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The Kings Own Scottish Borderers Association Donate £100 to Portpatrick RNLI

Portpatrick RNLI Lifeboat were delighted to welcome the Stranraer Branch of the Kings Own Scottish Borderers Association (KOSB) to the lifeboat station last Saturday to accept their kind donation of £100.

 

The KOSB association members are all ex soldiers who have served for the regiment and they raise monies to support military and local community charities.

 

Lifeboat Operations Manager Alan Burgess said, ‘It was really interesting meeting and chatting with the team from KOSB and we were very grateful to have been chosen to receive a donation of £500 from them this year.These vital funds will help support the RNLI in their mission to save lives at sea’.

 

Volunteer Press Officer Jeanette Hardy added, ‘It really was a pleasure to meet the KOSB team and hear some of their stories of their time in the army. The team here at Portpatrick really appreciate their support.

Unravelling Yunnan’s Breath Taking Beauty at Logan Botanic Garden

Unravelling Yunnan’s Breath-taking Beauty at Logan Botanic Garden

Logan Botanic Garden, in Dumfries & Galloway, has a fantastic new exhibition which showcases the flora and landscapes of Yunnan, through breath taking photographs by Carole and Ian Bainbridge.

 

The tale begins back in 1994, when the Alpine Garden Society organised an extensive plant recording expedition. Their mission was to investigate the areas rich in plant diversity. Botanists and horticulturists travelled to Yunnan in two separate groups: one in June and July for reconnaissance purposes to scout the region and study the plants, and the other in September and October to gather seed.

 

Fast forward to June 2009, fifteen years later, where an adventurous group of professional and amateur botanists and horticulturists including Carole and Ian, decided to retrace the steps of the 1994 pioneers. They embarked on a thrilling three week expedition, mostly following the initial reconnaissance team’s route. The team were keen to find out if modernisation and the changes in tourism and development were having an impact on the diversity of the rich floristic area.

 

During their trip, they explored four main areas: Lijiang and the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Zhongdian area including Napa Hai, Tianchi Hai and Shika Shan, the Wengshui area and the Big Snow Mountain, and finally the Dechen area concluding at the Beima Shan from June.

 

Astonishingly, an impressive total of 1,090 species were recorded on the 2009 trip. This highlights how the Sino-Himalayan region is one of the world’s true plant biodiversity hotspots as it accounts for one-third of the flora in Britain and Ireland yet just 16% of the flora in North West Yunnan.

 

The flora on the 2009 trip appears to have seen little change when compared to the initial report from 1994. However, some things had seen change. New and improved road infrastructure made access into many remote rural areas easier and quicker, resulting in a large rise of domestic Chinese tourism. The rise in tourism resulted in cable cars which allowed the team to access the high meadows on the Shika Shan much easier. Accommodation throughout the areas has also massively improved. A massive rock fall in the Gang Ho Ba made the upper valley look extremely different from 1994.

 

When asked about the exhibition, Carole said “The 2009 expedition to Yunnan gave us the opportunity to learn more about the plants of this botanically rich area and the conditions in which they grow. This exhibition allows us to share the wonderful experience of finding such plants growing in the wild.”

 

Curator of Logan, Richard Baines concluded by explaining the significance of hosting the exhibition at Logan “As a part of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, we have strong long-held links with Yunnan, to the extent we share a field station with Kunming Institute of Botany on Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. This region of mega biodiversity has a great deal to teach us”.

New Exhibitions at Gracefield

New exhibitions at Gracefield

Gracefield Arts Centre presents exhibitions by two well-know local artist this month. The first show opening in Gallery 2 on Friday 4 August is Immerse, a new body of landscape work by Lochmaben-based Minette Bell Macdonald.

Minette is inspired by the local area and the new work draws on her fascination with landscape and equine subjects, with eight of the horse studies to be auctioned to raise funds for Ukraine in a silent auction. A wide selection of the stunning landscapes are also available to buy. Minette say of her work: “Landscape feeding Abstract, Abstract feeding Landscape. I feel my way through life with paint.”

Minette graduated from Carlisle College of Art with a First-Class Honours Degree in Fine Art and has since exhibited in London, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Bath, and Boston USA – but this is her first solo show at Gracefield. Her father, Alan Bell Macdonald, was on the committee that helped establish Gracefield as an arts centre back in the 1950s, and one of Minettes’ 1990 graduation pieces was purchased for the permanent collection. This new exhibition offers an opportunity to see where her practice is now and reflect on a long and successful career so far. All are welcome to attend the private view on Thursday 3 August at 6.30pm, but please book/rsvp in advance. The exhibition runs until 30 September.

Opening on the 12 August in Gallery 1, Alexander Robb brings his 50 Years of Painting to Gracefield. Born in Kirkwall, Orkney in 1950, Alexander studied Glasgow School of Art from 1968 to 1972. He taught art in Stirling from 1974 to 1978 and moved to Dumfriesshire in 1978. Working full-time as a primary school art specialist he then changed to part-time teaching in 1989. Many of his past pupils will remember him and his wife Margaret Robb, also and artist and teacher from their school days, often cover more than one generation in local families. He finally gave up teaching completely in 2007 to concentrate more fully on painting and has continued to create new works in oil, pastel – and more recently, printmaking.

His work has been shown in many group shows at Gracefield, at the Royal Glasgow Institute (RGI) the Society Scottish Artists (SSA) and private galleries. For this retrospective, Alexander has borrowed many works from private collections together with some new work (available to buy) and works from the Gracefield permanent collection, to showcase over 80 artworks. The exhibition opening event is Saturday 12 August between 2-4pm. Please rsvp to [email protected], or call 01387 262084. The exhibition continues to 7 October.

Ian Blake, Chair of Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Communities Committee, who will be attending the launch events said: “This is a fabulous opportunity to see two of the region’s best professional artists – a significant body of work from both, and they should be rightly proud of their achievement.”
Vice Chair of Communities Committee, Councillor Jackie McCamon added: “As usual, there is lots to do and see at Gracefield – exhibitions are always free and a new season of kids and adults’ workshop will be getting underway in September, so there’s a chance to explore some hands-on creativity for all ages.”

To hear from the artist first hand, there is a Conversation Café gallery event on Saturday 2 September at 11am. The artists will lead a free guided tour of the exhibitions, followed by tea/coffee and an informal chat. Please pre-book on 01387 262084 or email [email protected]

The exhibitions are open at Gracefield Arts Centre, 28 Edinburgh Road, Dumfries. Admission is free and open Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 5pm.

For more information on what’s on at Gracefield and all Dumfries and Galloway Council’s other arts and museums visit www.DGCulture.co.uk

 

Twenty Five for 25 – Wigtown Book Festival Promises 10 Days of Delights

Twenty Five for 25 – Wigtown Book Festival Promises 10 Days of Delights
Credit - Colin Hattersley Photography

Wigtown Book Festival has unveiled its full line-up – with guest programmer Lee Randall offering twenty five top tips for this year’s 25th annual event.

Tickets go on sale on 1 August for the festival, which takes place in Scotland’s National Book Town from 22 September to 1 October.

It will be a 10-day feast of activities and events including the chance to hear a multitude of authors discussing their latest books, plus poetry, film and music.

There will also be a series of powerful lectures and discussions on key issues ranging from the climate emergency to the 25th anniversary of the Scotland Act and the failure of world economics to account for the use of our natural resources.

Guest Programmer, Lee Randall, has embraced a series of themes for the festival which cover: favourite fiction, big Ideas, history makers, great lives, out and about, inspiring journeys, rural realities and personal reflections.

As ever the festival will include lots for young adults and the Big Wig festival for children.

Lee said: “Ever since I began chairing events in Wigtown, I’ve told people that a piece of my heart remains here year-round.
“To programme the 25th event has been a privilege and a challenge. How do you celebrate Wigtown’s journey while looking to the future?
“I hope that what we’ve come up with adds up to a full 10 days of delights – a really exciting mix of brilliant contemporary fiction and the very best in non-fiction alongside superb debut novels and Galloway yarns.
“This all rubs shoulders with wild walks, music, film, poetry, lectures and discussions.
“The programme also attempts to reflect the unique character of Scotland’s National Book Town. I hope you enjoy it – and that, like me, you won’t want to leave.”

Lee along with Andy Stewart, who produces the events for children and young people, selected 25 of the events taking place to give a taste of all that’s on offer:

  1. Hamza Yassin – Be a Birder: The man with the most infectious smile in TV talks about winning Strictly, a Sudanese childhood, dyslexia, Highland life and his passion for birds.
  2. Maggie O’Farrell – The Marriage Portrait: The 2020 Women’s Prize Winner transports us to Renaissance Ferrara where a young noblewoman is forced into a dangerous marriage.
  3. Judy Murray – The Wild Card: Who better to serve up a novel centred on the world of tennis than player, coach and tennis mum Judy Murray?
  4. Henry Dimbleby – Ravenous: The UK food tsar who resigned in March at the government’s refusal to tackle junk food. This searing book explains why he was so worried.
  5. Joanne Harris – Broken Light: A welcome return to Wigtown with her new novel inspired by Stephen King’s Carrie. Menopausal Bernie Moon takes control of her life after uncovering a hidden power.
  6. Gavin Esler – Britain Is Better Than This: The former BBC Newsnight presenter and festival stalwart returns to offer a funny, forensic and lacerating take on why the country is falling apart.
  7. Josie Long – Because I Don’t Know What You Mean and What You Don’t: The comic brings new stories to our stage exploring life’s funny, painful and poignant aspects.
  8. Michael Morpurgo – Tales from Shakespeare: We welcome back one of Britain’s greatest storytellers. He’ll be discussing a life in books and why he is taking on Shakespeare.
  9. Sally Magnusson – Music in the Dark: The broadcaster and author returns with a new novel about the legacy of the Highland Clearances, inspired by her grandmother’s family’s experiences.
  10. Pat Nevin – Football and How to Survive It: The “accidental footballer” discusses his fabulously entertaining account of his turbulent time as player and CEO at Motherwell.
  11. Jane Glover – Mozart in Italy: Internationally lauded conductor and Mozart expert Dame Jane Glover invites you to follow the child prodigy on a career-making tour of Italy.
  12. The Beano Dennis & Gnasher – it’s been 85 anarchic years since the launch of the Beano. Our celebration takes a behind-the-scenes look at Britain’s most famous comic paper.
  13. Jenny Graham – Coffee First, Then the World: Sixteen countries, 124 days, 18,000 miles: Scotland’s endurance cycling legend on her attempt to pedal the world unsupported.
  14. Robin Ince – Books as Weapons of Empathy: The comedian and co-presenter of BBC Radio 4’s The Infinite Monkey Cage toured Britain’s bookshops for his book Bibliomaniac. No wonder he’s at home in Wigtown.
  15. Louise Minchin – Fearless: The former BBC Breakfast star has pushed herself to the limit as she goes in search of adventurous women.
  16. Leif Bersweden – Where the Wild Flowers Grow: The BBC Springwatch botanist invites you to join him on a tour of the wild plants of Britain and Ireland, from the everyday to the extraordinary.
  17. Helen Rebanks – The Farmer’s Wife: My Life in Days: The joys and frustrations of the farmer’s wife, reflecting on the Lake District farm she shares with husband James, four kids and 500 sheep.
  18. AF Steadman – Skandar and the Unicorn Thief: The bestselling author on the book that singlehandedly made unicorns cool again.
  19. Ruth Scurr – Napoleon: A Life in Gardens and Shadows: One of our most original biographers offers a green-fingered new take on the emperor as botanist.
  20. Stef Penney – The Beasts of Paris: The Costa Prize winner turns to 19th-century Paris, where three wandering souls find one another amid the chaos of war.
  21. Peter Stothard – Palatine: An Alternative History of the Caesars: The former Times editor on his brilliantly original account of the early Roman empire as seen by the social climbers, gluttons, courtesans and libertines who besieged the halls of power.
  22. Partha Dasgupta: The renowned economist delivers the annual James Mirrlees Lecture and argues that economics has failed our world in the way it accounts for the natural world and its resources.
  23. Andri Snær Magnason – The annual Magnusson Lecture sees the activist, one-time Icelandic presidential and author of On Time and Water talk about why we need myth and memoir to face the climate emergency.
  24. A Deadly Dinner with Dr Kathryn Harkup: A country house, a three-course dinner, and a chemistry expert and author – everything you need for an Agatha Christie-influenced dinner at the magnificent Penninghame Estate. But do you trust the chef?
  25. Liz O’Riordan – Under the Knife: The doctor turned author talks about her moving, incisive memoir. How does a cancer surgeon react when diagnosed with breast cancer?

Cathy Agnew, Chair of the festival trustees, added: “What a difference 25 years makes. To survive and thrive for a quarter of a century would be an achievement in any circumstances. But after the challenges of Covid and in the face of the hostile winds blowing through the cultural sector, it feels faintly miraculous.

“None of it would have happened without the enduring support of our funders and sponsors and the extraordinary team of volunteers who help make the festival happen. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you. Here’s to the next 25.”

This year’s many other attractions will include:

  • Panel discussion led by journalist Brian Taylor on the 25th Anniversary of the Scotland Act
  • Spotlight on Dumfries and Galloway – morning sessions with readings from some of the region’s many authors
  • Start the day by enjoying Poetry for Breakfast
  • Nature, wildlife and literary walks – led by authors and countryside rangers
  • The ever-popular annual ceilidh and fireworks
  • A screening of the multi-award winning Galloway-made feature film Stella
  • Supernatural drama with Casting The Runes at The Swallow Theatre

Starting back in 1999, a central aim of the festival has been to help drive regeneration across Wigtownshire (a highly rural area which has seen a steep decline in its traditional industries) and beyond.

In that time it has generated over £50 million for the regional economy and each year more than 10 times the town’s population (of just under 1,000) come along to enjoy the event.

Galloway Hillbillies Bike Club Champion Cycling For All

Galloway Hillbillies Bike Club Champion Cycling For All
Councillors Jackie McCamon and Ian Blake join Hillbillies club Chair, Gavin McHallum (with cycling helmet) and participants at the launch of the Rock Up And Ride project

The Galloway Hillbillies Bike Club has secured funding to lead an innovative new initiative to get more young people into cycling.

The Club has been selected by Scottish Cycling to lead the ‘Rock Up & Ride’ project in Dumfries & Galloway.
‘Rock Up & Ride’ which is funded by Transport Scotland provides cycle training and bikes for children aged between 5 and 12, to ensure equal access to cycling for all.
The Club will support up to 80 young people with four hours of rider coaching to develop skills and confidence which includes and basic maintenance checks. The young people who participate will then be eligible to receive a bicycle, with the intention that they can enjoy and benefit from cycling throughout their childhood.

Club Chair Person, Secretary, Gavin McHallum said:
“Galloway Hillbillies Bike Club is delighted to be working in partnership with Scottish Cycling and Transport Scotland to deliver Rock Up & Ride. The main aim of our club is to get as many people on bikes as possible whether mountain bikes, gravel riding or road cycling.
This project will allow us to introduce cycling in fun way to young people who might never have had the opportunity to own a bike and the pleasure that this can bring.

The project was launched with the help of Dumfries & Galloway Council’s Chair and Vice Chair of its Communities Committee.

Chair of the Communities Committee, Councillor Ian Blake said:
“The Galloway Hillbillies is a club right at the heart of the community and is an ideal partner to deliver this initiative across the area. I’m sure it will be the start of a lifelong love of cycling for dozens of young people who otherwise may have missed out.”
The Council has supported the Hillbillies to part-fund and deliver three Summer of Cycling events this summer and is prioritising promotion of the region as a cycling destination.
Vice Chair of Committee, Councillor Jackie McCamon said:
“Hosting the UCI Paracycling World Championship will give a huge international profile for Dumfries & Galloway as a superb cycling venue and destination. We have hundreds of miles of gravel tracks, first class mountain bike trails and unspoilt quiet roads that cyclists love. We are keen to do all we can to put the area on the international cycling tourism map.”
Young people must meet certain criteria before being eligible for help through Rock Up and Ride. Anyone interested in finding out more about the project and how it works should check out Galloway Hillbillies Bike Club Facebook page or their website Gallowayhillbillies.org

Dumfries and Galloway Council has provided £40,000 to the Summer of Cycling programme. The Summer of Cycling Events Calendar can be found at www.dgwgo.com

Portpatrick RNLI Lifeboat Launched 4 times over 5 days

Portpatrick RNLI lifeboat launched 4 times over 5 days.
Portpatrick & Stranraer RNLI Lifeboats search in Luce Bay Photo Credit: Stranraer RNLI/Jim Ryder

Every day, all over the UK, RNLI volunteer crews are on call 24 hours a day ready to save lives at sea. It’s been a particularly busy week for the crew of Portpatrick RNLI Lifeboat, in the run up to their popular annual fundraiser for the RNLI – Portpatrick Lifeboat Week.

Portpatrick RNLI all weather Tamar class lifeboat John Buchanan Barr was tasked on Tuesday 25 July 2023 at 12.04pm by HM Coastguard to a 34ft yacht with two persons onnboard reporting engine trouble at the mouth of Loch Ryan. The P&O Ferry was standing by.

When the lifeboat arrived in Loch Ryan the causalty vessel was making its way to Stranraer under small sail. A member of Portpatrick Lifeboat Crew was put aboard to assist and the yacht was able to sail to just outside Stranraer Marina. At this point the lifeboat took the casualty vessel in an alongside tow into the visitors berth at the marina where it was safely handed over to HM Coastguard Stranraer.

The John Buchanan Barr then returned to Portpatrick harbour at 3.30pm where it was refuelled and made ready for service before it was tasked again on Thursday 27 July at 00.39am to a 26ft yacht with a lone sailor onboard in the mouth of Loch Ryan. The sailor was badly fatigued and had lost his bearings due to the failure of his navigational equipment and was in danger of straying into the ferry lanes or onto rocks.

Portpatrick Lifeboat came alongside and were able to persuade the sailor to follow the lifeboat into Stranraer. Upon nearing Stranraer a crewman was put aboard the yacht to assist in safe berthing and mooring in Stranraer Marina where the local coastguard where on hand to assist and the lifeboat returned to Portpatrick and was once again ready for service by 6.30am.

Pagers sounded once again at 9.20am Friday 28 July when the crew were tasked to a 21ft fishing boat with one person on board experiencing engine problems in the mouth of Clanyard Bay south of Port Logan. Upon arrival on the scene the fisherman was safely at anchor awaiting assistance and the lifeboat was able to establish an along side tow and proceed to the safety of Port Logan from where the vessel had launched. Once close enough in, the casualty vessel was able to redeploy his anchor and wait for the tide to recede enough for him to wade ashore for his trailer.

On Sunday 30 August at 6.10pm, as the crew were hanging RNLI flags in the village ready for the start of lifeboat week, they were tasked along with Stranraer RNLI Lifeboat, Port William Inshore Rescue and HM Coastguard teams from Portpatrick, Stranraer, Drumore and Ballantrae to assist in a multi agency search of Luce Bay for an overdue kayaker who had left New England Bay at approximately 11.45 am and failed to return. Coastguard SAR Helicopter R199 also joined the extensive search and the casualty was found by the Coastguard SAR Helicopter and airlifted to safety and onward to hospital for checks. Portpatrick Lifeboat proceeded to recover the kayak from the water before returning to harbour where it was refuelled and ready for service by 10.25pm.

Robert McQueen Coxswain Portpatrick Lifeboat said, ‘ It has been a busy few days for our volunteer crew, at times under challenging conditions. Thankfully all these incidents had a positive outcome. However, it does serve as a timely reminder to anyone undertaking activities on or around the water to always carry a means of calling for help and to check the weather and tides before heading out. Myself and the rest of the crew are now hoping for a less eventful week operationally as we host Lifeboat Week, but we are all still on the pager and all fundraising events will be subject to operational requirements’.

It’s public support that allows the RNLI to continue to save lives at sea and our volunteers need your support. Portpatrick Lifeboat Week 2023 will be held from Monday 31 July  until Sunday 6 August raising funds for the RNLI. Daily event schedules will be posted on Portpatrick Lifeboat Facebook page but all events will be subject to operational requirements.

 

 

To make a donation to the RNLI visit RNLI.org/support-us/give-money/donate

Drumlanrig Castle Gardens: An Immersive Experience with Expert Guided Tours

Drumlanrig Castle is offering visitors the opportunity to immerse themselves in the enchanting beauty of its Castle Gardens.

For those eager to delve into the horticultural wonders and historical significance of the gardens, guided tours led by the Head Gardener, Robbie Black, and Volunteer Gardener, Jill, present an unparalleled experience.

  1. Garden Tours with Drumlanrig’s Head Gardener:

Robbie Black, who boasts an impressive tenure of over 25 years at Drumlanrig, offers an enthralling guided tour of the Castle Gardens.

The tours aim to provide visitors with an overview of the gardens while also delving into in-depth details. The exploration includes not only the formal areas but also extends to the woodland garden and the rock garden, showcasing the garden’s diverse landscape.

These tours are an ideal opportunity to witness the gardens’ showstopping seasonal plants in full bloom and gather valuable tips from the gardening maestro himself.

The tours are conducted at the Larchwood Cabin and typically last between 60 to 90 minutes.

Dates of availability for the tours can be found here 

  1. Historic Garden Tours with Jill, the Volunteer Gardener:

Another fascinating aspect of Drumlanrig’s Castle Gardens lies in its historical significance, and this is where Jill, the Volunteer Gardener, takes centre stage. Jill, who has been volunteering in the gardens alongside her role as a Castle Guide, brings forth her passion for history and gardens in her curated historical garden tour.

These tours offer visitors a unique opportunity to explore the Castle Gardens’ architectural features, including the intricate heather houses, while also unravelling the captivating history that lies behind them.

As with Robbie’s tours, Jill’s guided excursions encompass various areas of the garden, presenting the participants with a comprehensive experience.

The historic garden tours are also priced at £4 per person, along with the Gardens entry fee, and have a duration of approximately 60 minutes. Meet-up points for these tours are also at the Larchwood Cabin, making it convenient for participants to assemble.

Dates of availability for the tours can be found here 

Please note the walks will cover various terrain from grass, gravel, and historic stairs.

 

Search Underway for the new Muirdrochwood Forestry Pre-Apprentice!

Search Underway for the new Muirdrochwood Forestry Pre-Apprentice!

Muirdrochwood Woodland, near Carsphairn, has been a hive of activity since ownership passed to Carsphairn Community Woodland Ltd. The Directors are now looking to recruit the next Forestry Pre-Apprentice for a whole range of outdoor and practical tasks on site.

 

In March 2022, more than 4 years of work by the local volunteers of Carsphairn Community Woodland Ltd (CCW) finally paid off, with ownership taken on of part of Muirdrochwood Forest. The group have wasted no time, with a timber processing shed and equipment installed, car park, wildlife hide, defibrillator, and walking routes installed on the site.

 

CCW hosted their first pre-apprentice between 2022 and 2023, and the search is now on for the next person to benefit from this hands-on role. A full range of appropriate training and support would be provided. It would suit someone keen on the practical nature of the work, with tasks ranging from tree felling, log fuel production, tree planting, tree nursery work and other general forest maintenance jobs. The full-time, paid post would be for a 6 month period and would suit anyone interested in a career in the forestry sector.

 

To show your potential interest in the role, ask any queries or to receive more info about what it would involve, send an email to [email protected].

Applications are ideally sought by 5pm on 11th August.

 

David McMillan, Chair of Carsphairn Community Woodland, said:

“Our previous pre-apprentice received a wide range of training and proved to be a hard working individual, contributing well to the activities in the woodland. We are keen to help progress more young people in the forestry workplace and look forward to receiving applications for this position.”

 

 

For more information, follow ‘Carsphairn Community Woodland’ on facebook and look out for details of the upcoming events in coming months! If you would like to join CCW as a member (if you live in Carsphairn Community area) or as a supporter (if you live further afield), visit www.carsphairn.org/CCWL.

Sustainable careers with the Galloway & Southern Ayrshire Biosphere

The Galloway & Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere has this week welcomed two members of staff to its permanent team.  Antoine Lemaire, an established Biosphere Guide who hails from Belgium and Thornhill, is the Biosphere’s new Nature Recovery Officer, and will be working alongside lead officer Sara Press on local and landscape-scale projects that support regenerative farming and nature restoration.  Meanwhile Jake McLaughlan, who held one of the Biosphere’s two paid internship posts during 2022/3, was successful in interviewing for a permanent role in Business Engagement, and will continue to support the Biosphere’s network of Proud Supporters and Certification Mark holders, helping onboard enterprises that want to pursue sustainability goals.

The Biosphere’s next 12-month internships are also being advertised now, as the organisation seeks to appoint two Project Support Officers (PSOs) to work in Communications and Marketing and alongside the Communities team.  Both roles pay the Real Living Wage and are aimed at young people looking to gain valuable work experience and develop professional skills.  Applications close on 21st August with a flexible start date, and school/college leavers and recent graduates are warmly encouraged to apply.

Commenting on his own experience as a PSO with the Biosphere, Jake McLaughlan said, “My first year has been fantastic. It has been amazing to learn so much about this wonderful area and all the businesses and people that call the Biosphere home. I am looking forward to progressing and being able to meet even more wonderful people and assist them in whichever way I can.”
Commenting on his new position as Nature Recovery Officer, Antoine Lemaire said, “I am very excited to be working for the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere, and am particularly looking forward to getting to engage and work with farmers and landowners to find ways towards sustainable land use. I also look forward to discovering new places in the UNESCO region and deepening my knowledge of landscape-scale nature recovery.”

With a commitment to training, skills development, and creating local jobs whenever possible to do so, the Biosphere has been able to expand staffing and subsequently its programme of activity thanks to core funding from South of Scotland Enterprise and three local authority partners, South Ayrshire Council, East Ayrshire Council, and Dumfries & Galloway Council.  This ongoing support has seen the organisation expand from just 1.5 FTE staff to a team of twelve in under three years.  With plans in development for an eco-office at St John’s Town of Dalry, the team is looking towards a secure future and firm presence that is embedded in local communities.

More information about the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere, including how to apply for the Project Support Officer posts, is available at www.gsabiosphere.org.uk, or email [email protected].

The Final ‘Can You Dig It’ archaeological dig session is planned – in Barrhill Woods, 7th-9th August!

The Final ‘Can You Dig It’ archaeological dig session is planned – in Barrhill Woods, 7th-9th August!

Come and join the ‘Can You Dig It’ project for their final dig as they investigate the earlier boundaries of Barrhill Wood! Can You Dig It will be spending three days test pitting within Barrhill Wood, Kirkcudbright and they are looking for volunteers to help them investigate some of the earlier features hidden amongst its trees.

 

As you wander through Barrhill Wood, you can spot traces dating back to the late medieval period – the line of an old, hollowed roadway, tumbled stone walls and earthen banks which criss-cross their way throughout the trees. These are the remains from the various transformations that the area has seen throughout its lifetime, including changes by the Earls of Senwick who established the original plantation in the late 18th century. New information gained from LiDAR and recently discovered mapping shows the locations of previously unknown ditches which appear to pre-date what was marked in the 18th century, and the Can You Dig It project is aiming to investigate the nature of these features and see just how old they might be.

 

The plantation at Barrhill Wood was originally established by the Earls of Senwick in the 18th century and a number of boundaries can still be seen within the wood surviving from late 18th century enclosures used for pasture. But local archaeologist David Devereux has spotted traces of features on LiDAR which appear to pre-date these. One ditch, which spans the width of the wood, might relate to an earlier boundary shown on a newly discovered earlier estate plan from Yale. While traces of two other possible ditches enclosing the highest point in the wood only appear on LiDAR and do no correlate with any of the available mapping – this could suggest that they’re even earlier.

 

Over the course of three days on-site, Can You Dig It is aiming to investigate these traces to see what they might be and how old they could date back to. Volunteers will get the chance to take part in an archaeological dig into the possible ditches to see what they can find. They will be shown the various aspects involved in archaeology from digging, recovering artefacts right through to recording what is found – you don’t have to be able to dig to help out as there are plenty of tasks such as recording, drawing, survey and photography that they will need help with. Digging is only just the start of an archaeological excavation.

 

This is a free event and open to everyone, no previous experience necessary. So why not come along, spend a day in the beautiful setting of Barrhill Wood and have a go at some archaeology – who knows what you might uncover!

 

The Days are advertised separately, with people able to attend a single day or multiple days as suits. For more information, or to book your place, search Eventbrite.co.uk for ‘Galloway Glens’ or access the links directly as follows:

 

Claire Williamson, Senior Archaeologist on the Can You Dig It project said:

“We’re really excited to be heading back into the field again for Can You Dig It’s final dig, and it’s great to be heading back to the site of one of our very first projects – Barrhill Wood. Due to being undisturbed, often for centuries, while the world around them has developed, Scottish woodlands have the possibility to contain some of our most significant archaeological features protected beneath their canopies. We won’t know what we will uncover until we put our spade into the ground, but we would love your help to find out!”

 

The Can You Dig It project is funded 50/50 by The National lottery Heritage Fund and Historic Environment Scotland. It forms part of the broader Galloway Glens Scheme. Jan Hogarth, Galloway Glens Education & Community Engagement Officer, said:

“It is our last Galloway Glens CYDI event at Barrhill Woods, Kirkcudbright and we are so grateful to Claire Williamson and her team for working with us over the years to upskill us all. These three days of trial pitting will give everyone the chance to develop their test pitting skills at a site up on the hill above Kirkcudbright which would have been important through hundreds and maybe thousands of years. Who knows what we might find and if we don’t find much, we will have improved our archaeology skills and had a lovely time wondering how people engaged with this site in the past, and sharing our passion for archaeology with each other.”

 

Our thanks go to Forestry & Land Scotland and Kirkcudbright Development Trust for supporting the work.

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DGWGO Sponsorship

Becoming a sponsor of DGWGO provides you with a targeted approach to your marketing, the opportunity to get your brand/ message in front of new potential customers and regulary remind your existing customers of your products and services.

Click Here To Learn More about DGWGO Sponsorship

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ABOUT DGWGO

DGWGO is a FREE community platform to keep everyone up to date with what’s going on in Dumfries & Galloway as well as promote the region worldwide.

News | Events | Jobs

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DGWGO websites are powered by carbon neutral servers.

By offsetting the carbon emissions we are able to reduce our environmental impact and contribute to a healthier planet for all

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DGWGO is a proud supporter of the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere

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Visit DG is your ultimate guide to Dumfries and Galloway

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