Martin Clunes: Tayside equestrians recognised at BHS annual awards

THE COURIER CO.UK
BY PHILLIPA STEPHEN
DECEMBER 18, 2013



Two Tayside equestrian women took the top awards at the recent British Horse Society Annual Awards at Saddlers Hall, in London.

Stepping down as BHS Scotland national chairman after seven years, Loraine Young of Aberlemno was awarded the society’s most prestigious honour, the President’s Award, for exceptional service to the society over a period of years.

During her time as head of Scotland’s largest equine membership organisation Loraine has helped further the aims of charity across Scotland by masterminding numerous fund-raising and educational events.

Meanwhile Marjory Norrie, from Gardyne, was recognised for many years of service to the British Riding Club movement when she received the Leo Harris Award for excellent service to affiliated Riding Clubs and area liaison.

Marjory has led Area 22 (north of the Forth-Clyde line) for over a decade.

The ladies were presented with trophies by Martin Clunes, the British Horse Society president.

READ MORE HERE: http://www.thecourier.co.uk/business/farming/equestrian/tayside-equestrians-recognised-at-bhs-annual-awards-1.166844

Matthew Macfadyen: Ripper Street: the final episode, BBC One, review

TELEGRAPH
By Michael Hogan
10:30PM GMT 16 Dec 2013



Recent episodes of Ripper Street (BBC One) have been somewhat overshadowed by the news that the bowler-hatted, bewhiskered period police procedural has been axed by the Beeb. There are rumours of it being saved by a co-production deal between makers Tiger Aspect and online streaming service LoveFilm.

Meanwhile, fans are up in arms and have started a petition to keep it on-air. I have some sympathy. It’s never nice when one of your favourite shows gets dragged into an alleyway and brutally slain but I can also understand the motive for the killing: ratings have fallen from 7m to 4m and convincingly recreating 1889 East End London can’t come cheap. The false beard budget alone probably ran into thousands. It might have lapsed into gratuitous gore at times but Ripper Street was a fully realised world, populated by strong characters and the writing was superb. Its quality hasn’t dipped. Instead, the ratings decline is largely due to it being scheduled against I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!

This episode, then, wasn’t just the last of the series but probably the last one ever. It’s a grimy, gritty world at Division H in Whitechapel but now the soundtrack’s lush string arrangements acquired an extra elegiac quality. The writers didn’t know this was going to be their swansong but it worked as one.

Inspector Reid (the ever-excellent Matthew MacFadyen) and his motley crew of ye olde coppers were fighting two baddies in a plot involving hapless landlords and pieces of cheesewire.

Meanwhile, Reid’s two sidekicks had problems of their own. Craggy, hangdog DS Drake (Jerome Flynn) had lost his stomach for police work but was not short of fight in the force’s boxing championship. Captain Homer Jackson was desperately trying to profit from a stolen South African diamond and not get ripped off by his own brother.

The plot threads were drawn together for the final reckoning, cutting between boxing ring and music hall.

Jackson’s brother sold the diamond to local villain Duggan (Frank Harper) and scarpered with the cash. The South Africans killed Duggan to get it back. Drake knocked the stuffing out of bent copper Shine (Joseph Mawle) in the ring.

READ MORE HERE: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/tv-and-radio-reviews/10521420/Ripper-Street-the-final-episode-BBC-One-review.html

Benedict Cumberbatch iPhone selfie landed him Meryl Streep movie August: Osage County

METRO
Emily Hewett
Showbiz reporter



Benedict Cumberbatch bagged a part in his latest movie August: Osage County after wooing the film’s director with a self-shot video.

John Wells – best known for his work on US TV series ER and The West Wing – had not heard of the Sherlock star until he received the amateur footage.

He said: ‘I have to confess I didn’t know Benedict’s work at all. He sent in a video – recorded on an iPhone – and he must have filmed it himself because you could see that it was being held at arm’s length, like a selfie.

‘We were sent the clip by his agent and I was really taken with his talent. It was a beautiful audition.

‘We auditioned several people after that but none of them had the warmth and humanity of Benedict in the part,’ he added to The Sun.

Benedict stars alongside the likes of Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Ewan McGregor, Chris Cooper and Sam Shepard in the dark Oklahoma-set drama.

READ MORE HERE:http://metro.co.uk/2013/12/21/benedict-cumberbatch-selfie-landed-him-meryl-streep-movie-august-osage-county-4239235/

How film star Gerard Butler helped poor children in Liberia for Mary's Meals

HERALD SCOTLAND
20 December, 2013



During a four-day trip to Liberia in Africa this month, the actor helped cooks prepare and serve meals to school pupils on behalf of Mary's Meals.

Butler loved the experience and said he has been inspired to get more involved with the charity, after he helped out in a school maths class, played football with children and danced with local villagers.

Mary's Meals was set up by Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow in a shed in Dalmally, Argyll, but has grown into an international school feeding programme, working in countries where hunger and poverty prevent children from gaining an education. It also sends backpacks filled with school essentials around the world to ensure children can make the most of their time in class.

Scot Butler, 44, presented Mr MacFarlane-Barrow with an award in 2010 and has supported the charity since.

The actor said: "I have come to know Mary's Meals but I had no idea of what that really meant until I came to see what is possible with this organisation and the effect it can have on the lives of so many children.

"One of the things that I have been struck by during this visit is the strength of people's dignity, and what I love about Mary's Meals is that it is all about retaining this. They don't operate a free system where people are just taking; instead it is all about respecting and promoting the lives of people, their culture and what they are capable of.

"I've seen a lot of these communities becoming more energised and alive, and what Mary's Meals does is that it helps create a sense of community that goes way beyond the feeding programme itself."

Mary's Meals has been working in Liberia since 1994 and the school feeding programme in the country is the second biggest run by the charity after Malawi.

It now reaches more than 820,000 children around the world.

READ MORE HERE: http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/how-film-star-gerard-butler-helped-poor-children-in-liberia-for-marys-meals.1387523047

LAX Sighting: Henry Cavill Heads Home For The Holidays

HENRY CAVILL NEWS
Friday, December 20, 2013

atombyerz: You know... Just hanging out with the man of steel at the airport #superman #manofsteel #henrycavill #LAX #moviestar #byerspartyof2 #movie #watcheditlastnight

READ MORE HERE: http://www.henrycavillnews.com/2013/12/lax-sighting-henry-cavill-heads-home.html