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LOCAL MP SUPPORTS FAIRTRADE FORTNIGHT COFFEE MORNING

 


Dumfries and Galloway MP Russell Brown showed his support for Fairtrade Fortnight by attending a Fairtrade coffee morning in Kirkcudbright this past Saturday (8 March).
 
The coffee morning was organised by the Kirkcudbright Fairtrade Town Group and was held in the local Parish Church Hall. Kirkcudbright achieved Fairtrade town status in 2010. The coffee morning was held as part of “Fairtrade Fornight”, which is organised by the Fairtrade Foundation.  The purpose of the fortnight is to promote Fairtrade products with this year’s Fairtrade Fortnight focusing on fairtrade bananas.
 
On the coffee morning, Russell Brown MP said:
 
“I am glad I could come along to show my support: not just for Fairtrade Fortnight but for the Fairtrade Town Group as well.  They have done excellent work in promoting fairtrade products and ethical shopping in general.”
 
“By buying Fairtrade products, local people are making a significant difference in the lives of millions of peoples.  Fairtrade ensures decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for those the developing world. By requiring companies to pay sustainable prices (which must never fall lower than the market price), Fairtrade addresses the injustices of normal trade, which can discriminate against the poorest, weakest producers.   I want all local people to remember that buying Fairtrade should not just be for a fortnight but all year round.”

 Notes to the editor

Attached photo of Russell Brown MP along with Councillors John Martin and Ted Thompson and others at coffee morning

EU SEES SENSE ON TRACTOR AND TRAILER TESTING

 

 

Intensive lobbying by NFU Scotland, alongside other UK unions, has successfully secured exemptions for agricultural vehicles from unnecessary and burdensome MOT testing.

 

After a ‘trilogue’ agreement between the European Parliament, Council and Commission at the end of last year, MEPs in Strasbourg have today (Tuesday, 11 March) agreed to ditch the proposals in a full plenary vote.

 

The plans, which formed part of the EU’s wide ranging ‘Roadworthiness Package’, would have introduced new costly MOT-style testing for many agricultural vehicles including tractors and all livestock trailers.

 

Originally all ‘O2’ graded trailers, such as a normal livestock trailer towed behind a four wheel drive vehicle, would have been subject to MOT-style testing.

 

On tractor testing the Union also successfully argued that requiring the same level of testing as is required for HGVs was unreasonable due to the multitasking nature of agricultural machinery. Legal restrictions on issues such as red diesel use and operator licensing mean that tractors are used on the road for more limited time than in other countries and as such farmers in the UK should not be penalised.

 

NFU Scotland’s Legal and Technical Policy Manager Gemma Thomson said:

 

“The proper and safe transport of vehicles, equipment, livestock and goods is in the interests of all but driving unnecessary cost and bureaucracy into the system would have been in no one’s interest.

 

“Through a lobbying effort from the UK farming unions’ office in Brussels, we have successfully tackled the unwelcome level of testing, cost and inconvenience that these proposals may have brought with little or no benefit to road safety. 

 

“It will come as a welcome relief for Scottish livestock keepers that MOT-style testing of livestock trailers will not now be required.

 

“In addition, testing of standard large T5 tractors – while still included in the scope of the final agreement – will only involve those that travel ‘mainly on public roads’.  That deal comes with sensible, proper exemptions for farmers using tractors in agriculture and horticulture.

 

“The final agreement is likely to come early in 2014 when the European Parliament and member state ministers are expected to formally adopt the package.”    

 

 

  • NFU Scotland has a vehicle helpline – 07733 136424 – to assist its members with the plethora of queries that surround the legal use of agricultural vehicles, both on and off road. The free advice line is run by Linlithgow farmer Jamie Smart, Legal and Technical Committee representative for Lothian and Borders. As a former chairman of the Legal and Technical Committee, Jamie has, over many years, built up a strong knowledge of the rules and regulations behind agricultural transportation.  Members can also contact Jamie on the email address: [email protected]

DUMFRIES & GALLOWAY FESTIVAL TO SAVE FAMILY TIME FROM EXTINCTION

Wild Spring Festival addresses findings which show on average families get less than 36 minutes of quality time together per day.

springA Scottish wildlife festival is hoping to save family time from extinction and encourage future generations to protect the natural environment. With over 100 family-friendly wildlife events – many free and most hosted by local wildlife guides and experts – the Dumfries & Galloway Wild Spring Festival (5 April to 5 May) is addressing recent findings published by news agency 72 Point which show that the average family in the UK manages just 36 minutes of quality time together a day.

Researchers also found that a typical family will find time for just 15 days out together every year, and nearly a third admitted they had missed key moments in their child’s development because of their hectic routine keeping them away. In an earlier survey by the same agency, over half of people admitted the only real family time they get to spend together is when they go on holiday away from the distractions at home.

Wilma Finlay, Chair of Destination Dumfries & Galloway said: “We know that quality family time is key to encouraging future generations to protect and celebrate the natural world.

“Weekends and Easter holidays provide the perfect time for families to get together. And discovering wildlife on your own doorstep is something that can create and stir magical memories for every family member. We would like to encourage more families to take part in one of the Wild Spring Festival’s many fun and unique festival events that will get them up close to the wide array of animals, mammals, birds, fish and fauna.

“From sharks, frogs and fishtails to badgers, red kites, barnacle geese and buzzards and from red deer, reptiles and red squirrels to bats, moths and bugs – there is a wide array of wildlife for families to discover together throughout Dumfries & Galloway.”

Jill Cook, manager of the national family helpline ParentLine Scotland run by CHILDREN 1ST, added: “We receive many calls from parents and carers who find it difficult communicating with their children. Spending time together as a family away from the distractions of every day life is vital in building good family relationships and making it easier for children and young people to talk to you about things that are worrying them. Finding a common interest, such as discovering wildlife, is a fantastic way of doing this and forming special memories for all the family. We are delighted to hear that the Dumfries & Galloway Wild Spring Festival is encouraging families to do this.”

Festival events take place across Dumfries & Galloway and the recently designated Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere, which recognizes the outstanding natural environment and the way in which the local community works to conserve it. In 2014, the festival will also celebrate Homecoming Scotland 2014 with a series of events focused on the many species coming home to the region this Spring.

It is hoped that, by encouraging more families, the festival will continue to address concerns by many wildlife experts to ensure there are naturalists for many years to come. Speaking in an interview in the Radio Times last year, BBC SpringWatch presenter Chris Packham said: “Young people in particular are so disconnected from the natural world. It’s a shame to think that there aren’t kids out there… I’m out there all the time and I just don’t see the boy that I was and you were. That’s a disaster in waiting.”

For further information about the festival visit www.wildspringfestival.com

D&G’s FRAZER McCUBBING IS HOPING TO MAKE A CAREER IN MOUNTAIN BIKING

Earlier Today DGWGO were Contacted by Rachael McDougal  who got in touch to tell us all about Young Mountain Bike Hopeful Frazer McCubbing, Here is what Racheal Told us –

 

I am assisting a local young man to secure funding that will allow him to attend and compete in an international mountain bike event, the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup.

He is called Frazer McCubbing, 17, born in Dumfries and raised in Ae Village. He is currently in full time education at Borders College studying a Diploma in Sport: Mountain Biking. Frazer’s ambition is to have a career in mountain biking and racing whilst giving back to his community. Many young people attend his local bike centre and forest to take part in outdoor activities and mountain biking. Frazer is aware that he is a role model and has the opportunity to develop and promote the sport in the region.

Frazer developed and honed his mountain bike and downhill skills from an early age. He started riding quad bikes with his brother Callum in his Granddads’ garden from the age of 3. Frazer then started to follow his brother up the hill at Ae with his first bike, a ‘hardtail’ Saracen. Being a natural, this quickly developed into Frazer taking part in local mountain bike events where he started to get some good results.

The first major race Frazer entered was the Scottish Downhill Association (SDA) at Dunkeld in 2009 where he competed as a junior aged 13. He came 6th.

The following year he entered the British Championships and came 7th. His first full SDA series season was in 2010 where he finished 6th, 3rd, 1st and 2nd. These results along with other race results meant for the Scottish Championship he came second!

Frazer kept riding and in 2011 he became Juvenile category British Championship winner and Scottish Championship winner.

In short, Frazer is great at racing and he has a bright future ahead. In 2013 he was able to race with the Mondraker team (youth development scheme, riders costs are partially covered). As he has improved his skills and results, this year he will be riding with the Steve Peat Syndicate team and able to enter the UCI World Cup. The World Cup has race venues including South Africa, Australia, Canada, USA and Europe. This is an amazing opportunity for a local person to take part in and such an extraordinary experience. All those entering this type of event must finance themselves or seek funding from other avenues. Frazer’s family have supported and funded him during his racing years and will be funding some of the series (Europe and USA) however, their funds do not allow them to afford travel to South Africa or Australia. As it is Frazer’s first world race series, he thought he would not mind missing the South Africa and Australia races. However, I believe he should attend the Australian race in Cairns as it is too much of an opportunity and experience to miss and by missing the first two races, he may jeopardise his World Cup Series results.

At the moment, the amount we need for the trip is approximately £1500. This includes fuel costs, flight, insurance, bike luggage and food for the duration of the trip. The Cairns race date is 24th – 27th April 2014.

We are applying to various charitable sources for funding including Dumfries and Galloway Sports Council, Holywood trust, Dumfries Lions Club and the Rotary. We have been successful so far by very kindly being donated £150 by the Rotary Club of Dumfries Devorgilla. We are also holding some fund raising events in the area to include the local community and get people out and about in the forest and exercising. This includes a ‘Blue Route Bike Challenge’ on the bike trails at Ae forest, an Australia day (family fun day/BBQ/face painting etc) and exercise classes ‘for all’. The bike challenge is on the weekend of 15th/16th March at Ae forest. Other events to be announced!

D&G TO RECEIVE FOUR NEW FIRE APPLIANCES

D&G is in line to receive  four new fire appliances  in the next two months as part of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s (SFRS) major investment in its  fleet across Scotland.

A total of 16 new fire appliances will be going to stations in various parts of the country said assistant chief officer David Goodhew who announced the £3.8 million investment today.

The director of response and resilience for SFRS the new appliances are state-of-the-art and will further enhance service delivery to communities across Scotland. He said: “The vehicles are equipped to a high specification and geared towards meeting the current and future needs of our communities.”

He added: “During its first year SFRS has invested a considerable amount in specialist resources across the country and this announcement underlines the Service’s commitment to providing the very best in terms of our response and resilience capabilities.”

As the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is a national organisation, appliances will form part of a national fleet asset, to be deployed across Scotland to meet demand or as part of the service’s existing system of rotation and replacement.

Two new appliances will go to Aberdeen city, two in Inverness, two in Dunfermline, two in Kirkcaldy,  one each for Alloa and Falkirk, one in Lockerbie, one each for Annan and Stranraer, one in Dumfries, one in Kingussie and one in Tain.

Residents in Aberdeen will notice that the new appliances in the city will be red as opposed to white, which was the colour adopted by the legacy Grampian Fire and Rescue Service.

Mr Goodhew said: “Over time Scottish Fire and Rescue Service plans to standardise the colour of fire appliances across Scotland in line with the practice of seven of the eight former services. Red is the colour most synonymous with fire appliances the world over. In addition, as a national service SFRS may have to redeploy resources to other areas of Scotland, where the fire appliances are already red and a familiar sight to the majority of communities.”

It is anticipated that the roll out programme will see new appliances arrive at stations between now and the end of May.

DMeventum Launches an Exciting New Venture for the D&G Region and Beyond

Many of you may Know of Ali Donowho already , You may of Heard Him on the airwaves as a presenter on Alive 107.3fm , You may of seen him Hosting as a compare at many events right across the region , You may of seen the article in D&G Life magazine about him last year , when he shared his story about his Dumfries and Galloway . Or he may of saved your life , as by day he is a  technician with the Scottish ambulance service , But however you have met Ali you will know that he is a total legend and all round Good Guy .

I have personally grown to know Ali through working with him on several projects with DGWGO and Alive radio collaborating and supporting each other , we have grown to be good mates and i have become friendly with him and his family socially as well as through business, and i have to say he is a real topper of a bloke , and after reading the testimonials for his new Company DMeventum i can see im not the only one that thinks that either  !

After many months of Preperation Ali has finally Launched his new Company ‘DMeventum’ for the world to see , An Events managment company with a twist , and something that this region is crying out for , DMeventum is a new Event Management, Media and Marketing Company based in the South West of Scotland. That offer’s a range of services from full organisation of events to consultancy work should your budget be limited, we also offer host/compere experience either in hosting events or advising and confidence building those who want to learn the role, Ali also offers a full range of services from website building to web hostin ,All in all a very exciting opportunity for creative events and for the South West of Scotland.

Pictured above , Ali at work recording a video for Alive radio .

Below is Ali’s First Blog about his new venture , maybe its best he tells you all about it in his own words , DGWGO Is really looking forward to working alongside Ali and his team on some of his exciting projects , we are very proud to be linked on his new website and we wish him all the very best of luck for the Future with DMeventum , although we know he will do brilliantly anyway !

 

DMeventum Blog

So here we are 2014 and what promises to be a very exciting year for our new company. Who are we though and what do we do? Well the answer to that hopefully will be explained in this blog.

Dumfries and Galloway is home to us and we are very proud of our region for many reasons, its views , its people but most importantly its culture.  Writers, artists, musicians and performers, we are inundated with talent and that talent should be showcased to the world. That is where we come in.  We believe for talent to truly shine then any event that you need has to be done to the correct specifications that create success, with a fine eye for detail and new fresh thinking we can take events to a new level for Dumfries and Galloway.

Beyond events we offer a range of services, we are experienced hosts/comperes that can cover a multitude of events either corporate or entertainment. We offer training in public speaking and confidence building  for those who wish to promote themselves or their business better or those simply want to build confidence for life.

After setting the company up and working away in the background  we have already completed our first commissioned website for our first client check it out at www.aburnspageant.co.uk, we decided to take on web building and hosting  as we felt with offering event management we could incorporate it into the whole package.

D&G NHS ASTHMA FUND RECIEVES GENEROUS DONATION

NHS Dumfries and Galloway’s Asthma Endowment Fund received a boost today following the very generous donation of £5000 which was raised for the Martin Moore Memorial.  Staff from the Respiratory Ward gratefully received the cheque from Martin’s family.

The money was raised as part of an annual event which takes place at the end of May.  The event organised by Martin’s brothers Mark and Sean, involved a family fun day at the Troqueer Arms, including live music and children’s entertainment and prizes donated by TB Watson, Troqueer Arms, Normandy Bar and Burns Taxis.

 

Phyllis Murphie, Respiratory Nurse Consultant said:

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank Martin’s family, friends and supporters for their very considerate donation to the Asthma Endowment fund.  Part of the money will go towards a number of initiatives taking place this year to provide additional support and training for those with the condition”

 

Pictured L-R Sean Moore, Dr Stuart Little (Consultant), Phyllis Murphie (Respiratory Nurse Consultant), Ian Marr (Troqueer Arms), Bobby and Anna Moore, Bill Imrie (Normandy Bar), Dr Jane Gysin (Specialist Doctor), Mary Burns (Burns Taxis), Helen Coles (Respiratory Nurse Specialist), Brian Gibson (TB Watson)

WILD SEASONS PHOTO COMPETITION LAUNCHED

Announcing the Wild Seasons in Dumfries and Galloway
Photography Competition

We want to see your photos of wild Dumfries and Galloway!

Please enter by posting your photo entries onto the Wild Seasons in Dumfries and Galloway Facebook pages by using the Facebook tag Wild Seasons in Dumfries and Galloway (this will appear on the post in blue) and the category which you want to enter as #…… they will appear in our recent posts by others and we can share them from there for everyone to see.

The categories are:
#wildplace Landscape – to be taken of a Dumfries and Galloway landscape. Prize a prize a ½ day workshop with Morag Paterson of Leeming and Patterson

#wildlifedg Wildlife – to be of wildlife within Dumfries and Galloway. Prize a ½ day workshop with Keith Kirk one of Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Rangers.

#wildphone Mobile phone photo – either a landscape or wildlife from within Dumfries and Galloway taken on a mobile phone. Prize a ½ day boat trip on Loch Ken with Andrew Blunsum one of Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Rangers

People’s choice – the sort listed photos will be posted and the 5 that get the most likes will be used as banners for the Wild Seasons in Dumfries and Galloway Facebook pages.

Spot prizes – we will be announcing and awarding spot prizes as the competition gets underway, these might be for the best bird of the day, best fungi photo or an under 16s prize etc..

The terms and conditions of entry can be found on the wildseasons web pages (http://wildseasons.co.uk/cgblog/18/202/Facebook-Photographic-Competition-2014) below, you must not be a professional photographer and there is a limit of 10 entries per category.

Judges will be Keith Kirk (DGCRangers); Morag Paterson (Leeming and Paterson); Elizabeth Tindal (DGCRangers) and Robin Baird (DGWGO). Also you, the public for the public vote category.

Opens at midnight today and will run until midnight on Friday 9th May.

Dumfries Ice Bowl Welcomes Return Of International Ice Skating Competition.

Dumfries Welcomes Return Of International Ice Skating Competition.

Dumfries Ice Bowl will host the UK’s biggest international synchronized skating competition this month with the Trophy D’Ecosse 2014.

 

Trophy D’Ecosse, the ISU & Club International Synchronized Skating Competition, returns to Dumfries next month for its fourth year. Skating teams from home and abroad will take to the ice during the three days of competition from 14-16 March 2014.

 

It is one of the biggest events in the synchronized skating calendar and with international skating teams competing at a range of levels, it is the only competition of its kind in the UK. It is also the UK’s only International Skating Union (ISU) event to be held regularly.

 

Last year’s competition welcomed around 2,000 attendees as participants and spectators and event organisers anticipate another fantastic turnout this year encouraged by the Winter Olympics and the current popularity of ice skating on television.

 

Barbara Haining, Chair of Solway Skating, said: “The sport can be enjoyed by everyone and it’s fantastic to see its popularity continue to rise.”

 

“The level of local support we receive is a great reward for the commitment and passion our teams display. Some of our skaters have been on the ice since the age of two or three and they can train up to six days a week.”

 

“All of our local teams are performing incredibly well so it will be exciting to see what they can achieve at this year’s competition.”

 

Indeed, all three of the region’s competitor teams- Solway Stars, Solway Eclipse and Solway Lightning are currently the reigning Scottish champions. Trophy D’Ecosse 2013 saw the local teams excel with gold and silver medal success.

 

In its past years the event has been a huge success for the region, as well as for the skaters, attracting competitors and visitors from across the UK, Europe, Canada, Africa and Australia and bringing in more than half a million pounds for the local economy.

 

Trophy D’Ecosse offers visitors a warm welcome and a weekend of extraordinary entertainment, talent, speed, skill and agility on the ice. The event is free to attend and is suitable for families and spectators of all ages.

 

Trophy D’Ecosse 2014 will kick off in Dumfries with the official draw on Thursday 13 March at 5:30pm at DGOne. This will be preceeded by a procession from the town centre to DGOne by some of the competing teams. The competition begins on Friday 14th March with an opening ceremony at Dumfries Ice Bowl and will close with an award ceremony on the evening of Sunday 16th March.

Featured Photographer – Cam Pagan of Hemera Visuals

 

Website : www.hemeravisuals.co.uk
Facebook : www.facebook.com/hemeravisuals

It’s pretty simple. We are excited to come to work everyday to help fulfil and exceed all of our client’s expectations and dreams when it comes to the level of customer service and quality of imagery they receive from us.

For me photography is more than just a ‘click’ of a button. It’s about creating imagery we can be proud of every single day, images that don’t get lost in today’s point and shoot world, one’s that stand the test of time. Long gone are the days of textured cloud backgrounds we all remember from school photography. My style of shooting is modern and contemporary with beautiful compositions that emphasise the subjects.

I have lived in Dumfries and Galloway all my life and even to this day I’m astounded at the sheer variety of beautiful shooting locations we have available at our doorstep in the region. If I’m not out shooting I’m always scouting for new interesting locations be it for amazing landscapes, beautiful settings for outdoor family portraits or unique fashion & editorial backdrops. From beautiful beaches to iconic castles on country estates we have something for every taste in photography.

As for some of my personal favourite locations within the region are in the local forests, such as Ae & Mabie. They offer a wide range of shooting possibilities from Sports Events to Landscapes and Wildlife. Dumfries & Galloway has another hidden talent which some people associate with just Galloway Forest Park and that is Dark Sky’s due to very little light pollution which makes star trail photography incredibly successful (providing the weather plays its part). Truth be told you can get some amazing star trails less than 10 minutes out of Dumfries town centre.

Photography tips :

 

I have two main tips for all budding photographers out there.

First of all anyone wishing to improve their photography should consider learning to shoot in manual mode (if your camera has this feature.) Photography is described as painting with light, and if you have control over the light you have control over your final image. The book ‘Understanding Exposure’ by Bryan Peterson can be bought for under £10 and will go a long way to helping you improve your photography.

My final tip can be applied regardless of the camera you own and whether or not it has the ability to shoot manually. Composition, it describes placement of objects and elements in a work of art and is a key to good photography. Whilst there are many elements that make up a great composition one of the first places you should start is know as the ‘rule of thirds’. You can find out all about the rule of thirds and other elements of composition online.

My main camera equipment:

Camera Body :Canon 60d
Lens : Canon 70-200mm L , Canon 50mm , Tamron 10-24mm
Lighting : Elinchrom Quadra Ranger Hybrid Kit.

 

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