I have been travelling all day and most of the time the weather has been sunshine and a few scattered clouds. I got an ice cream from one of my favourite ice cream shops in Golspie this afternoon and sitting in the sun, it felt like summer. Then I was speaking to someone who had experienced torrential rain this morning and indeed heard that drivers around Drumochter had hail and snow. You know what they say …. the sun shines on the righteous. It was shining on me today. I do realise that I am being a bit selective with that quote and choose to edit out the rest, but it suits my purpose.

Anyway, the email was from The Orkney Folk Festival. We have been a sponsor for quite a few years, and we generally try to support some of the smaller events out on the islands. I suppose you feel that you are doing more good sponsoring two outlying events than one big central affair. There was no festival last year and this year it is going “virtual” which means you can watch it in the comfort of your own home with a few drinks of your own choosing but watch out for the ornament if you start dancing around the room.

I think it was at the last festival that I attended that Bruce Macgregor and Blazin’ Fiddles were performing. Bruce is quite a busy bee, being on Radio Scotland with Travelling Folk every week. But his day job is the business that he runs with his wife, Jo, up at Bogbain Farm just the other side of the A9 from Inverness.

A few years ago he opened Macgregor’s Bar at the top of Academy Street in Inverness, after a very successful crowd funding campaign. The cry has now gone out again to “Build the Bar” as he launches another bar venture which this time will be in on the North Coast 500 in Golspie. You will be able to have a meal and a few drinks and then pop along to the ice cream shop. What more could you want. Have a look at their Facebook page:

So, back to my folky email from the Festival Organisers. It said “We have been working hard to get all the filming done for our virtual festival – happily, it’s now all complete and being edited together.  Thank you to everyone for providing sponsorship, venues, products, and moral support! We now need to sell lots of tickets, so we’d be very grateful if you could help spread the word about the festival, using your social media or other marketing activities.”  

Have a look at this promo video which you can download from Dropbox:

This weeks call to action is either to help Bruce and Jo to “Build the Bar” or to spread the word about the Virtual Orkney Folk Festival, or indeed both.

Enterprise deserves reward, particularly in these trying times when so many people are hiding beneath the covers and afraid to venture forth. Over to you!

Alan E Long

The Long Partnership

07770 738770