Five things you need to know today Edinburgh!
Attempted robbery
Post referendum Parliamentary debate
Doors Open Days
Club Golf
Pop-up Chinese Tea house
Police in Edinburgh are appealing for witnesses following an attempted robbery at a city convenience store.
The incident happened around 11.30am on Wednesday morning at the Margiotta shop in Comiston Road.
A male entered the premises and presented a knife at the female staff member before demanding money from the till.
The employee refused and threw a can of soft drink at the suspect who then made off from the store towards Greenbank Drive where he was lost to sight.
Officers are now conducting local enquiries to trace the male responsible and anyone who can assist with their investigation is asked to come forward.
He is described as white, mid twenties with a slim build, gaunt appearance and bushy eyebrows. He was wearing a bright red Adidas hooded top with a large white logo on the front, blue jeans with a whit G Star logo on the rear pocket and dark shoes.
In addition, police are also keen to trace another male who was seen loitering in the area and who entered the shop prior to the crime.
This male is described as white, early twenties with a slim build and bushy/messy hair. He was wearing a grey hooded top and blue jeans.
Detective Constable John McShane said: “The shop assistant showed great bravery and resilience to scare the suspect off and thankfully she was uninjured during the incident.
“Nevertheless, we are treating this very seriously and would urge anyone who remembers seeing any suspicious activity in or around the store on Wednesday morning to contact police immediately.
“Similarly, anyone who can help us identify these males is also asked to get in touch.”
Those with information can contact Police Scotland on 101 or alternatively, the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
***
Alison Johnstone, Green MSP for Lothian, is calling for the Smith Commission on devolution to engage as many people as possible.
Summing up for the Scottish Greens yesterday afternoon at the conclusion of Holyrood’s two-day debate on the referendum outcome, Alison praised the fact that Scotland has become a participative democracy.
Today at General Questions Alison will highlight the high voter turnout, and urge continued engagement.
It comes amid a surge of interest in the Scottish Greens, with almost 4,000 new members joining since polls closed a week ago, taking the party membership to over 5,600.
The party’s biggest annual conference to date, in Edinburgh on 11 and 12 October, is now fully booked.
The surge of interest is also continuing on social media with the Scottish Greens’ twitter account – @scotgp – now being followed by 20,400 people compared to Scottish Labour’s 13,500. And the Scottish Green Party has 31,800 likes on Facebook compared to Scottish Labour’s 5,900.
Alison Johnstone MSP said:
“Scotland has become a participative democracy. I feel encouraged and optimistic.
“People who wouldn’t have come along to a traditional hustings where politicians debate their manifestos came along with their questions and their own manifestos.
“As tight as the timescales that Lord Smith has been given to work to are, we must do all that we can to ensure those who contributed to the debate are given every opportunity to contribute to this process too.
“Greens were not campaigning for a wee version of Westminster. This debate has shown us that democracy begins at street level.
“We should be ambitious in our vision for what we can do, and willing to work with others to make it happen. If we do that, another better Scotland is possible.”
***
This weekend the doors of many important buildings will be opened to the public. But as well as that the organisation is looking for an events organiser to help them set up their programme for next year.
//
More young people and families are being encouraged to get into golf thanks to a new £1 million funding package, First Minister Alex Salmond has announced.
The money is being given to the innovative ClubGolf programme, which has so far introduced more than 350,000 children to golf since its introduction in 2003, as part of The 2014 Ryder Cup’s legacy.
Through the new Get Into Golf initiative, as part of ClubGolf, parents are being encouraged to participate with their children and play the game as a family.
It carries on the Scottish Government’s commitment to increasing golf participation and membership levels.
The First Minister made the announcement today (September 24) at Gleneagles where he was joined by Scotland’s Bradley Neil, the British Amateur champion and Junior Ryder Cup player, and children who have taken part in the ClubGolf programme.
The First Minister said:
“Scotland is not only the Home of Golf, but it is also the future of golf and this funding will help to introduced yet more youngsters and families to the game.
“We are playing host to one of the greatest sporting events in the world in The 2014 Ryder Cup and we can expect three enthralling days of action as some of the world’s top players go head to head. There is no better platform to inspire a new generation of youngsters and their
parents to get involved in a sport that originated in this very country, and the Get Into Golf initiative will do just that.
“Bradley Neil is a wonderful example of a youngster who has come through the ranks and is now representing Scotland on a global stage, and he represented Team Europe this week at the Junior Ryder Cup at his home course in Blairgowrie – we need to continue to introduce the next
generation of players and champions to the game at an early stage.
“The ClubGolf programme has already encouraged more than 350,000 youngsters to pick up a club and this new funding will not only build on that success, but also look to expand the appeal to families as well.”
Get Into Golf provides the 593 clubs affiliated to the Scottish Golf Union (SGU) and Scottish Ladies’ Golfing Association (SLGA) with the tools and skills to introduce any adult to the game, irrespective of their background.
Jackie Davidson, ClubGolf Manager, said:
“The 2014 Ryder Cup has already created some incredible opportunities for children in Scotland through ClubGolf and the Scottish Golf Development Centre programme. This additional funding will now help us to further develop our programme to encourage adults to “Get Into
Golf” too, so that whole families can enjoy the sport.
“We hope to encourage clubs to open their doors, and inspire a whole new generation of golfers to take up the game which will have wide-reaching benefits for clubs across the country for many years to come.
“Not everyone can play in The 2014 Ryder Cup, but everyone take part in golf at their own level of enjoyment and competitiveness, young and old – young against old! It is a family friendly activity and a sport for life.”
***
A pop-up Chinese tea house will transform The Mound in Edinburgh this Saturday (27 September) to mark the first ever global Chinese language day.
The event will feature a host of activities, including calligraphy workshops, Tai Chi sessions and lessons teaching basic Chinese phrases. Stage performances throughout the day will also showcase modern Chinese pop music, dance and classical music.
The Edinburgh celebration is one of more than 800 events worldwide to mark the tenth anniversary of the Confucius Institute (CI) project, which aims to promote Chinese culture and language across the globe.
Further attractions in Edinburgh include storytelling from the award-winning Rickshaw Theatre, telling tales of contemporary migrant workers in China, and two giant panda mascots will also make an appearance
A wishing tree will also be available for visitors to write their dreams on paper and decorate the tree for luck.
Visitors can also try a selection of traditional string and wind instruments, while learning about the country’s contemporary music. Other options include a game of Ti Jianzi – also known as Shuttlecock Kicking – a popular ball game that dates back more than 2,000 years.
A range of Chinese teas will also be on offer for people to enjoy while watching the events.
Professor Natascha Gentz, Director of the Confucius Institute for Scotland in the University of Edinburgh, said: “We are delighted to celebrate and showcase such a wide variety of events representing China and its historical and contemporary facets. The Confucius Institute for Scotland aims to facilitate interactions between Scotland and China across the sectors of business, education and culture, and we hope that these vibrant and fun events will appeal to all ages to stimulate international engagement.”
CI Day has been arranged by the Confucius Institute for Scotland and is supported by the Chinese Consulate and the Scottish Government.
All events are open to the public and free to attend between 10am and 5pm. To find out more, go to: Confucius Institute Day’s website