In this advert there are puppets, and there is James Corden. Somewhere there is also the idea of Christmas!

In the supermarket there are all sorts of goodies you can buy to make your Christmas taste good and to gift to your friends and family.

Perhaps you might also donate something this Christmas to the food bank……is that the Greatest Gift?

You may also like to see behind the scenes!

In February 2017 The National Theatre are bringing The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time to the Festival Theatre.

From 20 -25 February be prepared to be amazed by the fast moving and award-winning production of the story originally told in Mark Haddon’s book. The tale revolves around Christopher Boone a fifteen year-old who finds Mrs Shears’ dog in the garden. It is just after midnight and Christopher is the main suspect of killing the dog. The story unfolds from there with flashes of what it might be like to be Christopher who has never been any further than the end of his street alone, but who is a mathematical genius.

I saw this in London last month and was mesmerised by the stage set up and the acting. It was totally gripping!

Christopher is played in this production by Glasgow born Scott Reid (otherwise Methadone Mick in BBC1’s Still Game. He is joined on stage by Dublin born and Glasgow based Lucianne McEvoy as his teacher Siobhan, Emma Beattie as Judy, Wilmslow and Manchester educated David Michaels as his father Ed, Debra Michaels as Mrs Alexander and Bristol trained Eliza Collings as Mrs Shears.

National Theatre producer Kash Bennett said: ‘We were overwhelmed by the enthusiastic  reception from audiences around the UK and Ireland when we touredThe Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time in 2014-15, playing to almost 400,000, and are delighted to take this beautiful and inventive show to new venues and make a return visits to others in 2017.’

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time received seven Olivier Awards in 2013, including Best New Play, Best Director, Best Design, Best Lighting Design and Best Sound Design and five Tony Awards on Broadway including Best Play.  

Whilst on this extensive tour, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time will simultaneously continue its run at the Gielgud Theatre in London’s West End and is on its first tour of the United States.

Tickets here. 

Police are investigating following a large number of car vandalisms across the North of the city.

The incidents occurred overnight between Sunday, November 13 and Monday, November 14, and have taken place across North Edinburgh, with incidents reported in Granton, Boswall, Trinity and Hawthornevale.

The cars that have been targeted all appear to have had their windows either smashed or attempted to be smashed.

Around twenty-five incidents have been reported to be police, however there may be other vehicles damaged.

Due to number of incidents and the scale of the damage, offices are treating the incidents as linked and are appealing for witnesses to come forward.

Inspector Shane McKenna of Drylaw Police Station said:  “This is an appalling number of vandalisms and the sheer scale of the damage caused is completely unacceptable.

“Not only has a lot of damage and inconvenience been caused to large number of people, it has also caused a number of police resources in the North of Edinburgh to be diverted in order to investigate.

“We are eager to trace those responsible as soon as possible. We would ask that anyone who was in the North Edinburgh area on the evening of Sunday, November 13, and saw this damage take place, to get in touch with us at their earliest convenience.”

Those with information can contact Police Scotland on 101 or anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Young artists are encouraged to enter the third annual John Byrne Drawing Competition now. Since it launched there have been over 7000 entries from pupils across Scotland.

The judge is the esteemed Scottish artist John Byrne who will choose the overall winners and the runners up. All winning pieces of art will be exhibited at Paisley Museum and Art Gallery on 17 March 2017 which is where Byrne grew up.

The competition is run in partnership with The City of Edinburgh Council and Education Scotland to promote art among pupils from primary four to third year.

John said: “It’s important we give the young people in our country the opportunity to harness their artistic skills and love for drawing. This competition is a great way to showcase that and, once again, I look forward to seeing the remarkable talent that will be unveiled.”

Last year’s competition winner, Alba Cooke Ribes (P5) from Hermitage Park Primary School in Edinburgh was selected from over 4,000 children and young people from across Scotland.

Ron Cowie, Senior Education Officer at Education Scotland, added: “Art is an important part of the curriculum and this competition aims to encourage pupils across Scotland to develop their drawing skills and use their creativity. Education Scotland is proud to be involved in this competition as it is a great way to raise the profile of drawing.”

Pupils will also be able to take part in an interactive online event with John Byrne on 2 December 2016. The ‘Glow Meet’ will give pupils across Scotland the chance to sign up and ask any questions they may have about John Byrne’s work.

The closing date for entries is Friday 3 March 2017.

The competition rules are here :

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This week at the Storytelling Centre there will be performances celebrating Gaelic in Edinburgh at Cafe Voices with singing, dancing, storytelling and dreaming.

Tonight the 15th Carrying Stream Festival, From Thurso to Berwick: A Celebration of Morris Blythman concludes with a ceilidh celebrating Hamish Henderson. Tickets here.

On Tuesday 15 November 2016 the day starts with Eric Brennan who hosts this month’s Tiny Tales: Bounce & Tickle for 1 – 3 year olds. In the afternoon, A Calendar of Memories, hosted by the Life Stories group, will provide a space to share stories, songs, laughter and reminiscences for older people.

After a successful run at the Fringe this year, Robin Thomson shines as the wisest fool in Cradle King. Donald Smith’s raw, virtuoso drama will run for three nights this week with an accessible matinee performance on Tuesday 15 November 2016 at 1.30pm.

Otherwise this is performed in the historic and atmospheric John Knox House which is unfortunately not an accessible space. The event will be followed by a short discussion and tour of Sandy Andrew Carr’s current exhibition.

Also this week, if you’re feeling energised then Edinbal are back for their fortnightly European dance workshops, with a focus on Central France. The Dance Tour of Europe takes place on 16 November at 7pm when you can enjoy dances from Brittany or group dances from the Basque country. Soft shoes recommended.

On Thursday, Gaelic storyteller Martin Macintyre hosts Cafe Voices: Gaelic in Edinburgh as part of Seachdain na Gàidhlig, Edinburgh Gaelic Festival.

In workshops and development opportunities, Scott Murray and Mairi McFadyen host Lift Your Voice: Explore the Scots Song Tradition 2 for another opportunity to explore and share songs, while learning more about creative voices from the tradition.

And all this month there is an exhibition taking place at the Scottish Storytelling Centre of the work by Charles Nasmyth which includes a large portrait of Hamish Henderson.

For the full program click here.

This time last year Indian violinist Jyotsna Srikanth was preparing to perform at Wembley Stadium with the London Philharmonic Orchestra in front of 60,000 people in a concert to mark Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first visit to the UK.

On Thursday she’ll be appearing in the Jazz Bar in Chambers Street with her own group, Bangalore Dreams, but having played there before she’s just as excited about playing in this much more intimate setting as she was about walking onto the Wembley stage.

“The concert for Modi was an amazing experience,” says the violinist who trained in both her native Carnatic tradition and in western classical music. “It was particularly special because I’d been asked to perform my own orchestral composition, Indian Spring, which is a six part suite. It was one of these rare occasions that can happen to a musician but I get a thrill from every concert and the Jazz Bar has a great atmosphere.”

Playing in front of the big Wembley crowd, Srikanth says she didn’t have time to be nervous as, in addition to her performance with the LPO, she was also given the responsibility of conducting a massed choir of school children in singing both the Indian national anthem and God Save the Queen.

“It was actually a relief to play the violin and quite relaxing to be doing what feels natural to me, something I’ve been doing since the age of six,” she says. “There’s something comforting about feeling the violin under your fingers even if I don’t usually look out from the stage and see so many faces.”

Srikanth only turned fully professional as a musician when she and her husband, who works in IT, moved to the UK after he was offered a promoted position in London. Back in India, she had two jobs – violinist and pathologist – although she managed to pack in plenty of musical experience, clocking up innumerable concerts and playing on some 250 Bollywood soundtracks.

She still has two jobs but one of them is artistic director of London International Arts Festival, which takes place in venues including the Southbank Centre and which she set up herself to bring talented but lesser known musicians from across the world to wider attention.

Two such musicians are her colleagues in Bangalore Dreams, keyboards player Varun Pradeep and drummer-percussionist Gopi Shravan, who are among India’s top players and have flown in specially for the current UK tour.

“They’re a lot of fun to play with,” says Srikanth. “They’re very serious about their music but they’re always looking to try new ideas and to bring modern ways of playing together with traditional styles. People will love the drummer especially as he can play
Indian percussion, is a fantastic, swinging kit drummer and can sing what we
call konnakol – a way of vocalising percussion sounds. We call this our secret
weapon. It’s the Indian equivalent of beatboxing.”

Café 1505 , nestled right next to Surgeons’ Hall Edinburgh, won two awards at the UK’s premiere café awards.  The café has been rewarded with the CaféLife ‘Café Design of the Year Award’.

The Café Life Awards handed out at a glittering ceremony in London. Industry professionals took into account the unique atmosphere and décor in both categories in opting for the café run by the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd).

Alex Flood, Manager at Café 1505, said: “It was a great privilege to get the chance to attend the awards and to win more than one was absolutely fantastic.

“It’s testament to the hard work every team member has put in and to be recognised for that is hugely gratifying.”

Profits from the café are invested back into training surgeons, improving patient outcomes throughout the world and other charitable aims, as with all of RCSEd’s ventures.

Their ‘scratch kitchen’, where all food is fully prepared and cooked on site, was a factor in the artisan establishment pipping a number of high-end UK cafés to a gold award in the ‘Independent Café of the Year’ category.

Alex added: “I’ve been here since the café first opened and it has been really exciting watching the business grow.

“These awards are a great reflection of the ethos and work we put in but we will continue to improve and provide the best possible produce and service.”

Café 1505 was praised for its modern design incorporating elements from its surgical background, including a beautifully hand-painted timeline mural on the walls and ceiling as well as nods to the College’s use of bell jars in the logo and light fittings.

The college’s Commercial Enterprises promotes, sells and manages all commercial activities held within the College Campus, which include the four-star, 77-bedroom hotel, Ten Hill Place, Café 1505 and four events venues.

All profits support the charitable aims of the College which are education, assessment and advancement in surgery.

A new artwork was unveiled at Principal Edinburgh (that’s the George Hotel to you and me!) last week.

The hotel manager, Andreas Maszczyk gave us a special tour of the newly refurbished building, but introduced the new piece of art to assembled journalists first: “We are revealing something very special tonight by artist Charlie Anderson!”

Anderson explained: “I was asked to create a canvas inspired by Edinburgh and some  of the history of the building here which dates back to the 1800s when it was owned by Sir William Oliphant who had a printing press.”

And this is the result. It is a collage style using notables such as Muriel Spark and Robert Louis Stevenson along with contemporary fonts applied. You can see this in the Printing Press Bar & Kitchen which forms part of the Principal Edinburgh.

Charlie Anderson is well-known for this large scale pop paintings but this montage will no doubt introduce his art to a wider audience.

The hotel has had a multi-million pound makeover leading to its name change on 1 November 2016. One of the things which will continue according to Andreas is the quality of service. He is a big advocate of everyone in the different parts of the hotel knowing what is going on that day across all function suites. And he also took time to explain the significance of the red phones in each room. They actually do connect to a switchboard and guests are assured that their needs will be met within the hour.

We rather liked the tuck boxes which are found in every room – and which are free! If you bring your dog with you then they get a dog bed and a free tuck box of treats too!

We also had a private tour of the Forthview Suite which, as the name suggests, looks to the north of the city, the river and the Ochils beyond.

This is the first of the Principal Hotels to get this VIP treatment. There are others in the group such as the Russell Square London and the Principal York.

Photos © Sandy Young 07970 268944
sandyyoungphotography@gmail.com
07970 268 944

The Scottish SPCA are calling upon animal lovers to take part in The Edinburgh Christmas Events in Inverleith Park this December.

The Edinburgh Christmas Events include The Edinburgh Christmas Walk (Choose from a 10K, 1, 2 or 3 mile distance) going along the Water of Leith and finishing at Inverleith Park, followed by a carol service with hot minced pies and mulled wine on Saturday 3 December. The Edinburgh Christmas 5K and 10K Run along with the Santa Toddle Parade takes place on Sunday 4 December. There’s lots of fun to be had for all the family, including canine companions and supporters can even visit Santa in his grotto. There will also be live music from choirs and local schools throughout the weekend and prizes to be won.

Balerno centre manager Diane Aitchison said, “There are events to suit all abilities, from a full 10k run to a 3 mile walk.

“There are also junior events for children so it’s a great opportunity for kind-hearted youngsters to make a difference in their community.

“We don’t receive any government or lottery funding which means we rely on the public to be able to continue our work rescuing and rehoming animals in desperate need of our help.

“Anyone who sets themselves the challenge of taking part in one of the events really will be helping save lives.”

Anyone interested can register by contacting fundraising@scottishspca.org or visiting www.christmascharityfestival.com and selecting the Scottish SPCA as their chosen charity.

Photo courtesy of Scottish SPCA

Hibs’ midfielder John McGinn revealed that he got to bed at 3am on Saturday morning after travelling back to Edinburgh with the Scotland squad who lost to England on Friday night.

The youngster’s preparation wasn’t ideal for the game against Falkirk but the supporters more than appreciated his overall performance.

In fact, in the first minute McGinn proceeded to beat four Falkirk players before being brought down, a precursor to what would happen for the remainder of the game.

In the 23rd minute, former Hibs’ player Tom Taiwo was sent off for a reckless challenge on McGinn, sparking a mass brawl amongst both sets of players.

Falkirk boss Peter Houston claimed after the game that he would be appealing the decision however McGinn insisted that Taiwo had caught his ankle but he wasn’t convinced that the challenge merited a red card.

Speaking immediately after the game, McGinn said: “I got back to my flat at 3am. It wasn’t ideal but I got a decent sleep and felt all right on Saturday.

“It was a hectic day but I wanted to help the cause. I wouldn’t say I was 100 per cent but I was fit enough to play a part and I managed to squeeze in the 90 minutes.

“He (Tom Taiwo) caught my ankle. I’m not sure if it was red or yellow but the ref decided it was a sending off.

“We both went in hard and I’ve been having bother with my ankle, so I was more worried about that.

“Hibs v Falkirk games are always feisty.We are two good teams and Falkirk showed again they are capable of coming here and getting a result. They never make it easy and are always up for the battle but so are we.

“Every time there is a challenge, both teams are contesting it and that’s what we want to see.

“We were disappointed not to win the game, especially when we had an extra man for so long. We were just looking for that extra bit of quality.

“I felt we deserved three points. It was a silly goal to lose and it gave us a mountain to climb but we showed real character.

“It’s something we need to address but it was good to come back from that and Paul scored a good goal.

“Their keeper made a couple of good saves from me. It’s just unfortunate he wasn’t with the Irish squad!”

Although McGinn did not feature against England at Wembley, he has no complaints about the manager’s decision and he believes that the experience will stand him in good stead.

He continued: “It was still a good experience and I respect Gordon Strachan’s decision.

“There are a lot of really good players in the squad and I’m still young. I have a lot of time on my hands.

“I was lucky enough to be there all week and felt I trained well and learned a lot so there are more positives than negatives.

“Overall I felt we had the better chances and the boys who came in played really well.

“We had chances but we have to learn to take them and be a bit more clinical.”

From today you can drop toys off at the city centre Roxburghe Hotel as it becomes a local toy drop off point for Cash for Kids Mission Christmas. Bauer Radio’s charity’s the aim of ensuring that any child or young person will have a gift to wake up to on Christmas Day.

New, unwrapped gifts suitable for those aged 0 to 18 can be dropped off at The Roxburghe Hotel’s reception from anytime between the 14 November and 14 December.

Our photo above shows Radio Forth’s Mark Martin who paid a visit to the hotel last week.

Marcello Ventisei, general manager of The Roxburghe Hotel, said: “We’re delighted to play our part for such a great cause. It’s such a simple but effective way of making sure that children and young people living in more difficult circumstances still wake up to a gift on Christmas day. We would encourage anyone passing the hotel, staying with us or attending our Christmas party nights to donate a gift no matter how small.”

Last year the Mission raised £10.6 million in gifts and cash which helped 315,000 local children celebrate Christmas.

The Roxburghe Hotel is situated in Charlotte Square Edinburgh.

Fundraising supremo Tom Gilzean has raised enormous sums for the Sick Kids Friends Foundation, and now the charity has been able to help him.

Tom had an accident earlier this year after a fall at home. He spent five months in hospital getting over his serious injuries, but now he is ready to take to the streets again.

He uses an electric wheelchair and desperately needed a new one to ensure that he can get out to his patches in the city to shake his fundraising tin at passers by.

The Sick Kids Friends Foundation asked for help from Fast Aid Medical and Mobility who have now come forward with the gift of a new top of the range wheelchair.  The Edinburgh Award winner is very pleased indeed.

Tom said: “I’m absolutely delighted that Fast Aid has given me this new mobility scooter so I can continue with my fundraising.

“My old one was very worn out and the wheels didn’t do well in the cold weather and would slide about a lot, so I’m really glad to not have that issue anymore.

“Raising money for SKFF is a very important part of my life and I am incredibly grateful to the people of Edinburgh for all the support they have given me over the years.

“I’m still recovering from my accident, but I hope to be out and about on my new scooter as soon as I can. I want to keep collecting for charity for as long as I am able.”

Mark Anderson, from Fast Aid Medical and Mobility, said: “After SKFF’s call out, we read about Tom’s plight in the local paper and jumped at the chance to help.

“We made contact and set up an assessment for Tom, and decided we would donate him a brand new chair so he could get back to his daily fundraising as soon as possible.

“We’re delighted that we have had this opportunity to help out Tom. He has done so much fantastic work for many charities, the Sick Kids Friends Foundation in particular, and is a true inspiration.

“We wish him a speedy recovery and hope to see him out and about in his new powerchair very soon.”

Pippa Johnston, Director of Fundraising and Marketing at the Sick Kids Friends Foundation, told of Tom’s ceaseless commitment to the cause and how deserving he is of this much-needed assistance.

Pippa said: “Tom is an inspiring man who has dedicated so many years to giving back and we continue to be overwhelmed by the huge amount of support that he gives to patients and their families.

“We are very fortunate to have someone who so selflessly gives up his time for the good of the Edinburgh community, so when we discovered he had a plight of his own, we knew there would be others out there who are just as kind-hearted as he is and who would come forward to help him.
“We are incredibly grateful to Fast Aid Medical and Mobility for their support and their donation of Tom’s new wheelchair. He truly is one of a kind and we’re honoured to be able to give back to him in this way.”

Those wishing to donate to Tom’s cause can visit: https://www.edinburghsickkids.org/ and quote “Tom Gilzean” when donating.

The Great Edinburgh Winter Run comes back to the capital on 7 January 2017. Just at the right time to work off all the excesses of the Christmas dinner!

Sign up today to join more than 3000 fellow runners who want to start their new year with this scenic 5K course.

Find out more here.

A further two men aged 46 and 53 have been arrested in connection with the alleged violence and disorder at the Scottish Cup Final at Hampden Park, Glasgow on Saturday 21 May 2016.

A report will be sent to the Procurator Fiscal.

This brings the total number of arrests to date to 104.

A team of officers continue to investigate incidents of violence, disorder and vandalism at this fixture and appeal to anyone with information that may assist their investigation to contact the inquiry team on 0141 532 5457 or by emailing scottishcupfinalpitchinvasion@scotland.pnn.police.uk.

Alternatively CRIMESTOPPERS can be contacted on 0800 555 111, where anonymity can be maintained

Hibs’ defender Darren McGregor admitted that he was disappointed not to take all three points from Saturday’s game against Falkirk at Easter Road.

Hibs totally dominated possession following the 23rd minute sending off of former Hibs’ midfielder Tom Taiwo but it was the Bairns who opened the scoring against the run od play in the 77th minute.

Fellow defender Paul Hanlon equalised five minutes later and the game ended all square, leaving Hibs one point clear at the top of the table, ahead of on-form Dundee United.

Hibs face Queen of the South at Easter Road next Saturday whilst United travel to Greenock to face Morton who have been on a good run of form lately, winning five and drawing one of their last six games.

United’ then host Hibs for a top of the table clash at Tannadice on 3rd December.

Speaking after the game to Hibernian TV, Darren said: “Every time we come up against Falkirk they’re always very difficult to break down, they get behind the ball, they’re physical and play off of set-pieces and throw-ins.

“We had numerous chances to get one or two up and never took them so paid the price. Thankfully, Paul managed to get his head on one and level it up.

“From a positive perspective we’re still top of the league, although we are still bitterly disappointed because we felt we had done enough to win the game.”

Marchmont & Sciennes Community Council will hold its monthly regular meeting on Wednesday 23 November 2016.

Ahead of that meeting, this week there is a community engagement workshop meeting on 16 November 2016 between 6.30 and 9.30pm. This is organised at Summerhall to discuss plans for development of the Sick Kids.

The area is home to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children which is being moved to the new building near the Infirmary. This leaves the existing building and there will be discussion about what will happen to it at this meeting.

Last month the community council heard that there had been 287 calls to the police from the Marchmont area and that there had been an increase in break-ins to houses between 4 and 6pm. The police representative explained that householders should think of leaving lights on when they are out, make sure their alarms are in working order and that car keys should be hidden. If you are going on holiday then you might ask a neighbour to take your mail in for you.

Police have started holding community surgeries at Butterflies café in Parchment St Giles and is planned for the last Thursday of each month.

The community council also recorded last month that here will be 200 daffodil bulbs planted in Bruntsfield near the Golf Tavern and 3,000 snowdrops will be planted by volunteers in November around Middle Meadow Walk.

The meeting also discussed the jawbones which are still missing from Middle Meadow Walk and this is to be followed up to try and ‘move it along’.

The meeting will take place in their usual venue of St Catherine’s Argyle Church Halls on Beaufort Road/ Grange Road and will start at 7:30pm.

The next meeting will be held on 25 January 2017.  There will be no meeting in December 2016.

The Christmas tree lighting event will be held at the German Church Hall on 3 December at 3pm.

Tickets go on sale on 14 November 2016 for the Annual Gymnastics Display organised by Edinburgh Leisure at Meadowbank Sports Centre.

Gymnastics Development Officer Laura Nimmo said: “Gymnastics and trampolining are a great way to provide a healthy and active lifestyle. They have many benefits and help children to gain strength, stamina, balance, coordination, flexibility as well as self-confidence”.

“This annual event gives the children with Edinburgh Leisure’s coaching programme the opportunity to showcase what they have been working so hard on throughout the year. In addition, it allows them to see performances of all levels and inspires them to reach for the stars, or maybe even that gold, silver or bronze medal in the future.”

As well as featuring over 15 performances from Edinburgh Leisure gymnastics and trampoline clubs, there were also special guest appearances from clubs across the region, including City of Edinburgh GC, Meadowbank GC, Gracemount Ibex GC, Jack Kane GC, Kestrel GC, Enigma GC, West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre Gymnastics, East Kilbride GC and Edinburgh Spirals Trampoline Club.

Tickets are on sale from 14 November at: www.ticketsource.co.uk/edinburghleisure  and cost £5 each (under 5’s free). Doors open at 8.45am, with the display starting at 9.00am.  There will be a morning and afternoon display. Check on Edinburgh Leisure’s website for specific details.

The event takes place on 10 December 2016 at Meadowbank Sports Centre.

For more information on gymnastics’ classes at Edinburgh Leisure, visit their website: www.edinburghleisure.co.uk and get inspired.

Scotland Women have been drawn alongside England, Spain and Portugal at Euro 2017.

The draw which was made in Rotterdam last week has provided Scotland with a derby against England in the opening game of the group in Utrecht.

Following the draw, Anna Signeul said: “This is a great draw in terms of media attention and getting more people interested in the competition.

“To open our campaign against England is a big challenge. They are very good and have excellent players.

“Any team from pot 1 would have been tough and it’ll be motivating for the players to be drawn against our rivals.

“A lot of our players play in England and will be playing against their friends so that’ll be interesting.

“We’ll be underdogs but we can’t wait.

“Portugal are an up and coming side. We drew against them two years ago but it’ll be a match we’ll be targeting to win.

“Spain beat us in the play-offs a few years ago which was tough to take so we’ll be determined to get a positive result against them.

“It’s very exciting now the draw has been made and I hope the supporters travel in their numbers to support us, as I’m sure they will.”

Group D Opponents

England: 

Pot 1

FIFA World Ranking: 5

Euro 2013: Group Stage

EURO best: Runners-up (1984 & 2009)

Spain: 

Pot 2

FIFA World Ranking: 14

Euro 2013: Quarter-finals

EURO best: Semi-finals (1997)

Portugal: 

Pot 4

FIFA World Ranking: 40

Euro 2013: Did not qualify

EURO best: Debut

Scotland Euro 2017 fixtures – kick-off times tbc

Group stage:

Wednesday 19 July: England v Scotland (Utrecht)

Sunday 23 July: Scotland v Portugal (Rotterdam)

Thursday 27 July: Scotland v Spain (Deventer)

Tickets are on sale via UEFA: http://www.weuro2017.nl/en/ticket-service 

Full Draw

Group A: Netherlands (hosts), Norway, Denmark, Belgium

Group B: Germany (holders), Sweden, Italy, Russia

Group C: France, Iceland, Austria, Switzerland

Group D: England, Scotland, Spain, Portugal

There will be a MEET THE FUNDERS event on Thursday, 8 December 2016 from 11am to 2pm at Heart of Midlothian Football Club “Gorgie Suite”, Tynecastle Stadium, McLeod Street, Edinburgh EH11 2NL

Meet the Funders is a free public marketplace event providing access to funding information for community projects. It is an opportunity for groups to discuss their ideas with potential funders and collect a range of information about possible sources of grant aid. No need to book – just drop in.

Exhibitors booked in already include:

The City centre hotel, Courtyard Edinburgh has about 100 jobs available for locals ahead of its opening in December.

Courtyard Edinburgh, from Marriott International, is a contemporary four star hotel located next to the Playhouse. General Manager Douglas Winfield recently appointed a range of key appointments to start the recruitment drive.

Looking to fill 100 FTE positions across all aspects of the business, the recruitment will be overseen by HR Manager Libby Robertson and Operations Manager Michael Nawrot.

Michael joins from Malmaison and Waldorf Astoria hotel groups, while Libby brings over a decade’s worth of hospitality experience and is responsible for providing a full HR service to the Courtyard Edinburgh’s employees.

As a new venture, Courtyard Edinburgh offers a unique opportunity for employees to join the business at the start, ahead of the launch in December.

Douglas Winfield, General Manager at the Courtyard Edinburgh, said:

“We’re in the process of creating something very special with Courtyard Edinburgh and our staff will reflect that. We value individuality and style and are looking to attract recruits to a wide range of opportunities across the business.

“With an excellent senior team in place, we now need dedicated staff who will all play a key role in getting the hotel up and running.

“Bringing their industry insight and experience, Michael and Libby have a clear idea of the positions we have to fill and what attributes successful candidates will need to demonstrate.

“It’s an incredibly exciting time and it’s not often that in any line of work that staff get an opportunity to get in at the start, helping establish the ambience, quality and high standards of customer care we’ll be creating at Edinburgh’s latest, stylish hotel.”

Courtyard Edinburgh is aimed at business travellers looking for a place where they can ‘switch off’; leisure travellers and local residents.

With 240 rooms, the hotel has a bold and fun style that shines through its décor and innovative mix of vibrant social areas – the café, bar and restaurant – alongside relaxed work spaces within the hotel’s vast open plan entrance.

It’s the third Courtyard hotel in Scotland from Marriott International and comprises a series of three adjoining Georgian townhouses, one of which was home to Robert Stevenson, the famous Scottish lighthouse engineer and the grandfather of ‘Treasure Island’ author Robert Louis Stevenson.

The hotel is owned and being developed by Edinburgh-based real estate company Chris Stewart Group, best known for its award-winning Advocate’s Close development in Edinburgh’s Old Town, and will be managed and operated by Redefine|BDL Hotels, the UK’s leading independent hotel management company. It will employ up to 100 FTE.

For further information on vacancies, contact Libby Robertson at hr@courtyardedinburgh.co.uk  for details.

If yesterday’s game had been a boxing match, and at times it felt like it was, the referee would have stopped it to save the Falkirk players from any more punishment.

The first quarter was evenly balanced with both teams guilty of niggly fouls before former Hibs’ midfielder Tom Taiwo was shown a straight red card following a challenge on John McGinn.

The ordering off sparked an angry reaction from both sets of players as well as the supporters and from then on the game was an ill-tempered affair which referee John Beaton struggled to control.

By ignoring blatant time wasting by Falkirk keeper Danny Rogers,  Beaton annoyed the large Hibs’ support who all recalled that last season Mark Oxley had been punished for much less.

Hibs had the ball in the net twice but both ‘goals’ were ruled out for offside and created chance after chance but the well organised Falkirk defence held firm.

With 13 minutes remaining Falkirk took the lead against the run of play and what annoyed the Hibs’ fans most was that goal-scorer John Baird should not have been on the field.

His ‘tackle’ on Andrew Shinnie merited a red card but did not even receive a yellow as did his ‘challenge’ on Paul Hanlon where he grabbed the Hibs’ defender round the neck.

Remarkably Beaton awarded free kicks but took no further action and he was roundly booed off the pitch at full time.

Hanlon equalised five minutes later but the Bairns held on for a share of the points,

After the game Lennon said: “We had total domination as you’d expect with 10 men. We should’ve won the game and they’ve scored from one corner.

“That’s my frustration really, not the amount of goals we haven’t scored, but the fact we conceded from a corner where we just lose our discipline. Three players going for the one ball; you don’t defend like that.

“We showed enough character to get back into the game and on another day we’d have won the game comfortably. It’s frustrating, but we’re a point clear at the top of the league.

“I think it was a sending off; it’s a two-foot challenge, his studs were up and he was late. I maybe need to see it again, but I wasn’t surprised to see a red card.”

Police have appealed for witnesses following a two-car collision involving a yellow Peugeot 107 and a black BMW which took place on Parkhead Drive, near to the  junction with Murrayburn Road, at around 7.25pm on Friday night.

Officers have confirmed that a 22-year-old man was later charged with various road traffic offences and he will be reported to the Procurator Fiscal.

Constable Grant Hastie of Police Scotland’s  Roads Policing Unit said: “Fortunately, no one was seriously injured in this collision, however I’m appealing to anyone who was in the area and who might have witnessed this incident to come forward.

“I’m especially keen to hear from anyone who saw either vehicle before the collision itself.

Aussies win another one-pointer at the death

A record crowd of over 65,000 at BT Murrayfield watched once again as Scotland were edged out by Australia with a score in the final few minutes of Saturday’s opener of the 2016 Autumn International Series.

Despite having a 10 point lead at the break, several penalties at the breakdown, gave Australia the chance to get back into and, eventually, take the match.

Following a, well observed, minute’s silence and the anthems, it had all started well for the home side with an early penalty from scrum half, Greg Laidlaw giving Scotland a 3-0 lead less than three minutes into the match.

But Australia are not one of the best teams in the World for nothing and they came straight back to threaten the Scots’ line, only being prevented from crossing by some fierce tackling. The final ‘fierce tackle’, less than five metres out, saw prop, Sekope Kepu lose the ball in a hit from No. 8, Ryan Wilson. Unfortunately, that passage of play saw two players subbed off with injuries – Wilson limping off for Scotland with a very odd ‘blood’ injury and lock, Adam Coleman, for Australia.

Scotland’s inexperienced front row then came under a great deal for pressure in the ensuing scrum, but the ball came out on the right side and was cleared upfield.

Two minutes later, Scotland scored their first try. Regaining possession from a penalty line out and faced with an advancing defence, stand off, Finn Russell, spotted a gap at the back and deftly chipped the ball over for debutante centre, Huw Jones to run onto and have a clear line in to score. Laidlaw then kicked the conversion and, with less than 10 minutes played, Scotland were 10-0 ahead.

Ahead for all of around four minutes, as the visitors surged back, with a fine display of attacking play, to score a try of their own.

Regaining their own restart, Australia quickly pushed up into Scotland’s 22, winning a lineout deep in the opposition’s 22. The ball was then fired across the field and centre, Reece Hodge, crashed through Wilson’s replacement, John Hardy to touch down for his side’s first points. No. 10, Bernard Foley, was then successful with the conversion to make it a three point game at 10-7.

The match now settled down to a midfield battle with neither side gaining much of an advantage until, with just over 20 minutes played, Australia won a penalty just outside Scotland’s 22, which Foley slotted home to even the scores at 10-10.

A missed penalty on 25 minutes from Laidlaw, saw Scotland regain possession from the clearance and get another attack underway. Quick handling moved the ball across the pitch and Russell nearly broke through, but the damage to the line was done and Jones darted through a gap to score his second try of the match. Laidlaw made up for his earlier miss and it was 17-10 to Scotland.

The final 10 minutes of the half were, once again, fairly evenly balanced and the teams went into the break with the hosts 17-10 ahead.

An early penalty from Foley saw the score closed to 17-13, before, with seven minutes of the half played, the Scottish pack drove lock, Jonny Gray, over the line for a TMO decision on the possible score.

The lead up to the try had been all about the home side. With accurate passing and quick recycles, play had moved into the Aussie 22. A break down the right from full back, Stuart Hogg, lead to a ruck less than five metres out. Gray picked the ball up and, along with his brother Richie, barged through the opposition to touch down – as was ultimately decided – on the line. Laidlaw lined up for the none-to-difficult kick, but, crucially, hit the post, keeping the score to 22-13.

In the lead up to the next score, Australia took full advantage of Scots’ indiscipline to advance and put Foley in a position where, with 55 minutes on the clock, he scored with his third kick of the match for 22-16, or, as it turned out, a converted try behind.

The next 20 minutes were played at a furious rate all over the pitch, with both sides having chances, but not managing to make those chances count. During this time, the visitors lost sub, Will Skelton to yellow for a shoulder charge at a ruck inside the opposition five metre zone, but the loss of a man didn’t seem to slow the Aussies down.

Indeed, with less than five minutes left, they were, once again, pressurising the Scots’ line. A line out gave them possession and they ‘moved’ the defence back to the line when giant centre, Tevita Kuridrani received the ball and battered his way through Peter Horne to stretch out and place the ball next to the posts. Job done? Foley could hardly fail to miss the kick and it was, seemingly, all over with two minutes to play, at 23-22, making Laidlaw’s miss all the more painful.

However, the next six minutes of play, gave Scotland some hope. With less than 30 seconds left a scrum just short 10 metres out from the Australia try line took an absolute age to set up, but referee, John Lacey, was having none of it. When it collapsed just over the 80 minutes, he reset but Australia were then pinged for an early push and Scotland set to work.

However, despite their best efforts, the ball was eventually lost forward just shy of the line, bringing the match to a conclusion and the Aussies could breathe a sigh of relief after dodging yet another Scottish bullet.

Images from the match will appear here over the next few days.

The Council has transferred new sports facilities at the two newest Edinburgh schools to Edinburgh Leisure who say they were ready for their second school, the brand new Portobello High School at the beginning of this month.

This will be run as a ‘Community Sport Hub’ model catering for as many sports and activities as possible as well as prioritising clubs and groups who provide activities to the school pupils. The first bookings are now in place.
As well as these longer term bookings, there is also the possibility of general access and limited bookings from anyone, especially from the local area, for a pitch, dance studio or gym hall booking eg: for badminton.

For more information or to make a booking, please call 0131 669 0404 (option 2) or email blockbookings@edinburghleisure.co.uk. Charges will apply – please refer to the CEC price guide.

Edinburgh Leisure is also  looking after ‘free’ local community access to the 3G astro pitches. Postcodes will apply (EH7 6LD, all EH8, all EH15 & EH21 8RL/8RQ). Proof of address will be required for any free booking. This free access is bookable on a week to week basis and for available slots only. Customers are asked to call 0131 669 0404 (option 2) from 8.30am every Monday to see what availability there is for that week. For further details call the same number.

James Gillespie’s High School
Similar to Portobello, James Gillespie’s High School opened its doors in September to community access. Edinburgh Leisure is now working on priority for bookings for their Sports Hub.

If you would like any further information or make a booking at Gillespie’s, email blockbookings@edinburghleisure.co.uk (subject name: James Gillespie’s) or call 0131 458 2100.

Get ready for the biggest ‘supermoon’ in nearly six decades

by Chris North, Cardiff University

The biggest “supermoon” since 1948 will grace the sky on November 14. But what makes it so super? Well, not much more than the fact that it’ll be a bit bigger than normal, but that’s absolutely no reason not to go outside and look at it anyway. If you miss it, you’ll have to wait to around November 25, 2034 for another chance.

The occurrence of a supermoon, or to give it its proper name, a “super perigee full moon”, is not particularly uncommon. It is the result of two regular astronomical events happening at about the same time.

As the moon orbits the Earth it moves around the sky relative to the sun. This means we see different proportions illuminated from one night to the next – an effect known as the phases of the moon. Once per orbit the moon is opposite the sun in the sky, meaning that the side facing the Earth is fully illuminated. This happens about once a month, so hopefully isn’t that unfamiliar to most people.

The other regular event requires little explaining: it is simply the moon’s “perigee”, or closest approach to the Earth. Although the moon orbits the Earth once every 27 days or so (actually about 27 days and eight hours), it doesn’t go round in a perfect circle. Instead it traces out an ellipse or oval shape, getting slightly closer and further from the Earth over the course of its orbit. At its closest the moon is just under 360,000km away, while at its furthest it is at a distance of around 405,000km. The closer an object like the moon is to Earth the larger it appears in the sky.

At around 1:30pm (GMT) on November 14, the Earth, sun and moon will be almost perfectly in a line (an effect known as a “syzygy”), with the moon directly opposite the sun. A couple of hours earlier, at about 11:30pm, it will also have reached its closest point to Earth – perigee – at a distance of 356,500km. It will then begin moving further away very slowly – but by the time the sun sets and the moon rises in the UK, it will only be about 50km further away, which isn’t much in the grand scheme of things.

Both of these effects happen about once a month, so you might think that there’s no reason why every full moon shouldn’t be the same. However, there’s another effect that means they get out of sync – the fact that the Earth is orbiting the sun. This means that the moon’s closest approach can occur at any point in its orbit around the Earth.

To see why, fast forward to when the moon will once again be back at the same point in its orbit – in about 27 days. But over those 27 days the Earth has moved round the sun a bit, so the moon has to “catch up” over the course of a couple of days to get back to being opposite the sun, by which point it’s not at perigee anymore. This “catching up” is why the moon orbits the Earth in 27.3 days, but there are between 29 and 30 days between full moons. Over time, the perigee and full moon get more and more out of sync, but after a year or two they get more or less back in sync again.

Catching the event

The reason this perigee full moon is quite so “super” is because perigee and full moon happen at almost exactly the same time, so the moon is at its closest possible when it’s also at its fullest. There are a number of other subtle effects that cause the moon’s orbit to vary slightly in size and shape, but this one pips the last few decades’ worth of super perigee full moons by a few hundred kilometres. In 2034, when we’ll have a similarly big supermoon, it will occur within a few minutes of its closest approach, and even then it will be just 100km closer than this month’s full moon.

These differences are pretty small, and with the moon rising so high in the sky, as it does in the winter months, it’ll be quite hard to notice any difference without comparing photographs. But regardless of how big and bright it looks, the moon really is a beautiful object to look at. Of course, it might be cloudy on Monday night – though it can be rather atmospheric to see the bright, full moon through thin cloud. Even if it’s completely overcast, there are plenty of other chances to see the moon as it gradually moves past its full phase over the next few nights so don’t be disheartened. It rises at different times of day and night as it orbits the Earth, so isn’t always up at the same time, but it’s not going anywhere!

The lunar phases will continue unabated, and a few weeks after the full moon the crescent moon will be in the evening skies again (and will also be visible in the daytime) so go and have a look again, and see how it compares. When it’s not full, the terminator (the line between the light and dark parts of the moon) can look amazing through binoculars, as the angle of the sun’s light picks out the shadows of the craters and mountains and gives it a jagged, three-dimensional look.

So if you’ve never really looked at the moon – I mean really looked at it – make this your excuse to go outside and look up.

Chris North, Lecturer of Physics and Astronomy, Cardiff University

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

When the editor of the esteemed Edinburgh Reporter asked if I wanted to write a review for Il Calice, Edinburgh’s newest wine and cocktail bar, I accepted on the basis that someone has to do the tough jobs for the capital city’s leading local news website.

I headed to Picardy Place in the capital on Saturday evening, with the city centre bustling with rugby aficionados after yet another heartbreak for Scotland against Australia. But the fight through the kilted and gold-shirted crowds was certainly worth it as Il Calice offered a superb choice of wines, inventive cocktails and sumptuous Italian inspired small plates – perfect for a Saturday night.

Il Calice is situated at 4 Picardy Place, opposite the city’s Omni Centre and in the shadow of the soon to be redeveloped St James centre. It’s a listed Georgian townhouse in the process of renovation with the ground floor bar and eatery now open to the public.

The word that came to mind when I entered the impressive entrance was style. There is an elegance and class about Il Calice which sets it apart from similar wine and cocktail bars. It may seem a small point to some but being greeted by warm and welcoming staff means a lot to me, as my regular grumblings about customer service elsewhere would indicate.

The extensive selection of wines, sourced by owners Ronnie and Kyle Reid, is impressive. But then as wine-importers you would expect nothing but the best from father and son. They are keen for their customers to be able to sample the very best wines from around the world and if you’re a wine connoisseur there is no better place in Edinburgh to be.

There is also a wide range of impressive cocktails, mixed and poured with an expertise you would expect from such an establishment.

Although fine wine and cocktails are its main theme, Il Calice also offers high quality Italian-inspired dishes. A particular mention for the grilled chicken dish which impressed my wife – and it takes a lot to impress Mrs Smith, believe me!

There are ambitious plans for four luxurious bedroom suites on the upper floors of the building – if the wines, cocktails and food are a guide they will be luxurious indeed.

It’s good to know that, in the age of more and more fast-food outlets and buffet-style help-yourself restaurants, style, class and not a little sophistication still matters to some. Il Calice has this in abundance. It’s close proximity to Edinburgh’s Playhouse makes it an ideal location for pre-theatre drinks. Drop by soon – you won’t be disappointed.

Facebook: il Calice Edinburgh

Edinburgh Reporter review: *****

Three people have been arrested and charged under the Misuse of Drugs Act following enforcement action in the north of the city.

Community Policing Officers and Proactive CID detectives executed warrants at four addresses in West Pilton Place, Pilton Drive North, Crewe Road West and Wardieburn Road on Friday, November 11th.

A quantity of Class A and B drugs were subsequently recovered, including cocaine, diamorphine and cannabis.

A 28-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman were arrested and held in custody to appear before Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Monday, November 14th.

Meanwhile, a 31-year-old man was also arrested for various drug offences and he will be reported to the Procurator Fiscal.

Chief Inspector Jimmy Jones, Area Commander for North West Edinburgh, said: “We’ve been listening to residents and recognise the profound impact drugs have on our communities.

“As a result we’ve carried out this latest action to disrupt the drug local network and remove these harmful substances from our streets.

“We will continue to work alongside our communities in order to address the crimes and issues that have the greatest impact on people.

“Local residents play a vital role in helping shape our policing priorities through continual engagement, such as the Your View Counts online, and I would urge residents to continue to work alongside us so we can improve the quality of life in your area.

“Tackling illegal drugs and the associated harm they cause, including violence and antisocial behaviour, remains one of our top priorities.

“As such we will continue to act on intelligence from the public to carry out enforcement action such as this.

“If you have any information relating to ongoing drug crime in your area then please contact us on 101 or make an anonymous

A late Paul Hanlon goal secured a share of the points in an ill tempered encounter between Hibs and Falkirk at Easter Road this afternoon.

The Bairns played three quarters of the game with ten men after former Hibs’ midfielder Tom Taiwo was sent off for a reckless challenge but Neil Lennon’s men were unable to capitalise on the extra man advantage

Lennon kept faith with the outfield players who started in last week’s victory over Ayr United, including John McGinn who was part of the Scotland squad that lost to England at Wembley last night.

The only change was in goal with Ross Laidlaw replacing Ofir Marciano who suffered an injury whilst on international duty with Israel.

A piper played ‘Flowers of the Forrest’ ahead of the game and in the first minute McGinn had the crowd on their feet with a run which saw him beat four players before being brought down.

Neither side were able to get any rhythm as the game was littered with niggly fouls.

Falkirk almost took the lead in the 18th minute when Craig Sibbald volleyed a Myles Hippolyte cross over the bar from 15 yards out.

Five minutes later, Taiwo saw red after lunging into a tackle with McGinn and referee John Beaton had no hesitation in sending him off.

Falkirk immediately started to waste time with the main culprit being keeper Danny Rogers, much to the fury of the home fans.

In the 27th minute McGinn fired a powerful 25 yard toward the top corner but Rogers was able to tip the ball over the bar.

Grant Holt then had a header cleared off the line as Hibs pressed for an opener. The former Norwich striker had the ball in the net but the referee had already blown for a free kick by Hanlon.

Hibs continued to dominate and Rogers produced a fine point blank save to deny Holt then just on half time, Easter road erupted when Andrew Shinnie won the ball in midfield and ran into the box. He was challenged by two defenders and the ball fell to Martin Boyle who fired it into the net but the linesman flagged for offside.

Hibs started the second half brightly and both Fraser five and Liam Fontaine went close.

Falkirk’s blatant time wasting infuriated the Hibs fans as did Beaton’s failure to act. He did however speak to rogers in the 62nd minute but failed to produce a card and his warning made no difference.

Despite Hibs’ dominance, they were unable to break down Falkirk’s well organised defence.

With 13 minutes remaining, the Bairns took the lead against the run of play. A John Baird run won a corner which Mark Kerr sent into the box. The ball was won by a Falkirk head and the ball fell to Baird who hooked it into the net sparking wild scenes in the south stand.

To add insult to injury Baird was lucky to still be on the pitch after three fouls which were each worthy of a yellow card.

Lennon then brought on Dylan McGeouch for Andrew Shinnie as Hibs pressed for an equaliser and their hard work paid off in the 82nd minute when Hanlon headed home McGinn’s cross from the left.

McGinn almost grabbed the winner in time added on but his 25 yard strike was tipped round the post and the Bairns held on for the point.

After the game a dejected Lennon said: “Fakirk were never in it but they defended manfully. Our final ball was poor on too many occasions. we lacked a cutting edge today. For me there were not enough clear cut chances.

“It feels like two points dropped.”

“McGinn said: “I got back into the flat at 3am so it wasn’t ideal. I wasn’t 100% but I was fit enough to play the 90 minutes.

“I think we deserved the three points overall.”

Hibs remain top of the Championship, one point clear of Dundee United.

Hibs: Laidlaw, Gray, Hanlon, Fontaine, McGinn, Fyvie, Holt, Stevenson, Boyle, Shinnie, McGregor. Subs: Virtanen, Forster, Bartley, McGeouch, Harris, Graham, Cummings.

Falkirk: Rogers. Leahy, Muirhead, McCracken, Taiwo, Kerr, Baird, Sibbald, Hippolyte, Gasparotto, Miller. Subs Mehmet,  Grant, Craigen, Shepherd, Rankin, McHugh, Watson

Referee John Beaton

Attendance:14,550

Every P2 and P3 child in Scotland will receive a pack containing books, games and other materials to help improve their literacy and numeracy skills.

Education Secretary John Swinney launched the first packs at Towerbank Primary School in Edinburgh as part of the Read, Write, Count campaign delivered by Scottish Book Trust which encourages parents to actively engage in their child’s learning journey.

An estimated 128,000 packs, and another 1,600 in Gaelic, are available for pupils in the age group in the run up to Book Week Scotland (21 – 27 November), a national celebration of books and reading.

Across the country buildings and structures are glowing red this weekend in support of the 2016 Scottish Poppy Appeal.

This is all to raise awareness for the annual fundraising campaign run by the leading charity Poppyscotland. While the ‘Light Up Red’ campaign has been running for 5 years, 2016 includes a longer list with 20 iconic landmarks taking part.

Edinburgh Castle, The Kelpies, The Balmoral clock tower, the EICC, The Hydro, Eilean Donan Castle, Glasgow Science Centre, The Hydro, Inverness Castle, Jenners, The Kelpies, McCaig’s Tower in Arbroath, Ness Bridge, St Andrews House, St Magnus Cathedral in Orkney, the Titan Crane, the Signal Tower Museum, AECC, Ayr Racecourse and Victoria Quay will all turn red to mark the remembrance period. The Heavy Horse statue is also wearing a specially-designed poppy once again to celebrate the appeal.

Gordon Michie, Head of Fundraising at Poppyscotland, said: “It’s fantastic to see Scotland lighting up poppy red for the Scottish Poppy Appeal, and we’ve been blown away by the country’s support.

“We hope that when people see all these wonderful iconic structures glowing red over the weekend they will think about the many ways they too can go the extra mile in their support for this year’s Poppy Appeal. Whether it’s putting a little bit more in the poppy tin, or doing something completely different to raise money, every penny helps us to offer life-changing support so we can be there when they call for backup.”