Single dads – BUPA Great Winter Run – Bruncheon at Out of the Blue – Street furniture – Crowdfunding their way to the Edinburgh Fringe
The Scottish Government want to hear from you if you are a single father, as to the advantages and disadvantages of parenthood on your own. This consultation runs till February and the government is keen to have your view if you are one of the lone fathers who are estimated to be 13.5% of single parent households in the UK.
Do single dads get a fair deal? That is the question posed by the Equal Opportunities Committee today with the launch of its inquiry on issues facing single fathers.
Despite there being almost 30,000 single fathers in Scotland, there is a lack of information about the unique practical, social, and financial challenges they face as distinct to single mothers.
The Scottish Parliament’s Equal Opportunities Committee wants to fill in the gaps and has published a call for evidence asking single fathers and fathers with shared custody to respond with their own experiences.
The Committee wants to know about any specific day-to-day issues and challenges single fathers face in the workplace, family or social settings. Are there any specific challenges around finance or arrangements on access and care of their children? What kinds of support and services are available to single fathers and do they meet their needs? Do single fathers get equal access to the range of public facilities when out with their children?
Committee Convener Margaret McCulloch MSP said:-“We know there are more households headed up by single fathers than ever before, yet there is no comprehensive picture of the experiences of single fathers and fathers with shared custody of children in Scotland. That is something our inquiry aims to change.
“While we are fortunate enough to have Christian Allard MSP on our Committee whose experience as a single father will help inform our inquiry, we are keen to hear from the hundreds of other single dads across Scotland on the unique practical, social and personal challenges they also face.”
The call for evidence on single fathers can be accessed by clicking here and is open until 21 February 2014.
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The BUPA Great Winter Run starts off from 10.45 in Holyrood Park this morning so avoid the area if you can as many roads will be closed here. There are various different races including a 5K and races based on age.
Have fun out there, but beware as there have been fritters out on Friday night, and it could still be a bit slippery!
If you can’t be bothered getting out of bed then the races will be on BBC One from 13.00.
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Breakfast suggestion today is to go down to Out of the Blue on Dalmeny Street and have brunch. Anytime between 11.30 and 1.00pm.
“The OOTB Drill Hall offer a very warm new year welcome to new Bruncheon programmer William Douglas. William has a cracking January 11th line-up for us to delight fans of Lou Reed, and introduce his music to those who are unfamiliar with these amazing songs. To complement, the cafe will be serving up New York diner classics, strong coffee and oven-fresh cakes and bakes.”
More details here.
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The council undertook some time ago to minimise the impact of street furniture, at least in the city centre, but we have noticed some examples of extra poles or signs cluttering our pavements. We feel that the city needs a bit of a tidy up.
Have you spotted any good examples? Then please send us any images or video of surplus street furniture which you have noticed either here in Edinburgh or indeed elsewhere if it is a good example of how not to dress a city street! Add them to EdinburghReportage by clicking here.
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Edinburgh based just Festival has launched a crowd funding campaign to bring Sowetan artists to the Edinburgh Fringe this year.
‘Songs from Soweto: an a cappella journey’ is a 25-minute documentary charting the remarkable journey of 5 a cappella singers from one of South Africa’s most notorious townships to the famous Edinburgh Fringe and global fame. Simply Soweto Encha, fka Africa Entsha, share experiences of post-apartheid generations of Soweto where old shack misery meets new opportunities and prosperity. Raised in struggling families affected by racial divisions and troubled neighborhoods, the a cappella singers have been challenged with poverty, unemployment, substance abuse and organised crime. Now, they want to tell us what it is like to live and survive in Soweto.
By addressing the living conditions in the post-apartheid South Africa, the film will draw parallels between other township cultures and issues youth across the world is challenged with. By bringing a positive example of young men who despite hardships have strived to perform around the UK and European festivals, the film aims to change attitudes towards unprivileged communities as well as behaviours of those struggling with similar living conditions. The film will also reflect on the great music talent that is an inherent element of the Soweto township. The township that survived its darkest days thanks to the power of sound and rhythm continues to be a beacon of hope and a cradle for great music productions.
Previously performing as Africa Entsha, now Simply Soweto Encha, will be coming back for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August 2014. ‘The group were a great success with the last two Festival editions. Their performances were well-received and enjoyed by local and international audiences,’ says Katherine Newbigging, just Festival Director. ‘With the film project, we would like to tell real-life stories from the singers’ township and youth in post-apartheid Johannesburg,’ she adds.
The film will also feature preparations for their 2014 UK performances giving a rare opportunity to witness how the unmissable shows are created. The documentary will be shot in Soweto and produced by the end of March 2014 . It will premiere in May and will be screened along Simply Soweto Encha UK Tour between May and October 2014.
The project is offering great perks, from early snippets of the film and new music material from the a cappella group, to film credits to finally meeting the group members. To choose your rewards and learn more about the campaign follow the link.
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
