Latest news with #GreatTapestryofScotland
Daily Record
07-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Scottish communities reclaim their spark thanks to the railway
Tucked away in the peaceful Gala Water valley, Stow might seem like a quiet rural stop, but listen closely and you'll hear the gentle buzz of conversation, the clink of coffee cups, and the laughter of locals and visitors gathered around the old stationmaster's house - now transformed into a thriving bistro at the heart of the community. Following its closure in 1969, no trains had stopped in Stow for over 40 years. But thanks to the arrival of the Borders Railway in 2015, the Scottish village's community is one of many that got its spark back. Stretching from Edinburgh to Tweedbank, it was the longest new domestic railway to be built in the UK in over 100 years - and with it came not just transport, but transformation. In Stow, the local community trust stepped up to save the 150-year-old station building, reimagining it as a welcoming hub for both locals and travellers. 'Since the successful reopening of the Borders Railway, ScotRail have supported us, helping to transform the disused, former stationmaster's house into a vibrant community asset with a bar and bistro, cycle hub and meeting spaces that welcomes local folk and visitors to our beautiful village,' explains Grace Murray from Stow Community Trust. 'The Station House enhances the overall passenger experience and supports sustainable, local enterprise.' Breathing life into towns and villages And Stow is just one example of the powerful effect rail investment can have. In 2024 alone, ScotRail helped boost Scotland's economy by more than £4billion. According to research by independent transport consultancy Steer, ScotRail passengers contributed an estimated £567.2million to the tourism, leisure, and hospitality sectors - with the railway supporting over 11,000 jobs across the country.* Travelling on Scotland's Railway is more than just a journey - it's a way to actively support businesses, charities, artists, and communities, breathing life into towns and villages. For the Borders region, the return of the railway has meant millions more people discovering its unspoiled landscapes, rich history, and hidden gems. Visitors to nearby Galashiels, for example, can marvel at the Great Tapestry of Scotland - an extraordinary celebration of national heritage, hand-stitched by more than 1,000 volunteers from across the country. What started as a temporary exhibition at Stirling Castle, the re-opening of the Borders Railway provided the opportunity of a permanent home in the old post office building in Galashiels. A masterpiece of storytelling and community pride, the museum has drawn in tourism and regenerated Galashiels, with its café and community space also acting as a vibrant community hub. Enhancing access and opportunity The reopening of the Borders Railway has also had a meaningful impact on education in Scotland by enhancing access and opportunity for students. Borders College, which has a campus in Galashiels, has reported an increased uptake of courses thanks to improved connectivity, which has also benefited students from the central belt studying at Heriot-Watt University, which has its School of Textiles and Design in Galashiels. Meanwhile, students who live in rural towns like Stow, Galashiels and Tweedbank now have direct, reliable rail links to institutions in Edinburgh, including The University of Edinburgh and Edinburgh Napier University. Fiona Hyslop MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Transport, highlighted the importance of continuing to invest in rail. 'Public ownership is allowing us to deliver on our ambition to make Scotland's railway accessible, affordable, sustainable, and to improve the public service which it now provides in connecting our people, businesses, and communities,' she explains. 'This is evidenced by the re-opening of the Levenmouth Line, and new stations at Inverness Airport, East Linton and Reston creating education, employment, and economic opportunities for residents and visitors alike.' Ambitious plans for the future With 364 stations across 2,800km of track, and more than 80 million journeys made between April 2023 and March 2024, the ScotRail network continues to grow and evolve. In 2024, the £116 million Levenmouth Rail Link reconnected Leven and Cameron Bridge to the national rail network for the first time in over 50 years - bringing with it greater access to education, jobs, and culture. And there's even more to look forward to. Ambitious plans are being explored to extend the Borders Railway beyond Tweedbank to Carlisle - a move that would bring even more towns into the fold, fuelling economic growth, tourism, and a deeper sense of connection. Joanne Maguire, Managing Director of ScotRail, sees the impact every day. 'Our stations throughout the country play such an important role for local people, providing much more than just a place they can get on and off a train,' she says. 'Stow is a perfect example of the positive impact the railway has on the economy and the opportunities for engagement with local communities.' The success of the Borders Railway and its ripple effect on communities in Scotland is another example of how your ticket goes further than you think. Find out more at * The Steer report is an independent assessment of the economic, social, and environmental impact of ScotRail's services during 2024. It uses an Economic Impact methodology based on an industry-recognised framework, applying UK-wide Transport Analysis Guidance (TAG) and Transport Scotland's Scottish Transport Analysis Guidance (STAG) methods and parameters.
Edinburgh Reporter
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Reporter
Edinburgh artist collects the next part of the Cancer Tapestry from Mexico
An Edinburgh artist who was invited to speak at a TEDx event in Mexico told them all about his mum. But then his mum was a special woman. Andrew Crummy is an artist who needs little introduction in Scotland, and Edinburgh in particular. He was born and brought up in Craigmillar, and his family story is famously told. His mother, Helen, who was the driving force behind The Craigmillar Festival, persuaded the headmaster at the local primary school to offer music lessons to the pupils. This included Andrew's brother who wanted to play violin and was achieved by organising community arts events along with the local mother's group. Helen Crummy received an MBE for her work as the organising secretary, and her son Andrew was later honoured with an MBE for his creative work. There is a statue of Mrs Crummy outside Craigmillar Library – one of the few statues of named women in the capital. TEDx In his introduction to the talk he delivered at TedX in Ajijic, Mexico, Andrew related his family's story and he held the audience in the palm of his hand. He also told them of his own work in producing tapestries – the biggest of which is the Great Tapestry of Scotland which now has its own purpose-built home in Galashiels. He explained that when he worked as a muralist and illustrator he had lived in Mexico for a time, and used his art when he returned to Scotland to create the panels about his homeland. He said that his role is only to design the tapestries, and confessed that he continues to marvel at the creativity of the stitchers who are mainly women. He said: 'I cannot emphasise enough the creativity of these women. They bring such love and attention to detail. The way they work together is truly extraordinary. When you see a large scale artwork hand stitched by thousands upon thousands of stitches and all containing personal stories it is really moving.' But the most poignant and personal tapestry he has designed is the Cancer Tapestry, which he began during his diagnosis and treatment for throat cancer. From this work, and with all the community arts knowledge which he has accumulated during his lifetime, firstly at his mother's side as she directed a festival – which by 1969 involved around 18,000 people in Craigmillar – he has encouraged the artwork to grow in other communities around the world. The Cancer tapestry is being used to tell the human story behind cancer treatment – and there is more than just the work designed by Andrew. There are more than a dozen panels in Scotland and England. The aim is to create a Cancer Tapestry that will show a 1000 stories of cancer – the human side of treatment and the compassion and care of medical teams, family and friends. The cancer tapestry is based around cells – the units that make up the human body. Andrew explained: 'Each cell contains a story of what it means to have Cancer. Each Cell is telling a unique and moving story. The aim of the tapestry is to share these stories of cancer. What does it mean to have cancer? To tell the impact cancer can have on individuals, families and communities.' Andrew agreed with his consultant, Rod Mountain, that he would tell the story of his own cancer treatment by bringing people together to create something even bigger than the Great Tapestry of Scotland. Many panels have now been created sharing the moving stories behind them, of the people who have designed and stitched them. Some of the stitchers have themselves had cancer, and some have since died. Andrew said: 'The TEDx was an amazing experience. The warmth of those involved was exceptional. The stitchers created a beautiful panel which I have now brought to Scotland. They are all so keen now to visit Scotland, and share their cancer stories. 'The Tedx talk itself was in Ajijic, Mexico which is a rather beautiful town, and I also went to another venue at Cultural Centro Breton in the Centre of Guadalajara. 'The talk itself was a sellout audience of about 300. There were eight speakers including a fellow Scot, Fraser McLean, who is originally from Edinburgh. He is an animator/teacher who now lives in Guadalajara, and it was he who recommended me for the talk.' Visit to Mexico The second YouTube link is to a film featuring Andrew meeting a group of women who have stitched the seventh panel for the Cancer tapestry which he has brought back to Scotland. Fraser McLean explained: 'The documentary involves some of the stitchers of Red Apoyo Rosa, Onco & Vita, at Centro Cultural Breton, in Guadalajara. This is the seventh completed panel for The Cancer Tapestry. This amazing panel shows that sharing stories of cancer can bring people together and tell the human side of treatment. This panel is now in Scotland, helping to share these stories. Mexican stitchers (starting at the left): Maria Yolanda Pardo Daniel, Martha Leticia Zapata Jimenez, Patricia Araceli Cano, Maria Guadalupe (Lupita) Martinez, Isabel Valencia Chavez, Sara Alicia Casillas Villegas.' Andrew said to the women he would take the panel back to Scotland and share it with the other stitchers. He told the Mexican creators: 'I have found the whole experience of coming here and seeing what you have produced very overpowering. It is very powerful seeing what you have produced. 'This is the seventh panel of the cancer tapestry and this is an amazing new panel which I will take back to Scotland and I will share with all the other stitchers who have gone through cancer treatment. They have their own stories of cancer and wanted also to produce a beautiful artwork to tell the stories of what cancer means, the human side of the story. 'I think what is so interesting is how as a group you work in a similar way to the groups in Scotland and the other tapestries I am involved with. It works the same way. It is all about friendship, coming together, caring for each other and sharing. I think it is an experience for me as a man who had to learn how this works. Out of it comes this very powerful artwork with many layers.' The women point out their own panels and tell the story of why they designed and stitched each one. (The dialogue in the video below is in their native Spanish). The first showing of the Jon Gill documentary about the Cancer Tapestry made by Andrew Crummy MBE, centre photographed with cancer specialist Rod Mountain left and Jon Gill right. PHOTO The Edinburgh Reporter PHOTO Jon Gill Filmmaker Jon Gill made a film about Andrew and the Cancer Tapestry which was premiered in Edinburgh in February last year. The film was supported by Macmillan Cancer Support and won a Mobile Motion Award in 2024. Dr Andrew Crummy, MBE, with Mexican panel for the cancer tapestry Picture Alan Simpson 14/4/2024 Dr Andrew Crummy, MBE, with Mexican panel for the cancer tapestry Picture Alan Simpson 14/4/2024 Dr Andrew Crummy, MBE, with Mexican panel for the cancer tapestry Picture Alan Simpson 14/4/2024 Dr Andrew Crummy, MBE, with Mexican panel for the cancer tapestry Picture Alan Simpson 14/4/2024 Like this: Like Related
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Scottish museum incorporated into curriculum in US schools
A SCOTTISH museum has developed ties with schools in a US state, it has emerged. The Great Tapestry of Scotland museum in Galashiels has been officially incorporated into the school curriculum in Wisconsin. This is regarded as a 'significant milestone in our international outreach' and as part of the partnership the museum will receive three visits per year from students and educators. READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon hits out at Donald Trump 'bully boy' tactics One of the Wisconsin visitors left feedback to say: 'This exhibit was the best visual representation of Scotland that I have seen since my arrival. It allowed me to understand Scottish history better than any book or documentary.' The link-up was welcomed by Councillor Euan Jardine, the leader of Scottish Borders Council, at a meeting of the External Services/Providers Monitoring Group. Jardine, Scottish Conservatives councillor for Galashiels & District, said: 'I think the Wisconsin link is great news and it's the first I've heard of it and I just wonder if there is anyway we could tie into Wisconsin on a sporting theme. 'Wisconsin is the home of the Green Bay Packers football team. Is that something we could be bringing into the schools?' In response, Graham McMurdo, strategic programme manager at Live Borders said: 'Yes, if that link is there well why not maximise the benefit of that.'
