So perhaps the tram project was late in getting built, perhaps it was way over budget but Edinburgh Trams now seem to be the darling of their passengers.

The service has received a 95% overall satisfaction rating from its passengers in a major independent survey. 70% of those surveyed said they were ‘very satisfied’ –  the joint highest percentage of tram operators surveyed.

In the research by Passenger Focus, some of the top factors driving positive reviews were:

• Punctuality – 94% overall satisfaction
• Journey time – 86% overall satisfaction
• Safety of driving – 94% overall satisfaction
• Distance of tram stop from start of journey – 82% overall satisfaction
• Space – 82% overall satisfaction
• Value for money – 83% overall satisfaction
• Information provided at the stop – 87% overall satisfaction

Tom Norris, Director and General Manager of Edinburgh Trams, welcomed the results:

 “This feedback is a great reward for all the staff who have put in so much effort to make the trams an excellent way of getting around the city. We always listen to our passengers and try to learn what we can do better, and this first large-scale independent study will help us to do that even more.

“While I’m obviously delighted, we’ll continue to work hard to make every journey as safe, reliable and enjoyable as possible. We’ll look very closely at all aspects of this reports as there’s always room to improve.  We’re still a new service and I’m confident, that with a focus on continuous improvement, that we can be even better.”

Lesley Hinds, Chair of Transport for Edinburgh, said:

“This is an excellent response and demonstrates just what Edinburgh Trams means to the public as a safe and efficient method of transport. Providing the best possible service for passengers is central for Transport for Edinburgh, and since launching in May the trams have clearly made a positive impact on customers.

“With similarly high levels of customer satisfaction for Lothian Buses, we are clearly on our way to achieving a seamlessly integrated transport offering for the city.”

The Edinburgh fieldwork was carried out from 10 September to 27 November 2014. 596 interviews were carried out (531 paper and 65 online) for journeys on all days of the week from 6am to 10pm. The survey also questioned tram passengers in Blackpool, Manchester, Birmingham/Wolverhampton, Nottingham and Sheffield.

A recent study into bus satisfaction found that 94% of Lothian Buses passengers continued to be satisfied with the overall service, whist achieving 83% value for money score – the best in the country.

Transport for Edinburgh, the parent company of Lothian Buses and Edinburgh Trams, attracted an extra six million passenger journeys in 2014, with buses up three million on 2013 and the trams generating three million passengers in its first seven months of operation.

Of those surveyed 11% were travelling with a concessionary pass.  This coincides closely with overall usage which is in line with budget at 10%.

What do you think?

Easter Bunny Treasure Hunt: with crafts too! For ages 5-8 years. 2-3pm, Blackhall Library, 56 Hillhouse Road.

Craft Afternoon: 3pm today and every Friday, McDonald Road Library, 2 McDonald Road. Free: no booking required.

Zoo Arts Extra: Spring Art Walk and Gallery Visit. An art and wildlife walk along the cycle path and Water of Leith from Muirhouse to the Gallery of Modern Art, drawing, foraging and picnicking along the way. For ages 9+ or under-9s accompanied by a responsible adult. 1.15pm (depart from North Edinburgh Arts, Pennywell Court), arriving back by 5pm. For more information and to book, call North Edinburgh Arts on 0131 315 2151 or email admin@northedinburgharts.co.uk. Zoo Arts Extra is a project based in Muirhouse to bring together people of all ages to enjoy, explore and produce visual art locally and across the city.

Edinburgh University Music Society Spring Concert: Stravinsky Firebird Suite, Borodin Polovtsian Dances from Prince Igor and Bartok Concerto for Orchestra. Conductor: Russell Cowieson. 7.30pm, Greyfriars Kirk, Greyfriars Place. Tickets cost £10/£5 (concessions)/£3 (members) and can be purchased online here or on the door, subject to availability. Door open 7pm and early arrival is advised.

Kathleen Jamie, Costa Poetry Book Award 2012 winner, in conversation with Jenni Fagan, University of Edinburgh Writer in Residence: 6-7pm, Looking Glass Books, 36 Simpson’s Loan, Quartermile. Free.

Sophie Ploeg: The Lace Trail. The Dutch artist, art historian and BP Travel Award winner explores the lavish world of early 17th century Dutch and English portraiture. These portraits and the development of lace and ruffs as a fashion accessory have inspired Sophie to create a series of new paintings which are currently on display within the BP Portrait Award 2015 exhibition. In this talk Sophie will discuss early 17th century portraiture, the development of 17th century lace, and how she was inspired to create the costumes for her paintings. She will also share studio images of the works in progress and explain her working method. 12.45-1.30pm, Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free and unticketed.

Book and a Brew: borrow some books or take out library membership on the last Friday of the month, and you’ll be invited to join the staff for tea, coffee and cake. 10am-12 noon, South Neighbourhood Office and Library, 40 Captain’s Road.

Gorgie Youth Choir Spring Concert: director Norda Barber. 7pm, Gorgie Dalry Church, 190 Gorgie Road. £3/£1.50. – includes refreshments.

Lee Paterson: 8.30pm, The Skylark, 243 Portobello High Street. Free admission.

Gallery Social: BP Portrait Award. A relaxed and informal guided tour with refreshments for anyone affected by dementia and their relatives, friends and supporters. 10.30am-12 noon, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street. To book please call the Information Desk on 0131 624 6560. Supported by the Friends of NGS.

Electrikal: Newham Generals + Blackwax. Grime scene veterans Newham Generals are amongst the most respected and critically acclaimed underground acts in the UK today, having consistently forged new styles and concepts throughout a career spanning three decades. Blackwax’s ‘dark rugged productions…are informed by the UK’s rich heritage in underground electronic music as well as noticeable influences from further afield’. 11pm-3am, The Bongo Club, 66 Cowgate. Early booking is advised: tickets cost £10 in advance (£12 on the door, subject to availability) and can be booked online here. The Bongo Club is a nightclub, live venue and all-round artistic hub owned by local arts charity Out of the Blue.

Neu! Reekie! This time featuring Holy Esque (‘Glasgow’s most exciting and inventive new band’ NME), Edinburgh-based writer, poet, filmmaker and artist Sandra Alland, BAFTA-nominated animator Claire Lamond, singer-songwriter Bill Ryder Jones, and poet, editor and singer Kevin Cadwallender. 7-10.30pm, Summerhall, 1 Summerhall. Tickets cost £9/£7 and can be booked online here or by calling the Box Office on 0131 560 1581.

Edinburgh Palette Presents Breathe: paintings by Henry Fraser. Preview tonight 6-9pm, then 10am-7pm Monday to Friday, 10am-4pm Saturdays and Sundays, Gallery 1, St Margaret’s House, 151 London Road. Ends 12th April 2015.

Edinburgh Palette Presents Kilns and Cranes: part of a series of large and smaller-scale paintings related to the tanker/frigate image by SSA member Jacqui Higgs. Jacqui’s work captures the changing lights, depths and colours of the North Sea, which lash onto her everyday walks in Edinburgh and beyond. Preview tonight 6-9pm with live music from LouRay2, then 11am-5pm daily, Gallery 2, St Margaret’s House, 151 London Road. Ends 12th April 2015.

Edinburgh Palette Presents Bruce Eckhart: past and present works. Remarkable for their luminous forms and flares of brilliant colour, at first glance Erkhart’s paintings embody abstract expressionism – but the artist reveals, often through his chosen titles, that each imaginative composition contains concrete shapes and figures which he summons from a varied range of sources. Preview tonight 6-9pm, then 10.15am-6pm daily, Gallery 3, St Margaret’s House, 151 London Road. Ends 12th April 2015.

Gerda Stevenson: actress, director, singer and songwriter Gerda Stevenson was nominated for Scots Singer of the Year in the 2014 MG Alba Trad Music Awards and has also been nominated as one of the Saltire Society’s Outstanding Women of Scotland. She has recently released a highly acclaimed debut album Night Touches Day. Gerda will be accompanied by outstanding traditional musicians in an entertaining night of song, music and banter. 7.30-9.30pm, West Street Arts Centre, 4 West St, Penicuik. Tickets cost £10 (£8 for Penicuik Community Arts Association members) and can be purchased online here or from the Gift Shop at 4 West St.

Julia McNairn White: Scottish Seascapes. Following on from Julia McNairn White’s sell-out exhibition last year, The Sutton Gallery presents a new suite of work by the Edinburgh-based artist, featuring oil paintings and pastels depicting the dramatic coastline in and around North Berwick, East Lothian. Open preview tonight 6-8pm, then 11am-5pm Tuesday to Saturday (closed Sunday and Monday), The Sutton Gallery, 18a Dundas Street. Ends 25th April 2015.

Guid Crack: Glamourie.  Enchantment can take many forms: wrap yourself in the cloak of a story this evening and leave time itself waiting outside, with storyteller Beverley Bryant. Edinburgh’s monthly storytelling night, upstairs at the Waverley Bar. 7.30pm, Waverley Bar, St Mary’s Street.  No booking required; free – suggested donation £3 per person. Accompanied young adults welcome.

Trad Talk: Nae Plans. Taking their cue from the spontaneity of the trad music session, two of Scotland’s finest folk musicians Hamish Napier (piano, flute, whistle, vocals) and Adam Sutherland (fiddle) sit down on stage without knowing what they will play. The results will thrill, astound and move you. ‘Marvellously organic and intensely alive’ (Sue Wilson, Scotsman). 8pm, Netherbow Theatre, Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street. Tickets cost £10/£8 and can be purchased by calling the Box Office on 0131 556 9579.  Attendees of Trad Talk may be entitled to a discount – ask at the Box Office.

MoJoCon

Edinburgh Park station gets new ticket gates

Fundraising for CHAS

New exhibition coming to Castle Terrace

 Pets Corner

The Edinburgh Reporter has been invited to an exciting conference today in Dublin. It is all about how to compile news reports using only a mobile phone.

The conference is organised by Glen Mulcahy of RTÉ and we already know that one of the presenters at the event, Hugh Lineman who is online editor at The Irish Times, is related to  our new Edinburgh International Festival director, Fergus Linehan… so there’s the Edinburgh connection right there!

Watch out for news on Twitter and Instagram about the event.

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Edinburgh Park has become the latest ScotRail station to have ticket gates installed.

Work to introduce the gates got under way in January, with ten new gateline jobs created as part of the change.

The gates, which have been installed at both platforms, began operating earlier this week.

They were introduced under a franchise commitment to reduce ticketless travel, increase revenue protection, improve station security and discourage anti-social behaviour.

Automatic ticket gates are already in place at a number of ScotRail stations, including: Inverness, Perth, Aberdeen, Dundee and Stirling, as well as both Glasgow Queen Street and Central stations, and Edinburgh Waverley and Haymarket.

Pat Callaghan, ScotRail’s director of facilities and building services, said: “Revenue protection and reducing ticketless travel have always been priorities for us because it is honest, fare-paying passengers who bear the burden of lost investment in Scotland’s railway.

“Ticket gates, which are part of our franchise agreement, are also proven to discourage anti-social behaviour and improve station security.”

The majority of works took place overnight, causing minimal impact on customers travelling through the station during the day.

Customers are encouraged to buy their tickets in advance of travel to allow quick and easy access to and from the station.

***

Legal, financial and property specialist Pagan Osborne raised £15,000 as part of a three-year partnership with Children’s Hospice Association Scotland (CHAS).

The partnership launched in March 2012 when, following a staff vote, CHAS was contacted by Pagan Osborne and notified that it was the company’s chosen charity for the next three years. From there, the partnership developed and flourished, showing how truly diverse and interactive a charity partnership can be.

CHAS Corporate and Events Fundraiser, Criona Knight, said: “It has been an absolute pleasure working with the Pagan Osborne team. They have been so supportive and have always tried to help wherever they can. At the end of a partnership it is always fantastic to look back at the different ways a company can support us and Pagan Osborne really did tick all the boxes.

“Every single penny the team have donated will go towards supporting babies, children and young people with life shortening conditions and their families across Scotland. CHAS are so grateful for all their support and hard work and we would like to say a big thank you and wish them all well for the future”.

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PROJECTION by DAVID MCDIARMID from 10 – 25 APRIL at INTERVIEW ROOM 11

More information here

***

We got together with the other members of the Edinburgh News Cooperative last week when we asked local residents in North Edinburgh to bring their pets along for a photo shoot. Here is what happened – please watch to the very end!

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Outstanding Inspection Report for St George’s School for Girls

Education Scotland and the Scottish Care Inspectorate have this week published their report on St George’s School for Girls in Edinburgh, following a full school inspection in January 2015.

Within a new inspection format, the school was inspected in every area from Nursery to Sixth Form, with a joint inspection between the Care Inspectorate and Education Scotland in the Nursery involving a team of up to ten inspectors over a period of five days.

The report confirms the exemplary reputation of the school which strives to provide excellent teaching and individual support for the personal, social and intellectual development of its pupils. The school’s prime aim is to produce ‘women of independent mind’.

The report focused on five key quality indicators covering the curriculum, improvements through self-evaluation and in performance, and learners’ experiences and needs. In three areas the school received the highest possible grading of “excellent”.

A school spokesman said: “An “excellent” rating was given to the school’s curriculum, which is based on St George’s guiding values of “truth, honour, freedom and courtesy”. This was commended as being “all-through” and “broad and stimulating”. The accolade of “excellent” was awarded for improvements through self-evaluation and also for performance (which covers examination results, attainment and achievement). This reflects the strength of leadership of the Head, Mrs Anne Everest, and the importance attached to self-evaluation and continuous improvement.

“Learners’ experiences and meeting learning needs were graded as “very good”, a clear indication of the very high standards adhered to across the whole school.

“In the nursery an additional grading was provided on four areas including the quality of care and support; the environment; staffing; and management and leadership. All categories were graded as “very good”.”

Head, Mrs Anne Everest, said: “We are delighted the report has acknowledged the excellent work done by our staff: it reflects the high quality of education here and the dedication and ambition of both staff and pupils. St George’s stimulating and supportive environment for girls is enriched by the diversity of the school community, contributing to both academic achievement and overall growth and development.”

St George’s Chairman of the Governing Council, Mr Paul Brewer, also added: “The report captures the ethos of the school and in particular its high attaining, self-evaluating and progressive atmosphere. This is something that has always been key to the ethos and continuing success of St George’s. I would like to congratulate Anne, her leadership team and the whole staff on their achievement of an outstanding outcome. ”

The all-through nature of St George’s, from 2 to 18 years, enabled the report to look at the transition arrangements as girls moved through the school from nursery to sixth form. The report recognised that “across the nursery and all stages of the school, staff plan programmes and courses very carefully to ensure there is coherence and progression in learning.”

Self-evaluation was recognised and commended. “There is an excellent culture of self-evaluation embedded across the school”. “The head teacher has strong and clear vision for the school where children receive the best education to develop their ambitions and fulfil their aspirations through continuous improvement through self-evaluation.”

The report highlighted staff across the whole school as being very successful at supporting pupils to develop and learn: “in keeping with the school’s aims, children progress at their own pace benefiting from a range of qualification systems and courses to meet the needs of students.”

Submitted by bornie lamotte

I have a theory that, regardless of everybody’s personal tastes and fortes, we have a shared passion for really good films. The diversity lies in our own tastes; something that I’m sure people debate over for hours on end. Heck – even I enjoy a good film debate too!

Throughout my time writing for The Edinburgh Reporter, I have prided myself on providing reviews of films that our readers are either desperate to see or should grab the chance to while they can.

In the past, I have reported from Glasgow Film Festival and BFI London Film Festival, giving me the chance to see a wide array of films from all across the globe. But our biggest move will come in May, as I head to Cannes to report from their prestigious film festival for eight whole days.

I am intent on bringing our readers a rare, first glimpse into the films that are playing at the festival, before they arrive on Scottish shores over the course of the next year. It will give you a good head start when it comes to the release of the Edinburgh Film Festival program later in the month of May – allowing you to hand pick your programme based on our recommendations!

It will be a hectic, exciting time and we intend to bring you comprehensive coverage through a variety of media including news and reviews as soon as the films have been shown in the prestigious Grand Théâtre Lumière!

Our news coverage has already begun, but with the official programme announcement on 16 April and the festival starting just a month later, you will be sure to have a whole lot of movie news to set your eyes upon!

Edinburgh based tea merchants PekoeTea have recently become members of The Ethical Tea Partnership (ETP).

As loose leaf tea specialists, PekoeTea import teas from all over the world, these teas are then served in their two Edinburgh tea bars, retailed to customers online or in their shops or sold to their wholesale clients situated throughout the UK and Europe.

Through membership to the internationally active Ethical Tea Partnership they say they can now be proud to offer their assurances and confirm their dedication to ethical standards across the entire supply chain, from workers’ rights to sustainability to all of their wholesale and retail customers as well as the patrons of their tea bars. PekoeTea is the first and only Edinburgh tea company to have submitted themselves to the strict audit and buying policies required by membership to The Ethical Tea Partnership.

Sarah Roberts, Executive Director, The Ethical Tea Partnership, said:

“It’s great that a company which is taking loose leaf artisan teas to a new generation sees the merit of joining ETP. On a weekly basis we seem to be getting more interest from tea companies wishing to trade ethically and responsibly. With each new acquisition we can make more of a difference to the lives of people who grow and produce our tea.”

Jon Cooper, Director, PekoeTea, said:

“It has always been important for us to join ETP because we feel very strongly about transparency in the tea supply chain. One of the most common questions we’re asked is ‘where does your tea come from?’ and by taking the steps necessary to join ETP we can be more confident that we are sourcing tea produced and traded ethically. It’s also good for business because our customers can be assured as to where their tea is coming from. For me, ensuring we truly source our tea responsibly and ethically has always been one of my personal objectives.”

From its creation in 2006 PekoeTea has been committed to building a collection of teas from all over the world, which we have ensured are produced in an ethical way through fostering personal relationships with tea producers. Our tea bars are designed to provide a modern and informed approach to tea drinking and we prepare the teas in traditional and culturally appropriate ways. It is this approach that sets us apart in an industry which has seen incredible growth over the last few years. We have now grown to employ six staff members and an increase in retail revenue of 35% in the last year has allowed us to open a second tea bar in Stockbridge. We look forward to continued growth for PekoeTea and a continued commitment, along with The Ethical Tea Partnership, to ever improving ethical standards in the tea trade.

http://www.pekoetea.co.uk

Submitted by Pekoetea of Edinburgh 

Although feminism still has many fights to fight, women in today’s Scotland can at least vote, keep their own nationality on marriage and enter any profession they choose. In 1914, women had few of these rights and the UK was at war with Germany. We have an Edinburgh-born woman, Chrystal Macmillan, and her equally intrepid colleagues to thank for both our personal and our political freedom – yet their stories have been erased from history. Now new research – and a new film – are aiming to give these pioneering women the recognition they deserve.

Helen Kay is investigating the role of Scottish women in the peace movement; at the National Library of Scotland recently, Helen gave a fascinating and inspiring talk about the ‘dangerous women’ who campaigned tirelessly for peace and equality.

Chrystal Macmillan’s early years were spent at Corstorphine Hill House; her father was a partner in Melrose Tea and she and her eight brothers lived a comfortable middle-class life. In 1888 Chrystal joined St Leonard’s School (then very much a girls-only establishment) in St Andrew’s; she was well educated and won a scholarship to Oxford, but her parents wished her to return to Edinburgh. Enrolling at Edinburgh University to study Maths and Philosophy, she became a member of the Women’s Representation Committee, graduated with a First (and was also the first woman to graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree), took an MA in Philosophy and became active in the women’s suffrage movement all over Scotland, often working with Elsie Inglis and Eunice Murray.

In the early twentieth century the university had its own parliamentary seat, the MP being elected by its General Council. The Council’s statutes entitled graduates to vote, but had been written when only men could graduate; the Council argued that the statutes’ references to ‘people’ did not include ‘women’. Chrystal took the women’s case to the University Courts (who rejected her argument) and then to the House of Lords. Again she lost. She was undeterred.

By 1913 Chrystal was the only family member still resident at Corstorphine House; she sold the estate and moved to London. (The property eventually became Edinburgh Zoo). Chrystal was totally committed to the women’s suffrage movement and became involved in a project to document women’s voting rights around the world; in 1913 Woman Suffrage in Practice was published. When war was declared in 1914, Chrystal sought pacifism – but she was far from inactive; by October of that year she was running a relief office for destitute women in London, and when asked by the Netherlands to help refugees in Flushing, she and Mary Sheepshanks delivered the assistance in person; they believed in providing what was actually needed, not what the Military Relief Committees thought should be required.

In 1914, as a delegate of the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies, Chrystal was due to attend the International Women’s Suffrage Alliance conference in Berlin; it was cancelled. When hostilities broke out women had no voice; they were excluded from decision-making just as they were excluded from most professions. The suffrage movement became divided, with many of the more vocal members turning instead to the ‘war effort’ and even taking part in the notorious White Feather movement.

American women’s suffrage leader Carrie Chapman Catt proposed holding an international women’s peace conference in The Hague, but the NUWSS refused to send delegates – for many nationalism was now more important than suffrage. Chrystal and some of the other women (many of whom had resigned from the NUWSS in protest) decided to go alone, their guiding principles being that anyone who came with them must (1) agree with women’s suffrage and (2) acknowledge that all international disputes should be resolved by conciliatory means.

The British government refused to issue passports to all but a few ‘sensible women’ ; the newspapers called them ‘these feminine busybodies’ – but still they went (a total of almost 1200 women from 12 countries eventually attended, despite the North Sea shipping lanes being closed). Many resolutions were passed by this politically powerless assembly, until one of the delegates asked ‘Words, words, words – when are we going to take some action?‘ So they did. Envoys were chosen to lobby governments across Europe, with the women undertaking journeys that would have been unthinkable for most even in peacetime – they met prime ministers, presidents, kings and even the Pope. Chrystal’s remit was the Northern European capitals; she could not travel through Germany, so went by boat to Copenhagen and took a train right round the top of Finland to Petrograd (now St Petersburg), then the imperial capital of Russia. Most of their hosts received them well and encouraged them to continue with their work, but not one statesman would take the first step towards mediation. In 1915 the delegates gathered in New York (the US being at that time neutral) to present the Wisconsin Plan (a pamphlet Continuous Mediation Without Armistice having been published by Professor Julia Grace Wales at Wisconsin-Madison University the year before) to President Woodrow Wilson.

After the war Chrystal became a London barrister and continued her campaigning work for many causes including equal pay, equal opportunities in the workplace, and particularly in the area of married women’s nationality. She did not live to see the fruits of her efforts, dying in 1937, twenty years before the United Nations finally established independent nationality for every married person. She was always a non-militant suffragette, but unlike the more radical members of the movement she continued the struggle right through the war.

The Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom grew from the Hague conference. Its first international president was Jane Addams, who was subsequently awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. It has been campaigning ever since, and is celebrating its 100th birthday this year; it is currently involved in bringing civilians to the peace talks in Syria and has brought Syrian and Bosnian women together to share their experiences. The League believes that ‘peace is not rooted only in treaties between great powers or a turning away of weapons alone, but can only flourish when it is planted in the soil of justice, freedom, non-violence, opportunity and equality for all’. The Scottish Branch of WILPF is very active; Helen Kay is one of its members. You can find out more about it via its Facebook page here.

The Clapham Film Unit and WILPF have received Heritage Lottery Funding to make a film about the women who attended the Hague conference and their journeys. The director, Charlotte Bill, was at Helen’s talk to announce that These Dangerous Women will be premiered in London on 25th March and shown at the Augustine United Church here in Edinburgh on 18th May 2015. Helen Kay is continuing her research in various archives, and has received great support (and some wonderful photographs) from Chrystal Macmillan’s family.

As Helen says, it took great courage to argue for peace when everyone else was swept up in patriotism and dissenters were mocked, villified and often kept under police surveillance. Chrystal wanted ‘a peace that is not just a negation of war, a peace that is living and growing and active‘.  So when you exercise your right to vote in May, or when you next pass the University of Edinburgh’s Chrystal Macmillan Building in George Square, spare a thought for this brave and remarkable Scottish woman.

Thanks to Helen Kay for an excellent talk!

The Coronas’ UK tour is a mere footnote compared to the massive shows they have previous played in their native Ireland. The band have headlined 3 Arena and the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham, playing to over 10,000 fans at each event. It really is a stark comparison with Liquid Room only holding 650 people, where The Coronas struggled to sell out.

Outside of Ireland, The Coronas don’t experience live intimacy. They don’t look fazed or baffled playing to smaller crowds, they play it like an arena show. Front man Danny O’Reilly’s smile created a significant impact on the crowd’s admirable motivation, both of which never faltered for the duration of the show.

The setlist was predominantly their new album The Long Way, but dedicated fans got their fix of older material from their other three albums. Every song was met with a raucous acknowledgement as soon as O’Reilly announced what the next song was. Accompanied by his keyboard or guitar, O’Reilly’s captivating presence as a front man was comparable to Coldplay’s Chris Martin. Besides him, every aspect of the band was laudable and faultless – a totally succinct performance leaving no room for any errors.

Their amalgamation of folk and soft rock alongside an impressive lyrical itinerary has allowed The Coronas to pinpoint a narrow niche in the industry, yet unfortunately the band have to endeavour in order to become relevant in the British music scene. It is the same old Irish band situation: only very few can export themselves overseas; the many others lay extremely popular in their native country but fail to transport their notoriety elsewhere.

With four albums under their belt and increased touring, who knows where The Coronas could end up. Perhaps they could be touring all the O2 venues of Britain within the next year. With their impressive stage presence, it wouldn’t be surprising.

Four days after their team won the SPFL Championship, Hearts supporters received more good news today when Head Coach Robbie Neilson told them he was staying at Tynecastle to continue the remarkable work he has already done in less than a year.

At the club’s press conference on Thursday, Neilson, 34, spoke of his desire to see the club he played for with distinction and is managing with even more distinction, re-establish themselves in the SPFL Premiership.

“I’ll be here next season” said the man who has transformed Hearts fortunes. “I’m not ready to make a step yet. It’s been a great season and it’s been really enjoyable. We’ve been lucky that any mistakes we have made in the coaching side or during the games, from my perspective, haven’t been punished. When you move up a level then they do get punished so it’s important that we don’t get ahead of ourselves, players and coaching staff, to think that we’ve done it.

I’ve only been in the job for nine, ten months or whatever it is. I’ve still got a long way to go and I’ve still got a long way to take this team as well. It’s a great opportunity to build over the summer and have real crack at it next season and see where we are. Then the season after that, if we can gain stability in the league, then it gives us another chance to push on from there”

His statement of intent came after comments made by Hearts owner Ann Budge who said she wouldn’t be surprised if bigger clubs than Hearts came calling not only for some of the club’s promising youngsters but for one of the most promising head coaches in the country.

“I’m really happy where I am, at a stable club” Neilson continued. “Ann’s been fantastic, Craig’s been great so it’s a great place to be at the minute.”

Hearts play their first game since clinching the Championship this Saturday when promotion-chasing Queen of the South visit a sold-out Tynecastle on Saturday. Typically, Neilson is in no mood for the players to let their standards slip.

“This club demands we win every game and with a full house here on Saturday we don’t want to let the fans down”

Meanwhile, former Manchester United and Scotland manager Sir Alex Ferguson has said he believes the legendary Dave Mackay would have loved to have seen the job that’s been done at Tynecastle.

He spoke to the Hearts official website after attending the funeral for Mackay in Edinburgh on Tuesday.

“I think Dave would be very proud of Hearts” said the man who has been hard to replace at Old Trafford. “As you know, Hearts have been through a terrible time and anyone who has an affection for Hearts – and I go back to when I was a boy – I must say, they were my second team after Rangers, with the great players John Cumming, Bauld, Conn and Wardhaugh – will be delighted to see them back”

“That period when things go so bad – I just think that sometimes a guardian angel comes along and saves you. The job that Ann Budge has done has not only regenerated the club but it’s given everyone a lift in sense of the ambition is back in the club, they’re back in the Premier League.

“Hearts won the Championship by a phenomenal number of points and I’m delighted for them. They play some really good football and I think they will be very welcome in the Premier Division, I’m sure of that, and they’ll do well.”

Pupils from Tynecastle High School and Dalkeith High School were busy today carrying out refurbishment of the gates and fences (rubbing down, cleaning up and painting them) and a general facelift of the cemetery grounds at Liberton Cemetery. You can see more photos and video below.

This is all part of something called the Skillforce Prince’s Award 24 Hours to Make a Difference challenge.

We spoke to Derek Rhoddan from Skillforce who explained more about it:

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https://steller.co/site/static/js/steller.js

Alan Stubbs has revealled that striker Jason Cummings (pictured) underwent a scan on his knee on Monday and the results have shown he hasn’t suffered any serious damage.

The teenager missed Sunday’s match against Rangers at Easter Road after hurting his knee during the previous weekend’s win at Cowdenbeath and was then subsequently withdrawn from the Scotland under-21 squad set to face Hungary in Budapest on Thursday.

Speaking to Hibs TV, Stubbs said: “We spoke to Jason before the Rangers game and he didn’t feel comfortable or 100% right with his knee.

“Our physios had checked him and they were happy that his knee was stable.

“He met up with the Scotland under-21 squad on Sunday night and the medical team there assessed him and came to the same conclusion that our medical team had.

“So it was decided that Jason would stay behind and we sent him for a scan on Monday.

“The results came back and they’ve been very positive. Hopefully that will help Jason psychologically as well because in the past he injured his cruciate which had left him concerned.

“Hopefully in the next day or two his knee will continue to settle down and allow him to progress into training with the squad again.”

Photo by John Preece

Police  have released images of a man they wish to trace in connection with a serious assault in the city centre last year.

A 24-year-old male had a piece of his left ear bitten off during the attack, which happened on Greenside Place at the roundabout with London Road at around 9.30pm on Sunday 21st December.

Detectives are keen to trace the male pictured within the CCTV footage who was seen to be in the area at the time of the assault.

Anyone who recognises the male in the images is asked to contact police immediately.

Detective Constable Carole Sneddon said: “The victim suffered an extremely painful ear injury which will leave him disfigured for life.

“The male pictured is believed to be of significance to our investigation and anyone who can assist in tracing him is asked to come forward. “

Similarly we would ask this male to get in touch with police themselves and help with our investigation.”

Those with information can contact Police Scotland on 101 or the charity Crimestoppers in complete anonymity on 0800 555 111.

A man was due to appear in court today in connection with ten housebreakings and 11 other offences in Edinburgh.

The 33-year-old of no fixed address is charged following incidents in the city centre since the start of the year.

This includes housebreakings and attempted break-ins at business premises including a break-in at the Edinburgh Trams office in January, possession of drugs, and possession of an offensive weapon.

The man was due to appear before Edinburgh Sheriff Court this morning.

David McDiarmid’s studio practice seeks to examine the concept of megalomania in architecture; the means by which the built environment is often purposefully designed, constructed and used as a tool for power and propaganda.

For Interview Room 11, the Glasgow-based artist presents a body of work as a culmination of the last three years of research. The exhibition features a new, ambitious site specific installation involving the large-scale projection of miniature scale models.

Many of McDiarmid’s paintings and models play with ideas of scale and form, taking inspiration from historical examples of power architecture in order to depict ambitious plans and proposals for structures which will never exist in reality.

Scaffolding is a recurring motif in McDiarmid’s work, its significance derived from its paradoxical position as both a fundamentally temporary structure, and its irrevocable status throughout the history of construction, where conceptually it time and again outlasts the permanent structures derived from it.

In producing his work McDiarmid incorporates materials and processes typically associated with architecture and construction. He often paints on surfaces cast with cement, plaster or concrete, juxtaposing them with precious materials such as gold leaf and faux marble to further explore the artifice of grandeur.

Integral to the development of McDiarmid’s work is the consideration of how the installation and presentation of his paintings and models in an exhibition, can influence the viewer behaviourally or emotionally, like the architecture of power is designed to do.

Interview Room 11 10^th – 25^th April

Wed-Fri 2pm-7pm / Sat 11am-2pm / 38 Castle Terrace / Edinburgh / EH3 9JD

http://www.ir11.org.uk/

There will be a masterclass today from 11:00 – 13:00 at Reid Concert Hall, Bristo Square, Edinburgh by Susan Tomes who is a pianist and writer. She is renowned as a soloist and as a chamber musician, and is also the author of four books.

Cameo Big Scream: screenings exclusively for parents and carers with a baby under 12 months. This week: The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (U). 10.30am, Cameo, Home Street. Membership of the Big Scream Club allows you to buy tickets at Picturehouse members’ rates, with babies admitted free; club membership costs £5 and lasts until your baby’s first birthday – ask at the Box Office for details.

On Painting: the first in a monthly series of critical group discussion sessions where artists can present their current painting practice. 7-9pm, The Gallery on the Corner, 34 Northumberland Street. Free but booking is essential: please contact the gallery on 0131 557 8969 (closed Sundays and Mondays).

Spokes Spring Public Meeting: Edinburgh City Centre + Bikes. Spokes is the cycle campaign for the Lothians. Tonight’s speakers will be Cllr Lesley Hinds, Transport Convener, Edinburgh City Council, Richard Darke, Projects Manager, Essential Edinburgh and Professor Tom Rye, Director, Napier Transport Research Institute. The meeting will look at big city-centre decisions due in 2015 – will we see a more people-friendly, less traffic-filled, public realm? How bold will the Council’s east-west city centre route be? Will Princes Street get a traffic-free side (or two)? Will Leith Street get cycle provision? What happens when the experiment in George Street ends? Is a bike-share scheme likely soon? 6.45pm for 7.30pm, Augustine United Church, George IV Bridge – there will be an opportunity for coffee and chat and to browse the stalls and exhibition, with the speakers taking the stage at 7.30pm, followed by a Q & A session. For more information please contact mknottenbelt@gmail.com or call 07501 381018.

Guilty As Sin. 9pm, Old Chain Pier, 32 Trinity Crescent. To avoid disappointment advance booking of a table is advised.

BAFTA Shorts: a feature-length selection of short live action and animated films from the EE British Academy Film Awards, including Daisy Jacobs’ The Bigger Picture, Ainslie Henderson and Will Anderson’s Monkey Love Experiments, Marcus Armitage’s My Dad, Michael Lennox’s Boogaloo and Graham, Rachel Tunnard’s Emotional Fusebox, Oscar Sharp’s The Karman Line, Nick Rowland’s Slap and Aleem Khan’s Three Brothers. 8.15pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets can be purchased in person, on line here or by calling the Box Office on 0131 228 2688. The screening will be followed by a Q & A session with Ainslie Henderson and Will Anderson.

Mayfield Salisbury Parish Church Thursday Club: this week Dr Jack Thompson talks about David Livingstone and His Children. Visitors of any age very welcome. 2-4pm, Upper Hall, Mayfield Salisbury Parish Church, 18 West Mayfield. For more information please contact Florence Smith on 0131 663 1234.

Sisters! A screening of Petra Bauer’s 2011 film made with Southall Black Sisters, an organisation providing support for black and ethnic minority women experiencing gender-related violence and inequality. The film is shown as part of Machine Room, Georgia Horgan’s research project about how the proliferation of the textile industry in Scotland affected patterns of witch hunting in the 17th century, and is part of a series of events exploring how women, the body and labour are implicated in contemporary capitalism. 6pm, Collective Gallery, City Observatory, 38 Calton Hill. Machine Room, which takes the form of a workroom containing writing, images and artifacts, continues at Collective until 19th April 2015.

History of Art Thursday Research Seminar Series: Rosetti on Paper. Chaired by Dr Colin Cruise (University of Aberystwyth). The seminar will be followed by drinks in the Minto House Common Room. 5.15pm, Lecture Room 1, Minto House, University of Edinburgh, Chambers Street. Free and open to all.

Resonate 2015 Bands and Orchestras Evening: if you like the big orchestra sound, this concert is for you. Come and listen to the extraordinary sounds created by massed musicians of the Edinburgh Secondary Schools Orchestra (ESSO), Edinburgh Schools Wind Ensemble (ESWE) and Edinburgh Schools String Training Orchestra (ESSTO) 7pm, The Queen’s Hall, 85-89 Clerk Street. Tickets cost £8/£4 and can be purchased from the Box office in person, online here or by calling 0131 668 2019. Transaction fees apply to online and telephone bookings. Resonate is a collaboration between The Queen’s Hall and the City of Edinburgh Council’s Children and Families Arts & Creative Learning Service, taking place at The Queen’s Hall 9-30th March 2015. It is made possible by support from the Inches Carr Trust.

Nothing Ever Happens Here Presents Broken Records + Garden of Elks + Fuzzy Star. Broken Records is an Edinburgh-based band whose third album was released in 2014; its music has also been used on TV dramas including Skins and Lost. For over 18s only. 8pm-1am, Summerhall, 1 Summerhall. Tickets cost £10 and can be booked online here or by calling the Box Office on 0131 560 1581.

LGBT Age (Edinburgh): Spring Into Action with Green Elders. An active outdoor event assisting the park rangers at the Hermitage of Braid. Wear waterproof clothing and boots. Tea and snacks will be provided but please bring your own lunch. A free minibus will be provided from Tynecastle High School to the Hermitage. 10am-3pm – meet promptly at Tynecastle High School, 2 McLeod Street for the bus. Booking is essential: contact Lynda Peachey on 0141 271 2330 or email lynda@lgbthealth.org.uk. The Green Team is an environmental organisation based in Edinburgh.

Ribbon of Wildness: author Peter Wright MBE will be in conversation with geologist Angus Miller as he talks about his epic walk along the Watershed of Scotland in 2005 and the book he has written about it. It took Peter 64 days to cover the entire 745 miles on his solo journey through the majesty of this magnificent landscape. 7-9pm, St Martin’s Church Hall, 232 Dalry Road. Entry £5 (includes tea/coffee and biscuits). All proceeds will go to The Green Team minibus fund. The Green Team is an environmental organisation based in Edinburgh.

Eigg Island: Launch Event. Eigg Island is a collaborative exhibition of art, music and poetry inspired by the landscape and story of the island. New visual arts will be presented, including a series of large-scale paintings by Rose Strang, works by photographer Simon Nicholas White and craftmakers from Eigg, including Catherine Davies, Libby Barnden and Jenny Robertson. In the mid-1980s Eigg’s inhabitants decided to buy out the island before installing an award-winning 100% renewable energy system in 2011. The launch evening will include new music and poetry inspired by Eigg, including a piece for string quartet by composer Atzi Muramatsu and a series of poems created and read by Jennifer L Williams. 7.30pm, Storytelling Court, Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street. Tickets cost £6/£4 and can be purchased online here or by calling the Box Office on 0131 556 9579. The Eigg Island exhibition will continue at the centre until 21st April 2015 and is free to enter.

Pier Paolo Pasolini: The Gospel According to St Matthew (PG) (In Italian with English subtitles). Special screening in association with the Italian Cultural Institute and the University of Edinburgh, as part of a season of events celebrating the work of Pier Paolo Pasolini.  Pasolini’s vision of the life of Christ is astonishing in its inventiveness and understated, hypnotic power. Using non-professional actors, the film was shot near the southern Italian city of Matera, the same location that Mel Gibson would later use for The Passion of Christ. The screening will be introduced by Professor Robert Gordon (University of Cambridge). 5.45pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets can be purchased in person, on line here or by calling the Box Office on 0131 228 2688.

Herb Study Group Monthly Meeting: Sage. 8-10pm, Autonomous Centre of Edinburgh, 17 West Montgomery Place.

Building New Futures

New Town Pop-up cinema 

At Out of the Blue this weekend

Art exhibition at Summerhall

WHALE is growing

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Get along to the pop up cinema in Barony Street on Friday for Shaun the Sheep and the Second Best Marigold Hotel.

With ample space, up to 200 seated in the main meeting hall, Scottish Historic Buildings Trust (SHBT) has been working to bring the first of the Community’s  ideas to fruition with the launch of Pop Up Community Cinema in March at a launch price of just £5 per ticket.

With Edinburgh’s International Science Festival fast approaching,  SHBT is also planning a full week of science-themed screenings and workshops  between the 13th and 19th of April, entitled the ILLUMINATION Pop-Up Cinema.  Pop along any morning or afternoon with the family to enjoy the informal sessions complete with refreshments and toys or, should you prefer Cinema Paradiso, enjoy the adult evening screenings with popcorn and hot chocolate!

You can support SHBT’s new pop up community cinema and share your ideas for its future.

More details about the new cinema in the Glasite Meeting Room at 33 Barony Street here.

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Out of the Blue Flea Market on Saturday 28th March 2015 from 10am – 3pm

“Rummage for treasures at the monthly Out of the Blue Flea Market. Over 45 stalls full to bursting with clothes, jewellery, small furniture, music, books, bric-a-brac and so much more. Treat yourself to delicious coffee and cake at the Drill Hall Arts Cafe.”

The Flea Market takes place every last Saturday of each month from 10am – 3pm Out of the Blue Drill Hall 36 Dalmeny Street EH6 8RG.

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Co-curated by the Science Festival, Summerhall and ASCUS Art & Science, How the Light Gets In brings together a selection of works by international artists intrigued by light in all its forms. Celebrating the UN International Year of Light and the Science Festival’s Brainwaves strand, the exhibitions explore the beauty, form and function of light and its role as a metaphor for knowledge and enlightenment.

How the Light Gets In starts on 3 April and runs till 22 May. More details here

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WHALE Arts Centre in Wester Hailes needs help to plant out its new garden tomorrow afternoon from 1pm.

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Hibs’ captain Liam Craig (pictured) and defender Keith Watson attended a Show Racism The Red Card event at Easter Road on Monday afternoon to help spread an important message to local schoolchildren: Kick out Racism and Bigotry.

Pupils from St Ninian’s Primary and Lorne Primary attended the stadium for a day of Show Racism the Red Card activities.

The day was designed to promote messages of equality and respect, allowing the young people to explore their views and knowledge about racism in a safe environment.

Craig, who is a Show Racism the Red Card ambassador, believes the event was an extremely valuable way in order to educate young people about the right way forward.

He told Hibs TV: I think it’s massively important to spread the message.

“We are making giant steps forward, but we’re not naïve enough to think that the problem doesn’t exist anymore.

“We need to get into schools and communities and educate people, so that hopefully one day we can eradicate it.

“As footballers we realise we are role models, especially for younger people and we can help try to kick racism and bigotry out of society.

“That’s why I get involved in Show Racism The Red Card, because if I can help to make a difference then that’s great.”

The young people took part in workshops in the morning exploring the meaning of racism and the consequences of stereotyping. This was followed by a stadium tour with Sue McLernon from the Hibernian Community Foundation.

During the afternoon session Show Racism the Red Card screened their anti-racism educational film, which features some of the game’s greatest players; Thierry Henry, Ryan Giggs, Rio Ferdinand and Didier Drogba.  The pupils then had the opportunity to act as media journalists as part of a role play activity and posed some tough questions to a guest panel.

The panel included, ex-professional footballer and Show Racism the Red Card coaches Derek Ferguson and Mickey Weir.

Craig and Watson, joined the young people in the afternoon to take questions and share their experiences.

Photo by John Preece

An Edinburgh man was convicted today of a high-value armed robbery of the Hamilton and Inches store in the Capital last year.

Michael Hood (32) of Edinburgh was found guilty of robbery and sentenced to 8 years in prison, backdated to 15th July 2014, at the High Court in Livingston
Michael Hood was found guilty for his involvement in the armed robbery committed at around 11.30 am on 6th June 2014.  Three males entered the store and smashed display cabinets and stole items worth a total of £1.35 million including eight Patek Phillipe watches and made their escape in a white BMW driven by Hood.
A major police investigation was launched to trace these individuals.  Hood was identified and was subsequently arrested and charged and later tried at Livingston High Court.

Detective Chief Inspector Stuart Houston said: ” As a result of excellent police work across a number of police forces, we were able to bring Michael Hood to justice.

“This robbery left several members of staff extremely shaken and caused extensive damage to the premises on top of the loss of the luxury items.

“His conviction today should serve as a reminder that offences of this nature will not be tolerated and those found to be responsible will be brought to task.”

The country’s top entrepreneurial talent came together today in an afternoon of celebration at this year’s Scottish Institute for Enterprise (SIE) Student Enterprise Summit at the Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh.

Since 2004, SIE’s annual summit has brought students and entrepreneurs from across the country under one roof to learn from established entrepreneurs, celebrate the success of new business ideas and inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs.

Ten entrepreneurs shortlisted from hundreds of entries in SIE’s Fresh Ideas and New Ventures competitions were awarded prizes ranging from £500 up to £10,000 for their business ideas.

University of Edinburgh graduate, David Hunter, was one of the New Ventures winners, and was awarded £1,000 for his invention ‘Shot Scope’. Shot Scope is a wearable wristband which automatically collects scoring and statistical data for golfers to improve their game, helping cut down on time taken by golfers to manually record the data, helping them improve their game in the long run.

David said: “It’s an honour to be recognised at this year’s SIE Student Summit. The New Ventures prize money will be invaluable in allowing the team to develop ‘Shot Scope’ and take it to market to enable golfers across the country to improve their game.”

Michael Harkins of Heriot Watt University in Edinburgh was also recognised and awarded £500 for his invention, ‘Turtle Pack’. Turtle Pack is a flotation aid for children learning to swim, which aims to help them learn at a faster rate by encouraging the correct swimming position.

Throughout the day, attendees also heard from inspirational Scottish businesses including Brewdog and MBN solutions, as well as Scottish based tech start-up Malzee and past New Venture winners, Swipii – a company that has since gone on to bring its loyalty scheme for local businesses to market and now employs 11 people.

There was also an employability panel at the event, allowing guests to ask questions to a group of experts on what businesses really look for in their staff and how enterprise skills are valued by employers.

Fiona Godsman, chief executive of competition organisers, Scottish Institute for Enterprise (SIE), said: “It’s of huge importance that we recognise and inspire young entrepreneurial talents in Scotland. We have to give the next generation of business people as much support as possible in order to succeed in this increasingly competitive global economy.

“Equally, we want to demonstrate the importance of having an enterprising skillset, not just for those wishing to go it on their own, but to the organisations who employ people every day.”

Sammy Jo Gardner, Area Manager, Customer Acquisition at Bank of Scotland, said: “Scotland has a rich heritage of entrepreneurs and innovators who’ve made a mark not just in Scotland, but across the world. The Bank of Scotland is proud to be able to give our support and play a role in helping foster and encourage Scottish entrepreneurial talent by sponsoring the New Ventures competition.”

SIE aims to increase the number of students in Scotland who pursue a career in entrepreneurship by providing them with support, and funding through a variety of competitions and events. For example, The Young Innovators challenge is currently open for entries, and looks to reward and encourage young people with a business idea which will help tackle a social issue.

For more information and to enter please visit www.sic.ac.uk/YIC

Hundreds of football fans joined famous players from the past to pay tribute to the late, great Dave Mackay at just after lunchtime yesterday.

Former team-mates including Denis Law, Frank McLintock,Cliff Jones, Ian St John, Alan Mullery, Pat Jennings, Alan Gilzean, Steve Perryman, Mike England Clive Allen and Bertie Auld attended the former Hearts, Tottenham Hotspurs, Derby County and Scotland star.

Also in attendance was current Hearts’ manager Robbie Neilson and owner Ann Budge.

The cortege left from Tynecastle Stadium, for a remembrance service in Mansfield Traquair which was opened with the FA Cup hymn ‘Abide with Me.’

Gorgie Road was lined with supporters who applauded the cortege as it drove past, with some throwing scarves and flowers on top of the funeral car.

Ex Hearts’striker John Robertson and Sir Alex Ferguson spoke at the service.

Photos courtesy of Thomas Brown North Edinburgh Community News, one of the partner organisations in Edinburgh News Cooperative.

Ceol-Cluaise Presents A Taste of Scottish Talent: a night of up and coming unsigned Scottish music talent, with all proceeds going to Nordoff Robbins, a music therapy charity dedicated to transforming the lives of vulnerable children and adults. Performances from Bella and the Bear, The Irresistible Urges, Newtown Street Locals, The Fed Peasants and No Quarter. Raffle prizes to be won! Over 18 years only. 7.30pm, The Voodoo Rooms, 19a West Register Street. Tickets cost £4 (+ booking fee) in advance (£5 on the door) and can be booked here. For more information see the event’s Facebook page.

The Hugh MacDiarmid Lecture: Alexander McCall Smith discusses Images of Nature and Human Nature in Auden. 7.30-9.30pm, The Saltire Society, 9 Fountain Close. Tickets cost £5/£4 (free for Poetry Association of Scotland members, who should still book) and can be purchased via eventbrite here. This event is organised jointly by the Poetry Association of Scotland and the Scottish Poetry Library. For more information contact jennifer.williams@spl.org.uk.

Your Neighbourhood: City Centre & Leith. Come along and find out more about care and support services in your area. 10am-4pm, Leith Library, 28-30 Ferry Road. Also at same times at Drumbrae Library Hub on 31st March and Central Library on 1st April. Organised by Edinburgh City Council and NHS Lothian.

South Neighbourhood Office and Library Book Group: currently reading The Milkman in the Night by Andrey Kurlov –  ‘a glorious epic, eccentric and often hilarious satire’ (The Times). If you would like to join the group, call into the library to pick up a copy of the book. 1.30pm, South Neighbourhood Office and Library, 40 Captain’s Road.

Figures and Fictions: Contemporary South African Photography. Photography was introduced into South Africa in the mid-19th century; early depictions of people ranged from portraits to anthropological and ethnographic studies. During apartheid (1948-94), photography was used by the state to manage racial classification, but it was also a tool documenting resistance. Martin Barnes, Senior Curator of Photographs, Victoria and Albert Museum, considers how South African photographers address this history today, questioning, manipulating and revitalising its visual codes. 12.45-1.30pm, Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free and unticketed.

Strange Town Youth Theatre Presents All I Want for Christmas is the Head of Johnny Murdock: a play by Sam Siggs. Amy ‘Squeaker’ Benson has an unusual Yuletide request. She’s taken out a contract on her stepfather – and not for the reasons you might think. For ages 14+ – contains strong language. 7.30pm, Netherbow Theatre, Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street. Tickets cost £3.50 and can be purchased online here or by calling the Box Office on 0131 556 9579.  Strange Town is a theatre company that aims to enable young people to fulfill their creative potential, and seeks to offer quality theatre provision for 5-25 year olds in Edinburgh. The company’s directors and leaders also offer their skills and experience as a resource to local communities and schools. Strange Town can be contacted via Out of the Blue, 36 Dalmeny Street or by calling 0131 629 0292.

La bataille de Solferino (2013): Sunday 6th May 2012. Francois Hollande is about to be elected President of the Republic. The Rue de Solferino, HQ of the French Parti Socialiste, is full of militants ready to celebrate their victory. At the same time another battle is in progress: Laetitia, a TV news  reporter covering the event, and her former boyfriend Vincent are fighting each other for the custody of their children. When personal stories meet history, the situation worsens. In French with English subtitles. 1-2.30pm, Institut francais d’Ecosse, 13 Randolph Crescent. Free.

Botanic Cottage Update and Stories: an informal talk about the cottage, as it is rebuilt stone by stone. For ages 10+. 1-1.30pm, Blue Shed, Demonstration Garden, Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, Inverleith Row. Free and unticketed.

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

LGBT Icebreakers: if you are new to Edinburgh, want to meet new people, or are just coming out, Icebreakers is an informal, fun and social group for LGBT people and those questioning their sexuality or gender identity. For ages 18+. 7.30-9.30pm, The Regent Bar, 2 Montrose Terrace. For more information email admin@lgbthealth.org.uk.

Braw Gigs Presents Sacred Paws, Wounded Knee & DJ Yves: Sacred Paws, featuring members of Trashkit and Golden Grrrls, Rachel Aggs and Eilidh Rodgers create ‘a seriously unique combo of angular post punk and African highlife stomp’. Wounded Knee (Drew Wright)  ‘Leith’s very own shamanic soothsayer…performs his very own brand of homebrewed yarns with either a loop pedal or a t’wa string guitar’ and DJ Yves ‘the outernational nationalist that capitalises on existentialist extra-terrestrial sounds…expect tantric rhythms before, during and after’. 7-10pm, Sneaky Pete’s, 73 Cowgate. Tickets cost £6 and can be booked online here (transaction fee applies).

Blackwell’s Edinburgh Presents Karen Campbell: Rise. Justine is running for her life, escaping a city and a man who have almost broken her, she heads north to the valleys and the mountains of the Highlands, looking for somewhere to hide. Michael and Hannah are also running, With their two sons and their tattered marriage, they have come to the village of Kilmacarra, looking for somewhere they can once again call home. In a place of standing stones – an ancient landscape in a country on the brink of change – a shocking accident causes their lives to intertwine. Tangled together in threads of guilt and love, with Scotland rushing towards a Referendum and the community around them fracturing, each must question where they truly belong. ‘On the strength of Rise I will certainly be going to the backlist’ (James Robertson). 6.30-8pm, Blackwell’s, South Bridge. Free tickets can be obtained from the shop’s front desk, by calling 0131 622 8218, emailing events.edinburgh@blackwell.co.uk or via eventbrite here.

Lunchtime Concert: Pianists from Edinburgh Napier University. 12.15pm, St Giles’ Cathedral, High Street. Free.

Queensferry at War: Queensferry Local History Group presents a talk on the impact of World War One on South Queensferry. Suitable for all ages. 6.45-7.45pm, South Queensferry Library, 9 Shore Road. No booking required – just come along.

Lyceum Youth Theatre Group Presents Pick ‘n’ Mix: a selection of scripts performed as a rehearsed reading. 5pm, WHALE Arts, 30 Westburn Grove. Free. Lyceum Youth Theatre is one of Scotland’s biggest youth theatre companies, renowned as a producer of high quality contemporary theatre by young people. It enables young people aged 5-18 years to get involved in drama, providing a broad range of high quality theatre experiences in a positive and supportive environment.

BAFTA Shorts: a feature-length selection of short live action and animated films from the EE British Academy Film Awards, including Daisy Jacobs’ The Bigger Picture, Ainslie Henderson and Will Anderson’s Monkey Love Experiments, Marcus Armitage’s My Dad, Michael Lennox’s Boogaloo and Graham, Rachel Tunnard’s Emotional Fusebox, Oscar Sharp’s The Karman Line, Nick Rowland’s Slap and Aleem Khan’s Three Brothers. 8.35pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets can be purchased in person, on line here or by calling the Box Office on 0131 228 2688. Also showing at 8.15pm on Thursday 26th March, when the screening will be followed by a Q & A session with Ainslie Henderson and Will Anderson.

Resonate 2015 Traditional Night: a night of music as Scottish as haggis, neeps and tatties, featuring the Edinburgh Schools Clarsach Ensemble (ESCE), Edinburgh Schools Performance Pipe Band (Youth Music Initiative) and a variety of other traditional ensembles. 7pm, The Queen’s Hall, 85-89 Clerk Street. Tickets cost £8/£4 and can be purchased from the Box office in person, online here or by calling 0131 668 2019. Transaction fees apply to online and telephone bookings. Resonate is a collaboration between The Queen’s Hall and the City of Edinburgh Council’s Children and Families Arts & Creative Learning Service, taking place at The Queen’s Hall 9-30th March 2015. It is made possible by support from the Inches Carr Trust.

Free wifi on the trams

Consultation on student housing

Pedal on Parliament 2015

Lord Provost is running a marathon!

Exhibition showing off plans for the Causey 

Edinburgh Trams say they are committed to giving the best possible travel experience to its customers, and one of the things they have done to ensure that is fit all the trams with wifi equipment.

This was enabled by funding from The City of Edinburgh Council’s Capital Connected Programme last year.

The company say they are now looking to enhance this provision for customers. This month the next phase of the Wi-Fi project is being  trialled on all trams.

Tom Norris, Director and General Manager said:

We’re very excited about this next phase of our Wi-Fi project. On our trams you’ll find links to news, entertainment, weather, funny stories and journey planning information.

This trial is a lite version which will run for the rest of March 2015. The complete service will be available later this year.

The full version will include a wealth of dynamically updated, highly relevant information with a focus on passengers getting the best out of the tram service and the Edinburgh and Lothians areas.  Keep your eyes open for it.

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The council has published a consultation on student housing in the city which you can have a look at here.  This runs till 24 April 2015.

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We went along to the City Chambers yesterday to meet up with the Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh who is running in the London Marathon for charity. Anyone else out there going to London?

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Edinburgh’s Lord Provost to run in London Marathon from Phyllis Stephen on Vimeo.

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Edinburgh’s Lord Provost the Rt Hon Donald Wilson only took up running last year when he entered for two 5K events in the city, but this year he has taken up the challenge of running a marathon.

He has entered for the London Marathon on 26 April 2015, and he told The Edinburgh Reporter his training programme is going really well.

He turned up in his bespoke running gear, shorts and a T-shirt which his staff gave him for Christmas which has a photo of the Provost’s chain on the back and front. (At least this means he can leave the chain at home!)

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Edinburgh’s Lord Provost to run in London Marathon from Phyllis Stephen on Vimeo.

“I’m going for distance and I’ve been trying to get up the confidence that I will be able to do the 26 miles. I run about 25K three times a week so I think I can do it! One of the great things about it is how much better I feel. There’s no two ways about it, I feel so much healthier now. I have lost about a stone and a half in the last four months.Even Judy Murray who I met at the rugby last weekend noticed how much thinner I look!”

He ran in the Edinburgh Marathon Festival and the Wester Hailes Fun Run last year which are only 5K runs, but he has kept up his training regime with Andy Macnaughton his personal trainer from Edinburgh Leisure. The Lord Provost said: “I absolutely could not have done it without him. I am thoroughly enjoying it. It is arduous but I am looking to get there in about four hours.”

The Lord Provost is raising money for his own charity the One City Trust and the Jamie Skinner Foundation. You can help by donating money here. 

The Scottish Poetry Library is now just over 30 years old. The building in Crichton’s Close was itself a new beginning when it opened, but now it needs to change, and the library will have to close to allow that to happen. It will open again in several months’ time, but will have a completely different look and feel to it.

The SPL explain the reasons behind the changes on their website:

“Most people think of a library as a silent space, a place where hush prevails. It is true that the Library provides just such a space, away from the hustle and bustle of the Royal Mile: a place of retreat, reflection, and academic inquiry. But we also need to allow for sound, so that users can encounter poetry in different ways in the one building, the home of poetry in Scotland. Researchers working, people quietly reading poetry, people listening to poems being read and/or poets reading their own works, people interpreting and discussing poems, classes visiting, staff creating podcasts so that people can listen to them on the website – all these activities need to be catered for simultaneously. They are what people expect of a twenty-first century library.

“Our building was designed for what we were doing in the 1990s, and now we need to plan for the 2020s, and even for what we can’t imagine doing yet.”

We met Colin Waters who is the Communications Manager at the library and who explains what will happen now, and how you can help if you are so minded:

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Calling all Edinburgh community projects! You have until 12^th April to put yourselves forward for a transformation.

As part of its Building Better Communities campaign, Builders’ merchant Jewson is offering communities within Edinburgh the chance to win a share of a £100,000 prize which can be spent on anything from a new roof for a village hall, to a much needed coat of paint for a long-forgotten public space.

Jewson will be giving away a top prize of £50,000 to help pay for both materials and labour, plus other prizes of between £1,000 and £5,000 to cover the cost of building materials.

With entries closing in under a month’s time, Daniel Maloney, Jewson Branch Manager at Edinburgh, urges Edinburgh residents to get nominating: “We want to make a difference to the communities we work in and help transform projects that are close to their hearts. That’s why we’re encouraging the people of Edinburgh to nominate local causes close they care about so we can help them achieve the community they dream of. With less than four weeks to go it’s important people get their nominations in swiftly.”

The competition will close for entries on 12^th April 2015.  So far, community groups from across the UK have got involved in submitting entries online, including some projects from Scotland.

For more information, terms and conditions, or to nominate a community project for a Jewson transformation, visit facebook.com/JewsonUK or www.buildingbettercommunities.co.uk.

A number of suppliers have committed to supporting Building Better Communities, including British Gypsum, Marshalls, Mastercrete, SterlingOSB, SAM and VELUX.

Solas Festival Dates: 19 – 21 June 2015

Weekend tickets available online at www.solasfestival.co.uk/box-office/ and include camping, car parking and entry to all events. Children (0-11years) come free, but you must still book a ticket. Adult Weekend £85 / Youth Weekend £32.50 ages 12-17 / Kids Weekend Free ages 0 -11 / Adult Concession Weekend £65.

The Scottish SPCA is appealing for information after a cage containing three pet canaries, one of which was dead, was dumped in Edinburgh.

Scotland’s animal welfare charity was alerted on Saturday (21 March) when a member of the public made the discovery at a cycle path near Craigleith Retail Park.

The two surviving birds are now in the care of the charity’s Edinburgh and Lothians Animal Rescue and Rehoming Centre in Balerno.

Animal rescue officer Fiona Thorburn said, “The cage was left inside a plastic carrier bag.

“Unfortunately one of the canaries was lying dead at the bottom of the cage. The bird was underweight but at this stage we can’t say if it passed away before or after it was abandoned.

“We would urge anyone who knows who may have owned these canaries to contact us.

“The two surviving birds have settled in well at our centre and are chirping away, which is a good sign. We’ll look after them until we can find them a loving new home.”

Abandoning and causing an animal unnecessary suffering animal is an offence under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 and anyone found guilty of doing so can expect to be banned from keeping animals for a fixed period or life.

Anyone with information is being urged to contact the Scottish SPCA Animal Helpline on 03000 999 999.

Photo by Scottish SPCA

David F Ross: The Last Days of Disco. The author will discuss his new novel, ‘ a eulogy to the beauty and power of the 45rpm vinyl record and the small but significant part it played in a small town Ayrshire community in 1982’ with actor and composer Bobby Bluebell. ‘Warm, funny and evocative. If you grew up in the 1980s, you’re going to love this’ (Chris Brookmyre). 6.30pm, Looking Glass Books, 36 Simpson’s Loan, Quartermile.

The Hermitage Golf Course Redevelopment Public Consultation: 12 noon-8pm, with presentations at 1.15pm and 7pm, Hermitage Golf Course Cafe, 11 Braids Drive, EH10 6GZ. The Hermitage is an Autism Initiatives Scotland social enterprise.

The Edinburgh Police Choir at Maggie’s: made up of police officers, support staff, employees of the Scottish Police Services Authority and members of the local community, the choir has been performing since 2008, in venues from Edinburgh to New York. ‘A unique mix of musicality, performance and music’. Musical Director: Ben Jones. 6pm, Maggie’s, The Stable, Western General Hospital, Crewe Road.

Your Neighbourhood: City Centre & Leith. Come along and find out more about care and support services in your area. 10am-4pm, Wester Hailes Library, 1 Westside Plaza, Wester Hailes. Also at same times at Leith Library on Wednesday 25th, Drumbrae Library Hub on 31st March and Central Library on 1st April. Organised by Edinburgh City Council and NHS Lothian.

Lunchtime Concert: The Edinburgh Quartet: Tristan Gurney (violin), Gordon Bragg (violin), Fiona Winning (violin) and Mark Bailey (cello) play Purcell Fantasias and Beethoven String Quartet Op 18 No 3. 1.10pm, Reid Concert Hall, Bristo Square. Free and unticketed.

Garden Buddies Club: a new weekly club for 5-12 year olds – come along today to find out more! Make fun felt bees and mini-insect hotels, Get Fruity – make seriously funny fruit faces, meet Community Gardener Tom who will help run the club, read some magical stories from the Granton Primary Garden Storymakers – AND share your ideas and drawings for what you think the new Awards For All funded library garden should have in it! 3-4pm (times to be confirmed, please check with library in advance), Granton Library, Wardieburn Terrace.

Dyslexia-Friendly Library Services for Adults: an informal guide to the accessible services available from Edinburgh City Libraries,with input from Dyslexia Scotland. Come and find out how the libraries are helpful and accessible to people with any level of dyslexia , see how to use the eBooks and emagazines, find out how to fine tune the text to suit you, and learn about audiobooks. The team will try to answer all your questions, or refer you to someone who can! 6.30-8pm, Oxgangs Library, 343 Oxgangs Road North. To book your free place ask at the library, or book online via eventbrite here.

Scottish Poetry Library Workshop: Jennifer Williams, poet and SPL programme manager, facilitates this writing workshop, in which poems are read, discussed and written. Please bring paper and pen or pencil, or laptop if you prefer. Please note change of venue owing to building works at SPL. 6.30-8.30pm, Golden Hare Books, St Stephen Street. Tickets cost £5/£4 and can be purchased via eventbrite here. For more information contact jennifer.williams@spl.org.uk.

Click Clack feat. Steele plays Zappa: a monthly night of live music and other performing arts of an experimental nature…’think Zorn and Ornette meet Beefheart, James Brown and Phillip Glass in a basement bar’.  7-10pm, Henry’s Cellar Bar, Morrison Street.  £6/£4 on the door.

50 Square: a group of young Scottish and international writers based in Edinburgh, offering a range of styles to satisfy any palate. Humour, dark fairy tales, kitchen sink drama, abstraction and everything in between. ‘Don’t miss the next generation of ScotLit!’  7-10pm, The Bongo Club, 66 Cowgate. Free entry! The Bongo Club is a nightclub, live venue and all-round artistic hub owned by local arts charity Out of the Blue.

La bataille de Solferino (2013): Sunday 6th May 2012. Francois Hollande is about to be elected President of the Republic. The Rue de Solferino, HQ of the French Parti Socialiste, is full of militants ready to celebrate their victory. At the same time another battle is in progress: Laetitia, a TV news reporter covering the event, and her former boyfriend Vincent are fighting each other for the custody of their children. When personal stories meet history, the situation worsens. In French with English subtitles. 6-7.30pm, Institut francais d’Ecosse, 13 Randolph Crescent. Free. Also showing at 1pm on Wednesday 25th March.

The Creative City: It’s War! (‘How to Write a History of the So-Called Creative City: History, Theory and Practice from WW2 to the Present’). A seminar led by Professor Richard Williams (Professor of Contemporary Visual Cultures, University of Edinburgh) as part of the Architectural Theory/History Seminar Series. Professor Williams writes and teaches on cities; his exceptionally wide-ranging work draws on sociology, psychology and film studies as well as the history of art and architecture. His research questions have remained constant: why do cities look the way they do? And what does it feel like to inhabit them? 5.15-6.30pm, Common Room, Minto House, University of Edinburgh, Chambers Street. Free and open to all.

Coffee Break: a new cafe for parents with children up to 18 months old – a space for parents to enjoy a hot drink and home-made treats while getting to know other local parents. 10-11.30am, Church Hall, Portobello & Joppa Parish Church, 1 Brunstane Road North. For more information contact the church’s Children and Youth Worker, Michelle Brown at childrenandyouth@stphilips.co.uk.

Blackwell’s Edinburgh Presents Helen Grant: Urban Legends – the launch of the final instalment in the Forbidden Spaces trilogy. A group of storytellers are disappearing one by one. A young woman is haunted by her past. A serial killer has one target he is desperate to hunt down, Veerle is trying to lie low, to live as ‘normal’ a life as she possibly can – but when you’ve thwarted a serial killer it’s hard to do this. Especially when he wants revenge… 6.30-8pm, Blackwell’s, South Bridge. Free tickets can be obtained from the shop’s front desk, by calling 0131 622 8218, emailing events.edinburgh@blackwell.co.uk or via eventbrite here.

Love Music Community Choir: hear the world’s biggest community choir on one of its finest stages! Love Music Community Choir will inspire and entertain you with folk tunes, love songs and classic favourites. Pinao: Dave Milligan, Musical Director: Stephen Deazley. Proceeds from ticket sales will go towards the work of Love Music. There will be a collection after the concert for the charity Scottish Love in Action which cares for and supports vulnerable and destitute children in India. 7.30-8.10pm (approx), Usher Hall, Lothian Road. Tickets cost £5 (free for under-16s and other concessions – see booking site) and can be purchased from the Usher Hall Box Office in person, online here or by calling 0131 228 1155.

Cameo Silver Screen: if you are 60+ you can join the Silver Screen Club for free and enjoy a free tea or coffee and biscuits at the weekly Silver Screen shows, for which your ticket will cost only £5. (Non-members can also attend these screenings but pay normal ticket prices). Today’s films are The Tale of Princess Kaguya (U) at 12.15pm and 3.30pm and Still Alice (12A) at 3.30pm and 3.45pm. For details of how to join the Silver Screen Club ask at the Box Office, Cameo, Home Street.