Arts to form new feature of walking festival
GALASHIELS Walking Festival has this year embedded an arts strand in its programme, in collaboration with Connecting Threads.
Town To River, River To Town connects the festival, run by Galashiels-based social enterprise Hike & Bike Hub since 2023, with the cultural strand of the Destination Tweed project and coincides with Trodden Paths, a new artist residency initiated by Connecting Threads.
The selected artists in residence are multi-disciplinary duo Robbie Coleman and Jo Hodges, whose work responds to site, place or community. Over nine weeks between April and September, they will undertake creative research and practice in response to the footpaths leading out of Galashiels.
The Town To River, River To Town programme runs from April 26-28. It includes a series of walks, along with the Matt Seattle Band at Café ReCharge; an audiovisual public walk along Gala Water and the River Tweed, and a group walk plus glass map-making workshop session.
MORE than 5000 people have now signed a petition calling for a loyalist march set to take place in Inverness to be cancelled.
The National previously reported that many people reacted with anger after Highland Council confirmed that a march organised by the Apprentice Boys of Derry will take place in Inverness on Saturday. It will mean a number of temporary road closures, which has also been criticised.
A petition begun last week by Alasdair Marshall – who describes himself as a Highland resident “concerned about the peace and harmony in our community” – now has more than 5000 signatures.
Aberdeenshire Council recently blocked an Orange Order march in Stonehaven after nearly 10,000 people signed a similar petition.
A Highland Council spokesperson said: “The notification process for the parade was dealt with according to the requirements of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 and our scheme of delegation.
“Details of the parade route were sent to Police Scotland, Roads, and local members for consultation and no objections were received.”
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We are aware of the planned march in Inverness on Saturday, April 20, 2024. Our policing operation will be proportionate and focused on public safety, as well as working closely with partners to reduce disruption to the wider community.”
The general secretary of the Apprentice Boys of Derry said the Inverness branch of the organisation has been holding parades since opening 15 years ago.
William Moore previously told the Inverness Courier: “There has never been trouble at the parade which consists of a few hundred members. The event creates very little disruption.
“The people who describe the parade as a hate march really need to reflect on their own level of respect for other cultures and traditions.
“The parade is simply members of the association commemorating and celebrating their history and culture. [That is] a privilege our forefathers fought and died for, to ensure freedom of expression for everyone.”