大象传媒

What's it like having to work during the Christmas holidays?

The holidays are upon us, the perfect time for catching up with family and friends, and eating, drinking and being merry...but maybe not if you're one of the many Scots working over Christmas and New Year.

Colin will be talking to people who provide frontline services over Christmas and New Year, and to others who have to work over the holidays. He'll be asking those people to tell us what it's like to work when others are having a holiday break, and how it impacts on family and social life. We want to know what kind of work they are doing, and whether it's worse, or maybe even better, to work at this time of year. Colin will find out if it matters having to work over the Festive season, or if it's just an accepted part of the job? And, whisper it, is it maybe even actually quite a relief to be away from some of the Christmas madness?

And

What kind of year has it been for the armed forces, and what does 2012 hold?

This was the year that British troops left Iraq, and preparations to withdraw from Afghanistan in 2014 continued. It was also the year the Minister for Defence Liam Fox had to step down in disgrace, and Scotland felt the weight of defence cuts with the announcement of the closure of RAF bases at Leuchars and Kinloss.

Colin be asking serving men and women to tell us about their year, and he'll look across some of the big defence announcements of the year. He'll ask the families and friends of servicemen and women to tell us about the impact on their lives of being married or related to a soldier, sailor or airman. And he'll find out about life after armed service is over - how easy is it move on after combat?