Nicholas Russell to deliver media on 1320 miles #TheLongWalkToFreedom

Back in 2018 we published an extensive blog which confirmed I was going to deliver media reporting, and participate on that year's 500 miles blockchain walk. Specifically, due to my previous and ongoing delivery as Scotland's 'by circumstance' features writer on the ultra niche subject, of the interface between blockchain aka distributed ledger technology, and democracy. 

Since 2015: 

That 2018 post can be read here. 

The final summary of the 500 miles walk, and what it achieved, including a summary of Motion being Lodged in Scotland's Parliament by Jenny Gilruth MSP for Mid Fife and Glenrothes, can be read here: 

Fast forward two years. In the interim and as 2015 founder of YesDayScotland ongoing, I've been directly involved with multiple projects since then. 

This has included the honour of delivering first-in-world wording for wiring distributed ledger technology into what is currently in a holding status as the developmental prototype of a written constitution for Scotland, via project leader constitutional scholar Dr Mark McNaught. 

Main website and constitution itself. 

Delighted to confirm today that I'll be repeating the generalities of 2018, and I'll be heading on voluntary secondment once again, as one of ten 2020 core walkers. I'll be delivering media on the forthcoming 1320 miles project, which is headlined as 'The Long Walk To Freedom'. Main project website for infrastructure, mapping, interactive, volunteer networks and peripheral events, here. 

Over the last year and more, I've been one of the core admin involved with developing the scope of what is now termed as Scotland's 21st century National Covenant. There have been many citizens who have voluntarily deployed their resources and time, to deliver the finalised capabilities. My input has been with regards to architecture, and very specifically, all detailing with regards to all aspects regarding Ethereum blockchain signature processes. 

The Ethereum chain itself, can be viewed by anyone here. 

Here's an excerpt: 

Looks boring admittedly, but that's until you realise the enormity of how it's going to so profoundly influence the future. And what it can do today. 

I am so very honoured, and humbled, to have been able to deliver opening media on the technical detail of the project itself. This has extended to yesterday, and to the publication of a major article, which is our fourth blockchain article for Scotland's largest business network, Business for Scotland. 

Read via: 

Plan to gain independence via Scotland’s Blockchain Covenant explained

Project organisers for the 1320 miles project have asked core walkers for a reason from those who are wishing to participate. I'm there for all aspects re blockchain democracy, and have delivered a further article detailing key aspects. 

I have huge ongoing commitments at Balbirnie, especially due to how we are needing to work during the challenges of restricted social distanced trading. As things stand, I'll be covering the walk's week 1 in full, onwards from the Eilean Donan start line 18.9.2020, and then will hope to somehow be able to complete 500 miles within the entire duration of the 1320 miles walk. 

Best wishes one and all, Nicholas 

Balbirnie House breaks the in-house wedding booking record! Again!

It's with a measure of total disbelief that I'm typing this morning! Because in context and timing, what I'm about to detail is something which has never happened before at Balbirnie House, and that's saying something! 

Traditionally, our very busiest time of the year for incoming wedding enquiries, starts on the 27th December. It's the same every year, and it happens due to the fact that so many couples get engaged over Christmas. This then continues, and we always have 3 very, very busy weeks of new enquiries. It can be a very frustrating process for couples who only wish, for example, a Saturday in the next 18 months, because these dates will already be pre-booked by other clients. 

January each year? Surf's Up! 

We maintain meticulous records for all incoming new client enquiries. 

Hospitality with a capital H. And if we make new history, we celebrate! 

Original image below ⬇️ via Rob Thomson / Lifetime Photography: 

And on the subject of in-house records, back in 2012 I personally met 89 prospective future wedding clients in a row, who all then subsequently placed a future booking into the Balbirnie House future Special Events diary. I said back then that we'll never see that particular record surpassed, and it certainly still stands today! No need to engrave new steak knives!

So here we are today. We are absolutely over-the-moon to confirm that we have a new monthly record. Much to the accumulating surprise of our wedding planning team! 

And we kept going! 

During August 2020 we took brand new bookings for 26 future weddings. Staggering, but there it is. 

This has never happened before in history, let alone happened in summer. To see this unfolding circumstance occur when we don't even know when we can resume with providing the backdrop for non-social-distancing weddings, it really is an astonishing circumstance. 

Why and how has it happened? Five thoughts on this. 

Firstly, there are many hotels which totally mis-managed the total chaos of the Lockdown for their wedding clients, March 2020 onwards. Subsequently therefore, reputations tarnished in the small world of online recognition for hospitality and consistency. We can only look back now on the amazing work that our wedding planning team put into doing every single thing in our capability, to go a country mile and all the rest to work with our weddings clients in such a caring, thoughtful, structured and cohesive way. It was literally, the moving of a Hospitality mountain, and it continues today with a rolling process of review for all clients, 12 weeks in advance. Some of our wedding clients moved eg from April 2020, to August 2020, then October 2020, and onwards further. Underlined, the 26 figure above is not for re-scheduled clients, it's only for brand new clients. 

Secondly, in what is very clearly now an accelerating set of catastrophic circumstances across the span of Scotland's entire hospitality sector, those clients who are seeking to book a wedding venue in say 2022 or 2023, are very much seeking measures of comfort and faith, that their intended wedding venue will still be in business. We don't have a crystal ball for the future of the global pandemic, but Balbirnie House is certainly fully re-financed today, and the same as all wedding venues, we're very patiently waiting for new government updates. 

Thirdly, many wedding venues have sadly not been able to afford to re-open, and do not envisage re-opening. We have had many enquiries from couples who have been told that their wedding venue elsewhere is in that unfortunate status, and their originally intended wedding cannot therefore proceed. 

Fourthly, our new 2020 wedding literature has such a range of offering and value, it has taken a few months of settling in, for prospective new clients to realise what happened. Balbirnie House was the recipient last year of the Haute Grandeur award, for Best Destination Wedding Hotel, in the global category. Our management team have therefore felt it more important than ever before, to do all we can to offer value, in conjunction with all aspects of every client journey, intended fully in such a caring, helpful and thoughtful way. This is beyond the remit of 'simply planning a wedding day', extending to help clients visualise the possibilities, and prepare for the many emotives, additionally these days into elements of sensory perception. 

Fifthly, as news of Balbirnie's continued 14th time annual success and status as Scotland's Wedding Hotel of the Year, and double 2018/ 2019 global Best in World awards has progressed through our literature and history, many prospective clients are automatically ruling out other potential wedding destinations, as this aspect of romance is certainly now absolutely unique to Balbirnie House. 

So, a huge congratulations all round for Balbirnie's brigade, a new commemorative photo commissioned for our wedding planning team, and our sincere gratitude to the 26 couples who booked in August and will be getting married in the future. 

All best wishes, 

Nicholas / MD Balbirnie House