Five things you need to know today
Coffee with a cop
Fancy meeting your local police officer for a chat? There is a chance to do so in Broomhouse where Coffee with a Cop is a regular event. Roll up at 10am to the Broomhouse Hub on Broomhouse Crescent for a chat.
A date for the diary
The Christian Aid Art Sale will be back on 10 to 16 May (except Sunday) and it is a great opportunity to pick up a book or two. The sale is held at the renamed New Town Church on George Street – which used to be called St Andrew’s and St George’s West.
Scotland’s largest and oldest charity book sale opens on Saturday (13 May 2023, 10am to 4pm) at St Andrew’s and St George’s West Church for its 51st year.
Thousands of books in every genre will be available to browse and buy.
Scottish writer James Robertson – Patron of this year’s book sale and author of The Testament Of Gideon Mack which is currently one of the the texts studied by students sitting National 5 English exams.
PHOTO Colin Hattersley Photography
Edinburgh Trams – maintenance to the tracks this month
Edinburgh Trams is responsible for repairing the tracks on which the trams run and this month work will take place during one weekend when the tram operators engineers replace the points on York Place.
Celebrating history through storytelling
During National Storytelling Week, Edinburgh 900 invites people to share their story about Edinburgh. Through the website Our Town Stories readers can access images and maps and also stories arranged by a variety of themes.
The Rt Hon Lord Provost, Robert Aldridge, said: “These stories delve into the pivotal moments in Edinburgh’s history, shedding light on the people, places, and events that have helped shape our extraordinary city.
“Our Town Stories makes exploring Edinburgh’s past easy—its interactive map brings the city’s rich history to life with images and maps from our collections. Whether you’re zooming in on a familiar street or discovering hidden corners of the city, this tool connects you with Edinburgh’s heritage in an accessible way.
“If you’re inspired and have a personal, historical, or cultural story to share that could enhance our understanding of Edinburgh’s past, we’d love to hear from you. Your contribution could become part of our ongoing narrative, helping to celebrate the city’s identity, creativity, and resilience, ensuring that Edinburgh’s 900-year story is preserved for future generations.”
For more information or to contribute your story, get in touch at informationdigital@edinburgh.gov.uk You can also join the Edinburgh Collected community archive and contribute your pictures and memories to help shape the city’s collective history.
The Edinburgh Reporter features a photograph from the Edinburgh Collected series each month in our newspaper. This month it was the photo shown below of a family in the 1950s – all dressed up for their photograph. The photos on Edinburgh Collected are offered by families or the organisation Living Memory and form an important social history.
Botanics fundraiser
After Storm Éowyn, the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh launched a fundraiser to help clear up the gardens and replace trees which were lost due to the high winds. In less than five days around £50,000 was raised – and the fundraiser remains open for further contributions.
