June Through July: a new mixed exhibition by Morag Muir, Fraser Haston, Jane Binks and Ingrid Nilsson. 9am-5pm Wednesday to Sunday (closed Monday & Tuesday), Bon Papillon Gallery, Cafe and Framers, 15 Howe Street.

Wester Hailes Community Connections: a festival celebrating community life, past, present and future. Today: Tea in the Park for the Over 50s: tea and scones, old photographs and live music. Organised by Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust. 2-3pm, Hailes Quarry Park, Dumbryden Drive, Wester Hailes. For more information about this or any other event in the Community Connections Festival, please call Sarah Walker on 0131 458 3267 or email sarah@whalearts.co.uk

Benji The Play Talk Read Bus is in Pilton today! Free songs, stories and play sessions for young children, their parents and carers. 10am-1pm and 2-4pm, West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre, West Pilton Grove.

LGBT Gay Men’s Book Group: an inclusive group where you can meet new people and read and discuss interesting books. 7-9pm, LGBT Health and Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street. For more information please contact info@gaybookgroup.co.uk.

Edinburgh International Film Festival continues today! For details of all films and other events see the programme here or pick up a paper copy at EIFF venues and many other locations throughout the city. Tickets are available in person from the Filmhouse, Lothian Road, Cineworld, Fountain Park, Odeon, Lothian Road and the Festival Theatre, by calling 0131 623 8030 or online here. Today’s highlights include Wizards, Ralph Bakshi’s first family film, about a post-apocalyptic world in which techonology has been lost and abandoned, allowing magical forces to resurface on earth, and Battle Mountain: Graeme Obree’s Story, David Street’s documentary that follows ‘The Flying Scotsman’ as he prepares for a human-powered vehicle land speed record attempt in Nevada – plus In Person: Johnnie To, a conversation with the Hong Kong director of Exiled, Election and Mad Detective, known for his sense of realism mixed with cinematic flourish.

Breastfeeding Awareness Week: NHS Lothian’s Infant Feeding Team will answer any questions you may have – plus free gifts and fun goodies for the children! 10.30am-12 noon (after Rhymetime) Leith Library, 28 Ferry Road. Also at 10.30am-12 noon at Muirhouse Library on Friday 26th June 2015.

Storytime with the White Rabbit: a special session to celebrate Independent Booksellers Week, with the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland. 3pm, Far From the Madding Crowd, 20 High Street, Linlithgow.

The New Livingstone Online. David Livingstone left one of the most important written legacies of any Victorian traveller to Africa; members of the team will discuss the most recent phase of this 10 year digital project to bring Livingstone’s original works to a global audience. 2pm, National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge. Free but please book by calling 0131 623 3734 or online here.

LGBT Icebreakers: if you want to meet new people, don’t feel confident going out on the ‘scene’ or are just coming out, Icebreakers is for you. An informal, fun and friendly social group for LGBT people or anyone questioning their sexuality or gender identity. For over 18s only. 7.30-9.30pm, The Regent, Montrose Terrace. For more information please contact Alison Wren on 0131 652 3283 or email alison@lgbthealth.org.uk.

Remembering Srebrenica: July 2015 marks the 20th anniversary of the Srebrenica Massacre, in which more than 8,000 Bosniaks, mainly men and boys, from the town of Srebrenica were killed by units of the army of Republika Srpska under the command of General Ratko Mladic. To mark this anniversary the University of Edinburgh has brought together a distinguished panel of academics and practitioners to consider some of the lessons to be learned from these events in the Bosnian wars. The panelists will be international and human rights lawyer Professor Manfred Nowak (University of Vienna), Adam Boys OBE (Director of Corporate Services, International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance) and Christine Bell, Professor of Constitutional Law (University of Edinburgh); moderated by Dr Allison Elliott. 5.30pm, New College, Martin Hall, Mound Place. Free and open to all, but registration is required via eventbrite here.

Skylark Surf Week: Portobello Film Club. Tonight’s film is Point Break (15):  Young FBI agent Utah (Keanu Reeves) infiltrates a surfing community in an attempt to find some unusual bank robbers –  ‘possibly the most gnarly and bodacious film you will ever see in a pub’. 8pm, The Skylark, 241-243 Portobello High Street.

Blackwell’s Edinburgh Presents Moira McPartlin: Day of the Doomed. The author of the highly successful debut novel The Incomers launches her first book for Young Adult readers, set in 2089, when the world is divided into the Privileged few and the Native (Celtic) underclass. 6.30-8pm, Blackwell’s, South Bridge. Free tickets are available from the shop’s front desk, by calling 0131 622 8218, by emailing events.edinburgh@blackwell.co.uk or via eventbrite here.

Get Organised Summer Recitals 2015: John Kitchen plays another programme of audience requests. 1.10-1.50pm, Usher Hall, Lothian Road. £4 per person on the door, or in advance from the Usher Hall Box Office on 0131 228 1155 or online here (transaction fee applies to phone and online bookings). Recitals resume on 1st September 2015.

Midsummer’s Ceilidh: celebrate midsummer with dancing to the Minnow Band. Stan Reeves will call you through some seasonal dances, and there will be mayhem with the ancient Galoshins folk drama heralding in the light and warmth of summer with a resurrection. 7.30pm, Storytelling Court, Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street. Tickets cost £7/£5 and may be purchased from the Box Office by calling 0131 556 9579 or online here.

Lunchtime Concert: Piano Speak with Will Pickvance. 12.15pm, St Giles’ Cathedral, High Street. Free.

High School Yards steps reopen

COMPETITIONS! 

Figgate Park Clean up

Armed Forces Day

Celtic Renewables

The steps at High School Yards have just been reopened after being closed for 12 years. This is a joint venture among the council and other organisations and we were at the opening ceremony held in the summer sunshine yesterday afternoon.

The Edinburgh Reporter NEWS from Phyllis Stephen on Vimeo.

Read more here. 

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We have just launched two competitions: One to win a pair of tickets for the AAM Scottish Open this July.

Enter here before 5pm on 30 June 2015.

The other is a competition to win a pair of tickets for Mark Beaumont’s Edinburgh Festival of Cycling Talk on Friday night.

Enter here and Good Luck!

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Edinburgh is a big centre for the armed forces, with barracks and the Castle all playing a central role in the city, and we will be marking Armed Forces Day this Saturday.

This year’s event will be held in the Grassmarket and will include a parade that will provide a high profile presence of the Armed Forces and Veterans community in Edinburgh.

The parade route sets off from Johnston Terrace via Candlemakers Row to the Grassmarket at 11.30am.

On arrival at the Grassmarket there will be a short address from the Lord Provost and a senior military or veteran figure before the parade dismisses to enjoy the entertainment and military and charity displays.

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Edinburgh-based Celtic Renewables has been named Europe’s most innovative biotech SME after producing the world’s first advanced biofuel, capable of powering vehicles, from the residues of whisky production.
The company was yesterday presented with the award and a cheque for €10,000 at the European Parliament by Carlos Moedas, the EU Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation.
Earlier this year Celtic Renewables’ founder and President Professor Martin Tangney and his colleagues made history when they unveiled the world’s first ever samples of biobutanol derived from whisky production residues.
Read more here

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BON VOYAGE CAP’N JACK!

Mr Short to his pupils, Dave to his colleagues and “Cap’n Jack Sparrow” on many occasions! Dave Short is retiring from his post as Depute Head Teacher at Lorne Primary School in Leith after 33 years in the school as teacher, senior teacher, principal teacher, acting depute headteacher, acting headteacher and depute headteacher! Dave Short has been a stalwart at the school making many community connections with local businesses and organisations.

He leaves the school with many “institutions” enjoyed by generations of school children such as the annual themed sports day at Pilrig Park, the Primary 7 residential week in York and the north of England as well as a legacy of technology improvements in the school.

Mr Short has been fondly remembered by many former pupils, colleagues and parents. He is remembered as a teacher who got the children out of the classroom skiing, exploring farms and the great outdoors and learning about Leith and Edinburgh. Staff threw a themed Caribbean Pirates party for his retiral and there will be a special assembly and a strawberry tea on the last day of term in school when he will be presented with a gift from the school community and a book of memories from the children at Lorne.

Headteacher, Colin McLean said: “Dave has been a pleasure to work with. He kept the staff buoyant and in good spirits and was so well liked by pupils, colleagues and parents.  He knew the school community inside out and made so many lasting community connections which the school will continue to benefit from into the future. Dave will be missed a lot but we are sure he will pop in to tell us about his adventures in retirement!”

Edinburgh Festival of Cycling gives Edinburgh audiences the exclusive opportunity to hear first hand from World Record Holder Mark Beaumont about his #AfricaSolo expedition. 

And now The Edinburgh Reporter has two tickets for Friday’s event to give away!

Just answer this very simple question in our flash competition by 7:00pm on Thursday 25 June 2015.

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Scottish adventurer Mark Beaumont will close the Edinburgh Festival of Cycling this Friday with his first public talk after returning from his recent record breaking ride from Cairo to Cape Town.

‘Mark Beaumont: #AfricaSolo’ will be hosted by the festival this Friday 26^th June at George Square Lecture Theatre in Edinburgh, starting at 7:00pm.

This is the first chance to hear from ‘the Man who Cycled the World’ about his self-supported bike ride, setting a new Guinness World Record of 41 days 10 hours and 22 minutes for cycling 6718 miles, the length of Africa.

Mark left Cairo Tower on April 10th and finished at Mouillie Point, Cape Town on May 21st after cycling an average of 160 miles a day on his KOGA Solacio Disc road bike, taking over 17 days off the old record. This now brings the total number of countries he has visited in all his expeditions to 40.

Tickets for his talk are available at £13.50 for adults or £12.50 for concessions at www.edfoc.org.uk/events/event/mark-beaumont-africa-solo/ , or on the door if not sold out in advance.

The talk brings a successful Edinburgh Festival of Cycling to a close, which has attracted a great variety of audiences at a variety of events over the last two weeks.

More information about the Festival can be found at www.edfoc.org.uk, on Twitter @edfoc or Facebook at EdinburghFestivalOfCycling.

Hearts today made their second major signing of the summer when Queen of the South striker Gavin Reilly put pen to paper for a three-year deal at Tynecastle.

Reilly netted 15 goals for the Doonhamers last season and with his contract at Palmerston having expired at the end of the campaign, the 22 year old has been on Hearts Head Coach Robbie Neilson’s radar for some time.

Neilson told the club’s official website “I’m delighted to get Gavin here at Hearts. He scored a lot of goals last season in the Championship and now he’s stepping up into the Ladbrokes Premiership with Hearts and I’ve no doubts that he can develop into an excellent player.

“He’s a hard worker, a good finisher and he makes runs over the top which will allow us to press really high up the pitch as well.

“He’s desperate to come through here and he’s desperate to do well for us. You want players who have got that hunger and from having spoken to him a couple of times you can tell he’s desperate to progress his career and he sees Hearts as a good opportunity for himself.

“We see an opportunity to develop him. He’ll be coming to a club with really good facilities and he’ll be training more often than he has in the past. Stevie Crawford will give him some really in-depth coaching in the striking department, which will really progress him.”

Hearts have also been linked with Spanish striker Juan Manuel Delgado with the 24 year old believed to be flying into Edinburgh this week for talks with the Tynecastle club.

SNP Councillor Deidre Brock is now an elected MP and so it is little surprise that she has tonight announced that she will now be stepping down from her position at the city council.

She already relinquished her position as Depute Lord Provost and that position has been filled by Councillor Steve Cardownie.

The councillor wrote to Chief Executive Sue Bruce: “It has been a honour to serve as a councillor in Scotland’s capital city and a great privilege to represent the people of Leith Walk ward on the City of Edinburgh Council.  The colleagues I have had over the eight years in service have been excellent and I would like to thank them for that.  I would also like to thank you for all you did to make my time in service easier and your efforts in ensuring the people of Edinburgh get best service from their council.  I would like to include the staff of the Council in that praise – they all serve the city well.

This means that there will be a by-election in the Leith Walk Ward unless the council decide otherwise.

There are three other councillors representing the ward all of whom were elected in 2012.

Angela Blacklock and Nick Gardner are both Labour councillors and Councillor Maggie Chapman represents the Green Group.

The next council elections are due to be held in 2017.

Deidre Brock was elected as SNP MP in the Edinburgh North and Leith constituency in the General Election in May with a majority of 5,597.

There’s very little I can tell you about The Violators that will make you understand just how clumsy and crass it really is at times. A work of supposed cinematic refreshment, it promises a look into a life we apparently seldom see. The issue? It follows a girl and a family that we’ve seen depicted in cinema many times before – in a stronger, more convincing manner.

It’s been years since Shelly saw her father. After testifying against him in court following a childhood of abuse, she finds herself living with her older brother and caring for her younger step-sibling. Stuck in a depressing, near penniless existence, things take a turn seemingly for the better when she meets a girl from an affluent nearby neighbourhood and a local pawn dealer intent on helping her find a better life.

There is no real focus here. Writer/Director Helen Walsh is known primarily for her work as a novelist. The plot of The Violators needs lyrical, poetic language in order to let its audience appreciate the undeniably twisted, often convoluted stories she has brought to the screen. When there’s no real narrative to guide the way, everything falls triumphantly flat. These cliched characters are painfully overcooked and there’s no direction for them to truly follow; a triumph in itself, considering how many plot pools the story has its toes in.

Perhaps its saving grace is the lovely work of Lauren McQueen. An actress who cut her teeth in television, she has the ability to grab every ounce of your attention. The film near enough follows her and her alone; being the centrical force of every scene. She’s counteracted with some truly cringeworthy work from her supporting cast. Her stalker-slash-best-friend Rachel (played by Brogan Ellis), serves no real purpose for the entire duration of the film. She’s the focus of one of many unnecessary branches the film has.

When it all comes to its overdue, hyper-ridiculous conclusion, we can only draw upon the fact that the past ninety minutes have led to a Coronation Street/Charlie’s Angels surprise crossover that features the sidesplitting, incongruous line: “I’ll take this one.”.

Sadly, a strong central performance is not enough to save just another shoddy addition to the gritty, British council estate drama genre that grows by the day.

★☆☆☆☆

The Violators has its world premiere at the Edinburgh International Film Festival 2015. For ticketing information, head to the EIFF website.

In modern day Budapest, a spirit shaped as a 50’s Japanese surf pop singer haunts a lonely nurse who’s desperate to find love. Out of jealousy, the ghostly figure curses her, turning her into a fox fairy – a figure of Japanese folklore. Now, every man she even slightly desires is sentenced to a violent death. With the ghoul always looming, will she be able to overcome the curse and find a man to love?

Mészáros’ utterly bizarre look at a woman perhaps plagued by mental illness has all the deft charm of a Jean-Pierre Jeunet film with an ethereal dash of Gondry. Part romance and part horror film, its detachment from any sort of significant drama makes it an easy, nonsensical watch. Edging into a mysterious detective movie too, some of the best lines come from the Chief of Police, who seems to only know the first half of several famous proverbs. The wonderfully paired Mónika Balsai (as Liza) and David Sakurai (as Tomy Tani, the ghoulish surf pop singer) relish in its ridiculousness, and embrace its bittersweet look at never finding love.

A peculiar pick-me-up, Liza, the Fox Fairy has just the right amount of slapstick macabre to make you smile and plenty of goings-on to keep you entertained through its madness.

★★★☆☆

Liza, the Fox Fairy has its UK premiere at the Edinburgh International Film Festival 2015. Ticketing information can be found at the EIFF website.

The steps at High School Yards have been reopened today with an art installation by Edinburgh artist Callum Innes. This takes the shape of newly formed steps all the way from the Cowgate, but also includes a camera, LED screen and video involving pupils from Panmure St Ann’s nearby.

The historic steps, which link the Cowgate and High School Yards, were closed in 2003 after reports of anti-social behaviour. Their restoration is the result of an 18 month partnership project to revive the route between The City of Edinburgh Council, Edinburgh World Heritage and The University of Edinburgh.

The Edinburgh Reporter NEWS from Phyllis Stephen on Vimeo.

Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Lesley Hinds, who helped open the steps, said: “The incredible transformation of High School Yards steps is testament to the partnership working by all those involved in this project, including members of the local community.

“The vast improvement to the area, featuring Callum Innes’ innovative artwork, will not only create a safer and more attractive atmosphere for those working, living and studying nearby, but will enhance this lesser-used end of the Cowgate.”

As well as significant conservation work, including the renewal of railings and the addition of gates to close the stairs off at night, the refurbished steps will feature a bespoke installation by Callum Innes.

Aiming to reclaim the area as a public space, the artwork uses an infrared camera to capture the movement of people as they climb the steps, projecting their silhouettes onto a large LED mesh screen above them, revealing a hidden section of the stairs.

Short clips of silhouetted movement, created by Innes in collaboration with young adults from the nearby Panmure St Ann’s Centre and artists Catherine Payton and Tom Nolan, also play on a loop when the stairs are empty.

Artist Callum Innes said: “By placing an infrared camera half-way up the steps we make a hidden part of the steps visible, relaying live footage of silhouetted figures to be superimposed onto the changing colours of the screen.

“The installation directly engages both the architecture of the steps and the public for whom they serve.

“In conjunction with the development of the work, I wanted to involve local school children in creating recorded silhouettes that can run on the screen when the steps are closed, or at quieter times.”

Adam Wilkinson, Director of Edinburgh World Heritage, said: “This exciting project demonstrates again how neglected areas of the World Heritage Site can be transformed to the benefit to the city, through an innovative mixture of heritage conservation and public art and collaborative working.

“Our funding has helped to conserve these Victorian steps to the highest standard, but Callum’s work fundamentally transforms our perceptions of this space, adding both enchantment and safety. The High School Yards Steps have now been reclaimed as useful public space, supporting an oft-overlooked area of the Old Town.”

The regeneration of the steps was an important aspect of the design of the University of Edinburgh’s new Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Innovation (ECCI) building at High School Yards, Scotland’s only low carbon innovations hub and the UK’s greenest historic building.

ECCI Executive Director Andy Kerr said: “The regeneration of the steps opens up routes that connect the newly renovated ECCI building and surrounding area to the Cowgate, Drummond St and other parts of the city at large.

“ECCI’s core aims are built around bringing people together to solve the complex problems associated with climate change, so it absolutely fitting to have improved the connectivity and sustainability of the building in this way, and in such an innovative and creative way.”

The renovation of High School Yards steps was first proposed in 2013, when the Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Innovation opened to students, many of whom would use the route to access the Old Town.

By improving the appearance of the steps and limiting night time entry – gates will be closed between 8pm and 9am – it is hoped that anti-social behaviour, littering and graffiti will be deterred.

The total cost of the work was £214,536 and is jointly funded by Edinburgh World Heritage, the University of Edinburgh and the City of Edinburgh Council’s Neighbourhood Environment Projects budget, which offers local groups the opportunity to deliver projects.

Find out more about the processes involved in the restoration of the steps on Edinburgh World Heritage’s website.

Five Hibernian Academy players have progressed into the Development squad for the 2015/16 season – Ben Stirling, Kevin Waugh, Oliver Shaw, Alasdair Smith and Adam Watson.

Academy Coaching Manager Eddie May told the club website:  “Overall this is very positive news – all these players stepped up to the mark over the course of the season and demonstrated their true worth to the squad.

“They did well at under-17 level and continued to excel when given the opportunity to play for the Development squad.

“The upcoming season will provide them all with a good learning curve and we look forward to seeing them continue their development at the football club.

“Ben (Stirling) came into the Development squad last season and did very well – he is capable of playing in a number of different positions; right-back, centre-half or in midfield.

“He plays for Scotland under-17s in midfield and has the capability to play at a very good level.

“He will be aiming to continue to make strides further forward during the upcoming season and to push Aaron Dunsmore for the right-back spot and eventually challenge for a first team place.

“Kevin (Waugh) can play either left-back or left centre-half and a lot of people at the football club believe he is best suited to the latter position.

“Joe McBride was extremely happy with him whenever he was given the opportunity to feature for the Development squad last season.

“Very comfortable on the pitch – Kevin has great self-belief and determination.

“Oliver (Shaw) can play as a centre-forward or just behind in the ‘number 10’ position.

“He is very quick and very slight, but he’s got fantastic natural ability and he isn’t afraid to make mistakes.

“He scored a lot of goals at under-17 level and he’ll be aiming to build on that with the Development squad during the upcoming season.

“His Dad, Greg, played for Falkirk and Dunfermline and he has kept him grounded. Oliver is a very intelligent player with a fantastic attitude and he works hard to improve his game at all times

“Ali (Smith) plays a deeper role in midfield – he’s very physical, athletic and can use the ball well.

“During the upcoming season, hopefully he can use all his attributes and move forward.

“He overcame injuries to play very well for the under-17s. He is a ball-winning midfielder and I’m sure he’ll do very well playing against older players – he will meet that challenge

“Adam (Watson) is an attacking midfielder, who can play off the front at the top of the diamond.

“He has got great ability, takes people on and makes things open up in the final third. Again, Adam has got a fantastic attitude and just wants to learn.

“We’ve got high hopes for Adam – he excelled during the second part of last season.”

Meanwhile midfielders Jack Breen (born: 11.6.1999, Bellshill), Calum Donaldson (born: 22.10.1999, Edinburgh) and Fraser Murray (born: 7.5.1999, Glasgow) have all signed pro contracts, but will remain part of the under-17 squad before going full-time with the Development squad next season.

Getting it right for Mothers and Babies: closing the gaps in perinatal mental health is available to download at: http://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/research-resources/getting-it-right/

For further information, please contact Harriet Hall, NSPCC communications manager for Scotland, on 07760 272021.

Erin Sutherland (36) has today (Tuesday 23rd June) pleaded guilty to culpable homicide on the grounds of diminished responsibility following the death of her daughter earlier this year.

Officers attended an address in Parkhead View on Tuesday 3rd February following concerns for 10-month-old Chloe Sutherland’s welfare. She was taken to the Edinburgh Sick Kid’s where she sadly passed away later that day.

Detective Sergeant Neil Seath said: “The death of a baby is always a tragedy but the unique circumstances of this case make it particularly emotive for everyone involved.

“Our thoughts are very much with Chloe’s family and we can only hope that they are able to come to terms with this heartbreaking situation, and find their own ways of moving forward.”

Police in South Edinburgh along with a number of partner agencies are launching summer-long initiative to tackle drug-related antisocial behaviour and disorder in the Southside and Newington ward area.

Local officers will work alongside colleagues at the City of Edinburgh Council, Registered Social Landlords and health agencies as part of Operation Austinburg, which aims to identify those responsible for a number of drug offences, including production and supply, as well as associated criminal behaviour.

The activity over the coming weeks will supplement existing work to tackle problems resulting from the use of New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) in common stairs and communal gardens and also look to prevent disorder and antisocial behaviour linked to alcohol.

As well as additional police patrols, joint activity will include targeted action by Environmental Wardens, stair checks and clean-ups, prevention work and security advice, and night-time patrols to deter street drinking and antisocial behaviour.

Chief Inspector Mark Rennie, Local Area Commander for South Edinburgh, said “This operation will expand upon the recent work all ready carried out in the area and will specifically target local priorities and concerns highlighted by Southside residents and businesses.

“Over the coming weeks we will focus on those offenders who have caused problems recently and ensure that we work alongside our partners to quickly respond to any concerns raised.

“Local residents and businesses will see additional officers and Council staff in the area over the summer and we will continue to keep them updated with developments.”

Community Safety Leader for the City of Edinburgh Council, Councillor Cammy Day, (pictured) said: “Tackling antisocial behaviour is a key priority for the Council and it is well documented that drugs and alcohol can cause this behaviour to escalate.

“We are working closely with Police Scotland in the south of the city to help reduce these incidents, through a targeted approach based on information from local residents.

“As always, local knowledge is extremely valuable and I would encourage south-side residents to get in touch if they have any concerns or information that might be helpful.”

Anyone wishing to follow updates can do so by following the: @EdinburghSouthPolice Twitter account or EdinburghPolice Facebook page.

Police Scotland have confirmed that Scott MacKenzie, who was reported missing from the South Queensferry area on Sunday, June 20, has now been found safe and well.

Officers would like to thank those members of the public and media who participated in the search.

Pupils at Sciennes Primary School in Marchmont were thrilled to win a Scotland-wide playwriting competition with UK wildlife charity Froglife last week. Combining theatre with frogs, pupils across Scotland were given the chance to use their creativity to produce a play about amphibians and reptiles, as part of Froglife’s Scottish Dragon Finder Project.

Funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Scottish Dragon Finder Project aims to challenge negative perceptions of all creatures scaly and slimy by showing children how to interact with these animals if they happen across them in the wild, or even in their garden.

Froglife Trainee Emily Waddell explained, “These creatures get a bad rep. They’re often portrayed negatively in children’s TV and literature and Froglife wants to change that. We’ve found that if children know very little about these species, they can end up becoming afraid of them. We want to educate kids and spark an interest within them for amphibians and reptiles.”

Pupils of class 4C in Sciennes Primary School impressed the charity with their play titled, Frog Run. This topical script tells the story of Fred the Frog and his struggle to find a home after his habitat is destroyed by humans.

The children’s conservation message impressed Froglife and has proven that these pupils are aware of the dangers facing amphibians and reptiles today. The classes’ creativity will be awarded as this play will be taught in future educational workshops throughout Scotland, being performed by youth groups for the next three years. The pupils were also awarded a class tablet, complete with the Dragon Finder App, designed to help identify amphibians and reptiles and record sightings.

Froglife’s Scottish Dragon Finder Project, will reach young people across Scotland, helping the next generation get outside and experience nature, using their electronic devices to spark an interest in Scottish amphibians and reptiles.

More information on Froglife can be found at: http://www.froglife.org/dragonfinder/scotland/

For years, Fatima Ali Al Hameli has trained and preened her beautiful herd in order to see them reach the dizzy heights of success by winning the top prize in the Al Dhafra Festival – a beauty contest for camels in the United Arab Emirates. The only woman involved, she must ignore her naysayers and embrace her talent to prove her worth in a world full of men.

Laying down in the desert in a white dress with purple polka dots, we see a woman who, despite her people’s perception, is merging her cultural tradition with a wild and proud feminist attitude. A pioneer in her trade and home country, her courageous story is brought to life under the observant eye of director Nujoom Alghanem with a lovely embrace of colour and humour.

When watching Hameli tell her story and commit to her work, you suddenly realise how frivolous some of the leading figures of feminism are around in the West. Here we have a woman who has near enough her entire country against her and yet thrives from the words of those who doubt her. In several situations Alghanem depicts, we see a woman taking the higher ground. Hameli often orders around her often clueless, Sudanese camel-wrangler Mohammed; who seems unphased to the fact that he is a rare man in the minority.

Nujoom Alghanem rightfully depicts her subject as a rare female boss with such depth and beauty that you find yourself as an audience falling for her. Determined and beautifully bold like Hameli herself, Nearby Sky has a fighting chance at winning the Documentary Prize at this year’s festival.

★★★★☆

Nearby Sky plays as part of the Edinburgh International Film Festival 2015. For ticketing information, head to the EIFF website.

Parks and Spires: Prague, Edinburgh and Beyond. New paintings by Carolyn Burchell, focusing on landscape. 11am-5pm Tuesday to Saturday, McNaughton’s Bookshop and Gallery, 3a & 4a Haddington Place. Ends 30th July 2015.

Benji The Play Talk Read Bus is in Drylaw today! Free songs, stories and play sessions for young children, their parents and carers. 10am-1pm and 2-4pm, Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre, 67 Groathill Loan.

CONTACT: Young Photographers Group Exhibition. CONTACT is an eight-week photography club for young people aged 16-19; over the duration of the course, the group has learned new skills and worked towards the development of this exhibition. Special celebration 4.30-5pm today; exhibition open 11am-6pm today and on Wednesday 24th June, Stills, 23 Cockburn Street.

Craigmillar Community Arts Marie Curie Tea: a vintage tea party with a chance to browse craft and bric a brac stalls. All proceeds will go to Marie Curie Cancer Care. 11am-2pm, The Jewel Miners’ Club, 56 Duddingston Park South. £2 per person, which includes all refreshments – no booking required, just pay on the door.

Breastfeeding Awareness Week: NHS Lothian’s Infant Feeding Team will answer any questions you may have – plus free gifts and fun goodies for the children! 11am-12.30pm (after Rhymetime), Craigmillar Library, 101 Niddrie Mains Road. Also 10.30am-12 noon at Leith Library on Wednesday 24th and 10.30am-12 noon at Muirhouse Library on Friday 26th June 2015.

Rocks and Rivers: Masterpieces of Landscape Painting from the Lunde Collection. Tico Seifert, SNG Senior Curator Early Netherlandish, Dutch and Flemish Art, will celebrate the long-term loan of thirteen works from the distinguished private collection of Asbjorn Lunde, New York; a series of extraordinary landscape paintings by Norwegian and Swiss artists such as Johan Christian Dahl, Alexandre Calame and Thomas Fearnley will be seen in Scotland for the first time. This lecture will introduce the artists and paintings, to highlight this important but little known chapter in 19th century landscape painting. 12.45-1.30pm, Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free and unticketed.

eBook Surgery: find out about eBooks, emagazines and audiobooks. 10.30am-12.30pm (drop-in), Newington Library, Fountainhall Road. Also at same times on Tuesday 30th June.

Edinburgh International Film Festival continues today! For details of all films and other events see the programme here or pick up a paper copy at EIFF venues and many other locations throughout the city. Tickets are available in person from the Filmhouse, Lothian Road, Cineworld, Fountain Park, Odeon, Lothian Road and the Festival Theatre, by calling 0131 623 8030 or online here. Today’s highlights include The First Film, the story of Louis Aime Augustine Le Prince’s pioneering work in film projection – and his sudden and still unexplained disappearance in 1890, and Maggie, ‘a zombie film with an art-house sensibility’ in which Arnold Schwarzenegger plays a Midwest farmer who is determined to bring his daughter home after she is infected by cannibalistic zombies, ‘an engrossing, engaging and genuinely moving film’. Plus a special evening of videos by artist Stephen Sutcliffe, who creates moving image collages through a careful and intuitive editing process; the evening is presented by Talbot Rice Gallery in association with LUX, and will be accompanied by the artist in conversation.

Wester Hailes Community Connections: a festival celebrating community life, past, present and future. Today: Big Walk: Paint It Back – featuring The Edinburgh Sketcher! A guided walk with a local historian, highlighting past, present and future sites key to Wester Hailes; The Edinburgh Sketcher will draw selected locations. 12 noon-3pm, meet at the Totem Pole, Westside Waterfront, Wester Hailes. For more information about this or any other event in the Community Connections Festival, please call Sarah Walker on 0131 458 3267 or email sarah@whalearts.co.uk.

Scottish Episcopal Church Diocesan Office Open Day: come and meet the staff and enjoy some tea and cake to raise funds for Marie Curie Cancer Care. 11am-3pm, Diocesan Office, 21a Grosvenor Crescent.

Blackwell’s Edinburgh Presents Tessa Ransford: A Good Cause. The poet, translator, literary editor and founder of the Scottish Poetry Library launches her new selection of previously uncollected poems. 6.30-8pm, Blackwell’s, South Bridge. Free tickets are available from the shop’s front desk, by calling 0131 622 8218, by emailing events.edinburgh@blackwell.co.uk or via eventbrite here.

Summer Colour: new paintings by Jonathan Meuli, glasswork by Stuart Ackroyd, ceramics by Rupert Merton, paintings by Alan McPherson and jewellery by Cecile Gilbert. 10.30am-5.30pm, Tuesday to Saturday, closed Sundays and Mondays, Gallery Ten, Stafford Street. Ends 27th July 2015.

Leith Folk Club: Alastair McDonald. The club welcomes one of Scotland’s most loved, most talented and most versatile showbiz personalities who often humbly describes himself as ‘a banjo player’. With support Bare. 7.30pm, Victoria Park House Hotel, 221 Ferry Road. Tickets cost £9 on the door (sta), in advance by texting 07502 024 852 or online here.

Hare: the unreliable final confession of William Hare regarding his acquaintance with William Burke, with interruptions and contradictions by Mrs Margaret Hare. Edinburgh was scandalised when murderer William Hare was released after turning King’s evidence and sending his partner, William Burke, to the gallows; in this dramatic telling, Hare and his wife look back and reluctantly recount, in sordid detail, their memories of the year 1828 and what became known as The Westport Murders. Written and performed by John and Noreen Hamilton of Heritage Stories. For over 16s only. 7.30pm, Netherbow Theatre, Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street. Tickets cost £8/£6 and may be purchased from the Box Office by calling 0131 556 9579 or online here.

Book Festival tickets on sale today

New Costa at the Airport

Gordon Aikman

Liberton High School

Scottish Heritage Angels

The Edinburgh International Book Festival receives funding from Creative Scotland and the City of Edinburgh Council and this year welcomes over 900 participants from 55 different countries to Charlotte Square Gardens and will run from Saturday 15 to Monday 31 August 2015.

Entrance to the Gardens is FREE.

Full details of the programme can be found at www.edbookfest.co.uk. Tickets to all events go on sale at 8.30am on Tuesday 23 June 2015, online at www.edbookfest.co.uk, by phone on 0845 373 5888 or in person at the Box Office at the Roxburghe Hotel on George Street (on Tuesday 23 June only, thereafter at The Hub, Castlehill).

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We feel this place will fast become our favourite hangout when waiting for friends and family arriving. There is a great high seated area which overlooks the arrival lane, making it the perfect vantage point!

A brand new Costa Coffee at Edinburgh Airport was officially opened last week after its location at international arrivals enjoyed a fashionable make-over.

Over £1.2m has been spent on upgrading and refurbishing the three Costa outlets in the airport and this is the final part of the terminal-wide coffee shop improvement project.

With outdoor seating available for an alfresco caffeine fix, a wide selection of delicious hot and cold drinks, cakes and snacks and comfortable high backed chairs, the new store offers customers a comfortable environment to relax and unwind in, whether they’ve just flown in or are waiting for friends or family to arrive.

Numerous plug sockets equipped with USB points are conveniently located throughout the shop making it the perfect place to charge phones and tablets or catch up on emails.

The new Costa outlet was officially opened by John Watson, the airport’s Chief Commercial Officer, who even tried his hand as a barista making cappuccinos for his team.

He said: “It’s a great pleasure to open the new Costa Coffee at our international arrivals area. It offers customers a bright and airy environment to relax in whether they’ve just come off a flight or are waiting for passengers to arrive.

“This newly-refurbished coffee shop is the final piece of our terminal-wide coffee improvement project which has seen us completely change the selection on offer, giving customers the best choice possible.

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MND campaigner and fundraiser, Gordon Aikman has raised even more money to help find a cure for the disease.

Aikman has smashed the £300,000 mark in his bid to fund research into a cure for the disease.

Read more here

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Pupils from Liberton High School have helped to advance a £11.5 million research project by designing a microfluidic system to help fight lung disease.

The Liberton pupils were first introduced to microengineering last year as a part of the “Small Plumbing!” project, led by Dr Maiwenn Kersaudy-Kerhoas and Dr Helen Bridle from Heriot-Watt University and funded by the Royal Academy of Engineering.

Read more here

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There is a new award scheme for heritage volunteers, the Scottish Heritage Angel Awards

The first such awards in Scotland, the programme supports the delivery of the new Historic Environment Strategy, Our Place in Time, with its strong emphasis on community participation in heritage. The Awards will recognise the work of voluntary groups and individuals in protecting and celebrating our built heritage.

Community Councils across Scotland may be eligible to be nominated or they may know of a local heritage voluntary or voluntary group.

Full information about the awards, including details of categories, rules and application form can be found at http://www.scottishheritageangelawards.org.uk/

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Pupils from Liberton High School have helped to advance a £11.5 million research project by designing a microfluidic system to help fight lung disease.

The Liberton pupils were first introduced to microengineering last year as a part of the “Small Plumbing!” project, led by Dr Maiwenn Kersaudy-Kerhoas and Dr Helen Bridle from Heriot-Watt University and funded by the Royal Academy of Engineering.

University researchers visited the school and described to pupils a current challenge related to their research. Together, the teams designed a microfluidic solution to the problem. Microfluidics, or “lab-on-a-chip”, allows for the manipulation of fluids in channels the size of a human hair.

Since fluids behave very differently at this scale, entirely new types of systems can be designed and these “labs-on-a-chip” are predicted to revolutionise healthcare in the coming years.

Liberton High School teacher, Bill Harris said: “We have been delighted to work with the Small Plumbing project on engineering solutions to real science problems.  The pupils have gained a tremendous insight into the work of engineers and how many disciplines have to work together in science. To hear the pupils talking to the engineers about microfluidics was a joy.  They quickly grasped the possibilities and came up with their own ideas.”

A team of students from the school – named The PROCAPS – won a special award for their chip design and report.

The PROCAPS took inspiration from a large interdisciplinary research collaboration called PROTEUS involving the Universities of Edinburgh and Bath, and Heriot-Watt University. The project, which isfunded by The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council(EPSRC), aims to build a medical device to help to improve diagnosis of lung disease in critically ill patients.

The PROCAPS team designed and tested a chip which will allow chemical sensors to be developed and used in the PROTEUS medical device.

Holly Fleming, a PROTEUS postgraduate chemistry student at the University of Edinburgh, is delighted that PROTEUS’ work has inspired and enthused school students to design a microfluidic chip that can be used in her scientific research and may help shape how the medical device is developed. She was presented with the award winning chip yesterday.

‘It is great that all of the students have engaged so well with the Small Plumbing Project and are so excited about engineering and how it can be applied. The fact that I will actually use the chip the students have designed in my research, as part of a £11.5 million funded project (PROTEUS) is amazing and a real testament to how beneficial schemes like Small Plumbing can be for everyone involved’.

Holly looks forward to meeting the students at the PROTEUS laboratories at the Queens Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, where students will present Holly with their award winning chip and find out how Holly will use it in her research.

The “Small Plumbing!” project ran in collaboration with Heriot-Watt University as part of the Ingenious! Scheme, an engineering initiative sponsored by The Royal Academy of Engineering. The project aimed to introduce school pupils to the world of microengineering and challenge stereotypes about engineering.

Katy Jade Dobson goes live on Ebay in bid to raise funds for heart charity. The auction starts at 19.30 on Tuesday 23 June 2014.

Popular Lincoln-based artist, Katy Jade Dobson will be showing her support for the leading heart charity, Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) as she launches a unique online auction of the palette and paintbrush she has used to create her published works over the past 12 months.

Katy Jade Dobson (originally from Yorkshire but who stayed in Lincoln after completing her studies at the city’s university) has developed a strong following for her work – with a current waiting list of over 8 months for new commissions (generally sold for between £5-10,000). Well known on social media (with a huge presence on sites such Twitter, Facebook and Instagram), Katy has developed a striking and individual style in creating oil paintings using vivid colours and often portraying wildlife, animals and nature scenes.

Katy was first made aware of CRY following a private commission for a portrait by a family who lost their child to a cardiac condition. She was so moved by their story that she wanted to give something back to the charity, leading to the creation of this float frame work – which has been described as an “abstract artwork in its own right”.

The Paintbrush has been signed by Katy and also comes with an original certificate of authenticity and letter of provenance from her publishers (Wishbone Publishing Ltd). It will be the only opportunity for a Katy Jade Dobson collector to add such an exclusive piece to their collection.

Katy says; “It should never be the case that a child or anyone should lose their life so suddenly over something that could potentially be diagnosed earlier on. CRY’s incredible efforts towards Young Sudden Cardiac Deaths with their research, raising awareness and prevention efforts in this field are lifesaving. The care and facilities to aid families affected by YSCD will continue to help so many people who desperately need it. To hopefully contribute towards CRY’s wonderful work means a great deal to me. I have so much admiration for their relentless efforts from making screening accessible to organising Bereavement Support Days. I am incredibly proud to be working with CRY towards this cause.”

Every week in the UK, around 12 young people (that is aged 35 and under) die suddenly from a previously diagnosed heart condition.  80% of these deaths will occur with no prior symptoms – which is why CRY is so committed to the importance of specialist, cardiac screening. Indeed, CRY’s pioneering screening programme now tests around 17,000 young people (aged 14-35) every year in the UK.

CRY also funds pioneering research into the conditions that can cause young sudden cardiac death as well as providing a unique bereavement support network for all families who have been affected.

Alison Cox MBE, Chief Executive and Founder of CRY adds: “Over the past 20 years, we have seen a huge variety of fundraising ideas and challenges take place to help raise funds and awareness for CRY and the generosity of our supporters in terms of their time, commitment and talents has never failed to impress me. 

“This is certainly one of most creative donations and it is a real honour for CRY to be associated with such an accomplished young artist.  On behalf CRY, I would like to say a huge “thank you” to Katy for choosing us as the beneficiary of such an innovative auction, especially during our 20^th anniversary year.”

Anyone interested in bidding should go to: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Katy-Jade-Dobson-palette-and-signed-paintbrush-plus-certificate-of-authenticity-/331588369640

The Edinburgh Reporter has teamed up with The European Tour to offer readers the chance to enjoy a unique summer’s day out to watch some of the world’s biggest and best sports stars in action at the 2015 Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open this July.

Being held from 9^th – 12^th July at the stunning links course at Gullane Golf Club, just outside of Edinburgh in East Lothian, the tournament represents a fantastic opportunity to see some of the world’s best players, including world number one Rory McIlroy, as they prepare for the Open Championship the following week.

We have five pairs of one day tickets to the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open at Gullane Golf Club to give away to the lucky winners.

Please visit www.europeantour.com/tickets or www.aamscottishopen.com for more information.

To enter answer the following question before the closing date of Monday 29 June 2015 at 5 pm:

Error: Contact form not found.

By entering you agree to share your details with the organisers of the European Tour.

Ockham’s Razor, produced by Turtle Key Arts, are performing their celebrated Double Bill of Arc and Every Action… at The Lafayette in The Meadows as part of Underbelly’s Circus Hub from the 07-26 August 2015.

Award winning and critically acclaimed aerial theatre company Ockham’s Razor mix circus, physical theatre, narrative story-telling and distorted perspectives. Combining circus and visual theatre, they aim to create arresting, physical works on original pieces of equipment, telling stories through the vulnerability, trust and reliance that exists between people in the air.

They formed in 2004, when Alex Harvey, Charlotte Mooney, and Tina Koch met at the Circomedia Academy of Contemporary Circus and Physical Performance in Bristol.

They feature in the video interview we conducted with Ed Wood of Underbelly earlier this year.

Mum always tells us don’t talk to strangers: but what if that stranger is you? Marie, a young woman from a small village, moves to a surreal megacity. She’s imagined this city, the people she would meet. And now here you are … so tall … and attractive … and … tall. Maybe you’re going to be friends? Maybe you’re going to fall in love? Maybe Marie is teetering on the brink of a very everyday trauma. 

Invisible City is a one-woman show about longing, loneliness, making connections and lemons. Join naive newcomer to the big city, Marie, as she struggles to adjust to the bustling metropolis and finds herself treading a fine line between coping and not coping.

Performer and writer Lowri Jenkins (‘a name you want to watch out for’ OneStopArts.com) comments: “Invisible City came from observations we made of city life. I’m fascinated by the way you can be physically so close to other people, on the tube wedged under someone’s armpit or elbowing your way through a throng of shoppers and yet nobody makes eye contact, we’re all in our own little bubbles and sometimes you feel invisible.”

Director / Choreographer Jennifer Fletcher and Composer Mat Martin have worked with Lowri to create this multi-disciplined performance using movement, monologue and a unique sound-score to conjure the huge, intimidating atmosphere of the city. The audience is treated as the city’s population from whom Marie seeks support, friendship and affirmation. When, during an hallucinatory episode in a supermarket, she finds comfort in a lemon, the audience is asked to consider; what does companionship truly mean to you?

Funny, moving and surreal, Invisible City explores coming to terms with the truth that, at the end of the day, we only have ourselves.

Invisible City

Venue 13, Lochend Close, EH8 8BL

Saturday 8^th  – Saturday 29^th August 2015 (not 17^th or 24^th), 8.15pm
Box Office:                           Tickets available from: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/invisible-city

Tickets: £8 (£6 concessions)

Twitter:                                  @_InvisibleCity www.twitter.com/_invisiblecity

Facebook:                             www.facebook.com/invisiblecity

Tumblr:                                  http://invisiblecity2015.tumblr.com/

Notes:                                    Recommended age 14+

Driven by the mystique that surrounds her school’s sorority, a blogging schoolkid follows the group into the woods one night and witnesses something that acts as a catalyst to their destruction. Seemingly overnight, their sleepy American town turns into the epicentre of a modern day Salem Witch Trial.

The ridiculousness of Caryn Waechter’s feature directorial debut is more than half the fun. Somewhere along the line, someone seems to have left its endless plot to keep on unraveling; failing to stop it at any point. Side stories of on-off boyfriends cater to a thirsty tween crowd while the dark high school bitchiness makes the whole thing seem like a crass crossover of Clueless and The Craft. A tinkly, cheap score behind it all tries to lift its spirits with a tacky end result, even if has a little visual flare. In amongst a pretty much unknown American cast lies British Narnia alumni Georgie Henley, putting on her best American accent and looking a little too poised for this often miasmic witchhunt movie.

But to sit and critique the filmmaking strategy and gaping plot of The Sisterhood of Night is almost a disservice to a generation of trashy teen movies that serve as its influence. It doesn’t reach the dizzy heights of them, but it damn near tries. The sassy attitude of a group of teenage girls and the worried reactions of the film’s undeveloped parents is enough for us to define it as a film for teens. It’s reminiscent of a series of terrible Nickelodeon films that you find yourself watching time after time; not for their cinematic quality but for their sheer enjoyability. If it wasn’t for Waechter’s attempts to twist in child molestation and overdoses for dramatic effect, we might be looking at one of those films that’s remembered for being so bad that its good.

There’s a lot to be picky about when it comes to The Sisterhood of Night. Its undeveloped script, the crass soundtrack that litters it unnecessarily or maybe even the fact that Georgie Henley’s casting is rather incongruous to this all American tale. But for a generation of teens weaned on 90’s Nickelodeon movies, there’s something shamelessly enjoyable about this stuttering, cheesy sorority flick.

★★★☆☆

The Sisterhood of Night plays as part of the Edinburgh International Film Festival 2015. For ticketing information, head to EIFF’s website.

The first word in my notepad while watching The Diary of a Teenage Girl was ‘frothy’. The final phrase? ‘Sexual depravity’. It’s an understandable clash of tone and genre that at times, slightly overrules Marielle Heller’s stark directorial debut. An otherwise refreshing look at the bizarre life of a fifteen year old girl in 1970’s San Francisco, it bursts through the screen with a sort of sordid beauty, even if its protagonist is slightly premature.

Fifteen year old Minnie lives at home with her drunkard mother and her specky younger sister. It seems that most of the time, her mother’s boyfriend Monroe is around. Uncomfortably attracted to the man who is twenty years her senior, she discovers the feeling is reciprocal. Now, the pair find themselves engaged in a love affair that expands Minnie’s premature sexual scope.

Self assure from the start, The Diary of a Teenage Girl is at times a animated work of airy, teenage kook. What tends to happen to films in the teen genre is that they get trapped by their audiences; thirty-something filmmakers making films for 18 year olds with rare, slight success.

The plot follows Minnie and her best friend through their own curious encounters with sex, becoming almost a competition. It is at times rather tongue in cheek, and its often hard to differentiate these teenagers care free attitude with a concerning lack of parental attention.  Teenage Girl doesn’t really have a set audience, as its hormone-injected attitudes make way for a relationship with sexual depravity a kin to some scenes in Lars von Trier’s Nymphomaniac. Thematically, of course. The screen is never filled with an oversized phallus unless its in cartoon form.

Alexander Skarsgård and charismatic Brit sensation Bel Powley seriously steal the show here. The unlikely couple carry the film’s topsy turvy subject matter with such whip-smart ease that their performances overshadow whats going on underneath. The seldom seen nature of Kristen Wiig’s performance as Minnie’s mother is one of the major disappointments. A woman distracted by a daytime life of mundanity and late night life of excess, she’s rarely present but steals some of the film’s finest moments; for once allowing Wiig to show off her emotive acting chops.

When it comes to the way in which Minnie’s story is told, there’s a slight dilemma. It’s near impossible to line up your own perception of the film’s activity with the director’s perception. The darkest subject matter of Teenage Girl doesn’t seem formally dwelled upon. The manipulative nature of Monroe (played brilliantly by Alexander Skarsgård) seems like a mere subplot beneath intimate sex scenes; resulting in the imminent disaster that is about to occur being blamed on a young girl. In essence, Monroe is an attractive, rugged Humbert, and Minnie is a slightly obsessive version of Dolores. It is hard to ignore the fact that Skarsgård’s character is essentially a paedophile, and as things progress and the pair come dangerously close to being caught, Minnie looks hauntingly more childlike; her mental age lining up with her real life one. This takes away from the fact that, otherwise, The Diary of a Teenage Girl is a serious sexual statement perhaps disguised as a teen comedy.

The Diary of a Teenage Girl could either be a bizarre teen dramedy or a underdeveloped depiction of child molestation. Either way, it’s a riveting, provocative watch; unraveling like a confident retelling of Lolita.

★★★★☆

The Diary of a Teenage Girl has its UK Premiere at the Edinburgh International Film Festival. For ticketing information, head to the EIFF website.

A number of actresses best known for their roles as on-screen detectives have added their voices to those praising the determination and professionalism of the women in Scotland who help to keep people safe as we celebrate 100 years of women in policing.

Events have been taking place across the country in recent weeks to highlight the changes which have occurred over the past century with regards to women in policing, including the abolition in 1968 of a rule which meant women had to leave the service when they got married.

Blythe Duff, who is known to millions of “Taggart” fans as Detective Sergeant Jackie Reid, said: “I’d like to send my very best wishes to Scotland’s serving and retired police women as Police Scotland celebrates 100 years of women in policing. “Having played a police officer in “Taggart” I’ve had some insight into the kind of working life women in policing lead, and I take my hat off to them. They face numerous challenges on a daily basis, whilst striving to perform to the best of their abilities and serve their communities to the highest standard. “It’s incredible to see the changes which have taken place throughout the last century, with women now able to undertake any role within the force, and rise to the highest ranks within the service.”

Star of “Rebus”, Claire Price, said: “I spent a morning with a female DS when I was researching Detective Sergeant Siobhan Clark for ‘Rebus’ and I still remember my time with her.

“She was very impressive – a skilled officer, a working mum and a wife. She said dark humour helped keep her, and her fellow officers, going, on days when she was at a murder scene in the afternoon then making her child’s dinner a few hours later. The respect she showed for her work was total.

“Playing a policewoman on TV was a lot easier. But like all women in hitherto male-dominated worlds, we both had to negotiate working with strong men. It gets easier for each generation.”

Alison O’Donnell is well known for her role as Detective Constable Alison ‘Tosh’ McIntosh in “Shetland”:

“I feel incredibly proud to be representing a Scottish police woman and have the greatest respect and admiration for the work that they do.

“It is absolutely right that in 2015 all roles within Police Scotland are open to women and I congratulate them on the immense progress made in the last 100 years.

“I hope that in the next 100 years many more young women and girls are inspired to follow careers in the police force.”

Police have arrested and charged a 49-year-old man in connection with nine incidents of indecency committed in the Grange and Oxgangs areas between April 2014 and June 2015.

He is due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court today.

Motor Neurone Disease (MND) patient and campaigner Gordon Aikman has smashed the £300,000 mark in his bid to fund research into a cure for the disease.

With a flurry of donations made during MND Awareness Week Aikman’s fundraising total has gone over £300,000.

Together with MND Scotland, Gordon has been campaigning for a law change so that the 80-95% of MND patients who lose their voice are guaranteed the equipment they need to communicate.

The First Minister announced that she was “keen” to see communication aids – such as eye-gaze technology and speech synthesisers – “routinely” available on the NHS.

In the recent Queen’s 2015 Birthday Honours it was announced that Gordon was to receive  a British Empire Medal and also an honorary degree from the University of Edinburgh.

MND patient, campaigner and founder of GordonsFightback.com, Gordon Aikman, said:

“This is just amazing!

“I would like to say a massive thank you to each and every one of the 4,220 people who have now donated to Gordon’s Fightback.

“Seeing my fundraising total continue to climb gives me such a massive boost. It helps keeps me going, but most important of all it means we are closer than ever to the day we find a cure.

“It might be too late for me, but we can and we must find a cure for future generations. So please dig deep and give what you can by texting MNDS85 £5 to 70070 today. Thank you.

“It is time for the UK Government to do its bit too. By doubling the amount of money we spend on MND research as a country we will undoubtedly find that cure faster.”

Police are appealing for information in order to trace a 34-year-old man, who is missing from the South Queensferry area.

Scott Mackenzie was last seen yesterday around 9pm leaving the Ferry Tap Inn, High Street, South Queensferry.

Officers are growing increasingly concerned for Scott’s welfare and are eager to trace his whereabouts.

Scott is described as a white man with a slim build.  He is around 5ft 6” in height and has brown hair.  He was last seen wearing a white t-shirt, blue denim jeans, a brown/green leather jacket (Ted Baker) and red coloured shoes.

Inspector James Sinclair said:  “We are becoming increasingly concerned for Scott’s welfare and are eager to trace him as soon as possible.

“Anyone with information regarding Scott’s whereabouts is asked to contact police immediately.”

Those with information regarding Scott’s whereabouts are asked to contact Police Scotland on 101 or anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.