The Edinburgh Award
The Green group of councillors claim there is too much cloak and dagger secrecy behind The Edinburgh Award, and have called for it to be brought into the open.
This award is claimed by The City of Edinburgh Council, which bestows it on a citizen nominated by public vote, to be prestigious. But there is a meeting to be held on Thursday morning to choose this year’s recipient, and the meeting will be held in private.
Cllr Dan Heap has lodged an objection to the way the awardee is chosen.
The people who will attend the meeting are as follows:
| Councillor Robert Aldridge | Convener | ||
| Bruce Crawford | Committee Member | ||
| Councillor James Dalgleish | Committee Member | ||
| Joanne Davidson | Committee Member | ||
| Councillor Pauline Flannery | Committee Member | ||
| Councillor Margaret Arma Graham | Committee Member | ||
| Councillor Dan Heap | Committee Member | ||
| Councillor Amy McNeese-Mechan |
The formal motion which will have to be considered by the meeting – and that will presumably be debated in public before the councillors decide whether or not to go into private session – states:
- “Committee notes
- 1. The Edinburgh Award reflects the esteem in which the recipients is held by
- the city
- 2. That it is recommended item 6.1 is held in private due to data protection issues, meaning the press and public will be excluded
- 3. That it not appropriate to bestow the award in a private meeting, given the importance of the Edinburgh Award
- Committee deletes recommendations and replaces with;
- “The Committee is recommended to
- 1. Either
- a. Delay the decision on the Edinburgh Award until the necessary arrangements have been made for the discussion to be made in public,
- 2. 3. or
- b. Make the decision on the Edinburgh Award on the understanding it should be the last time it is made in private
- Receive a report for the next meeting with proposals to improve the transparency of the bestowing of civic awards, including the Edinburgh
- Award
- The Committee is recommended to meet within 5 months to discuss the report referred to in (3), if a meeting has not already been scheduled.”
- Committee agrees to add new recommendation at end:
- 1.1.3 1.1.4 To receive a report for the next meeting covering how the bestowal of the Edinburgh Award and any other civic awards can better reflect the diversity of Edinburgh and properly recognise the contributions of people from groups which are underrepresented
- To meet within 5 months to discuss the report referred to in 1.1.3, if a meeting has not already been scheduled.”
The person who receives the award is given a Loving Cup inscribed with their name, their name is added to the honour roll and an imprint of their handprints is cast in a flagstone in the quadrangle at the City Chambers.
PHOTO Greg Macvean
Primates on the way
| Monkeys: Our Primate Family, the largest exhibition of primate behavior ever staged, will open at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh next month. |
| Exhibition curator Professor Andrew Kitchener examines the skull of a tiny mouse lemur sitting inside the eye socket of a huge male gorilla; the largest and smallest living primates. The specimens are part of National Museums’ world-renowned natural sciences collection, which comprises more than 10 million specimens and is in constant use for cutting edge scientific research. The exhibition will bring together more than 60 spectacular taxidermy primates from this collection – including monkeys, apes, lemurs and lorises – allowing visitors to come face-to-face with our closest relatives. |
Monkeys: Our Primate Family
National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh
28 June–30 November 2025
Kids Camp at Lost Shore
Lost Shore Surf Resort, Europe’s largest inland surfing destination, is making waves this summer with the launch of its Kids Surf Camp – a fun-filled, week-long experience designed to build skills, confidence, and a love for surfing in young people aged 8 to 16 years.
Running weekly from 30th June through to the end of August 2025, the Lost Shore Kids Surf Camp offers an exciting introduction to surfing for complete beginners, while also supporting established young surfers ready to take their skills to the next level.
Led by Lost Shore’s team of expert surf instructors, the camp includes daily 1.5-hour sessions that combine on-land and in-water coaching, helping participants progress from their first pop-up to confidently catching waves at the world-class surfing facility.
Lee Wood, Director of Surfing at Lost Shore Surf Resort, said: “At Lost Shore, we’re all about getting the next generation stoked on surfing. The wave pool is the perfect place for kids to build confidence – it’s safe, fun, and a great way to learn the ropes without the pressure of the ocean.
“But it’s not just about riding waves. Surfing teaches kids so much more, balance, patience, resilience, and a real sense of adventure. It helps them connect with nature, stay active, and develop the kind of mindset that sets them up for life, all while having an absolute blast.”
UK Tram Owners and Authorities Group
Stuart Lowrie, Public Transport Manager for the City of Edinburgh Council, will serve as Vice Chair of the group.
He is said to have “a wealth of experience and insight to the group, reflecting the crucial role that local transport authorities play in shaping light rail across the UK.
The announcement continues: “Stuart Lowrie brings in-depth knowledge from his work overseeing public transport policy and delivery in Edinburgh, including the city’s expanding tram network.”
He will serve as Vice Chair while Chris Hopkinson of Transport for West Midlands will be Chair. Stuart said: ““I am very happy to be appointed as vice chair and will do all I can to support Chris. UK Tram, and particularly the owners / authorities group, has been an invaluable source of information and assistance to me in my role in Edinburgh and I look forward to getting more involved in the development of this important organisation.”
Critical Mass May 2025
If you are a cyclist then join the mass cycle event from Middle Meadow Walk at 2pm on Saturday all the way to Newhaven. The group calls for more safety on the streets to allow for safer cycling. This is a good way to see a bit more of the city on a fairly sedate ride with marshalls stopping the traffic as the group rides as one “vehicle”.
