Lauriston Castle has just posted a job opportunity at the historic building. This is a voluntary role:

This is an opportunity to assist in the interpretation of Lauriston Castle, our multi award-winning venue in North Edinburgh.

We are recruiting a number of Volunteer Guides to assist in the educational and tours programme by providing tours of the castle or providing information to visitors within one room of the castle.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss the opportunity, please get in touch with Gareth Jenkins:gareth.jenkins@edinburgh.gov.uk

Application forms should be returned to Gareth by the deadline of Friday 25 November.

Interviews will be in December, training will be in January/February and the role commences in March/April 2017.

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And you could help.

If you shop at Tesco then be aware that Hermitage Park School Association’s Playground Development project has been chosen as one of three community projects to receive funding of up to £12,000 from the Tesco Bags of Help initiative.

Tesco has teamed up with Groundwork – supported by Greenspace Scotland, north of the border, to share the revenue generated from the 5p charge levied on single-use carrier bags among local projects.

Three grants of £12,000, £10,000 and £8,000 are available across the Edinburgh East region and the money will be awarded according to the outcome of the customer vote, which takes place from today Monday 31 October until Sunday 13 November. Stores involved are Tesco Leith, Tesco Broughton and Tesco Express Dundas Street.

Julie Scotland, Vice Chair of the Hermitage Park School Association and local resident, is clear about why the project deserves the votes of Tesco shoppers: “Ours is the only community playground in the local area that is open daily for all young people to use, not just our own pupils. That’s a big deal when you consider the demographics of the neighbourhood, which includes many areas of deprivation, and areas where children don’t have access to a garden to play in.”

You can watch Hermie pupils making their acting debut in this short video

HPSA Playground Development Appeal from Dangerous Studio on Vimeo.

The school is affectionately known as ‘Hermie’ and they really hope to get the top grant of £12,000 which would allow them to get rid of the tar surface and replace it with a lively outdoor space. They want to have benches and planters, as well as stimulating play equipment. The largest purchase planned is a ‘Trim Trail’, which will include different modules depending on total funding is secured.

The School Association is working in close consultation with play experts to envision improvements that will enhance the environment and encourage safe outside play, helping local youngsters to meet the NHS minimum recommended guidelines of 7 hours of moderate to vigorous exercise per week (for 5 – 18 year-olds).

Teachers, pupils, parents and local residents were also invited to attend a presentation and Q&A session about the proposed improvements, and will be kept up-to-date with future developments.

Alfred (8), a pupil at Hermitage Park Primary School (and future politician in the making) says he believes Tesco shoppers should vote Hermie: “We learned that the ‘Right to Play’ is included in the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child and we want to make sure that every girl and boy in Leith has the right to enjoy fun, outdoor play time,” he enthused.

Gill Thomson, mum to Hermie pupils Maisie (8) and Jack (4) adds: “Outdoor play is such as vital, although sadly diminishing part of our children’s development, so it’s really encouraging to see Tesco and Greenspace Scotland working with local schools and communities to help give our children the best start in life. The upgraded Hermitage Park playground will be a fantastic asset for the whole community. If you shop in Tesco, please vote Hermie!”

Now you have seen for yourself why the community playground development project needs your vote!

Look out for the public vote in the Tesco Leith, Tesco Broughton and Tesco Express Dundas Street stores from today till Sunday 13 November and #BagsofHelp #VoteHermie on Twitter.

Police are continuing their appeal to find missing student Antoine Maury, who has been missing in the Duddingston area for one week.

Antoine has been missing since on Monday, October 24.  He was last seen around 10pm at Edinburgh College’s Milton Road East Campus when he suddenly left the company of his friends.

Shortly after this, between 10.45pm and 11pm, a man matching Antione’s description was seen near to the Duddingston Village area of Holyrood Park, heading into the park.

The man was seen to be topless, however officers are still continuing to keep an open mind in relation to his clothing.  This is the last known sighting of Antoine.

Antoine is described as a white man with a medium build.  He is around 6ft in height with short brown hair, a beard and a fair complexion.  He has a tattoo of a bleeding hand on his forearm.

He was wearing a brown/ green bomber jacket with dark coloured chinos and a white beanie hat at his last confirmed sighting.  He is also believed to have been wearing black and white Vans trainers.

Antoine suffers from poor eyesight and usually wear glasses, however officers believe he is without them.

Police Scotland is continuing its search operation to find Antoine.  The Police Scotland Marine Unit will again be out in Duddingston Loch and there will also be police searchers out in Holyrood Park.

Officers will undertake engagement opportunities around 10.30pm tonight (Monday, October 31) within the Duddingston Village and Holyrood Park areas.

This is in order to appeal to members of the public, both on foot and within vehicles, who may have information that can assist with the ongoing investigation.

On Saturday, October 29 and Sunday, October 30, around 100 volunteers joined officers in the search to find Antione.  This resulted in searches being completed in the areas around Duddingston Golf Club and Holyrood High School.

Police Scotland is also continuing with its media campaign and posters will continued to be distributed in order to trace Antione.

Chief Inspector Kevin McLean, who is leading the search to find Antoine, said:  “Antione has now been missing for a week and it is imperative that we find him.

“I would like to thank the members of the public who came to the Duddingston area at the weekend to help us find Antoine.  This activity was essential and is very much appreciated.

“As before, we would urge anyone who lives in the Duddingston Village area to check their gardens and outhouses, as this may lead us to discovering Antoine whereabouts.

“I would also ask regular users of the park who were there last week to think back and ask if themselves they saw Antoine.

“This continues to be a live investigation and as we carry on our search to find Antoine.  Anyone who still has information that can further our investigation is asked to get in touch with us as soon as possible.”

Those with information can contact Police Scotland on 101.  Information can also be passed through the charity Missing People on 116 000.

The Garden of Remembrance in the shadow of the Scott Monument in Princes Street Gardens was officially opened this morning in a ceremony involving The Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh, the Culture Secretary the Rt Hon Fiona Hyslop MSP representing the First Minister along with dignitaries from The Royal British Legion Scotland and members of ex-service organisations.

Edinburgh’s Garden of Remembrance is now open We spoke to @LordProvostEdin after the official ceremony pic.twitter.com/cHpkZ151s6

— Edinburgh Reporter (@EdinReporter) October 31, 2016

A few hundred people gathered to be silent, listen to the Last Post, hear some poetry and dedicate the garden to the memory of the fallen.

Wreaths were laid to remember those who died in war in an event organised by Legion Scotland the largest veterans’ membership charity in Scotland.

You can still see all the wreaths, and the poppies which have been planted in the Garden of Remembrance.

Kevin Gray, MM, Chief Executive Officer, Legion Scotland said: “Remembrance events are being held across the whole country providing focal points for the public to remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice while serving their country, sacrifices we must never forget.”

The memorial event on Remembrance Sunday will be held at the Stone of Remembrance outside the City Chambers on 13 November 2016 at 11am. The public may attend that event and also the church Service of Remembrance which takes place at St Giles Cathedral beforehand.

British Transport Police  in Scotland are appealing for information after up to 15 football fans sang offensive songs on a train over the weekend, witnessed by children and other supporters.

At about 6.45pm on Saturday around 10 or 15 football supporters boarded the Inverness to Edinburgh Waverley service.

Earlier that day Inverness Caledonian Thistle drew 3-3 with Hearts.

Throughout the journey, and after alighting at Haymarket Station, they sang songs of a Sectarian nature.

Investigating officer PC Chris Sutherland said: “This behaviour was by a small pocked of supporters on a busy train, packed with other fans and young families.

“We have a no tolerance attitude towards such behaviour, which has no place whatsoever in the game. I am appealing for anyone who saw this taking place to come forward and let us know so we can stop this behaviour from happening again.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40 or text 61016, quoting 222 of 30/10.

Come and Learn with The Edinburgh Reporter at our December workshop!

Book now to ensure you get the chance to come along and improve your skills.

Think of the Granton gasometer, think of the sea, then imagine a new lido by the sea, some sea containers sunk into the hill beyond offering affordable workspaces and the walled garden in the midst which could become the site of a Garden Festival.

This has long been the dream of Granton Improvement Society led by local architect Ross McEwan of AiA. He explained that his background is in architecture and urban design when we spoke to him at the site to see for ourselves what the area looks like.

You can follow the Granton Improvement Society on Facebook too.

You can listen to the full podcast here :

Why a lido? Well McEwan explained that it would be a great idea to create a triathlon training centre here. There are apparently 13 triathlon groups in the city all needing somewhere to train so where better than a location by the sea with a custom made running and cycling track nearby.

The latest news is that the GIS had a meeting with EDI group and a decision has been made as to the future of the walled garden, but nobody knows yet what it is.

The Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden also had the opportunity of presenting their plans to the EDI Group and have written about their presentation and plans here.

Deidre Brock MP wrote on her blog : “There are two community groups working hard to restore and safeguard this historic site, although both with different visons for its use.Friends of Granton Walled Garden have drawn up plans for it to be renovated and retained as Openspace within the new Granton Waterfront Masterplan – more about their ideas and campaign action here.

That campaign received a bit of a boost from the council this month, when the Petitions Committee agreed to submit their petition to the Economy Committee for consideration “with a recommendation that it supports the Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden in their attempts to ensure the medieval walled garden is protected, accessible and well maintained.”

“There are fantastic ideas being put forward for its future use, and the fight continues. I hope that common ground can be found between all interested parties and this fascinating piece of environmental heritage can be restored as a community asset and green jewel of Granton.”

So there are three sets of proposals for the same piece of ground. Watch this space as we will tell you when we get any news!

Heriots and ‘Sonians share 12 tries at Goldenacre.

Unfortunately for Watsonians, Heriots scored nine of the twelve as they demolished the Myreside men 58-15 in Saturday’s BT Premiership match. Watsonians also suffered the loss to the stand of their Head Coach, Marcus di Rollo following a ‘comment’ to one of the assistant referees.

Watsonians started well enough and put the Heriots defence under a great deal of pressure in their 22, but could quite get over the line.

With just over five minutes played, Heriots turned the ball over from a ruck and a clearing kick from centre, Solomoni Junior Rasolea, was hunted down by wing, John Rae, and he sprinted clear to score the opener. With the kick missed, it was 5-0.

A few minutes later, Rae scored his and Heriots second in the opposite corner for 10-0.

As the crowd were settling back down, the home side were attacking again. ‘Sonians pushed them back a touch, but the inevitable was on the cards and this time, Russell Nimmo was the scorer, being piled over from a rolling maul in the left corner. 10, Alex Haggart, then missed his third kick of the day, so 15-0 it remained….

….Until the 26^th minute, at least. Watsonians had enjoyed a period of possession, but unable to get clear of their own end of the pitch. Once Heriots had regained possession, they were on the offensive again and a powerful run from Nimmo had the ball inside the five-metre zone. A couple of quick rucks then saw Nimmo driven over for his second try. Another missed conversion by Haggart left the score at a, still impressive, 20-0 with just over 10 minutes of the half left.

It was a 10 minutes during which Heriots could have easily scored at least three or four tries, but had to settle for two.

The first came in the left corner as the backs outflanked the defence, puting No. 11, Harry Boisseau over in the corner, closely attended by the opposition hooker, Sean Crombie. A bit too close for the referee’s liking, earning Crombie a warning and closer inspection of images of the ‘try’ would suggest that the ball wasn’t grounded. Still, no TMO, so try it was. Haggart then scored his most difficult conversion attempt so far, so the score was now 27-0.

Watsonians were now all at sea and a sixth try a few minutes from time followed as flanker, Michael Maltman romped in from distance off the back of a line out, Haggart scoring his second conversion to take the score out to 34-0.

As the half drew to a close, the visitors had a brief moment of possession and used used it to good effect, sending No. 7, Angus Duckett over for their first points of the match and a 34-5 scoreline at half time.

The second half was much of the same, although Watsonians scored two tries to Heriots three, the game had been long over and Heriots marched on to that fine 58-15 victory at home against a side who had comprehensively beaten them a few weeks earlier at Myreside.

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

This year is likely to be the last year that Edinburgh Leisure can stage the fireworks display at Meadowbank Stadium before it is redeveloped, so get your tickets now for the biggest fireworks display in town this month.

The display will be launched by 13 year-old Blake Ross who recently starred in a film about Edinburgh Leisure’s Looked After and Active programme showing how physical activity has a positive impact on the lives of young people in care.

Blake said: “I’m thrilled to be chosen to set off the fireworks at Meadowbank. I really enjoy getting active with Edinburgh Leisure. The best thing about having the leisure card is you can do anything at all. You can go swimming, or do anything you would like to do to make you feel better and get fitter.

“If I didn’t have my leisure card, I’d just be stuck in my room in the house.”

With over five million customers across 31 leisure venues city wide, Edinburgh Leisure is a registered charity dedicated to creating opportunities for everyone to get active, stay active and achieve more.

Edinburgh Leisure runs over 20 ‘Active Communities’ projects that use physical activity to improve and, in many cases, transform the lives of people affected by health conditions, disabilities and poverty.

‘Looked After & Active’, one of Edinburgh Leisure’s Active Communities projects has enabled 1,300 children and young people in care to get active and play and there will be a charity collection to help the programme continue.

Many of the Young Ambassadors will be joining the crowds at the fireworks to help raise awareness of Edinburgh Leisure’s Active Communities’ work and helping in fundraising to help change more lives through the power of physical activity and sport.

To donate to Edinburgh Leisure and make a difference through the power of physical activity, text ‘ACTV16 £3’ to 70070.

Doors Open at 6.00pm with the fireworks starting at 7.30pm after some pre show entertainment! All will be over by 8.00pm. This year’s fireworks will have a sci-fi theme.

Book your tickets here.

A police investigation is underway after a 47-year-old man died when his red Citroen Berlingo van collided with a dry stone wall on the A6094 in the Howgate area and overturned around 3.40pm on Saturday afternoon.

Paramedics after emergency services attended the scene and a 14-year-old male passenger was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary as a precaution.

The road was closed in both directions until around 8.30pm.

A police spokesman said: “Inquiries into this collision continue and our sincere condolences remain with the family of the driver at this very difficult time.

Anyone with any information on the crash can contact Police Scotland on 101.

Martin Boyle admitted that he was surprised to be named in Hibs’ starting line up against St Mirren on Saturday.

Most fans assumed that top scorer Jason Cummings would replace the injured James Keatings however Neil Lennon surprised everyone by selecting the former Dundee and Montrose midfielder and his decision was quickly justified when Boyle opened the scoring in the 7th minute.

He also played a part in Hibs’ second goal and deservedly won the man of the match award for his hard working display.

Lennon substituted Boyle in the dying minutes to allow him to receive a standing ovation from the 14,000 plus Hibs’ fans in the stadium.

The result leaves Hibs three points clear of second place Dundee United at the top of the Championship and Boyle knows that he will have to maintain his form if he wants to retain the jersey.

Speaking after the final whistle, Boyle said: “To be honest I was surprised he wasn’t playing as well! Jason is the top scorer and that shows good faith in me.

Hopefully I’ve repaid that by stepping up but I a’m happy as long as I am in the team.

“I thought I linked up well with Holty  (Grant Holt) and I’m delighted with the way I played.  I hope I can keep hold of that shirt.

“We’ve been working hard all week and I thought we linked up well. He’s an experienced boy and he’s always in your ear and, hopefully, that partnership will continue.

“It’s obviously been a bit frustrating not starting, but I still enjoy coming to work every day.

“The boys are brilliant here and I’m just the type of boy who knuckles down and works hard.

“James Keatings’ injury has been my gain, but I need to keep producing performances like Saturday.

” It shows how good the squad is when we have players like Jason on the bench.”

The new Community Councillors for Leith Links Community Council for 2016 – 2019 have been chosen in the recent poll.

586 or 6.9% of voters took part in the election.

The next meeting of Leith Links Community Council is tonight Monday 31 October 2016, from 7pm, in Leith Community Education Centre (Kirkgate).

Acclaimed pianist, singer-songwriter and storyteller Judith Owen has announced the UK leg of her world tour, between 11 -22 November 2016.

In Edinburgh on 20 November at The Caves, Judith will be joined on stage by legendary bassist Leland Sklar, percussionist Pedro Segundo and cellist Gabriela Swallow for an evening of grown-up pop, jazz and humour.

The tour follows the release of Judith’s latest album ‘Somebody’s Child’, which came out earlier this year to overwhelming praise.

Judith said: ”By nature, I am a diverse musician. It’s who I am because of all the music I grew up being exposed to, from opera to Sinatra, Joni to Stevie Wonder, and everything in between.”

Book tickets here.

There are some great things to see and hear at the Traverse in the next few weeks with music on Monday and theatre beginning on Tuesday.

Here are some of the highlights:

Nordic Fiddlers Block

Monday 31 October, 8pm

The Nordic Fiddlers Bloc comprise three master fiddle players from three different and very distinctive Nordic countries and regions. Kevin Henderson (Fiddlers’ Bid, Boys of the Lough) hails from Shetland; Olav Luksengard Mjelva is an award-winning fiddle player from Norway and Anders Hall is an acclaimed member of the Swedish fiddle tradition.

Book here

Grain in the Blood
1-12 November

Rob Drummond’s critically acclaimed noir thriller has been intriguing and unsettling audiences since it opened at the Tron last week. The play relates the life story of a rural family steeped in grief and local superstition.

Tickets here

Dr Johnson Goes to Scotland

1-5 November

The sequel to last year’s sell-out A Word with Dr Johnson, and a literary adventure which asks ‘Who owns language?’.

Book here

Chrysalis Festival

18-20 November

This is produced by the Traverse and youth theatre and will include:

• Club by Teatru Manoel (Malta), a show about dealing with grief after a good friend to the company dies and the cathartic experiences they have whilst clubbing.
• Sheep by Tron Young Company (Glasgow), which looks at the human fallout of modern warfare, media propaganda and gender roles in conflict.
• The Island from Platform Young Company (Glasgow) centers on a group of young people in an apocalyptic wasteland and their search for what happens at the end of everything.
• Phenomona A Beginner’s Guide to Love and Physics by Sounds Like Chaos and the Albany Theatre Deptford (London) questions how we learn to love and explores where an inquisitive brain with a thirst for knowledge will take us.

In the next few days we will be celebrating Halloween and you will have the chance to experience a bit of a scary atmosphere around the streets and cinemas as well.

Here are five films we recommend you see this week in Edinburgh:

1. The Girl on the Train (2016)

Emily Blunt is the lead actress in The Girl on the Train which is based on the  acclaimed novel written by Paula Hawkins. The film is a mystery thriller that is often compared to David Fincher’s Gone Girl (2014).

This is an interesting competition to take part in if you have had an intriguing experience travelling by train to relate.

For tickets click here.

2. The Clan (2015)

The movie creates a tense thriller atmosphere in the 1980s. It is based on a real case of a Buenos Aires family who kidnapped people for ransom.

The director, Pablo Trapper, portrays a dark time in Argentinian history after the end of the dictatorship of Rafael Videla.

For tickets here.

Here is the official trailer :

3. Bridget Jones’s Baby (2016)

This is not the basic Halloween film you would like to see but it is a good break from the majority of thrillers that are going to be screened. Bridget Jones returns with an all star cast including Colin Firth and Renée Zellweger. The third part of the comedy series has been on the screen for the last month and has been largely popular.

For tickets here. For official trailer here.

4.Bad Education (2004)

The director and screenwriter of Bad Education (La mala educación) is  Pedro Almodóvar. It is a good chance to see it if you’ve missed the premiere but keep in mind that is rated 15. This is because  strong language, sex references and hard drug use. The style of the film is often compared to film noir  and Hitchcock’s thriller style. 

For tickets here. For the official trailer here.

5. The Shining (1980)

The Shining is a masterpiece that has managed to scare audiences for the last 26 years and it’s worth seeing it  even if you already have. Directed by Stanley Kubrick, even the trailers for his films are scary enough.

What is more, The Shining is based on a novel written by Stephen King and the star is Jack Nicholson. The combination of this director, novelist and lead actor guarantees a great scary movie!

For tickets here.

Several members of Hibs’ Skol/League Cup winning team from 1991 paraded the trophy at half time yesterday to celebrate the 25th anniversary of that historic day.

Only months after defeating Wallace Mercer’s takeover bid, Hibs reached the final of the League Cup, beating Walter Smith’s Rangers on the way.

35,000 Hibs fans made the trip to Hampden Park with many more locked out of the stadium as Alex Miller’s men overcame a strong Dunfermline Athletic side to win the club’s first trophy in almost 20 years.

The players, including captain Murdo McLeod, Graeme Mitchell, Michael Weir, Brian Hamilton, Gordon Hunter, Pat McGinlay, Gareth Evans Joe Tortolano, and Keith Wright joined manager Alex Miller, coach Jimmy McLaughlan and Physio Stuart Collie  on the pitch and received a standing ovation from the supporters.

Keith Wright, who scored the vital second goal recalled that glorious day, telling the Edinburgh Reporter: ” I remember coming out of the tunnel and seeing three quarters of the stadium full of Hibs’ fans which gave us all a massive boost and made us determined not to let the supporters down.

“People say that we weren’t at our best in the first half but Dunfermline were a decent team with plenty experienced players.

“We dominated the second half then when the wee man got the penalty Tam McIntyre was brilliant sending the keeper the wrong way.

“We were in control but at 1-0 anything can happen then near the end, Mickey sent the perfect through ball which left me one on one with Andy Rhodes.

“I normally didn’t like too much time to think and as I was running toward goal I was thinking that if I score then there was no way back for Dunfermline. I managed to clip the ball over the keeper and it was a brilliant feeling seeing it go into the net.

“That was the highlight of my football career. I was only 26 at the time and I’ll never forget the celebrations back in Edinburgh.

“The club had organised a function at the Dragonara Hotel, win or lose but first we travelled on an open topped bus from the Maybury to Easter Road. There were thousands on the streets and when we got to the stadium it was packed with cheering fans, five hours after the final whistle.

“We had a great night celebrating the victory but for me, my overriding emotion was one of relief, knowing that we hadn’t let the Hibs’ fans down.”

A 19-year-old female pedestrian was taken to hospital after being hit by a white Vauxhall van on Howden Hall Road in the south of the city at around 7.50am yesterday.

The road was closed in both directions for around four hours to allow crash investigations to take place and police have described the incident as “serious”.

A police spokeswoman said: “The collision involved a white Vauxhall van and a 19-year-old female pedestrian, who has been taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.

“Road closures remain in place from Alnwickhall Road to Burdiehouse Road and the public are advised to seek alternative routes.

Hibs’ Head Coach Neil Lennon has asked the supporters to generate a better atmosphere at home games following yesterday’s 2-0 victory over St Mirren at Easter Road.

Fourteen and a half thousand turned up to watch Hibs consolidate their top spot in the Championship and they went ahead with a superb goal in the 7th minute before adding another before half time.

Despite playing some attacking football and creating chances, the fans were uncharacteristically quiet for the majority of the game although some questionable decisions by the referee did liven things up at times.

Near the end a loud chant of ‘Hibernian’ echoed around the stadium and the supporters rose to give a standing ovation to man of the match Martin Boyle when he was substituted in time added on.

Afterwards Lennon said: I don’t want to alienate myself with the supporters but you go a goal up and it’s very quiet for periods of the game.

“We would just like a bit more atmosphere to gee the players on a bit. The players are doing their bit so some sections of the support could do their bit too.

“It’s a small issue but we’d just like a bit more noise in our stadium.”

With James Keatings missing through injury, most fans assumed that top scorer Jason Cummings would return to first team action but instead Lennon chose Martin Boyle, a decision vindicated by the players goal and overall performance which merited his post match award of a bottle of champagne from the sponsors.

Lothians based Bid Specialists, AM Bid Services were thrilled to be crowned winners of the coveted ‘Best Employer for Student & Graduate Recruitment’ Award at the 2016
Midlothian and East Lothian Chamber of Commerce Awards.

The exciting news broke at the high profile Awards Ceremony which took place on Wednesday 26th October at The Brunton Hall, Musselburgh. Over 300 members of the Lothians business community were in attendance to hear keynote speakers Chris Stark, Director of Energy & Climate Change at the Scottish Government; Keith Barbour, President of Midlothian and East Lothian Chamber of Commerce; and George Archibald, Chief Executive of Midlothian and East Lothian Chamber of Commerce.

The ‘Best Employer for Student & Graduate Recruitment’ Award’ AM Bid Services received was sponsored by Queen Margaret University, where graduate employee Dane Thomson successfully gained his 2:1 BA (Hons) PR & Marketing degree.

Speaking of his excitement at winning the award, AM Bid Services Managing Director, Andrew Morrison said: “Winning the award is an important recognition of the journey
that AM Bid Services and our graduates are on. I have been hugely encouraged by the passion and commitment Cameron Houston and Dane Thomson have shown in seizing the opportunity to begin their careers with AM Bid Services.

Whilst considerable time, effort and money has gone into their development during
their first year with us, this has been more than repaid commercially as they have played an important part in the company’s second year growth. The icing on the cake has been our business growth allowing us to recruit David Gray as our new Bid Development Director. I originally recruited David at another organisation in 2005 following his graduation from Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen. We have a culture of positive mentoring and development opportunities for
graduates.”

AM Bid Services began trading on 1st October 2014. Since then, the company has grown at an exponential rate, with turnover for
2015/16 exceeding £¼ million. As a result of this growth, the business created roles for two bright graduates – Dane Thomson from Queen Margaret University and Cameron Houston from the University of Aberdeen.

Further support is provided to Lothian graduates through the AM Bid Services sponsorship of Edinburgh Napier University graduate, Josh Quigley. Josh, The Tartan Explorer, is Cycling the World to raise awareness of mental health and suicide prevention.

For further information about AM Bid Services see
the website: www.ambidservices.co.uk

Families from across Scotland got into the spirit of Hallowe’en by bringing over 1,000 tiger-carved pumpkins to RZSS Edinburgh Zoo
in return for free entry. This was part of the Zoo’s October holiday offer to celebrate the opening of its latest exhibit, Tiger Tracks.

The offer was open to youngsters aged up to 15 who received a free one-day entry ticket if they presented a tiger-carved pumpkin on arrival at RZSS Edinburgh Zoo between Monday 17 and Sunday 23 October 2016.

Darren McGarry, Head of Living Collections at RZSS Edinburgh Zoo, said: “We’re overwhelmed by the success of our Tiger Tracks pumpkin offer and have been very impressed with all the spooky pumpkin designs – over 1,000 in total across the week! We’d like to say a huge thank you to all of the
families who participated.”

The Tiger Tracks enclosure, which opened in September, is home to Jambi and Baginda, the Zoo’s pair of critically endangered Sumatran
tigers. The exciting new attraction, which is three times the size of the previous tiger enclosure, gives visitors the chance to walk through a glass tunnel where they can get up close with Jambi, the male tiger, as he walks
overhead on a specially constructed walkway.

Over Hallowe’en weekend, RZSS Edinburgh Zoo is hosting ‘Creepy Crawlies’, which gives visitors the chance to meet some of the creepiest, scuttling, wiggling creatures living in the Zoo. On Sunday, visitors to the Zoo
will be able to watch the animals receiving Hallowe’en themed enrichment.

Hallowe’en storytelling will also be available on the day.

‘These poems and short stories show us that the city is inseparable from its people.’

Edinburgh has inspired many writers, from Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson to Ian Rankin and Irvine Welsh. None of them, however, has taken in as many locations at one sitting as Claire Askew and Russell Jones’ new anthology Umbrellas of Edinburgh, to be published by Freight Books on 30th November.

This vibrant collection of new writing brings together the poetry and prose of seventy writers – some local, some visitors – including JL Williams, Aonghas Macneacail, Richie McCaffrey, Ryan van Winkle and Pippa Goldschmidt. Each one celebrates different locations across the capital; palaces, parks, pubs and places from Blackness Castle to the airport, Dean Village to the National Gallery of Modern Art, the Café Royal (left) to Tynecastle (right), the Royal Mile to the Cowgate, Morningside to Blackford Hill.

But Umbrellas of Edinburgh isn’t just another coffee table book. Editors Askew and Jones say;

‘Edinburgh is a hub for literary inspiration and ambition, hosting the world’s largest literary festival, and it’s the world’s first UNESCO City of Literature. But pick up a collection of writing about Edinburgh, and you’re often faced with the same list of names: dead white men.

As editors, we were keen to reflect the diversity of Edinburgh and its people, and to shift the existing focus through a more contemporary lens. This anthology includes work from writers of colour, writers who identify as LGBTQIA+, who live with disabilities, writers who have lived in countries other than Scotland, and its contributors predominantly identify as women.’

This is a poet’s-eye-view of Edinburgh, Edinburgh in all its guises and moods – one through which the reader will discover the city all over again. Between its 200 pages are ‘explorations of architecture, fragments of memories, views of potential futures, romps in hedgerows, summer picnics, hard winters, love, loss and the moments in between.’

Umbrellas of Edinburgh will be launched at the Scottish Poetry Library, Crichton’s Close, on Thursday (3rd November) at 6pm. There’ll be readings by Theresa Munoz (above, right), Harry Giles (above, centre), Jane Griffiths, Jonathan Bay, Marjorie Gill, Colin McGuire, Louise Peterkin, Elizabeth Rimmer and Colin Will, plus wine, cake and celebratory cheer. And as we’re approaching that time of year again, you’ll be able to sort your Christmas list in one fell swoop, by buying everyone a copy of the book!

(If you can’t get to SPL on Thursday, there will be a further launch at Blackwell’s, South Bridge, on Tuesday 15th November at 6.30pm, this time with readings by contributors Roddy Shippin, Ruth Aylett, Andrew James Wilson, Patricia Ace, Tracey S Rosenberg, Jane Alexander and Sandy Thomson.

And yes, more cake, more wine…)

Only a couple of months ago the Hilton Edinburgh Carlton opened its doors having taken over the former Carlton Highland Hotel on North Bridge. Now they have a new steakhouse – and the man whose name is above the door was in Edinburgh today.

Marco Pierre White is one of those celebrity chefs who became well-known to us all in the last couple of decades. He is big on simple cooking however as he told us when we met him signing copies of his new cookery book for lunchtime guests.

We met Marco Pierre White who told us how to cook the perfect steak… @hiltonedcarlton pic.twitter.com/O2ImYiIypW

— Edinburgh Reporter (@EdinReporter) October 29, 2016

His book, Essentially Marco, is full of simple tips for the home cook, featuring easy to make dishes and getting rid of the time-consuming parts that professional chefs usually love.

Commenting on his new cookbook, Marco said: “The idea behind Essentially Marco is to show people that they don’t need to be a professional chef in order to create delicious and hearty dishes that can feed the whole family.

“A lot of the dishes I cover in my latest cookbook can be easily prepared at home, and guests at MPW Steakhouse Bar & Grill in Edinburgh will be able to experience some of these cooking techniques during my visit.”

Claire Livingston, general manager at Hilton Edinburgh Carlton, said: “It’s an absolute honour to be a part of the launch of Marco’s latest cookbook, and I’m sure guests will relish the opportunity to meet Marco, and take home a signed copy of the book before it has been released in the UK.

“Diners will also have the chance to enjoy a delicious three-course meal, so it is definitely not one to be missed for food lovers and Marco Pierre White fans alike.”

We were treated to a three course lunch at Marco Pierre White where the staff are delightfully down to earth and helpful. The food was exquisitely prepared and presented, although, and I am not sure if this is a criticism, the portions are quite large!

The usual price for today’s lunch was £35 per person. But there are plenty of special offers on the menu – you can have a three course dinner for £25. Have a look at the website here.

T 0131 472 3022 to book a table.

Inverness Caledonian Thistle 3 Heart of Midlothian 3

Ladbrokes Premiership, Saturday 29^th October 2016 – Tulloch Caledonian Stadium

Hearts fought back for a hard-earned point in Inverness on Saturday as Robbie Neilson’s side came from 2-0 down and 3-2 down to salvage a share of the spoils in their Ladbrokes Premiership game with Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

The clocks go back one hour this weekend as British Summer Time officially ends. It may be argued that Neilson might have wished the clocks went back 72 hours to before the loss to Kilmarnock on Wednesday evening. The Edinburgh Reporter’s article on Friday evening which challenged Hearts forwards to get on their scoring boots were sentiments apparently shared by the Hearts Head Coach who dropped Conor Sammon and Tony Watt to the substitute’s bench for the game in the Highland capital, replacing them with Bjorn Johnsen and Jamie Walker.

Despite those changes, Hearts start to the game had a familiar feel to the events of this week. Just five minutes had elapsed when the Caley Jags’ Tremarco crossed for Doumbouva whose header smacked off the Hearts crossbar.

Hearts then threatened when Robbie Muirhead collected a pass from Arnaud Djoum and the youngster’s long-range effort on goal went just past Mackay’s post.

However, it was the hosts who went ahead in the 15^th minute. A long ball found Draper who set up Raven for a brilliant finish which gave Hearts keeper Jack Hamilton not an earthly.

This stunned the visitors who tried to get back into the game but then found themselves two goals own in the 33^rd minute. Polwarth burst forward and found Doumbouva inside the penalty box. With the Hearts defence going a fair impression of the Highland clearances, the Caley Thistle man had time to take a touch before firing the ball past Hamilton to double the home side’s lead.

At this stage the travelling Maroon Army were making their displeasure obvious. However, seven minutes before half-time, the Maroons began their fight back. A great pass from Don Cowie, playing against his former team, found Bjorn Johnsen and the big American duly fired the ball past keeper Mackay for Hearts first goal in Inverness for four years.

Half-time Inverness Caledonian Thistle 2 Hearts 1

Hearts began the second half intent to levelling the game and they duly did so just six minutes after the restart. Faycal Rherras made good progress down the left side and delivered a teasing cross into the Caley Thistle penalty box. The ball deceived Bjorn Johnsen – but also deceived the home keeper and floated into the net to bring parity.

If Robbie Neilson was looking for his team to consolidate after getting back on level terms he was to be disappointed. After Jack Hamilton saved well from Polworth, Doran got the better of Don Cowie and drilled the ball past Hamilton to put the home side back in the lead. Despair for the Hearts players and supporters as they saw their hard work seemingly undone.

Hearts, though, refused to give up. With twenty minutes left, Johnsen delivered another teasing cross which was diverted away by Caley Thistle’s Josh Meekings.

Hearts substitute Tony Watt, keen to make amends for his glaring miss in Ayrshire on Wednesday evening, was proving to be a real threat as the home side struggled to keep out the visitors.

With sixteen minutes to go Hearts got the equaliser they so richly deserved. Arnaud Djoum collected the ball inside the Caley Thistle penalty box before firing home a low shot to level the game at 3-3.

Djoum almost grabbed a sensational winner three minutes from the end when his long-range effort was diverted by Don Cowie but keeper Mackay saved well.

A point rescued by Hearts who move back into third place in the Ladbrokes Premiership – leapfrogging St Johnstone who lost at home to Partick Thistle but now overtaken by Rangers who now sit in second place.

Inverness CT: Mackay, Tremarco (Raven, 10′), Warren, Meekings, Polworth, Draper, Doran (Mulraney, 82′), Vigurs (Horner, 90′), Tansey, McKay, Doumbouya.

Hearts: Hamilton, Paterson, Souttar, Rossi, Rherras (Ozturk, 60′), Djoum, Kitchen, Cowie, Walker, Johnsen (Sammon, 77′), Muirhead (Watt, 54′).

Referee: Craig Thomson

Att: 3,565

Top man: Arnaud Djoum

It is always delightful talking to Horse as she is just full of chat! There are no silences here, and we covered politics, singing, LGBT, acting and the fact that she will have a book out next year.

Have a listen!

Book your tickets here.

The Edinburgh University Theatre Company’s Once Upon a Time in Wigan has a lot going for it. An enthusiastic young cast, an audience of students keen to enjoy the night, and that sweet, sweet, Northern Soul music. The Northern Soul scene was defined by a search for neglected, should’ve-been soul classics, and as the show begins, Maxine, Suzanne, and Danny are lost in music on the floor of the legendary Wigan Casino. No wonder the cast’s fourth member, Eugene, becomes entranced.

What’s more, as revealed by Northern Soul aficionado Stuart Cosgrove in his Young Soul Rebels, and to a rapt audience at this year’s Edinburgh International Book Festival, Northern Soul was the soundtrack to an outsized number of stories. By an accident of time and setting, the scene crossed paths with everything from the industrial decline of the North to the rise of “God’s Copper”, the Greater Manchester Chief Constable, James Anderton; from a burgeoning awareness of the tumult of the civil rights movement to the human tragedy of the disappearances of the victims of the Yorkshire Ripper.

Yet, watching Once Upon a Time in Wigan, one wouldn’t have any idea of the richness of this tapestry other than the very millennial  dissatisfaction of the four-strong cast with their employment circumstances, and a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it reference to Arthur Scargill. Mick Martin’s play debuted in 2003 and is still being revived thirteen years later, yet one can’t shake the feeling that this is more down to the enduring mystique of the Northern Scene than to anything in the play itself.

Except for Eugene and Danny firing song titles at each other in a kind of Northern Soul poker, there’s nothing to suggest that Once Upon a Time in Wigan is anything other than a very traditional four-handed romantic drama that could be set anywhere, any time. The jokes are just as formulaic, and the characters are – for the most part – not sympathetic or self-aware enough to carry that sort of story.

For all the audience’s energy, it’s too much to ask of a student production to breathe life into the script. Nevertheless, a word of praise must go to Francesca Sellors, who brings a charisma to the role of Maxine that suggests something of the matriarchal thread that ran through the scene before her role, like those of Eugene, Suzanne, and Danny, stutters, then putters out.

What eventually happens to the characters of Once Upon a Time in Wigan? In the end, it’s hard to care any more than they do.

Once Upon a Time in Wigan ended its run at the Bedlam Theatre on 29 October

Save

Hibs consolidated their position at the top of the Championship this afternoon with a comfortable 2-0 victory over bottom of the table St Mirren.

Head Coach Neil Lennon made one change to the starting XI that beat Dunfermline Athletic last Saturday with Martin Boyle replacing the injured James Keatings. Top scorer Jason Cummings was listed amongst the substitutes.

The visitors started brightly and had two chances in the opening minute before Hibs settled down and started to control the game.

Andrew Shinnie almost opened the scoring in the second minute when he latched onto a Darren McGregor header but his shot on the turn flew inches wide.

Five minutes later, Shinnie created Hibs’ opener with a fantastic through ball into the path of Boyle who calmly dinked it over Jamie Langfield into the net.

Hibs should have had a penalty in the 10th minute when Jack Baird bundled over Grant Holt inside the six yard box, but referee Don Robertson ignored the players’ appeals, the first of many strange decisions from the official.

St Mirren looked dangerous on the break and on set pieces and Lawrence Shankland almost equalised with a header following a Stevie Mallen corner but Lewis Stevenson was on hand to clear the ball off the line.

Shinnie then went close with a 25 yard strike which Langfield managed to tip round the post.

Boyle should have added a second in the 32nd minute after a superb pass from holt which left him one on one with the keeper, but on this occasion Langfield  produced a fine save.

Moments later Holt made it 2-0 with a great volley from the edge of the penalty area after his first attempt was blocked by a Saints’ defender.

Ofir Marciano had to leave his box and head clear with Ryan Hardie ready to pounce then just before the break, Hibs were denied a clear cut penalty when a St Mirren defender had Holt in a bear hug, much to the annoyance of the large Hibs’ support.

At half time, several players from the 1991 Skol League Cup winning team paraded the trophy to mark the 25th anniversary of that historic day.

In the 55th minute, a long ball from Paul Hanlon found Boyle but his strike under pressure went just wide.

Ten minutes later, Shinnie set up Boyle but the linesman wrongly flagged for offside then John McGinn intercepted a pass in midfield and fired a powerful strike from 30 yards which flew inches past the post with Langfield helpless.

In the 70th minute Hibs were eventually awarded a penalty after Gary Irvine hauled down Holt as he tried to get onto the end of a Stevenson cross. The striker took the spot kick himself but Langfield produced a fantastic save diving low to his left.

McGinn picked up an injury and was replaced by Marvin Bartley and Hibs should have wrapped things up with ten minutes remaining. Holt flicked the ball into the path of Boyle who set up Shinnie, but once again Langfield produced a fine save from 12 yards.

In time added on, Alex Harris replaced ‘Man of the Match’ Boyle who left the field to a standing ovation and Hibs held on to secure a valuable three points.

After the game Lennon said: “I’m very pleased. It was a good performance from start to finish and we dominated the game.”

Boyle said: ” I’m delighted. I was given the chance from the start and hopefully I can hang onto the shirt.”

Elsewhere Dundee United beat Falkirk leaving Hibs three points clear at the top of the table.

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

St Mirren: Langfield, Naismith, Irvine, Gordon, Clark, Clarkson, Mallan, Hutton, Baird, Morgan, Hardie, Shankland. Subs: Gallacher, Sutton, Gallagher, Walsh, McLear, Whyte, Magennis

Referee Don Robertson

Attendance 14, 465

Ana Maria Lines had a problem; she wanted to tell the world about Frida Kahlo, but she had no idea where to begin. The celebrated Mexican artist, Communist, feminist and rebel was proving as hard to pin down in death as she had been in life;

‘I could not find a way to tell her story – then I realised I was trying to order a life that had no order, to shape a woman whose body was fragmented’.

Ana Maria had visited La Casa Azul, the Blue House in Mexico City where Frida’s life began and ended; she had even dressed up as Kahlo for a party (everyone thought she was Carmen Miranda…); she knew Kahlo’s life story inside out – but she didn’t know the woman. Then one night Ana Maria had a series of dreams, dreams in which Kahlo told her own story. It was a story of love, passion, suffering, and a long drawn out dance with death.

Frida Kahlo was born in 1907. She did not start painting seriously until she was gravely injured in a bus accident at the age of 18; having already suffered from polio as a young child, Kahlo’s health was now irretrievably damaged and she was to experience pain and illness for the rest of her life. In the accident a handrail had impaled her through her pelvis;

‘I lost my virginity in a bus accident…the handrail went in….like a sword’

It was when she first regained consciousness in hospital, Kahlo explained to Ana Maria, that La Muerta ‘a tall thin pale woman dressed in black’ came to her – but Kahlo was not ready. Instead she told La Muerta a story; if La Muerta liked it, she was to leave Kahlo alone. This, the first of three ‘stories within a story’, was a charming fairy tale about a girl living above the clouds, who comes down to Earth to change people’s lives.

During Kahlo’s long recovery, her father Guillermo gave her a box of oil paints. A custom-made easel meant she could paint lying down;

‘Painting became my battle for life’.

In Ana Maria’s next dream, she saw an elephant making love with a tiny dove, and Kahlo, now a grown woman dressed in indigenous costume, with flowers in her hair. Kahlo’s many self-portraits (she painted fifty five, often incorporating symbolic portrayals of physical and psychological wounds) almost invariably show her wearing Mexican costume – and part of the reason she wore it was to please Diego Rivera, the man to whom she turned for advice on her paintings, and who became her lover; they married in 1929. Rivera was in many ways everything that Kahlo was not; middle-aged (she was 22, he 42), big, fat, ugly (‘toad-like’), promiscuous, a parent of four children by three different women, and already a celebrated artist and a member of the Communist Party. Art and politics united them;

‘We were two energetic and creative forces’

‘Diego was everything; my child, my lover, my universe’

Their marriage was always unconventional; Kahlo learned to cook for Rivera by asking his ex-wife for instructions, she wore peasant clothes for him – but also to emphasize her ancestry, especially favouring the dress of women from a matriarchal society called Isthmus of Tehuautepecto. Rivera had many affairs but so, increasingly, did Kahlo; Rivera, it seems, enjoyed her affairs with women, but was not so happy when she had them with men, one of whom was Leon Trostky. Pain was Kahlo’s constant companion; she poured the agony of her childlessness into her art, beginning a series of masterpieces expressing feminism, endurance, love, cruelty and suffering. Rivera’s affair with Kahlo’s younger sister was one affair too many; she left him.

‘Now I have hundreds of swords in my heart…I try to take them all out and place them in the paintings.’

And now La Muerta appeared to Kahlo again – but again to no avail:

‘After everything else, to consider dying for love was ridiculous’.

Cue another mini-story, one of dancers and butterflies, as Kahlo once again asks La Muerta to leave her alone.

Rivera and Kahlo reunited and remarried, but Kahlo had found a new independence; she travelled alone to the US to exhibit her work and André Breton invited her to Paris – although she rejected an invitation to join his Surrealist movement;

‘I don’t paint dreams, I paint my own reality’.

Kahlo’s health was now in fast decline; one of her legs was amputated, Rivera was again unfaithful, she became depressed, was addicted to painkillers and attempted to take her own life. She received one more visit from La Muerta, and once more she told her a story – but now it was a story about an old lady and her very special caller. And this time the old lady was ready to go.

Frida Kahlo died in 1954. Rivera was devastated, and although he quickly remarried he died just three years after Kahlo.

Kahlo will always be an enigma, but in this absorbing and entertaining session Ana Maria Lines – armed only with a chair, a doll, a dress and some very high heels – brought vividly to life this intriguing woman, one for whom, despite all her troubles;

‘Nothing is worth more than laughter. It is strength to laugh and to abandon oneself, to be light. Tragedy is the most ridiculous thing.’

The Scottish International Storytelling Festival continues at the Scottish Storytelling Centre and other venues until 31st October 2016. The full programme may be seen here.

Ana Maria Lines lives in the UK and works in schools, festivals, clubs, libraries and events. For more information and contact details visit her website here.

There is plenty to be frightened about this week. Our first minister went to London to meet the witches and wizards of Downing Street, only to come out saying there was nothing on the table for Brexit. “I don’t know any more now about the UK government approach to the EU negotiations than I did before I went into the meeting,” said a clearly frustrated Nicola Sturgeon.

Theresa May tried to calm provincial nerves by suggesting a regular round-the- cauldron session with the Brexit minister David Davis.  But Ms Sturgeon said that would only satisfy her if Scotland somehow remained part of the single European market.  Otherwise, a second independence referendum would be back on the agenda. And just to underline the point, the SNP government published a draft bill this week to prepare for such a day.

All this talk of Brexit and independence makes me giddy. It’s like looking down into a dark and bottomless crevasse.  Indeed, one of my enduring fears is of falling into one of those fearful crevasses in Antarctica. Not that I have ever been there….. though I did go last week to the Polar Museum in Cambridge and relived the nightmare of Captain Scott’s disastrous journey to the South Pole.

I got back home only to read that a Scottish scientist, Gordon Hamilton, had fallen into a crevasse while driving his vehicle across White Island in the Ross  archipelago.  Dr Hamilton was one of the world’s leading experts on the effect of climate change on the ice sheets in Antarctica.  He was working for the University of Maine but he came originally from the city of Dundee, home of Captain’s Scott’s first ship “Discovery.”

And that wasn’t the only cruel irony of the week. A “Living Planet” report has pointed out that in Dr Hamilton’s lifetime, the world has lost 67 per cent of  its wildlife because of climate change, deforestation, pollution and over-fishing.  Now that is frightening.  Perhaps we humans are next to go.  We are certainly not deterred by this however, as we bravely go ahead with a new runway at Heathrow.

We got another fright this week about the state of the National Health Service. The Auditor General brought out a report which warned that we are simply not carrying out the long-agreed policy of moving from cure to prevention.  Seven of eight NHS key targets are not being met. Hospitals are still struggling to cope with rising demand because of chronic shortages of staff and funding. Meanwhile not enough care is provided at home or in nursing homes to prevent people landing up in expensive hospital beds.  Already “health” consumes 40 per cent of the Scottish government’s budget and costs are set to soar as the number of old people in the population rises.

I have long thought that the answer is to abolish the 14 regional health boards and transfer their funds to local councils who I think would place the emphasis where it needs to be, on care in the community.

Another ghost from the recent past has come back to haunt us this week…fox hunting.  The Scottish Parliament thought it had abolished fox-hunting in 2002 but, according to the police, the law is proving “unworkable”.  It’s true that many traditional hunts and packs of hounds have been disbanded but fox-hunting continues because of a loop-hole in the law.  It allows dogs to flush out foxes, supposedly so that gamekeepers can shoot them “humanely.” But the police say it is “extremely difficult” to have guns in place in time, before the hounds tare the fox apart. There have only been two successful prosecutions in the last 14 years.

In short, it seems this piece of legislation needs to be rethought.  It’s embarrassing because this was one of the first laws the new Scottish Parliament passed. It was supposed to be well researched and evidence led but in fact it turned out to be a town v country argument, both sides driven by passion not policy.

Finally, we cannot let Halloween go by without mentioning its champion, Robert Burns.  He was forever teasing us about our fears of the “other” world, from “Tam O’ Shanter” to “Holy Willie’s Prayer”.   But he also paints a happier picture of the community spirit and human enjoyment we can get out of celebrating the passing of the seasons in “Halloween.”

“Wi merry sangs, and friendly cracks,

I wat they did na weary;

And unco tales, an funnie jokes –

Their sports were cheap an’ cheery:

Till butter’d sowens, wi fragrant lunt

Set a’ their gabs a-steerin’;

Syne, wi a social glass o’ stunt,

They parted aff careerin’

Fu’ blythe that night.”

The Edinburgh Reporter’s Mike Smith is a qualified hypnotherapist. In the latest of a series of articles, Mike looks at feelings of low self-esteem and how hypnotherapy can help.

‘I don’t feel comfortable in company’; ‘I’m not interesting enough to join in a conversation so I just keep quiet’; ‘I’d rather not say anything in case I come across as foolish’; ‘I just feel out of place’.

Do you say these words or experience emotions similar to those feelings expressed above? If so, you could be experiencing low self-esteem. Self-esteem is what is described as our opinion of ourselves. It is how we think about who we are, what we are, what we think our abilities are and what we think will happen in the future.

When our feelings of self-esteem are high, we feel good about ourselves and our outlook on life in positive. We have the strength and courage to deal with most of what life throws at us without things having a long-term effect on our life, health and general well-being.

‘How are you doing? I’m fine, thanks, life is good.’

However, when our feelings of self-esteem are low, our thoughts and feelings about ourselves can be quite negative. Instead of focussing on the positive things in life, we tend to focus on our weaknesses and can be overly-critical of the mistakes we make. Everyone makes mistakes – it’s part of life. But someone with feelings of low self-esteem can dwell on these mistakes. For example, you can have a good day at work and be quite productive. However, it takes one error, however minor, to change your perspective on the day. Instead of thinking about the positive things that happened that day you dwell on the mistake. This makes you less able to cope with everyday challenges and can influence your thoughts on the following day i.e. ‘I wonder what will go wrong today’

Low self-esteem can affect your entire life, your relationships with others and, ultimately, your health. Low self-esteem affects people in different ways. There are, however, common signs to look out for. If a person feels like they are inadequate or unworthy, their behaviour may reflect this.

Some of the types of behaviours and feelings someone with low self-esteem may experience are:

• feeling bored with life
• having no motivation
• feeling constantly anxious or fearful of making a mistake
• lack of assertiveness
• feeling overly sensitive to criticism
• thinking there’s nothing to look forward to
• thinking negatively about yourself
• feeling tired a lot of the time
• feeling like a failure
• wishing your life was better

If you are living with feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt your mental health may be at risk. Although low self-esteem is not recognised as a mental health problem, the two are closely related. This is because long-term negative thinking can lead to depression and anxiety. Self-doubt and feeling hopeless can also make it hard for you to try new things or complete everyday tasks. This can stop you from living life in a fulfilling and healthy way.

Hypnotherapy can help with issues of self-esteem and self-confidence.  Hypnosis is an altered and heightened state of awareness that is sometimes referred to as a trance state. Most of us slip in and out of trance states throughout the day in everyday life. Has anyone ever said to you ‘Hey – you’re away in a dream!’ in an attempt to get your attention? When you day-dream you are at your most relaxed and comfortable. This is often when the best ideas ‘pop’ into your mind – they certainly do in my case!

You may be aware there are two parts to the mind, the conscious and the subconscious. Many therapists use the term ‘unconscious’ instead of ‘subconscious’, and many describe the workings of the mind in great detail. My explanation is very simple:

The Conscious

You are aware and in the present with your conscious mind. It’s the part of your mind that reasons and makes decisions and choices. It acts as a filter to thoughts and suggestions, deciding whether to keep them in the forefront of your mind, or put them ‘on hold’, or to dismiss them altogether. When a thought or suggestion is put ‘on hold’, it goes straight to the subconscious where it is filed away.

The Subconscious 

The subconscious is a container for your thoughts. Amongst other things, it houses all the information your conscious gives it to store, like memories and things it can’t deal with immediately. If you are experiencing low self-esteem, this may be driven by your subconscious. As a fully qualified hypnotherapist, I will work with you to change your thought process and, therefore, increase your self-esteem.

If you feel you are someone who is lacking in self-esteem, help is available. Contact me today to arrange an appointment. The process begins with an initial consultation meeting. This will last about an hour and establish your needs and what you want to achieve. This consultation is free and you are under no obligation to proceed. After this, if you decide to proceed, sessions will probably be on a weekly basis.

If you want to make positive changes to your life, whether it be any of the issues above or anything else – please contact me to arrange your free consultation and we can discuss what hypnotherapy can do for you.

Mind Generating Success is based at 14-18 Hill Street, Edinburgh – between North Castle Street and Frederick Street, so handily placed if you’re in the city centre.

Phone or text me on 07521353787 (24 hours) to arrange a date and time for an initial free consultation or email me at:

mike.smith@mgs-hypnotherapy-services.co.uk

Home visits are available by arrangement.

We have but one life – so why not try and change your life for the better?

Article ref: www.HypnotherapyDirectory.org.uk