Latest news with #WallaceHighSchool
The Courier
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Courier
10 famous faces you didn't know were educated in Stirling
Stirling and its surrounding area has produced many celebrities over the years. From TV stars to sporting legends, plenty of famous faces went to school locally. While tennis pros Andy and Jamie Murray are among the most celebrated names, others are less synonymous with the area. Here are 10 well-known figures who you may not have known studied in the Stirling Council area. All Quiet on the Western Front claimed four Oscars in 2023. But did you know its screenwriter and producer, Lesley Paterson, is from Stirling? The triathlon world champion used her race winnings to retain the rights to the film. Lesley credits Allan's Primary for developing her passion for writing. And it was while attending Stirling High School that she first read the original book by Erich Maria Remarque. Influencer and Love Island star Laura Anderson is also an alumnus of Stirling High School. The former flight attendant from Cambusbarron was crowned runner-up on the fourth series of Love Island in 2018. She has also appeared on Celebrity Karaoke Club and reality show Celebs Go Dating. Laura has 1.5 million followers on Instagram and almost 40,000 on TikTok. Finn Russell is a big name in Scottish rugby. The Bridge of Allan native has 87 caps and currently plays for Premiership club Bath. After leaving Wallace High School, he worked as a stonemason before becoming a full-time rugby player. But it was during his secondary education that he discovered his love for the sport. Having starred in Bad Girls, Wire In The Blood, EastEnders and Downton Abbey, Simone Lahbib is a household name. The Scottish actress is a former pupil of St Modan's High School. She then went to ballet school and later studied drama at Queen Margaret College in Edinburgh. Olympian Ross Murdoch is well known in the swimming world. The six-time Commonwealth Games medallist was part of the University of Stirling's high-performance swim programme and graduated with a MSc in sport Management in 2022. But before finding aquatic fame, he attended Balfron High School. Nick Nairn hasn't strayed too far from home with his restaurant ventures. The Trossachs TV chef runs Nick's at Port of Menteith and his Bridge of Allan eatery closed last year. In 1991, he became the youngest Scottish chef to win a Michelin star and appeared on The Great Food Guys with Dougie Vipond. He attended McLaren High School in Callander, as well as Port of Menteith Primary. Finn Russell isn't the only rugby legend to come out of Wallace High School. Kenny Logan's international career saw him win 70 caps for his country, 220 points and compete in both the Five Nations and the 2003 Rugby World Cup. He is currently dedicated to fundraising for motor neurone disease (MND) in honour of former teammate Doddie Weir. Globally known musician and CHVRCHES star Lauren Mayberry grew up in Thornhill, near Stirling. The former journalist, whose band is known for hit single The Mother We Share, has played at top festivals, including Coachella and Glastonbury. Lauren went to Beaconhurst School – now Fairview International School – in Bridge of Allan before studying at Strathclyde University. Basketball ace Kieron Achara was part of Team GB at the London 2012 Olympics and has played at the Commonwealth Games. He got his start at Falkirk Fury, played for Duquesne College in the United States and retired in 2019 after more than a decade with the Glasgow Rocks. The former Stirling High School pupil is on the board of directors for the 2026 Commonwealth Games. Since leaving Wallace High School, actress Mirren Mack has gone on to star in some big shows. These includes Netflix's Sex Education and The Witcher: Blood Origin, as well as BBC's The Nest and Miss Austen. The Stirling star went to Holy Trinity Primary School and Riverside Primary, as well as the Dance School of Scotland in Glasgow and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.
The Courier
29-04-2025
- The Courier
Watch: Drone footage shows how Stirling's £11m active travel network looks so far
Stirling's active travel network was officially launched last week, with a ceremonial ribbon-cutting at Wallace High School. In total, £11 million will be invested in creating new paths for cyclists and pedestrians, linking areas of the city and its surroundings as part of the Walk, Cycle, Live Stirling project. The aim is to encourage more locals to travel by bike or on foot, instead of taking the car. Several sections of the active travel network are already complete, linking Forth Valley College's Drip Road campus to the city centre, and Stirling railway station to Stirling University campus. In honour of the launch, Stirling Council and Sustrans Scotland have released breathtaking drone footage, showing the finished active travel routes from the sky. You can watch the video at the top of this article. Opening with a stunning shot of Stirling Castle and the King's Knot, the footage follows one of the finished sections of cycle path along Dumbarton Road and onto Albert Place. Next, the active travel route outside Stirling station is shown, including bike crossings where Goosecroft Road meets Shore Road. The drone camera pulls back as a cyclist pedals along the Causewayhead path, and the video ends with a sprawling view of the area, featuring the River Forth and the Wallace Monument. Public consultations are currently open for future phases of Walk, Cycle, Live Stirling in the north of the city. Stirling Council is currently seeking local views on proposed routes connecting Causewayhead to Bridge of Allan, Bridge of Allan to Dunblane, and Manor Powis roundabout to Causewayhead. The suggested plan for linking Dunblane and Bridge of Allan has prompted concern from locals. Some residents feel the B8033 road is too busy to become a single carriageway, as proposed, and argue the change would be dangerous. Others say there are better nearby routes to develop into a path for bikes and walkers. Stirling's active travel project is funded by several bodies. The majority of the investment comes from Sustrans Scotland, on behalf of Transport Scotland and via Places for Everyone. The rest is provided by the Stirling and Clackmannanshire City Region Deal, with a smaller portion from Stirling Council's developer contributions allocation.
The Courier
25-04-2025
- Politics
- The Courier
Local input 'crucial to getting Stirling cycle paths right', says deputy council leader
Stirling Council must take on board the views of residents when it comes to the city's new cycle and walking paths, according to its deputy leader. Jen Preston told The Courier the ongoing public consultation for the next phase of Stirling's active travel network was 'crucial to getting it right'. The Labour Stirling West councillor said she keen to hear more ideas from locals and cyclists. Ms Preston was speaking on Thursday (April 24) at the official launch of the active travel path that runs from Stirling railway station, through Causewayhead Road, to the University of Stirling. The walking and cycling path is part of the £11 million Walk, Cycle, Live Stirling project. Ms Preston's comments come after responses to a recently launched online consultation highlighted local concern over the proposed Bridge of Allan to Dunblane cycle and walking path – the next phase of the project. Some residents feel the B8033 road between Keir Roundabout and the Dunblane Centre roundabout is too busy to be a single carriageway, and argue the change would be dangerous. Others say there are better nearby routes to develop into a path for bikes and pedestrians. Ms Preston told The Courier the existing active travel route is already well used, adding: 'I speak to a lot of the regular Stirling cyclists who use it often and they are really enjoying it. 'That says to me we are getting something right.' Cabinet Secretary for Transport Fiona Hyslop also attended Thursday's ceremony at Wallace High School to cut the ribbon and mark the official opening of the active travel route. She said: 'Now that we have this fantastic facility, I hope more and more people will use it. 'Stirling should be very proud. 'Stirling has been a real leader with what it has done addressing climate change and the cycle path infrastructure.' Three Wallace High School pupils present at the launch event said they thought the cycle and walking path offered several benefits. Nora, Parth and Hayden, all in S3, said they felt safer riding their bikes on the path compared to the road. Parth added that he felt much happier cycling 'away from the bad drivers'. They all also said cycling to school is now more fun and social. Hayden said: 'One of my friends, at least one day a week, will come and cycle to school with me.' The Walk, Cycle, Live Stirling project is funded by several bodies. The majority of the investment comes from Sustrans Scotland, on behalf of Transport Scotland and via Places for Everyone. The rest is provided by the Stirling and Clackmannanshire City Region Deal, with a smaller portion from Stirling Council's developer contributions allocation. The project is part of the council's Climate and Nature Emergency Plan, which hopes to make the area carbon neutral by 2035.
