Found under the bark of a bamboo shoot, a tiny girl flourishes into a beautiful young princess under the watchful eye of a bamboo cutter and his wife. Both headstrong and eager to please, the girl finds herself trapped in between her own family’s respect and her own right to freedom from eager male suitors.

It’s a miracle that beneath the uncompromising vision of Miyazaki, another Ghibli director has delivered a distinguishable visual presence. In some ways, Isao Takahata becomes my most favoured animation master, considering he is behind the exceedingly brilliant The Grave of the Fireflies, which tore audiences in two when it premiered alongside Miyazaki’s more recognised My Neighbour Totoro back in 1988. It’s a troubling double bill; a vision of Studio Ghibli’s slightly risky way of making movies that shows these things aren’t just for kids.

But whilst the company has recently veered towards the more fantastical depiction (even Miyazaki’s supposed swan song The Wind Rises had elements of magic), there is a straight-laced feel to The Tale of the Princess Kaguya that makes it a weird and still totally wonderful Ghibli watch. It has a rare, focused linearity to it that reads like the pages of an old fashioned children’s novel. Kaguya is based on a Japanese folklore tale, and although reference drawings show Takahata hasn’t moved far from the classic depiction of the story, his watercolour and graphite vision is completely fresh and overwhelming; even from a studio that’s been in the business for so long.

There’s a haunting sequence in Princess Kaguya: with every indentation of the paper erratically scored with pencil, our protagonist races through her bedroom walls and out into the wilderness in a terrifying act of defiance almost a kin to a battle scene in Watership Down. It’s confrontational and yet somewhat entrancing; as her screwed up faces throws itself towards your own.

Lacking in exuberant visuals and modern animation techniques, Princess Kaguya is further proof that Studio Ghibli’s colour lies in its storytelling. Reminiscent of the great woodland works of Walt Disney (Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, at times, rings a bell) and even the comeliness of Totoro, it manages to feel intimate despite its sprawling run time.

Perhaps the only grating issue with The Tale of the Princess Kaguya is just that. At 140 minutes, it maybe feels a little too long for the story it has to tell. The stripped back nature of of its nature of its visuals require a little imagination and investment and before long it verges into slight tedium. Regardless, when things wrap up, there is absolutely no sense of dissatisfaction. The goods in Princess Kaguya more than outweigh the bad, rendering it yet another stunning square in the vast Ghibli tapestry.

★★★★☆

The Tale of the Princess Kaguya is out on DVD & Blu-Ray now

Tiny Tales: In the Garden. Storyteller Jane Mather leads a magical morning of songs and nature stories for wee ones, with a sprinkling of fairy dust and clay play. 10am or 11am (40 minute sessions), Storytelling Bothy (in the garden if weather fine), Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street. Tickets cost £5 (accompanying adult free) and are available from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 556 9579 or online here. Please remember to book a free adult ticket for yourself when you buy your child’s ticket.

Bookbug Baby and Buggy Jog Around! Get moving and singing – cake and coffee at the finish line! 11am-12 noon, Granton Library, Wardieburn Terrace. All welcome.

Lunchtime Concert: The Choir of Trinity Cathedral, Columbia, South Carolina. 12.15pm, St Giles’ Cathedral, High Street. Free.

The Retina Scottish International Photography Festival: Retina 2015 puts emerging and established international talent firmly in the frame, showcasing the best from the world of photography in a range of venues across Edinburgh throughout July. This exhibition at Out of the Blue will feature work by Luigi Giannetti, Douglas Corrance and Bartek Furdal. Opens today, then 10am-5pm Monday to Saturday, Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 36 Dalmeny Street. Ends 24th July 2015.

Growing Concerns: Edinburgh’s Community Gardening Network. As part of the Year of Food and Drink 2015, Rob Ford, Community Gardening Development Officer, Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust, talks about growing your own fruit and vegetables in the city. There will also be an opportunity to browse related books from the Library’s collections. 11am, National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge. Free but booking is required and may be made by calling 0131 623 3734 or online here.

Traditional Tales: a summer season of traditional tales from Scotland. Authentic entertainment and insight, bringing you the truths, the myths and the legends of Scottish folklore, past and present; this week’s storyteller is Senga Munro. For ages 12+. 3-4pm, Library, Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street. Tickets cost £6.50/£4.50 and are available from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 556 9579 or online here. Also at same time on Wednesday 15th and Thursday 16th July 2015, and Tuesday-Thursday each subsequent week in July. Next week’s storyteller will be Stuart McHardy.

Cello in the Church: Tim Cais (cello) and Chris Harding (piano) will play Mendelssohn Cello Sonata No 2,  Mendelssohn Variations Concertantes and JS Bach Gamba Sonata No 1. 1.15-2.15pm, St Andrew’s & St George’s West Church, 13 George Street. Free.

A Calendar of Memories: a relaxed session of stories, songs, laughter and reminiscence., hosted by the Life Stories Project, which specialises in sharing stories with older people to help rekindle imagination, trigger memories and increase communication. 2pm, Storytelling Court, Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street. Tickets cost £3 and are available from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 556 9579 or online here. The next session will be on 15th September 2015.

Wild at Art: Andy Goldsworthy invites you to get creative with nature. 2-3.30pm, Water of Leith Conservation Trust, 24 Lanark Road. £4 per child, accompanying adult free. Booking is essential and may be made by calling the Visitor Centre on 0131 455 7367 or emailing admin@waterofleith.org.uk.

Family Secrets and Debut Novels: bestselling food writer Sue Lawrence (Fields of Blue Flax) and leading Irish journalist Ann O’Loughlin (The Ballroom Cafe), in conversation with literary agent Jenny Brown. The writers explore secrets, betrayals and family sagas, and discuss how they approached writing their first works of fiction. 6pm, National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge. Free but booking is required and may be made by calling 0131 623 3734 or online here.

Leith Folk Club: Jimmy Livingstone – ‘a refreshingly down-to-earth, beautifully crafted and soulfully uplifting listen’ (Music Week). Support: Under the Dogwood Tree. 7.30pm, Victoria Park House Hotel, 221 Ferry Road. Tickets cost £7 and may be purchased online here or by texting the club’s reservation number: 07502 024 852.

Old Chain Pier Quiz Night: come along for some brainstorming! 9pm, Old Chain Pier, Trinity Crescent.

Council’s campaign to ‘Stay on your Feet’

Festival Wheel

Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2015

EdinburghReportage

Queen Margaret University films

A new campaign to encourage older people to keep fit and healthy by avoiding falls has been launched by the City of Edinburgh Council and NHS Lothian.

‘Take Small Steps to Stay on your Feet’ gives older people five easy tips to try and prevent falls and also information about what to do if they do suffer one.

Falls are a major problem for older people with more than 30% of over 65s falling every year, with many more than once.

Read more here.

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The biggest ever Festival Wheel is here and it will be open until Sunday 6^th September from 10am to 10pm daily.

Douglas Taylor, head of operations for Edinburgh Festival Wheel, said: “We are delighted to be operating the Edinburgh Festival Wheel this year. This year’s wheel is one of the largest self-supporting wheels around and is ultra-lightweight considering its size.

“There is always a fantastic atmosphere during the festival and we are sure that the Edinburgh Festival Wheel will add another dimension of fun.”

Edinburgh’s Festivals and Events Champion, Cllr Richard Lewis, said: “The Edinburgh Festival Wheel will offer spectacular views of the city this summer. I’m sure it will prove very popular with both visitors and residents and it is great news that a 20 per cent discount is available to all Edinburgh citizens.

“I am also delighted that monies raised from the Edinburgh Festival Wheel will support future improvements to Princes Street Gardens, allowing everyone to continue to enjoy this unique greenspace in the heart of the city centre.”

Visitors looking to experience the Edinburgh Festival Wheel can book tickets online at www.edinburghfestivalwheel.com or at the ticket booth situated at the ride itself.         Tickets are priced at £8 per person/ £6 for concessions with family tickets available.

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Are you bringing a show to the Fringe this year? Then help us out by taking advantage of a free listing. Use our Submit your Story tab here to put up your news. Then our readers will have much more information at their fingertips when they decide what to go and see at this year’s Fringe!

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Help us to create a storyboard full of statues and public art from Edinburgh. What is your favourite (we love the Paolozzis outside St Mary’s Cathedral…)

Click here to add your photos or videos or simply your thoughts on what is best.

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The Edinburgh Reporter was lucky enough to be invited to the Queen Margaret University Film & Media Degree Show last week. The films were all individually lovely, some with a poignant story and others with a degree of humour in them. We also had the privilege of watching Walid Salhab’s film Rise on the big screen, showing panoramic aerial views of the University and the surrounding countryside.

Click here to see the winners!

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In a dilapidated farmhouse not far from the sea, a set of sisters find themselves working on their father’s beekeeping farm; the oldest at the helm. Struck for money and with many mouths to feed, they enter ‘Countryside Wonders’ – a TV game show with a cash prize that will lead them on to better things.

There is beauty in the fact that The Wonders has a floaty sort of plot that, although bares little importance, isn’t even slightly disposable. Instead, it acts as a meandering path for Rohrwacher’s characters to follow; looking deeper into daily activity over the light at the end of the tunnel. And what characters they are. In her first lead role, 14 year old Gelsomina played by Maria Alexandra Lungu takes The Wonders by its reins and leads it quietly on through. She’s the matriarch of a dysfunctional family, of which there is no real male counterpart. However, this wildly talented supporting cast are never at her feet. Her many sisters are spattered throughout brimming with character; particularly young Marinella, who finds her place as the film’s slight, rare source of comic relief.

A spanner in the works comes with the arrival of Martin. A former troublemaker, his childhood has forced him into becoming a near mute. His shrewd face tells a story of his character’s past that renders words useless. One of the finest moments pairs our protagonist with Martin, where they perform a snake charming like ritual in which bees crawl from Gelsomina’s mouth as Martin whistles a stark melodic tune. Your senses suddenly prick up, and you can’t help but be totally beguiled by it all.

Shot on noisy, sun bleached 16mm, Rohrwacher’s work is so comely and intimate that it could have been shot by the girls themselves. Its finest moments come in silence, or are echoed by the sounds of children’s excited squeals. And her casting choices are sublime, a shroud of abnormally beautiful parents and children making almost every shot resemble a rediscovered photograph.

Quiet and memorable, The Wonders is a loving morsel of cinematic nectar.

★★★★★

The Wonders has its UK release on Friday July 17th

A new play for children at the National Library of Scotland is coming to the 2015 Fringe.

A new play for children based on the award winning book ‘A Boy and a Bear in a Boat’ by Dave Shelton will be entertaining family audiences at the National Library of Scotland this Summer.

Join our heroes all at sea with just a suitcase, a ukulele and a teapot to help them. Dark clouds are looming, the ocean is full of dangers, there’s only one sandwich left and it’s nearly teatime. When all seems lost, can their friendship survive? Where exactly are they heading? And will they ever get there?

This new version of the award winning book has been adapted by leading young person’s playwright Stewart Melton and is presented by Spark Arts for Children in association with Nottinghamshire County Council.

Featuring live music and movement, A Boy and a Bear in a Boat is a funny, thoughtful and thrilling adventure for everyone aged 5 – 9 years and their families and will be at National Library of Scotland 16 -22 August (except 18 August) at 11.30am, 15-22 August (except 18 August) at 3pm. Tickets cost £6 / £8. Book via Edinburgh Fringe Box Office online at http://www.edfringe.com, by phone at 0131 226 0000, or in person at Fringe Box Office, 180 High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1QS.

The show has been created specifically to be performed in libraries to attract new audiences and encourage children to widen their reading horizons. A Boy and a Bear in a Boat has been touring libraries across the East Midlands before heading to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and the prestigious National Library of Scotland.

Playwright Stewart Melton said “Dave’s book is a gift to adapt: rich, varied and ambitious, it effortlessly switches from comedy to epic action sequences. It’s been a challenge in the best sense to match the novel’s sense of scale and I have had a lot of fun working with the team finding ways of staging sea monsters, storms and ghost ships in your local libraries. As a Scot I’m thrilled that our tour concludes at the National Library of Scotland. It’s a wonderful privilege and makes the project even more special for me.”

For more information visit http://www.edfringe.com or http://www.thesparkarts.co.uk.

Illustrations © Dave Shelton 2012

Submitted by Keith Turner

It is a simple fact that more older people end up in hospital as a result of a fall than just about any other reason.

A new campaign to encourage them to keep fit and healthy by avoiding falls has now been launched by the council and NHS Lothian.

‘Take Small Steps to Stay on your Feet’ gives older people five easy tips to try and prevent falls and also information about what to do if they do suffer one.

Falls are a major problem for older people with more than 30% of over 65s falling every year, with many more than once.

They can cause physical injuries such as fractures and head injuries and also psychological harm along with longer term problems such as disability, loss of independence and social isolation.

In Scotland the cost of falls by older people living in the community has been estimated to exceed £471m every year.

The new campaign has five top tips for older people:

• Get checked out top to toe – have your eyes and hearing tested regularly, wear shoes and slippers that are comfortable and fit properly, and get your GP to regularly review your prescription medications
• Calcium keeps bones strong – eat a well balanced diet that contains calcium rich foods like dairy products, green leafy vegetables, bread and fish
• Get enough Vitamin D – to help keep your bones strong. Natural sunlight is a good way or take supplements from your GP or pharmacist
• Stay active – exercise such as walking, gardening and dancing can strengthen muscles, bones and improve balance
• Clear your way at home – make sure there’s nothing that might cause someone to trip or bump into them such as rugs, loose carpets and items lying on the floor

In addition, the campaign advises older people what to do if they have a fall. These include: move to a soft surface, keep warm, call for help and keep moving. There is also information about the best ways to get up after a fall.

Councillor Ricky Henderson, Health and Social Care Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “It’s important people realise that falling is not an inevitable part of getting older as many falls can be prevented. By making a few simple changes, older people can reduce the risk of falling both in and out of the home.

“The consequences of a fall can be devastating but by following these five easy tips we can make a real difference to older people’s lives.”

Lynne Douglas, Corporate Lead for Falls Prevention and Bone Health, NHS Lothian, said:  “Preventing falls is vital in helping older people to live well and safely in their communities. This is an excellent initiative which is a result of collaboration between NHS Lothian services and City of Edinburgh Council and we hope that, most importantly, it will make a difference to the lives of older people in Edinburgh.”

Leaflets and posters highlighting the campaign will be issued to surgeries, pharmacists, libraries, care homes and sheltered housing complexes in the coming weeks.

More information about ‘Take Small Steps to Stay on your Feet’ can be found at www.edinburgh.gov.uk/fiveeasysteps or www.nhsinform.co.uk/falls. Alternatively, phone NHS Inform on 0800 22 44 88 (textphone 18001 0800 22 44 88).

Orange Girl Productions Ltd presents
Nell Gwyn: An Epilogue
by Laura Ingram

June, 1669: Nineteen-year old Nell is celebrated for her comic acting, particularly when she gets to dress as a boy to show off her legs. However, Charles Hart, her manager and former lover, keeps casting her in tragic roles to embarrass her in front of her new amour, King Charles II. Nell fears that if she cannot be her sexy, lively self onstage, the King will fall out of love with her off it. So, aided by the audience in the Pit, she concocts a plan to win Hart round and consolidate her roles as comedienne and courtesan. This is no traditional monologue – it is stand-up comedy 17th Century style: bawdy and energetic, with an occasional social bite.

Orange Girl Productions is a new fringe theatre company based in Edinburgh, Scotland, whose principal aim is to present new writing (both original scripts and adaptations) on a professional but affordable scale – for both the company and its audiences. Written by Laura Ingram, who first encountered Nell’s story when she worked backstage at Drury Lane in the late 1990s, the company’s inaugural play stars 22-year old actress, Lucy Formby, who trained at the Actors’ Temple, and is directed by experienced Edinburgh director, Andy Corelli.

Following successful workshops in Edinburgh in 2014 (in collaboration with Black Dingo Productions and Tightlaced Theatre), and at the Pleasance Stagespace in London in January this year, Orange Girl Productions is now thrilled to be presenting “Nell” this August at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. This new production is being sponsored by Edinburgh film-making company, Strange Company Ltd, and generously supported by Arts and Business Scotland through their New Arts Sponsorship Award.

Nell Gwyn: An Epilogue will be at Sweet Grassmarket (Venue 18) from 6th – 30th August at 16:55 (50mins) with tickets priced at £9 / £8 Conc.
Recommended for ages 16 and over due to some bawdy language.

Tickets here  https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/nell-gwyn-an-epilogue

Show Twitter: @OrangeGirlProd

Submitted by Laura Ingram

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxDJkkMCDxA&w=640&h=390]

Film & Media students Graham Wallace, Linzi Wilson and Jordan Phillips celebrating award success at the QMU Film & Media degree show at the Edinburgh Filmhouse, 9^th July 2015.

Film & Media students Jordan Phillips, Linzi Wilson, Michelle Hazeloava and Graham Wallace celebrate award success with Professor Petra Wend (Principal of QMU) and Fiona Hyslop (Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs) at the QMU Film & Media degree show at the Edinburgh Filmhouse, 9^th July 2015.

QMU student, Graham Wallace, who won the Audience Award and the Bruce Thomson Production Dissertation Prize (Bruce Thomson Memorial Fund) for his film – ‘Float’ – at the QMU Film & Media Degree Show 2015, with Professor Petra Wend (Principal of QMU) & Fiona Hyslop (Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs).

QMU Film & Media student and degree show organiser, Michelle Hazeloava, celebrates the QMU Film & Media degree show 2015 at the Edinburgh Filmhouse with Graham Drysdale (Lecturer in screenwriting and digital filmmaking/media production at QMU), Dr Mark Gillham (Head of Division Media, Communication & Performing Arts at QMU) and Walid Salhab (Lecturer in Media Production at QMU).

Scotland U18 Women win European Championships Division C ‏

Report courtesy of Cammy McLay (Basketball Scotland)

Scotland’s U18 Women have secured this year’s European Championship Division C gold medal after an impressive win over host nation Gibraltar. The team finished the tournament unbeaten winning all 4 of their fixtures to lift the trophy in Gibraltar.

 Coach Romero’s side showed no signs of nerves as they stepped out on court knowing that a win would secure gold. The team found their feet early on in the match and never looked back as they went on to complete the tournament undefeated.

 The second half was again very much controlled by Scotland who were able to build on their lead as they entered the dressing room with a 44-19 lead.

Knowing that two more quarters of solid basketball were required to lift the trophy, Scotland came out of the half-time break looking extremely confident and continued to work hard.

 As the final buzzer sounded, Scotland were able to celebrate a 4th win but more importantly the fact that they were now the 2015 European Division C Champions.

 Final score Scotland 93 – 35 Gibraltar.

 Cara Black led scoring for Scotland with 16 points on her way to being named in the tournament All-Star 5. Lauren Forde was also named in the tournament’s All-Star five while Leah Stewart was crowned the tournament MVP.

At the Usher Hall on Friday the show was more than just the Three Degrees! Queen Margaret University held their 2015 graduation ceremony for all their students, but they also awarded some honorary degrees. They recognised a leading dementia campaigner and the founder of an art therapy charity for children with chronic illness during the ceremony.

Henry Simmons, Chief Executive of Alzheimer Scotland Action on Dementia, was awarded an honorary doctorate in recognition of his work in improving the lives of people living with dementia. Henry has been involved in developing a model which is transforming lives and altering the way we think about people with dementia and their carers. This approach has received much international recognition placing Scotland at the forefront of dementia practice.

The dementia campaigner was joined by Laura Young, Founder of The Teapot Trust charity. An honorary doctorate was bestowed upon Laura for her work in using art therapy to help children and young people cope with long-term medical conditions.

Both Henry Simmons and Laura Young joined 850 students and their families at an impressive ceremony in Edinburgh’s Usher Hall. The honorary graduates also met with entrepreneur and founder of Kwik Fit, Sir Tom Farmer.

Sir Tom was inaugurated as the founding Chancellor of Queen Margaret University when the institution was granted full university title in 2007. After eight years serving as University Chancellor, Sir Tom Farmer will be stepping down from his position. The July 2015 ceremony will be the last graduation he attends in his role as Chancellor, although Sir Tom told The Edinburgh Reporter that it will be a month or two until the University actually chooses its second Chancellor.

As a leading light in the field of dementia, Henry Simmons was presented with the Degree of Doctor of the University, Honoris Causa. With a flagship in health and rehabilitation, QMU was delighted to recognise his tireless work in campaigning for the rights of people with dementia and their families and in establishing a community-based and person centred approach to dementia. Earlier this year, Alzheimer Scotland and Queen Margaret University signed a strategic partnership aimed at improving its healthcare students’ understanding of dementia, ensuring they are more effective as professionals when they move into the workforce.

Born in Wishaw, Henry Simmons worked in nursing in London and Leeds before returning to Scotland to set up an innovative new mental health project with Lanarkshire Association for Mental Health. He worked at ENABLE Scotland for ten years as Development Manager and latterly Executive Director where he led the push for the learning disability hospital closure programme which saw hundreds of people moved out of the excluded world of long-stay institutions back into the heart of their communities.

Now Chief Executive of Alzheimer Scotland Action on Dementia, Henry introduced the rights of choice, power, control and inclusion as the driving values of the charity’s work. Over the last few years, he has developed a new model of post diagnostic support and a Charter of Rights.

Working closely with the Scottish Government, Henry has contributed to the development of the National Dementia Strategy, eventually convincing the Deputy First Minister at the time, Nicola Sturgeon, to make a world-first commitment and guarantee that every person with dementia will receive a minimum of one year’s post diagnostic support using this model.

Alzheimer Scotland has developed a network of Alzheimer Scotland Nurse Consultants and has encouraged the funding of a nurse consultant in every NHS Board.  For people in the mid and later stages of dementia a new transformational model known as the ‘Eight Pillar’ approach has been constructed.  The final piece of policy is the development of a model for advanced dementia which will be launched later this year.

Laura Young is the founder of The Teapot Trust, which she established with her husband John in 2010 following the death of their eight year old daughter Verity, who suffered from the autoimmune disease Lupus.

From the time Laura’s daughter was three, she was frequently in hospital for treatment for Lupus, and when she was diagnosed with cancer three years later, hospital visits increased. Laura was aware that Verity associated the visits with pain and anxiety, but when Verity began using art, she realised that it was a successful coping mechanism that helped make her daughter’s time in hospital more bearable and provided an outlet for expressing her feelings.

Over 1,000 children suffer from Lupus and related illnesses but very little funding is available to support services for these lifelong incapacitating conditions. Laura and Jon realised there was a gap in the hospital experience and following their daughter’s death in 2009, the couple established The Teapot Trust in 2010 to provide an art therapy service for children and young people who are coping with long-term medical conditions. Such conditions can cause anxiety, anger or upset, and art therapy can provide a means of expressing feelings allowing the child to feel more in control. The work of the Teapot Trust aims to encourage self-expression, reduce anxiety, build resilience and promote healthy coping mechanisms.

Over the last few years the organisation has developed significantly and now funds art therapy in clinics, hospital wards, mental health services and hospices for children with chronic illnesses in six centres across Scotland, with a total of 21 funded art therapy projects providing either individual or group art therapy for sick children. There are also plans to expand the work in Fife and in the Scottish Borders. In the last year alone The Trust, which is the only Scottish charity to provide art therapy in hospitals, has supported over 3,500 children and their families.

Both honorary graduates were acknowledged for the relevance of their work to society, reflecting the university’s own commitment to enhancing lives in the communities it serves.

Professor Alan Gilloran, Deputy Principal of Queen Margaret University, said: “Under Henry Simmons’ leadership, Alzheimer Scotland has completely transformed the journey for someone with dementia from the point of diagnosis to the end of life. This has brought dementia out of the shadows, shedding its cloak of stigma and allowing people with dementia to live as equal, valued citizens.”

He continued: “As QMU is the only provider of education and research in Art Therapy in Scotland, it is entirely appropriate that we recognise Laura Young and her work with The Teapot Trust. The impact of Laura’s work with the Teapot Trust goes far beyond her home county of East Lothian. Laura has established services in six centres across the UK including Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh, South Glasgow University Hospital and even the Rheumatology Ward at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London.

“Her passion for making a difference to people’s lives has been recognised by other organisations. She has won the Family Hero for Scotland in 2013, was Tesco Charitable Mum of the Year in 2014 and more recently Laura and John Young were the latest recipients of a Point of Light award, which recognises outstanding individual volunteers and people who make a change in their community and inspire others.”

The Principal of Queen Margaret University, Professor Petra Wend, paid tribute to Henry Simmons and Laura Young. She concluded: “We are delighted to honour both these highly influential individuals – Henry Simmons for his visionary work in ensuring Scotland is at the forefront of dementia practice, and Laura Young for her compassion and selflessness in improving the lives of children with enduring medical conditions. Both Henry’s and Laura’s achievements in their specialist areas reflect the relevance of the university’s work and its aim of serving communities and improving quality of life.”

There’ll be activities galore when Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) hosts a special day for families on the Isle of May national nature reserve on Friday 24 July.

In the crafts tent, children can make puffin masks and paint stones, inspired by the nature of the island. Also in the crafts tent will be the ever-popular face-painting, and in the atmospheric South Horn, a storyteller will entrance with tales of the island.

A treasure trail organised by Fife’s Knitted Nature will take families on a walk of discovery. In the visitor centre, a marine tank will be displaying some of the creatures found in the sea around the island and the telescopes and binoculars provided will offer an exciting birdwatching opportunity.

A competition running on the day will give someone the chance to win a paid VIP trip to the island next year.

David Steel, SNH’s Isle of May reserve manager, said, “We’ve got lots of fun activities lined up for families, all inspired by the wonderful nature on this fantastic island. As well as lots of arts and crafts, we’re having a competition to name a special visitor we’re expecting on the day, so you’ll need to get your thinking caps on for that one!”

There is no charge to attend the Family Day or to take part in the activities but you will need to book a place on one of the boats. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Advance booking is essential.

It’s free to visit the nature reserve, but you must take a boat trip to reach the island. Sailings are on the privately-run May Princess or Osprey of Anstruther from the Anstruther Harbour or through the Scottish Seabird Centre in North Berwick.

• Anstruther – for tickets and details, see www.isleofmayferry.com (May Princess) or www.isleofmayboattrips.co.uk (RIB Osprey).
• North Berwick – For tickets and details, book online on the Scottish Seabird Centre website at www.seabird.org or call 01620 890 202.

Known locally as ‘The May’, this small island sits on the edge of the Firth of Forth. The island’s importance for seabirds has drawn scientists to its shores for many years and the May is home to the oldest continuously running bird observatory in the UK. The May is also a regular haunt for grey seals, often seen lounging on the shoreline rocks. This island is a historical gem and it’s been a place of pilgrimage for centuries with an early island monastery. The May was also the site of Scotland’s very first lighthouse, built in 1636, while the current, castle-like lighthouse was designed by the engineer Robert Stevenson.

Photo courtesy of Celine Marchbank

Police have released CCTV footage of a man they wish to trace in connection with a public indecency investigation following an incident which took place  around 1.10pm on Thursday 28th May in George Street, opposite the Starbucks coffee shop.

Officers are keen to speak to the man pictured in relation to the ongoing enquiry and anyone who can assist in establishing his identity is asked to come forward.

He is described as white, in his forties, between 5ft 10ins and 6ft tall with a medium build, short brown hair, clean-shaven complexion and red face. He was wearing a light-coloured jacket, black jumper, green t-shirt, brown trousers, black Adidas Samba trainers, sunglasses on his head and was carrying a large black rucksack.

Detective Constable Sam Johnson said: “This incident happened in a busy city centre location and at least one member of the public witnessed it.

“We are keen to trace the male in the footage as part of our investigation and would ask anyone who recognises him to contact police immediately.”

Those with information can contact Police Scotland on 101 or alternatively, the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Edinburgh’s tenements are a vital part of a vibrant city. Isn’t it time we started looking after them?

by Andrew Milne

Edinburgh has one of the most famous built environments in the world, an iconic mix of dramatic, historic buildings, quirky streetscapes and – unusually for an international capital – affordable residential accommodation within the heart of the city.

But the solid stone tenements which have sheltered generations of working families, upwardly mobile middle class residents and students spending a few years at the city’s institutions of learning are facing an increasing threat to their very existence.

Every building in the world, from a humble cottage to a grand mansion, needs to be maintained to protect it from the ravages of time and, in the case of the Scotland, the dilapidating effect of the weather.

However, tenements in Edinburgh – the fabric of whose buildings and whose common stairs have been looked after in the past by the owners and occupiers – are falling into disrepair as a result of a chronic lack of maintenance. Over time a lack of maintenance can eventually lead to safety issues.

There are a number of reasons for this, including a lack of funds due to the economic climate over the last few years and the lack of participation by the occupiers within a building to “get things done”. Owner occupiers are often faced with flats being occupied by tenants who have little or no interest in the upkeep of the common areas and absentee landlords who are indifferent to maintenance as they see no increase in their return.

It is to be expected that such investors will wish to maximise the return on their investments and costly repairs will be a secondary consideration to making sure the flow of rent money continues uninterrupted.

With tenements, there is also the difficulty in obtaining the agreement from everyone in the building to having work done. Many Edinburgh tenements have eight properties – some have as many as 16, all with different owners and some who live elsewhere.

The system is that, if a majority in a building agreed about necessary works, the decision is binding on the others. But if any of the other residents declined to participate, the only solution was court action. Not a good way to get on with the neighbours. This can result in delays and considerable additional expense. The old way of the Local Authority in Edinburgh issuing Statutory Notices has, for the time being, been mothballed as a result of the well reported difficulties encountered with the Stair Partnership Initiative.

Under the initiative, if agreement was not reached among the residents, the council would take on responsibility for appointing contractors, carrying out the necessary work and billing the tenement dwellers accordingly.

With no system for forcing residents to participate in repairs for the general good of the building, maintenance is being left unattended and buildings are visibly deteriorating.

In some tenements, simply opening the common stair door will amply demonstrate that no maintenance, or even basic cleaning, is being carried out. Gone are the days of the brown card appearing on your door handle to remind the owner that it’s their turn to clean the stair and passage. Who knows what is happening to more serious defects such as roof leaks and dry rot?

There was a burst of repair and renovation activity in the eighties and early nineties when grants for tenement maintenance became available and suddenly scaffolding was being erected all over the capital.

But now very little in the way of preventative maintenance is being undertaken. At best, repairs are reactive – to, for instance, a sudden ingress of water caused by roofing failure, or plumbing leaks.

Home Reports have helped, by pointing out to people wishing to sell their property what needs to be done to get it into a saleable condition. And perhaps higher prices will encourage private landlords to look after their investment a bit more assiduously.

But, other than that, it is hard to see what can be done to arrest the remorseless entropy which is currently affecting the city’s tenement stock.

Glasgow, by contrast, has a much greater preponderance of factoring, whereby factors take responsibility for maintaining the integrity of the building on behalf of all owners. But even that system has been bedevilled by controversy over charges.

Legal experts have debated this issue, with no real consensus as to the way forward. Maybe this now has to become a priority if the tradition tenement is not to get to a point where the cost of repairs increases to the level of being uneconomical.

The tenements which give Edinburgh its character as a city, if not properly maintained might not be with us for much more of this century.

Andrew Milne is a partner in the Edinburgh branch of DM Hall Chartered Surveyors.

Porridge is our national breakfast dish. Learn the history and taste what we think is Scotland’s best porridge. Porridge has fed our people, our kings and our armies for centuries. We’ll talk you through its history, how it’s made and the evolution of what is now the dish that starts the day for all real Scots. Ticket price includes a tutored tasting of three different types of porridge and a hot drink. No need for breakfast with this show!
7th-31st August at Royal Mile Cafe, Cannonball House, Royal Mile, Edinburgh

Submitted by Jenny Rutherford

Mini Zoomers’ Messy Mondays: sensory, materials-focused play sessions for children aged 18 months +. Splash, scrape, sprinkle, slide, squish, scatter and scoop messy materials to make, create and explore. Bring a change of clothes! 12 noon-1pm, Yellow Room, Summerhall, 1 Summerhall. £4.50 per child (sibling £3.50). The next session will be on 27th July 2015.

Meet the Edible Gardening Team: take a look round the productive garden with the Edible Gardening Project volunteers – find out what needs doing in your own garden just now and have your vegetable growing questions answered. Have a go at sowing seeds and take them home to watch them grow. For all ages. 1-3pm, Demonstration Garden, Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, Inverleith Row. Free, no booking required. Also at same times on Tuesday 14th July 2015.

For Crying Out Loud: screenings for carers and their babies under 12 months old (maximum 2 adults per baby). Babychanging, bottle-warming and buggy parking facilities are available. Today’s film is Song of the Sea (PG) a ‘stunnningly beautiful animated feature ..the soulful and magical tale of a brother and sister on an adventure to save the spirit world’. 11am, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets cost £4.50/£3.50 per adult, and may be purchased in person or by calling the Box Office on 0131 228 2688.

Mini Zoomers:  a sensory play space for children aged 0-3 years. Promoting independence, imagination and creativity, Mini Zoomers offers a safe and welcoming space to explore materials, try out new things and make new friends. 9.30-11.30am, Yellow Room, Summerhall, 1 Summerhall. £3.50 per child (siblings and babies under 6 months £2.50). The next session will be on 17th July 2015.

Lunchtime Concert: Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament Choir, Christchurch, New Zealand.  12.15pm, St Giles’ Cathedral, High Street. Free.

Goodbye Carrie I Must Leave You: author Jill Duffield launches her new book, comprising the letters of her grandfather James Hill to his young wife, written 1899-1902. Professor Paul Nugent (University of Edinburgh) will speak about James’ service in the South African war. 7-8.30pm, St John’s Church Hall, Princes Street. Tickets cost £5 (includes wine and nibbles) and may be purchased on the door or via eventbrite here.

Grassmarket Community Project Cinema: Skeletons (15).  Critically acclaimed cult British black comedy in which two exorcists literally remove the skeletons from people’s cupboards. 7pm, Grassmarket Community Project, 86 Candlemaker Row. All welcome, free admission: donations very welcome! The Grassmarket Community Project is a charity providing mentoring, training and education to participants, many of whom are amongst the most vulnerable of Edinburgh’s citizens, in a nurturing environment. It operates a community cafe, woodwork and tartan social enterprises, and a range of social integration and educational activities for members, aimed at enhancing life skills and developing confidence. To read about The Edinburgh Reporter’s afternoon at the Project, click here.

Go Set a Watchman Celebration Evening: an after-hours screening of the classic 1962 adaptation of To Kill A Mockingbird. Delicious refreshments will be available throughout the evening, and when the film finishes at midnight you will be able to be one of the first people in the world to read Go Set A Watchman. 9pm, Waterstones West End, 128 Princes Street. Please contact the shop on 0131 226 2666 to find out more.

Picturehouses Culture Shock: the best in cult and genre films. Tonight: Little Shop of Horrors (Director’s Cut) (PG) – a comedy musical based on the stage version of the cult movie, in which the cannibalistic eating habits of a carniverous shrub become insatiable…  9pm, Cameo, Home Street. Tickets may be purchased in person, by calling the Box Office on 0871 902 5723 or online here: prices vary.

Sofi’s Cult Movie Mondays: free screenings of popular classics – with popcorn – in Sofi’s cosy back room. This week’s film is Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas (18) in which an oddball journalist and his psychopathic lawyer travel to Las Vegas for a series of psychedelic escapades; Johnny Depp stars. 8pm, Sofi’s Bar, Henderson Street.

Deliveroo

Fully Fashioned: The Pringle of Scotland Story

Evening Walking group

Fanfare

EdinburghReportage

Have you tried Deliveroo yet? The city centre is buzzing with the little scooters and motorbikes carrying restaurant food to hungry folk in Edinburgh. We tried it over the weekend and the service was both quick and friendly.

This new service aims  to change eating patterns in the capital with an offering that allows customers to have quality restaurant food delivered direct to their homes or offices.

Working with local independent restaurants and premium chains, hungry residents of Edinburgh and Glasgow can finally order their favourite dishes such as gourmet burgers from GBK, delicious ice-cream from iconic parlour S.Luca, quality burritos from The Squid and Whale and many more.  Delivering food to customers via a fleet of delivery mopeds and cars, customers simply need to select dishes, pay online at deliveroo.co.uk and have their order delivered fresh within an average time of 32 minutes from noon until 11pm.

26 local restaurants in Edinburgh are working with Deliveroo at present across their two Edinburgh North and Edinburgh South zones including:

• Laila’s Bistro – a popular Mediterranean bistro in the Old Town
• Hakataya – a Japanese restauraunt in the heart of the New Town
• S.Luca – an iconic icecream parlour that dates back to 1908

Caroline Hazlehurst, Regional Manager for Scotland & North East England said: “We’re really excited about bringing Deliveroo to Edinburgh and Glasgow.  The food scene in Scotland is enviable and the restaurant scene thriving, yet up until now food delivery services haven’t catered for those who want to enjoy premium restaurant food at home or at their desk.  We’re working with a superb and eclectic selection of Scottish restaurants so it’s time to treat food-lovers in Scotland to the flexibility and level of service that Deliveroo is known for.”

If you try it then do let us know what your experience is like!

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This exhibition of knitwear runs until 16 August 2015 in the Exhibition Gallery 2, Level 3 at the National Museum of Scotland Chambers Street.

Celebrate the 200th anniversary of Pringle of Scotland. This exhibition explores the central role the company has played in the production and design of knitwear, not only in Scotland but around the world. Using rare pieces of early knitwear, iconic fashion garments, archival records and film footage, the exhibition traces Pringle’s evolution from hosiery manufacturer to cutting-edge fashion brand.

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The Edinburgh International Festival has launched Fanfare, a free community event that will tap into one of the most enduring symbols of Scotland – the beloved brass band. The Edinburgh International Festival has called on the Scottish Brass Band Association to harness the enormous forces of Scotland’s brass bands by presenting a day of free outdoor performances along the city’s idyllic Water of Leith Walkway on Sunday 23 August.

Read more here

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EdinburghReportage is our user generated content website where we invite you to make your own contributions. This week we would love to see your photos of our important pieces of public art in Edinburgh.

There are loads from Paolozzi to all those statues whether on George Street, Princes Street and Constitution Street. We would like to collect them all together and hear what you think of our art works. Do they make a difference to you?

Click here to add yours!

Sign up here for a daily email from The Edinburgh Reporter !
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This Fringe you will be able to watch an Australian cabaret in Edinburgh. Nothing very different there – except that they will be talking about Hogwarts and plant genitals. Here is a taster……

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAGO4gDNxBE?feature=oembed&w=696&h=392]

Twitter: @MS_and_S
Instagram: @MS_and_S
Facebook.com/mackenziespencerandstrano

Tickets here.

Demand for parking spaces in one of Scotland’s financial hotspots is so great a company boss is selling his double garage for offers over £75,000.

The price – which would buy a three-bedroom house in many areas of the country – reflects daily parking charges in Edinburgh’s West End approaching £30 a day.

Combined with the general lack of parking spaces and the city’s notoriously “efficient” parking wardens, Ewan Foreman should have little difficulty finding a buyer.

Read more here

Police Scotland’s Chief Constable Sir Stephen House has welcomed the Cabinet Secretary for Justice’s announcement of a review by HMICS into Police Scotland’s call handling procedures.

Earlier today he said: ‘I welcome the Cabinet Secretary’s direction to HMICS to review our call handling procedures.

‘In light of recent tragic events, Police Scotland need to be able to reassure the Scottish public that we have both the capacity and the capability to deal with their calls to us, both in an emergency on 999 and in our 101 service.

‘It was with this intent I wrote to the Cabinet Secretary to ask that HMICS review our call handling procedures across the country, and offer recommendations if required.’

Police are eager to trace a man in connection with a robbery which took place in West Pilton Drive in Edinburgh at around 2300 hours on Saturday.  At that time a female was making her way home on West Pilton Drive in Edinburgh when she was approached and threatened by a man, who stole her mobile phone from her before running off towards West Pilton Lea.

The attacker is described as being about 28/30 years of age, 6′ tall, medium build with broad shoulders and a small waist, he was wearing denim jeans, trainers and a dark blue hooded top with the hood up.  He had short brown/black hair and blue eyes..

Detective Constable Mike Campbell of Police Scotland, Gayfield CID said “This was a cowardly attack on a lone female as she made her way home.  The attacker is much larger the victim and we are keen to hear from anyone who may have been in the area at the time to get in touch through 101 if they can assist with this enquiry.  The attacker may have been in the area for a while attempting to single out a potential victim.”

This is the first year that Festival Director Fergus Linehan has been in charge and he is definitely making a mark already. This year the brass bands which have been so popular all over Scotland will have their place.

The Edinburgh International Festival launches Fanfare, a free community event that will tap into one of the most enduring symbols of Scotland – the beloved brass band. The Edinburgh International Festival has called on the Scottish Brass Band Association to harness the enormous forces of Scotland’s brass bands by presenting a day of free outdoor performances along the city’s idyllic Water of Leith Walkway on Sunday 23 August.

Bringing the fanfare of Edinburgh International Festival out to the people of the city, this is an opportunity for everyone to enjoy brass bands at their best, playing favourites from Mahler, Elgar and Burns as well as some more unusual brassy renditions of popular music by Kraftwerk, Joy Division and Disney’s Frozen movie song Let It Go.

The bands will perform three different repertoires at 12pm, 3pm and 5pm, in 12 different locations along the Water of Leith Walkway. The bands will play the same repertoire at the same time so that audiences along the Walkway will share the joy and passion of the live brass band in a coordinated community experience.

The first brass bands, many of which still exist today, were formed in Scotland in the early 1800s and are among the earliest forms of music ensemble in the country. Hundreds of bands formed in both urban and rural areas as working people seized the opportunity to share their creativity and talent. To this day, the brass band remains an art form that is from, of, and for local communities.

Fanfare aims to capture this spirit of community by inviting everyone in the city to experience the heart-swelling flourish of brass band music. Fanfare is one of the Festival’s Creative Learning projects.  The Creative Learning team work year round with schools and the community in Edinburgh to deliver a range of innovative creative learning experiences.

Fanfare is inspired by the performances of one of the Festival’s main music theatre pieces, En avant, marche!, at the King’s Theatre on 24 and 25 August, which will feature a local Scottish brass band alongside Belgian contemporary dance collective les ballets C de la B.

Festival Director, Fergus Linehan says: “The Festival has been entertaining Edinburgh audiences since 1947, taking over the city centre’s grand established theatre venues and concert halls.  Fanfare is an opportunity for us to further explore this beautiful city, using its natural landscapes and share the Festival experience with a wider audience”.

As part of its “new era”, which has seen it identify the “rising stars” of the future and appoint eleven new partners to lead the firm forwards, Hardies Property & Construction Consultants has unveiled that it has introduced a working knowledge of BIM (Building Information Modelling).

“BIM, where we can understand a building through a digital model, is set to revolutionise our industry,” said Hardies Managing Partner Derek Ferrier. “We are now ready to embrace this new technology and it has come at the perfect time for us as we have undertaken a rigorous internal selection process to identify the staff members who are best equipped to deal with this new technology and have the right skills and enthusiasm for the task.”

Mr Ferrier revealed that with several long serving partners now retired, Hardies have appointed some new younger partners with an equity stake in the firm which is Scotland’s largest multi discipline surveying firm with fourteen offices across Scotland.

“The construction industry is indeed undergoing a digital revolution at the moment,” said Derek. “It is good news as we have finally come out of a long and gruelling recession and I think that everyone is ready to take on a fresh challenge and exploit this as best they can for the upturn which has already started.  BIM is a way of working, it is information modelling and information management in a team environment. All our team members should be working to the same standards as one another – this is essential,” said Derek Ferrier.

“BIM creates value for the combined efforts of people, process and technology, “said Derek Ferrier. “It is very exciting but a challenge for us all in this industry.”

Mr Ferrier said that Hardies had already begun specialist training and had appointed a BIM Tsar for the firm, Quantity Surveyor Simon Beveridge in the Edinburgh office.

“Simon and a few other staff have completed BIM training, when they undertook an intensive course,” said Derek. “Since then they have completed other training courses and our Quantity Surveying team is now level 2 ready before the government requirement of 2016. We also have several live projects within Hardies that have a BIM requirement – it’s a great achievement.”

“Simon was the best man for the job as he had experience of BIM training in the States where he worked for a couple of years,” added Derek. “He returned to us at Hardies two years ago and we are delighted to have him. He has been instrumental in driving this initiative forward.”

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

Further details www.hardies.co.uk.

We may think of August as festival month here in Edinburgh, but the Jazz & Blues Festival starts this week, with performances all over the city, and the Retina Scottish International Photography Festival also offers some outstanding exhibitions. If the weather’s fine (or even if it isn’t) there are lots of outdoors possibilities too, from visits to tiny town gardens to walks up great big Pentland hills (sadly I’ll be filing my nails that day…) – plus books, films, art, music, storytelling, crafts, theatre, comedy – and Redhall Walled Garden’s immensely popular annual Razzmatazz. Have a great week, and please don’t forget to check details before you set out for any event.

MONDAY 13TH JULY 2015

Mini Zoomers’ Messy Mondays: sensory, materials-focused play sessions for children aged 18 months +. Splash, scrape, sprinkle, slide, squish, scatter and scoop messy materials to make, create and explore. Bring a change of clothes! 12 noon-1pm, Yellow Room, Summerhall, 1 Summerhall. £4.50 per child (sibling £3.50). The next session will be on 27th July 2015.

Meet the Edible Gardening Team: take a look round the productive garden with the Edible Gardening Project volunteers – find out what needs doing in your own garden just now and have your vegetable growing questions answered. Have a go at sowing seeds and take them home to watch them grow. For all ages. 1-3pm, Demonstration Garden, Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, Inverleith Row. Free, no booking required. Also at same times on Tuesday 14th July 2015.

For Crying Out Loud: screenings for carers and their babies under 12 months old (maximum 2 adults per baby). Babychanging, bottle-warming and buggy parking facilities are available. Today’s film is Song of the Sea (PG) a ‘stunnningly beautiful animated feature ..the soulful and magical tale of a brother and sister on an adventure to save the spirit world’. 11am, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets cost £4.50/£3.50 per adult, and may be purchased in person or by calling the Box Office on 0131 228 2688.

Mini Zoomers:  a sensory play space for children aged 0-3 years. Promoting independence, imagination and creativity, Mini Zoomers offers a safe and welcoming space to explore materials, try out new things and make new friends. 9.30-11.30am, Yellow Room, Summerhall, 1 Summerhall. £3.50 per child (siblings and babies under 6 months £2.50). The next session will be on 17th July 2015.

Lunchtime Concert: Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament Choir, Christchurch, New Zealand.  12.15pm, St Giles’ Cathedral, High Street. Free.

Goodbye Carrie I Must Leave You: author Jill Duffield launches her new book, comprising the letters of her grandfather James Hill to his young wife, written 1899-1902. Professor Paul Nugent (University of Edinburgh) will speak about James’ service in the South African war. 7-8.30pm, St John’s Church Hall, Princes Street. Tickets cost £5 (includes wine and nibbles) and may be purchased on the door or via eventbrite here.

Grassmarket Community Project Cinema: Skeletons (15).  Critically acclaimed cult British black comedy in which two exorcists literally remove the skeletons from people’s cupboards. 7pm, Grassmarket Community Project, 86 Candlemaker Row. All welcome, free admission: donations very welcome! The Grassmarket Community Project is a charity providing mentoring, training and education to participants, many of whom are amongst the most vulnerable of Edinburgh’s citizens, in a nurturing environment. It operates a community cafe, woodwork and tartan social enterprises, and a range of social integration and educational activities for members, aimed at enhancing life skills and developing confidence. To read about The Edinburgh Reporter’s afternoon at the Project, click here.

Go Set a Watchman Celebration Evening: an after-hours screening of the classic 1962 adaptation of To Kill A Mockingbird. Delicious refreshments will be available throughout the evening, and when the film finishes at midnight you will be able to be one of the first people in the world to read Go Set A Watchman. 9pm, Waterstones West End, 128 Princes Street. Please contact the shop on 0131 226 2666 to find out more.

Picturehouses Culture Shock: the best in cult and genre films. Tonight: Little Shop of Horrors (Director’s Cut) (PG) – a comedy musical based on the stage version of the cult movie, in which the cannibalistic eating habits of a carniverous shrub become insatiable…  9pm, Cameo, Home Street. Tickets may be purchased in person, by calling the Box Office on 0871 902 5723 or online here: prices vary.

Sofi’s Cult Movie Mondays: free screenings of popular classics – with popcorn – in Sofi’s cosy back room. This week’s film is Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas (18) in which an oddball journalist and his psychopathic lawyer travel to Las Vegas for a series of psychedelic escapades; Johnny Depp stars. 8pm, Sofi’s Bar, Henderson Street.

TUESDAY 14TH JULY 2015

Tiny Tales: In the Garden. Storyteller Jane Mather leads a magical morning of songs and nature stories for wee ones, with a sprinkling of fairy dust and clay play. 10am or 11am (40 minute sessions), Storytelling Bothy (in the garden if weather fine), Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street. Tickets cost £5 (accompanying adult free) and are available from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 556 9579 or online here. Please remember to book a free adult ticket for yourself when you buy your child’s ticket.

Bookbug Baby and Buggy Jog Around! Get moving and singing – cake and coffee at the finish line! 11am-12 noon, Granton Library, Wardieburn Terrace. All welcome.

Lunchtime Concert: The Choir of Trinity Cathedral, Columbia, South Carolina. 12.15pm, St Giles’ Cathedral, High Street. Free.

The Retina Scottish International Photography Festival: Retina 2015 puts emerging and established international talent firmly in the frame, showcasing the best from the world of photography in a range of venues across Edinburgh throughout July. This exhibition at Out of the Blue will feature work by Luigi Giannetti, Douglas Corrance and Bartek Furdal. Opens today, then 10am-5pm Monday to Saturday, Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 36 Dalmeny Street. Ends 24th July 2015.

Growing Concerns: Edinburgh’s Community Gardening Network. As part of the Year of Food and Drink 2015, Rob Ford, Community Gardening Development Officer, Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust, talks about growing your own fruit and vegetables in the city. There will also be an opportunity to browse related books from the Library’s collections. 11am, National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge. Free but booking is required and may be made by calling 0131 623 3734 or online here.

Traditional Tales: a summer season of traditional tales from Scotland. Authentic entertainment and insight, bringing you the truths, the myths and the legends of Scottish folklore, past and present; this week’s storyteller is Senga Munro. For ages 12+. 3-4pm, Library, Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street. Tickets cost £6.50/£4.50 and are available from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 556 9579 or online here. Also at same time on Wednesday 15th and Thursday 16th July 2015, and Tuesday-Thursday each subsequent week in July. Next week’s storyteller will be Stuart McHardy.

Cello in the Church: Tim Cais (cello) and Chris Harding (piano) will play Mendelssohn Cello Sonata No 2,  Mendelssohn Variations Concertantes and JS Bach Gamba Sonata No 1. 1.15-2.15pm, St Andrew’s & St George’s West Church, 13 George Street. Free.

A Calendar of Memories: a relaxed session of stories, songs, laughter and reminiscence., hosted by the Life Stories Project, which specialises in sharing stories with older people to help rekindle imagination, trigger memories and increase communication. 2pm, Storytelling Court, Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street. Tickets cost £3 and are available from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 556 9579 or online here. The next session will be on 15th September 2015.

Wild at Art: Andy Goldsworthy invites you to get creative with nature. 2-3.30pm, Water of Leith Conservation Trust, 24 Lanark Road. £4 per child, accompanying adult free. Booking is essential and may be made by calling the Visitor Centre on 0131 455 7367 or emailing admin@waterofleith.org.uk.

Family Secrets and Debut Novels: bestselling food writer Sue Lawrence (Fields of Blue Flax) and leading Irish journalist Ann O’Loughlin (The Ballroom Cafe), in conversation with literary agent Jenny Brown. The writers explore secrets, betrayals and family sagas, and discuss how they approached writing their first works of fiction. 6pm, National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge. Free but booking is required and may be made by calling 0131 623 3734 or online here.

Leith Folk Club: Jimmy Livingstone – ‘a refreshingly down-to-earth, beautifully crafted and soulfully uplifting listen’ (Music Week). Support: Under the Dogwood Tree. 7.30pm, Victoria Park House Hotel, 221 Ferry Road. Tickets cost £7 and may be purchased online here or by texting the club’s reservation number: 07502 024 852.

Old Chain Pier Quiz Night: come along for some brainstorming! 9pm, Old Chain Pier, Trinity Crescent.

WEDNESDAY 15TH JULY 2015

Chatterbooks: if you are 8-12 years old and like books and reading, come along to Chatterbooks and meet new friends, talk about books and join in games and competitions. 3.45-4.45pm, Fountainbridge Library, 137 Dundee Street. All welcome! For more information please ask at the counter, call 0131 529 5617 or email Mohammed.boussabou@edinburgh.gov.uk

Summer Fun in the Courtyard: free family activities for children of all ages. Today Mrs Mash the Storytelling Cook returns to enthrall all – everyone welcome! 11.30am-1pm, Courtyard, St Andrew’s & St George’s West Church, 13 George Street.

Visually Impaired Tour and Workshop: The Amazing World of MC Escher. A free descriptive tour and practical workshop for the visually impaired. 10am-3.30pm, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art TWO, Belford Road – meet and collect at the gallery’s back door. To book a place please call the Information Desk on 0131 624 6560.

Origami Wonders! Make a regular sized origami creation, then try a larger one. For children aged 5-12 years: children under 8 must be supervised by someone over 12. 2-3pm, Drumbrae Library Hub, 81 Drumbrae Drive. All welcome!

Marvellous Messy Monoprints. The grounds at Lauriston Castle are teeming with wildlife – Michael Craik invites you to take this as your inspiration and get messy with a variety of monoprinting techniques, materials and stamps to create a colourful woodland masterpiece. 10.30am-12.30pm, Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South. £4 per person: advance booking is essential and must be made via the Usher Hall Box Office, Lothian Road, in person, by calling 0131 228 1155 or online here. Please note that these workshops are for families working together: all children must be accompanied by at least one paying adult, and children must not be booked into workshops alone.

Lunchtime Concert: The Choir of Trinity Cathedral, Columbia, South Carolina. 12.15pm, St Giles’ Cathedral, High Street. Free.

Stamp It: a fun, interactive workshop for children aged 7-12 years, using stamps in games, arts and crafts. Learn about animals through stamps, with Sandie Robb from the Association of British Philatelic Societies. Sandie also works for the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland. 2-3.30pm, Central Children’s Library, George IV Bridge. Free but booking is required via eventbrite here. Please note this workshop is not suitable for children under 7 years.

Treasures from Europe: The Art Collection of James, 1st Duke of Hamilton. During the 1620s and 1630s James Hamilton acquired a collection of paintings which was to rival that of Charles I, and which formed the basis of the renowned Hamilton Collection, including works by Titian, Bellini, Giorgioni, Rafael, Rubens, Mytens and Van Dyck. The collection was sold in 1919 and is now dispersed around the world. Kate Anderson, Curator, Portrait Gallery, will highlight some of these key works, examining the collecting tastes of this important Scottish nobleman and the impact his collection had in Stuart Britain. 12.45-1.30pm, Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free and unticketed.

Water Bottle Spirals: make a colourful decoration for inside or out. For ages 5-12 years. 3.30-4.30pm, Granton Library, Wardieburn Terrace. All welcome.

Getting Started at the National Library of Scotland: learn how to get a library card (please bring evidence of identity with you if you plan to register), find your way around the library and request materials from the collections. The workshop will include a tour of the Reading Rooms and will last about 90 minutes. 6pm, National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge. Free but booking is required and may be made by calling 0131 623 3734 or online here.

Moto Madness: design your own record-breaking vehicle. For ages 5-12 years. 4-5pm, Muirhouse Library, Pennywell Court. All welcome.

Record Breakers Physical Fun & Games: challenge yourself and become a record breaker! How long can you hop on the spot? 2-3pm, Kirkliston Library, 16 Station Road. All welcome!

LGBT: Bi & Beyond Edinburgh. A fortnightly social gathering for people who identify as bisexual and non-monosexual. With organised social activities and refreshments provided, whatever your label or lack of label, we welcome you. 7-9pm, LGBT Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street. For more information please contact biandbeyondedinburgh@gmail.com.

VSO Comedy Night: enjoy a good night of comedy and help to raise funds for this life-changing charity. 8.30pm (doors open 7.30pm), The Stand Comedy Club, 5 York Place. Tickets cost £8/£6 and may be reserved by calling The Stand on 0131 558 7272 or by contacting Cathy Crawford on 0131 620 0552/crawfordcathy@hotmail.com. VSO is an international development charity, creating long term solutions to global poverty by sending volunteers from a range of professions to share their skills with some of the world’s poorest communities.

Girls’ Night In: for ages 12-14 years. 5-7pm, Granton Library, Wardieburn Terrace. All welcome.

Grassmarket Community Project Presents Bill McGillivray. Bill was a missioner with Edinburgh City Mission, Pilton for many years, and is a member of the Magic Circle. He has performed all over the world, entertaining people with his blend of fact, humour and magic. 4.15pm, Grassmarket Community Project, 86 Candlemaker Row. All welcome, free admission: donations very welcome! The Grassmarket Community Project is a charity providing mentoring, training and education to participants, many of whom are amongst the most vulnerable of Edinburgh’s citizens, in a nurturing environment. It operates a community cafe, woodwork and tartan social enterprises, and a range of social integration and educational activities for members, aimed at enhancing life skills and developing confidence. To read about The Edinburgh Reporter’s afternoon at the Project, click here.

Jammin’ At Voodoo: monthly live jam session with some of Scotland’s leading musicians playing lounge grooves from many genres – blues, soul, funk, ska, rock and reggae, jazz and country. Musicians play by invitation only to set a good standard. For over 18s only. 9pm, The Ballroom, The Voodoo Rooms, West Register Street. Free admission.

The Long Lost Trio: guitar-led Jazz and Blues, infused with some Funk, Americana and Soul, from Thomas Dibb (guitar), John Pope (bass) and David Carnegie (drums). Influences include John Scofield, Bill Frisell, The Meters, The Band, Medeski Martin & wood, and Herbie Hancock. 9pm (entry from 8pm), The Jazz Bar, Chambers Street. £5/£4 on the door: please note this venue is cash only.

Heb Celt 20: It may only be Wednesday, but your first chance to get away from it all starts today! Set in the grounds of Stornaway’s Lews Castle and at various other venues throughout Harris and Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, Heb Celt offers music from Celtic cultures with contemporary, traditional, indie-folk, rock and world influences. Numerous acts include Salsa Celtica, Raghu Dixit, Idewild, Shooglenifty and Afro Celt Sound System – plus community events, Circus Heroes in the Magpie Big Top, Japanese street theatre with Daiki-san and CHEEKY-san, magic, cookery demonstrations, Blasad dhen Fheis (Taste the Festival), children’s activities, family concerts, Gaelic language tasters, Latin dance workshops, ceilidhs, Highland & Celtic dancing, community concerts, late night sessions – and the Shinty Challenge Cup. Starts today and ends on the evening of Saturday 18th July. Calmac ferries sail daily from Ullapool to Lewis. For more information, including accommodation and travel options, see Heb Celt’s website here.

Boda Bar Quiz: for teams of 4 people. 8pm, Boda, 229 Leith Walk.

THURSDAY 16TH JULY 2015

River Dipping. Get into the river for this favourite activity! 2-3.30pm, Water of Leith Conservation Trust, 24 Lanark Road. £4 per child, accompanying adult free. Booking is essential and may be made by calling the Visitor Centre on 0131 455 7367 or emailing admin@waterofleith.org.uk.

LGBT Age: Salads & Smoothies. A nutritious and vitalising light lunch in good company; recipes and fresh fruit and veg will be provided to enjoy in the garden sunshine. 11am-1pm, LGBT Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street. Free but booking is preferred; please contact lynda@lgbthealth.org.uk. LGBT Age is a project run by LGBT Health & Wellbeing for LGBT people aged 50+; it aims to promote health and wellbeing and create social opportunities through its befriending service, social programme and information sessions. If you would like to sign up to the monthly LGBT Age e-bulletin, click here.

From Carlins to Carving: walk the full length of the Pentland Hills Regional Park and learn about the two witches (carlines) of Carlops, the dry slopes of Hillend – and a few things in between! Magnificent views! This is a strenuous walk of 12 miles with an ascent of 1,100m. For over 16s only: free. 9.45am-5pm, meet at Carlops Village Car Park.  Bring sturdy footwear, waterproofs and lunch. This event is part of the Pentland Walking Festival (16th-18th July 2015); other walks include Teddy Bear Adventures, Northern History and The Ridge – for further information about all walks please contact the Pentland Hills Regional Park Service HQ at Hermitage of Braid 69a Braid Road; call 0131 529 2401 or email pentlandhills@edinburgh.gov.uk.

Art Buffet. Bragela Hornel invites you to explore and be amazed by the gallery’s table of delights! Focusing specifically on abstract paintings, create unique and inspiring works of art. 2-4pm, City Art Centre, 2 Market Street. £4 per person: advance booking is essential and must be made via the Usher Hall Box Office, Lothian Road, in person, by calling 0131 228 1155 or online here. Please note that these workshops are for families working together: all children must be accompanied by at least one paying adult, and children must not be booked into workshops alone.

Northfield and Willowbrae Community Council. The meeting will include a discussion with Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust, which is consulting on the design for the new Hamilton Park which, with the new St John’s Primary School, will be one of the largest projects in the area for some time. Come along to this first consultation and get some ideas! 7pm, Northfield/Willowbrae Community Centre, Northfield Road. All welcome.

Public Information: cool/hot, funky/electric modern jazz from the Edinburgh-based quartet of Don Kelman (sax/flute), Iain Carleton (guitar), Ron Ballin (electric bass) and Desmond Travis (drums). Originals and re-arranged standards, plus some lesser-heard material by Ornette Coleman, Miles Davis et al. 9pm (entry from 8pm), The Jazz Bar, Chambers Street. £5/£4 on the door: please note this venue is cash only.

An Evening with Judy Blume: the iconic YA and adult author makes a rare visit from the US to talk about her new novel for adults In the Unlikely Event. Judy will be in conversation with Edinburgh YA author Cat Clarke. 6.30pm, Assembly Roxy, 2 Roxburgh Place. Tickets cost £7 (£5 for Waterstones’ Cardholders) and may be obtained online here (transaction fee applies).

Hot Tin Roof: the Edinburgh-based guitar trio – Andy McKay Challen (acoustic guitar/vocals), Gavin Jack (electric lead guitar) and Kenny Miller (Cajon) – play stripped back, atmospheric blues and soul. 9pm, Old Chain Pier, Trinity Crescent.

FRIDAY 17TH JULY 2015

Flickering Seasons: a monologue about real life, recovery and hope, written and performed by Frances McCann, directed by Adam Tomkins. The performance will last about 30 minutes and will be followed by a talk. 6.45pm, St John’s Church Hall, Princes Street. Tickets cost £7/£5 (unwaged) and will be available on the door. Supported by the Scottish Recovery Consortium.

Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival starts today! Over 150 concerts in venues all over the city, plus jam sessions, a jazz summer school, Mardi Gras in the Grassmarket and the Festival Carnival in Princes Street. Tickets may be purchased online here, by calling 0131 473 2000 or from Hub Tickets, the Festival Theatre and The Queen’s Hall.

Biggest Bubble Blowing Bonanza: will there be a record breaker? Come along and find out! For ages 5-12 years. 2.30-3.30pm, Granton Library, Wardieburn Terrace. All welcome.

In Focus: Quentin Massy’s Portrait of a Man c 1510-1520. Art historian Ola Wojtkiewicz considers one of the Scottish National Gallery highlights, which shows Massy’s meticulous style in one of his best ‘head and shoulders’ portraits set against a landscape background. The painting’s enigmatic symbolism and its fascinating conservation history will be the main focus of this informative and entertaining lecture. 12.45-1.30pm, Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free and unticketed.

Summer Yoga: 10.30am-12 noon today and every Friday until 14th August, Eric Liddell Centre, 15 Morningside Road. £6/£5 (mats provided). For more information please contact fiona@ericliddell.org or call 0131 446 3321.

Beyond Google: an Introduction to Credo Reference and Oxford Reference Online. Learn how to access hundreds of quality reference books online – a basic introduction to the key features of two major resources. 11am, National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge. Free but booking is required and may be made by calling 0131 623 3734 or online here. For more information please email enquiries@nls.uk.

Anita Wardell and her Trio: the world-renowned singer with one of the most attractive voice in jazz, sings ballads, scat and swingers. For over 14s only. 6-7.30pm, The Jazz Bar, Chambers Street. This event forms part of Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival: tickets cost £10 (transaction fee applies) and may be purchased from Hub Tickets, Castle Hill in person, by calling 0131 473 2000 or online here. Tickets are also available from the Festival Theatre and The Queen’s Hall Box Offices.

ButeFest 2015: if you’re still looking for an excuse to escape this weekend, another island is ready to welcome you to its shores. Bute is, however, a tad closer to home than the Outer Hebrides; you can take the train or bus there from Glasgow (short ferry trip included), and they’re even laying on a shuttle bus to get you to the campsite. Line-up includes Peatbog Faeries, Treacherous Orchestra, Skerryvore, Stanley Odd, We Banjo 3 and lots more, plus children’s entertainment – Professor Pumpernickel, storytelling, a wandering troubadour and activities throughout the site – locally produced foods, including Henshelwoods and Food From Argyll, breadmaking, coffee tasting, herb growing, preserve making and spice tasting workshops, craft beers and ciders. Starts today, The Meadows, Rothesay, Isle of Bute; ends Sunday 19th July. For more information, including accommodation (free camping is included in the ticket price, but you can also hire a luxury pre-erected bell tent, furnished or unfurnished!) and transport options, see the ButeFest website here.

Get Into Art: if you’re looking to explore a variety of new art techniques, start here with a simple introduction to artworks from the city’s varied and colourful collection with artist Erik Petrie.  2.30-4pm, City Art Centre, 2 Market Street. £4 per person: advance booking is essential and must be made via the Usher Hall Box Office, Lothian Road, in person, by calling 0131 228 1155 or online here. Please note that these workshops are for families working together: all children must be accompanied by at least one paying adult, and children must not be booked into workshops alone.

SATURDAY 18TH JULY 2015

Funny Faces: Lauren Wayland invites you to look at some of the amazing portraits in the city’s collection, then create your own weird and wonderful portrait collage, using bits of magazine pages and colourful paper. 2-4pm, City Art Centre, 2 Market Street. £4 per person: advance booking is essential and must be made via the Usher Hall Box Office, Lothian Road, in person, by calling 0131 228 1155 or online here. Please note that these workshops are for families working together: all children must be accompanied by at least one paying adult, and children must not be booked into workshops alone.

Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival: Mardi Gras. visiting and local musicians create non-stop entertainment and a party atmosphere. This year’s line-up includes Shreveport Rhythm, Brass Gumbo, Lights Out By Nine, James Brown Is Annie and Oriental Jazz band, plus a Singers’ Stage featuring Edith Budge, Sue McHugh and Marty Waugh. From 1pm, Grassmarket. Free.

The Extreme Stunt Show: Air Battle Sensational monster truck action featuring Extreme FMX, BMX, mountain bikes, quads and a whole lot more. 6pm today and 3pm Sunday, Ocean Terminal, Ocean Drive, Leith. Tickets cost £12/£6 (£14/£7 on the door) and may be purchased in advance here. ‘Extreme is a state of mind’.

Printmaking Demonstration: Photo-Plate Lithography and Photo Etching. Photo-plate lithography concentrates on using light sensitive aluminium photo plates; these plates can produce detailed marks such as painterly washes, linear drawings, photocopied images, photographs, digital images and text. The image can be printed in several coloured layers onto paper; each layer of colour is printed individually, taking care to register each new layer of ink on top of previously printed colours. Photec is a photopolymer film that can be adhered to a metal plate, exposed to a positive artwork on acetate, and developed in such a way that it can produce accurate photographic acid resist. This then allows a photographic image to be etched into a copper plate. This demonstration event, arranged in conjunction with the current Photography in Print exhibition, will give you a glimpse into the magic of these processes. 2-3pm, Edinburgh Printmakers, Union Street. £3 per person or £5 for two: booking is required as places are limited; it can be made via eventbrite here. This event is part of the ACTINIC Festival.

Morningside Farmers’ Market: fresh, local, seasonal food fresh from the producers, crafts, gifts, plants, and refreshments available throughout the market or from The Merlin Pub & Kitchen. 9.30am-3.30pm, The Merlin (rear car park), 168 Morningside Road.

Redhall Walled Garden: Razzmatazz. Live music, plant sales, children’s activities, quiz trail, traditional games, chickens, badge making, fresh vegetables, meat, pond dipping, face painting, cream teas and more, all in the setting of an historic garden. 12 noon-5pm, Redhall Walled Garden, 97 Lanark Road EH14 2LZ. Disabled parking on site, limited parking on Lanark Road, on Lothian Bus Route 44. Entry by donation. Redhall Walled Garden is a Scottish Association for Mental Health service dedicated to mental health and wellbeing for all.

Rumba de Bodas: swing, Latin and upbeat ska from this young Italian group. Infectious rhythms, sultry vocals, hot horns and sweet accordion. 10pm, Tron Kirk, High Street/South Bridge. Part of Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival. Also at same time on Sunday 19th July.

Meet Estelle Maskame: the author of the phenomenal DIMILY series will sign copies of her debut novel Did I Mention I Love You? 1pm, Waterstones West End, 128 Princes Street. Free and unticketed.

Gardening for Health: gardening joy for the over-60s! 10am-1pm, Dr Neil’s Garden, Old Church Lane, Duddingston Village. £10 per session. Also on Saturdays 18th and 25th July and 1st August 2015.

A Stranger Walks into a Bar: when a stranger turns up to drink at the bar alone, he brings with him a wealth of odd tales and an uncanny insight into other people’s lives. As the night progresses, it becomes clear that he is not the only one with a tale to tell… A Stranger Walks into a Bar is a play that will grow and change throughout the summer as it moves from one venue to another, collecting stories along the way. Directed by Shilpa T-Hyland. 7.30pm, Storytelling Court, Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street. Tickets cost £8.50/£6.50 and are available from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 556 9579 or online here.

Absolut Piano with Olly Ferrell: an evening of sing along tunes with Sofi’s resident pianist. 7.30pm, Sofi’s Bar, Henderson Street.

Norman Silver and The Gold + Full Moon Freaks + The Hoolits. Edinburgh band Norman Silver and The Gold play ‘country & western-ish punk and.. metal’, Full Moon Freaks are ‘psychosurfoid for the contaminated beach’ and Scottish countryists The Hoolits (featuring members of Junkman’s Choir and The Amphetameanies) play their first Edinburgh gig.  For over 18s only. 7pm, The Ballroom, The Voodoo Rooms, West Register Street. Admission £6 on the door.

SUNDAY 19TH JULY 2015

Filmhouse Junior: films for a younger audience. Today: Moon Man (U) The man on the moon is bored; he hitches a lift to Earth on the tails of a passing comet…but all is not well, the Moon Man’s absence from his post means that all the world’s children are unable to sleep… 11am, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets cost £4 per person, big or small, and may be purchased in person, by calling the Box Office on 0131 228 2688 or online here.

Kite-making and Hula Hooping with Edinburgh’s own Hula Honeys (hoops provided). 10.30am-1.30pm (hula hooping 11am-1pm), Harrison Park (next to Play Area, accessed by Ogilvie Terrace), Harrison Road and Harrison Gardens). Please bring a strong plastic bag. All welcome: under 16s must be accompanied by an adult. For further information please contact Esperanza Martin on 0131 445 4025 or email esperanza@elgt.org.uk. Facilitated by Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust, Scottish Natural Heritage, Friends of Harrison Park and the City of Edinburgh Council.

Hearing Impaired Tour: Jean-Etienne Liotard. A free tour of the exhibition, with portable loops, led by Tessa Asquith-Lamb. 11am-12 noon, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. To book a place please call the Information Desk on 0131 624 6560. The Jean-Etienne Liotard exhibition opened at the National Gallery on 4th July 2015 and will close on 13th September 2015.

Scotland’s Gardens: tiny town garden (50′ x 25′) crammed with a wonderful variety of plants and interesting features, including a Mediterranean-style patio and water feature. 2-5pm, 15 Morningside Park. Admission £3, of which 40% will go to The Citizen’s Income Trust and the net remainder to Scotland’s Gardens beneficiaries. Also at same times on 2nd August 2015.

The Extreme Stunt Show: Air Battle Sensational monster truck action featuring Extreme FMX, BMX, mountain bikes, quads and a whole lot more. 3pm, Ocean Terminal, Ocean Drive, Leith. Tickets cost £12/£6 (£14/£7 on the door) and may be purchased in advance here. ‘Extreme is a state of mind’.

Scotland’s Gardens: Hunter’s Tryst. Well-stocked, mature, medium-sized town garden: herbaceous/shrub beds, lawn, vegetables and fruit, water feature, seating areas and trees. 2-5pm, Hunter’s Tryst, 95 Oxgangs Road EH10 7BA. Admission £3, of which 40% goes to Lothian Cat Rescue and the net remainder to Scotland’s Gardens beneficiaries.

Rumba de Bodas: swing, Latin and upbeat ska from this young Italian group. Infectious rhythms, sultry vocals, hot horns and sweet accordion. 10pm, Tron Kirk, High Street/South Bridge. Part of Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival.

Bee Scene in Edinburgh: join the volunteer bumblebee surveys along the Union Canal and learn more about these fascinating furry creatures and the vital role they play in the environment. Bumblebee sightings will contribute to the Bumblebee Conservation Trust’s national BeeWalk database and to the Scottish Canals environment heritage team, providing up-to-date information on these crucial contributors to the general health of the canal environment. 1-3.30pm, Water of Leith Conservation Trust, 24 Lanark Road. For more information please contact the organiser, Alan Forrester, on 07768 951740.

Picturehouse Vintage Sundays: classic films back on the big screen. Today’s film is Touch of Evil (12A). Shown as part of A Touch of Orson, a season of Orson Welles’ classic films to commemorate the 100th anniversary of his birth, Touch of Evil is a stark, perverse story of murder, kidnapping and police corruption in a Mexican border town. 1pm, Cameo, Home Street. Tickets may be purchased in person, by calling the Box Office on 0871 902 5723 or online here: prices vary.

St Giles’ At Six: Tim Cais (cello) and Chris Harding (piano) will play Mendelssohn Cello Sonata No 2,  Mendelssohn Variations Concertantes and JS Bach Gamba Sonata No 1. 6pm, St Giles’ Cathedral, High Street. Free: retiring collection.

Golden Hare Books Presents An Evening with Malachy Tallak. The writer, editor and singer-songwriter launches his new book, Sixty Degrees North, in which he explores the places that share this latitude, beginning and ending in Shetland, where he has spent most of his life. Malachy looks at themes of wildness, community, isolation, engagement, exile and memory – and also at the loss of his own father, and his troubled relationship with Shetland. ‘A wise, questioning and highly sophisticated talent’ (John Burnside), ‘..a brave book in its honesty and exposure..a beautiful book in terms of the subtlety of its thinking and the quality of its descriptive prose’ (Robert Macfarlane). 7pm, St Stephen’s Centre, St Stephen Street. Free tickets may be booked via eventbrite here.

And finally… if you would like to attend the Virgin Money Fireworks Concert at the end of the festivals this summer, tickets are now on sale for this celebration of dance music and spectacular visual extravaganza. International fireworks artists Pyrovision will choreograph this breathtaking display to accompany the Scottish Chamber Orchestra’s performance in Princes Street Gardens on the night of 31st August. Tickets range from £12.50 to £27.50 and may be purchased online here. ‘A truly explosive evening!’.

Scotland’s most senior civil servant enjoyed a string of chauffeur-driven car journeys of less than a mile – all at the taxpayers’ expense.

Sir Peter Housden, who stepped down last month, was regularly collected from his office at St Andrew’s house and taken to the Scottish Parliament just around the corner.

He also took trips from his Edinburgh home to Waverley Train Station and the Balmoral Hotel in an official car – a journey which would take minutes on foot.

Read more here on Deadline News

Abnormally Funny People are returning to where it all started at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe for a 10th anniversary show. Reuniting some of the original line up alongside new comedians, it’s a blend of youth and experience!

The new Abnormally Funny People Show is a showcase of talent packed with top notch stand-up, variety acts, ridiculous songs and improvisation. All of the acts have a disability but the type of humour varies from act to act. Oh, and there’s a token non-disabled one too (for the sake of inclusion).

Produced by group co-founders Steve Best and Simon Minty, with help from Lee Simpson (Comedy Store Players), each night features a varied ensemble from their roster of accomplished acts. The group premiered their ground breaking show during the 2005 Fringe to shining reviews and packed audiences. A decade later, they’re perhaps still the only show of its kind.

Simon Minty says, “Our message is this: there is no message. Just don’t call us inspirational or educational. Disability and comedy has grown over the last ten years but it’s not mainstream yet so we’re accidentally still alternative.”

Steve Best says: “Abnormally Funny People has always been about making audiences laugh we laugh at ourselves and the way the public misperceives disability. Humour is a powerful medium and we offer something irreverent and entertaining.”

Some of the acts appearing in the run include Lost Voice Guy (winner BBC New Comedy Award 2014), Tanyalee Davis (The John Bishop Show), Laurence Clark (Shortlist Britain’s Funniest New Comedians) and Juliette Burton (2014 Fringe 5 star act Look At Me). Later in the run sets will include Liz Carr (BBC’s Silent Witness), Gareth Berliner (Coronation Street), and Touretteshero (‘An adventure in every way’- The Guardian) to name just a few.

Abnormally Funny People also host a monthly podcast on Audioboom and YouTube.

The show runs the length of the Festival at The Stand in the Square, St Andrew Square, EH2 2AD.
The Abnormally Funny People Show
Dates: 21:40pm on 6th August (preview), Reviews from 7th -16th August, 18th -30th August 2015
Venue: Stand in the Square, St. Andrew Square, Edinburgh EH2 2AD
Tickets: £10 (£8 concessions) http://www.thestand.co.uk/fringe/show/1905/abnormally_funny_people
High-res images: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/xavjgbw3nikk1c5/AAD1p4lqaXR9FKHsbEdoUt1fa?lst

Submitted by Tricia Howey

Hearts preparations for the new season continued when they lifted the D&K Lafferty Challenge Cup tournament in Oban on Saturday.

Hearts won three, drew one and lost one game in the round-robin tournament which saw each game played for 30 minutes. Young Hearts defender Jordan McGhee also won the player of the tournament.

The Maroons began the competition with 3-0 win over Alloa Athletic thanks to a goal from McGhee and a brace from Gary Oliver.

Hearts then defeated St Johnstone 2-1, thanks to another strike from Oliver and a goal from new signing Juanma.

Robbie Neilson’s side then drew 1-1 with Dundee United – Callum Paterson scoring a superb goal.

The hosts, Oban Saints, then stunned the crowd by defeating the SPFL Championship winners 2-1 – Sam Nicholson having opened the scoring for Hearts.

However, Hearts ended the tournament by defeating Hamilton Academical 1-0 with Sam Nicholson again the scorer. This ensured the trophy was Tynecastle bound.

Head Coach Robbie Neilson was naturally pleased with the outcome but was more concerned with all of his first team squad getting their fitness levels up to speed.

He told the Hearts website “It was a great day and a good test for the boys. It was a really hard tournament, with five 30 minute games.

“It’s good to get the win but at the end of the day it’s all about the fitness. Getting game-time for a lot of players was pleasing.

Police Scotland has issued a statement expressing sympathy to the family and friends of Lamara Bell who died this weekend at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow.

The 25 year-old lay undiscovered next to her dead boyfriend John Yuill in their car for three days after police officers failed to respond to a report of a vehicle having left the road.

Enquiries are on-going into the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.

Chief Constable Sir Stephen House said: “On behalf of Police Scotland, we are all deeply saddened by the news of Lamara Bell’s death this morning and I would personally like to express my deepest sympathies to her family and friends for their loss.

“We will continue to co-operate fully with the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner as they undertake their investigation into the circumstances of this tragic incident.”