Virgin Media down across the city – Talk to Edinburgh’s Divisional Police Commander here later today! – Craigie’s opening hours – Green projects in the city get funding – Wedding dresses!
There is a problem with Virgin Media across the city this morning so apologies for the lateness of this article. We have had to retreat to the nearest Starbucks to get an internet connection! The problem with being online is when you are not online of course.
Anyone else out there got broadband problems? We asked on Twitter and were rewarded by some of you lovely people giving us your news, so we don’t feel so alone! (We like to hear from you all!)
@EdinReporter @MichaelMacLeod1 @virginmedia there’s a fault with Virgin TV & broadband, apparently. No wireless at my place this morning…
— Paris Gourtsoyannis (@HolyroodParis) December 16, 2013
At least the weather started out a little better today and there are no longer any yellow warnings on the Met Office website where they tell us it is going to be
A day of sunshine and showers, these mainly over Galloway where they will be wintry on the hills. Staying mainly dry over the Borders whish is where the best of the sunshine will be. Strong southwesterly winds. Maximum Temperature 8 °C.
Since it is now pouring rain in Central Edinburgh we wonder if they are really talking about the same place! Better weather would be good news for Edinburgh’s Christmas whose winter offering is quite weather dependent. The Star Flyer was up in the air again yesterday evening after a piece of the underside of a seat fell off on Friday evening resulting in a shutdown for safety checks.
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The Edinburgh Reporter is very pleased to be bringing you a live event later today when we run our live Q & A with Edinburgh’s Police Commander Mark Williams.
You can join in by emailing us questions now or live by Twitter or sending in comment on our liveblog. You will find the liveblog ready to roll over here and we aim to begin about 5.30pm this evening when Chief Superintendent Williams will be at his keyboard ready to answer any concerns or questions you may have about policing in the city.
Please remember this is not a way to report crime and we also cannot comment on active proceedings where someone has already been charged or arrested, but Chief Superintendent Williams will be happy to answer questions on any other matter involving Police Scotland in your area of the city.
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Green community projects in Edinburgh have received an early Christmas present this year as they have been awarded over £6,000 funding from the Central Scotland Green Network’s (CSGN) Community Projects Fund to improve their local greenspace.
Supported by Forestry Commission Scotland, the CSGN Community Projects Fund provides one-off grants of up to £3,000 to support small-scale projects at a grass-roots level to enhance the quality of their environment.
The Fund aims to increase use of and foster community pride in local greenspaces and is directed at ventures which benefit children and young people under 16 years old, or which involve this age group in the project.
In total, £6,113 has been awarded across three projects in Edinburgh:
- Friends of Montgomery Street Park has been awarded £1,500 to employ a graffiti artist to work with local primary school children to design and paint a mural on an unsightly electrical substation as part of a clean-up and activity day in the Park.
- Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust has been awarded £2,873 to transform a Millennium Woodland next to the Gate 55 community hub in Westerhailes into a Magical Woodland. The funding will support predominantly volunteer delivered, woodland management, path improvements and planting of hedgerows and bulbs. A number of parent toddler groups, children’s groups and the local school will be involved in the project.
- Gorgie City Farm has been awarded £1,740 to create an African Key-hole Garden. The Garden will be constructed by the Farm’s Nature Detectives and will be centrally located to encourage learning and engagement in it by visiting schools and families. The grant will be used to buy tools, materials and site signage.
Keith Geddes, Chair of the Central Scotland Green Network Partnership Board, said: “Now in its third year, our Community Projects Fund continues to go from strength to strength and we’re pleased to be able to continue our support for grass-roots projects across the region.
“There’s a fantastic range of successful projects this year, from nurseries looking to promote outdoor learning and natural play, to allotment groups trying to encourage children to take part in community growing activities to inspire healthy eating.
“These small-scale local initiatives are instrumental in achieving our goal of creating a high-quality green network across central Scotland to improve the quality of life for local communities.”
Some 26 environmental community projects throughout the CSGN area received a share of this year’s £60,244 Community Projects Fund.
As one of the Scottish Government’s ‘National Developments’ in its second National Planning Framework, the CSGN will change the face of Central Scotland, by restoring, transforming and greening the landscape of an area stretching from Ayrshire and Inverclyde in the west, to Fife and the Lothians in the east.
The CSGN encompasses 19 local authorities across 10,000 sq km and has the potential to benefit 3.5million people, equating to 70 per cent of Scotland’s population. The network’s overarching vision is that by 2050, Central Scotland will be transformed into a place where the environment adds value to the economy and where people’s lives are enriched by its quality.
For further information about the CSGN Community Projects Fund, please visit their website.
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Have you been down to Stockbridge recently? If you have then you will have seen the new shop for Edinburgh brides-to-be looking for that dream designer dress – run by the British Red Cross.
And to complement that stunning big day outfit, there will also be a range of accessories by some of Scotland’s top designers.
The new Red Cross shop at 44 Raeburn Place, Stockbridge, opened last Thursday.
Katie Thomson, Red Cross area retail manager, said:- “We have a large stock of designer wedding dresses by some of Scotland’s top names at a fraction of the normal prices.
“Every bride wants to look stunning on her big day and the Red Cross is helping to make that more affordable at our new shop in Stockbridge.”
As well as wedding and bridesmaids’ dresses by designers such as Alan Hannah, Mia Mia, Lisa Marie, Ritva Westenius, Charlotte Balbeir, Dizzy Lizzie Couture and Elianna Moore, there will be a range of accessories by Lindsay Fleming – recently named Scottish Wedding Dress Designer of the Year at the VOW Awards.
With the festive party season in full swing, the Stockbridge shop will be selling a wide selection of quality ballgowns and party wear.
Of course, everyday clothing is not being ignored. Apart from the mezzanine designer bridal department, the shop’s ground floor will be stocked with a huge range of ladies’, gents’ and children’s fashions at fantastic prices.
Much of the shop’s stock will be brand new, donated by a group of well-known High Street fashion stores and labelled by the Red Cross as its Encore range.
Katie Thomson added: “There really will be something for everyone. We’ll be offering all the variety and quality people expect from a Red Cross shop but with a good bit extra on top.
“We’re very excited about opening in Edinburgh and when customers see what we have for sale, we’re sure they will be excited too.
“The Red Cross has 58 shops in Scotland and all of them have a reputation for quality which has earned them many loyal and regular customers.”
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
