- Harry Benson at Holyrood
- Book your evening classes now!
- Enter our competition to win lunch for two
- The Edinburgh Digital Entertainment Festival
- The Scottish State Coach
We met the delightful Harry Benson CBE yesterday at Holyrood. Benson is the man who has photographed all recent American presidents since Eisenhower, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Bobby Kennedy. Actually Benson was beside Kennedy when he was shot, and he was in the room when Nixon resigned so his timing has been remarkable.
He was asked to go to the US with The Beatles and was not terribly happy as he was about to embark on the photographic trip of a lifetime to Africa. However when he got to the States and heard the group singing All My Lovin’ he said he knew he had done the right thing.
Harry Benson is speaking on Saturday evening at Holyrood with Deputy Presiding Officer Linda Fabiani at the Festival of Politics. You can book tickets here.
Read more about the exhibition Harry Benson : Seeing America here
Chanter for beginners, exploring local bridges, creative crochet and the history of Edinburgh are just some of the courses being offered in the new City of Edinburgh Council’s Adult Education Programme.
With hundreds of day, evening and weekend courses available for adults aged 16 and over, the programme really has something for everyone.
So if you’re looking to learn a new language, brush up on your artwork, meet new people or improve your job prospects then check out the courses which can be booked now.
Booking online is the quickest way to secure a place on your chosen course and people are asked to be patient as demand is expected to be high.
Among the numerous classes being offered are art, crafts, creative writing, history, computing, cookery, health and fitness, languages, music, drama, walks and talks and much more.
Councillor Cathy Fullerton, Vice-Convener for Education, Children and Families said: “Every year, thousands of people of all ages and in all areas of the city take part in our adult education classes. Learning should always be enjoyable, and we hope that this programme will inspire people to learn something new or in more depth.
“There are many stimulating, creative and challenging courses and opportunities to suit a wide range of interests, purposes and abilities. This is the chance to learn a new language, play a musical instrument, find out more about Scottish literature or learn a new skill such as wood carving or creative writing.
“Research shows that people who are in lifelong learning are more likely to be employed, to remain in work and to be involved in their communities. It truly is about learning for life and it’s never too late to start.
“Plenty of flexibility is built into the programme as to where and when people can study, with opportunities to take classes at different schools and community centres across the city and they can also be a stepping stone on to further education or indeed into a new career.”
A full list of Adult Education Programme classes are available online or by phoning 0131 556 7978 to get a brochure or pick one up from your local library or community centre. As well as online enrolment courses can be booked by post, phone or in person.
Also on offer are Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) courses at Higher and Unit levels, run by Edinburgh College. Full details about all our classes and how to enrol can be found on the council website here.
We have a lovely competition over here which you can enter until noon on 15 August – and the prize is lunch for two people at Malmaison!
Hurry though time is running out….
The lovely people at the Edinburgh International Film Festival have not gone into summer hibernation as you might have thought. Instead, they are holding two showcase events at The Edinburgh Digital Entertainment Festival which brings together the worlds of arts, entertainment and technology – the best of what is happening right now and provoke the conversation about what comes next.
The Festival takes place at Assembly Rooms on George Street until August 28 2016, and EIFF has these events: Scottish Shorts, which screened during this year’s Festival, and a programme of films from this year’s EIFF Short Film Challenge.
Scottish Shorts is on at 10am on Sunday 14 and Thursday 18 August, and the EIFF Short Film Challenge takes place at 10.30am on Saturday 20 and Thursday 25 August. Both events are free, but tickets should be booked in advance.
Full programme and booking information can be found HERE.
The magnificent Scottish State Coach on the forecourt of the Palace of Holyroodhouse, pictured with Windsor Grey horses, Meg and Tyrone.
The coach will be taking part in this year’s Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo to mark Her Majesty The Queen’s 90th birthday year and the Tattoo’s 2016 theme, ‘Tunes of Glory’. Each evening, it will make its way up the iconic Royal Mile, across the drawbridge of Edinburgh Castle and on to the famous Esplanade where it will be welcomed by a crowd of up to 8,800 spectators.
The coach, which is used by members of the Royal Family on ceremonial occasions, features the emblems of the Order of the Thistle, the highest order of chivalry in Scotland, the Scottish version of the Royal Arms, and a model of the Crown of Scotland in the roof. It is normally housed at the Royal Mews, Buckingham Palace, home to the royal collection of historic coaches and carriages. It will be on display at the Palace until 28 August.
Image credit: Royal Collection Trust © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2016. Photographer: David Cheskin
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Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
