Tag: Nikita Vance

Holidays are Coming – Christmas Markets and events you must visit this December

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By Nikita Vance

 

Whether you love it or hate it, the run up to Christmas can bring excitement and wonder to even the biggest Scrooges among us. Now we have Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You” drilling in our ears everywhere we go, and we’ve all seen the slightly off looking Santa Clause in the shopping centre we can no longer deny it: Christmas is well and truly coming. What better way to get into the festive spirit than the various Christmas Markets and events Scotland has to offer?

Keeping it local, Stirling has a wide array of Christmas events available throughout December guaranteed to keep the little kids (and the big kids at heart) entertained!

 

Christmas Shopping Fayre

 

The Christmas Shopping Fayre returns to Stirling Castle on the 6th of December!

Image Credit: Stirling Castle

The Great Halls will host a variety of local Scottish brands, crafts and fine foods and drink guaranteed to get you excited and prepared for the festive season. There will also be brass band performances throughout the night, and all the mince pies and mulled wine you could dream of!

The fayre is open from 6pm to 9pm, with last entry at 8.15pm. Tickets are £6 per adults and free for children and carers, available here on a limited first-come-first-served basis.

 

 

Christmas Ceilidhs at The Tolbooth

 

It just wouldn’t be Scotland without a Ceilidh, and what better way to get into the Christmas spirit than a traditional festive Ceilidh with the International Ceilidh Collective?

The Tolbooth is hosting afternoon and evening Ceilidhs on the 10th of December for all ages. Doors for the afternoon session open at 2.30pm, while the evening session opens at 7pm with both sessions beginning 30 minutes after doors. Tickets for both sessions are available here.

You don’t have to be a Ceilidh regular to attend! A caller will talk you through all the dances to ensure everyone has fun, and soon you may even become a Ceilidh professional! It’s the perfect opportunity to try something new, and to support the local Arts community.

 

Christmas Spectacular at Blair Drummond

 

Blair Drummond Safari and Adventure Park’s Christmas Spectacular is back and better than ever! You’re absolutely spoilt for choice, with attractions and experiences that cater for all ages. For £3 per person, you can experience an enchanting story time with Mrs Clause and her elves as she reads “The Night Before Christmas”. Or why not visit their festive fairground and take a spin on the teacups; a drive in the dodgems; a ride on the train and more! Catch Santa on his drive throughs throughout the park several times a day, with his naughty list in tow so be on your best behaviour.

Image Credit: Blair Drummond Safari and Adventure Park

There’s also a Christmas market which offers all sorts of festive goodies, perfect for getting those last-minute presents out of the way! There are also hot food and drinks on site including hot chocolate from the hot chocolate bar; toasted marshmallows from the fire pits; fish and chips; and (for the adults) gin cocktails courtesy of Stirling Gin.

 

The Christmas Spectacular runs until the 23rd of December from 10am-3.30pm Monday to Friday, and 11am-7pm on Saturdays and Sundays; and between the 21st and 23rd December. Tickets can be booked here, with prices varying depending on which day you plan on going.

 

 

Santa’s Grotto at Thistles

 

Experience the magic of Santa’s Grotto at Thistles Shopping Centre! Your kids can write a letter to Santa; receive a special gift; and take a ride in his magical sleigh. All proceeds go to charity partner Strathcarron Hospice.

The Grotto opens every Saturday and Sunday until the 18th of December, and daily from 19th December – 24th December from 10am to 5pm. (Note: The Grotto closes for lunch between 1pm and 2pm).

Tickets can be booked here, for £6.95 per child. There is a maximum of two adults and four children per time slot, and all children must be accompanied by an adult over 18 years of age.

 

Cut your own Christmas tree at Duff Christmas Tree Farm

 

Pick your perfect tree and make festive memories at Duff Christmas Tree Farm! With over 350,000 trees on site, you’re absolutely spoilt for choice and guaranteed to find the best tree for you.

Their special ‘cut your own Christmas Tree’ experience allows you to choose and cut the tree for yourself, with staff on hand to give you any assistance you may need. They provide you with a saw, but you’re required to bring your own gloves and something you can kneel on. It is also suggested that you bring or wear wellies, as some areas of the far, can be very muddy. There is also a wide selection of pre-cut trees for you to choose from.

Prices for a tree vary based on type and size, and are as follows:

  • Fraser Fir Christmas Tree: 4ft – £35, 5ft – £40, 6ft – £50, 7ft – £60, 8ft – £70, 9ft – £80 – 10ft and above – £10 per foot.
  • Nordman Fir Christmas Tree: 4ft – £35, 5ft – £40, 6ft – £50, 7ft – £60, 8ft – £70, 9ft – £80 – 10ft and above – £10 per foot.

Each weekend in December there will also be various food trucks on site including Traditional artisan pizzas available from Base Pizza, ethically sourced specialty coffee from Fallen Tree Coffee and delicious treats from Flour Bake Girl. The farm also sells their own homemade jams, marmalade, and mince pies.

Duff’s Christmas Tree Farm is open daily until Christmas Eve between 9am and 5pm, and there’s no requirement to pre-book your visit. Perfect for a last-minute outing!

 

 

A Jailhouse Christmas Carol

 

A new festive performance experience at Stirling Old Town Jail takes an original comic spin on the much beloved classic A Christmas Carol. Join the grouchy, scroogey governor of the Old Tolbooth as he’s visited by three spirits – the Cells Ghosts of Prisoners Past – ‘all eager for him to mend his wicked ways and embrace the season of goodwill to ALL convicts’. Guaranteed to be a fun time for all ages!

The performance tour will be running every 30 minutes each weekend between the 3rd and 18th of December, and then daily from the 27th to the 30th of December. You will also have the opportunity to tour the cells of the prison, and the roof-top observation tour which boasts stunning views of Stirling.

Image Credit: What’s On Stirling

Tickets are £12 per adult and £7 per child not including concessions and can be booked here.

 

Support local businesses this Christmas. For all your festive fun, choose Stirling!

The PEAK wins Facility of the Year 2020 at Scottish Leisure Network Group awards

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By Nikita Vance

 

The awards took place on 17th November, at the Inchyra Grange Hotel in Grangemouth.

The award recognises facilities and their teams, who over the last 12 months “have gone above and beyond and made a notable impact in the community”. The panel recognised the PEAK for its achievements in innovating new studios; products; and programmes, whilst keeping everything running through the difficult circumstances caused by COVID.

It is also been recognised as a hub for the community which has a large impact on keeping the local community active and happy “through integrated activities and programmes delivered by Active Stirling’s teams: Sport, Physical Activity and Inclusion, Active Schools, Community Activation, and Employability and Health Referral across Stirling”.

Of the award, Active Stirling’s Director of Operations, Matt Bunnell said; “We are delighted that The PEAK has been recognised for Facility of the Year 2022 at the Scottish Leisure Managers Network awards.

“The facility, community and support teams across Active Stirling have worked tirelessly over the past year under exceedingly difficult circumstances through and out of the pandemic to achieve uninterrupted provision whilst also creating transformational opportunities to improve people’s live through using sport and physical activity as a progressive lever for positive change.”

“This award is an endorsement of their dedication and professionalism in delivering for the Stirling community on behalf of Stirling Council.”

Fleetwood Mac singer-songwriter Christine McVie dies aged 79

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By Nikita Vance

 

Her death comes after a period of short illness, says family.

 

A statement posted on McVie’s official Facebook page read: “On behalf of Christine McVie’s family, it is with a heavy heart we are informing you of Christine’s death.

“She passed away peacefully at hospital this morning, Wednesday November 30th 2022, following a short illness. She was in the company of her family. We kindly ask that you respect the family’s privacy at this extremely painful time and we would like everyone to keep Christine in their hearts and remember the life of an incredible human being, and revered musician who was loved universally. RIP Christine McVie.”

Image via Wiltshire Live

McVie shot to fame in 1970s as singer-songwriter and keyboardist for the British American Rock band, alongside Stevie Nicks; Mick Fleetwood; her husband, John McVie; and Lindsey Buckingham. The band has sold over 100 million records worldwide, making them one of the most successful groups of all time.

The band paid tribute to McVie in a statement which reads: “There are no words to describe our sadness at the passing of Christine McVie. She was truly one-of-a-kind, special and talented beyond measure.”

“She was the best musician anyone could have in their band and the best friend anyone could have in their life.

“We were so lucky to have a life with her. Individually and together, we cherished Christine deeply and are thankful for the amazing memories we have. She will be so very missed.”

Stirling Council call for public input in budget allocation for 2023/24

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By Nikita Vance

 

With a £17 million funding gap on the horizon for the next year’s budget setting process, Stirling Council want to hear your opinion on how they can best tackle financial issues.

No increase to the Local Government’s core funding from the Scottish Government is to be expected over the next three years, the Council need to find a way to “bridge a gap which is almost double its annual roads and land services budget”.

All Stirling residents are invited to take part in the Budget consultation here.

Image via Twitter @stirlingcouncil

Zookeepers delight as six-week-old white rhino already weighs similar to a piano

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By Nikita Vance

 

Morag, who got her name through an online poll ran by the park, was born on 12th October at Blair Drummond Safari and Adventure Park to parents Dot and Graham. She is the sixth rhino calf born at the park, as part of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) Endangered Species Breeding Programme – designed to ensure the safeguarding and maintenance of healthy rhino populations for the future of the species.

Keepers at the park had to spend a lot of time building the trust of the southern white rhino calf, to get her used to the scales.

On the 28th October, Morag weighed in at a whopping 23 stone 8lbs (149kg), with the parks’ Large Mammal Keeper, Alex Wainwright saying, “she has more than doubled in weight since she was first born.

Image via PA Wire

“This increase is in line with the milestones we would expect to see with our rhino calves.

“Capturing these measurements is vital in ensuring that our animals are healthy, eating well and growing at an appropriate rate. Weight is an especially important indicator of health and wellbeing, and we are delighted that Morag is growing as she should.”

 

Penalty Charge Notices in Stirling on the rise, following sharp drop over first COVID lockdown

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By Nikita Vance

 

New data obtained from Stirling Council shows that when Scotland first went into lockdown in 2020, the amount of PNC’s administered by the Council had a sharp decline in comparison to that of the previous year.

The severe drop in PNC’s administered in 2020 was directly caused by the stringent measures put in place by Nicola Sturgeon on 23 March that year, which meant that less people were driving or parking their cars in ticketible zones in Stirling. These measures saw that people in Scotland were required by law to stay at home except for:
  • Essential shopping – for food or medicines and only once a day
  • Exercise – only once a day and alone, or with someone from your household
  • Medical reasons or for the care of vulnerable people
  • Travel to and from essential work – all employers should be making provision to work from home

Of these measures, the First Minister said, “Let me blunt. The stringent restrictions on our normal day to day lives that I’m about to set out are difficult and they are unprecedented. They amount effectively to what has been described as a lockdown.”

“I am not going to sugarcoat it in any way,” the first minister said. “Coronavirus is the biggest challenge of our lifetime.

“Stay at home,” she said. “That is the message I gave yesterday and I am reinforcing that message now.”

Police Scotland also enforced this legislation, by increasing police patrols in key areas such as cities. This build up of fear and compliance further decreased the amount of people leaving their homes, not to mention those who would drive. With less cars on the road, there were less PCN’s needed to be administered.

The Stirling Council data supports this assumption, as there is no data for April or May 2020 so therefore no PCN’s were administered. This could also be due to that fact that some UK councils relaxed or even suspended parking enforcement regulations at the start of the first lockdown, which could well have been the case here.

 

The data also shows that the most ticketed months of each year are affected by COVID lockdowns. In 2019, before COVID, November was the most ticketed month of the year. This is due to the influx of people travelling by car into Stirling, as they most likely would be going for Christmas shopping.

The following year, however, the most ticketed month was January as the first case of COVID had not yet reached the UK until the end of that month. Following the announcement that the first case of COVID had been detected in the UK on 29 January 2020, people became fearful of contracting the virus and left the house much less. Then, with Scotland in lockdown by March 2020 no one was able to leave their house hence less tickets for the remainder of that year.

By 2021, life returned to some semblance of normality, as the high vaccine uptake encouraged the First Minister to lift restrictions in the run up to Christmas. This meant that the shopping behaviours of those in Stirling not only returned to normal, but almost doubled as the most tickets across the four years were issued in this month.

 

Top 5 Most Ticketed Places in Stirling

From the data, we have worked out the top 5 places in Stirling to avoid if you do not want to get a PNC. This is solely based of the amount of times each area was ticketed per month in 2020, therefore it does not take into account total amount of PNC’s issued.

Students show support for striking lecturers and staff at Stirling University

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By Nikita Vance

 

Students at the University of Stirling joined their lecturers and other university staff in their three-day strike action over pay; pensions; and working conditions. The action, which is taking place across 150 universities, has been deemed by the University and College Union (UCU) to be “the biggest in the history of higher education”.

The strikes, which took place on November 24th; 25th; and 30th, came after nearly 400 University of Stirling UCU members voted in favour of the strike action. Senior lecturer in Social Work, Sara Hitchin described the need for further strike action – following several years of strike periods – as “a little bit soul-destroying” and added that “it feels as though we’ve been on strike every year for as many years as I can remember.”

Another lecturer at the University, Dr. Diane Critchley, shared this same frustration adding, “These disputes have been ongoing for all the time I’ve worked in academia… despite [previous strikes], we haven’t resolved any of the fights that have been on the table over that time.

“I voted for strike action as I felt like it was the right thing to do and hope this targeted approach will have some impact.”

Speaking to students at the picket line, there was a strong sense of support and camaraderie from the students towards the striking university staff. It became very clear that these students were willing to help in any way they can, in order to ensure that the demands of the University of Stirling’s UCU members are met.

University of Stirling NUS delegate, Ludovico Caminati, shared his view that “students need to take more action [by] supporting the lecturers and contacting the Uni, saying that ‘we are dissatisfied with the behaviour you have towards our lecturers, we think that you should give them better conditions, better pay, better pension, so that they can work better for us too.”

Caminati’s viewpoint was shared widely throughout the students in attendance at the picket line, and Stirling Solidarity Space have since released an informative video explaining the need for strike action and encouraging students to join their lecturers in their ongoing ‘conflict’ with the University;

Chair of the Stirling University Labour Society, Aaron Caulfield, was also very frank when asked about why students should support their striking lecturers. He said, “Students have to recognise that the striking staff are fighting not only for themselves, but for the community at large – there is a direct correlation between the pay and conditions of our teaching staff and the quality of the education we receive, and we should not let Universities exploit lecturers with this rollback of workers’ rights.

“Looking further into the future also these staff are fighting for improvement of the conditions we students will find ourselves facing if we enter academia.”

He was also very clear that “the only acceptable outcome of this period of industrial action is the acceptance of the UCU’s demands of an RPI+2% or 12% pay rise, whichever greater, and improvement to the working conditions faced by staff within higher educational institutions – Universities must engage in good-faith dialogue towards meeting these demands.”

Stirling University students deeply affected by UK wide student Housing Crisis

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By Nikita Vance

 

The lack of affordable private housing and spaces available in university accommodations has had a detrimental impact on the physical and mental wellbeing of students across Scotland.

Students in Stirling have been pushed to the limit trying to find suitable accommodation for the academic year, as prior to the semester starting in September the University of Stirling announced that in person attendance would be compulsory following two years of online teaching due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Facebook groups like “Rent a Flat in Stirling” have been brimming with posts from Stirling students begging for any accommodation they can get. Some have even been forced into blind bidding on flats due to the sheer demand for housing, as fourth year sociology student Matty Millar stated “There was either nothing or if we found something, it was gone within an hour,”

“We managed to get a viewing for one place and the landlord sat us down and said last year people offered to pay more and asked if we would be happy to do the same. We said yes and a couple of days later, an email went round saying they were doing a blind bid for the flat. At that point, we just backed out.”

Millar is currently having to live with his parents in Glasgow and commutes to Stirling each day via train, a debilitating and stressful task due to the ongoing train strikes since the summer which show no signs of stopping.

Nikita Vance speaks to the University of Stirling and VP of Communities, Jess Reid, to find out what they plan to do to curb the student housing issues.

Stirling set to become world’s first fully augmented reality city

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By Nikita Vance

 

The “cutting-edge” software developed by BT and Seymour Powell, with the involvement of Stirling Council aims to completely transform the tourism industry in Stirling, by allowing visitors a unique view of the city through their phone screen. The £200,000 project was funded by Stirling Council via funding from the Scottish Government’s Place Based Investment Programme.

Through the free Stirling XP app (which is available to download here), tourists can use the AR technology simply by opening the app and holding up their phones as they make their way around the city centre. The AR technology detects key points within the city and, utilising sound; video; and other mediums, brings the rich history and heritage of Stirling to life.

Seymore Powell’s Head of Immersive Experiences, Chris Doughty, expressed his pride in the app saying, “Using Google’s new Geospatial platform, we were able to design a truly immersive experience that brings the city to life by revealing an exciting digital layer, gamifying local history, and providing tourists with local challenges that encourage them to go out and explore the city.

“We are delighted to have been able to deliver a project which firmly positions Stirling as a world-class digital destination and paves the way for continued, industry-leading, development.”

The app also features a rewards system, in which you win prizes for your ‘collection’ through playing and winning interactive games which include the “Stirling Wolf” and the “Chained Unicorn”. You are also able to unlock new areas and landmarks on the 3D map by visiting and interacting with them. Abbey Craig and Stirling Bridge are amongst those available to unlock, as well as Old Town Jail; The Tolbooth; and the Highland Hotel.

Of this exciting new venture for Stirling, Councillor Chris Kane, the leader of Stirling Council, said: “Offering this complete AR environment across Stirling is an exciting world first and will revolutionise the visitor experience in our amazing city.

“Stirling’s historic city centre and world-class attractions will be overlaid with interactive information, graphics, 3D models and much more, creating a fully immersive and dynamic experience that no other city currently offers.

Image via Stirling Council

“Stirling is already a must-visit destination, and this pioneering product will raise the city’s profile and attract more people to come here, boosting the wider tourism economy.

“The new free app will also open up a plethora of fantastic opportunities for local businesses and will make Stirling a more inclusive and accessible place that’s setting the world standard for next generation tourism.”

There’s no doubt that this incredible venture will do wonders for tourism in Stirling, as it gives the city an ‘edge’ over other heavy tourist areas such as Glasgow or Edinburgh. It is simply a matter of time before other cities follow suit and jump on the AR bandwagon.

Of this potential tourism boost, VisitScotland Regional Director Neil Christison said, “AR enables people from anywhere in the world to experience Stirling from the palm of their hands and learn more about this historic and vibrant city in an interactive way.

“It is also great to have a new platform that local businesses can take advantage of and a tool that visitors can use to plan their trips to Scotland.

“We know that tourism is a force for good with an impact that spreads far beyond the industry itself – it benefits our economy, our community and our wellbeing.”

Computers are key at The Thistles Shopping Centre

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By Nikita Vance

 

The Thistles Shopping Centre is all about computers this week, as they host a coding challenge and an electronic art instalment for the Stirling Science Festival which is set to end on 22 October. The festival has been providing a plethora of events aimed at children and young people, to keep them entertained while still learning over the autumn break.

Betty the Basking Shark is a sculpture created by Edinburgh artist, Johnathan Elders, with the sole aim of outlining the sheer magnitude of the electronic waste problem in Scotland. It was created using various second-hand electronic devices which include more than two hundred keyboards and water panels, each one being saved from going to landfill; alongside two projector lenses and TV screens which show a film detailing the real and raw impact of e-waste that gets shipped overseas each year.

Talking about his inspiration behind the piece Elders said, “I chose the basking shark, native to Scotland, as I encountered one as a child whilst on a boat trip to Bass Rock in North Berwick. This moment had a huge impact on me, and it has stayed with me ever since.

“I didn’t want to be subtle. As a nation, we have so much to be proud of – like these magnificent creatures – but we also have a massive problem that we’re just not doing enough to address. Like producing such vast quantities of e-waste.

“As the footage shows, much of this waste is shipped away to other parts of the world so that we can forget about it. But that needs to stop.

“Betty is the name of a lovely local lady – a total character who knows everybody. She lives overlooking Newhaven Harbour but won’t go anywhere near it because she is scared of the sea. Hence the reason I called the shark Betty, because like the real-life Betty, this shark will never go to the sea!”

It is only fitting that this computer constructed sculpture be accompanied by a coding challenge, which is available to interact with around Thistles via a QR code. The prompt for the challenge is “Create a text based adventure game using any piece of software. In a classic interactive fiction book your story would change depending on what option you picked at various points …there was always more than one ending to the story or you sometimes never made it to the end of a story! We would like you to create a similar story using software.”

Some of the suggestions for software entrants can use include Scratch; Python; Makecode; and Javascript or you could simply create a game using an interactive Google Slide which utilises hyperlinks to make each choice and progress the story. Thistles also encourages entrants to get creative and tell whatever story their heart desires, provided it is appropriate for public consumption.

Learn more about the coding challenge here.

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