Eric Liddell
It is exactly 100 years to the day since Eric Liddell won an Olympic gold medal in Paris on 11 July 1924. The story of Liddell’s victory was the inspiration for the film, Chariots of Fire, but he was not only a sprinter, he was also an international rugby player.
While he studied at the University of Edinburgh Liddell played sport for Scotland, but in 1924 at the Olympics he would not run in the heats for the 100 metre race as they were held on a Sunday. As a committed Christian and later a missionary, he did not play sport on Sundays. He then trained for and competed in the 400 metres as that was held on a weekday, and he won.
To mark the centenary of Eric Liddell winning in Paris, a world-first exhibition will open at The Scottish Parliament on 25 July.
The exhibition will give visitors the chance to explore the life and legacy of Eric Liddell – the Flying Scotsman and 1924 Olympic champion – alongside other legends from the Scottish Sporting Hall of Fame and also Scottish athletes competing in the 2024 Olympics.
Organised by The Eric Liddell 100 campaign, with its patron Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal, this initiative seeks to honour Liddell’s legacy and inspire future generations through a series of events and activities emphasising his core values of passion, compassion, and integrity.
John MacMillan, CEO of The Eric Liddell Community, said: “We are thrilled to see the launch of the Eric Liddell exhibition, as part of our exciting programme of events to celebrate the centenary of Eric Liddell’s gold medal win. All of our partners involved in this initiative spent a significant amount of time considering what Eric Liddell would have wanted and how important it is that we reflect him in our endeavours; we believe that any individual can make a positive impact on the world if they approach the challenges they face with passion, compassion, and integrity, which are our three values for The Eric Liddell 100. We hope everyone who visits the exhibition leaves feeling uplifted, inspired, and motivated to live life with these values in mind.”
Rt. Hon Alison Johnstone MSP, Presiding Officer of The Scottish Parliament, said: “We are delighted to host this exhibition in the Scottish Parliament, which celebrates the significant achievements of Eric Liddell but also serves as a powerful reminder of his legacy. It seems particularly relevant as Olympians from across the world prepare to compete in Paris. The Scottish Parliament is delighted to provide a platform for sharing his inspiring story with the thousands of people who will visit us this summer.”
Eric Liddell: Legacy of an Olympic legend will remain on show in the main hall at The Scottish Parliament until 12 September. The exhibition is free and no ticket is required.
Tickets for the Film Festival go on sale today at noon
Tickets for the Edinburgh International Film Festival go on sale today at noon – and there is a huge choice even though the programme is still much smaller than in past years.
The Opening Night film is The Outrun starring Saoirse Ronan and the Closing Night film will be the world premiere of Carla J Easton and Blair Young’s new music documentary Since Yesterday: The Untold Story of Scotland’s Girl Bands.
The revealing, funny and enraging documentary tracks the history of Scottish girl bands from the 1960s to the present. This scrapbook panorama view of Scottish pop music explores bands, cliques and movements that emerged in the country across the decades, exposing the challenges faced in a male dominated world.
Co-directed by musician Carla J. Easton (shortlisted for Scottish Album of the Year and member of all girl band TeenCanteen) and prominent Scottish director Blair Young; the film is produced by producer/filmmaker Miranda Stern (Scottish Documentary Institute’s New Voices 2020) and the award-winning production company Forest of Black.
Girls On Film will co-present the World Premiere of the film which will screen at EIFF on 21 August at the Cameo Cinema.
EIFF Director, Paul Ridd said “I am thrilled by what the team, our collaborators and our supporters have put together these past months for all sections of the programme and across our exciting new festival footprint. Through a spirit of collaboration, passion and above all teamwork, we have worked to fashion something special out of a shared vision for what we want this historic festival to be going forward, and to offer a platform to an enormous range of film work. Since day one, the audience has always been front and centre in our thinking. And I cannot wait to see these formally exciting, thematically rich and unforgettable films to find their audience with us. Bring it on.”
Party at the Palace are looking for volunteers
If you are a music lover and you have some free time over the weekend of 10 or 11 August then Child Bereavement UK are asking for volunteers. The charity wants people to volunteer for four hours at either Party at the Palace or Let’s Rock Scotland (both being held at Linlithgow Palace). The job includes scanning tickets at the gate, selling wristbands and offering charity raffle tickets. And in return the volunteers get free access to the festivals with musicians such as UB40, Ronan Keating and The Skids.
Child Bereavement UK helps families to rebuild their lives when a child grieves or when a child dies. The charity supports children and young people (up to the age of 25) when someone important to them has died or is not expected to live, and parents and the wider family when a baby or child of any age dies or is dying.
Ruth Sanger, Head of Community Fundraising for Child Bereavement UK said: “This year Child Bereavement UK is delighted to be the beneficiary charity of some of the UK’s most anticipated festivals and gigs. Our volunteers tell us they have a great time soaking up the festival atmosphere and seeing their favourite acts, in return for just a few hours of their time helping us raise much-needed funds. If you’re tempted to join in, please visit our website to find out how you can get involved.”
For more information on volunteering click on the link:https://www.childbereavementuk.org/Event/festivals
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New MPs at Westminster
The four new Labour MPs who represent city constituencies are somewhere in the group photo below of all the new MPs.
We spoke to Tracy Gilbert MP for Edinburgh North and Leith on Wednesday morning about her week so far. Listen at the link below:
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
