Wintersong no more! - Back to Christmas for Nairn

Last year there was a lot of hot debate over the 'Wintersong' celebrations and then controversy over the way the cash was spent on consultants etc,(Budget 33K). Well this year we are firmally back in traditional territory for the Christmas Celebrations with a slimmed down event more fitting for these credit crunched times. A Highland Council press release reads:

"Two Nairn pupils will be assisting Provost Laurie Fraser as they switch on the Christmas lights in Nairn.
Kerr McKellar (P7) and Jade Berry (P7) from Millbank Primary will be centre stage in this community festive spectacular on Friday, 26th November at Nairn Court House which starts at 6.30pm.
The public are invited to join in the Christmas Carols with local adult choir ‘The Accidentals’ and Nairn Academy Choir (S1-S4) as they sing ‘Jingle Bells’, ‘Silent Night’, ‘Away in a Manger’, ‘Ding Dong Merrily on High’, and ‘Hark the Herald Angels Sing’.
The High Street and Gordon Street will be closed to vehicular traffic from 6pm to 7pm. "

Wintersong poll filed

The figures are slightly hard to read but they came in at 86, 3, 5 & 3% in the order that the questions were asked.

Inspire response

Inspire/Wintersong have updated their blog with a response to the criticism received in both the local mainstream and digital media. They have quite a comprehensive statement which will be illuminating to many readers and hopefully add to the debate in a positive way. On the main issue of controversy they state:

'This year’s theme, ‘WINTERSONG’, has become the focus of some misinterpretation. The concept began with a group discussion by members of the INSPIRE committee around the well known maxim “the sum of the parts is greater than the whole”. The idea of a communal song evolved as a vehicle to involve as many people in the community as possible – bringing all “parts” together to form a whole. The symbol of fire and ice, the logo for the event, was developed to represent the good things about winter – the beauty of winter, the cold drawing us round the fire with loved ones and also expressed the contrasts which remind us of the good things in our lives.
This creative process was not informed by religious beliefs, neither Pagan nor Christian or anti religious beliefs – it was the result of young people wanting to deliver an inclusive celebration for the town.'

You can read the full statement here and it might be more appropriate to engage in any debate/comments over there too. For some reason this article has triggered the feed update in the sidebar, not sure why that is.

On another topic, Joe is contemplating events in Copenhagen.

Wintersong - Budget for consultant was £7,200!

Total budget £33,940. Further details of the breakdown of what Wintersong will probably cost have been published in the comments of Nairn Matters blog on this article. Interesting to see where the money is going, travel, subsitence etc, etc.

UPDATE Friday morning: questions asked on the Nairn Matters Blog:

'Who decides to employ a consultant?
Who decides the amounts others get paid)?
Who gets to claim travel and subsistence?
How much do the workshop leaders get?
Are minutes of the meetings available to the public?'

The thread over on Nairn Matters has attracted quite a bit of debate so far and Admin over there have adopted a very fair stance in our opinion in their attempt to start a discussion over the event's future.

Perhaps in the interests of transparency the Wintersong group could let the public know a list of payments over and above that of the consultant? The worry about this is that perhaps we have a division now between those who give their time freely to the community and those that receive a payment? It would be healthy to have an open debate on all aspects of the Christmas Lights celebrations and perhaps as, Nairn Matters suggest, we could have something next year that will please everyone.

A tale of Wintersong time

Contributed by a gurnite:

'Nairn Shopping Experience

I was out walking on Monday evening in the High Street, when I spotted a nice pair of sparkly earrings in a local shop, that I thought would suit my beautiful wife for her Wintersong. I has just received my annual Heating Allowance from the government and felt a wee bit flush. I went into the shop, and made my purchase, at a cost of £50 and left feeling happy, that I had contributed to a local shop and also had part completed my Wintersong shopping. I slept well that night and was woken next day by the sound of the Nairny hitting the floor at the letterbox. I opened my beloved paper, and was gobsmacked to see an advert with in huge letters 20 per cent off everything. After using many Kleenex tissues, I decided to go back to the shop to see what my position was regarding my purchase, to be met by a baleful stare from the manageress, and as I could feel myself gradually turning to stone, I exited in a hurry. My future Wintersong purchases will all now be made in either Inverness, Forres or the internet. Nairn is too risqué for me any more.

Happy Wintersong shopping to all Gurnites

Rob Dagenn (OAP with no Wintersong heating)'