• Missing People 
  • Fancy a free trip to China?
  • Independent Coffee Guide
  • Edinburgh Labour Women’s Forum 
  • Mother’s Day

Edinburgh residents are asked to help save lives of missing children while shopping at St James Centre today.

From 10-5 there will be a team of Jobcentre Plus volunteers requesting that you sign up for free Child Rescue Alerts which is a partnership of the National Crime Agency, the charity Missing People and education technology company, Groupcall. These alerts activate when a child goes missing locally and when police believe their life may be in danger.

This is all part of a two week long national campaign which has the backing of Missing People charity patron, Stephen Fry.

Stephen Fry said: “I believe that Child Rescue Alert should be a national institution. It reminds me of a fire extinguisher – everyone should have one ready to use at a moment’s notice but we all hope that we will never need it.”

Josie Allan, Regional Manager at Missing People, said: “It’s amazing to have the support of volunteers within their own community to raise awareness of this vital service. By signing up, anyone could save a child’s life so we want to get the message out to as many people as possible across Edinburgh.”

Denise Horsfall, Jobcentre Plus Work Services Director for Scotland, said “Working with Missing People to make the public aware of the Child Rescue Alert scheme has been a hugely fulfilling experience for our staff in Scotland, and is a valuable part of the work that the charity does. Feedback from those taking part has been very positive, and we plan to take ongoing advantage of opportunities with Missing People through our Community 10,000 volunteer programme in 2016.”

So if you are shopping today take a moment to sign up or you can register your child online here.

Edinburgh Zoo which looks after the two pandas on loan to Scotland from China is running a competition for those who would like a trip to China.

PandaYou also have to want to work with pandas, so if those dreams are yours then all you have to do is enter the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Ambassadors competition.

The prize is that you would go to the Chengdu Panda Base in China as an official Panda Ambassador.  You would meet new-born panda cubs and tour the area from 28 May to 3 June 2016.

To take part what you have to do is:

  • Record a selfie or video of yourself in front of the Pambassadors panel (located on the left hand wall as visitors enter the giant panda exhibit at RZSS Edinburgh Zoo)
  • The video should be no longer than 10 seconds and should ideally include:

o   Entrants name and where you are from

o   The fact that you love pandas and why!

o   Your support for the 17 Sustainable Development Goals

24 of our Edinburgh coffee houses are included in the newly published Independent Coffee Guide

Even The Edinburgh Reporter who is a frequent coffee shop worker (on the computer in the corner you understand!) has not been to all of these.

The purpose of the guide is to showcase “commitment to a high quality coffee experience, use of UK roasted speciality beans, two brew methods or two coffees available at any time and independent ownership”.

Edinburgh Labour Women’s Forum will be celebrating International Women’s Day in Castle Street on 8 March 2016.

IWD flyer 2

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Just a timely reminder that Mother’s Day is on 6 March 2016. If you have nothing planned as yet then you might be interested in our helpful hints over here.

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Phyllis Stephen
Website | + posts

Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.

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