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 Community Council Elections – The Battle of Pinkie Cleugh – World’s Biggest Coffee Morning – Edinburgh Ceilidh Club – Johnston Press completes new website rollout

 

Councillor Cameron Rose has told us that the plans for a new Southside Community Council have been scuppered as there were not enough nominations to allow it to be reformed. The community council collapsed in 2011. The other two community councils in his ward will have sufficient people to ensure that they carry on.

Councillor Rose said:-” Grange and Prestonfield Community Council has had 13 nominations (minimum 8 nominations required for 16 vacancies).

And I understand there are sufficient nominations for the Marchmont & Sciennes Community Council (minimum 7 required with 14 vacancies).”

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The performance of ‘The Battle of Pinkie Cleugh’ on the new Brunton stage in Musselburgh in April is to be repeated by popular request. This drama, a collaboration of various East Lothian drama groups and Queen Margaret University students, told the story of one of bloodiest battles between Scotland and England to a sell-out audience.

 

The aim of the Pinkie Battlefield Group to promote awareness of an almost forgotten battle to the local community was hailed as a major success. Following on from the initial performance in April, two QMU graduates have now collaborated with the Group in making a short documentary film. This new film will be screened as a prelude to the ‘Battle of Pinkie Cleugh’ play which will be performed this week on Thursday.

 

It highlights the closing events of ‘The Rough Wooing of Mary, Queen of Scots’ when Henry VIII demanded the hand of the infant Queen Mary, for his son, Edward. The battle was a victory for the English and its modern weaponry but proved to be a diplomatic disaster for the English regent, the Duke of Somerset, who was deposed and executed five years later. Some believe that this may account for the huge void in the literature of the winning side covering the battle.

 

Once again, three different community groups make up the cast – The Brunton Players, The Brunton Senior Youth Theatre and the Prestongrange Players. They are joined by a variety of talented Queen Margaret students who designed and fitted the costumes, scripted, directed, and stage-managed the original play, and were cast in many of the parts.

 

On the 10th September, The Pinkie Cleugh Battlefield Group launched ‘The Battlefield Trail’ which visits the key sites of the battle. While this is now a permanent tourist attraction, it complements the exhibition of the Battle which is currently on view at the Musselburgh Museum, 65 High St. This exhibition will run until the end of November.

 

‘The Battle of Pinkie Cleugh’ will be performed in the Brunton Theatre’s newly developed Venue 1 (Musselburgh) on Thursday 26th September, 7.30pm. Tickets are priced at £6.75. Box Office: T: 0131 665 2240. Online booking at: http://www.bruntontheatre.co.uk/webpages/howtobook.php

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macmillan-350Macmillan is holding the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning this Friday 27 September to raise funds for people affected by cancer.

Marks & Spencer at the Gyle are holding a big event on Friday. We are sure that you are holding your own events so please tell us about them!

Staff throughout RBS and NatWest are supporting the event, and believe the charity’s work is so important they have decided to go one step further. Local branches will hold coffee mornings throughout coffee fortnight to give even more customers the chance to get involved.

Customers will be able to enjoy coffee and cakes at up to 2,000 branches nationwide, starting from Monday, 16 September.

Those who miss the opportunity to support Macmillan at their local bank branch’s event can still donate money by clicking through to the charity’s website via this secure link.

All the money raised by RBS and Natwest through Coffee Morning will help to fund the Macmillan Financial Guidance Service which provides free, independent and tailored information on the financial decisions that people affected by cancer might have to make.

Cancer affects everyone. One in three of us will be diagnosed with the illness and two million people are living with cancer in the UK today. Macmillan is here to ensure no one faces cancer alone, no matter who they are, where they live in the UK or what kind of cancer they have.

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News from Edinburgh Ceilidh Club:-“We are back tonight with another great ceilidh @ Summerhall where we have Free Range playing. Tickets are £6 on the door or in advance from www.edinburghceilidhclub.com/tickets opening with everything kicking off at 8pm. The advance tickets have already sold out but the remaining tickets will go on sale tomorrow (Tuesday) at 10am if you haven’t already got yours.

“Also don’t miss our next Ceilidh club @ The Picture House on Lothian Road with Teannaich on Friday 18th Oct, 7pm you can get your tickets online from www.edinburghceilidhs.com or in person from the Picture House box office, Tickets Scotland (Rose Street), Ripping Records.”

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We are told by Hold the Front Page that Johnston Press has now completed its rollout of new websites, and the final one to get a makeover is The Midlothian Advertiser. All the money that JP saved by divesting themselves of their local office in Dalkeith is clearly being spent on their video content.

This is the video they are using on their site to show you round Midlothian:-