Columns and Opinions

The restrictions imposed due to the Covid-19 pandemic have put paid to so many events over the past year that we barely notice when another cancellation is announced.

The news that the Turriff Show will not go ahead this year was different, however.

The national Covid-19 vaccination programme was always going to be an enormous logistical challenge.

At the time of writing, more than 10million people across the UK have received their first dose.

I was pleased to see a commitment from the Scottish Government to help support our seafood sector.  

Fergus Ewing announced a £7.75m fund for fishermen, processors and ports affected by the Covid-19 lockdown and export difficulties since the New Year.  

It is great news that people across Scotland are now being vaccinated against the Covid-19 virus.

This national roll-out will be an enormous logistical operation, but once completed, will be a huge step towards a return to normality.

It has been a difficult start to the New Year with Aberdeenshire along with the rest of mainland Scotland back in the tightest Coronavirus restrictions.

I want to take the opportunity to wish all readers of the Turriff Advertiser a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year when it comes.  

I hope also that 2021 will be a better year for all of us than 2020 has been.  

I was interested to read the findings of a survey by the Scottish Countryside Alliance on rural crime, and the perception of how it is treated by the police.  

It has been cheering to see Christmas lights and trees popping up in homes and streets in and around Turriff over the past week, although perhaps slightly earlier than normal. 

After the year we have had, it is hardly surprising that people want to create some early Christmas sparkle. 

People across Banffshire will have breathed a sigh of relief this week when it was announced there would be no changes to the Covid-19 restrictions for Aberdeenshire or Moray.

I must start this week’s column on a positive note, with congratulations to the Scottish men’s football team for their fantastic achievement in qualifying for the European Championships.