Scotland Today
Since devolution in 1999, Scotland has made huge strides. Our economy is growing, our young people more ambitious for themselves and we are increasingly making our mark on the world.
Scotland's Parliament and its devolved Government are shaping a nation that is ready for meeting the challenges of the 21st century and eager to grasp opportunities whenever they arise. We are a country that welcomes people from across the world, to live, work, visit and do business.
There have been many developments in Scotland. Here is a short list of some of the latest news and events.
Recent highlights
A St Andrews-based chemical laboratory has surpassed initial targets, creating more high value jobs and injecting more investment into Scotland's chemicals sector than originally anticipated.
Over 30 high value scientific jobs have been created at the Sasol Technology UK Ltd (STUK) Laboratory at St Andrews University, exceeding the original expectation of 25 posts.
www.sdi.co.uk
Goodrich to add aerospace jobs in Prestwick
Goodrich Corporation's Aerostructures division has announced that it is to create several hundred new jobs as a result of an expansion of its aircraft component maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility in Prestwick, Scotland.
www.sdi.co.uk
BSkyB to expand in Scotland
British Sky Broadcasting Group (BSkyB) operator of the UK's largest digital pay television platform and a leading broadcaster of sports, movies, entertainment and news is to create a single centre of excellence for back office functions in Livingston, creating 255 new jobs.
www.sdi.co.uk
First Data picks Glasgow for major call centre
First Data International, a global e-commerce and payments processing firm, is to open a site in Glasgow, creating 430 jobs over the next five years.
www.sdi.co.uk
Scottish Board Game
Scottish Quest is a brand-new board game based on many different aspects
of Scotland. As you race from one question to the next, from the
Highlands to the Lowlands of Scotland, discover a wealth of fascinating
facts about a land steeped in over a thousands years of unique history.
Be the first to reach the capital Edinburgh and be crowned the winner!
For more information visit www.scottishquest.com
Scotland’s workforce keeps growing
Scotland is continuing to expand employment and keep the jobless rate below the UK average. Scottish unemployment on the Labour Force Survey measure stood at 131,000 in the July-September period, down 11,000 on a year ago. The rate stands at 5 per cent. And numbers in employment are up 19,000 on a year ago at a record 2.47 million.
By contrast, figures for the UK showed a rise in unemployment of 263,000 to 1.7 million, or a jobless rate of 5.6 per cent. Across the UK as a whole, claimant count unemployment rose 1,200 on the month to 961,300.
Event highlights
As it is St Andrew’s Day, we are all celebrating! The Executive are supporting a "One Scotland Ceilidh" and city centre party in Edinburgh, supported by music artists such as Phil Cunningham and Aly Bain and Shooglenifty. In Glasgow, there is a "Ceilidh on Ice" at George Square and there will be live music and dancing in Port Street in Stirling.
Here is a list of St Andrew’s Day celebrations all around Scotland :
Alexandria Burns Club (Loch Lomond) formed in 1884 was constituted for the sole purpose of keeping alive the cult of the poet's work. Each year the Club hold a dinner on the last Friday of November to commemorate our national patron saint St Andrew and Scotland. This is a less formal function than our Annual Supper in January and allows the members and guests to enjoy an evening of good fellowship.
www.robertburns.org.uk
St Andrews Night, Aviemore – Thursday 30th Nov 2006
Venue: Dalfaber Golf and Country Club
Four course Highland Banquet with a Dram, Haggis Address and stories of The Jacobite Rebellion from the Highlander followed by Ceilidh dancing to the wee small hours.
www.visitscotland.com
National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh – 30th November at 6pm
Live music for St Andrew's Day, from rising stars Angus Lyon on accordion and Ruaridh Campbell on Scots fiddle.
Tel: 0131 624 6200 for more details.
www.natgalscot.ac.uk
St Andrew's Night Ceilidh – 1st Dec, 8.00pm
Albert Halls
Stirling
Tel: 01786 473544
£10 (£8)
St Andrew's Night Ceilidh – 25th Nov, 7.30pm (organised by Melrose Operatic Society)
Corn Exchange
Melrose
Tel: 01835 822425
£10 inc light supper
St Andrew's Day Post-Rally Gathering – 25th Nov, 7.00pm
Post-parade celebrations, with live music from West Lothian band Fiery Jack and the well-known Gaberlunzie.
Thomas Morton Hall
Edinburgh
Tel: 0131 554 1408
£10
www.standrewsdayrally.com
St Andrew's Dinner and Ceilidh – 24th Nov
New Lanark Visitor Centre
New Lanark
Tel: 01555 661345
£32.50-£65
St Andrew's Night Ceilidh,
An Tobar Island of Mull – 8pm Sun 30th November
Featuring Marc Duff (Taynuilt) and local singers and musicians.
Tickets price £4.
St Andrew's Night Celebration with The Shona Mooney Trio
The Shona Mooney Trio will play Maxton (Borders) Village Hall on Friday 1st December 2006 at 7.30pm.
Shona is the BBC Radio Scotland 'Young Traditional Musician of the year' 2006 and an ex-resident of the village. Profits from this concert will be going to the Maxton 21 Charity for 2006 "The Borders Talking Newspaper".
Tickets cost £5 and are available by calling Paul or Rosemary on 01835 823571
www.maxton.bordernet.co.uk
The Rotary Club of Fraserburgh's Premier Formal Night of the Year
Dress for the function is Formal Dress. Time 7.00pm for 7.30pm at the Leisure Centre, Fraserburgh
Ticket Price £18.50.
www.rotary-ribi.org
St Andrew's Night concert in Selkirk, 30th Nov
Tickets have gone on sale for a celebration of music, dance and song, hosted by Selkirk Pipe Band. The St Andrew's Night concert will take place in the Victoria Halls on Saturday, November 25, at 7.30pm. Compered by actor John Nichol, the show will feature the popular band, both as ensemble and smaller units, folk singers Gaelforce, Moira Mitchell's Highland Dancers and a min-band representing former world champions Shott's & Dykehead.
Tickets are available from Rodgersons newsagent in Selkirk.
Scottish Borders Export Club, 23rd Nov
A social evening enhanced by tales from that well-known Borders raconteur Iain Landells. We shall be joined at the Dryburgh Abbey Hotel by the participants in SEB's Win World Wide event. Further details will be released in due course.
www.borders-export.co.uk
In Celebration of St. Andrew’s Day
The Perth Burns Club Presents:
A Day of Scottish Culture
Saturday, November 25, 2006
A. K. Bell Library Theatre, Perth
Following the above there will be an evening Ceilidh in Dewars Centre, Glover St, Perth at 7.30pm until midnight. Saturday, November 25, 2006
Traditional Scottish entertainment. Artistes include compere Jim Imrie, singers Doris Rougvie, Brenda Warwick and Joe Aitken and our own piper Bob Hamilton, with dancing to the Perth Strathspey and Reel Society.
The toast to St Andrew proposed by Mrs Stella Cormie.
A supper of haggis, tatties and neeps is included in the ticket price.
Tickets are £10 for Day of Culture event and £10 for the evening Ceilidh. Both are available from the Library shop. Tel: 01738 477016 or Elliott Boyle Tel: 01738 643963. (or at the door for the day event)
For further details, please visit our website.
One Scotland. Many Cultures
Join in one of the One Scotland Ceilidhs around the country. All our events are FREE and everyone's welcome!
Edinburgh
For the second year running, Edinburgh is celebrating St Andrew's Day with a city centre party and ceilidh.
The Bands
Phil Cunningham & Aly Bain present:
Shooglenifty, Dochas and Moishe's Bagel plus inside The Hub, Watergaw and Maverick Angels.
The Lawnmarket is playing host to a celebration of Scotland's many cultures on a night you'll never forget:
Thursday 30th November beginning at 7pm.
Enjoy music and join in the Ceilidh both outside and inside The Hub.
Come and enjoy the fun and dancing starting at 7pm – it's free!
Where: The Lawnmarket and The Hub (Top of the Royal Mile near Edinburgh Castle)
For more information about Edinburgh's other winter festival events visit www.edinburghschristmas.com and www.edinburghshogmanay.com.
Glasgow
It's a first! For one night only, Glasgow On Ice will become Scotland's first ever Ceilidh On Ice to celebrate St Andrew's Day with One Scotland, in ice-cold style at the city's stunning George Square on Thursday 30th November. You can either skate or you can learn to Ceilidh dance to the sounds of some of Glasgow's best traditional live musicians from across the city's many different cultural communities.
The Bands
Performances will come from The Reel Thing, Last Tram to Aushenshuggle, Samba Y Bamba, Punjabi No 1, Right 2 Dance and Amy McDonald with much more to be added over the coming weeks.
The action kicks off at 7pm, with dancing and skating sessions at 7pm, 8pm and 9pm.
The event is free but ticketed.
Tickets will be available on a first come, first served basis from the rink box office in George Square on the day.
For more information about this fantastic free event visit: www.glasgow-on-ice.co.uk
Stirling
It's music and dancing in the streets for Stirling. Come down to the newly refurbished Port Street for live music and dancing from the traditional to some fabulous fusion dance featuring Lisa Dunlop and Katie Coull, Stirling Highland Dancers, Inverkeithing Step Dancers, Lornshill Academy Dancers and Ballochleam Dancers. Everyone is encouraged to join in especially with a Dashing White Sargeant along the street.
Fun for all – and get your St Andrew's day flag and face transfer.
When: from 5pm
Where: Port Street
For more information visit: www.stirling.gov.uk.
Inverness
It's a giant eagle! Inverness is celebrating with its many cultures. We're inviting all our communities to come down to Falcon Square to be filmed during the day with the flag by this amazing bronze sculpture. By the evening this will be transformed into a media extravaganza and be projected onto the Eastgate Centre.
With pipe bands, Ceilidh bands and local band, Schiehallion and much more – this is a night for everyone.
When: from dusk (around 5pm) until 10pm
Where: Eastgate Centre
For more information visit www.highland.gov.uk
Find out what Young Scots think of St Andrew's Day at www.youngscot.org.uk
What's your view?
The Executive's One Scotland anti-racism campaign has joined forces with STV to launch a competition aimed at capturing Scotland's many cultures in a photograph.
Budding amateur photographers are being invited to submit an image which they think best represents a modern, diverse Scotland. The image can be of any subject – people, places, events or objects – taken within the last six months, which offers an inspiring or thought-provoking image of One Scotland. Great prizes to be won – find out more at www.stv.tv/onescotland
St Andrew's Day activities in schools
Around the country, schools are planning a wide variety of activities. For more information please visit www.scotland.gov.uk
For more information about One Scotland visit www.onescotland.com
Read our special St Andrew's edition of Scotland Now at www.scotland-now.com
