The Scotsman Bulletin Monday September 29 2025 #PlusacardenAbbey

The Scotsman

Transcript

00:00Hello and welcome to the Scotsman's Daily Video Bulletin for this Monday.

00:04My name's Dale Miller, I'm Deputy Editor of the Scotsman and I'm joined by one of our live reporters,

00:10Anna Sarasevich. Anna, good morning.

00:14Hi Dale, good morning, great to be on.

00:16We'll talk through the front page of the Scotsman today firstly.

00:20It was hard not to lead on Labour.

00:23Anna Sauer gave a speech at Labour Conference in Liverpool yesterday

00:27and he urged Sir Keir Starmer to stop letting reform set the agenda.

00:32He was concerned too often reform were allowed to make political headway

00:37and that Labour was becoming responsive to the political messaging coming out by Nigel Farage's party.

00:46We know that Labour have been struggling in the polls and reform have been surging.

00:52It's a big concern, it's a big talking point.

00:54We're building up to Chancellor Rachel Reeves speaking shortly as we record this video bulletin

01:00and also Keir Starmer will give his keynote speech on Tuesday.

01:05It'll be a massive moment in the conference.

01:07You can get all the very latest from our Westminster correspondent, Andrew Quinn,

01:11who is in Liverpool, at the Scotsman website each day.

01:15Also, we'll see that terrific pick of Shane Lowry at the point he had secured the Ryder Cup for Europe.

01:22They went on to win 15 to 13 points.

01:26Martin Dempster has delivered full coverage from Bethpage Black.

01:31You can read his player ratings as well.

01:33He's run the rule through all 24 players, both American and team Europe, that took part.

01:38But, Anna, we're here to talk about something, a step back from the news pace,

01:43but I thought it was a fascinating feature.

01:46We published it on the Scotsman website over the weekend.

01:50You went inside a monastery for the day.

01:52Can you tell us where you went and what it was like and who you met?

01:56Yeah, of course, Dale.

01:57So I went along to Plusgarden Abbey.

02:01It's Britain's only functioning medieval monastery.

02:03It was a great experience.

02:05I mean, it's only about a 15-minute drive from where I stay in Elgin.

02:09So I've known about it all since I've been growing up.

02:13But it was my first time there.

02:15It's a group of 16 Benedictine monks who stay at the Abbey.

02:20It was a great experience.

02:22They've got quite a routine, nothing like I've ever done.

02:27They have eight offices, they call it.

02:29So eight times of the day where they pray and they also have mass.

02:35So it was a long day.

02:36I went on a Monday evening all right into the Tuesday and I spent a whole day there.

02:40But, yeah, it was a lovely experience and it was very welcoming.

02:44I think in our mind's eye we've probably got an image of what life living in a monastery is like.

02:50But it threw up a couple of surprises for you as well.

02:53Mm-hmm, 100%.

02:54And I'd say going into it, I had these ideas of what a monk might be like.

03:00They might be quite quiet to themselves, not really up for a joke, which may be quite narrow-minded on my part.

03:07But, no, it was a big surprise.

03:09One of the monks I spoke to the most, he's actually been at the Abbey for the longest out of anyone there.

03:15His name was Father Giles Conacher and, yeah, he was always cracking jokes.

03:20I found out a lot from him as well about the monks.

03:24So, for example, every new year they get to pick a movie to watch.

03:27Some surprises, they watch Finding Nemo one year and then, which I feel like is quite a difference,

03:33they watched Hot Gun Maverick.

03:35But each to their own and then once a year they go to Hopman Beach quite close by for a beach day.

03:40And, yeah, I guess I just had these ideas in my mind that monks just had their heads down,

03:45didn't want to speak.

03:46But, no, it was full of surprises and everyone there was really nice and willing to let me know

03:52a bit about what monastic life was like.

03:56And, obviously, you were writing a piece about the experience and the visit,

03:59but am I right in saying that members of the public can attend the Abbey and or spend time

04:05and actually slow down the pace of life a bit and just see what the experience is like.

04:11Yeah, definitely.

04:12So, it's open to anyone of any faith, which I also thought was interesting and quite nice.

04:19Anyone can go along to the Abbey for a retreat, as they call it,

04:22kind of a chance to step away from life.

04:25It's very relaxing at the Abbey.

04:26It's quite remote in the countryside.

04:29And, yeah, so there's that opportunity to stay.

04:32The men stay connected to the Abbey.

04:35They get to have lunch and dinner with the monks.

04:37I, however, did not get to do that.

04:40But I was at the new women's retreat, which opened up back in March.

04:43I got told by one of the monks, it was in the region of around £2 million to £2.5 million

04:49that they invested into this new women's space.

04:52I had about nine ensuite bedrooms.

04:54And it's totally free of charge.

04:55They ask for a small donation.

04:57But what I heard from someone who was staying there is the Benedictines,

05:01one of the things they focus on most is accommodating people

05:06and welcoming people to their monastery.

05:09So, I think that was really nice to hear.

05:11And, yeah, they've welcomed me back for a retreat in the future.

05:14It's quite peaceful.

05:15And as someone who isn't really just myself,

05:17it was good to know anyone of any faith can come along for a day or a week

05:21or however long they want.

05:22If you want to read that feature from Anna,

05:25you can find it under our heritage section on the website.

05:28There's a tab in the navigation bar that takes you to all the very latest.

05:32There's some great other stories on there.

05:34There is a castle here overlooking the Irish Sea that is on sale for just £100,000,

05:42which is also a piece up on the heritage site.

05:47And we'll have a story as well on the future of HMS Unicorn,

05:52the vessel, their efforts to try and raise £1 million to secure its future.

05:57That'll be up on the Scotsman site later today.

06:00For all the very latest from Labor Conference in Liverpool,

06:05please stay across to the Scotsman.com.

06:07You can follow us on all Facebook channels, including Blue Sky, Facebook and X,

06:13and go out and buy a copy of a paper tomorrow.

06:15As I said, Rachel Reeves setting out from noon today her vision

06:20for what's going to happen with the economy.

06:22She's under pressure around tax rises and other areas.

06:25Will they be coming in the order of a statement?

06:27Well, she'll be quizzed about that over coming hours,

06:31and we'll bring you all the very latest at scotsman.com.

06:34Anna, thanks to you, and thanks to everyone else for tuning in.

06:38Thanks for having me.

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