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By Martin Graham
AN AMERICAN tourist has been banned from wearing Scotland’s national dress at one of the country’s premier golf courses.
Dr Jeffery Foster, who is from Louisville, Kentucky and claims Scottish ancestry, had intended to play a round at Royal Troon while wearing one of the 14 kilts that he owns.
But snooty officials at the prestigious club told him that the kilt flouted their rules about bare legs on the course, and sent him back to his hotel to change into a pair of trousers.
By Cara Sulieman
THE home of golf plans a break-a-way group to help promote Fife as a mecca for fans of the sport amid claims VisitScotland isn’t doing enough to promote the area as a major tourist destination.
Fife Council is leading the drive to form a stand-alone ‘alliance’ and has hired a £26,650 team of consultants to draw up a strategy already.
The proposed Fife Golf Alliance would adopt an approved marketing plan for the entire Kingdom which supports hundreds of jobs and brings millions of pounds into the local economy.
The consultants, Business and Tourism Solutions Ltd, have been tasked with carrying out a “robust review” of the industry to see if the independent alliance is needed.
HOMECOMING Scotland 2009 is supposed to be a celebration of all things Scottish – unless you live in Dundee.
Hundreds of events have been organised all across Scotland as the country prepares to celebrate the 250th anniversary of Robert Burns’ birth, as well as Scots influence on world culture.
But any Dundonians wanting to discover the delights of Homecoming will have to travel because, so far, there is only one event planned for the whole of the city.
According to the Homecoming Scotland website the only event to be held in the City of Discovery is the Dundee and Angus Roots Festival – an event which is already established in its own right.
And things get even worse for the Angus area as a whole – as the only other event planned is a golf tournament in Carnoustie for blind and partially-sighted golfers.
But Homecoming organisers are laying the blame with Dundonians themselves, as the Roots Festival was the only event to apply for funds.
However, Marlyn Glen, Labour MSP for north east Scotland, has claimed the fault lies with the current SNP administration who should have taken a far more hands-on approach in co-ordinating the events in the city.
She said: “The objectives of the Homecoming include the boosting of the local economy, and how that achievement can be sustained for the future.
“With just two Homecoming-themed events taking place in Dundee and Angus, these objectives will simply not be achieved.”
The Homecoming celebrations were originally planned by the Labour-led Scottish Executive, but control of events fell to the SNP when they took office in 2007.
Jim McGovern, Labour MP for Dundee West, said: “I don’t know a lot about Homecoming Scotland, but it seems to me that ever since the SNP took power Dundee has been ignored, and this is just a perfect example of that.”
But Homecoming organisers say there is still time for Dundee events to advertise under the Homecoming banner – even though there is no money left in the pot to help them.
A spokeswoman for Homecoming Scotland 2009 said: “We are still encouraging events to come forward even though the deadline for funding has now passed.
“They can still apply to be part of the programme and advertise on the website.
“The Angus and Dundee Roots Festival was the only event to apply for funds from us but there are other activities like Doors Open Day which will affect Dundee.”
In comparison, Scotland’s other three main cities have a packed itinerary of Homecoming celebrations.
Edinburgh has a whopping 54 events taking place, Glasgow has 31 and Aberdeen are to host 11.
By Cara Sulieman
ELDERLY people in some of Scotland’s care homes are to be given their own healthy eating gurus.
Staff in 50 of the country’s care homes have been trained to overhaul the dining experience for thousands of residents.
Susan Polding-Clyde
And the group of health professionals are being dubbed “nutrition champions” as they set about redesigning kitchens and dining rooms in care homes.
Some unusual schemes have been brought in to make meal times more enjoyable and nutritious for residents.
Some care homes now place laminated menus and flowers on the tables, making the dinning hall feel more like a restaurant.
And in other homes, meal times have been moved to make sure they don’t clash with other appointments.
Elderly residents have been involved with the changes, and are pleased to have a nicer brighter environment.
One resident at Brookfield Residential Home in Carnoustie said: “It is much more bright and cheery now, we are all very proud of our new dining room.”
The “nutrition champs” went on a course organised by the Care Commission to learn about the importance of the individual.
Nutrition experts from all over Scotland came together to help the champs improve food and mealtime.
They included boffins from NHS Scotland, Glasgow Caledonian University, Queen Margaret University and the Scottish Government.
The Care Commission’s Nurse Consultant, Susan Polding-Clyde, was involved in the training and compared the scheme to Jamie Oliver’s over-hall of school meals
She said: “We have already seen how campaigns by the likes of Jamie Oliver can have a dramatic impact on the eating habits of schoolchildren and adults, so it’s very pleasing to see our own nutrition programme working with older people.
“Simple steps such as presenting food more attractively, offering more of a choice on the menu and being more adaptable must be encouraged.
“For many people in care homes, meal times can be the highlight of the day so it is vitally important that mealtimes are seen as both enjoyable and as a social occasion.
“The Nutrition Champions are now armed with the ideas, knowledge and confidence to make a real change to nutrition practices in their homes.”
Deadline Press & Picture Agency 