said he was "surprised" to hear of the bid to give him freedom of the city.

He added: "I am very honoured to be nominated and if it all goes ahead it will be a huge moment for me and my family. To be thought of in this light by the city I was born and bred in is very special."

Other famous faces to be awarded the Freedom of Aberdeen include Dons hero Sir Alex Ferguson, Nelson Mandela and 'Scotland the What?' trio Buff Hardie.

Super Fast Broadband to Reach Aberdeen

BT plans to extend it's Fibre Broadband technology to Aberdeenshire by next year.

The company has announced plans for further expansion of its super-fast broadband services across Scotland.

This is the most recent phase, in an overall £2.5 billion fibre broadband programme.

BT's latest programme will take the number of Scottish homes and businesses on the new super-fast network to almost 836,000.

BT Scotland director Brendan Dick said: “This is a further major BT investment for Scotland. Our roll-out of fibre broadband is going from strength to strength.

“In these tough economic times, this exciting technology will give a big boost to local businesses and households.

“Sophisticated communications are the lifeblood of any successful community. Fibre broadband also has the potential to change the face of public services and revolutionise entertainment at home. Local families will be able to experience entertainment, shopping and a myriad of services delivered the super-fast way.”

BT’s local network business, Openreach, has a target of making super-fast broadband available to around two-thirds of UK homes and businesses by the end of 2014.

Road Closures in Inverurie

Road restrictions are to be put in place in a North-east town.

The restrictions will be implemented in Inverurie town centre from March 31st

They will last for three weeks to allow a renewal of the gas network.

One way systems will be in place on West High Street between Constitution Street and North Street and on Blackhill Road from North Street to Middlemuir Road.

An alternative route for town centre traffic will be put in place at Burghmuir Drive and Harlaw Road.

Holiday Makers Grounded as BMI Pulls Out

North-east holiday makers today told of their anger after their summer plans were left in disarray.

Two families said they were told by Thomas Cook that their flight had been cancelled.

A spokeswoman for the firm said the cancellation of 12 flights was due to BMI pulling out of a deal to charter planes. Law student and part-time receptionist Poppy Devine, daughter of Angels Hair Salon owner Tracey Devine, has been hit by the cancellation.

Poppy, and friend Hayley McIrvine, 19, were booked to fly from Aberdeen to Ibiza on June 16. She was told if they still wanted to go they would need to make their way to Newcastle.

Poppy said: "It was going to be my first girls' holiday and we were going to be meeting other people out in Ibiza so we were really excited. It's a massive pain that they have cancelled it and to ask us to go to Newcastle seems extreme.

"We decided to get a refund for the holiday and go to some festivals instead as it wasn't worth the hassle- we were both gutted."

Gwen Anderson, 47, a purchasing assistant, and her husband Duncan Anderson, 49, said the news was a bitter blow for them and their two sons.

Gwen, of Bucksburn, said: "We have travelled with Thomas Cook from Aberdeen to Ibiza for the last two years and it has been great.

"One of out boys gets travel sick and so it's ideal as it means we don't have to drive to another city to fly abroad."

The family were told they would instead be put on a flight from Glasgow, costing an extra £25 per head.

Gwen said the family had to get a train and the money did not cover the expense.

They were due to travel with family friends, the Murrays, who also live in Bucksburn.

A spokeswoman for Thomas Cook said: "It's all to do with BMI. We had an agreement with them to charter planes but they said since the AIG merger between British Airways and Iberia, they can't uphold the weekend charters.

"We had an arrangement agreed and it's been pulled from under out feet and we couldn't find another solution for flights from Aberdeen to Ibiza. We're deeply sorry for any inconvenience caused to our customers."

Nursing Tasters

Robert Gordon University is to hold taster sessions for secondary school students who are interested in studying nursing.

The event is aimed at pupils aged 14 or over and will help them gain an insight in to the reality of a career in nursing.

The sessions will be held on the 16th and 17th of July.

Aberdeen City Councillor in Disgrace over Third Don Crossing

Aberdeen City councillor is to stand down amid the row over the third Don crossing.

Richard Robertson who represents Tillydrone, Seaton and Old Aberdeen, is in favour of the plans and says he has been branded "a disgrace" by residents against the proposed crossing.

He is to quit the council in May after five years due to the conflict with locals.

He said: "While I represent Tillydrone I also have to think about the rest of Aberdeen in general. There is a strong group in Tillydrone who are against the third crossing but I'm for it and so I'm standing down.

"I've had some nasty emails telling me that I'm a disgrace for being in favour of it but I'm in it for the city."

The council has set aside £430 000 of it's 2012/13 budget for the project with the total cost over the next three years expected to be around £14 million.

The crossing can only be built if land is secured through compulsory purchase orders which means some Tillydrone and Grandholm residents will lose their gardens.

Chairwoman of Tillydrone community council Linda Barclay said: "Our stance is as it always was, we are against the crossing and we will fight it."

Councillor Richardson plans to stand for Ferryhill and Torry, where he currently lives, in the May elections.

RGU Lecturer's Work Reaps Rewards

A senior lecturer at Robert Gordon University will today address over 100 teachers and academics at Apple Inc’s Education IT Summit at the University of Oxford.

Gordon Eccleston is responsible for teaching iOS development to undergraduate and postgraduate students.

He has been invited to deliver a lecture at the Summit on the use of iPhone and iOS programming technology in the Higher Education curriculum. iOS, Apple’s mobile operating system, supports devices such as the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad and is the basic software that allows applications to run.

Mr Eccleston said: “The teaching at the School of Computing reflects the growing industry need for app programming skills in new graduates and has been integrated into our degree courses via modules and practical projects. We aim to further the education process by helping our students gain expertise in using these apps and learning technologies to ensure they are skilled in these systems going into the workplace."

Apple’s App Store contains more than 550,000 iOS applications, which have been collectively downloaded more than 25 billion times.

Over the past two years, Mr. Eccleston has been involved in developing iPhone apps for a variety of external organisations including the NHS, local SME’s and Aberdeen City Council.

Representatives from Apple Worldwide Education in the US recently visited the School of Computing ahead of the Summit to meet with academics and students, view the teaching facilities and tour the Apple labs at the School where the work of students in iPhone development was showcased.

Aberdeen is Top of the Shops

Aberdeen has been described as the 31st wealthiest shopping area in the United Kingdom.

The UK retail league, an annual study of revenue in key shopping towns and cities across the country revealed this rise.

Aberdeen is up on previous years but still behind other Scottish Cities such as Glasgow which has dropped from third to forth place and Edinburgh which dropped from eighth to tenth place in the UK.

Chris Duley, commercial director at Callcredit Information Group, said: "It is very encouraging to see Aberdeen doing so well and moving up the retail rankings – this may in part reflect the continuing success of the relatively new Union Square shopping centre."

Hitler birthday march could make city Führerious

Police have warned that plans by the National Front to hold a march through Aberdeen on the birthday of Adolf Hitler pose a “significant risk to public safety”.

An application made by the far-right party to stage the rally along Union Street on April 20th will go before councillors next Tuesday.

Grampian Police chief inspector Keith Henderson said: "On previous occasions where National Front parades and rallies have occurred, despite the significant planning and the apparent intentions of the organisers, the parades may potentially attract persons whose motives can tend towards public disorder.

It is also possible that such a parade could attract overt displays by far-right sympathisers who could attend from out-with the region."

Mr Henderson added: "Grampian Police are also concerned that unlike the majority of parades, this parade might attract persons who wish to register their protest against the participants or the parade taking place. As such, there is a genuine risk to public safety and potential damage to nearby property should the application for the parade be approved."

The National Front has said the march from Adelphi Lane to Union Terrace Gardens is being planned as a protest against Scottish independence.

A spokesman for the party said the date had been chosen as it is the founding date of Scotland's leading party, set up in 1934, and any relation to Hitler was "pure coincidence".

Aberdeen Trade Union Council has also applied for permission to stage a counter-demonstration on the same day.

We obtained this video of Mr. Hitler's reaction.

Blooming Dafft

Health and safety experts have reminded the public that despite their lemon-flavour appearance, daffodils are in fact still not edible.

Although the idea of eating a daffodil may seem silly, the seemingly innocent flower has a surprising number of victims.

In May 2009, school children in Suffolk were struck down by the dastardly daffys when they mistook the bulbs of the plant for onions.

Another prominent victim of the insidious plant is Britain's Chinese community, due to the daffodil bulb's striking similarity to Chinese chives.

Recently, 10 Chinese people were hospitalized in England after making this very easy mistake.

A comparison between the two: On the left, Chinese chives. On the right, the bloody blooms in question.

All daffodils contain the poison lycorine, a chemical that causes itching, vomiting, and diarrhoea when ingested.

Trading Standards officer Steve Fox said: "This may be a strange request, but we want to flag this up, especially to parents of young children who may be attracted to the daffodil's vivid colour."

Although the symptoms can cause a serious spring cleaning to your innards, the effects are not permanent, as most victims recover without treatment.

Winds of Change for Renewable Energy Market

A green energy project in the North Sea has been awarded an important European grant.

The €690, 000 grant will help to create links in infrastructure between Peterhead and Norway which could lead to a merge in the Scottish and Scandanavian electricity markets.


A member of the European Parliament's energy committee Alyn Smith said: "We in Scotland are serious about making our renewable potential a reality, about selling our clean green energy to the European market and we'll need infrastructure that's fit for purpose"


Mr Smith continued: "In an unstable world our European partners are just as keen to see the development of our glittering potential to provide secure, clean, green energy."

New Bus Service just the Ticket for Lower Deeside

A new community bus service is being given a three-month trial in the Lower Deeside area of Aberdeen.

The service will operate every Monday and Thursday from 10.30am until 2pm .There is no restriction on journey route within Peterculter, Milltimber, Bieldside, Cults, Garthdee and the city centre.

New users will be required to complete a membership form when they first travel on the community bus service. No photograph is required and there is no charge to join.

Aberdeen City Council’s Public Transport Services Officer Iain Mason said: “This new bus service could be a great benefit to elderly and disabled people in the Lower Deeside area who struggle to use the conventional bus services and will go some way to replacing the service 93 which had to be withdrawn when funding for the service ran out.”

Fares for the new service are: £3.50 single (£4 for single plus carer); £5 return (£5.50 for return plus carer); and £20 for a multi-journey ticket which is for 10 pre-paid journeys.

Defence Jobs Under Fire

A number of defence and university related jobs could be lost at sea as the Royal Navy consider moving a prominent training vessel to Edinburgh.

The HMS Archer, currently docked in Aberdeen, provides training for Aberdeen University's Royal Navy Unit.

The unit was one of the first of its kind in the UK, and set up in 1967.

The 65-ft boat has been confirmed to be in the government's defence spending review, potentially putting 50 North-east jobs at risk.

On board the vessels, students in training take part in practical "man-overboard" exercises, navigation training, and experience what it's like on a real deployment by cooking meals for 17 other people and taking 4 hour sleeping shifts.

A Royal Navy spokesman said that no decision has yet been made.

Click here for more information about the unit.

Green Light for Housing Scheme

A £1billion scheme for a new Aberdeenshire town could go ahead by next year.

The scheme proposes 9,000 new homes in the North-East which would be built in seven neighbourhoods over the next 11 years.

The Kincardinshire and Mearns area committee approved plans for the Chapleston of Elsick development.

Chapelton will include business and industrial deveopments and could generate 8,200 jobs.

The new settlement will offer opportunities to integrate with and support existing local communities such as Portlethen.

The entire project is being overseen by American urban architect Andrés Duany.

Flyover near Laurencekirk Could be Approved

A proposed flyover on the A90 near Laurencekirk could soon be given the go ahead.

Aberdeenshire Council are meeting with Transport Scotland to see if the plans are viable for the area.

Residents have been campaigning for over three years for changes to the junction which they say is dangerous.

In 2011 it was estimated that the flyover could cost over £13 million which was more than the Transport Department were willing to spend.

A 50mph speed limit was imposed at the junction last year although many residents feel this is not enough.

MSP Nigel Don said:“There is a 20 mile stretch between the Brechin north junction and the Stonehaven south junction where there is no “safe” crossing; the driver of a tractor and trailer or an articulated vehicle has no alternative but to pull out across the dual carriageway. All the traffic crossing the Mearns has to cross the A90; it is a 70 mph dual carriageway at every junction bar one."

Despite 4 fatal and 15 serious accidents at the crossing since 1999, campaigners say that the blackspot has not be considered a priority by the Scottish Government.

They ask how many more people have to killed or injured before action is taken.

Griffiths kisses Semi-Final goodbye

Aberdeen's semi-final opponent Hibs will be without their star striker Leigh Griffiths.

Leigh Griffiths looks to have played his last game for Hibernian after headbutting manager Pat Fenlon in a training ground bust-up.

It has been reported that a number of Hibs players are unhappy with Fenlon's training methods while the Dons players are united under Craig Brown and Archie Knox.

The on-loan attacker will return to his parent club, Wolverhampton Wanderers, despite having two months left on his deal.

The 21-year-old striker was apparently disgusted at being singled out for criticism over recent displays and simply blew a fuse.

Aberdeen's good fortune continues as Russell Anderson donned his strip for the first time in four years last night.

The team cruised to a 4-0 victory against Peterhead.

The bounce game at Balmoor saw the skipper play his first match since resigning for the Dons in January 2007.

Schools Receive £3.5 Million Boost

Scottish Schools are to receive extra financial support and in-service training to ease teachers' concerns over new qualifications.

Education Secretary Mike Russell has announced additional support of £3.5 million will be allocated before the new Curriculum For Excellence begins.

The move is part of a support package aimed at responding to the concerns of some teachers about the impact new National 4 and 5 qualifications will have on their workload.

Andrew Jones who is chairman of an Aberdeenshire School Parents Council said that there "are considerable concerns over the Curriculum For Excellence."

Mr Jones added: "Aberdeenshire council have assured parents that they will be carrying on with implementing the new curriculum on schedule.

"If the new budget provides support for teachers, of course it will be welcomed."

The Education Secretary Mike Russell said: "We have been listening to the concerns of teachers over the past
few weeks and I thank the EIS for their positive contribution to our discussions. This package of measures aims to help ease the workload of teachers as they prepare new courses for the school year ahead."

He added: "We want to improve the life chances of all our children and young people and it is vitally important that we remain on track with Curriculum for Excellence for the 54,000 pupils currently in S2 and deliver new qualifications on time. I want to reassure pupils and parents that we continue on course."

Fashion students get in the driver's seat

A group of Fashion Students from RGU are helping the Grampian Transport Museum celebrate their 30th season with an exhibition of fashion from the 30's to 70's.

Fashion and motoring have gone hand in hand for years with both industries having inspired creations in each other's fields, such as Gucci helping to design the new model of Fiat, and Victoria Beckham's recent collaboration with Range Rover.

The RGU Students visited Alford's Grampian Transport Museum to select three classic motorbikes to help inspire their Aberdeen Business School based exhibition.

The museum, in its 34th year, kindly donated the vehicles from their extensive collection of motoring history to the aspiring fashionistas until April 1st, when the exhibition will return to Alford.

The fourth year students then utilised the vintage vehicle's rich histories to help inspire a range of stylish outfits.

Course Leader Karen Cross said:"The cars and motorbikes are a fascinating starting point for the Fashion Management students and they found their visit to Grampian Transport Museum extremely inspirational.

"Styling projects like this gives them a competitive edge as they head towards graduation in July."

You can find out more about Fashion Management here.

Information about the Grampian Transport Museum can be found here.

New Homes Planned for Garthdee Farm

Plans have been lodged with Aberdeen City Council to create 60 homes in the Garthdee area.

BDW East Scotland have applied for planning permission to demolish the existing buildings on North Garthdee Farm and create the housing development.

The deadline for representations on the application is April 6.

A Glasgow commercial property firm has applied for planning permission to build a new petrol station in the Bucksburn area of Aberdeen.

The site on the A96 would include a retail shop up to 4000sq ft in size.

The deadline for representations is April 4.

Trump Course To Host Charity Golf League

Golfers will be swinging in to action to raise money for Marie Curie Cancer Care.

The league takes place at various golf courses agreed by players between April and September.

The winner of each division qualifies for the final which is due to be played at Donald Trump's Balmedie golf course. Two players from each team take part in each round of matches.

The money raised from this year’s event will go to Marie Curie Cancer Care. However, as part of the successful company’s prize, this year’s winners will nominate the charity for 2013.

Craig Forsyth, sales director at Aberdeen-based DF Communications, said: “We now have 35 teams confirmed from a variety of sectors including oil and gas, financial, construction and IT. We still have a few places left and the closing date for entries is Friday, March 23."

DF Communications specialises in mobile phone connections, landlines and broadband in Aberdeen.

Any businesses wishing to enter or requiring further information should contact Craig Forsyth, sales director at Aberdeen-based DF Communications, at [golf@dfcommunications.com](mailto:. golf@dfcommunications.com).

Rolling Stoneshaven

A Stonehaven-born musician living in San Diego has released a video for his latest single "Stonehaven Radio and Me".

Colin Clyne, named "Best Acoustic Act" last year at the San Diego Music Awards, has been sending letters from America to his North-east homeland for the past four years.

"Stonehaven Radio Ship to Shore" was one of the UK's oldest morse code radio stations, and had served seafaring traffic in the North Sea for 89 years before being retired in 2000.

The newest single from his album "Doricana" was inspired by the singer's trips to see the Dons play at Pittodrie, his favourite football team as a lad.

Colin said: "I used to go to the Aberdeen games with my uncle Gordon who worked at Stonehaven Radio Station Ship to Shore. The inspiration for the song came from a memory I had when we had just beaten Hibs in the semi-final of the cup and a Hibs fan went to shake my uncle’s hand but instead head-butted him.

“I was only ten so it wasn’t the type of thing you would expect to see as a boy. I ran up and told a policeman but he just told me to go away.”

Colin, who is now 35, claims that he still tries to follow AFC's performances:“I do get up early on Saturdays to watch some of the games. It hasn’t been as good the last few seasons so sometimes I’m back in my bed within 15 minutes of kick-off."

When not on tour across the States or Scotland, Colin spends his spare time at his homes in both California and Stonehaven, and enjoys a "sizeable following" of fans from each. He is hoping to release the sequel to "Doricana" as soon as possible:

“My wife is due to give birth in the next couple of days so I think I will be laying low over the next couple of months. However I have 30 new songs to ready to go so I’m hoping to get a new album out later this year.

“I have had some great feedback from people in Stonehaven about the songs and they particularly like the local references. There will be a few local references in the new album too.”

You can watch the singer's new video here:

Find out more about Colin's music here