Latest news with #BlackIsleShow
The National
4 days ago
- Politics
- The National
Kate Forbes has perfect response to Scottish Tories' membership offer
'OH, no.' That is a perfectly normal response to being approached by Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay – and it is exactly the response which outgoing Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes had. The SNP MSP was minding her own business at the Black Isle Show, when Findlay decided to try and get a political jibe in. At the Black Isle show trying to recruit some new Tory members 😉🤣 — Russell Findlay MSP (@RussellFindlay1) August 8, 2025 'Ah, the former SNP politician. How are you?' Findlay said, with the camera rolling – of which Forbes was apparently unaware (just as he was apparently unaware that she is still at the very top of the SNP Government). 'A has-been', Forbes quipped in response. 'She was the future once.' The reference is to Scottish Labour's Jackie Baillie, who issued that quote after news broke of Forbes's decision to quit Holyrood in 2026. Baillie, of course, was never the future even once – but that's for another day. Back at the Black Isle, Findlay was whipping out a letter to 'formally offer' Forbes the opportunity to join the Scottish Conservatives – which is about comparable to a formal offer to hop on board the Titanic four days after it set sail. Findlay says: 'If it wasn't for your bizarre belief in breaking up the UK, you are a conservative, right?' The accusation has been levelled at Forbes before – as it has for many 'Tartan Tories' in the SNP. She seems to acknowledge as much, replying: 'You're not the first person to offer it.' But the Scottish Conservatives aren't really conservatives anymore. More a doomed Nigel Farage-tribute act. Findlay nevertheless asked if that was a 'maybe'. Who's to blame him for trying to boost the Tories' numbers? They are dwindling by the day, after all. But Forbes – after clocking the camera – had the response you'd expect: "So funny. You've got a definite not.' That's the only sane answer. After all, even dyed-in-the-wool Scottish Conservatives are jumping ship. They see the iceberg coming.
Daily Record
29-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
Mum of seriously ill schoolgirl in plea for life-saving stem cell donor
Josie Davidson, six, from Alness, has been told she will need a stem cell transplant from a stranger in order to give her the best possible chance at life. The mum of a seriously ill Scots schoolgirl has made a public plea for stem cell donors to come forward so her daughter can have a second chance at life. Josie Davidson, six, alongside her sister Adeline, eight, have both been diagnosed with the rare and life-threatening condition Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome. The condition is a rare genetic disorder that poses serious health challenges, including bone marrow failure. Both girls, from Alness in Ross and Cromarty, were told they'd need a stem cell transplant from a stranger in order to give them the best possible chance of survival. While Adeline has already received a life-saving stem cell transplant, Josie is still waiting for her perfect match. Speaking of her daughters' double diagnoses, the girls' mum, Steph, said: "Our eldest daughter, Adeline, was diagnosed in February 2019, and it was a huge shock. "At that time, I was also six months pregnant with twins. "It took almost two years for Adeline to have her life-saving transplant, and at times, we thought it was never going to happen. "We thought it was over until a new person popped up on the register as a match for Addie - that person gave her a new life. "In that long wait, of course, the twins were born. At around six months old, I had a strong feeling that Josie had the same condition. I just thought, 'We have to go through it all again.' "At the moment, there is no match for Josie on the register, so we're still searching. Because she is so fragile and her condition is so rare, it is so important that we find a perfect match for her. "It's a waiting game really – we either wait for that perfect match or we need to wait until she gets poorly, which we don't want, so the more people on the register, the more likely it is that she'll get her second chance too.' Josie's illness currently requires weekly appointments with many different medical professionals. A perfect stem cell match could, however, give her the chance to enjoy a carefree childhood with her twin brother, Jude, and older sister. Steph continued: 'Josie is a sweet, loving little girl, strong-willed but a free spirit. She loves dressing up, playing games, and doing crafts and activities - the messier, the better for Josie! 'She adores her big sister, and they sing and dance together daily. She doesn't let her condition stop her. She just loves life and people.' The family is working closely with blood cancer charity, DKMS, to encourage more people to join the stem cell register. To help find Josie's match, DKMS will be at the Bridge of Allan Games on August 3 and the Black Isle Show on August 7 to encourage members of the public to join the stem cell register. The process is quick, simple, and could give Josie - and others like her - a second chance at life. Chris Bain, a stem cell donor from Aberdeenshire and who now leads the Scotland volunteer hub for DKMS, said: "For patients like Josie, stem cell donors offer a crucial second chance. "The fact that her sister is now doing so well shows the life-changing impact of the stem cell donor register, and having been through this process from the donor side, I know just how easy it is. "Only a third of patients find a match in their family, so joining the register means that you could give someone more time with the people they love, and potentially save a life. "We'll be at the Bridge of Allan Games and the Black Isle Show signing people up to the register, so come say hello and get signed up! It just takes a few minutes – we'll be there to answer any questions that you have'.
Scotsman
03-07-2025
- Automotive
- Scotsman
Highland roads: Major A9 bridge near Dingwall on North Coast 500 route hit by 20 weeks of overnight works
The bridge is a key part of the North Coast 500 route. | Google Motorists face 20 weeks of speed restrictions. Sign up for the latest news and analysis about Scottish transport Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... A key A9 bridge on the North Coast 500 route will face 20 weeks of construction work, starting this month. Overnight maintenance work will be carried out on both lanes of the road over Cromarty Bridge, near Dingwall, from Monday, July 21. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A 30 mph speed restriction is being put in place 24 hours a day while work is ongoing. Temporary traffic lights will be on the bridge at night from 7pm until 6am on weekdays, and 24 hours a day on Saturdays and Sundays. The footpath will remain open at all times. Bear Scotland, the company carrying out the works, said large-scale events including the Black Isle Show and the Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival have been factored into the planning, with daytime temporary traffic lights being removed during these times. It says signals will also be manually controlled at peak times to minimise disruption for drivers. The total cost of the work is estimated at £2.9 million. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The bridge is a key part of the North Coast 500 route. | Google Euan Scott, Bear Scotland's North West Representative, said: 'This refurbishment is an important investment in this major structure by Transport Scotland which will help ensure the long-term integrity of the bridge. 'Learnings from previous works on Cromarty Bridge have been built into the planning for these improvements and have been designed to minimise traffic disruption. 'We are committed to completing this essential maintenance as quickly and safely as possible. We thank all road users and the local community for their patience in advance. Please plan ahead by checking the Traffic Scotland website for up-to-date journey information and leave some extra time to complete journeys.' Scottish Water have postponed plans to close the A862 from Ardullie roundabout to Dingwall for a water main upgrade during the same period. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The proposed works, lasting 13 weeks, had sparked concern in the local community about the impact on drivers. A spokesperson for Scottish Water said: 'We recently we attended a meeting organised by Kiltearn Community Council, and listened to the concerns that residents and local businesses had, both about the work to renew the local water network and its timing. 'As a result of this, we are proposing to defer the work that is needed until Spring 2026. This will give our team opportunity to look again at the options to minimise and mitigate disruption; and to engage further with roads authorities, Network Rail and local communities.
Scotsman
03-07-2025
- Automotive
- Scotsman
Highland roads: Major A9 bridge near Dingwall on North Coast 500 route hit by 20 weeks of overnight works
The bridge is a key part of the North Coast 500 route. | Google Motorists face 20 weeks of speed restrictions. Sign up for the latest news and analysis about Scottish transport Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... A key A9 bridge on the North Coast 500 route will face 20 weeks of construction work, starting this month. Overnight maintenance work will be carried out on both lanes of the road over Cromarty Bridge, near Dingwall, from Monday, July 21. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A 30 mph speed restriction is being put in place 24 hours a day while work is ongoing. Temporary traffic lights will be on the bridge at night from 7pm until 6am on weekdays, and 24 hours a day on Saturdays and Sundays. The footpath will remain open at all times. Bear Scotland, the company carrying out the works, said large-scale events including the Black Isle Show and the Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival have been factored into the planning, with daytime temporary traffic lights being removed during these times. It says signals will also be manually controlled at peak times to minimise disruption for drivers. The total cost of the work is estimated at £2.9 million. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The bridge is a key part of the North Coast 500 route. | Google Euan Scott, Bear Scotland's North West Representative, said: 'This refurbishment is an important investment in this major structure by Transport Scotland which will help ensure the long-term integrity of the bridge. 'Learnings from previous works on Cromarty Bridge have been built into the planning for these improvements and have been designed to minimise traffic disruption. 'We are committed to completing this essential maintenance as quickly and safely as possible. We thank all road users and the local community for their patience in advance. Please plan ahead by checking the Traffic Scotland website for up-to-date journey information and leave some extra time to complete journeys.' Scottish Water have postponed plans to close the A862 from Ardullie roundabout to Dingwall for a water main upgrade during the same period. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The proposed works, lasting 13 weeks, had sparked concern in the local community about the impact on drivers. A spokesperson for Scottish Water said: 'We recently we attended a meeting organised by Kiltearn Community Council, and listened to the concerns that residents and local businesses had, both about the work to renew the local water network and its timing. 'As a result of this, we are proposing to defer the work that is needed until Spring 2026. This will give our team opportunity to look again at the options to minimise and mitigate disruption; and to engage further with roads authorities, Network Rail and local communities.
