Perthshire's Adventure Festival - Jam Packed with Exciting opportunities for adventure!

There are a fantastic range of events involving the RSGS taking place as part of the fun filled Perthshire Adventure Festival.

The Fair Maid's House will host a range of exciting presentations through the day on Saturday 14th June, culminating in an evening of truly inspirational talks at the North Inch Community Campus.

This day of intimate presentations, storytelling and Q&As at the Fair Maid's House will run 10am-4pm. These talks are free to enter but spaces are limited - call 01738 472236 or book online.

10am - Steve Bate
11am - Adventure Storytelling
12pm - Tim Baillie MBE
1pm - Calum McNicol
2pm - Adventure Storytelling
3pm - The Meek Family

Evening Talk - 14th June, 7pm, North Inch Community Campus

Three inspiring speakers in one evening at the North Inch Community Campus.

The Meek Family, Stephen Venables and Sean Conway will give presentations on a variety of subjects. The Meeks will discuss their project to get their young family away from screens in into outdoor adventures. Stephen Venables will talk about his journey to South Georgia to mark the centenary year of the Endurance expedition, Extreme endurance adventurer Sean Conway will share the story about his Great British Triathlon - Swimming, Cycling and Running the entire length of Britain.

Pre-booked tickets are just £8 for RSGS Members, or £10 on the door. Book at 01738 472236 or online.

Adventure Photographer Lukasz Warzecha will launch his photography exhibition at the Fair Maid's House over the weekend, and will speak at the Fair Maid's House on Sunday 15th at 10am. Tickets to this intimate talk session are £10. Book at 01738 472236 or online.

As if that wasn't enough the weekend is filled with even more activities - including another inspiring talks evening on Friday 13th, and a range of outdoor activities from bushcraft to archery and even bungee jumping! See the full programme at www.pkc.gov.uk/adventurefestival

Nominations are open for RSGS Medals!

The RSGS’s prestigious Medals and Awards allow us to recognise outstanding contributions to geographical exploration and learning.

We are now inviting nominations for the RSGS Medals 2014 from members. The categories are:

◦     Scottish Geographical Medal, the highest accolade, for conspicuous merit and a performance of world-wide repute.

◦     Coppock Research Medal, the highest research-specific award, for an outstanding contribution to geographical knowledge through research and publication.

◦     Livingstone Medal, for outstanding service of a humanitarian nature with a clear geographical dimension.

◦     Mungo Park Medal, for an outstanding contribution to geographical knowledge through exploration or adventure in potentially hazardous physical or social environments.

◦     Shackleton Medal, for leadership and citizenship in a geographical field.

◦     Geddes Environment Medal, for an outstanding contribution to conservation of the built or natural environment and the development of sustainability.

◦     Tivy Education Medal, for exemplary, outstanding and inspirational teaching, educational policy or work in formal and informal educational arenas.

◦     Bartholomew Globe, for excellence in the assembly, delivery or application of geographical information through cartography, GIS and related techniques.

◦     President’s Medal, to recognise achievement and celebrate the impact of geographers’ work on wider society.

◦     Newbigin Prize, for an outstanding contribution to the Society’s Journal or other publication.

 

The Livingstone Medal, awarded for humanitarian service.

To nominate someone for an award, please send details, including a brief explanation (up to 250 words) of why your nominee(s) should be considered, by email to enquiries@rsgs.org, or by post to RSGS HQ in Perth. Nominations should be marked for the attention of the Chief Executive, and should arrive by the end of February 2014.

Chocolate pioneers awarded Shackleton Medal

Craig Sams and Jo Fairley, the couple behind chocolate brand Green & Black’s were awarded with the Royal Scottish Geographical Society’s (RSGS) Shackleton Medal after giving a talk in Perth Concert Hall on Tuesday 10^th December.

The couple were given the medal in honour of their work launching and bringing to the mainstream fairtrade and organic products in the UK.  They launched Green & Black’s in 1991 and sold it on to Cadbury in 2005 in what has been called by some a ‘reverse take over’ of the world’s largest confectionery company which forced them to consider wider ethical operations.

Green & Black’s is a well-known brand and is celebrated both for its quality and its ethical credentials. The success of the brand has convinced both the consumer public, and business, that Fairtrade and organic products are both viable and desirable.

The company’s Fairtrade chocolate bar Maya Gold, has led to a significant change in fortunes for the Maya people in Belize.  In the early nineties before Maya Gold, only 10 per cent of children in the area where Cacao is produced had access to secondary education. By 2006 this had risen to 70 per cent. Women in the area have also been empowered through their expertise in Cacao production and living conditions have improved considerably.

The Shackleton medal is named after the previous Director of RSGS, Ernest Shackleton, who along with being a leading polar explorer of his age, is still today a popular example of leadership.    This award is for leadership and citizenship in a geographical field.

The award being issued in Perth was fitting, as Perth is Scotland's newest fair trade city, the momentum for which early last year, assisted by RSGS, led to Scotland's certification as a fair trade nation.

They were awarded with the medal and fellowship of the RSGS by RSGS Trustree Lorna Ogilvie.