Armed Forces Day – Throw away your plastic bags! – Edinburgh Airport looking forward to a busy weekend – Best of the Film Festival – New at the National Library of Scotland
Edinburgh is gearing up for a packed day of events today in West Princes Street Gardens as Armed Forces Day celebrations kick-off around the country.
Celebrations will start from 1pm as the annual parade of veterans and cadets will move off from the Grassmarket along to the Ross Theatre in Princes Street Gardens.
A variety of different events will then be hosted in the gardens until 5pm. Highlights include a flypast by two Royal Air Force Typhoons, entertainment from acts such as the Porkpie Band and the Pipe Band of the Royal Highland Fusiliers of Canada, as well as military vehicles and bouncy castles.
Music, events and displays will last throughout the day and round off at 5:00pm with the Ceremony of Beating Retreat.
Deputy Lord Provost, Councillor Deidre Brock, said: “Here in Edinburgh we’re looking forward to welcoming hundreds of veterans, their families and many others to Princes Street Gardens for an event that will celebrate these men and women’s dedication to duty.
“This city has a long and proud tradition of supporting the Armed Forces. Our military service personnel and veterans deserve recognition and respect for the sacrifices they make day in and day out . Holding a day of celebration in their honour is just one of the ways the people of Edinburgh can thank them.”
Armed Forces Day is the annual, UK wide campaign that allows everyone to show their support for the men and women of the Armed Forces past and present, including currently serving troops, Service families, Reservists, veterans and cadets.
Similar events have been taking place across the UK, enabling people to come out and show their support, and giving a much-valued morale boost for Armed Forces personnel and their families. This year’s main UK event took place in Nottingham.
The UK Armed Forces defend the UK and its interests. Every day of the year they are busy working around the world, promoting peace, delivering aid, tackling drug smugglers, providing security and fighting terrorism.
***
The Scottish Government have taken a step forward in the quest to rid our rubbish bins and our seas of the plastic bag.
By 2014 Scottish retailers will charge a minimum of 5p per bag in a bid to reduce carrier bag use.
Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead announced the move yesterday which follows a consultation that was held last year to gauge public opinion. He said shoppers would be encouraged to reuse carrier bags to cut down on the 750 million bags used in Scotland each year.
Regulations will be introduced in the Scottish Parliament in time for businesses to start charging by October 2014.
Other countries have already implemented a similar charge.
Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead said:- “Discarded carrier bags highlight our throwaway society. We use more carrier bags per head in Scotland than any other part of the UK and this is unsustainable.
“Carrier bags are a highly visible aspect of litter and we are taking decisive action to decrease their number. By reducing the amount being carelessly discarded we can cut litter and its impact on our environment and economy. A small charge should also encourage us all to stop and think about what we discard and what can be re-used.
“We have seen elsewhere that carrier bag charging has been effective in encouraging people to reuse bags. This charge is not a tax but will see retailers donating the proceeds to charity – this could be up to £5 million per year after retailers have covered their costs.
“Thousands of Scottish people already use bags for life and some retailers already charge. It is now time, however, for a national effort.”
Iain Gulland, Director, Zero Waste Scotland, said:
“Zero Waste Scotland supports initiatives that tackle litter and help achieve a zero waste society, so we welcome the Scottish Government’s decision to implement a levy on single use bags.
“We can all reduce the impact of carrier bags by making sure that when we must take one, we re-use it over and over again as many times as possible and then recycle it at the end of its life.
“Encouraging the reuse of carrier bags will complement wider action to tackle litter, which will be published later this summer. Moves to cut litter on land, in the sea and river systems will be set out as strategies for consultation.”
The scheme is subject to Scottish Parliament approval of regulations. It is intended to take effect from October 2014.
- Retailers will be required to charge at least 5p for single-use bags.
- This is not a tax – retailers would be expected to donate net proceeds to good causes.
- The charge will apply to single use bags of any material, not just plastic.
- All retailers will be required to charge, not just supermarkets, however smaller businesses will be exempt from the requirement to report centrally the numbers of bags sold and how much they have given to charity to minimise administrative burdens. These businesses will be expected to make some form of public statement of this information on their premises such as a poster for customers to see.
- Some types of bags will be exempt, mainly for health and safety reasons and privacy such as bags for prescriptions, certain fresh foods (including fruit, unpackaged meat of or fish) and unpackaged blades. The details of which bags should be exempted will be worked out finalised in discussion with stakeholders to ensure the system is effective.
The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) says the Scottish Government should be congratulated for taking a major step in tackling a problem that blights our towns and countryside alike, and which causes so much harm to our marine wildlife.
A 5p charge for single-use carrier bags in Scotland will begin in October 2014. Scotland follows in the footsteps of Wales and Northern Ireland. Westminster had indicated it was waiting to see the outcome of the Scottish consultation which was held earlier this year – up until now the coalition government has rejected calls for a levy saying cost on all sides was an issue.
Anne Saunders, MCS Projects Officer, based in Edinburgh says the charity is delighted: “We look forward to seeing the results in Scotland following the great example that has been set in Wales and in Northern Ireland and a 5p charge on all single-use carrier bags, regardless of the material they are made from is a really encouraging step forward. In just one year the Welsh levy has reduced the consumption of single-use carrier bags by up to 80%.”
Anne Saunders says the implementation of the charge next year will reduce harmful litter on our beaches and in our seas, and will prevent many wildlife entanglements and choking deaths.
“We have strong evidence that turtles and other sea creatures mistake plastic bags for food like jellyfish. They eat them and then die a painful death from choking or stomach blockages. Gulls are regularly seen eating bags looking for the food they once carried, and many other animals are known to consume plastic bags accidentally.”
***
Edinburgh Airport is set to welcome almost 100,000 passengers through its doors this weekend, which looks set to be the busiest of the year so far.
With the school summer holidays officially underway, Scotland’s busiest airport is gearing up for a huge influx of departing passengers, with Friday seeing almost 21,000 people leaving Scotland for sunnier climes.
With a huge number of destinations to choose from, including Orlando, Cancun and Alicante, plus exciting new additions such as Cagliari, Bologna and Sharm El Sheikh, customers will have an unrivalled selection of summer holidays to pick from.
Gordon Dewar, Chief Executive of Edinburgh Airport, said: “The summer months are always an incredibly busy time for us here at Edinburgh Airport with families jetting off on their annual summer holiday.
“We’re delighted that this year looks set to be our busiest summer on record, with this weekend, the start of the traditional trade fortnight, looking set to be the busiest weekend of the year so far.
“We work extremely hard to give our passengers the very best choice when it comes to deciding on their summer getaway. We have a fantastic selection of destinations to choose from and we’ll continue to listen to what our customers want from us.
“Our ultimate goal is to make their experience of Edinburgh Airport as enjoyable as possible so this year we will once again have a range of family-friendly entertainment dotted throughout the check- in terminal and departure lounge. We will also be operating our family lane once again at security to ensure families can progress through security as quickly and easily as possible.”
***
EIFF has announced its BEST OF THE FEST lineup which offers audiences the opportunity to catch some of the many gems that will have screened during the 12 day Festival. Whether it’s music, memory or love and romance, BEST OF THE FEST is guaranteed to have something for everyone.
Films receiving additional screenings include FRANCES HA and BLACKBIRD, both currently in the top 5 films eligible for the Audience Award sponsored by Sainsbury’s Bank.
Tickets are on sale now at www.edfilmfest.org.uk and films screen tomorrow Sunday 30 June throughout the day at both Cineworld and Filmhouse. The lineup includes:
Screening at Cineworld:
11:00 THE SEA
12:55 BLACKBIRD
16:30 A LONG WAY FROM HOME
17:45 DESERT RUNNERS
17:50 THE GREAT HIP HOP HOAX
18:30 OH BOY
19:45 DUMMY JIM
20:00 THE BLING RING
20:15 THE BERLIN FILE
Screening at Filmhouse:
11:05 BREATHE IN
12:10 THE EAST
21:15 FRANCES HA
***
On the National Library website they have developed a new feature called the Duncan Street Explorer. The Library tell us that this page offers unprecedented digital access to the Bartholomew Archive.
“We take a look at the map-making techniques Bartholomew employed and reveal what it was like to work at this influential Scottish firm.
“The site brings together a variety of materials including original documents, staff photographs, oral history recordings and film footage. An apprentice draughtsman recalls an unsavoury incident involving a rat and a trouser leg and we reveal the unlikely connection between map-making and gramophone needles.
“Whether your interest is in map history, social history, local history or manufacturing technologies, The Duncan Street Explorer has something for everyone.”
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
