Five things you need to know today Edinburgh!
Loretto stained glass window
Council budget meeting
Jenson Button coming to Edinburgh
Small Business Saturday
Bruntsfield late night shopping
A specially commissioned stained glass window has been installed in Loretto School’s Chapel to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the 1914 Christmas Truce to be unveiled by relatives of British and German officers involved.
The window was commissioned in commemoration of the 1914 Christmas Truce and Loretto’s association with that event and was created by Haddington-based artise, Kate Henderson. Its inspiration was the meeting of former Loretto pupil, Major Archibald Buchanan-Dunlop and his German counterpart.
Their historic handshake was a gesture during the extraordinary event of the ‘Christmas Truce’ in Ypres 1914. The positive image of enemy soldiers at peace is juxtaposed with the 148 poppies, representing all those Old Lorettonians lost in the conflict. The phrase around the shield Gloria in excelsis deo et in terra pax ((Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace). The official unveiling of the stained glass window will take place during a special Commemorative Service in the Loretto Chapel on Saturday, 20th December at 11:45 a.m.
The grandsons of Archibald Buchanan-Dunlop (a former Loretto pupil and one of the instigators of the 1914 Christmas Truce) and Hauptmann Maximilian Freiherr (Baron) von Sinner, (the commanding officer of the Machine-gun Company of the Prussian 6th Jäger Battalion, who was also involved in the Christmas Truce) will come together and unveil the stained glass window together in what promises to be a poignant act of reconciliation.
Jonathan Hewat, Director of External Affairs at Loretto School, said, “ We all grew up with the story of soldiers from both sides putting down their arms on Christmas Day 1914, and it remains wholly relevant today as a message of hope over adversity, even in the bleakest of times. We are delighted to be welcoming to the Service relatives of two soldiers involved in this most famous of truces.”
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The council ran a live meeting with a public audience of around 50 last night at the City Chambers.
You can read the questions put to the panel of councillors here on our live round up, but you can also watch the hour long proceedings again here.
Then you can still have your say on the draft budget for a week or two here.
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Do you have a ticket for the driving event on Thursday in Edinburgh’s West Princes Street Gardens featuring a former F1 World Champion and the 2014 McLaren Mercedes drivers?
The event is sponsored by Johnnie Walker and you are promised a driving spectacular featuring Mika Hakkinen, Jenson Button and Kevin Magnussen.
The real reason behind the event is to promote the drinks giant’s stance against drinking and driving, but what we will get for two and a half hours from 11:00 is a “Join the Pact” Driving Spectacular.
If you don’t already have a ticket for the Ross Bandstand then it appears you are too late, but there will be free public viewing by the Ross Fountain and on the top level of the gardens (you might need binoculars from there!).
For everyone who signs up the drinks company commits to 1 km of free transport so that late-night revellers can get home safely rather than having to take a car. Join the Pact to never drink and drive by tweeting #GetHomeSafely to @JohnnieWalker_ or by visiting www.jointhepact.com
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What better way to support small business Saturday this weekend than by going to Coburg House Art Studios in Leith.
It is the Open Studios weekend and over 80 artists in 50 studios will be exhibiting their work.
There will be exquisite jewellery, Harris tweed bags, hand woven scarves, a diverse and inspiring range of paintings and prints, extraordinary ceramics and conceptual three dimensional pieces. With many award winning artists making Coburg House their home it’s definitely worth a visit.
OPEN STUDIOS
SATURDAY 6 DECEMBER + SUNDAY 7 DECEMBER
11AM – 6PM
15 COBURG STREET, EDINBURGH, EH6 6ET
www.coburghouseartstudios.co.uk
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Tomorrow evening in Bruntsfield from 6pm-8pm on 3rd December is Bruntsfield Shopping night!
Come out for a daunder on Wednesday evening and you are guaranteed carols, mince pies, mulled wine and great gift ideas from some of the City’s best independent shops.
The local Christmas lights will also be switched on that night, a craft fair on at the Eric Liddell Centre, wine-tasting at Oddbins and a guest appearance by Santa!