Join us for Friday Lunch on Friday 12 December, 1-2pm in Square Deal for a discussion about the revival of Doric and Scots. Lunch will be veggie shepherd's pie with cheesy and vegan options.

The guest speaker for this Friday Lunch is Dr Rory MacDonald, the chief editor of oorNews, a Scots Language media start-up based in Monymusk, Aberdeenshire. For Friday Lunch Rory will be sharing his experience growing up as a native Doric Scots speaker and having to navigate work and life speaking English. These experiences led Rory to create oorNews in March 2025 to help centralise the language and to create a Scots-positive work culture. Through oorNews Rory publishes regular online articles that can be read in Braid Scots, Nor East Scots/Doric, Nordern Isles Scots/Shetland and English. During his talk Rory will discuss how oorNews is developing an AI tool for the Scots speaking community to develop the written language based on everyday spik. Rory will also talk about his work as a member of the advocacy group Oor Vyce who were influential in campaigning for the Scottish Languages Bill in July 2025 granting Scots official language status in Scotland.

For more information about oorNews visit:

https://oornews.co.uk/sco-ne/

Accessibility

Friday Lunch is usually attended by 15-25 people. It takes place in Square Deal (22 The Square, Huntly AB54 8BR), the creative and community hub on Huntly Square. There is a guide to visiting Square Deal online here. This includes information on travelling to the venue, photos and plans of the space, and sensory information.

This is a family friendly event and children are very welcome.

This event is free, but you are welcome to make a donation of £2 to cover the cost of ingredients and any access costs for the speaker.

Allergens/dietary Notes

Shepherd's pie has two versions: a dairy version containing cheese and a dairy-free vegan version. Both dishes contain lentils and stock containing celery. Food is prepared in a kitchen that may have traces of nuts, seeds, dairy and other allergens.

About Friday Lunch

The sharing of food is a great leveller. On the second and fourth Friday of the month, we invite people who live or work in and around Huntly to speak about things they are passionate about – this could include their work, a project, an area of research or hobby. Topics are broad and change every time, from nature to community development, writing to food, among many others.

About the Home Programme

This event is part of the Home Programme, a series of regular community events taking place at Deveron Projects. The Home Programme celebrates local knowledge and experiences, and explores what it's like to live and work in and around Huntly. It includes Friday Lunch, as well as the monthly Food Chain cookery workshop and a stall at the Huntly Farmers' Market. If you'd like to contribute to the Home Programme, or know someone who you'd love to hear from, then get in touch with us on info@deveron-projects.com.