Send us your charity news for our December issue
We aim to focus on charities in December – it is the season of giving after all. If you are a charity and doing good work then please get in touch and let us know. If you have an appeal on the run up to Christmas then please also tell us about that. Our deadline is 20 November. If you would like to read this month’s issue then click on the image below.
Post-a-Brownie
This Christmas Bongou Café have a new festive treat. Post-a-Brownie does exactly what it says – post a chocolate treat to a friend – but there is a charitable twist. The gift will support charity, Soul Food Edinburgh, with a £1 from each brownie bought. The funds will be used to pay for meals for those who would otherwise go without.
Tosin Moemeke, founder of Bongou Cafe and The Brownie & Blondie Shop said: “Our collaboration with Soul Food Edinburgh is a way of spreading holiday cheer while giving back to the community.
“We’re excited to offer a treat that’s not only delicious but also meaningful. Post-a-Brownie will let anyone share the gift of sweetness with loved ones, wherever they are, while contributing to a fantastic cause so that no one goes hungry – not on our watch!”
The brownies are available for online order at www.thebrownieandblondieshop.com. Each order is beautifully packaged, a perfect holiday gift for anyone with a sweet tooth. With a rich, decadent texture, the Post-a-Brownie offers a chocolatey indulgence to delight the senses and bring festive warmth to any celebration.
Treat your loved ones to a taste of these festive delights and support Soul Food Edinburgh in providing meals for those in need. Join Bongou Cafe in spreading the love this Christmas – one brownie at a time!
For more information, visit: https://bongoufood.co.uk
Edinburgh Napier Student Film Festival
The first annual Napier Student Film Festival is finally here! The festival is running from Wednesday 13th to Friday 15th November 2024, with the Opening Night at the Riady Theatre at Craiglockhart Campus, Edinburgh Napier University at 6pm.
The three-day event is organised by Edinburgh Napier Students’ Association (ENSA). Audiences are promised a vibrant celebration of student creativity, showcasing strands of short films produced by student filmmakers.
Festival organiser ENSA received more than 200+ short films from 43 countries and shortlisted 25 films from different universities in 15 countries.
Evans Eghan, President of Societies and Community at ENSA said: “We are excited to see the breadth of talent and storytelling our students and students from other universities globally will bring to the screen. The festival provides an opportunity to celebrate student filmmakers and support them in sharing stories that resonate with diverse audiences.”
The festival will close with an Awards Ceremony held in the Glassroom, Merchiston Campus at 7pm on Friday 15th November to celebrate the winners in various categories.
Book Week Scotland 2024
It is almost time for Book Week Scotland which runs from 18 to 24 November.
These are the Book Week Scotland event highlights in Edinburgh and the Lothians:
· Landscapes of Hope and Inspiration, Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburgh, 18 November—This event will bring together visual artist Julie Brook, writer Linda Cracknell, and musician Duncan Chisholm to discuss how Scotland’s landscapes inspire and provide hope.
· The Pleasures of Reading with Jackie Kay, Portobello Bookshop, 20 November – Jackie Kay shares the books that have inspired her, joined by Dr Sarah McGeown to explore the benefits of reading for pleasure.
· Various Author Events Across Edinburgh and East Lothian – Libraries and regional community centres will host readings, discussions, and family events celebrating the joy of reading.
The 2024 programme spotlights regional authors and local libraries as community cornerstones. 65,000 copies of a new free book, Scotland’s Stories: Hope, will be distributed during the week. It is made up of real-life stories from people across Scotland, including contributions from people in Edinburgh and Lothians.
The variety of events this year reflects Edinburgh and Lothians’ longstanding engagement with Book Week Scotland, now in its 13th year and supported by Creative Scotland. Scottish Book Trust invites everyone to join the #BookWeekScotland conversation and find further information and event listings at Book Week Scotland 2024 – Scottish Book Trust
Braille is 200 years old
Braille – the use of a series of raised dots which allow people with vision loss or who are blind to read – is 200 years old this year.
Sue Marshall (80) from Edinburgh, taught braille as a volunteer with national charity RNIB Scotland for many years. She has keratoconus, a condition which affects the corneas of the eye. “I was partially sighted until the age of 17 then I became totally blind,” she says. Her husband, Alan Dudley, who was born blind, learned braille from the age of six. They both advocate for the practical uses of braille in everyday life.
Sue said: “When I learned braille in 1962, there wasn’t an alternative.
“Nowadays there’s technology, which is compatible with braille, but I find it easier and quicker to use as is.”
Alan added: “I’m more likely to read with the braille display on my phone or computer- it just pairs up and it means you can read emails, read a digital screen, and write in braille too. Of course there’s often audio for reading things aloud, but braille’s advantage is being able to write things down quickly.”
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
