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    Paul Johnston, a leading Aberdeenshire Councillor has welcomed the link between the Pakistan floods to climate change and the need for the UK to tackle it in a more co-ordinated manner. “In much of the coverage of the tragedy that is Pakistan at the moment it is hard to make the connection to the UK.  Its […]

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Festival at Udny Green focuses on Fair Food and fun.

Festival at Udny Green focuses on Fair Food and fun.

A festival on the Green at Udny Green on 17th May will show off both Local foods from Local Farmers and Fairtrade goods from farmers around the world.

“Fair trade for farmers in underdeveloped countries is in the wider sense the same as supporting local farmers here” said Cllr Paul Johnston who is helping to organise the Formartine Fairtrade Festival.

“The festival will be a great way to enjoy local produce and where that food is from the Third world it should be FAIRTRADE. Fantastic local food is as fair as buying Fairtrade Chocolate and coffee and we should celebrate that here in Udny Green on Sunday May17th.”

The Mid-Formartine Fairtrade group are celebrating being awarded Fairtrade area Status, one of the first for a rural area in Scotland rather than larger towns. “This is quite an achievement” said Paul Johnston. “This has bee achieved by people who have an appreciation for the needs of rural communities and local Produce is a ntural ally of the Fairtrade campaign”

The Fair will have Farmers Market stalls and food from local farmers. Fairtrade fashion, drink and food demonstrations will be accompanied by lots of live music and entertainments, games an activities.

“This will be a great Festival family fun day with Fairtrade and farmers’ food in Formartine – and its FAIR in every sense. ” said Paul. “Apologies for the Alliteration ts all part of our enthusiasm!!”

The Festival starts at 11am and activities run till 4pm

April 29th, 2009 | Category: Other

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Paul's Blog

  • Exams and Scottish Higher Education
    August 5, 2010 | 7:21 pm

    On the day that Scottish Exam results drop through the letterboxes of expecting students, there remains the unresolved debate about the future of higher education that underlies all the comments that will flow forth from the great and good.

    My concerns that commentators will rubbish the results again, as they do when any increase in pass rates are announced.  The requirements of any qualification change with time.  It does not mean it gets easier – it can, but there is no evidence that it actually has.  But there is evidence it has changed in another way.

    Change in the the topics covered by exams have always happened.  How many doing Maths now would be able to handle a slide rule?  In my day, it was part of the exam.  Now students would no know what a slide rule was.

    For all those who are tempted to suggest the utter nonsense of advising students not to go to further Education but study things that industry bosses want now, could I enter the thought that we are really teaching people for occupations in technologies and systems that have not even been invented yet.  Such is the challenge of the future.

    Congratulations to all students in your results.  I just hope that the generation currently making decisions about your futures, your higher education places and the very sustainability of the Country, will not indulge in the short term thinking of ‘government spending’.  I hope they will have the courage for the investment in peoples’ futures and not our selfish present.

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