Paisley Visitor Attractions Archives

Renfrewshire Council’s spring and summer events programme will be going online over the coming months.

The popular Paisley Food and Drink Festival will take a different shape for 2021 – with an online programme across 10 days in April.

The Festival will showcase the rich diversity of Renfrewshire’s food and drink offer along with interactive culinary experiences, including cooking demonstrations and workshops, ways to grow your own food and much more.

More details about the programme for this year’s Paisley Food and Drink Festival will be unveiled in the coming weeks.

Following the success of last year’s event, Paisley’s annual Sma’ Shot Day celebrations will once again be marked with a programme of online events to commemorate the historic victory of local weavers.

This year’s online event will take place on Saturday 3 July – the time when the weavers and their families would traditionally take their holidays.

The move to take the events online for 2021 is in response to the current COVID-19 pandemic, to ensure celebrations can still take place in adherence with national guidance.

The British Pipe Band Championships, which were due to be staged in Paisley in May, will no longer take place.

Louisa Mahon, Head of Marketing, Communications and Events at Renfrewshire Council, said: “The Paisley Food and Drink Festival is always one of the highlights of our annual events calendar – and this year’s online programme will provide a fantastic opportunity to shine a spotlight on the exceptional food and drink offer we have across Renfrewshire.

“We look forward to telling you more about the festival programme and how people can get involved very soon.

“Sma’ Shot Day represents an important part of Paisley’s heritage and we were delighted with the warm reception last year’s online celebrations received from local people, as well as those from further afield who wouldn’t normally be able to take part in the day’s events.

“This year’s online event will look to carry on these traditions and feeling of community spirit, while offering opportunities for everyone to get involved in celebrating this great day.

“Due to the current restrictions on major events, it’s a great shame that we will be unable to host the British Pipe Band Championships in Paisley this May. The Championships is a fantastic event which draws competitors and spectators from over the UK and across the world and it’s just not possible to stage such an event right now.

“We’ve thoroughly enjoyed partnering with the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association since 2016 and it’s disappointing that the last two years of our partnership – 2020 and 2021 – have coincided with the pandemic.

“We wish the Association, and everyone in the piping world, the very best in successfully resuming competition when it’s safe to do so – and we will continue our dialogue with the Association, actively seeking alternative events and activities to partner on in the future.

“Decisions on the remainder of our 2021 events programme will be made throughout the year, in line with national guidance and public health advice. We will continue to work with events sector and other local authority partners to ensure that we can deliver a safe, accessible, and inclusive programme when physical events are permitted again.”

Renfrewshire Council advises everyone to stay safe and continue to follow the national guidance on coronavirus set out by the Scottish Government.

For the latest local updates, visit our ‘Information, help and guidance on coronavirus (COVID-19)’ webpage: http://www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/coronavirus.

26/02/2021/by Brian McGuire

Artist’s rendering of the Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre in Renfrewshire, UK

CPI has today announced an agreement with Pfizer, making it the newest partner of the Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre collaboration. The partnership will enable the Centre to draw upon Pfizer’s expertise within the pharmaceutical sector to help address key challenges and maximise efficiency within the medicines supply chain.

The Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre is a collaboration between CPI, the University of Strathclyde and founding industry partners GSK and AstraZeneca, with funding provided by Scottish Enterprise and UK Research and Innovation. The Centre aims to advance emergent and disruptive technologies through a series of flagship ‘Grand Challenge’ projects to increase productivity and patient outcomes in the pharmaceutical industry.

The new partnership with Pfizer will focus on Grand Challenge 1, which aims to develop an innovative continuous direct compression (CDC) platform enabling oral solid dosage medicines to be formulated more robustly and efficiently. The CDC platform will feature a digital twin and data predictor model to allow for the modelling of processes in a digital space. This capability will improve efficiency and significantly cut down the quantity of starting materials needed to optimise formulations with the aim of enabling companies to ultimately develop formulations faster and at reduced cost.

As a partner in the Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre collaboration, Pfizer will be providing data, expert skill and knowledge of continuous mixing technology. Pfizer’s contributions to Grand Challenge 1 will aim to minimise costs and significantly reduce risk by providing vital technical expertise for further development of the digital twin and data predictor model for the CDC platform.

Dave Tudor, Managing Director at the Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre, said: “We are extremely proud to be working with Pfizer and look forward to drawing on its wealth of expertise in the pharmaceutical industry. This partnership will help to further develop the CDC platform as part of Grand Challenge 1, leading to reduced materials requirements and lower costs for the end-user.”

Brian Henry, Vice President, Drug Product Design, at Pfizer, said: “We are excited to begin our partnership with the Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre to support the delivery of Grand Challenge 1. Through the support of Pfizer’s Emerging Science Fund, we believe we can utilise our collective knowledge to build predictive models for continuous tablet manufacturing, with the goal of enhancing our ability to accelerate the drug development process and help deliver breakthroughs that change patients’ lives.”

25/02/2021/by Brian McGuire

Blog, Events, Ferguslie, Newsletter, Paisley, Paisley Events, Paisley Photographs, Paisley Visitor Attractions, People from Paisley, Press Release, Renfrewshire, renfrewshire events

Renfrewshire’s ‘Darkwood Crew’ join marine litter fight along the River Clyde

Local volunteer group the Darkwood Crew have become one of 18 anchor groups in Scotland who support Keep Scotland Beautiful’s Upstream Battle campaign.

The campaign aims to prevent litter from entering the River Clyde and each group undertakes a key role by carrying out regular litter surveys and litter picks along the River Clyde or one of its tributaries.

Terry McTernan, Darkwood Crew

This data is used by Keep Scotland Beautiful to provide a picture of the litter problem along the Clyde Valley to give an understanding of how litter ends up in our waterways and informing future solutions.

The Darkwood Crew are the latest addition to the campaign alongside Brighter Bothwell in South Lanarkshire, Queens Cross Housing Association in Glasgow and 86^th Boys Brigade in East Renfrewshire.

Terry McTernan, Darkwood Crew, said: “Our volunteers are really excited to return to our core purpose of getting outdoors and improving our local environment. We truly believe that a greener more sustainable world begins with greener more sustainable communities.”

As keen supporters of Renfrewshire’s Team Up to Clean Up campaign, the group regularly litter pick around their local area of Ferguslie in Paisley.

Darkwood Crew

Councillor Cathy McEwan, Convener of Renfrewshire Council’s Infrastructure, Land and Environment Policy Board, said: “Litter can be so damaging to our waterways and the local environment, so it is fantastic that the Darkwood Crew are carrying out this much-needed role as part of the Upstream Battle campaign.

“They’re an inspiring group of volunteers and are doing Renfrewshire proud. I’m looking forward to see the results of their work and the solutions it helps bring forward to make our waterways cleaner and safer in the future.”

The groups will receive advice and support from Keep Scotland Beautiful along with access to a bespoke version of the charity’s innovative climate emergency training.

Heather McLaughlin, Campaigns Officer at Keep Scotland Beautiful, commented: “We would like to thank the four new Anchor Groups for joining our battle against marine litter in the Clyde Valley. Their support and work allow us to develop a unique picture of the potential for litter to enter the River Clyde.

“Our recent report, Time for a new Approach to Tackling Litter, shows that we are heading towards a litter emergency, so the information our Anchor Groups provide for the River Clyde will ultimately allow us to better understand littering trends and behaviour, and how to tackle them.”

The addition of four new Anchor Groups to the Upstream Battle campaign has been made possible thanks to funding from Crown Estate Scotland.

Campbell Gerrard, Senior Policy Manager at Crown Estate Scotland, said: “Litter poses a real threat to marine wildlife, their habitats and to people’s enjoyment of the areas where they live and work. That’s why it’s great to have four new anchor groups involved in the campaign, helping prevent rubbish entering our seas and improving the health of the River Clyde and its catchment.”

More information about each of the four new Anchor Groups, as well as the existing 15, can be found at www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/upstream-battle/citizen-science/anchor-groups

16/02/2021/by Brian McGuire

THE work of creative writers is being displayed in a very unusual place – a five-and-a-half metre high billboard outside a railway station.

The unique outdoor visual arts project will be seen by people passing Paisley’s Gilmour Street Station and is part of Renfrewshire Leisure’s Out of Place programme that also features online gigs, film, audio performances and creative workshops.

The specially-commissioned work from Renfrewshire writers for the Talk of the Town project will be individually on display from February 22 to April 6.

The first piece to be featured on the billboard is a poem by Roddy Scott, called Sma’ Shot Reel, which talks about celebrating the end of coronavirus lockdown restrictions.

The second is a piece by David Rae, whose words draw on the romance of meeting and parting at the station. And the third in the series is from Kick The Door theatre production company’s, Fraser Scott and Iona Ramsay, whose poem is called Paisley Before, Now and Next: Radicals an’ Revolutionaries.

Renfrewshire Leisure’s Visual Arts Projects Producer, Kate Drummond came up with the billboard idea. She explains:

“I thought it would be interesting to use the billboard for something that’s not advertising, or selling to people, as that’s what you would normally see on that space.

“It’s a different way of communicating something in the written word, which is a nice positive message. People wouldn’t normally expect to see something like this on a billboard, so hopefully it will be very noticeable.”

Roddy Scott said: “The idea of my piece of writing on the billboard was to try to get people in the town feel uplifted and to raise their spirits.

“It’s an amazing idea to have creative writing on a billboard. When I heard my piece was chosen I was blown away.”

Fraser Scott said: “Our piece is a short poem that recounts the historic moments in Paisley’s past that made it what it is today. In its final words, the poem will ask, with all that behind us, what next?

“We really hope our writing will spark excitement about the town and what could be next with those who read it. Our hope is to capture a feeling of pride about Paisley and it is our hope that the people who read it will share in that pride.

David Rae said: “I’m very excited by this project as I love Paisley and the town is great inspiration for me.

“I’ve never had my words on a billboard before and I’m fascinated by the thought of my words being used in this way.

“I hope my piece will bring a smile to faces and a few memories to those that pass by. And a reminder that a bag of chips makes everything better!”

Go to www.renfrewshireleisure.com/out-of-place-spring-programme for the full Out of Place programme.

The Out of Place events are made possible with the support of Future Paisley – a radical and wide-ranging programme of events, activity and investment using the town’s unique and internationally-significant cultural stories to transform its future.

16/02/2021/by Brian McGuire

Blog, economy, Newsletter, Paisley, Paisley Events, Paisley First, Paisley Visitor Attractions, People from Paisley, Press Release, Renfrewshire, renfrewshire events

Show our Paisley town centre business some love this Valentine’s!

It’s February at last and love is in the air as we get ready for Valentine’s Day!

Many of Paisley’s town centre businesses are still open or operating, making sure Valentine’s Day can still be celebrated during lockdown.

We’re highlighting those special Valentine’s Day offers or services on our social media channels and we also have a full list on our website here https://bit.ly/3oyOKtI

From gifts and cards, jewellery to flowers, food retailers to perfume and beauty gift sets, plus afternoon teas and dinner for two at home, we have everything you need to show your loved ones just how much you care!

Or how about ordering a gift voucher from one of our amazing health, hair and beauty businesses – allowing you to support a local business during these tough times and give your loved one a treat to look forward to!

Let’s show our Paisley town centre businesses some love!

Love Local, Love Paisley this Valentine’s

05/02/2021/by Brian McGuire

Outspoken Arts Scotland announces the first in a series of FREE creative learning workshops in the visual arts. These online workshops are aimed at young people, school leavers and those not in employment, further education or training.

This first series of workshops explore drawing, film making, sculpture from found and recyclable materials, and clay.

Full details of the programme can be found at this link http://outspokenarts.org/workshops/

[ pictured below left to right: Sara Sonas, Katie McGroarty & Amanda Lightbody ]

Joining us Online

These workshops will take place online via Zoom. Participants must register their personal details, or that of a parent or guardian. We need your year of birth and also a postal address for surveying purposes and for you to receive any FREE materials pack if required in the workshops. We will issue Online Safety guidance to participants on how to manage their participation, what conduct is expected, and how we will moderate the sessions. The lead artists will host the sessions along with our Creative Learning officer, who is registered with Disclosure Scotland. Participants will be screened in a waiting room prior to start of workshop to ensure safety and compliance.

Outspoken Arts Scotland will manage your data safely and not share this with anyone outside of our organisation for any purpose. We observe and adhere to the General Data Protection Act of 2018.

If you have any questions please contact our team.

Outspoken Arts Scotland Ltd
outspokenteam@outspokenarts.org
outspokenarts.org
Tel 0776 272 2460
Find us on Facebook, Twitter
& Instagram @outspokenartsSC

A Scottish Charity SC023620
A Co. Ltd by Guarantee SC157153
VAT Reg 797 3863 59

This workshop programme is supported by
Creative Scotland | Glasgow City Council | Renfrewshire Council | LGBT+Consortium | William Syson Foundation

WORKSHOP TIMETABLE
Tue 16 Feb, 5-7pm Katie McGroarty – Drawing Workshop
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYpcOGrqDMsG9AXiaa5D-0N5MUdtJlYqtsY

Wed 17 Feb, 5-7pm Katie McGroarty – Drawing Workshop
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIsdu6tpzoqHtQM-375dum2nC6V2KVvHux0

Thu 18 Feb, 11am-1pm Sara Sonas – Reuse Art Workshop
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAufu6rpjwvH9crO41EopE1nwCDKjf0Usxk

Thu 18 Feb, 3pm-5pm Sara Sonas – Clay Workshop
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZItc-Ctrz0rHtf9JepWPuSh9FOjzLxOd590

Fri 19 Feb, 10am-12noon Amanda Lightbody – Photography Workshop – Part 1
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZElf-mqrzstG9UeCdHaRgjf3znHnEn8dLFa

Fri 19 Feb, 12noon-2pm Giacinta Frisillo – Film Workshop
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwpduyhrTwsH90QdUH1w0zbpmyyTXjfBLMM

Fri 19 Feb, 2pm-4pm Amanda Lightbody – Photography Workshop – Part 1
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0ld–vqTkvEtHt_K-yKYwxyx91o0OmmHoN

Sat 20 Feb, 10am-12noon Amanda Lightbody – Photography Workshop – Part 1
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZModO6grzMuHNeUB1IPJPs6pOWuZ3z6q896

Sat 20 Feb, 12noon-2pm Giacinta Frisillo – Film Workshop
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUtdeugrDMuHtU_YnY5QppQLrXQGUarTQ92

Sat 20 Feb, 2pm-4pm Amanda Lightbody – Photography Workshop – Part 1
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcscu2vrTItHdMIniDh23V8CFQyDm7tFFWh

Mon 22 Feb, 11am-1pm Sara Sonas – Reuse Art Workshop
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYsf-2urDkuGNV1xkVxzwQgyTj4HEo6K-zq

Mon 22 Feb, 3pm-5pm Sara Sonas – Clay Workshop
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIocuCvrz4iGtb8PAFvw3rPXAEk1jlI62_s

Tue 23 Feb, 5-7pm Katie McGroarty – Drawing Workshop
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEqduqgrDopG9VN6ymCtPLNL98F9hxeCKpV

Wed 24 Feb, 5-7pm Katie McGroarty – Drawing Workshop
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0odOiuqj8jHtwjxIqftRrqyXiHSKQMUlwE

Fri 26 Feb, 12noon-2pm Giacinta Frisillo – Film Workshop
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0uce2grj4uEtzLJyU194E43VyoUSeLXyQU

Sat 27 Feb, 12noon-2pm Giacinta Frisillo – Film Workshop
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYuc-qtrTIrG9xukPjmo5ImR9JzpSLomdKP

Tue 2 Mar 11am-1pm Sara Sonas – Reuse Art Workshop
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0qd-2prj8pE9Y37mI6acR-ok4MObnT62X_

Tue 2 Mar 3pm-5pm Sara Sonas – Clay Workshop
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMtdO6vqDIjH9LqnPvG8juIw-ag1ZhS894E

Tue 2 Mar, 5pm-7pm Katie McGroarty – Drawing Workshop
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwpdOuhqTIsHtefusQXKRT-FsOZtG98-SgY

Wed 3 Mar, 5pm-7pm Katie McGroarty – Drawing Workshop
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYrdOitqD8tHdIRIKGsrl2Xx_b1abqw-Guh

Fri 5 Mar, 10am-12noon Amanda Lightbody – Photography Workshop – Part 2
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0odOGhrz8rGdBeiI40akrhob1UIk3CTaER

Fri 5 Mar, 12noon-2pm Giacinta Frisillo – Film Workshop
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZclc-2vpzsrH9EUdJ6N8SDMfHXS0MSjqBAI

Fri 5 Mar, 2pm-4pm Amanda Lightbody – Photography Workshop – Part 2
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEtdeyhqTgrHtxMKwMcWodNNR7K5eCbWTDq

Sat 6 Mar, 10am-12noon Amanda Lightbody – Photography Workshop – Part 2
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEsc-mqpzktEtfjUPw8EWEAzRK0xxqrvx4G

Sat 6 Mar, 12noon-2pm Giacinta Frisillo – Film Workshop
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEucumgqTMtGNa9V4pFOnr1YgJD0RPIkVWM

Sat 6 Mar, 2pm-4pm Amanda Lightbody – Photography Workshop – Part 2
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUpd-ysqTIuG9Y0kd5s_30w2-IPRlmTODmE

Tue 9 Mar, 5pm-7pm Katie McGroarty – Drawing Workshop
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcqfu6qrz8vGdMyob8zunt3hSZtKaK0z8A8

Wed 10 Mar, 5pm-7pm Katie McGroarty – Drawing Workshop
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcvcOqoqDIsGtVCJSzTMKCjuaKUlEEB-IyL

Thu 11 Mar 11am-1pm Sara Sonas – Reuse Art Workshop
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAucOuhrjIqHdbIRRytacb1mf3INw4uajan

Thu 11 Mar, 3pm-5pm Sara Sonas – Clay Workshop
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAuc-iupzgiGtRmJ1Z-XjYABEAq1xuVa5RH

Fri 12 Mar, 12noon-2pm Giacinta Frisillo – Film Workshop
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMkdO6pqTMjHNPOvF2pspBUAw8q6-9I3zUn

Sat 13 Mar, 12noon-2pm Giacinta Frisillo – Film Workshop
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUrcOirqT0pHt0LJNEFddTWHrSFqg5Hs1P-

02/02/2021/by Brian McGuire

Blog, Business, economy, Newsletter, Paisley, Paisley Events, Paisley Visitor Attractions, People from Paisley, Press Release, Renfrewshire

Marks & Spencer’s High St unit sold to the Paisley Centre Owners

it can be confirmed that Beyond Retail Property Fund Ltd – a UK managed real estate business, specialising in redeveloping retail property, has agreed the purchase of Marks & Spencer’s retail unit on Paisley High Street. The site, adjacent to The Paisley Centre, will be incorporated within the company’s wider regeneration plan which is expected to come forward in 2021.

In November 2020, Reith Lambert announced that their client had purchased The Paisley Centre with a repurposing strategy to include a new residential quarter and a mixture of retail, leisure & commercial uses, together with new outdoor public spaces.

Richard Ford, Reith Lambert, said: “We are delighted that our client has agreed the purchase of the M&S unit on Paisley High Street. This unifies the ownership of what is effectively an integrated unit within the main centre.

“This represents a major opportunity for Paisley, and we will take time to work with our client and key partners to bring forward proposals which will help realise the spirit of the Vision for Paisley Town Centre 2030.”

In July 2020, M&S announced plans to close their Outlet store in Paisley and reinvest in a new M&S Foodhall at Renfrew Road Retail Park. The new site will be 30 per cent larger than the current Foodhall in the town centre.

David Bates, Head of Region at M&S, said: “We are pleased to confirm the sale of our current building on Paisley High Street, ahead of our relocation to a new M&S Foodhall site in Paisley.

“We are really excited to open our brand new M&S Foodhall in Paisley’s Renfrew Road Retail Park, which will provide a much larger food offer for the local community. The existing M&S store in Paisley will continue serving customers until the new store opens this summer.

23/01/2021/by Brian McGuire

AGS Airports, which owns and manages Aberdeen, Glasgow and Southampton airports, is to lead a consortium that will develop and trial what will be the UK’s first national distribution network to use drones to transport essential medicines, blood, organs and other medical supplies throughout Scotland.

The AGS led consortium, which brings together 14 organisations including the University of Strathclyde, and leading air traffic control provider NATS, successfully secured £1.5 millionfrom the UK Industrial Strategy Future Flight Challenge Fund to demonstrate how autonomous drone technology can enhance access to essential medical supplies, particularly in rural parts of Scotland.

The CAELUS (Care & Equity – Healthcare Logistics UAS Scotland) project started on 1 December and will involve live drone flight trials. In addition to developing the ground infrastructure needed to recharge the drones and the systems to control them while flying, a key aspect of the project will be designing pathways to ensure the drones can safely share airspace with civil aviation. The project will also ensure critical aspects such as public safety, security and noise levels are considered.

A digital blueprint of the drone delivery network will then be created with the potential to connect hospitals, pathology laboratories, distribution centres and GP surgeries across Scotland. The project is scheduled to run until Spring 2022.

Derek Provan, chief executive of AGS Airports, said: “This project has the potential to completely revolutionise the way in which healthcare services are delivered in Scotland. Not only does drone technology have the ability to speed–up the delivery of critical medical supplies, it could reduce waiting times for test results and, more importantly, help provide equity of care between urban and remote rural communities.

“The organisations within this consortium are some of the most skilled and experienced in drone technology. The funding from UK Industrial Strategy will allow us to work together to overcome some of the challenges associated with scaling drone operations to deliver atransport network that is technically, socially and financially viable.

“Although our focus is on healthcare, the CAELUS project could pave the way for the deployment of drone-enabled logistics in other sectors and has the potential to change the way airspace is used by manned and unmanned vehicles. It also has clear environmental benefits as it will play a key role in reducing the carbon emissions generated by existing, road-based distribution networks within Scotland.”

NHS Ayrshire & Arran and the NHS West of Scotland Innovation Hub, which supports health and social care innovation across the West of Scotland, will work alongside the AGS led consortium on the project

Karen Bell, Head of Research & Development – Innovation Lead for NHS Ayrshire & Arran said: “NHS Ayrshire & Arran are excited to be leading on the delivery of this project on behalf of the West of Scotland Innovation Hub.

“This is an opportunity to work with aviation colleagues to explore the innovative use of drone technology to address some of the potential challenges facing daily delivery of NHS services, not only within NHS Ayrshire & Arran but across the West of Scotland.”

The Scottish Government’s Economy Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “This innovative project will help position Scotland at the forefront of drone technologies to deliver essential healthcare supplies to people more quickly, especially those living remote locations. It also demonstrates, once again, that when businesses, universities and public sector work together they can deliver for Scotland and outperform the competition, attracting welcome funding at this challenging time.”

Professor Sir Jim McDonald, Principal & Vice-Chancellor of the University of Strathclyde, said: “Strathclyde is a founding member of the UK Aviation Research Consortium and we are delighted to play a central role in this exciting project, applying our expertise from across multiple disciplines. The project aligns with our health technologies research cluster and our long track record of working with industry and the public sector. We look forward to demonstrating the potential value of drone delivery of medical supplies for the public, NHS, the economy, social equality and for the aviation manufacturing industry in Scotland.”

Gary Cutts, Future Flight Challenge Director, added: “At this very challenging time for the international aviation industry, it is a great testament to the UK’s drive and ambition that we have had such a strong response to the first funded Future Flight competition. The breadth, quality and creativity of the bids has been exceptional and the economic and social benefits offered are very significant. The projects we are now launching will position the UK strongly to drive the third revolution in aviation.”

The CAELUS consortium comprises:

AGS Airports LimitedNATS (Services) Limited

ANRA Technologies UK LtdSchneider Electric (UK) Limited

Atkins LtdAvy – Drones for Good

The Drone Office LtdConnected Places Catapult

Trax International Ltd DGP Intelsius Limited

uAvionix LtdLeonardo MW Ltd

University of StrathclydeDronamics

20/01/2021/by Brian McGuire

In 1880, Benjamin Disraeli famously said “Keep your eye on Paisley!” Paisley has a long history of radicalism, of finding strength in facing up to and overcoming adversity in whatever shape or form it might take.

The theme for the 2021 Paisley Book Festival, Radical New Futures, emerged from the Covid-19 pandemic and the resilience and fortitude that people and communities have shown. It has also been motivated by the importance that green spaces have played as solace and recuperation over the last year.

Books and reading have been a great source of comfort for so many people during lockdown, evidenced by increased borrowing figures at Renfrewshire Libraries.

The Paisley Book Festival is supported by Future Paisley, a programme of economic, social, and physical regeneration continuing the excitement and momentum experienced during the town’s UK City of Culture 2021 Bid. It is delivered by Renfrewshire Leisure and funded by Renfrewshire Council.

The 2021 Festival will be a digital forum with contributors coming from across the globe into your own home. It is delighted to welcome the 2020 Booker Prize winner, Douglas Stuart, who will be joined by Scottish literary giant, Andrew O’Hagan and debut writer, Graeme Armstrong. Other headline events will include Janey Godley, Melanie Reid, Chris Brookmyre and Dr. Marisa Haetzman, writer for Small Axe series Courttia Newland, Salena Godden, Jenny Kleeman, Kirstin Innes, and Kate Charlesworth in conversation with Val McDermid. Events for children will include Ross Mackenzie, Vivian French, Patience Agbabi, Karine Polwart and Kate Leiper.

Setting the tone for the Festival on its opening night – Radical New Futures – will be poet, playwright and performer Hannah Lavery (The Drift and Lament for Sheku Boyah), writer Laura Waddell (Exit) and Renfrewshire local Alan Bissett with his new novella Lazy Suzan. The opening night will also include Newtopia: Women with Fierce Words, a multimedia performance of writing emerging from women’s disrupted lives as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, presented by Women With Fierce Words and joined from India by the award-winning poet, Saima Afreen.

Paisley Book Festival welcomes novelist, poet, performer, Kirsty Logan and author and singer-songwriter Malachy Tallack as guest curators. Kirsty has curated a strand Understories: Reclaiming the stories we think we know with authors Intan Paramaditha, Sarah Maria Griffin, Kiran Millwood Hargrave, Rebecca Tamas, Michael Lee Richardson and Tasha Suri. Malachy welcomes authors Alastair McIntosh, Kapka Kassabova, Patrick Laurie, Cal Flyn and Lisa Wollett to the festival as part of an event strand called A Place for Hope: land, loss and the politics of care.

Writer in Residence Imogen Stirling presents... c. Sarah Grant

Full programme can be viewed on: paisleybookfestival.com – listings document attached.

Victoria Hollows, Chief Executive, Renfrewshire Leisure said:

“I am delighted we are able to launch the 2021 Paisley Book Festival, albeit in a different format from last year but with the same energy and inspirational programming that made our first festival such a success. This year’s theme of Radical New Futures embodies the feeling of strength and innovation that has been evident in communities throughout the pandemic and I am delighted to see this is reflected in the excellent line-up of writers involved in the festival, from headliners such as Booker Prize winner Douglas Stuart to local writers, poets and children’s authors. I am sure that this festival will be a huge success and will put the Paisley Book Festival on the map for years to come.”

Paisley Book Festival Co-Producer Jess Orr said: “Whilst current restrictions mean that this year’s festival will be very different to its inaugural iteration back in February 2020, we are thrilled to be bringing the energy and spirit of Paisley and its people, their resilience and determination to look forward to a new and different future, to digital audiences this year. Whether you live in Paisley or not, we hope you’ll join us from wherever you are to celebrate the radical spirit that is well and truly alive in the world of books, and in the acts of reading and writing.”

The Festival also welcomes Glasgow-based writer, musician, and educator, Imogen Stirling, as its first Writer-in-Residence. This residency will see her hosting online workshops with Renfrewshire community groups in January and February 2021, and writing her own response to this year’s festival theme, Radical New Futures. Imogen will curate and host three festival events which include Imogen’s Big Night In with Dean Atta, Iona Lee and Emme Woods and Radicalism in Stillness with her in conversation with Sarah Grant

Paisley Book Festival Co-Producer Keira Brown said: “Through support from Creative Scotland, we were delighted to appoint Glasgow-based writer, musician, and educator Imogen Stirling as our first Writer-in-Residence. Imogen has this week kicked off her online workshops with community groups across Renfrewshire enabling us to engage more local people as well as curating three of our wider book festival events. This new post has been such a significant addition to the Festival, and one which we hope will continue with future festivals.”

In addition, the Festival will host a schools and learning programme (branded #YoungFutures) by releasing a series of original videos, created by some of the UK’s most talented children and young adult authors. It will encourage schools across Paisley and Renfrewshire to watch these videos either at home or in their classrooms and engage with the authors’ ideas about what a radical future looks like to them.

The 2021 Paisley Book Festival programme has something for everyone and it looks forward to welcoming you to its digital stage.

Information | interviews | photographs contact: Wendy Niblock PR | wendyjniblock@btinternet.com | 07961 814834

15/01/2021/by Brian McGuire

Blog, Braehead, Business, Events, Newsletter, Paisley, Paisley Photographs, Paisley Visitor Attractions, People from Paisley, Press Release, Renfrew, Renfrewshire

Braehead staff will be having a brew to beat the blues

STAFF at Braehead shopping centre will be turning Blue Monday into Brew Monday as a way of keeping in touch with one another during lockdown.

They are supporting the Samaritans’ Brew Monday event, on January 18 and have organised a virtual quiz on Zoom along with everyone having a cuppa.

The third Monday in January is traditionally known as Blue Monday – the saddest day of the year – and with many Braehead staff on furlough or working from home it was decided to do something to keep in touch with each other.

Lydia Brown, Braehead’s community development manager explains: “We usually have an event in the centre to bring a smile to everyone’s face on Blue Monday.

“But with this year being so different and the centre only open for essential shopping we decided to stage a Braehead Zoom quiz for staff. It’s a nice way to keep in touch with each other, have a quiz, a chat and a cuppa during these tough times.

“Because many of us are either on furlough or working from home, we don’t get to see and talk to each other as much as usual.

“It’s important that everyone reaches out to their colleagues and friends during lockdown.”

Braehead will stage two Brew Monday quiz sessions on Monday, with the centre’s operations manager, Paul Lucas acting as quizmaster.

The Samaritans launched Brew Monday to turn Blue Monday into something positive by encouraging people to get together over a warming cuppa.

Go to www.samaritans.org for more information about Brew Monday and the charity, or if you want to chat to someone, call 116 123 for free.

14/01/2021/by Brian McGuire

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