Caroline Wilson

A new bronze statue of Saint Barr, Barra’s patron saint, is due to be unveiled and blessed on the saint’s annual feast day. The replacement is a 50% larger replica of a deteriorating concrete statue created by local artist Margaret Somerville in the 1970s. A fundraising campaign reached its £100,000 target ahead of schedule, helped by an £85,000 donation from Barra-raised Captain Iain Macneil and Kat Heathcote Macneil, along with support from Crown Estate Scotland. Sculptor Stephen Tinney is working with Black Isle Bronze to produce the statue, while local schoolchildren, parish officials and Ireland’s consul general will participate in the ceremony. Further fundraising will support lighting the statue.

Caroline Wilson visits Kimpton Blythswood Square in Glasgow to try its seaweed bath therapy, offered in partnership with Lewis-based brand ishga. After using an ishga body scrub and hair mask, she spends 30 minutes in the treated seaweed bath and reports that her skin feels softer and nourished. The Alga spa day costs £135 per person Tuesday to Thursday and £140 Friday to Monday, including the treatment, two hours in the thermal suite and either a two-course meal or afternoon tea.

Jason Arday, a sociology of education professor who held posts at several British universities and was appointed to Cambridge in 2023, has resigned with immediate effect amid allegations of plagiarism, inaccurate biographical claims and misrepresentation of an unpublished book. The allegations followed a 2023 journal correction and were publicised by Cambridge alumnus Nathan Cofnas before wider media reports examined Arday's PhD and other work. Arday acknowledged errors but denied being a liar, argued that the scrutiny was racially motivated and linked some mistakes to his autism. Cambridge and Jesus College had begun formal investigations, while Arday said the media pressure had taken a serious toll and that he intended to return to academic work after time to recover.

A record 6,150 entrants to Scottish higher education in 2024–25 came from the country’s 20% most deprived areas, representing 17.4% of entrants. Care-experienced entrants and disabled students also reached record levels, while retention among students from deprived areas improved to 87.7%. However, completion rates remain below their 2018–19 peak, 12.3% do not return for a second year, and Scotland may miss its 2026 widening-access target of 18% as it works toward the 2030 goal of 20%.

A survey of 500 Scottish pupils aged 13 to 18 found that plumbers were most often viewed as resistant to replacement by AI, followed by electricians, hairdressers or barbers, nurses, mechanics and social workers. The findings show that teenagers are already frequent AI users: 50.5% use AI at least daily, while most use it for information, schoolwork, explanations and revision. Although 55% want to learn skills AI cannot perform and many are concerned about over-reliance and future employment, respondents were generally optimistic, with 54% seeing AI as an opportunity for their careers. Glasgow Kelvin College said education providers should help young people develop practical and interpersonal skills alongside the ability to use emerging technologies critically.

Professor Chris O’Neil is stepping down as principal and chief executive of UHI Inverness after more than nine years in the role. The university has begun the process of appointing an interim successor, while the board works with O’Neil to ensure continued delivery of education and student support. Interim chair Janette Campbell thanked him for his service and wished him well.

Jason Arday, a Cambridge sociology professor and former University of Glasgow academic, is facing allegations that more than 100 passages in his PhD resemble an earlier thesis, along with questions about claims concerning his endurance challenges and charity fundraising. Arday acknowledges errors but denies being a liar, attributes some early mistakes to autism, and says a coordinated, racially motivated campaign is targeting him amid wider criticism of diversity, equity and inclusion policies. Cambridge University has called the allegations a smear campaign, while other academics say the plagiarism evidence warrants investigation. The controversy has also revived scrutiny of Arday's claim that his story inspired Andy Murray before Murray's Olympic victory, and of his allegation that a severed pig's head was sent to his family, which police said was not supported by any investigation.

Residents and visitors recall Sauchiehall Street in Glasgow from the 1950s to the present, describing its cinemas, theatres, shops, cafés, nightlife, buskers, Christmas lights and cultural venues. Their memories portray the street as a lively setting for shopping, entertainment, artistic discovery, romance and personal milestones, while also reflecting later concerns about nightlife-related noise and disorder.

A carer identified as Mrs Henderson was awarded £8,206.10 by an employment tribunal after Peter Irving dismissed her by phone for refusing to change her contracted working days at short notice. The tribunal found that the dismissal was summarily carried out without a disciplinary process or appeal and fell outside the range of reasonable employer responses. The judge also accepted that the manner of the dismissal harmed her mental health, including contributing to anxiety and panic attacks.

A tribunal ruled that Pure Spa & Beauty unfairly dismissed employee Rachel McEwan while she was 27 weeks pregnant, finding the company failed to consult her about redundancy, offer suitable alternative employment, or provide statutory maternity and redundancy pay. The business had cited financial pressures, closures, and restructuring, but the judge concluded the process was unfair though not discriminatory. The company was ordered to pay £9,997.37 and accepted the ruling while maintaining the redundancy was genuine.

Plans are underway to convert the historic St Columba’s Gaelic Church in Glasgow into a 1,400-capacity traditional music venue inspired by Oran Mor. Businessman Bradley Mitchell aims to preserve the building’s Gaelic heritage while creating a hub for folk music, food, and tourism partnerships such as Celtic Connections. Mitchell, who has restored several historic sites including the Britannia Panopticon and the Sugar Sheds in Greenock, is also seeking to take on other heritage buildings in Glasgow. He emphasizes the need to revive culturally significant structures and increase visitor appeal through new uses that support artists, musicians, and local communities.