Come on in to Fairtrade

THOSE wanting to learn more about the benefits of Fairtrade are being invited along to a special event next month.

The Dundee Fair Trade Forum is welcoming people along to its Come on into Fairtrade evening on Wednesday February 26.

It will take place at Birchwood Food Emporium – Cafe on Commercial Street, beginning at 5.30pm as part of Fairtrade Fortnight.

Birchwood owner Ian Alexander and Billy Miller, from Scottish coffee supplier Coffee Conscience, will be speaking on how Fairtrade is a ‘win win’ situation for all.

The event aims to encourage and support more local businesses to source and use fairtrade products.

Afterwards, the Dundee Fair Trade Forum’s annual general meeting will take place, and all are welcome to attend.

The theme of this year’s Fairtrade Fortnight is giving a living wage to cocoa farmers.

T R I BU T E S h a ve b e e n pouring in for a beloved buske r who h as d ied after a lengthy battle with cancer.

Alan McWilliam, a well-known drummer and guitarist in Dundee music circles, died on Sunday aged 55.

His death has devastated family, friends and fans, who have all written poignant messages in tribute to Alan, a member of the band Bravado.

There have also been floral tributes placed at an underpass near the Wellgate, where Alan used to busk. Paula Knight, a guitarist and songwriter with Bravado, which formed in 2013, said: “We are all still trying to take it in,

“Alan was some character and he was so well-known to everybody because of his busking at the underpass in the town and also through the band.

“It is hard to believe because we only saw him recently at his house and, although he was in a lot of pain, Alan was always positive.

“He passed away on Sunday morning and we are all just trying to take it in.

“We got a call on Saturday night to go and say our farewells to him at Ninewells Hospital.

“Although he was unconscious he was still moving his hands and feet as if he was drumming. Alan just lived and breathed music.

“He was like a music encyclopaedia and whenever we asked, ‘Who wrote this? Or who sang that?’ it was Alan who knew. He knew music inside out.”

Paula said Alan had been with partner Shirley for more than 20 years, was stepdad to her three daughters, and grandpa to Ava.

The group had recorded their latest album last summer, titled Cascadia, with Alan playing drums.

Due to his treatment he had been unable to tour with the band, but he did manage to get behind the kit at a fundraiser for Macmillan, when Bravado performed the whole album.

Paula said: “I’ve seen the tributes flowing into Facebook, and it is lovely that he is being remembered and recognised for his music, because music was his life.

“You know, we always thought Alan was going to get better. But he phoned me on Boxing Day and said that the cancer had really progressed and he was to get palliative care. I thought we would maybe get him for another year, but we never got him for even a month. It has floored us.”

“We are totally in shock and we don’t even know what to do next.”

Friend Glenn Millar, said: “I have known Alan for 40 odd years and we learned guitar together. He had a lot of friends from people walking by there.”