FC Halifax Town were knocked out of the Isuzu FA Trophy after a penalty shoot with the game finishing 2-2 draw in normal time away at Basford United Town dominated the first 20 minutes but were met with a strong Basford defence and nearly took the lead on 22 minutes with goalkeeper Harvey Woodward stopping a Billy Waters effort from close range The home side went ahead in the 25th minute through McKeal Abdullah’s cross which was assisted by the wind and found the far corner of the net for the opening goal Jamie Cooke and Jack Jenkins combined but the effort from Jenkins was always rising over the bar as Town looked for an equaliser Basford doubled their lead through Kane Richards his shot from 20 yards came off the bar to make it 2-0 The Shaymen pulled one back four minutes into the second half Angelo Cappello’s cross found Adam Senior whose ball across goal was met by Jamie Cooke who scored with his first time finish Basford wanted a penalty as Tyrell Waite went down in the box but referee Jonathan Maskrey waved away their appeals but Sam Johnson had to make a fine save to stop Waite’s effort Town equalised in the 65th minute with Cooke’s second of the afternoon with a shot from range finding the bottom corner Woodward had to save from Waters to deny Town a third goal in quick succession The game finished level and went to a penalty shoot out with both teams scoring all their give penalties forcing the game to sudden death Kacy Milan Butterfield scored Basford’s sixth penalty but Adam Senior couldn’t hit the target and fired over the bar to send the home side into the Isuzu FA Trophy Fourth Round Town are back in action on Tuesday night with the visit of Sutton United in the Vanarama National League 2 Harvey Ridgley (Prince Mancinelli 71) 3 Taylor Anderson 7 Kane Richards (12 Ashley Chambers 71) 8 Kacy Milan Butterfield Read more posts by FC Halifax Town Copyright 2017 FC Halifax Town | All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy | Sitemap | Accessibility Web Design & Development by Identify A goal‑fest at the Windsor Foodservice Stadium confirmed home advantage in the playoffs for Worksop Town as the Tigers put four past Basford United Town were put into an early lead after Jordan Burrow set Aleks Starcenko on the edge of the area and he drilled a low shot past Saul Deeney with Palmer forcing Tommy Taylor into a good low save to his left but it was well blocked on this occasion.  Mason O’Malley’s speculative effort was saved and moments later Deeney tipped over Liam Hughes’ corner‑header A superb free‑kick delivery from Joe Leesley picked out Jordan Burrow in the six‑yard area Dacres went one‑on‑one with Taylor but struck into the side netting When Luke Hall slipped in Starcenko one‑on‑one there was only ever going to be one outcome a cool finish around an onrushing keeper brought his tally to sixteen goals in all competitions this season but a tame effort was easily matched by Taylor Winfield’s cross from the left flank found Jessop and after a blocked volley he scored with a deflected finish—his first for the Tigers Luke Hall picked up another assist when he found the run of Jordan Burrow who had the time and space to pick out the bottom right corner A late consolation looked on the cards for Basford as Tyler Dacres’ pull‑back provided a close‑range opportunity for Goodman but Tommy Taylor once again produced an unbelievable save to maintain a clean sheet An already‑relegated Basford remain in twentieth while the Tigers confirmed their place in second with one game to play 24 Jan 2025 | Latest News, Match Preview The Silkmen round off January at the Leasing.com Stadium as Basford United make the journey from Nottinghamshire Robbie Savage’s side are coming into the game with back-to-back victories over FC United of Manchester and Gainsborough Trinity took a point away from the Leasing.com Stadium last season despite a halfway line strike from John Rooney Basford will be hoping to turn their form around having only accumulated one point from their last six games If you are unsure of how to find us at The Leasing.com Stadium the link below will provide you with all the travel details you may need Paul Dawson is available for selection after serving his two game ban Rollin Menayese is also in line to potentially make his home debut Tre Pemberton is the only absentee who serves the final game of his ban Tickets are available to home and away fans both online and on the gate from 12:00 this afternoon Supporters are encouraged to purchase tickets online to avoid queues when arriving at the ground Please note that Disabled and Carer tickets can only be claimed from our Club Reception on the production of relevant identification All concession tickets will be asked to provide relevant identification upon entry to the ground You can purchase your ticket HERE Traveling fans will enter the Stadium via the turnstiles located in between the Silkmen Terrace and Moss Lane Stand We would like to remind supporters to please park respectfully in and around the vicinity of the Leasing.com Stadium and take care when arriving and leaving the ground Matchday Programmes will be on sale around the ground priced at £3 for all league games this season Bar Twenty Seven will be open before kick off for Food and Drink for home supporters only The Westwood Group Fan Zone will be open from 13:00 with Wood Fire Smoke serving a delicious range of pizzas All our door kiosks will be open serving range of drinks The dulcet tones of Matthew Todd will be back once again with Full Commentary on our Mixlr channel from approximately 14:50. You can find the link to listen HERE We will also be providing Live Match Updates via our Social Media Channels as the game goes on Supporters can find our Social Media Channels below: For those who don’t have social media profiles then you can access Football Webpages for goal updates via the link below: https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/match/2024-2025/northern-premier-league-premier-division/macclesfield/basford-united/504281 May 6, 2025 | A memorable season for us all at Macclesfield FC as we secured promotion to the National League North Here is a rundown of all the award winners from our Player of the Year Awards: Sponsors Player of the Year - Max Dearnley  Player's Player of the Year - Laurent.. May 2, 2025 | There were some stunning strikes during the month of April It’s now time to vote for your Kenny Waste Management Goal of the Month for April Here are your four options: John Rooney vs Workington Neil Kengni vs Guiseley.. May 1, 2025 | , Ahead of our debut season in the Vanarama National League North Macclesfield FC are thrilled to announce that our seasonal hospitality and sponsorship packages are now available to purchase With Robbie Savage's side attracting significant national attention and with.. Apr 30, 2025 | As a season like no other comes to a close it's time to look back on what a special season 2024/25 has been for the football club and the town of Macclesfield After the play-off heartbreak against Marine expectations were high going into the 2024/25 season Apr 28, 2025 | , Macclesfield FC ended their title-winning season on a high with a comfortable 4-0 victory against Whitby Town The first big opportunity came in the 19th minute as Lewis Fensome made his way into the box before a deflected shot just breezed past the post Apr 25, 2025 | , The Silkmen return to the Leasing.com Stadium for one final time this season as Whitby Town make the journey from North Yorkshire Robbie Savage's record-breaking side will be awarded the Northern Premier League - Premier Division trophy Apr 25, 2025 | North-West businessman and investor Darren Wright has officially acquired a stake in Macclesfield Football Club signalling further ambitious & strategic growth plans for the Club Darren states: “I’m thrilled to step into the world of football club ownership—a.. Apr 22, 2025 | , After a superb victory in the Emirates FA Cup, its back to league action for the Lions as they travel to Nottingham to take on Basford United this Tuesday, writes Scott Kelly These sides met for the first time last season with the Lions doing the double over their opponents Guiseley won 2-1 at Nethermoor last August thanks to Tom Denton and Gabriel Johnson’s goals Johnson was also on target as the Lions won 1-0 in Nottingham on December 23rd Jake Lawlor’s header on the 20-minute mark was enough for the Lions to claim a huge scalp over National League North side Scunthorpe United at Nethermoor on Saturday and advance to the final qualifying round of the Emirates FA Cup A free kick from Will Longbottom was put into the area and Lawlor rose highest to loop his header over the despairing goalkeeper Maison Campbell An almost identical free kick from Longbottom was put into the area five minutes before the break John Lufudu’s cross caused havoc and Leo Farrell’s header was saved well at the back post by Campbell Lebrun Mbeka received a second yellow card as he barged into Danny Whitehall with half of the second half still to play the Lions held on going into the final 20 minutes as a late barrage of efforts from the Iron came and went The Lions were saved by the offside flag late on as Whitehall went down in the area while being sandwiched between two Guiseley players The referee blew for full time shortly after and the Lions claimed a historic victory and make their way into the 4th qualifying round for the first time since 2021 They are flying in the league above and we knew it was going to be tough” Mark Bower’s assistant Danny Boshell spoke after the Scunthorpe victory and was immensely proud of the team Alluding to the fact Scunthorpe are a full-time side Boshell felt the Lions went ‘toe-to-toe’ with them and in the end deserved the victory “We will see how everyone is and get our heads back in it for Basford on Tuesday” Attention now turns straight to the Basford game on Tuesday Adriano Moke was suspended for the Scunthorpe clash and is eligible to return against Basford Lebrun Mbeka will be eligible for the trip to Nottinghamshire with his suspension not kicking in until Saturday’s home clash with Bamber Bridge Jordan Thewlis did not feature on Saturday but should be available following a groin injury The Ambers have had a change in manager in the last few days Martin Carruthers has been placed on compassionate leave following a family bereavement Former Lions assistant manager Luke Potter has stepped into the hotseat temporarily and he took charge of their fantastic 2-0 away victory at Blyth Spartans on Saturday A handful of NPL games were played due to some sides early Emirates FA Cup elimination and the Ambers win in Northumberland was their third away league victory on the bounce as they rose to 8th and means the two sides are separated by just a point going into Tuesday’s clash They have been less ruthless at home though The clubs top goalscorer is Ashley Chambers He has six in the league and added to this tally with a brace at the weekend Jordan Hallam has four and Kane Richards has bagged two Tickets will be available to purchase from the turnstiles on Tuesday evening priced at:  You can pick up a matchday programme near the turnstiles priced at £3 each The Lions will wear their white and blue home kit for this fixture Coach travel is available with Guiseley AFC Supporters’ Club just call Paul on 07518 445861 to secure a seat The coach leaves Nethermoor at 4:30pm priced at £25 for members and £30 for non-members Guiseley AFC: A family-friendly football club playing in the Pitching In Northern Premier League Premier Division based in the Leeds/Bradford area of West Yorkshire Basford – Midlands contractor G F Tomlinson has completed works for the pivotal new centre for Students with Learning Difficulties and/or Disabilities (The Gateway) at Nottingham College’s Basford campus The Gateway is a new two-storey building providing bespoke facilities for students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities (SLDD) and ancillary spaces across a gross internal floor area of 1,350m² as well as associated external works to the grounds A major build for the Nottingham College portfolio The Gateway was procured via Pagabo’s Medium Works Framework and is one of two major new additions to the college’s Basford campus that G F Tomlinson has worked on this year The contractor completed the Construction Skills Centre (CSC) in November — a new-build specialist facility offering flexible teaching and learning spaces to help meet the growing need for training in construction skilled trades in the local area Both buildings are designed to align with the Department for Education’s (DfE) output specification and support the sustainability ambitions of Nottingham College working towards becoming carbon zero by 2030 G F Tomlinson provided £2.1m of Social Value Added opportunities for the local community and career talks with students from the college Other social value initiatives included partnering with local SMEs Eastledge Ltd they made a much-needed contribution to the Remar Nottingham Community Kitchen Foodbank donating £300 worth of essential food items to assist local families in need The scheme incorporates several sustainability elements meaning the new building requires much less energy to heat Water wastage will also be reduced thanks to state-of-the-art tap and plumbing solutions 774 miles were driven using low-emission vehicles and 79% local labour and 76% local spending were achieved within 20 miles of the site 1.5 tonnes of waste materials were rescued from the waste stream aligning with the target of offsetting carbon during the project in line with the Government’s Net Zero agenda “The Gateway will provide much-needed facilities to support the learning and development of SLDD students at the Basford campus and alongside the Construction Skills Centre (CSC) we’re delighted to have played a critical role in bringing these landmark buildings to fruition.” “We are delighted with the new facilities at The Gateway dedicated space designed to support our students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities This exceptional facility includes a wonderful outdoor sensory garden for students to enjoy offering a calming and engaging environment “The interior spaces are currently being designed and we are thrilled about the creative and functional features being incorporated inclusive space where our supported learning students can truly thrive and reach their full potential.” •  West Bridgford shampoo shoplifter suspect arrested •  Severn Trent issues advice to avoid burst pipes as temperatures to hit -6˚C Passenger and freight trains are now benefitting from a once in a generation overhaul of the signalling system serving one of Britain’s busiest railway junctions Network Rail’s £190m investment in Crewe has seen improvements to track lineside equipment and digital signalling installed at Basford Hall freight depot and the lines which connect it to the West Coast main line Today (Friday 3 January) all systems went live with full control of the new signalling successfully switched to the state-of-the-art Rail Operating Centre in Manchester It's the culmination of two years’ work which this Christmas saw three traditional signal boxes retired from service and replaced by the latest digital technology already directing trains across much of the North West The significant signalling upgrade needed a phased closure of the railway in Crewe over the festive period It saw changes to passenger journeys over 10 days and involved one of the largest rail replacement bus operations the town has ever seen Network Rail worked closely with Avanti West Coast for many months on detailed plans to keep passengers moving over the Christmas closure Crewe Alexandra FC’s car park at Gresty Road became the base for the rail replacement operation – with 400 coaches carrying customers on December 27 alone As the work progressed the railway gradually reopened in four stages – with all lines returning to normal service this morning Network Rail’s North West and Central region Capital Delivery director said: “Today is the start of a new era for the way we signal freight and passenger trains through Crewe - one of the busiest junctions on Britain’s railway getting people and goods to where they need to be more smoothly and reliably “We know that over Christmas this has caused disruption for passengers and we’d like to thank you for bearing with us while we made these crucial Crewe upgrades which will improve future journeys for years to come.” Freightliner safety and sustainability director said: “Basford Hall is one of our big hub locations – it’s the point where we join freight trains which are going on to London and where we split trains which are going up to the North of the country.  “The resignalling is all about making the railway as efficient and resilient as it can possibly be.  This major investment will make sure that freight and people get to where they need to be said: “We’re excited the upgrades to the signalling system at Crewe are now complete and would like to thank customers for their patience and understanding as well as Crewe Alexandra Football Club for their efforts to support those making rail journeys while Network Rail carried out these works “Modernising the signals at a key hub on our network is an important milestone for the railway and will help to make journeys on the West Coast Main Line more reliable for decades to come.” The Basford Hall independent lines in Crewe take freight trains around Crewe station and back onto the West Coast Main Line so services can efficiently transport essential goods up and down the country The infrastructure has been upgraded to make sure cargo can be delivered safely and reliably for years to come There has been important drainage and track work The three signal boxes which have been decommissioned are: to grow and expand the nation's railway network to respond to the tremendous growth and demand the railway has experienced - a doubling of passenger journeys over the past 20 years 28 Jan 2025 | Latest News, Match Report Macclesfield FC earned their third consecutive victory after a 1-0 win against Basford United Luke Duffy came close to taking the lead for the Silkmen when his shot D’Mani Mellor came close to appearing on the scoresheet when his shot was just off target after a brilliant delivery from John Rooney felt the pressure from the home side as after spilling the ball from Rooney’s cross he quickly recovered before letting Danny Elliott poke the ball home Macclesfield took the lead on the half-an-hour mark when Elliott found Duffy in a bit of space before the 25-year-old guided his shot in the net to break the deadlock The second half of the 90 saw Robbie Savage’s men come very close to increasing their lead as Mellor was denied with a good save from Deeney in the 47th minute Elliott almost earned a two-goal cushion for the Silkmen when his shot hit the post Elliott tested the goalkeeper once more as he forced a save from Deeney before Mellor bizarrely missed his chance off target from around 10 yards on the rebound Elliott came close to adding another goal to his tally for the season as he fired a shot across the six-yard box which could not be converted Despite a surprise of not scoring more than one goal the team in blue won in convincing fashion as they claim their 13th clean sheet in the league this season Macclesfield still have their 16-point gap above second-placed Guiseley along with an incredible goal difference of 46 The Silkmen will travel to North East England where they will contest against Hebburn Town who sit seventh in the Northern Premier League Worksop Town are out to clinch 2nd place in the Northern Premier Division Premier League as they face Basford United at the Windsor Foodservice Stadium The Tigers beat Matlock Town just two days ago and now sit four points clear of Guiseley in 3rd a win at home would seal a home draw in the playoff semi-final Basford United have been relegated from the Northern Premier Division Premier League with just two wins in their last ten games A chance for the Tigers to seal a 2nd place finish in front of home fans awaits us on Easter Monday while Basford United will be hoping to bow out of the NPL with pride seven points clear of relegation on 37 points Willis Francis was announced as manager of Basford United back in January 2025 he will also be the manager for the 25/26 season Ash Chambers has scored 11 goals in the NPL this season he’ll be hoping to add more to his tally on Monday thanks to Aaron Martin and a brace from Liam Hughes Saturday 26th April- Blyth Spartans (A) 3PM FC Halifax Town will take a break from league action on Saturday with a trip to Basford United in the Isuzu FA Trophy Third Round The Shaymen were in National League Cup action in midweek and drew 2-2 with a injury time equaliser from Adam Senior to force the game to a penalty shoot out against Leeds United U21s but lost the shoot-out 5-3 Town lost 2-0 at home to Southend United last weekend but earnt a point in their last away game at Forest Green Rovers Chris Millington will be looking for his side to win their first cup game since winning the FA Trophy back  in May 2022 Our hosts are in the Northern Premier League and are 14th in the table They lost 4-3 away at Ashton United last weekend and 2-0 away to Workington on the 26th November Their last game at home saw them draw 1-1 with Prescot Cables Basford have beaten Anstey Nomads 5-3 on penalties and St Albans City to reach the third round of the FA Trophy Tickets can be bought online HERE or you can pay on the gate on the day Those who purchase online tickets will be able to get fast track entry through their players entrance on the day of the game Pay on the gate will only be available at the four turnstiles located in the supporters car park Assistants: Matthew Bacon / Harley Mckittrick FC Halifax Town vs Sutton United – Tuesday 10th December Read more posts by Kelly Gilchrist 22 Sep 2024 | Latest News, Match Report Four second half goals for the Silkmen as they beat Basford United to remain top of the Northern Premier League The first goal of the afternoon was just five minutes into the game when D’Mani Mellor chased after a pass back to the Basford goalkeeper and his clearance was blocked by Mellor who tapped the ball into the empty goal Basford almost got back into the game midway into the half through Ash Chambers who was one on one with Max Dearnley but his effort was straight at the Macclesfield keeper Basford equalised 10 minutes before half time through Jordan Hallam from the centre of the goal Both sides pushed for the next goal but the scoreline remained the same going into half-time Seven minutes into the second half the visitors were awarded a corner which was played short to Luke Duffy who passed it back to John Rooney and from the resulting cross captain Paul Dawson headed the ball home at the back post as he scored his sixth goal of the season Five minutes later Rooney turned from provided to goal scorer with a long-range effort just outside the box Substitute Lewis Fensome added a fourth goal for Macclesfield as he tapped in from close range following a Rooney cross The final goal of the afternoon came from Edy Maieco in the first minute of additional time after reacting first to a rebound on the edge of the Basford area Following ten league games the win has set a new record of having the best league record after ten games which dates back to 1931 when that side went on to win the Cheshire League for the first time in the club’s history The Silkmen are at the Leasing.com stadium on Tuesday night as they host Gainsborough Trinity United in the league 20 Sep 2024 | Latest News, Match Preview The Silkmen travel to Nottinghamshire to take on an inform side in Basford United Robbie Savage’s side remain unbeaten in all competitions after Tuesday’s victory away at FC United Basford are in good form in the league and picked up an impressive victory away at Gainsborough on Tuesday Robbie Savage will be checking on the fitness of Brandon Lee ahead of tonight’s game Danny Whitehead and Elliott Whitehouse are longer term absentees Supporters are encouraged to purchase their tickets online in advance for tomorrows game at Basford Family – £27.50 (Valid for four people with minimum one U16) Online purchases can be made HERE The dulcet tones of our Mixlr team will be back once again with Full Commentary on our Mixlr channel from approximately 14:50. You can find the link to listen HERE We will only be providing Goal Updates via our Social Media Channels as the game goes on https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/match/2024-2025/northern-premier-league-premier-division/basford-united/macclesfield/503386 16 Sep 2024 | Latest News, Ticket News We are able to provide ticket details for our away trip to Nottinghamshire to take on Basford United on Saturday Tickets are priced at the following prices: Family – £27.50 (Valid for four people with minimum one U16) Online purchases can be made HERE Email: info@macclesfieldfc.com Tel: 01625 426 708 Subscribe now It’s a Nottinghamshire derby in the FA Cup Second Qualifying Round as the Tigers play Basford United at the Windsor Foodservice Stadium Worksop are in exceptional form at the moment with six wins on the bounce in all competitions including a 3-2 away win in the last stage of the cup against Stratford Town The Ambers have had a mixed start to the season losing four and drawing once which puts them in eleventh place in the Northern Premier League Premier Division Basford cruised into this stage of the competition beating Sporting Khalsa 6-1 at home with a hattrick from Jordan Hallam Fc Halifax Town U19s B will be back at home soil on Wednesday to face Basford United FC U19s The match will be played at the Wyke Community Sports Village BRADFORD BD12 9JP with kick off being at 14:00 PM The U19s coached by Nick who currently sits 8th in the National League U19 Alliance will be looking to bounce back from the defeat caused by Stockport County U19s last week Read more posts by Emanuel Agyekum The Lions begin October on the road for a midweek trip to Basford United’s Greenwich Avenue home Tickets can be purchased at turnstiles on Tuesday with cash and card payments accepted There will be no segregation in place for our trip to Nottinghamshire Lions fans can watch the game from their chosen position with covered stands on both sides of the ground Basford sell a wide range of hot and cold snacks and beverages which will be available to purhase at Greenwich Avenue on Tuesday night Their clubhouse will also be open pre and post-match too Issue 14 covers our clash with Basford United on Saturday The 48 page full colour production is on sale online now or you can get your copy from our sellers near each turnstile on Saturday Ivor Timmis interviews Adriano Moke for the midfielder’s first programme feature piece since his arrival in the summer The experienced player said this and so much more: “I wanted a fresh challenge and saw Guiseley as a club with ambition The setup and the vision aligned perfectly with my goals.” Simon Bullock spoke to former Lion and fan favourite George Cantrill about his time with the club: “It was a step up from playing U23’s football because it was proper men’s football.” Mark Bower writes from the dugout about the first two games of 2025 and Gary Douglas provides an update from the boardroom Michael Powell takes us back to 23rd January 2016 and a 1-0 win at Kidderminster Harriers in ‘This Week in Lions History’ piece and he takes a look at Ian Noteman’s career for this week’s Lions Legend Sam Leasley reviews the rise of Basford United’s academy since it was established in 2016 Tom Feaheny previews the game and there’s all the latest news from the Supporters’ Club and Community Foundation Wayne Priestley picks the half-time music in this week’s Tracks of My Nethermoor Years and The Secret Junior Football Coach pens his second column of 2025 You can get stuck into Derrick’s Matchday Teasers Quiz at half-time and in Commercial Corner we thank ICM Debt Recovery for their continued support in sponsoring the game Pick up your copy for just £3 from our sellers located near to each turnstile or online now. Ellon artist Johanna Basford talks fun Aberdeen nights out best places for a cuppa in Aberdeenshire and more I just think we have the most varied landscape I think everyone that grows up in Aberdeenshire has stories of nights out in Amadeus or the usual Belmont Street chaos (I found myself the other day trying to explain the concept of a foam party to my kids and agreeing with them that it did indeed sound a bit bananas) I think the nights that stand out the most though are just good times spent with good people Whether that be the recent rammy of 40th birthday celebrations ranging from cocktails at Tippling House the annual Archie Foundation Ball at The Chester Hotel I’m a patron for the charity and helped organise this year’s Glitter Ball – it’s a wonderful night out filled with good food Six by Nico I just love the imagination and deliciousness of every plate served It’s such an exquisite experience to eat there and I always come away charmed I would probably say any National Trust property They do a great job of creating spaces and places for people to explore and imagine Haddo has been a favourite place of mine to visit since I was a wee girl the formal gardens and even the House itself are a playground for the imagination It doesn’t get much better than that The owner is actually my friend Jonny Aspden who I sat beside in physics at school The cafe has the best coffee and the best cakes It’s been a fast year with a lot going on I released Magical Worlds I also finished a big project for the Archie Foundation at the Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital I’m working on a bench for Clan for the sculpture trail white and gold and it will be an enchanted garden scene with lots of things hidden in it I love the idea that there are lots of things to find in the artwork Comments are currently disabled as they require cookies and it appears you've opted out of cookies on this site. To participate in the conversation, please adjust your cookie preferences in order to enable comments and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails Subscribe now “I guess I’m one of those really annoying people who always knew what they wanted to do even as a little kid,” Ellon colouring book artist Johanna Basford tells me Johanna published her first book back in 2011 She has since sold over 25 million copies of her colouring books around the world “And I was the kid that was always at the arts and crafts table at playgroup “I can’t remember a time when I didn’t want to do drawing “I drew on the walls a lot; I drew on the walls I think that must be how you nurture a creative soul “You don’t shout at them for drawing on walls and fancy surfaces “So now when my own children start drawing on walls I just have to bite my tongue and suggest that maybe paper might be better,” she laughs who was previously married to BrewDog co-founder James Watt has moved on from drawing on walls to creating her beautiful colouring books Her latest book, Magical Worlds But creating her colouring books never feels like work for the Ellon artist “I say to my friends all the time: I don’t actually have a real job I just feel like I’m still drawing pictures and colouring in,” laughs Johanna “Some days my kids will come home from school and say: What did you do at work today “And I say: I drew 17 butterflies and coloured in a hummingbird But the thought of Johanna’s colouring books actually started as a “tongue-in-cheek” joke “When I graduated art school my final collection was all black and white it was mainly because I couldn’t afford coloured ink on a computer at that time so I had to sort of rely on hand drawn things and doing things in single colour “But it actually worked really well in my favour because I had a very distinct signature style “So everyone else was graduating with a lot of really colourful things and I had this very standout final collection.” Johanna started off freelancing as an illustrator “My clients would say these drawings are great they would actually make a really good colouring book “And it was all kind of tongue-in-cheek and they invited me to do a children’s colouring book.” Johanna “I said I would love to do a colouring book but I’d want to do one for grown-ups “I wanted to make it really elegant and sophisticated “So not bunny rabbit with bows in their hair driving a little car “I wanted to do something that was as beautiful and as polished as the artwork I was doing for my perfume and champagne clients.” Johanna strongly believes that colouring books are an important outlet for adults “I think any creative practice is good for the soul,” she says “Especially now when we’re all so caught up with our phones and social media “Anything that can make you more present and decompress and self-soothe is a good thing “Creativity is such an instinctive way to look after yourself they pick up a crayon or a pencil and they draw a little picture “And they’re not sitting there wracked with self-doubt because they don’t know yet to doubt themselves They just know that they are creative and they can draw “I think grown-ups often get in their own head a bit “So it’s quite an easy way to be creative “Drawing on a blank sheet of paper can be a bit daunting but colouring books allow people to pick up a pen or pencil without having the scariness of a blank page.” Johanna turned down the colouring book project due to a lack of time “And then I thought about it some more,” she says “I realised this was something I really wanted to do “So I worked on the first book in the evenings and at the weekends and still did my commercial work at the same time “I had no idea if it was going to do well “I thought if I make a book that I myself love then maybe a few other people will feel the same we printed 13,000 copies in the first print run And I phoned my mum and said: You were going to have to get all your friends to buy copies of this book!” “The third book was when it all went bananas,” says Johanna “Things started to blossom and flourish and we saw a community beginning to grow online.” where she shares videos of her design process and colours in her own books The creative community she has created online is something Johanna finds a lot of satisfaction in “It’s wonderful,” she says “I live up here in the north-east of Scotland and the people that colour my books are all over the world “And while I always am sceptical of social media – and there are parts that worry me – other bits of it are just brilliant “It’s just so welcoming and helpful “And everybody’s sharing their artwork “Because I think that’s a big part of being creative It’s the show and tell bit at the end and you want your mum to put it on the fridge “And the online community is basically the grown up version of that and everyone loves them and leaves a little nice comment it’s the world’s fridge.” which is becoming more and more common online “But even before everything with AI had grown “People have said to me: ‘Why don’t you generate these digitally?’ which means my circles are a little bit wonky my straight lines usually have a bit of a kink to them “But I think all those things give my artwork a sense of soul and a character that you just don’t get with digitally-created artwork “I love the fact that I can show you a stack-full of smudgy graphite drawings I can tell you that butterfly’s there because I was eating a sandwich and I got a sticky fingerprint on it “All those little stories give it soul.” Paul Basford will take on the role of chief commercial officer at Pernod Ricard USA and joins the business from William Grant & Sons He was formerly president and managing director for USA at William Grant & Sons chairman and CEO of Pernod Ricard’s North America division Basford’s role will include defining and executing the division’s commercial vision and strategy to build the portfolio and encourage top-line growth He will be focused on commercial planning and execution and supporting the firm’s talent development He has more than two decades of leadership experience in the global beverage industry with ‘extensive’ expertise in sales transformation brand growth and strategic planning across both alcoholic and non-alcoholic segments he held senior roles with Danone Waters of America There have been big changes across Pernod Ricard’s global divisions this year, with the firm’s global commercial director for premium and gin defecting to Rémy Cointreau The firm’s UK division also appointed a new marketing director after the former role holder moved to Chivas Brothers In its most recent financial results, Pernod Ricard saw organic revenue drop by 1% after Cognac sales decreased in China The firm’s wine business was acquired by Accolade Wines last month We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings we will not be able to save your preferences This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again A mass colouring in event led by bestselling illustrator author and pioneer of the adult colouring book trend will take place at the University of Aberdeen Members of the public can join in with the creation of a giant piece of artwork inspired by a page in one of the oldest atlases in the University’s Collections – the Ortelius atlas - which has just gone on display in the Sir Duncan Rice Library Gallery is a mix of accurate map-making and fantasy It has been turned into a giant colouring-in project – a ‘monster map’ - which Johanna Basford will lead as part of an event to celebrate Book Week Scotland who has sold over 25 million copies of her colouring books is credited with reinvigorating adult colouring as her fanciful hand-drawn illustrations launched a worldwide craze The Ellon-based artist will share her passion for what was for a long time viewed as a childhood pastime but is now embraced by millions of adults who report therapeutic as well as creative benefits from colouring Johanna said: “I am inspired in my work by the beautiful scenes all around me but like the makers of the Ortelius Atlas “My books have detailed many weird and wonderful species and I’ll often take a leaf from one plant a petal from another and possibly a seedpod from a third and combine them to create a fanciful botanical hybrid “It is wonderful to see an example of this being done 400 years ago and for that to be so beautifully preserved today I am looking forward to working with the public to create a new interpretation of the Atlas and a new celebration of the joy of colouring.” Johanna’s visit has been made possible through funding from the Scottish Book Trust and will also officially launch the opening of the ‘Imagined Norths’ exhibition.  Learning and Outreach Officer for Special Collections at the University of Aberdeen said: “We are delighted to welcome Johanna Basford to the Sir Duncan Rice Library for this exciting event It promises to be a fun afternoon and we hope as many people as possible will come along and help get the giant map coloured in by the end of the day!” The event will run in the Sir Duncan Rice Library from 12-4pm on Sunday November 24 pick up a pot of pens and help to complete the Monster Map by the end of the day Attendees can stay for a short time or stay all day taking in the exhibition and Library coffee shop For younger children there will also be sea-monster paper making inspired by the imaginary beasts that are pictured swimming around the Ortelius atlas All materials will be provided and parking at the Library is free and open to all on Sunday A selection of Johanna’s books will also be available for sale and signing For more information visit https://www.abdn.ac.uk/events/21053/ University of AberdeenKing's College,Aberdeen,AB24 3FX The University of Aberdeen is a charity registered in Scotland, No.SC013683 Esteemed royal biographer Hugo Vickers approved highly of Elisabeth Basford’s biography of Princess Mary, the Princess Royal and the Countess of Harewood It’s praise indeed from someone with such a rich interest in the subject; after all Vickers edited James Pope-Hennessy’s The Quest for Queen Mary on the subject of Princess Mary’s mother When it comes to this trio, talent truly does run in the family. As Hello, Dolly! star Imelda Staunton claims her fifth Olivier Award, delve into her thespian dynasty, including her daughter, Bessie Carter – star of Bridgerton, Outrageous, and the Tatler May cover The Princess working as a nurse during World War I, circa 1914 Thus, in 1918, when she reached her twenty-first birthday, she asked her father for a rather unusual gift: to be permitted to train and work as a paediatric nurse. The King allowed it, ordering a carriage to take her to Great Ormond Street every morning. David (the future King Edward VIII) reportedly said it was ‘a shame she was not heir to the throne as she is far cleverer than me.’ Princess Mary and Viscount Lascelles' official wedding photograph, 1922 Princess Mary and Viscount Lascelles with tenants of the Harewood Estate, 1922 Prince Philip's aunt was a maverick figure within the royal family, and remains respected as one of it's most uncompromising and best-loved figures and his abdication in order to marry the twice-married American socialite Wallis Simpson left her torn between loyalty to her brother and her duty to the crown She also wrote letters regularly to her poor epileptic youngest brother Princess Mary with George and Gerald Lascelles at Harewood She had two children with Viscount Lascelles which ended in divorce when he had a love child with another musician the Liberal Democrat MP and stood loyally by him throughout the Very English Scandal (the drama between Jeremy and his gay-lover Norman Scott televised in 2018 with a script by Russell T Davies) Filled with never previously known information this first full biography is the definitive read for this refreshingly forward-looking eternally good-willed and relatively little-known Princess Princess Mary: The First Modern Princess (The History Press Crewe’s railway infrastructure has undergone a “once in a generation” upgrade following a £190M investment by Network Rail aimed at enhancing both passenger and freight services at one of Britain’s busiest junctions The overhaul primarily focuses on the signalling system serving the Basford Hall freight depot and its connections to the West Coast Main Line (WCML) also involved a comprehensive upgrade to the track and associated equipment including the installation of digital signalling technology Siemens led the effort on signalling and associated civils works while the Central Rail Systems Alliance (CRSA) was responsible for track upgrades and modifications to the overhead line equipment (OLE) CRSA is a collaboration comprising Network Rail Drone shot of team at Basford Hall during Christmas 2024 engineering work The upgraded system will allow freight trains to efficiently navigate around Crewe station and back onto the WCML facilitating the timely transport of essential goods across the country This repositioning aims to ensure the safe and reliable delivery of cargo for many years to come Key elements of the project included the decommissioning of three traditional signal boxes: the Salop Goods signal box Basford Hall Junction signal box and the Crewe Sorting Sidings North signal box all of which were retired in favour of a more modern approach The complete switch to the new digital signalling system occurred on 3 January with full operational control now managed from the Rail Operating Centre in Manchester The monumental upgrade includes the installation of 65 new LED signals construction of six new structures for signal display and the laying of 24km of new signalling power cables alongside 30km of fibre optic cabling The overhaul also involved the establishment of seven new buildings for control systems 5km of renewed railway drainage and the upgrading of 74 sets of points — including heating installations designed to prevent freezing during cold weather These improvements necessitated a phased closure of the railway in Crewe over the Christmas period resulting in significant alterations to passenger journeys The disruption led to what has been described as one of the largest rail replacement bus operations in Crewe’s history with local football club Crewe Alexandra FC’s car park being repurposed as a hub for this operation 400 coaches were deployed to transport passengers on 27 December alone Following a carefully coordinated strategy with Avanti West Coast the railway gradually reopened in four stages culminating in the full return to normal service on 3 January This overhaul not only marks the end of one era but also heralds a new chapter in rail transport efficiency at a critical junction for rail freight and passenger services in the region Railway improvements at Basford Hall in Crewe Network Rail North West and Central region capital delivery director Christian Irwin said: “Today is the start of a new era for the way we signal freight and passenger trains through Crewe - one of the busiest junctions on Britain’s railway Freightliner safety and sustainability director Louise Ward said: “Basford Hall is one of our big hub locations – it’s the point where we join freight trains which are going on to London and where we split trains which are going up to the North of the country “The resignalling is all about making the railway as efficient and resilient as it can possibly be This major investment will make sure that freight and people get to where they need to be Avanti West Coast operations director Chris Liptrot said: “We’re excited the upgrades to the signalling system at Crewe are now complete and would like to thank customers for their patience and understanding Like what you've read? To receive New Civil Engineer's daily and weekly newsletters click here. Scotland’s troubled Cairngorm Funicular will close again only two months after reopening… Network Rail is gearing up to complete 359 projects worth £67.4M over…  The Island Line on the Isle of Wight has returned to full… Transport Scotland has started to engage the market on a £205M contract…