Your Weekend Starts here

5 THINGS TO DO THIS WEEKEND

Isn’t it lovely to be back outside enjoying the great outdoors? Gloves, hats and scarves have – mostly – been banished to the back of the drawer as the days grow warmer.

Luckily, events across the north and north-east this weekend are reflecting that, with most taking place outside so you can breathe in the fresh air.

Whether you’re soaking up the sun or getting soaked, you’ll have fun doing it.

PERFORMANCE CAR SHOW

Inverness Performance Car Show is zooming into Dores tomorrow. Expect to see more than 1,000 cars on display right on the shores of Loch Ness itself, including performance, modified, street, classic, retro and race models.

It’ll be fun for all the family, with food trucks, live stunt shows and amusements to keep everyone entertained.

■ You can buy tickets and find out more at invernesscarshow.co.uk

SPRING PLANT SALE

It’s not too late to get to grips with your garden this year.

A spring plant sale will be held today by the Friends of Cruickshank Botanic Gardens, between 10.30am and noon in the gardens. Plants are donated by the group and sponsors, and prices are mostly £1 or £2. You might pay a little more for something that is large or unusual – even then it’s likely to only be £3 or £4.

The sale helps raise funds for the group’s work throughout the year and they will be on hand to advise gardeners.

SKYE LIVE

You still have a chance to grab the remaining tickets for this weekend’s Skye Live festival.

The line-up for today and tomorrow includes Breabach, The Laggan Band and Talisk. You’ll enjoy great music on Am Meall (known locally as The Lump) in Portree, with stunning views of the Cuillin Ridge on one side and The Old Man of Storr on the other, what’s not to love?

■ Tickets are available at skyelive.co.uk

CAIRNGORMS NATURE FESTIVAL

The Cairngorms Nature Festival runs for 10 days from May 12.

It is an annual celebration of the outstanding wildlife and landscapes that can be found in the Cairngorms National Park – with more than 80 activities in the varied programme.

This weekend, locals and visitors alike could choose to enjoy a canoe tour on the River Spey, orienteering in Grantown, a movie night at a bothy and more.

■ Find out more about the festival at cairngormsnaturefestival.co.uk

BIKEMORE

Despite being famous for its two-wheeled pursuits, BikeMore is Aviemore’s first dedicated bike festival, taking place today and tomorrow.

The event is inclusive of a whole range of biking – from mountain bikes to e-bikes – and its varied programme features everything from stunt shows and guided rides to DJ sets and workshops.

Cairngorm Mountain chief executive Susan Smith said: “Cycling is a hugely popular activity throughout the area and the vast range of picturesque trails should be highlighted and celebrated.”

■ The full programme for the weekend can be found at bike-more.co.uk

PASSION FOR SINGING

A passion for singing has been in Rhona McConnell’s DNA since she was growing up in the Granite City during the 1990s.

The youngster was in choirs at primary school and still waxes lyrical about the “wonderful” teachers at St Machar Academy, whose efforts encouraged her to study music at Aberdeen University, where she joined the choral society, performed in recitals and concerts and prepared for an audition at the RSAMD (now the Royal Conservatoire in Glasgow).

FAMILY LIFE

Yet, as often happens, these ambitions were interrupted by other things and life got in the way. Rhona now stays in Stonehaven with her husband, Charlie, and two children, Alfie, 10, and Mila, eight, and works for Motive Offshore Group as a contracts specialist – which she admits is “about as far removed from a career in music as you can get”.

However, her passion never diminished. And her dreams re-ignited after she saw vocal coach and P&J columnist Yvie Burnett was doing a new BBC show called Scotland Sings.

She relished the chance of learning from her. So she recorded Never Enough from The Greatest Showman, sent it off, was told she had been longlisted, and was asked to come up with another song. She chose Leona Lewis’s version of Run and had a Facetime call from Yvie who said that she loved it.

SCOTLAND SINGS

Rhona, a long-term admirer of Yvie’s ebullience and talent, marvelled at how she and musical director, John Logan, managed to pick a group of 20 people from across Scotland, who had never met before, and transform them into a choir in a few weeks.

She said: “We all came from such different backgrounds, but we bonded over one common ground – a shared love of music and singing and we have since become really close friends.”

And much of the inspiration for that came from the Scotland Sings choir appearing at the Hydro in Glasgow.

It was, said Rhona, “surreal”, but it was also exhilarating and exciting. She added: “I’m so proud of what we all achieved and how far we came in such a short time.”

Since filming finished, Rhona has auditioned and got into the Sweet Adelines choir – a female barbershop ensemble in Aberdeen.

She has also kept in touch with Yvie about the possibility of continuing their vocal partnership.

PROFILE RHONA MCCONNELL SINGER