Dayna Bass

In partnership with Creative Scotland, Chamber Music Scotland has announced the recipients of the Classical EDI (Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion) Development Fund for 2024/25. The fund supports innovative projects aimed at promoting greater inclusivity within Scotland’s classical music sector, providing artists and organizations the resources to expand diversity, equality, and opportunity within their practices. This year, four exceptional projects have been selected to receive funding, each focusing on addressing underrepresentation and creating new pathways for diverse voices in the arts. The initiatives, led by Scotland-based musicians, will highlight a range of topics including music mentorship, cultural narratives, and accessibility in…

Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) has made a significant step towards the UK’s net zero ambitions with its announcement of three large-scale battery energy storage system (BESS) projects in Scotland. The three projects, which together will provide 1.5GW/3GWh of storage capacity, are poised to play a crucial role in supporting the UK’s clean energy transition, helping to reduce energy costs and bolster energy security. A Major Investment in Energy Storage The projects—Coalburn 1, Coalburn 2, and Devilla BESS—represent the largest BESS investments in Europe. Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners reached final investment decisions (FID) on Coalburn 2 and Devilla BESS last week, following…

Scotland’s breathtaking landscapes are about to be seen from a unique perspective with the opening of a new exhibition this week at Fort George. Celebrating Scotland’s Landscapes will feature stunning aerial images from the National Collection of Aerial Photography (NCAP), offering an innovative way to explore the nation’s rich history and natural beauty. A Glimpse from Above: Scotland’s Landscapes Revealed This new exhibition invites visitors to view Scotland from a bird’s eye view, showcasing everything from ancient settlements to modern-day ruins. It’s an opportunity to see how the land has been shaped by human activity over the centuries, as well…

Lloyds Banking Group has announced a major shake-up in its banking network, allowing customers of Lloyds, Halifax, and Bank of Scotland to access any of the branches within the group for in-person services. This decision, set to be implemented later in 2025, aims to provide customers with greater flexibility and convenience, though it has raised concerns over the potential for further closures of high-street branches. A New Approach to Customer Flexibility From later this year, customers of all three brands under the Lloyds Banking Group umbrella will be able to visit any of the branches for face-to-face banking services. This…

Cycleway improvements are coming to the A830 in Fort William as part of ongoing efforts to enhance transportation options for pedestrians, cyclists, and other users. The project, led by BEAR Scotland for Transport Scotland, is set to make significant changes along the stretch from the A82/A830 Road to the Isles Roundabout to the Banavie Swing Bridge. Resurfacing Delayed Due to Weather The planned resurfacing of the A830, initially scheduled to start earlier, has been delayed due to the impact of recent cold weather. The new start date for the resurfacing works is Tuesday, January 14, 2025. These improvements form part…

Lloyds Banking Group has revealed a new initiative allowing customers of Lloyds, Halifax, and Bank of Scotland to access services at any branch of the three brands. The move aims to provide greater flexibility to customers, but has sparked concerns about potential future branch closures, especially as the trend toward online banking continues. New Network Shake-Up to Provide More Options for Customers As part of an ongoing restructuring effort, Lloyds Banking Group has announced that customers will soon be able to visit branches of any of the three banks—Lloyds, Halifax, or Bank of Scotland—offering them more choice when accessing in-person…

NHS Scotland is facing unprecedented strain this winter, with flu cases soaring and putting immense pressure on emergency services. Health Secretary Neil Gray acknowledged that the rising number of influenza A virus cases has created "very high levels of winter pressure" on the healthcare system. A&E Waiting Times Show Strain Public Health Scotland's recent data paints a worrying picture of NHS performance. The figures for the final week of 2024 reveal that just 58.4% of patients visiting Accident & Emergency (A&E) were seen and either admitted, transferred, or discharged within the government’s target time of four hours. While this represents…

Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla has embarked on a crucial official visit to the United Kingdom (UK), Scotland, and Guernsey from January 7 to 11, 2025. The visit is focused on strengthening parliamentary cooperation and fostering deeper connections with the Indian diaspora. High-Level Meetings in the UK Shri Birla’s visit to the UK, which spans from January 7 to 9, 2025, is being conducted at the invitation of Rt. Hon. Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the House of Commons. His agenda includes several key engagements aimed at enhancing India-UK parliamentary ties. The Speaker is scheduled to meet with the…

As Scotland faces an impending hike in National Insurance contributions, 48 prominent organisations have signed an open letter demanding greater clarity from the UK Government on the financial burden this will place on employers and public services. Concern Over Financial Impact on Public Services Among the signatories of the letter are well-known bodies such as Homes for Scotland, the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC), Skills Development Scotland, the British Dental Association, and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. These organisations have come together to voice concerns about the upcoming increase in employer National Insurance contributions, which could lead to significant…

In a pointed attack on the Scottish National Party (SNP), Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has accused the Scottish government of “weakening every institution in Scotland.” Sarwar, speaking to Labour activists at Glasgow University, laid out his party’s plan to revive Labour’s flagging fortunes ahead of the Holyrood elections in May 2025. Accusations Against SNP Leadership Sarwar’s speech marked a fresh chapter in the Labour leader's ongoing efforts to challenge the dominance of the SNP, which has been in power at Holyrood for 17 years. He criticized the party’s failure to address significant issues facing Scotland, such as healthcare delays,…