Arthur Melville: Visually Impaired Tour and Workshop. A free descriptive tour and practical workshop for the visually impaired. 10am-3.30pm, Royal Scottish Academy (meet at back door), Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. To book a place please contact the Information Desk on 0131 624 6560.
Bookbug: stories, songs and rhymes for children aged 0-4 and their parents and carers. 10.30-11am, Oxgangs Library, 343 Oxgangs Road North. Free: all welcome. The next Wednesday session will be on 4th November. Bookbug also runs at the same times every Friday and Saturday; for more information please contact the library on 0131 529 5549.
National Library of Scotland Lifting The Lid Exhibition Tour: Manuscripts Curator Olive Geddes leads an hour-long tour of Lifting the lid: 400 years of food and drink in Scotland, in which Scotland’s changing relationship with food and drink is explored using the Library’s rich collections, and the diversity of Scotland’s larder is contrasted against some of the myths and traditions of the Scots diet. 11am-12 noon, National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge. Free but booking is required and may be made by calling 0131 623 3734 or online here. Also at same times on Wednesday 28th October 2015.
In Focus: Lady Montgomery by Henry Raeburn and Henry Raeburn sculpted by Thomas Campbell. Susanna Kerr, former Senior Curator, Portrait Gallery, will discuss Sir Henry Raeburn’s seductive full length portrait of Helen Graham, Lady Montgomery, coupled with the marble portrait bust of the artist sculpted in Rome not long before his death. 12.45-1.15pm, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street. No booking required: free, unticketed.
Young People’s Creative Writing Group: a new group for ages 11+, starting today and then running fortnightly. 6-7.30pm, Kirkliston Library, Station Road. Everyone welcome, no booking required – just turn up! For more information please contact Nicola on 0131 529 5576 or email nicola.tonner@edinburgh.gov.uk.
Morningside Justice and Peace: From Waste to New Resources – Recycling in Edinburgh. A talk by Justine Taylor, Waste and Open Space Development Officer, City of Edinburgh Council. 10.30-11.30am, The Open Door, 420 Morningside Road. A contribution of £1 per meeting is requested. 
The Morningside Justice and Peace Group exists to promote informed opinion on matters of concern to the community at large; meetings are open to all and provide a view on a topic of national, international or local concern followed by questions and discussion. For more information please contact the co-ordinator at b.darcy20@gmail.com
Lunchtime Concert: A Gospel Serenade. George M Walters-Sleyon, a Gospel singer originally from Monrovia, now based in Massachusetts and currently studying at the University of Edinburgh, will perform Gospel spirituals, blues and African American narratives. 12.15pm, St Giles’ Cathedral, High Street. Free.
Stockbridge and Inverleith Community Council: all members of the community are welcome to attend and participate. 7pm, Stockbridge Church, Saxe Coburg Street.
Chatterbooks: a reading group for children aged 8-12. If you like books and reading, come along to meet new friends, chat about books, and join in games and competitions. 3.45-4.45pm, Fountainbridge Library, 137 Dundee Street. For more information please ask at the counter or call the library on 0131 529 5616.
SMHAFF: Rocks in My Pockets. Latvian director Signe Baumane’s surreal animated feature traces the lives of five women in her family as they embark on a quest for sanity. Raising questions about how far our mental wellbeing and individual identities are shaped by genetics and society, Baumane merges strange metaphors, provocative imagery and personal stories into a rich and daring cinematic vision. A discussion on issues raised by the film will follow the screening. 6pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets cost £6/£4 and may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 228 2688 or online here. Part of Scottish Mental Health Arts & Film Festival 2015.
The Health of the City of Edinburgh: 1865, 2015 and 2165. How did the City of Edinburgh progress from its Auld Reekie status to being a beacon of medical sciences, with its citizens being amongst the healthiest in Scotland? What are the lessons from this experience that we can export to other cities and utilise to make Edinburgh an even healthier place? This symposium is a celebration of public health that marks the 150th anniversary of the landmark first report of the first medical officer of health of Edinburgh, Sir Henry Littlejohn. Chair: Raj Bhopal, Bruce and John Usher Professor of Public Health (University of Edinburgh). Speakers: Richard Rodger, Professor of Economic and Social History (University of Edinburgh) and Paul Laxton, Honorary Fellow (University of Edinburgh), co-authors of Insanitary City, Henry Littlejohn and the Condition of Edinburgh, Alison McCallum, Director of Public Health with a statutory duty to report on the health of Edinburgh and Honorary Professor (University of Edinburgh), and Vittal Katikireddi, registrar in public health. who will speak on behalf of those training in public health on what the future might hold. The symposium is for a general audience and will be of interest to the public as well as health professionals, historians and social scientists. (All technical terms will be explained by the speakers.) 4-6.15pm, Playfair Hall, Royal College of Surgeons, Nicolson Street. Free but booking is required and may be made via eventbrite here.
Blackwells Edinburgh Presents Jane McKenzie: Autumn in Catalonia. It is 1963, and in her mansion in the foothills of the Pyrenees Joanna idles her days away, banished by her powerful husband and alienated from her family. Meanwhile, in Barcelona, her daughter Carla is impoverished and in trouble… The author of Daughter of Catalonia launches her new novel, the story of three generations of women torn apart by the Spanish Civil War and by one determined man. 6.30pm, Blackwell’s, South Bridge. Free tickets may be obtained from the shop’s front desk, by calling 0131 622 8229, emailing events.edinburgh@blackwell.co.uk or via eventbrite here.
Cameo Culture Shock: the best in cult and genre films. Tonight: Back To The Future 2 (PG). In order to prevent a series of events that could ruin the McFly name for posterity, Marty McFly (Michael J Fox) and his girlfriend are whisked into the future to the year 2015, where Marty must tangle with a teen rogue named Griff, who’s obviously the descendant of Biff, the bully from Back To The Future 1. 9pm, Cameo, Home Street. Tickets may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0871 902 5723 or online here; prices vary.
Morningside Community Council: meetings are open to all local residents, traders and members of the public. If you have an issue that you would like the Community Council to discuss, please get in touch; full contact details may be found here. The meeting will be preceded at 7pm by a confidential Police Surgery, and will begin at 7.30pm, The Open Door, 420 Morningside Road.
An Evening with Brandon Sanderson: the bestselling fantasy author will be discussing Shadows of Self, the latest book in his hugely popular Mistborn series. 6pm, Waterstones West End, 128 Princes Street. Tickets cost £4 (£3 for Waterstones Loyalty Card holders). For more information please call 0131 226 2666.
LGBT: Bi & Beyond Edinburgh. A fortnightly social gathering for people who identify as bisexual and non-monosexual. With organised social activities and refreshments provided, whatever your label, or lack of label, we welcome you. 7-9pm, LGBT Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street. For more information please contact biandbeyondedinburgh@gmail.com.
Footprints Orphanage Charity Ladies’ Night: lots of stalls – candles, jewellery, soaps, fudge and more. Your ticket includes a free drink of your choice on arrival, a gift bag and automatic entry into the prize draw. For over 18s only. 7.30pm, The Voodoo Rooms, West Register Street. Tickets cost £8 and are available from kemackenzie@hotmail.co.uk/07525 786 092. Footprints is a children’s home in the Shimba Hills in Kenya. Founded by Kerry Watson from Burton-on-Trent, it provides not only shelter, food and water for orphaned and vulnerable children, but also quality education, love, security and hope for the future, in a family environment. 2012 saw the construction of school classrooms and now children from both the children’s home and the local community are educated at Footprints Academy. Footprints is a registered charity in Kenya.
Leah Gough-Cooper Quintet: back briefly from her base in New York City and touring in Europe, the ex-Dumfries alto saxophonist brings in her exciting group with a mix of hard-hitting, groove-based and contemporary original compositions. Influenced by Leah’s time in the Big Apple, the band also blends sounds from rock, funk and house, with award-winning pianist Alan Benzie, Gus Stirrat on bass (as with Fat Suit) and ultra-funky powerhouse drummer Rich Kass (as with Trio HSK). 9pm (entry from 8pm), The Jazz Bar, Chambers Street. £5/£4 on the door; please note this venue is strictly cash only.
Fyne Ales Tasting: Fyne Ales with some fine ales for the tasting. 6.30pm, The Skylark, 245 High Street, Portobello. For more information please email contact@theskylarkportobello.com.
Green Screen: Citizenfour (15). This 2014 Academy Award-winning documentary, in which a filmmaker and a reporter travel to Hong Kong for the first of many meetings with Citizenfour, focuses on Edward Snowden and the NSA spying scandal: Director: Laura Poitras. 7.30pm, The Skylark, 245 High Street, Portobello. For more information please email contact@theskylarkportobello.com.
