Garden of Remembrance – Innovator of the Year – Trams on the move! – Search for a Happy Bus Driver – Gingerbread
The official opening ceremony of the Edinburgh Garden of Remembrance took place today in Princes Street Gardens East.
Wreaths were laid by the Rt Hon Donald Wilson, Lord Provost of Edinburgh, Minister for Veterans Keith Brown MSP, who represents the First Minister, the respective heads of the Navy, Army and Royal Air Force, as well as representatives of Royal British Legion Scotland, Poppyscotland and other veterans’ charities along with members of the Police and Fire Services. There will be prayers, hymns, readings and the Last Post will be sounded. The music will be provided by the Newtongrange Brass Band.
Immediately after the service dignitaries were invited to view Scotland’s Field of Remembrance, created by Poppyscotland. The Lord Provost and Keith Brown MSP (on behalf of the First Minister) will be invited to plant a remembrance cross in the Field, to join 12,000 others sent in from supporters with messages of remembrance. There is also to be a special Afghanistan plot which will feature crosses with photographs of those who have been killed in action during continuing operations.
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Edinburgh Scientist Professor Martin Tangney has been named Innovator of the Year by the Institute of Chemical Engineering in recognition of his work in converting whisky waste into biofuel.
The founder and president of Edinburgh-based company Celtic Renewables was presented with the award at a ceremony in Manchester on Thursday 1 November 2012.
Others shortlisted candidates for the award included leading scientists from Australia, America and Singapore. The award is one of only two individual accolades offered by the Institute to mark outstanding contribution to scientific advancement, the other recognising the work of young chemical engineers.
Professor Tangney was recognised for his groundbreaking work in developing the technology to produce biobutanol from the by-products of whisky production.
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Overhead power lines between the tram depot at Gogar Castle Road and Edinburgh Airport will go live from 26 November 2012 to allow the Tram System to be tested and commissioned. Test running of trams between the tram depot and the airport will begin at the same time.
Transport Convener Lesley Hinds said:
“Testing is a vital part of the development of Edinburgh’s tram system to make sure it’s safe and reliable for future service. We have been in touch with residents and businesses along the route to make sure they know the tests are taking place and so they have important safety advice.
“The tram project is progressing well and it’s good to see that a long stretch of track is almost complete and that we’ll see trams running on it very soon.”
The tram runs and system tests are the final part the development of ‘Section B’ of the route. This 2.8km stretch is set to be handed over from contractors to the Council in March following testing and commissioning.
Residents are being advised to take the following safety precautions during the testing which will take place over a period of weeks:
– Trams move quietly and quickly, with a top speed of 70kmh (45mph) so be aware.
– look both ways at tram crossing locations for passing trams and other vehicles.
– Tram crossings should be treated like any other railway level crossing and road signs and any traffic signals should be obeyed.
– Overhead power lines are live at all times at 750V dc so do not go near them
– Children should be supervised and dogs should be kept on leads around tram crossing locations
– Don’t enter into any Restricted Areas.
The tram road crossings are at Castle Gogar Road, Gogarburn tram stop, Gogar Mains Farm (private road) and Eastfield Avenue at the Airport.
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There are hundreds of people in Edinburgh who use public transport every day who need a little bit extra help with their journey due to age, disabililty or illness, and the SEStran Thistle Card was launched last year, with the help of Lothian Buses to assist these passengers.
To celebrate a year of the Thistle Card, Lothian Buses have teamed up with SEStran and Edinburgh charity eEas, who do great work to help local people with a physical disability, to find the bus drivers that go the extra mile to help these passengers.
During November, adverts will appear on buses and local libraries asking bus passengers to nominate their bus driver for the award by email, letter or online.
David Griffiths, Chief Executive, Ecas said:
“Ecas are delighted to sponsor the Happy to Help Award again and to keep promoting the SEStran Thistle Card. We know that many drivers, and indeed fellow passengers, willingly help others and we want to recognise that. I look forward to hearing the many excellent examples that the public will send in.”
George McKendrick, Operations Manager, Lothian Buses said:
Lothian Buses are committed to providing an inclusive service for all our customers irrespective of disability and to that aim have since 2009 had a fully accessible fleet with all staff trained in disability awareness. The fantastic work of our bus drivers is often taken for granted. This is a great way of recognising the work they do.
Alastair Short, Sestran said:
SEStran has worked with a wide range of disability organisations and bus operators in developing the new SEStran Thistle card.
The card is credit card sized with peel-off stickers to advise drivers of the disability and help customers to convey their requirements in an easy to read format.
To date we have distributed over 30,000 Thistle Cards and we are really pleased that Lothian Buses has recognised the importance of driver’s appreciation of the Thistle Card, as a significant indicator of customer care.
We look forward to seeing your nominations for this award
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Edinburgh East MP and Work and Pensions Select Committee member Sheila Gilmore today pledged support for a new campaign to boost single parent employment, run by charity Gingerbread.
The three-year campaign, Make it Work for single parents, calls on the government and businesses to take action to help single parents escape unemployment and working poverty by:
- Making work a guaranteed route out of poverty for single parents
- Getting 250,000 more single parents into work by 2020
- Employing a different attitude to work and school hours
- Unlocking single parents’ skills and potential
Sheila Gilmore said:
“I’m pleased to announce that I’m backing Gingerbread’s Make it work campaign to boost single parent employment.”
“There are 2,000 single parents in my constituency, almost a quarter of all families with dependent children. Many of these are struggling to find a job that enables them to provide for their families.”
“Government and businesses need to work together so that more single parents can get into employment.”
Gingerbread chief executive Fiona Weir said:
“Single parents overwhelmingly want to work, but that ambition and drive to be a role model for their children is not being realised because the government isn’t tackling the real problems of unaffordable, inaccessible childcare, a shortage of flexible jobs and of jobs that make work pay.”
“Times are tough for lots of families at the moment, and the multiple barriers to work that single parent families face are shared in part by millions of other families too. By getting childcare, flexible working and in-work support right for single parents, government, childcare providers and employers can get it right for all parents.”
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
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