Yes Fife Yes

Yes July 2014 007-2
It’s a big Yes from Fife as a series of activities kick-off and the campaign gears-up to a whole new level. Supposedly Labour heartlands, Fife is turning to Yes fast. Here’s an outline of some of the activities and events coming up in the next few weeks.

BURNTISLAND YES HUB

Busy Burntisland has opened a Yes Shop on its High Street, as an information centre for undecideds and a place for Yes supporters to stock up on flags, stickers, posters and campaign material. Lead volunteer Colin Fraser is delighted with how things are going: “We opened on Thursday 24 July and since then, we’ve had an average of 50 people a day coming in to ask questions or pick up free Yes badges and wristbands. There’s a real demand for information about the vote – after all, this is probably the biggest political decision we’ll make in our lifetime.”
Yes shop, Burntisland

Yes shop, Burntisland

As well as a warm welcome, comfy sofas and free cup-cakes, visitors to the Yes shop can browse through the wide range of merchandise on sale.The shop is staffed entirely by local volunteers, is open from 11am-4pm Monday to Saturday and will remain in business until the big day on September 18.
A Yes hub for Kirkcaldy is planned to open next week at 203 High Street Kirkcaldy next to where the McDonald’s used to be.

 

10552637_683212328423444_31606524078828249_nINDY ROCKS & YES TATTOOS

Indy Rocks, is a Yes Kirkcaldy fundraiser, organised by Connor Bruce. It’s on Friday 1st of August at The Abbey Hotel, Milton Road, Kirkcaldy. Doors open at 6pm. £5 donation on the door. Connor Bruce Explains the lineup:

We have Holly Roseanna – Singer/songwriter based in Kirkcaldy but known to gig-goers in Edinburgh too. Lead singer of The Faceless Crowd but performing alone on the night. Here she is singing away on YouTube!  Euan Campbell – Well known to many in the town and by many in the Heavy Metal scenes of Glasgow and Edinburgh as lead singer of What Happens in Vegas. Now though, mimicking Frank Turner, he’s left the crazy world of metal behind to concentrate on solo acoustic singing. This will be his first solo gig! Citizen Smart – Anyone that’s been following the campaign over the last few years will know Alan Smart, a stalwart at the anti-BBC protests and pro-indy events nationwide, his protest songs and upbeat chat make him a must have at any pro-indy gig! Here he is at the second BBC protest. Murray Torrance and the Whisky Whales – Murray has played around the town for some time and is known to many for his unique sounding original material and different take on some pop classics! The Whisky Whales, comprising of Murray Torrance, Peter McFarlane, Euan Campbell and Colin Sheach, play their first gig together tonight but it’s definitely not their first time on a stage!”

 

Meanwhile there’s a queue to get inked-up in a competition to prove your Yesness. After the resounding success of the last mass Yes tattooing session in Kirkcaldy (covered by The Scotsman, The Sun, The Courier, The Fife Free Press and The Guardian), Spaghetti Tattoos (just down from Kirkcaldy Fire Station) is doing it all again.

Tattoo artist and big Yes supporter Aphra Wilson will be open for business this Saturday from 10.30am, offering Yes tattoos in a choice of three designs, for a £2 donation to the Yes campaign. Just time to get one done before heading up to Kelty for Super Saturday?

SUPER SATURDAY

Kelty will be the focus of a major independence campaign event this weekend as the Yes Fife Super Saturday comes to town! The event aims to bring together hundreds of Yes supporters from across Fife to spread the word about independence in a particular part of the county.This Saturday’s campaign will focus on Kelty and has been jointly organised by Yes Kirkcaldy co-ordinator, Marie Penman, and local councillor Alie Bain. The previous three Super Saturdays in Fife were held in Dunfermline, were a big success.

Super Saturday is open to anyone interested in joining the Yes campaign and starts at 11am on August 2 in the Moray Institute, 90-92 Main Street, Kelty, KY4 0AQ.

Participants are advised to bring a clipboard and a packed lunch, with all other materials provided on the day. No previous canvassing experience is necessary. Organisers promise a friendly, informative day of fun and all those who attend will receive a free Yes wristband!

Further details: Marie Penman 07930 169 176 or [email protected]

BssRFoQCEAAxQ0l.png-largeRIC MASS CANVAS TEMPLEHALL

Yes Fife is delighted to welcome Blair Jenkins to Kirkcaldy for the Radical Independence Campaigns second mass canvas on 6 August. Let’s ‘mobilise to transform Scotland’. Go here to see the RIC national site.

The canvass, which hopes to have volunteers out in every corner of Scotland, is the second in a series of national events organised by RIC, which targets areas with low turnouts in general elections.

The Kirkcaldy group will be focusing on Templehall, a large council estate in the town, and hopes to knock on at least 600 doors in one evening. Blair Jenkins is coming along as part of a pre-arranged visit to Kirkcaldy.

All are welcome to join in, even those who have never canvassed before, as full training will be given. Meet at the car park at Templehall shops at 6pm on Wednesday 6 August.

Further details: Marie Penman 07930 169 176 or [email protected]

 

NICOLA STURGEON TO SPEAK AT KIRKCALDY

Just a few weeks before the referendum, Nicola Sturgeon will be speaking at St Bryce Kirk, Kirkcaldy. Yes Kirkcaldy has already hosted Tariq Ali, Carolyn Leckie, Alan Bissett, Lesley Riddoch, Pat Kane, Mike Small, Ivan McKee, Natalie McGarry and others.

Local organiser Marie Penman explained that:

“This will be our big final Yes event and we wanted to out on a high. We’ve had great speakers over the past few months but Nicola is really worth hearing, she’s an inspiration!”

It’s expected that Sturgeon will give her talk and then answer questions for over an hour. The event is aimed at undecided voters and local business.

Nicola Sturgeon –  7pm on Tuesday 12 August, it’s free and non-ticketed at St Brycedale Ave, Kirkcaldy, Fife KY1 1ET

 

SCOTLAND YET

Yes Burntisland are screening the Scotland Yet, the crowd-funded documentary about the independence movement by Christopher Silver and Jack Foster.

Scotland Yet is a feature length documentary that takes a radically different approach to the debate on Scottish independence. Here’s the trailer…

Blissfully free of sound bites, politicians and statistics, Scotland Yet examines the sum of several personal stories from across the nation to explore the many reasons why we find ourselves at such an historic impasse.

This films focuses on the real referendum debate, the one taking place in the streets, homes and communities across Scotland. It documents the most important discussion we have ever had, as democracy, place, what we have here and what we lack, come to the fore.

The filmmakers will be available for a Q&A after the film.

The screening is at the Jubilee Tavern 110 Aberdour Rd, Burntisland, Fife KY3 0EN on Friday 15 August at 7pm

Email Colin ([email protected]) to reserve your seat.

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