ABERDEEN’S TARTAN DAY

The 2nd Tartan Day of its kind in Aberdeen I was invited to take part as Miss Commonwealth Scotland and Miss Aberdeen.
Many shops in Aberdeen dress their windows and compete for the best tartan theme. The streets are bedecked in flags and our main streets were full of wares from all over the world at the International Market. From the smell of fish and cheese, to haggis and whisky, it was an amazing sight seeing so many different foods.
Tartan Day coincides with the International Festival where children and adults from countries all over the world come to Aberdeen to perform and show the city their cultures. From Steel bands to Chinese dancing, it is wonderful and they join the celebrations of our tartan day and culture.
The Lord Provost and guests met at Union Terrace Gardens where the Official Opening of Tartan Day was marked. Fiona Kennedy joined us to open the event. She is very well known singer and presenter of all things Scottish and we got on very well. I was amazed that she introduced me to her TV Company Tartan TV saying ‘Not only is Amanda-Jane Miss Commonwealth Scotland, but she is a truly brilliant singer’. She had remembered me when she was a judge at last years Festival4Stars.
Firstly we were met by several press and photographs after photographs were taken. Then the pipe band started up. The Lord Provost gave a speech and then everyone left to join various events on throughout the city.
I was then asked by good friend now, photographer Donald Stewart to have photos taken of me eating a plate of haggis, neeps and tatties. Luckily I love haggis!
Tartan TV then asked me for an on the spot interview in front of their cameras. That was a bit daunting, but I think I did well. Fiona Keenedy and I chatted about things for some time before leaving the event. It is funny how you instantly get o with some people. Even funnier that she and I both turned up in bright pink coats, black tops and kilts.
My haggis eating photos made The Sunday Post and a brilliant photograph went in The Evening Express with The Provost, Fiona Kennedy and myself all in our tartan..

SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY

Inside Aberdeenshire has been surprisingly worthwhile. The response from so many has opened several doors and opportunities for me.
Scotland on Sunday’s reporter Tessa Williams was in touch first. She happened to be up from London, visiting family in the North-East when she saw the magazine, bought it and gave me a call.
Tessa writes for several magazines and newspapers including The Times, Elle Decoration, Space and Scotland on Sunday. She has written articles for several famous people, {including Zandra Rhodes and Linda Barker} about their lives and their home lives. She wanted to write an article about my life as Miss Commonwealth Scotland as well as my home life. It was incredibly surreal to be called ‘famous’ I must admit.
Within a couple of days she and Andy from Newsline were at my new house taking photographs and interviewing me. It was great fun and reminded me somewhat of a small version of OK or Hello magazine.
The article made the Scotland on Sunday At Home Magazine, two pages, albeit a little exaggerated in places as well as changing my partner Mark’s name to Paul! It was a great experience and hopefully will promote my title all the more.

Dedicated to Weddings  

Out now the Autumn/ Winter edition of Dedicated to Weddings featuring me on the front page as well as many features inside. It was great to see this shoot at Crathes Castle, Royal Deeside finally come together courtesy of photographer Simon Clubb, Linda Carroll of Dedicated 2 Weddings, La’Orr Boutique and Anjools hairdressers
Until you see yourself feature in magazines, advertisements, TV and press articles you do not realise quite how much work and how many people are involved to make this possible.
The Swarovski crystal bodice was coming from Israel and arrived at the wrong destination. It was touch and go whether it would arrive on time.
The hairdresser had to come to my work and do my hair in my lunch hour and after weeks of trying to arrange a date when we could all be available we had to contend with thick fog!
However you would never know from the photograph and it all worked out in the end.

 ChildLine Businesswomen’s Network Evening

At Aberdeen Art Gallery, this was the first of its kind for ChildLine inviting businesswomen from the area to attend an evening where they can all get together and enjoy champagne, canapés, pampering etc.,
The event held on Thursday 27th October saw me guest appearing as Miss Commonwealth Scotland, modelling for Indigo with Grampian TV’s Isla Traquair as main speaker of the evening.
There was wine tasting by Woodhouse Wines, Benefits cosmetics and skincare products were doing makeovers, Faux Fun displaying / selling their unique and beautiful designer jewellery, Therapy Parlour - Hatstand Nelly offered hand and Indian head massages, Frou Frou Lingerie were displaying/selling their products and Purdies Ltd were selling a unique range of exceptional gifts. The businesses donated raffle draw prizes and/or a percentage of their profits to ChildLine Scotland North and North East.  

Children 1st Launch Lunch

Children 1st, one of the biggest children’s charities, formerly the RSSPCC asked if I would be interested in launching their jewellery coming up for auction at their annual Touch of Tartan Ball: Naturally I jumped at the chance!
The Banchory Bangle and a specially commissioned necklace from established jewellers Jamieson & Carry. Almost everyone in Aberdeen and surrounding towns seems to have heard of the Banchory Bangle. The story is fascinating.
In the 1970s, royal engraver Malcolm Appleby crafted the first bangle in silver, displaying it in the butcher's shop window in Banchory. It was sold to the highest bidder and proceeds were donated to Children 1st.
Over the years the Banchory Bangle has become a collector's item. It is now made from donated gold which is sent to London and melted down.
Seona Shand, corporate account manager for Children 1st, said: "Over the years we have received some very interesting gold items to be used for the Banchory Bangle and 2005 is proving to be rather exceptional.” We have received wedding rings, an inscribed pen from 1921, a gold watch and several teeth.” Each year a new bar of gold is returned to Malcolm which then becomes next year's bangle.
This year's Banchory Bangle, raffled to raise funds for Children 1st, features “cushie doos” and “cherry blossom”.
A launch lunch was arranged on Thursday 27th October attended by the press where l modelled the Banchory Bangle and the beautiful necklace kindly donated by Jamieson & Carry. The necklace made with a tropical theme to fit in with the theme of this year ball, is a multi stranded gold necklace, with topaz
The Touch of Tartan Ball, at the Beach Ballroom, Aberdeen on November 18th is incidentally a sell out, and has people queuing for tickets a year in advance! It is an incredibly lively evening which begins with a champagne reception to help guests slip quickly into the spirit of the evening. A wonderful meal followed by a night of dancing on the Beach Ballroom’s infamous dance floor is only a taster of the enjoyment. Amazing auction lots, wonderful tombola prizes and of course this year’s Banchory Bangle and necklace from Jamieson & Carry.
Now in its 17th year, the event hoped to raise a huge amount of money for Children 1st, and is the biggest event in the area. This year the Committee hoped it would surpass all previous totals.
Of course, no event such as this would be the same without celebrities, to be attended by Lawrence Llewellyn Bowen and wife Jackie.
Children 1st were delighted that BP, Core Technical Services Ltd, Dales Enterprise Engineering Partnership, Maersk and Stolt Offshore are this year’s main sponsors along with FirstGroup plc who are sponsoring the entertainment.
The article with me launching The Banchory Bangle and necklace made the front page of the Press & Journal ! 

Evening Express Aberdeen Champions of Achievement Awards

I received an invitation from the Editor of the Evening Express, Donald Martin, to help at the Champion of Achievement Awards on Friday October 28th. The event at the AECC Gordon Suite sees all the nominees and their families attend a dinner and then receive their awards for overwhelming courage through illness etc.,sports achievements, charity work etc.
Hosted this year by former Big Brother winner and journalist for E.E. Cameron Stout, presentation of prizes by former beauty queen and journalist for the E.E. Nicola Jolly, I was asked to greet all the award nominees and their families and show them to their tables.
The meal was lovely and the awards were very humbling. I hosted a wonderful table with two young girls and their families. The girls, Laura Hewitson and Rachel Mann were up for young carers awards. My other guest Craig Sinclair was doing well in his career as Heavyweight Champion and hopes to become world champion one day. At only 19 he has a brilliant chance.
The biggest tear jerker of the evening and there was not a dry eye in the house. The overall award this year was posthumous for Leigh Robb who died just weeks ago when cancer claimed her life. She decided in the last few months of her life to raise money for the ARI Cancer ward and has raised £11,000. She died aged 21.
It was a very memorable evening.