JACKSON DISTILLERS ASSEMBLES INDUSTRY HEAVYWEIGHTS TO DRIVE FORWARD ITS SCOTTISH BORDERS’ DISTILLERY2/11/2022
![]() Imagery: Headshots available to download here Top executives from the distilling industry have been appointed to the senior management team of Jackson Distillers Ltd, the company developing an innovative new grain distillery in the Scottish Borders. Trevor Jackson, Chief Executive of Jackson Distillers, today announced the appointments of David Brown as Commercial Director, Tommy Leigh as Operations Director and Nick Laird as Deputy CEO. They will help steer the pioneering project through to full production at the proposed plant at Charlesfield, St Boswells after planning consent was granted by Scottish Borders Council at the end of 2021. David Brown, is a familiar face in the Scotch Whisky industry, having held senior positions at Allied Domecq and Whyte & Mackay before becoming Managing Director of John Crabbie & Co in 2018. He has been involved in several new distillery build projects in Glasgow and Edinburgh and regularly features as a judge at the Scottish Whisky awards. Tommy Leigh has worked in the Scotch Whisky Industry for over 40 years, 37 of those with the North British Distillery, latterly as Production Director, responsible for all production, engineering, compliance, quality and safety. As a Scotch Whisky Environmental Strategy Group member, Leigh was part of the team who developed and launched Scotland’s first sector-wide sustainability strategy. Nick Laird, a highly experienced Managing Director and Non-Executive Director, has worked across the automotive and technology-enabled businesses for more than 30 years providing growth and commercial investment expertise. David Brown, Commercial Director, Jackson Distillers, said: “Having worked with some of Scotland’s best known spirits brands, I am looking forward to working with the next generation of distilleries, creating innovative and environmentally sustainable products that are going to carry the industry into the next century.” Tommy Leigh, Operations Director, said of his appointment: “The St Boswells Distillery will be the first carbon absorbing distillery in Scotland capable of producing grain spirit for scotch whisky and grain neutral spirit, and I am excited to have the opportunity to be at the forefront of its development. There is a gap in the market for low carbon and fully traceable spirit and being able to fill that gap not only supports our own business but helps to bolster the sector as a whole.” Nick Laird, Deputy Chief Executive Jackson Distillers, commented: “Jackson Distillers is at a pivotal point in its development. I am thrilled to help drive the organisation from proposal to production. Once built, it is anticipated the St Boswells Distillery will produce 5% of the total market volume of grain whisky spirit, providing a substantial return on investment for its shareholders and supporting the wider sector in a resource-efficient manner.” Jackson Distillers has been granted planning consent to build a new 20m LPA grain distillery in St Boswells in the Scottish Borders. The construction phase will create 200 jobs, with 20 full-time positions once the Distillery is operational. Trevor Jackson, Chief Executive, Jackson Distillers, said: “The St Boswells Distillery is set to be a gamechanger for the sector, and I think the calibre of the talent we have been able to attract to our Senior Management Team is a testament to that. I am looking forward to working with David, Tommy and Nick to drive forward the next phase of this transformative, innovative and sustainable project.” ENDS Visit www. https://jacksondistillers.co.uk/ About The St Boswells Distillery The development near St Boswells will create 20 permanent high-value jobs and more than 200 jobs on-site through the construction phase, developing skills and training opportunities locally and generating significant economic value for the Scottish Borders. The site will take high-quality local cereals from the Tweed valley and process them efficiently and sustainably with renewable energy into high-quality spirit. The cereals, once spent, will be passed to the adjacent anaerobic digestion plant, where they will be converted into methane, with the remaining material being used as soil conditioner for the crops. In addition, process water from an on-site bore-hole will be efficiently recycled to minimise the use of this important resource. The Distillery will add value to locally-grown cereals using up-to-date distilling technology, adding to the circular economy, maximising recycling, reducing carbon emissions with zero waste to landfill. The cereals will be tracked from the seedbed to the still and beyond so that the customer can be confident of the provenance of the spirit.
As communication sits at the heart of my job, and as the daughter of a bewildered newspaper journalist, I watch with great interest as the way we consume information, specifically media, evolves. Even in my relatively short communications career, the shift has been seismic, from the early days of Myspace and Bebo to the juggernauts that are Instagram, Twitter and TikTok to online newspapers that far outstrip their print counterparts. My children consume the exact content they want whenever they want it and grumble when faced with no internet connection and the need to watch adverts!
As I watched the remarkable events unfold, celebrating Her Majesty the Queen and all that she meant to her family and the nation, I noted how the views she saw from her many processions must have changed over her 70-year reign. This week, the sea of mobile phones held high along the Royal Mile, and the Mall felt stark. They were undoubtedly the same phones held aloft during the jubilee celebrations, at the Palace concerts and will no doubt appear at King Charles III's Coronation; however, there was something quite harsh about it during a period of mourning rather than celebration. Capturing images of people during their saddest times felt somewhat cruel, and the constant nature meant that every moment of grief was captured by someone and now lives on hundreds of thousands of devices. But will people look back at them, or were they again about instant gratification? Proof that you saw what you saw? At a recent Coldplay concert, Chris Martin asked a packed Hampden Park to put their phones away for one moment and really experience the reality of the moment. The feeling was electric. As I walked through St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh to pay my last respects to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth late last Monday night, there was not a phone in sight, and I still struggle for the words to describe that moment - I felt it rather than filmed it. Shortly afterwards, a friend sent me a photo of my moment of contemplation; it had been caught on the live stream; even in that moment of quiet, the world was still watching! I work with many people on their digital strategies, which is still essential to the communication, community engagement and marketing mix. But, now and then, I think we need to feel something, put our phones down, step away from our computers, and experience it for ourselves, not through our devices. In this digital age, I rarely buy print newspapers; however, on the 9th of September and again on the 19th, I purchased The Times, a publication that I hold a digital subscription to and can view in my palm as I wish. The reality is that I didn't want that memory to be fleeting or to live in a device not to be reviewed again. I went and bought the actual newspaper because I wanted to keep it. For many things in life, instant gratification is fantastic, and our world is now set up for it, but for the significant stuff - the newspaper clippings of birth announcements, of important moments in our nation's history or just in our family's, I want to keep it and come back to it and remember it. I will fold it away and keep it safe, and I look forward to the day I happen upon it and remember how that day felt or even better when my kids happen upon it and ask me about Her Majesty The Queen, no doubt while they review their many devices at the same time!!!!
It has taken me a few days to process the 2022 Royal Highland Show; as some of you may know, my other half is involved in its organisation, so I perhaps see it slightly differently from others. For many, The Royal Highland Show starts on the third Thursday in June; in our house, it starts a year earlier!
Over the years, I have worn many hats at the Show (not just Aldi cowboy hats), school visitor, stand holder, member, guest, mum, wife – I have lived through stand building in the days before the Show, finding your marquee had been put up the wrong way round, or the graphics weren’t quite right. I have carried boxes of giveaways across the show field and queued up each morning to buy milk from the M&S stand. I have served tea and coffee to important visitors, and I have pushed a buggy around the site until my baby falls asleep, I have milked Mable the cow at RHET and emptied bins, and I have attended formal lunches and events with my husband. Every year, no matter what hat I wear, I enjoy it, but this year felt different. Was the weather amazing? Yes! Did the new members Pavillion look unbelievable in the light of the sunset? Yes! Was there an array of inspiring events? Yes! Was it their 200th year? Yes! But these aren’t the reasons; it was different because everyone had craved this moment for three years! Everyone was thrilled to be there; thoughts of sore feet (and heads) were put to one side in a quest to see everyone, taste everything and not miss one corner of the Showground. We finally had the best of rural Scotland back in one place; we shook hands and debated, launched things and learned – and it felt bloomin’ marvellous! My Highland Show 2022 Highlights: -The Women In Agriculture Breakfast – a great way to kick off the Show, with excellent speakers and an inspiring group of women. -The Service of Worship on Sunday morning, a moment of calm reflection in amongst the madness of the Show. If you haven’t been before, do consider it, it is good for the soul. -Hosting my goddaughter Edith at her first-ever Highland Show. -Piper Tom Henderson playing Highland Cathedral as we arrived for supper on Saturday evening. -My first ever Show dance (very briefly) and a trip on the waltzers! The Mini Laidlaws' Highlights: -The Grand Parade – particularly the Herefords, after being given a rosette by the Harrisons at Moralee Herefords -The Vikings brought to the Showground by this year’s RHASS Presidential Team. -Roddy McLean, Head of Agriculture at RBS and Alan Laidlaw (aka Daddy) being covered in pink gunge by the young farmers! Video evidence available here. -Being interviewed for RHS TV and showing the video to all their friends! Also available to view here. -Learning to play Top Trumps at the Royal Bank of Scotland stand. -TRACTORS!!!!! So my feet definitely still hurt, and I have lost my voice, but I wouldn’t have it any other way – roll on 2023 when I hope we all remember to appreciate it as much as we did this year – I hear the planning is already underway….
Last week saw a new experience for me, as I joined Anna Davies to record the OnFarm podcast and talk all things Helping It Happen Awards. Luckily I was joined by Scottish Land and Estates' Chief Executive Sarah Jane Laing who founded the awards and Ronnie Macrae from the Communities Housing Trust, a previous winner! Hopefully we have inspired a few more people to enter, it really is a wonderful way to celebrate all the good being done across Scotland by rural businesses.
Mount Stuart Trust today launched a community survey, exploring how those who live and work on the Island would like to engage with the Trust.
The feedback gathered from the survey will inform the development of a new community engagement strategy, which will be published later this year. The survey is being delivered by independent consultant Lucy Laidlaw, who wants to gain insights from as many people as possible to help shape the Mount Stuart Trust community engagement strategy and ensure it reflects the needs and wants of all those on the Island. There are two ways for people to have their say. They can complete the survey online at www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/mountstuarttrust or visit Rothesay Library on Stuart Street to collect and return a hard copy of the survey. The survey will be open until midnight on 27th April 2022 to allow as many people as possible to take part. Fiona Hardie, Business Officer at Mount Stuart Trust said: “Mount Stuart Trust is committed to being a good neighbour and active part of the community. Developing a community engagement strategy is the first step towards ensuring a long-term, positive and constructive relationship with all who live and work on the Island.” Lucy Laidlaw, Community Engagement Consultant, said: “This is an opportunity to influence the way the Mount Stuart Trust engages with community members, so I encourage as many people as possible to take part. Please share the survey with your friends, family and colleagues to ensure we receive a true reflection of the feelings of those on the Island.” Feedback from the survey will be collated by Lucy Laidlaw, who will then make a series of recommendations to the Trust. The survey can be completed anonymously, or for those who wish, there is the opportunity to join the Mount Stuart Trust database and be kept up to date on the development of the strategy and Mount Stuart Trust’s wider operations. To find out more about Mount Stuart Trust, visit www.mountstuart.com Notes to Editors For more information contact: Lucy Laidlaw [email protected] 07834228951 www.lucylaidlaw.co.uk Crown Estate Scotland today launched the second stage of Whitehill Estate 2030, a community conversation which explores how the Whitehill Estate in Midlothian can evolve to make it a great place for people to live, work, and visit.
The Whitehill Estate is situated south of Roslin and Bonnyrigg and centres around the Rosewell, Rosslynlee, and Upper Dalhousie communities. It’s widely recognised for its agricultural and mining heritage. The Whitehill Estate 2030 conversation wants to gain insights from as many people as possible to help shape Crown Estate Scotland’s strategic vision for the area. Phase two of the conversation runs until 27 March 2022 and people will have the opportunity to meet with representatives from Crown Estate Scotland and the Whitehill Estate 2030 team at The Steading in Rosewell on 22 March 2022, with drop in sessions running from 1pm to 3pm and 6pm to 8pm. Phase one of Whitehill Estate 2030 asked those who live, work and relax in the area to consider key themes including wellbeing, jobs, climate change, infrastructure, housing, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 80 respondents fed back. Phase two will consider the feedback received and will ask the community to delve deeper into what they believe is needed to ensure a thriving future for the three main settlements of Rosewell, Rosslynlee, and Dalhousie. There are a range of ways for people to have their say. An online hub has been created for the project where residents can see online display boards, learn more about the process, speak to the consultation team, and share their views. Display boards inspiring residents to look at Whitehill a little differently are available to view at The Steading in Rosewell, where members of the local community can also complete questionnaires. Caroline Bell, Built Development Manager for Crown Estate Scotland, said: "We’re incredibly grateful to all those people who have shared their initial views during phase one of the Whitehill Estate 2030 Conversation. The information we received has been very useful in helping to develop what is a collaborative process. "This second phase of the consultation is equally important, as we delve deeper into people’s ambitions for Whitehill. We will share our thoughts with the community and explain how we are also working closely with colleagues at Midlothian Council, NHS Lothian, and NatureScot to ensure our approach is comprehensive.” Phase one of Whitehill Estate 2030 identified some key factors that the community wants to see including: · A sustainable landscape and community support · A place that we are proud to live and work in · A place with all the things that are needed to bring up a family, run a business and enjoy growing old · These needs being met locally, in a place that puts community and the environment first. People can find out more about the Whitehill Estate 2030 conversation or share their thoughts directly with the consultation team, by emailing [email protected], clicking on www.whitehillestate2030.com or visiting The Steading in Rosewell. Notes to Editors For more information contact: Lucy Laidlaw [email protected] 07834228951 About Crown Estate Scotland: https://www.crownestatescotland.com/media-and-notices/key-facts · Manages land and property on behalf of Scottish Ministers. The assets are owned by the Monarch in right of the Crown, and management is devolved to ministers · It was established in April 2017 to replace The Crown Estate in Scotland · Has offices in Edinburgh and Glenlivet · Works with Scottish Government, Scottish Parliament, local authorities, communities and businesses in sectors such as offshore renewables, farming, tourism and aquaculture The assets Crown Estate Scotland manage include: · 37,000 hectares of rural land with agricultural tenancies, residential and commercial properties and forestry on four rural estates (Glenlivet, Fochabers, Applegirth and Whitehill) · Rights to fish wild salmon and sea trout in river and coastal areas · Virtually all the seabed (out to 12 nautical miles) including leases for approx. 750 aquaculture sites · Agreements with cable and pipeline operators · Just under half the foreshore, including 5,800 moorings and some ports and harbours · The rights to renewable energy and gas (including carbon dioxide) storage out to 200 miles · Retail and office units at 39-41 George Street Edinburgh · The Zero-Four development land near Montrose
At the beginning of October I was invited to chair a session at The Scottish Land Commission conference entitled 'Land owners Leading: putting rights and responsibilities into action'. I spoke with a panel made up of Christopher Cassels, from Crown Estate Scotland; Duncan Orr-Ewing, from RSPB; Tom Bowser, Argaty Red Kite Project, Lerrocks Farm; and Al Reid, a Board Member of Action Porty. They all shared details of their work to date and the positive changes their business has made towards being more open and transparent, engaging with communities, contributing to public wellbeing, providing access to land and demonstrating a high standard of stewardship.
A matter of weeks later I attended the Scottish Land and Estates' Helping It Happen Awards, and again heard incredible stories from the finalists of the progressive and exciting projects they are undertaking on the land they manage, rent or own. What struck me about both events is that there is a huge amount of positive progress being made across the sector and although many choose to focus on the work 'still to be done' or that 'we have not done enough', I would like to take a minute to celebrate what has already been achieved! So if you can spare a moment or two, please check out the Land Commission conference session and the Helping It Happen awards as although there is still room for improvement from some there is a need to celebrate the incredible efforts of others! Although there is no statutory requirement in Scotland for landowners and managers to develop a community engagement strategy, community engagement is one of the six principles of the Land Rights and Responsibilities Statement which the Scottish Land Commission is looking to embed across land ownership and management.
The good news is, thinking about a community engagement strategy is an excellent opportunity to take a step back and consider the status of your existing relationships and the way you currently engage with your local community and other key stakeholders. A proactive approach to community engagement can have huge benefits for all involved, creating a positive and constructive environment to discuss the challenges and opportunities that each party may face. Community engagement should not be daunting; it is a chance to create a two-way dialogue with others who also have an interest in the land and the value it can bring. It is crucial it is treated as a conversation and not solely as one party imparting information on the other. There are so many benefits to investing time and resource in community engagement, not only when there is a substantial land-use change in the pipeline but also during the status quo. Let’s face it; it is always easier to have a conversation with someone you know than with someone you don’t. That is why I believe time should be spent building positive relationships in the quiet times and not just the periods of significant change. So often landowners and managers, don’t feel they are viewed as community members, and community members don’t feel their views are valued. Committing time to relationship building can have long-term benefits. Positive relationships provide great opportunities to work together towards local economic, social and environmental improvements. Luckily a community engagement plan doesn’t have to be War and Peace; it should clearly outline the steps you intend to take to build an ongoing dialogue with your community. Don’t be afraid to reach out to your community and find out how they might like to engage. Some people will be comfortable with you only attending existing platforms like community council meetings; some may prefer digital engagement, newsletters, annual open days or community forums with representatives from across the community. Once you understand who your community consists of, you will have a better idea of how to engage, but please consider reaching out and asking how people want to hear from you and what they want to hear. Key Considerations for your Community Engagement strategy:
There is no particular format required, and you can develop whatever you think will work for your business, so why not start by answering these questions. Through my Non-Exec role at Scottish Land and Estates, I have been lucky enough to hear about some of the incredible ways land owners and managers are engaging with their communities. These vary hugely in scale and complexity, but I am excited to see the way the sector has embraced this opportunity and look forward to seeing more great examples of community engagement best practice. If you would like to discuss your approach to community engagement and how I can help you to create a realistic and impactful approach for you, your business and your community then please get in touch. |