It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…
If you fancy a challenge in 2020 then this could be for you! We have complimentary places for Prime Four members as well as a 20% discount offer for your friends and family. The Loch Ness race will be held in August, and Banchory will follow in September. To register your interest please click here (you will need to register as a Prime Four member) and to read more about this fantastic and unique event, click here.
The sun shone as race goers arrived and prepared to set off on the beastliest course to date. More than 2000 runners took part, including nearly 100 from various companies at Prime Four, in this years event at the stunning location of Knockburn Loch, Banchory.
With new obstacles – the Launch Pad, Beast Dip, Monkey Magic, Dash or Splash and Slippery Slope – awaiting this years participants, runners had to navigate round the new challenging route to get to them. The epic 10k obstacle race is not just a personal or group fitness challenge but also an amazing opportunity for many charities.
The event’s official charity Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland have initial counts putting the total at £20,000. The money will help people across the country live life to the full after a chest, heart or stroke condition.
Paul Corrigan, north and north-east fundraising manager for the charity, said: “This weekend’s Beast Race was the best yet. To see so many people getting muddy, braving all sorts of messy obstacles and supporting a good cause was inspirational.”
“They didn’t just beat the Beast, they’re helping beat loneliness and the fear that people feel when they go through a chest, heart or stroke condition”
The tough terrain tested the ability of runners, with the fast completion time being 50 minutes. A huge well done to the winners…
Male:
1st – Calum Martin – 50.06
2nd – Neill Mcleod – 54:37
3rd – Andrew Gillies – 54:51
Female:
1st – Julie Menzies – 58:45
2nd – Emma Murry – 59:38
3rd – Chloe Sangster – 1:01:32
See some Prime Four workers in action below…
A massive well done to everyone who took part in one of the wettest Beast races to date! Some Prime Four workers made the journey up to Inverness to take part in this years race. With heavy downpours, it was extra mud all round making for an even more challenging course.
With a record attendance of over 2000 at the Loch Ness location, spirits were high as participants navigated through the 10k course and 27 obstacles. A big congrats to the top male finisher completing the race at a time of 49:13 and the top female finisher crossing the line in a time of 01:03:44…epic race tiimes considering mud levels!! Over £30k has been raised for nominated charity CHSS so far and is rising, with many other charity benefiting from race participation too.
The Course is now being dismantled in preperation for it’s signature event at Knockburn Loch, Banchory on Saturday 21st September. The Big new water slide called the Launch Pad, will also feature at Banchory! Along with New Monkey Magic and Dash or Splash obstacles.
Nearly 100 workers from Prime Four tenants will be participating at this years Banchory race and we wish everyone a great race and perhaps dryer weather!!
Prime Four are delighted to introduce our newest tenants to the park – sixty thousand honey bees!
Recognising the environmental impact bees have, our new apiary housing 4 hives, has been built and installed on the wildflower grounds situated between the Apache and Maersk buildings. CNOOC International, Apache, Kingswellies Nursery and Anderson Anderson & Brown have all kindly sponsored a hive and a local bee keeper will maintain and monitor the bee’s.
Above: the bees arriving at their new home at Prime Four.
WE NEED BEE’S. They are vital for stable, healthy food supplies. They are key to the varied, colourful and nutritious diets we need and have come to expect. Bees are perfectly adapted to pollinate, helping plants grow, breed and produce food. They do so by transferring pollen between flowering plants and so keep the cycle of life turning. The vast majority of plants we need for food rely on pollination, especially by bees.
BEES ARE IN TROUBLE. There is growing public and political concern at bee decline across the world. This decline is caused by a combination of stresses – from loss of their habitat and food sources to exposure to pesticides and the effects of climate change. More than ever before, we need to recognise the importance of bees to nature and to our lives.
Stagecoach North Scotland today confirmed two new bus services will begin operation on Monday 21st January using the AWPR improving journey times for those choosing to travel by bus.
Following the public timetable consultation in September 2018, the local bus operator has reviewed all feedback received and has finalised plans for the first bus services to operate on the AWPR.
· Bus services will make use of the new AWPR from 21st January 2019
· Customer feedback shapes additional new route – service 757
· Hourly connections from Ellon and Stonehaven to Aberdeen Airport
· Half hourly connections from Kingswells P&R to Aberdeen Airport
Service 747 will be introduced on Monday 21st January offering a new link across Aberdeenshire and Angus. The new service will replace services 107 and current 747 and will operate an hourly frequency throughout most of the day between Montrose and Ellon using the AWPR. The service will operate from Montrose to Stonehaven before serving Kingswells Park and Ride and Aberdeen Airport. The service will then continue to Ellon and some journeys will also extend to Cruden Bay and Peterhead.
Service 757 will be introduced from the same date providing a direct link to the airport from Portlethen and Newtonhill. Residents in Portlethen and Newtonhill provided feedback in the timetable consultation requesting if a service could be introduced to the airport rather than connecting to 747 in Stonehaven. On reviewing the feedback Stagecoach has been able to introduce service 757 shaped by the feedback received from these communities. The 757 service will operate up to every hour 7 days a week to the airport and will also stop at Kingswells P&R.
Kingswells Park and Ride will benefit from both of the new bus services and as a result journeys from the popular Park and Ride site to the airport will be available by bus up to every 30 minutes, 7 days a week. Both services will be operated by low-floor easy access buses fitted with the latest tracking technology as well as the ability to accept contactless payments.
The award-winning JET service 727 connecting the city centre to the airport up to every 10 minutes will continue to the current timetable.
David Liston, Managing Director, Stagecoach North Scotland said: “We are delighted to be able to start the new year by introducing two new services to our Aberdeenshire network. In our autumn timetable consultation we received a lot of support for the new service 747 providing a direct bus connection to the airport. On reviewing consultation feedback from residents in Newtonhill and Portlethen we have been able to identify a solution that means these communities will also be connected to the airport from 21st January. We look forward to welcoming both old and new customers on board our new services later this month.”
From Monday 21st January services 50, 54, 60, 61, 63 and 81are subject to revision in the Buchan Travel Guide. These revisions are minor with only some early morning journeys being re-timed and additional journeys on service 50 to accommodate the route revision on service 747 in the Buchan area.
Timetables for service 747 and 757 are now available to download online and printed copies will soon be available to pick up in Aberdeen bus station, Kingswells P&R, Ellon P&R, Peterhead Interchange and Aberdeen Airport.
The newlyweds walked down a truly unique 10km aisle with 30 brutal obstacles at one of Scotland’s toughest obstacle course races (OCR) to tie the knot.
Marlene Harper and Les Simpson from Wick secretly decided to get hitched, surprising thousands of participants, including 80 of their friends and training partners from Hamilton Optimum Training (HOT).
Les and Marlene recently decided to take up a healthier lifestyle and vowed to celebrate the experience of completing Prime Four Beast Race in just over three hours by becoming man and wife in front of their teammates.
Pictured (from left to right) Kris Hamilton of Hamilton Optimum Training,Groom: Les Simpson and Bride: Marlene Harper along side Team HOT
Blooming bride Marlene said:
“The Prime Four Beast Race has been a fantastic experience. Neither me nor Les have ever taken part in anything like this before, but we wanted to do something to show how far we’ve come since joining the HOT team. It was amazing to get married in front of all our friends, and it was a great surprise for them.”
Grubby groom, Les said:
“After all the mud and sweat, came the tears because Marlene was still my beautiful bride. It’s a day we shall never forget”
Jono Buckland, director at organisers FireTrail Events comments:
“It’s not every day that something like this happens at the Prime Four Beast Race, but what a brilliant experience for all involved. A couple that races together stays together!”
Fife Hyland, communications director at Drum Property Group, developers of Prime Four adds:
“I’ve been at some messy weddings in my time but nothing like this! It’s been an honour to be part of their special day and everyone at Prime Four wishes them all the best for the future.”
Newlyweds Les Simpson and Marlene Harper
We are delighted to announce that Fresh at Prime Four have been awarded their HealthLiving Award, The HealthyLiving Award is a national award for the foodservice sector in Scotland awarded by the NHS.
FRESH have been recognised for making a number of healthy changes over recent months, these changes are based on general principles of a healthy balanced diet and have been developed to be in keeping with Scottish dietary targets to meet specific award criteria:
– Keeping the levels of fats, oil, sugars and salt to a minimum.
– Making starchy foods the main part of most meals.
– Ensuring fruit and vegetables are clearly available.
– At least 50% of the products provided meet the award criteria.
– Supporting healthier eating with promotions in store.
The 2017 Prime Four Beast Race at Banchory marks the fourth year the business park has sponsored Scotland’s most brutal 10k obstacle event.
This weekend saw over 2500 participants run fearlessly through the toughest ever course to successfully “tame the beast”. Challengers endured gruelling hill climbs and beastly bogs before hitting a frenzy of wicked obstacles to then plunge, one last time into the icy waters of Knockburn Loch.
Significant changes were made to this years course after previous participants called for the challenges to be ratcheted up several notches, and their call was heard! The courses new layout featured a total of 30 obstacles including 9 brand new to the course. Despite it being dubbed the toughest year yet, Swaid Worms took this years winners title finishing in just 51mins 42sec a whopping 32sec faster than last years winning time!!! Tabitha Shepperson took the title of fastest female finishing with an amazing time of 1hr 5min 36sec.
Teams and participants from Nexen, Lloyds Register, Transocean, Anderson Anderson Brown, OneSubsea, Apache, Maersk, PremierOil, Statoil, our Jog Scotland group and the Prime Four personal trainers all took on this years beast.
As our newest tenants on the park Lloyds Register arrived this year with a new team and plenty of fighting spirit.
Tamed – The boys from Lloyds Register leaving no man behind… or did one leave them behind, every man for himself!!
Over the last four years Nexen have dawned many a flamboyant outfit to take on the beast. This year they tossed aside the florescent too-toos and mean business.
Beasted – Team Nexen broke the beast for another year.
It was great to see the Anderson Anderson Brown team once again, having participated for the past two years since they moving to the park in the summer of last year.
Smashed it – it was smiles all the way round with team AAB.
Colleagues from across the Prime Four Park also did their bit to successfully break this years beast. It was the first time for some but many were returning for a second, third and fourth time! OneSubsea’s Rich Fulton returned for his fourth year and was impressed with the new, tougher course “This one was the toughest yet but still very enjoyable. I love that there is slight changes to the course every year and that keeps the appeal. I would say that I have found every year slightly tougher than the previous. I have attended every one since the start and I intend to keep that going.”
As part of Prime Four’s sponsorship, colleagues at any of the companies located at the Kingswells site, have benefitted from a range of free activities including 3,000 hours of training across 600 classes including Boot Camp, Circuits, Yoga, Metafit, a JogScotland Running Group, and the Prime Four Bleep Test.
This all fits within Prime Four’s principle objective which is to, “bring life to work.”
Raring To Go – JogScotland group ready for action
Broke It – The two Lynne’s from Prime Four Personal Training showing this years beast who’s boss
Prime Four Beast Race’s official charity partner is Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland (CHSS), for which over £178,000 has been raised so far by Beast Race participants, including nearly £50,000 this year, almost a 40% increase from last years total. We’re expecting that number will rise significantly after all funds are totalled for this year’s race.
Congratulations to all who “tamed the beast” this year!!
Jono Buckland, director at organisers FireTrail Events comments:
“The competitors told us they wanted it tougher, so we made Prime Four Beast Race tougher. A lot tougher. For thousands of people it really was a chance to break the beast. If someone at your work today was taking part you might want to go easy on them, as they’ve been through a lot.
Fife Hyland, communications director at Drum Property Group, developers of Prime Four adds:
“That was a brilliant Prime Four Beast Race at Banchory. We were so pleased to see yet another significant growth in entry numbers. Everyone took on the challenge of a new-look course with real enthusiasm and spirit and we’re delighted to see the event was another roaring success.”
To help mark the milestone 20th anniversary of the friends of ANCHOR chairty, Kingswellies nursery has organised an anchor scavenger hunt. Children from Nursery are joining in the event, to find 20 hidden anchors in the grounds and offices around Prime Four Business Park. Inspired by Friend’s of ANCHOR’s 20for20 Anchor Voyage, the children will have a week, as of yesterday, to find the anchors. Each child was given an activity booklet to check off the anchors and will get a sticker for each one.
Kirsten Horne, campaign officer at Friends of ANCHOR, said; “We are pleased to see so many people get behind the campaign in their own creative and interactive way. The Anchor Voyage seems to have captured the imagination of so many, and it’s lovely to hear of the fantastic week of fundraising KingsWellies Nursery are embarking on.”
Parents can join in a bake “sail” and staff will take turns to ride an exercise bike every minute of the working day for the week, to reach a 500 mile target.
Kerry Robertson, the KingsWellies nursery director, said: “Supporting the cancer and haematology patients at the ANCHOR Unit is a worthwhile cause. I think is great to involve not only our kids but also the parents and the staff too.”
KingsWellies Nursery has pledged that all funds raised will go directly the Friends of ANCHOR Dream Big campaign.
The Prime Four Community Trust established by Drum Property Group, and administered by Foundation Scotland, provides grants to charitable groups operating in the Kingswells’ Community Council Area.
The Trust is delighted to report The Local Committee Panel (constituted by local residents and coordinated by the Kingwells Community Council) has decided to award grants to Teenybeats, Coull Green Residents and the 1st Kingswells Scout Group.
The awards will provide funding to purchase a range of toys and musical equipment for the development of young children through play and interaction; will pay for the re-surfacing of local play facilities to provide a safe and enjoyable area for families; and go towards the purchase of transportation to assist with distribution of equipment for local Scout, Brownie and Guide groups.
Funding through The Prime Four Community Trust remains open for applications and the Committee is keen to hear from local groups. Applications for grants can be accepted from charitable and not-for-profit organisations for a range of activities that will benefit the Kingswells community. Grants of up to £2,000 are available via the programme and applications can be submitted at any time with decisions being taken throughout the year. Note that the maximum award of £2,000 will only be granted in exceptional circumstances where the project will make a significant difference to the wider Kingswells community.
Applications can be submitted via email to sian@foundationscotland.org.uk or via post to Sian Langdon, Foundation Scotland, 131 West Nile Street, Glasgow, G1 2RX. If you would like to discuss your project before making an application for funds then please contact Sian on 0141 341 4967.
Please click on the following link for the Application process and further information.
