Public Sector Strike – Acrobatics at the Museum – Blipfoto – Trams – May at the Zoo
Hundreds of public sector workers are on strike today protesting against possible changes to their pensions. There will be picket lines outside the Scottish Government, St Andrew’s House and courts and Jobcentres will be disrupted according to The Herald.
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Picture this if you will:- Last night, The Edinburgh Reporter witnessed two young acrobats at either end of The National Museum of Scotland, hanging upside down from two lengths of fabric suspended in the middle of the Great Hall from a wire strung across from one side of the top balcony to the other. The two girls then performed all kinds of moves up and down the fabric for what seemed like far too long for their arms to hold them… It was almost too much to watch at times, considering the height they reached, the complexity of the moves and the audience’s keen awareness that the museum floor is made of marble. They were magnificent! The occasion last night was the 30th anniversary dinner of Scottish Business in the Community (SBC), a not for profit organisation which aims to lead the business community in responsible business practice.
Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay and President of SBC, had unfortunately just left the building before the fabulous acrobatic display, but had already made a speech, eaten his dinner and presented the awards. And at least two of those awards were handed over to Edinburgh businesses, Rabbie’s Trailburners and Lothian Buses who were both recognised for their achievements. The full list of winners will be published here later today.
Earlier in the day HRH had visited an Edinburgh school where head teacher, Barbara Russell, said the Royal party had spent more than an hour with pupils and teachers learning how Craigroyston Community High School have benefitted from one of SBC’s programmes called ‘Seeing is Believing’.
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An Edinburgh-based photography website has attracted new investment from the Scottish Investment Bank Seed Fund bringing the total investment in the business to £300,000. Blipfoto is the site where you are only allowed to publish one photo each day, and it now has tens of thousands of contributors and an unbelievable 16 million monthly page views according to The Next Web. We have our own Blipfoto page, which is a wee bit sad and neglected at the moment, but users can post photos retrospectively…although only one per day means we have to weed out loads of possibles!
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A free smartphone app celebrating The Queen’s reign in Scotland will be among a series of events and initiatives launched by the Scottish Government to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee this summer, First Minister Alex Salmond announced yesterday.
As the Jubilee was marked by a Royal military march in Edinburgh yesterday morning, attended by the Duke of Rothesay, the First Minister said people in Scotland would use the event to mark the outstanding service of their Monarch, as well as celebrating Scotland’s history, people and technology over the past six decades.
The First Minister, who observed the military march past on the Royal Mile, revealed the Scottish Government would unveil a free smartphone app commemorating The Queen in Scotland in time for the Jubilee weekend to help people in Scotland and visitors learn more about significant Scottish milestones and locations in Her Majesty’s reign.
He also announced that further gifts and events would be unveiled in the weeks to come, including a donation to an appropriate Scottish charity in The Queen’s name, and a series of exciting events and initiatives across the country throughout the summer, all to mark the Diamond Jubilee.
As well as a programme being run by the Palace and local authorities, the Scottish Parliament will host a special debate marking The Queen’s reign later this month and Historic Scotland will run ticket offers across the Jubilee weekend itself, encouraging Scots and visitors to Scotland to visit Royal buildings during the celebrations.
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The new council have said that they will wait until the trams are up and running in the city until they initiate an enquiry according to an article in The Scotsman.
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The Zoo has just announced a programme of activities for under fives. Every Wednesday until the 20th June, the Zoo is hosting fantastic activities suitable for under-fives.
Jo Jingles
Wednesday 16th May – 10.30am
Popular children’s entertainer Jo Jingles will be at Edinburgh Zoo, helping to teach and captivate children through interactive song, dance and music sessions. Free with Zoo admission.
Honey Pot Ceramics Arts and Crafts – Messy Play Sessions
Wednesday 30th May, 11am – 3pm
Join Honey Pot Ceramics Arts and Crafts Studio for messy fun at Edinburgh Zoo. Designed specifically for children between six months and five years old, each Messy Play session has its own fabulous animal or wildlife theme. A fantastic opportunity for your youngsters to explore their creative side, the drop-in sessions cost £2.00 per child plus Zoo admission fees.
The Imagination Workshop
Wednesday 23rd May, 11am – 3pm
Drop in to join The Imagination Workshop for a range of fun arts and crafts activities. Each week will feature a different activity, from animal puppets to potato paw prints! Free with Zoo admission.
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
