Today we are highlighting awards……

Cycling

Cycling in Edinburgh is fun, notwithstanding the hills, the cobbles and the roadworks. Many of us are out there on two wheels either as a form of daily transport or as a form of exercise. There are some very good initiatives to encourage cycling too. Cycling Scotland have started a Cycle Friendly Employer Award which is given to any employees who might encourage their employees who cycle to work. Given that employers lose money if their employees are ill, it pays off in less days lost to illness and a more positive outlook if their employees are healthy and fit, according to Cycling Scotland. The University of Edinburgh and The City of Edinburgh Council are two of the organisations which have already been given the award. Four schools in the City of Edinburgh area have also been awarded Cycle Friendly status and six in Midlothian. There is also money available to help. Up to £2000 is available to organisations starting up the scheme for their employees.

The National Business Awards have just announced their finalists. The awards will be presented at Grosvenor House in London on 9 November 2010. There are three Edinburgh firms among the finalists:-

Bright Purple Resourcing is a finalist in the category of The Business Link Growth Strategy of the Year

Dougal Sharp, The Innis & Gunn Brewing Company is a finalist in the category of Entrepreneur of the Year

Aquamarine Power Limited is a finalist in the category of The Health Work and Well-being award for small business.

And we have award winning green spaces. The City of Edinburgh Council has accepted eight Green Flag awards for their care of parks in the city, now the proud recipients of more Green Flags than any other local authority. The Scotsman has more on this story…

Awards are a big part of the Festival which is about to get under way in the next week or so. The Fosters Comedy Awards 2010 have been running for an unbelievable 30 years. There is no information yet about the panellists who will decide on the winners, but you can keep up to date with what they are up to on Twitter, Facebook and on their website.

The Guardian Theatre Blog meanwhile gives us the lowdown on Stewart Lee’s outburst against the Foster sponsored search for a comedy god…

The Funny Women Awards which seek out the newest female talent will be handed out on the 23rd and 24th of August here at The Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh.

And The Guardian Local mentioned yesterday the award won by Peter’s Yard at Quartermile.

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