Five things you need to know today
- Leith Academy pupils off to help with the US election
- Take a selfie for #GlowGold
- Edinburgh Cyrenians partner up with JP Morgan at Linburn
- Edinburgh Speakers Festival
- Higher Education Festival
Four Leith Academy pupils are off to Florida in November. But this is no holiday! They will be working as interns in the US presidential campaign having won a competition which brings with it a two week all expenses paid trip to Tampa and Washington. And they are taking their teacher too!
Pam Neilson who is behind the Glow Gold campaign which will light up (among many others) Edinburgh Castle in September, has been in touch with an update on what is going on – and it turns out there is lots happening from 1 September 2016.
We already told you the story of her son Kai who died in January this year. You can read that here.
Now Pam has sent us some more news:
Please take a selfie photo (Glowfie lol) with our poster and support us on social media @glowgoldkids #glowgold #CCAM
A disused overgrown walled garden will be transformed into a productive enterprise by an innovative charitable partnership supported by volunteers from J.P. Morgan.
Once a hive of productivity, the walled garden at Scottish War Blinded’s Linburn Centre in Wilkieston, West Lothian has fallen into disrepair as the charity’s efforts focused on expanding their support military veterans across Scotland. In the past, the listed garden produced fruits and vegetables by and for veterans supported by the charity and was a thriving part of the local community of Kirknewton.
The charity Cyrenians, in partnership with Scottish War Blinded are to be joined by staff from J.P. Morgan, who will volunteer time over two years to transform the garden. Taking the garden from its current overgrown state, J.P. Morgan volunteers will turn it into a valuable outdoor space for military veterans, who have lost some or all of their sight and who will be able to enjoy the serenity of the green space.
The project also aims to transform the Walled Garden to a valued part of the Cyrenians network of community growers which contribute produce for sale in veg-bags. This initiative supports the Cyrenians Farm enterprise project based in nearby Kirknewton, which is also a community for young people with a background or risk of homelessness. The additional range of produce from this garden will enable the growth and development of the Cyrenians’ veg-bag scheme, which is being rolled out across Edinburgh, which, in turn, enables Cyrenians to work with the vulnerable and excluded.
Ewan Aitken, CEO of Cyrenians said: “This is a unique collaboration between the private sector and two charities coming together to create something very special. Not only will the fruits of the volunteers’ labour go towards supporting the work of Cyrenians, but the veterans at the Linburn Centre will have a beautiful growing space for relaxation and enjoying the outdoors along with the staff from J.P. Morgan.”
No sooner have we got one festival period over and then it’s straight on to the next one! On the weekend of 8-11 September the Edinburgh Speakers Festival is taking place at Augustine United Church and they have some great speakers including Mona Siddiqui, Dermot Turing nephew of the late Alan Turing, Tam Dalyell the former MP for West Lothian, Glasgowphile Alan Taylor, Brooke Magnant, Kenny Macaskill and Charles Maclean who has spent three decades studying whisky.
More details of the fascinating line up here.
Skills Development Scotland (SDS) and UCAS are having a Higher Education Exhibition in the Edinburgh Corn Exchange where young people can find out more about careers, college and university.
The event, on Tuesday 6 and Wednesday 7 September, brings together representatives from Higher and Further Educations institutions in Scotland and elsewhere. These representatives will be on hand to offer advice as well as information on a variety of courses and learning pathways.
There will also be seminars on choosing a course and university, personal statements, student finance and alternative routes to Higher Education.
SDS’s Nichola Murray said: “This year’s Exhibition gives young people and their parents the opportunity to find the information about their options in one place at one time. It also gives them access to experts which is also very valuable. Choosing which course, university or career is one of the biggest decisions people make, so it is vital they have all the information to ensure that decision is well-informed.”
Nichola added: “Digital World will also be at the Exhibition, to show the opportunities available in the digital technology sector, as well as SDS’s My World of Work Live. There will also be talks for teachers.”
She added: “While the Exhibition is aimed primarily at fifth and sixth year pupils, anyone interested in finding out about Higher Education opportunities, including parents, carers and college students are very welcome to come along.”
Careers advisers from SDS will be at the free event to give impartial, one-to-one advice on options and opportunities including employment, training, apprenticeships and volunteering.
The Exhibition will run from 9.30am until 12.30pm, 1.30pm until 3.45pm and 4pm until 6pm on Tuesday 6 September and from 9.30am until 12.30pm and 1.30pm until 3.15pm on Wednesday 7 September.
If you are reading this article in print and would like to visit The Edinburgh Reporter website then simply scan the QR code here with a smartphone or tablet.
Sign up here for a daily email from The Edinburgh Reporter
[mc4wp_form id=”169103″]