Highland Lives And Lochs
A day of back-to-back meetings at in Glasgow soI didn't even notice that the sun was shining until I made my escape at half past four in the afternoon. After three days on the road I was finaly heading home, but with an interesting stop-off at in Fort William. I'd been invited to a little film premiere organised by my colleagues on the ±«Óãtv Highland Lives project.
This meant a drive north along the banks of Loch Lomond and through Glencoe.
It was such a beautiful, balmy evening, I had the windows rolled down and the scenery was stunning. I can also recommend the fish suppers at Tyndrum. Best I've ever tasted, honestly.
I got to Fort William just before seven and was met by Rowena Jeffreys Jones, the assistant producer for Highland Lives. She and her team have been working with people across the north of Scotland, helping them create short films or audio slideshows. I saw five of them tonight - all very good - and met some of the people who had either made them or had appeared in the videos and photographs. I had been asked to make a short speech and to point up the importance of story telling. I decided to share a story I had just discovered moments before getting to my feet.
Rowena had told me of her own Polish heritage. Her Grandfather - like my Dad - had been imprisoned in a Soviet labour camp at the start of World War II. When the he'd been freed and had come to Scotland and joined the air force. (My Dad had joined the navy.) Rowena had told me that she had managed to persuade her Grandfather to record his life story using a digital tape recorder. Imagine how valuable that will be for future generations. It's exactly what the Highland Lives project is about too.
After the film show I headed back to Inverness just as the sun was sinking into the hills. Another breath-taking drive along Loch Loch, Loch Oich and, of course, Loch Ness.
±«Óãtv, at last, just before ten o'clock.
