Two Green MSPs are leading debates at Holyrood later today first about cuts to additional support needs and secondly on the need to strengthen local democracy.

Next year Scotland will vote for new councillors across the country and the Green Party see these issues as key campaigning points in those elections.

Ross Greer MSP said: “The First Minister has said education is her number one priority, so today’s debate on Additional Support Needs is a real test for her Government. Funding cuts to this area are harming the opportunities for children and young people who need support, such as those with autism, hearing or visual impairment, or dyslexia. It’s simply shocking that the number of ASN teachers has fallen 13 per cent in five years.

“Councils, who are responsible for school budgets, have been unfairly squeezed by the Scottish Government, and ASN has taken the hit. As we approach local government elections in five months’ time we need a clear sign from the Scottish Government that it will improve funding for local authorities to enable them to repair the damage that has been done. We cannot have, as experts warned this week, a lost generation of children who didn’t get the support they need.”

The motion reads:

That the Parliament believes that professionals who provide additional support for learning play a vital role in Scotland’s classrooms; welcomes international comparisons that demonstrate that Scottish schools are inclusive, but is concerned that public sector cuts threaten the opportunities that are available to children with additional support needs; notes that real terms revenue cuts to the Scottish budget have been disproportionately focused on local authorities, where education is the biggest spend, and that the number of additional support for learning teachers and support staff has fallen by 13% and 8% between 2010 and 2015, and calls on the Scottish Government to bring forward a budget that raises more revenue to support local educational priorities.

Andy Wightman Lothians MSP who will lead a later debate seeking endorsement of the final report of the Commission on Strengthening Local Democracy.

He said: “Creeping centralisation by successive governments has impoverished and weakened local democracy and left local authorities with little flexibility and choice in responding to local needs. The Scottish Parliament needs to properly debate the future of local democracy and agree that the situation as it stands is unacceptable.

“There is broad consensus across the parties that local democracy needs revived in Scotland. Today’s debate is an opportunity for government and opposition parties to prove that they are serious about devolving real power from Holyrood to local level.

“All parties took part in the Commission on Strengthening Local Democracy, which found that fifty years of centralisation has not tackled the inequality in our society. By endorsing the Commission’s findings, Parliament can send a signal that it intends to give power to the people and strengthen and deepen local democracy.”

You can watch the debates live on Parliament TV.

At the Good Neighbour awards last week the Lord Provost the Rt Hon Donald Wilson and Health Convener Cllr Joan Griffiths thanked those council tenants who support people living near them.

Four winners were given glass trophies.

Linda Orr, Sandra Seaton and Jackie Brunton won for all the help they give to their neighbours, collecting prescriptions or doing shopping and housework. Alistair Blakey was nominated for all the work he does picking up rubbish in the Jewel Park. Sandra will receive her award later but the other three attended the civic ceremony at the City Chambers as you can see from the photos.

Lord Provost Donald Wilson said: “As Civic Leader I am delighted to present these awards here in the civic heart of the city as people like you are the heart of the city. Wanting to help those around you makes you the sort of people that make Edinburgh the great city that it is. You are the glue that holds our community together and makes the world a better place.”

Edinburgh Bus Tours which is part of Lothian Buses has won a top award from Green Tourism.

This body makes awards on the basis of sustainable best practice, and Edinburgh Bus Tours with its new £6.5 million hybrid fleet of tour buses is an ideal winner.

These have smaller engines for better fuel efficiency and are suitable for wheelchair users.

The bus company has also installed LED lighting in its depots, A-rated boilers, a water saving system and better recycling facilities. The parent company wants to reduce its carbon footprint by 42% by 2020 in line with the Scottish Government’s Climate Change targets.

Speaking about the latest award Jon Proctor, chief executive of Green Tourism and assessor, said, “This is a huge achievement for the team at Edinburgh Bus Tours, their increased commitment to sustainability is evident in the new fleet of buses and this GOLD award is testament to that. Monitoring of energy, water, waste and fuel is very advanced and this has enabled the organisation to keep on top of long-term goals and meet targets.”

Police in Edinburgh are requesting fans attending this week’s Hearts FC Vs Rangers FC match do so in a responsible manner.

The teams kick off their Premiership tie at 7:45pm on Wednesday, November 30th, with the match at Tynecastle expected to be a sell-out.

To ensure the safety of all those in attendance, police will have a high visibility presence in and around the ground and will assist stewarding staff to conduct searches of those entering the stadium.

Fans travelling from outside Edinburgh are reminded that officers will be enforcing the city’s drinking by-laws and so antisocial street drinking or consumption of alcohol in the street will not be permitted.

Chief Inspector Mark Rennie, Local Area Commander for Edinburgh City Centre, said: “This will be the first time that Rangers have visited Tynecastle since their promotion to the Scottish Premiership last season and we anticipate a significant support for both teams.

“Those travelling from outside Edinburgh are advised to leave in plenty of time to avoid traffic congestion in the west of the city.

“Ensuring the safety of all those who will attend the match is our priority and it’s essential that supporters act in a responsible manner that does not put themselves or others at risk.

“As such flares, alcohol and items which could cause harm if thrown are strictly forbidden from being brought inside the ground and if you are found in possession of any of these items you will not get to see the match and are likely to face arrest and prosecution.

“This is one of the most exciting fixtures of the Scottish football calander and we want both sets of fans to enjoy the game in the proper spirit.”

Three of the Scottish First Aid Awards chosen by St Andrew’s First Aid, have been brought home to Edinburgh. They were handed over at a ceremony in Glasgow  last Friday night.

Sarah Milne ran a campaign to install defibrillators in RBS branches for the public to use.

William MacDonald received the First Aid Hero award for helming a man who collapse on a pavement. William was on a bus at the time, but got the driver to stop and ran to help. He performed CPR and the man made a full recovery.

George Nicolson Decorators have been recognised as the Small Organisation of the Year for their work in ensuring all their employees are trained in first aid. They also have a defibrillator on the premises and a sign outside telling the public about it.

The University of Edinburgh’s catering department has won an accreditation from national charity Food for the Brain for the food it provides to students.

This is the tenth year they have won an award and they are the only team in a Scottish University to hold an optimum nutrition award.

“Food for the Brain is delighted to award the University of Edinburgh’s Accommodation, Catering and Events team our accreditation”, says Jenna Mosimann, chief executive of Food for the Brain Foundation.

“This accreditation recognises that the University of Edinburgh team offers nutritionally well-balanced menus that support energy, concentration and performance and help promote better mental and physical well-being.”

University catering staff have also completed training on allergens in food and nutrition, including guides to sourcing food locally.

The university also has a cookery school encouraging students to cook more nutritional meals for themselves. Since it was launched in 2014 the initiative has proved very popular.

Last Friday afternoon a special ceremony was held in the National Galleries of Scotland.

All of the winners in the Winter Windows competition run by Edinburgh’s Christmas were there to be recognised with a certificate. You can see all their wonderful designs in Princes Street Gardens just at the top of the steps leading down to the National Gallery of Scotland.

A number of special commendations were awarded, including Janis Allen-Bernad, Bruntsfield Primary School who won the Lord Provost Commendation; Elham Najib, Craigroyston Primary School who won the Arts & Creative Learning, City of Edinburgh Council Commendation; Nikola Kukawka, Braidburn Special School who won the Underbelly Commendation, Cailum Lumsden, James Gillespie’s High School who won the Toyota Commendation; and Kerry Willis, Queensferry Community High School who won the National Galleries of Scotland Commendation.

The winners of Winter Windows and their designs made into….windows! Go + see them in Princes St Gardens. They’re lovely! @Edxmas pic.twitter.com/Gmi5EKhDCJ

— Edinburgh Reporter (@EdinReporter) November 25, 2016

Edinburgh’s Lord Provost Donald Wilson said: “These artworks will be enjoyed by millions of people as they walk through Princes Street Gardens this winter. Edinburgh is well regarded as a creative city and this is certainly true of our schools. Children in the Capital are clearly bursting with artistic talent and the Winter Windows display celebrates the city’s pride in their artwork. Congratulations and well done to all of the inspiring entrants and winners. The festive display looks fabulous.”

The following pupils’ windows won Winter Windows 2016: 

Julia Mitrosz, St Mark’s R.C. Primary School

Emmie Willis, Victoria Primary School

Holly Hunter, Nether Currie Primary School

Minny Fletcher-Watson, St Mary’s R.C. Primary School

Lacey Krol, Balgreen Primary School

Rebecca Anderson, Roseburn Primary School

Janis Allen-Bernad, Bruntsfield Primary School

Ròsaidh Mackintosh, Ben-sgoil Taobh na Pàirce

Elham Najib, Craigroyston Primary School

Dylan Hood, Preston Street Primary School

Dani Burnett, Wardie Primary School

Steven Dennis, Stenhouse Primary School

Ruby Freedman, Hermitage Park Primary School

Mary Nicol, Currie Primary School

Holly Neary, Stockbridge Primary School

Nikola Kukawka, Braidburn Special School

Allison Quilietti, Howdenhall School

Kai Waddell, Prospect Bank Special School

Aman Alam, St. Crispin’s Special School

Andrew Moffat, Woodlands Special School

Liam Clark, Broughton High School

Danielle O’Neill, Castlebrae Community High School

Cailum Lumsden, James Gillespie’s High School

Kerry Willis, Queensferry Community High School

Jamie-Lee Forbes, Tynecastle High School

Hardies Property & Construction Consultants have been instrumental in helping Fet-Lor Youth Club construct their new building to provide a multi-purpose facility for generations to come in Scotland’s Capital.

Hardies, who have their Head Office in Edinburgh along with thirteen other offices across Scotland, have fulfilled the roles of Project Management, Quantity Surveying and Principal Designer Services at the new Fet-Lor Youth Club facility at Crewe Road South.

Working over an eight month time period, during which the original building was demolished and construction of the new build facility was completed, Hardies had initially helped FetLor with the brief and design for the building before vital fundraising commenced to bring the project to fruition.

Fet-Lor is Scotland’s oldest Youth Club, and has been providing safe haven for local children for nearly a century. Today the club caters for 8 to 18 year olds.

Hardies Project Manager Debi Stark who worked closely with Fet-Lor team said : “We were delighted to be able to assist FetLor to create a fantastic new facility which is fit for purpose, will exceed all expectations and will be such an asset for years to come. As ever it was a challenge to keep the project team on track to deliver on time and on budget. Now we are all looking forward to the club moving back in and enjoying the facilities. It is such an improvement on the previous building.”

“It really was a pleasure working with Fet-Lor and we wish them every success in the future, “ she added.

Hardies Edinburgh office has recently submitted a proposal fee for another Edinburgh Youth Club it hopes to work with in the near future – North Merchiston Youth Club and Community Centre. Hardies, who are Scotland’s largest multi discipline surveying firm, would be looking to provide the same services as for Fet-Lor – QS, Project Management and Principal Designer Services.

Hardies, which celebrated its 100^th anniversary in 2013, serves clients in both the private and public sectors with a complete operation in property and construction development, including property valuation, building and quantity surveying and project management. The firm also handles the leasing and sale of commercial and industrial buildings; H&S Principal Designer and the provision of Energy Performance Certificates. Altogether, Hardies employ over 100 members of staff, professionally qualified in various disciplines.

Further details www.hardies.co.uk.

In Aberdeen last Friday Very Rev John Chalmers who is Principal Clerk to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland was awarded an honorary doctorate.

Dr Chalmers is due to retire next year after the 2017 General Assembly. The former parish minister at Palmerston Place Church has worked in a variety of roles at the Church’s offices on George Street and has been Principal Clerk since 2010.

His year as Moderator during 2014-15 coincided with the Scottish Independence Referendum. His role was a conciliatory one, bringing both sides together on the Sunday after the referendum for a service of unity.

MICHEL Dobron looks to use Sunday’s sensational, come from behind win over Scottish rivals, Braehead Clan, who have signed Harry Quast as a replacement for Trevor Hendrikx, as a launchpad.

The 6-4 success, after being 1-0 and 2-1 down, means the Edinburgh side are ninth in the ten-strong Elite League.

And they face two of the current top three this weekend, visiting Cardiff Devils, the long-time runaway pace-setters, on Saturday and entertaining third-placed Belfast Giants on Sunday (6pm).

Dobron’s men have 13 points from 14 games but go into the tough double-header on the back of Sunday’s moral-boosting win, their second straight success in the league.

Cardiff have won their last four and have 31 points from 19 starts while Giants have 20 points from 17 games but have lost their last three matches.

Czech Republic-born Dobron said: “I am happy with Sunday. We had a very good result against Braehead and we have another two points which is good.

“Saturday, at Sheffield in the Challenge Cup (when Capitals lost 7-1 to bow out in the quarter-finals) was disappointing.

“We played well in the first (period) but the second and third were not good.

“The boys came back well on Sunday and we are looking to take more points this weekend against two top teams.”

Edinburgh’s Chester Residence named Scotland’s ‘Best City Hotel’ in the Scottish Outdoor & Leisure Awards 2016

Five star luxury hotel, The Chester Residence, was awarded ‘Best City Hotel’ at last night’s Scottish Outdoor & Leisure Awards 2016. This is their third award win this month, following on from being named ‘Best Five Star Hotel in Scotland’ in the trivago Awards 2017 and ‘Best Accommodation Provider’ for Lothians and Borders in the Scottish Thistle Awards’ regional finals 2016.

The Scottish Outdoor & Leisure Awards were created to reward the very best from Scotland’s outdoor and leisure trade industry. After receiving nominations from guests, The Chester Residence
then went up against four other hotels before a panel of judges to be crowned winner. The hotel has now won a total of 25 accolades since opening in 2006.

The Chester Residence is a stunning collection of 23 luxurious Georgian townhouse apartments in Edinburgh’s West End. Individually designed apartments and a personalised service ensures guests receive the benefit of serviced apartments combined with the indulgence of a five star hotel.

Jill Darling, general manager of The Chester Residence, says: “We can’t thank our guests enough for continuously nominating us for awards, supporting us and giving us recognition for the hard work and dedication we put in to make sure each guest has a truly fantastic experience with us. We are amazed with these three award wins – they are the perfect end to a wonderful year. We can’t wait to find out what 2017 has in store!”

Ryan Finnerty has swung the axe as he bids to find the right formula.
Trevor Hendrikx was cut by Braehead Clan in the fallout after Sunday’s 6-4 Elite League defeat at Edinburgh Capitals.
Success-hungry coach Finnerty replaced the 31-year-old Canadian, who was twice drafted by National Hockey League side, Columbus Blue Jackets, with American defenceman Harry Quast.
Clan square-up to Dundee Stars in back-to-back league games this weekend and the 25-year-old joins from East Coast Hockey League cracks Manchester Monarchs.
And the 6ft 4in defenceman from Chagrin Falls, Ohio, is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire where he played for four years.
Fed-up Finnerty said: “We’ve been looking for a puck-moving defenceman for some time.
“Harry is a young kid, hungry to do well. He skates well and provides us with extra size on the blueline.”

The promise was that we would get free wifi in the city centre by Christmas. Now it seems that it is already here in time for St Andrews Day tomorrow.

The service is called EdiFreeWiFi and it has been introduced by The City of Edinburgh Council to let everybody in the city centre have access to free wifi and improved mobile coverage.

A map of the available coverage and FAQs about the EdiFreeWiFi service are available at www.edinburghfreewifi.com.

The council believes that improving the WiFi network will encourage visitors to the city to stay longer and spend more. Clearly as users we will all benefit from the savings on using our own data on our phones.

Councillor Frank Ross, Digital Champion, said: “It is great news as everyone will be able to get free outdoor access to the latest information on their favourite apps and websites while they are out and about over the festive season and beyond. It is also really important that we are providing this kind of quality service to the millions of residents and visitors who enjoy our city each year to ensure they have access to all the information they need.

“This project is central to the Council’s plans for growing the city economy, and encouraging residents and visitors to stay longer and increase their spend.”

The company in technologyWiFi has installed the network for free and will operate it for the council no cost. They were allowed access to the lampposts and other street furniture as well as some council-owned properties to install their state of the art equipment. This will we are told provide seamless easy to access internet coverage.

Have you found the wifi yet? Please do tell us whether it is easy or not to access.

Councillor Lesley Hinds is Transport Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council and her biggest campaign this year is to introduce the new 20mph speed limits across the city.

The city centre zone has been in place since the end of July 2016 and now the zone will be extended to the south and east of the city, coming into effect on 28 February 2017.

Signage and lines will start appearing next month, but no fines will be issued until after the end of February next year.

Cllr Hinds was joined by drivers from NHSScotland, The City of Edinburgh Council and Royal Mail who all have campaign stickers on the backs of their vehicles to get the message across.

Councillor @LAHinds rolling out phase two of the 20mph zone across the city @Edinburgh_CC pic.twitter.com/VuhHYGCSI1

— Edinburgh Reporter (@EdinReporter) November 29, 2016

Since July Police Scotland have carried out at least 21 speed checks and issued tickets or warnings to three drivers during each check which totals at least 68 warnings and 13 tickets.

There will be an arterial network of 30mph and 40 mph routes across the city but the 20mph limit will eventually affect around 80% of the city’s roads.

Nominations for candidates to stand in the election to be a supporter representative on the Hibernian FC Board of Directors closes at 5pm tomorrow.

Supporters are able to nominate online or by handing in nominations at the West Stand Reception at Easter Road Stadium.

The club require a contact telephone number and/or email address for all supporters nominated.

Supporters who have  nominated someone and have not left any contact details should resubmit their nomination with a telephone number and/or email address. If no contact details are left for the person being nominated the club will be unable to get in touch with details of the next steps of the process, and the person would therefore not be able to stand.

Following the closing of the nomination period those nominated will be contacted and invited to meet members of the board to hear what is expected from them in the role and to decide if they wish to go forward. Those who do will prepare a statement outlining their credentials and reasons for wanting to serve on the board. These statements will be published online at the commencement of the voting process.

A roles and responsibilities outline has been prepared and is available to download via the club website.

This is the second time the Club have conducted such a vote, with current supporter representatives Frank Dougan and Amit Moudgil having served a two year spell on the board. Both individuals are eligible to stand for re-election.

Management information relating to policing activity, including recorded crime, the number of incidents reported to the police and user satisfaction, between April and September 2016 has been published today.

The provisional management data gives an indicative picture of crimes and incidents across the country at a point in time over a six month period. The information helps to inform operational decision making on a daily basis throughout the organisation. It helps maintain our focus on keeping people safe by managing resources in the most effective way to police communities.

Management information is also published at a divisional level and for each local authority area across Scotland.

Deputy Chief Constable Iain Livingstone said: “This latest snapshot indicates that compared to the previous six month period, overall crime between Groups 1 and 5 reduced and the number of incidents reported to the police increased.

“Recorded crime tells an important part of the story about policing; however, the significant level of calls for service for non-crime related incidents creates a more complete picture about the demand on the organisation.

“We continue to see significant rises in incidents which relates to missing people, domestic abuse, traffic and motoring issues and anti-social behaviour.

“It is of course welcome that overall crime has fallen during the six months between April and September. The information also shows that crimes of violence and sexual crime have increased, with crimes of dishonesty reducing.

“We maintain a rigorous approach to preventing and detecting all crime. Crimes of violence and sexual crime, including rape, a priority for policing. Detection rates are constantly monitored and reviewed to ensure we take every appropriate and proportionate step to ensure offenders are traced and put before the courts.

The information published today is classified as Management Information. Official statistics are published by the Scottish Government

In yet another exciting announcement Olly Murs has confirmed that his 20 date tour will include an appearance on the esplanade at Edinburgh Castle.

Hot on the heels of Deacon Blue he will come to Edinburgh at the end of a UK Tour which will start in style at The Albert Hall. His Edinburgh concert takes place on 18 July 2017 on the way to Aberdeen and Inverness.

He rose to music fame after his 2009 appearance on X Factor, becoming the most successful solo artist to have started his career from the show.

His new album 24 HRS is the follow up to ‘Never Been Better’.

A busy week for Hearts got potentially busier when the club announced on Monday evening that English League One club MK Dons have made an official approach to the Tynecastle club about acquiring the services of Robbie Neilson as their manager.

Hearts made the briefest of announcements on the official club website which said Neilson was aware of the approach but remained fully focused on Hearts vital Ladbrokes Premiership game with Rangers at Tynecastle on Wednesday evening.

MK Dons stated they respected that Hearts had an important fixture on Wednesday and, therefore, no further comment would be made until after that match.

Neilson experienced English football as a player when he spent two years at Leicester City, having signed for The Foxes when Craig Levein – now Hearts Director of Football – was manager there.

The irony is that some Hearts supporters have expressed doubts about Neilson’s ability to turn Hearts into a side challenging for honours. The Maroons have had a stop-start season with an early exit from the Europa League at the hands of Maltese minnows Birkirkara, an early elimination from the Betfred League Cup after throwing away a 2-1 lead to lose 3-2 at St Johnstone and a succession of drawn games in the Ladbrokes Premiership.

Hearts biggest disappointment of 2016 was losing to rivals Hibernian in the William Hill Scottish Cup, surrendering a 2-0 lead at Tynecastle before losing the replay at Easter Road.

A further announcement is expected by the end of this week.

In other news, Hearts have been drawn away to Ladbrokes Championship side Raith Rovers in the fourth round of this season’s William Hill Scottish Cup. Rovers are, of course, managed by former Hearts player and manager Gary Locke and include former Hearts players Jason Thomson, Kevin McHattie and Gorgie icon Rudi Skacel in their squad.

The tie is due to be played at Starks Park, Kirkcaldy on the weekend of 21/22 January 2017. Ticket details will be announced in due course.

Edinburgh Zoo will be screening the much-anticipated film Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them from 2 to 8 December.

Visitors will also be able to take part in a Fantastic Beasts trail around the Zoo, following clues to track down various J K Rowling beasts hiding in suitcases across the site.
Each beast will provide the seeker with one or two golden letters which must be unscrambled to find the final location of the rare mythical Golden Snidget.
Visitors who complete the trail and find the location of the final mythical creature will be entered into a competition to win magical prizes.
Screenings will take place every afternoon from Friday 2 to Thursday 8 December in the Budongo Trail, plus midday on Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 December.
Evening screenings on Friday 2, Saturday 3 and Tuesday 6 December. Tickets cost £10 for adults, £6 for children aged 14 and under. Or grab a ticket with daytime entry for £19 for adults and £14.55 for children (daytime screenings only). Children under 18 months go free.
For more information and to book your tickets please visit their website.

Scottish Cup holders Hibernian will take on Bonnyrigg Rose or Dumbarton away from home in the fourth round of the competition.

Elsewhere Hearts will face Raith Rovers at Starks Park, whilst Spartans will take on Dundee if they can overcome St Mirren.

Edinburgh City will face Livingston if they can beat East Fife.

The draw was made at 6.35pm this evening at Rugby Park.

The ties are due to be played on the weekend of January 21 and 22.

• Ross County v Dundee United
• St Johnstone v Forres Mechanics or Stenhousemuir
• Albion Rovers or Queen of the South v Celtic
• Livingston v East Fife or Edinburgh City
• Rangers v Motherwell
• Aberdeen v Stranraer or East Kilbride
• Elgin City v Inverness CT
• Raith Rovers v Hearts
• Kilmarnock v Hamilton
• Bonnyrigg Rose or Dumbarton v Hibernian
• Brechin City or Ayr United v Queen’s Park or Montrose
• Partick Thistle v Formartine or Annan Athletic
• Stirling Albion or Wick Academy v Clyde or Arbroath
• Alloa Athletic v Dunfermline Athletic
• Dundee v Spartans or St Mirren
• Beith or Greenock Morton v Falkirk

A man has been taken by ambulance to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary with serious burns following a huge fire at a Chinese takeaway in Edinburgh this afternoon.

Almost 20 firefighters were called out to tackle the fire at the Taste of China in Calder Park, Sighthill.

Six pumps and one height appliance attended the scene at around 12.50pm after smoke was seen coming from the roof of the takeaway.

A fire service spokesman said: ““At the height of the incident six appliances were in attendance. “Crews were faced with a well-developed fire on arrival and used a high pressure hose reel and a line of hose to tackle the blaze which had spread to the roof space.

“Firefighters managed to stop the fire spreading to adjoining properties.

“One male casualty suffered burns and was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary by ambulance.

“The incident has now scaled down and firefighters are dampening down the affected area.”

Garry Fraser BAFTA winning film director of Everybody’s Child, a story about his own addiction recovery journey will open a photography exhibition in Edinburgh on Friday.

The photographs are the work of Patrick Keast and they will be displayed at My Front Room, 5 Salisbury Place EH9 1SL from 2 December 2016.

Patrick is also on a recovery journey and is supported by Cyrenians recovery hub in Bathgate.

Patrick said: “My photography is like art therapy for me. Being absorbed in a creative process is very liberating.  My hope is that my photography can provoke thoughts in others as it has in me.”

Garry Fraser, who most recently worked as assistant director on Trainspotting 2, said: “I think it’s great to be part of an exhibition that highlights the importance of creating a link between creativity and recovery. It’s a subject that’s very close to my heart.”

Owner of My Front Room, Nick Keenan said: “I am really excited about being able to display this work this month. From the moment I met Patrick, his journey inspired me, and I feel it can resonate with anyone who wants to make a change to their life.

“Patrick and I have painstakingly sifted through countless images to portray the three stages of his journey: the immersion in addiction, the realisation that there was something more out there and the tough but rewarding journey he’s still currently on.  This exhibition is designed to inspire others to realise that it’s never too late to make a change. I hope people enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed putting it together.”

Cyrenians CEO Ewan Aitken said: “We are very grateful for Garry finding the time to open Patrick’s exhibition and to Nick Keenan for hosting it in his café.  Patrick’s photos are an extraordinary insight into the journey of recovery and I can’t recommend them highly enough. It is a brave thing he has done in putting this exhibition on. Hopefully it will inspire others to tell their story and increase the understanding about the reality of addiction and the need for support in recovery for the whole community, as Garry and Nick have shown.”

To find out more or to help the charity click here 

Children’s charity NSPCC Childline are holding a concert in Central Hall Tollcross on Friday 2 December 2016.

Longstone Primary School Choir will be leading the singing along with Edinburgh Schools Bass Ensemble, Edinburgh Schools Rock Ensemble, St Augustine’s RC HS Baroque Ensemble and Leith Academy Wind Band.

The funds raised for Childline will support young people helped by the service.

Children can contact Childline 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.Thousands of children from across Scotland contact the free service each year via phone or online.

Doors open at 6pm and the concert starts at 6.30pm.

Tickets are now on sale. For more information go to www.edinburghchildlineconcert.eventbrite.co.uk

Glasgow Phoenix Choir will perform a special concert in Edinburgh to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Erskine, one of Scotland’s providers of care for UK veterans and their spouses.

Erskine, founded in 1916, offers nursing, residential, respite and dementia care in four homes throughout Scotland.

The Edinburgh event is on Sunday 4, December at The Freemasons’ Hall at 96 George Street, Edinburgh, EH2 3DH and the choir will be accompanied by guests from the Co-op Funeralcare Band.

The Scottish actor who has made it to Broadway, winning a Tony along the way among many awards, and who wowed us during the 2016 Festival with his show at The Hub, is also a good writer.

Alan Cumming’s autobiography Not My Father’s Son is a moving account of his family relationships which were turned upside down after a phone call from his estranged father. The book is both gripping and revealing, and Cumming discussed it Ian Rankine when he came to the Edinburgh International Book Festival in 2015.

You can listen to the hour long podcast about it here.

Now he has a new book and he came to Blackwells in Edinburgh on Friday 25 November to sign copies for his fans. This book is entitled You Gotta Get Bigger Dreams and is a gorgeous account of some key moments in his life in both words and pictures.

And we have two free copies to give away courtesy of the lovely folk at Blackwells!

Answer this question here by 13 December 2016 to be in with a chance of winning one of them:

Error: Contact form not found.

He is loved by many across the world, evident from our short video:

Scottish National League: Edinburgh Capitals 6, Dundee Tigers 3
Edinburgh Capitals beat Dundee Tigers 6-3 in the Scottish National League at Murrayfield and had to come from behind to collect the points.
Tigers took the lead in the 11th minute through Scott Marr and Capitals levelled through Ross Hay 12 minutes later before Grant Reekie for Tigers netted seconds after that.
Scott Beattie equalised after 26 minutes as a dump on net somehow made it past Tigers’ goaltender Mark McGill.
And Edinburgh went in front two minutes later as an attempted pass by Bruce Tait deflected off a defender’s skate and in to the net for the final goal of the session.
Tigers came out determined to make up ground in the third period but Ross Hay was attributed with his second goal after 42 minutes when the puck popped up in front of the net and dropped behind the keeper.
Joel Gautschi extended the Capitals lead with goals in the 49th and 53rd minutes before Paul Guilcher latched on to a pass and picked up his own rebound for Tigers third and the final goal of the night with 30 seconds left to play.
Ian Carstairs, Tigers experienced defender, said: “This did not feel like a 6-3 game. The bounces definitely didn’t go our way and it is hard to take.
“Capitals scored three freak goals which gave them a bit of momentum while, at the other end, we failed to put away our numerous chances.
“They had a couple of their Elite players icing for them but it’s still a game we could have and should have won.”

Dalkeith Country Park is just five miles from Edinburgh city centre. It is a huge estate where you can enjoy walking through the forests with your dog and exploring the grounds with waymarked walking and cycling trails to suit the whole family.

Opened in July 2016, the brand new Fort Douglas play park is an exciting playground for kids of all ages, with tree houses, slides and trees to climb. For that point in the day when you get tired there is also the Restoration Yard, a gorgeous new store and cafe in the former stableyard which has been lovingly restored to create a truly special day out.

The Restoration Yard features two floors of shopping, a café and take out, and a glass-walled restaurant space situated in the park’s restored 18th-century stables and courtyard. There are loads of lovely gifts and artisan food products perfect for Christmas and birthday presents. There is also a spacious Wellbeing Lab housed on the first floor of the building which offers courses in mindfulness and emotional healing.

After a beautiful dog walk along the river we had a wander round the shops where we picked up some salted caramel popcorn and a make your own gin set, as you do!

Despite being very tempted by the size of the cakes on offer in the café we headed over to the restaurant. As you walk in, you can see all the chefs hard at work in the long open kitchen and also the fantastic view over the river Esk and the very exciting looking kids park. We did wonder how odd we would look sneaking in without children for a chance to go on the slides!

Breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea are all on offer, the menu clearly inspired by local and healthy produce, catering to every situation from light meals, hearty mains, through to afternoon tea.

We decided to opt for a full meal rather than one of the lovely sandwiches and salads as I was feeling greedy and hungry! I went for chicken liver parfait which was wonderfully rich and had a lovely peppery hit of flavour, while my partner decided on the slightly healthier but just as tasty home cured salmon with cucumber and crème fraiche.

For our main courses, we had one venison ragu with mushrooms and pesto which was a huge portion and was more like a stew with lovely rich meat and fresh pasta. My risotto was equally large and a lovely combination of sweet garden peas, smoked haddock and a poached egg.

At this point I wished I had the room for one of the desserts on the menu but unfortunately was defeated! Although I did try a sneaky taste of the yummy sticky toffee pudding with dates and clotted cream ice cream.

We really loved the food at the restoration yard, not to mention the shopping of course and after coming walking for so many years in the estate it is brilliant to have such a lovely place for lunch. Plus if your kids aren’t the walking type that adventure playground looks serious fun.

The park is open 7am-7pm, Fort Douglas 10am-3pm last admission (closes 4pm).

Restoration Yard Store 9.30am-6pm and Restoration Café 9.30am – 5pm (last orders 4.30pm Mon-Fri, 5pm Sat-Sun). Closed Christmas Day, New Year’s Day.

Fort Douglas tickets £3 – £5.

Looking to get that festive feeling? Then head over to Dalkeith Country Park and Restoration Yard this December for shopping, eating, tree buying and a little bit of ‘me time’. Christmas trees for sale from 3 December 2016.

ICE HOCKEY: Pavel Vorobyev claimed four goals as Edinburgh Capitals bounced back from a Challenge Cup nightmare to claim an Elite League victory over Scottish rivals Braehead Clan.
The former Chicago Blackhawks star helped Capitals come from behind to record for a moral-boosting 6-4 win.
Ian Schultz and Karel Hromas added singles in the stunning success but it was the Glasgow side who went ahead through a rasping Alex Leavitt shot after 12 minutes.
The goal came as the rink announcer indicated that a two-minute tripping penalty on Jacob Johnston was complete and Leavitt’s shot hit the net as he skated towards the Edinburgh end.
Before that, Mason Wilgosh had a great chance on a one-on-one and then hit a post with Clan netminder Gary Russell beaten.
Glasgow-born Russell also saved from Capitals coach Michal Dobron and the Clan fans were quick to chant his name.
The game continued to move from end-to-end during the second session and Clan fans were stunned when Vorobyev converted with a neat flick into the top of the net after 51 seconds of the re-start.
Just over nine minutes later Scott Pitt put Clan ahead for a second time but never-say-die Capitals then hit a quick-fire double.
Hromas converted after 34 minutes and Ian Schulz powered through the Clan rearguard two minutes later.
Capitals joy was short-lived as Craig Peacock scored unassisted 65 seconds after that to make it 3-3 at the second break but then it became the Vorobyev show.
He made it 4-3 six minutes into the final session and he scored again ten minutes later.
Mike Hammond pulled one back for Clan 17 seconds after that to pile on the pressure, but Vorobyev scored with one second left in the game on an empty net after Clan withdrew their netminder to send home fans wild and leave Clan fans – known as the Purple Army – stunned.

Scot Muir pulls a bike from the River Almond during a clean-up on Sunday organised by West Lothian Angling Assocation (WLAA).
Bags of rubbish, including plastic juice bottles and drink cans, were collected along with other assorted debris.
It’s all part of a long-term project by the WLAA to improve the amenity and the environment.
John Steel, WLAA’s chairman, said his members had been complaining about the litter dumped in and around the river for some time.
Individual members take plastic bags and do their bit to clean up sections when on fishing trips, he added.
And others have organised day trips to remove heavier objects like shopping trollies and bikes from the river because they are determined to improve the environment.
He said: “The litter is unsightly and surely we all want to see the river, which is a wonderful amenity, clean and tidy.”
He added: “Shopping trollies, machinery and bikes in the river make it difficult for our members to fish certain stretches.
“We try to do our best to remove them and, unfortunately, some of them find their way back into the river.”
Members were led on the walk by international fisherman Paul Buchanan who explained where to fish and with what.
Other walks and clean-ups are planned before the start of the new season in March and permits will be available for an eight-mile stretch from January.

Challenge Cup, quarter-final, second-leg: Sheffield Steelers 7, Edinburgh Capitals 1 (agg: 9-3)

EDINBURGH Capitals dreams of making the final four of the Challenge Cup were ended by a ruthless Sheffield Steelers squad.

The sides were level at 1-1 after the first period but the home side breezed through to the semi-final with 3-0 scorelines in the final two sessions.

The sides had battled to a 2-2 draw in Edinburgh on Wednesday but in the return Levi Nelson opened the scoring after nine minutes on the power play with former Capitals defenceman Ben O’Connor assisting.

Capitals player/coach Michal Dobron netted Capitals equaliser seven minutes later when the visitors had a one-man advantage with a Steelers player in the sin bin.

But it was a steep downward spiral for the Scots after Nelson netted his second, also on the power play, after 22 minutes.

The home side rammed home five unanswered strikes to take the tie.

Robert Dowd counted after 27 minutes and Andres Franzon made it 4-1 five minutes after that.

John Armstrong after 43 minutes followed by Liam Kirk ten minutes later and Guillaume Desbiens with less than two minutes left completed the scoring.