Dugs in Pubs: join the regular furries for a socialiser and meet other dogs and their owners from the local area. 12 noon, Sofi’s Bar, 65 Henderson Street.

The Velvet Easel Gallery: The Colour of Life. A new mixed exhibition, including work by Colin Dunbar, Morag Muir, Borders artist Alan Richmond and Velvet Easel owner Rosalind Walker. 10am-5pm Thursday to Saturday, 12 noon-5pm Sundays, The Velvet Easel Gallery, 298 Portobello High Street.

Decorate a Daffodil Pot with Lindt: create some magic for your Mum this Mothers’ Day with a charming gift. Decorate a pot of daffodils – each pot comes with a gold bunny gift tag and a chocolate treat for you and your Mum. 1-4pm, Real Life Science Studio, Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, Inverleith Row. No booking required.

Rotary Club of Leith: Music for the Philippines. A charity concert in support of a new elite emergency rescue group for the Philippines and the Al Shurooq School for Blind Children in Bethlehem. Featuring Broxburn and Livingstone Brass Ensemble, The Lothians B-US Male Voice Choir, Richard Michael BEM (Professor of Jazz Piano), Hilary Michael & Joanna Duncan, and Don Uttley on bagpipes. 7.30pm, Inverleith St Serf’s Church, 280 Ferry Road. Suggested donation on the door £10.

Canongate Kirk Coffee Morning in aid of the Friends of Canongate Kirkyard. 10am-12 noon, Canongate Kirk, 153 Canongate. Admission £2.

Amy Shelton: Bee Works: Florilegium. An exhibition of recent work exploring the current threats to the honeybee. Beautiful light box sculptures document the fleeting rhapsody of the major floral sources of nectar and pollen-rich plants that sustain honeybee colonies from early spring to late autumn. Hand-made books, the result of Shelton’s long collaboration with award-winning author John Burnside, are also on display, combining poems, intricate embossed maps and miniature pressings. 10am-5.45pm, John Hope Gateway, Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, Inverleith Row. Free. Ends 5th July 2015.

Zoo Arts Extra: Beach Day. Bring your family and friends for an afternoon of fun, fire, sea, sand and art. Teas, coffees, snacks, picnic blankets and spare waterproofs will be available, plus marshmallows for toasting and lots of creative ideas! A pleasant short walk from NEA to the Shore Road beach. Dress warmly! All children aged under 9 years must be accompanied by a responsible adult. Meet at 12 noon for a 12.30pm departure, North Edinburgh Arts, 15a Pennywell Court. For more information see the event’s Facebook page or call in to NEA beforehand. Zoo Arts is a series of visual art sessions for young people aged 9-14 years, taking place at North Edinburgh Arts 4-5.30pm on Wednesday afternoons in term time. 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.

Eric Ritchie: Walking a Line – the re-establishment of an artist maverick. A rich and diverse body of work, ranging from surrealist abstraction through sweeping land and seascapes, still life and book illustration, Eric Ritchie’s art embraces Paul Klee’s maxim about taking a line for a walk. A witty, inquisitive and adventurous 80-year old, Eric is preparing to step back into the limelight of an art world with which he has had a lifelong love affair, sometimes turbulent but always passionate. 10am-5pm Monday to Friday, 12 noon-5pm Saturdays, Doubtfire Gallery, 3 South East Circus Place.

Future Proofing Our Community Workshop – Tranisition Edinburgh Pentlands Project. A workshop focusing on how to cope with current environmental risks, and what we can do to make our communities a better place for future generations. This is a pilot session and participants’ ideas will help to make future sessions even more fun and informative! 10.30am-12.30pm, Wester Hailes Library, 1 Westside Plaza. Free but booking is essential: contact Anne or Christine on 0131 458 5959.

Scottish Church Music up to the Reformation: Dr Jamie Reid-Baxter is an acknowledged expert on Scottish cultural history, a poet, performer and Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Glasgow. In this lecture and performance, Dr Reid-Baxter will give a fascinating survey of Scottish church music up to the Reformation, ranging over such topics as Columban and Kentigem chant, the hymns of St Magnus, St Andrew’s Music Book and the music of Carver and Peebles. A cappella vocal group Sang Scule, who specialise in singing early Scottish music, will sing several complete pieces to illustrate the story. 7-8.30pm, Mayfield Salisbury Parish Church, 18 West Mayfield. Free tickets may be obtained via eventbrite here.

International Garden Photographer of the Year: an outdoor photography exhibition featuring gardens, plants and landscapes that reveal the diversity and beauty of our green planet. A selection of the world’s winning entries from the world’s leading garden photography competitions, by both amateur and professional photographers. 10am-5.45pm, Outdoor Decking, John Hope Gateway, Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, Inverleith Row. Ends 31st May 2015.

Magic Carpet Weekenders: take a trip on the NMS’s Magic Carpet for stories, songs and activities inspired by the fascinating collections. Magic Carpet sessions are for individual families and their children under 5 years, with a minimum ratio of 1 adult per 2 children. 11-11.25am, meet at the Lighthouse Lens, Grand Gallery, National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street. Free but please sign up on the day. (These sessions are in addition to the regular ones held on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and will run on Saturdays and Sundays throughout March 2015). Also at same time on Sunday 8th March.

Amnesty International Ceilidh: 7.30pm, St Columba’s Hall, Upper Gray Street. Tickets £6/£4 on the door.

The Big LGBT Music Jam: a creative and supportive space for making music. Play, sing your own song, or just be an appreciative listener, all music tastes welcome. No need to book, just turn up. Bring your own instruments, some percussion supplied. 1-4pm, LGBT Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street. For more information contact biglgbtmusicjamedinburgh@gmail.com.

St Bride’s Family Cinema: see your favourite films for free! Adventure, excitement, fun and laughs – they’re all here. Choc ices and juice available during the interval for 50p each. This week: Yogi Bear (U), next week: The Iron Giant (U). All children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. 10.30am-12.30pm (including interval), St Bride’s Centre, Orwell Terrace, Dalry.

Blackwell’s Celebrates World Book Day in the Children’s Department: dress up as your favourite book character (a prize for the best costume), have your face painted by Mrs Fantoosh, take part in a book hunt, and take a tour behind the scenes of Edinburgh’s oldest bookshop. You can also meet award-winning author Lari Don, who will be running two sessions, one for younger and one for older children. For ages 4-7,  Lari will read from her magical picture books, help you imagine your own magic, and tell one of her favourite traditional tales: 10.30 -11.30am –  booking should be made via eventbrite here, and for ages 8-12 Lari will read from her adventure book Fabled Beast Chronicles and tell one of the legends that inspire her fiction: 12 noon-1pm – booking should be made via eventbrite here. (Alternatively, call 0131 622 8218 to book for either session). All other World Book Day events will take place between 10am and 4pm at Blackwell’s, South Bridge. All events are free.

South West Neighbourhood Swap Shop: clothes and PC repair, plus furniture upcycling. Bring books, small household objects and clothes to donate or swap (no broken items, mattresses or electrical items please), try the laptop repair and sewing machine workshops (delivered by Remade in Scotland experts), or watch an upcycling demonstration from Upcycled World. 12.30-4.30pm (upcycling demonstration 1.30-3.30pm), Gorgie Dalry Church, 190-192 Dalry Road. This event is part of Pass It On Week 2015, which runs from 7th to 15th March.

Shelter Scotland Shops Donation Drive: as part of Pass It On Week, Edinburgh Shelter shops are holding a donation drive and asking you to pass on any unwanted good quality clothes, toys, books, CDs, DVDs and small household items to help them continue their work to combat homelessness and bad housing. To find your nearest Shelter shop, click here.

LGBT: Edinburgh Trans Women. Support group aimed at transsexual women at any stage of transition, including those questioning their gender identity. Please email the group in advance at info@edinburghtranswomen.org.uk  if this is your first visit. 7.30-9.30pm, LGBT Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street.

WE + Estaitis + KRK: live music. WE are four bodies barely obscured by identical black boxes ‘a broken man machine of shrill synth grooves, bizarre guitar melodies, cartoon drumrolls and sax for special occasions’. 7-10pm Rhubaba Gallery and Studios, 25 Arthur Street. Free entry. More details here.

Bookbug: for children aged 0-4 and their parents or carers. 11.30am today and every Saturday, Portobello Library, 14 Rosefield Avenue. These sessions are very popular, please arrive early. There are also sessions at 10.15am and 11.15am every Wednesday.

Gorgie City Farm Seed Swap: Gorgie City Farm, 51 Gorgie Road. Please contact the Farm for times.

Secret Histories: Screening Irish History. The final screening in a season exploring the dark and troubling aspects of Irish life,  A Terrible Beauty (12A) is a ‘meticulously researched docudrama combining archive footage and dramatic re-enactments, based on first-hand accounts, to vividly recreate the ferocious battles of Dublin’s Mount Street and North King Street in the 1916 Easter Rising, as seen from the perspective of the Irish Volunteers, British soldiers and innocent civilians’. The screening will be followed by a Q & A session with the filmmakers. 3.20pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets can be booked online via the website or by calling the Box Office on 0131 228 2688. Screened in association with the University of Edinburgh School of History, Classics and Archaeology.

Clarsach Music at the Library: listen to members of the Edinburgh branch of the Clarsach Society perform a programme of solos, songs, duets and ensembles. 2-2.20pm and 2.35-2.55pm, Foyer, Central Library, George IV Bridge.

Family Fun Day: The Chinese Year of the Goat. Chinese drumming, dancing and a workshop: learn how to play a drum, spin a handkerchief or make a dragon, and try some Chinese skipping. 2-3pm, Granton Library, Wardieburn Terrace.

Italian Film Festival: curated by Allan Hunter and Richard Mowe, the 22nd Festival continues today. ‘An exciting and diverse line-up of contemporary and classic Italian cinema, including hilarious comedies, insightful dramas, seat-edge thrillers and classics from award-winning directors’. All films are subtitled in English, Today: The Dinner (15),’a chilling view of modern morality’. 8.45pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets can be booked online via the website or by calling the Box Office on 0131 228 2688.

Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom International Women’s Day Singathon: 100 songs on the themes of women, international solidarity, peace and freedom, led by Penny Stone. All welcome – women, children and men – come along for all or just some of the singing, bring an instrument if you like. There will be tea and cake – please bring extra cake and nibbles. If you plan to stay long bring warm clothes and a cushion! 3pm-12 midnight, St John’s Church Hall, Princes Street. For more information contact Penny Stone on singlouderthanguns@gmail.com. Donations will be collected to help women from poorer countries to attend the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom centenary conference in The Hague and to support Penny’s ongoing activism fund.

Edinburgh Fashion Week

St Cecilia’s Hall

No Smoking

Marie Curie Daffodil Week

Historic Scotland 

Edinburgh Fashion Week launches today.

Look out for the marquee at the foot of The Mound today.

Edinburgh Fashion Week puts the spotlight firmly on the city’s unique and diverse shopping offering. A week-long event that kicks off today and tomorrow, transforming the Mound into an exciting indoor fashion hub for the opening weekend.

Packed with free catwalk shows, pop-up shops and style tutorials, locals and visitors will get a first look at the spring/summer fashions from Edinburgh’s high-street, designer and independent retailers.  All accompanied by DJ sets, and a selection of delicious food and drink.

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Edinburgh World Heritage has awarded a grant of £100,000 towards the restoration of St Cecilia’s Hall, Scotland’s oldest purpose-designed concert hall.

The category A listed building dates to 1763 and was designed by architect Robert Mylne. When it was first opened the building made quite an impact on Edinburgh society, with one observer commenting, “I have seen no concert room equal to it either in London or Paris”.

Today the building is owned by the University of Edinburgh, and houses its world-class collection of historical musical instruments. However later additions to St Cecilia’s have left the original Georgian concert hall hidden from view at the heart of the building. The University’s vision is to restore and renovate the building and its facilities in order to preserve its collection and broaden its appeal to a wider public.

The new project looks to turn St Cecilia’s Hall into a new centre for excellence for the study, display and enjoyment of historical musical instruments, and to be a place where public exhibition, research, performance, teaching and learning intersect. Along with the new exhibition, improvements will also be carried out to oval concert room with tiered seating and staging platforms.

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There is now just under a month to go until small shops will have to stop displaying tobacco products in Scotland.

From 6 April 2015, cigarettes, cigars and rolling tobacco will have to be covered up in all shops. This measure has been in place for large shops since 2013.

The Scottish Government introduced the legislation to reduce children and young people’s exposure to tobacco products.

All tobacco retailers in Scotland are registered with the government through the Scottish Tobacco Retailers Register. Retailers have been contacted to make them aware of the forthcoming display ban, and to let them know what is required.

Maureen Watt, Minister for Public Health, said: “This is one of numerous measures we have introduced to try and reduce the appeal of smoking to young people. We want to create a tobacco-free generation in Scotland by 2034 – defined as having less than five per cent of the population smoking. To achieve this we need to stop young people from taking up the habit in the first place.

“Brightly coloured and well lit displays of cigarettes, in prominent positions in the shop, are only likely to increase the appeal of this deadly product. We must remember that tobacco kills half of all the people who use it, and it’s linked to 13,000 deaths in Scotland every year.

“I’d like to thank tobacco retailers for their cooperation and understanding in making the necessary changes to comply with this new policy.

“The display ban, alongside other measures such as plain packaging, will play an important part in a culture change in our attitudes to smoking.”

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MSPs including Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Sport Shona Robison celebrated Marie Curie’s Great Daffodil Appeal at the Scottish Parliament this week.

Over 25 MSPs joined host Linda Fabiani MSP for an evening reception in the Garden Lobby to hear about the work of Marie Curie in Scotland from Chief Executive Dr Jane Collins. Shona Robison MSP discussed her support for the charity’s annual Great Daffodil Appeal and in an emotional speech on the one year anniversary of her husband’s death; Lesley Borthwick from Edinburgh spoke passionately about the care her family received from Marie Curie.

Edinburgh West MSP Colin Keir said: “I’m delighted to support this Great Daffodil Appeal. The work that the Marie Curie organisation does is simply sensational. There are many local families who owe a lot to Marie Curie who have helped them and their loved ones through incredibly difficult times. I wish everyone involved in this campaign all the best.”

Earlier, over 60 volunteers from Marie Curie fundraising groups across Scotland attended a member’s debate supporting the Great Daffodil Appeal, the charity’s flagship fundraising campaign which encourages everyone to give a donation and wear a daffodil pin during March.

Richard Meade, Marie Curie Head of Policy and Public Affairs Scotland said: “We are thrilled to be able to celebrate our Great Daffodil Appeal with cross-party support at Holyrood. Last year thanks to the generosity of our supporters we provided care in Scotland for more than 7,400 people living with a terminal illness. We’re calling on everyone in Scotland to help us do more by donating and wearing a daffodil in March.”

To support the Great Daffodil Appeal tweet #daffodilappeal, call 0845 601 3107 (local rate) or visit www.mariecurie.org.uk/daffodil.

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Some of Scotland’s most precious, interesting and unusual historical objects – and the stories behind them – can now be accessed at the click of a button.

Historic Scotland has launched an online gallery of 400 objects, organised so that visitors can easily search by theme, date, type or property where it is housed

More than 35,000 objects housed in over 160 properties in Scotland are in the safekeeping of Historic Scotland. This is the first time many of the objects can be viewed outside of their host properties. So the hidden gems contained in Innerpeffray Chapel near Auchterarder, Arbroath Abbey or Edinburgh Castle can be viewed from a computer or smart phone in Stornoway, Motherwell or Castle Douglas.  The gallery is also an opportunity to view items from the Historic Scotland archive that are not currently on public display.

From the Honours of Scotland through to a model ship built by French prisoners at Edinburgh Castle in the late 1700s, to Neolithic paint pots from Orkney, the online gallery features some of Scotland’s most diverse and significant historical objects.

Richard Welander, Head of Collections at Historic Scotland said: “This gallery will bring Scotland’s history to people in their own homes.

“From the Stone of Destiny to cannonballs and medieval eel spears, Historic Scotland’s online object collection is full of fascinating items, some of which are thousands of years old.

“The objects we’ve chosen are a highly eclectic mix, from prehistoric bone necklaces to twentieth century cotton machinery, to give people an insight into the diversity of objects in our care.

“The gallery provides an opportunity for people to find out more about hidden gems at our sites in advance of visiting, as well as giving anyone with an interest in Scottish history the opportunity to explore this fascinating collection.”

Some of the highlights are:

• A nit comb from the 1400s that was given as a love token
• A fine Pictish carving of a stage on the reverse of a cross from Angus
• A medieval log boat found in the late 19^th century in the upper reaches of the Forth near Stirling
• Islamic glass made in Syria in the late 12^th century found at Caerlaverock Old Castle
• A sixteenth century water spout in the form of a court musician from Dunfermline Palace
• A rare portrait of the young James VI by Adrian Vanson
• An iron man trap from Deer Abbey (near Mintlaw, Aberdeenshire) used in the 18^th C to catch poachers and trespassers on large estates
• A telescope that belonged to the first lighthouse keeper at Kinnaird Head
• A basket used by women to collect peats in the Western Isles
• A barrow for carrying coal to the furnaces at Biggar Gasworks

The object collection can be explored online at: http://collections.historic-scotland.gov.uk

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For those of us of a certain age, Oliver means ones thing: Carol Reed’s 1968 film with Jack Wild as the Artful Dodger and Mark Lester as the eponymous orphan child – but Oliver was of course written for the stage, and Southern Light Opera’s production at King’s Theatre this week stays true to Lionel Bart’s original score, whilst bringing a fresh and invigorating enthusiasm to this much-loved version of Charles Dickens’ famous novel.

On a dark and wintry night, a pregnant woman staggers to the workhouse door; that is the last we see of her, for within seconds the curtain rises on the dining hall within. Ten years have passed and the woman’s baby is now one of hundreds of urchin boys collecting their gruel: on the wall above, a plaque announces ‘God Is Love’. This may or may not be true, but the boys see precious little love – or food –  in Widow Corney’s care, and soon the inmates launch into Food Glorious Food, with its long lists of all the dishes the boys dream of. In this production there are two casts of children, and although Wednesday night’s group started their singing in a slightly tentative manner, they soon found their stride. Jumping on and off tables whilst keeping the beat is a challenge even for adult performers, but these young people were well rehearsed and evidently enjoying themselves.

Workhouses were not abolished in England until 1930, and many stayed open until the passing of the 1948 National Assistance Act. It is sometimes easy to get swept up in all the jollity of Bart’s script and forget the underlying horrors that Dickens so much wanted to expose, but SLO manage to achieve a fine balance between the two. When Oliver has the famous temerity to ask for more, he is soon out on the streets with the pompous Parish Beadle Mr Bumble, who simply wants to sell him to the highest bidder.

Alex Morrison plays Oliver with exactly the right blend of vulnerability and spirit – his willingness to try hard at any job is heartbreaking, but when he ends up as a coffin follower in a funeral emporium (‘he has a look of melancholy that is very interesting’) the almost slapstick humour of the owners, Mr and Mrs Sowerberry prevents the pathos of his situation descending into sentimentality (not that Dickens ever minded a bit of that). Alan Hunter is an excellent Mr Sowerberry, his voice both clear and creepy at the same time, and both he and Averyl Nash as Mrs S give polished performances as the argumentative married couple. The costumes throughout this production are very good indeed and whoever had the idea of painting the Sowerberrys’ faces a sepulchral grey deserves to be congratulated. Oliver’s fight with the apprentice undertaker Noah Claypole (well played by Greg Williamson, who in this short scene manages to convey the chip on the shoulder that lies beneath Noah’s thuggish behavour) is perhaps a little unconvincing, but when Mrs Sowerby joins in the punch-up there is no doubting the sincerity of her blows.

Oliver runs away to London, where he is soon befriended by the Artful Dodger. So great was the late Jack Wild’s ownership of this role that I almost expected to see him appear on the stage, but Max MacDonald Paterson soon claimed it for his own and did a good job of keeping up the cockney accent throughout the show. When Fagin’s gang arrive to sing Consider Yourself, the contrast between their colourful clothes and the workhouse boys’ rags is most effective – the street boys are no better off in many ways, but they are at least free from the tyranny of the Parish. The gang’s dancing is again well rehearsed and full of energy; if any of them do drop something or put a foot wrong, their recovery is both instant and professional, showing that if you just keep smiling – and keep going – you will carry the audience with you. The choreography in this show is polished throughout; one of the adult couples especially stood out for me, she wearing a checked skirt and he a green waistcoat – both showing exceptional skill and enthusiasm. The only slight issue with this scene is the music, which seems at times to drown out the singing – but this may well be a fault of the score rather than the orchestra, which performed very well for the rest of the evening. An entertaining interchange between Fagin and a violinist (‘You’re not making any friends you know’) was worthy of Topol.

In fact it is not until the end of Act One that we meet Fagin. Charlie Munro’s performance is the shining star of this production, bringing out every facet of the old man’s mercurial temperament. Fagin is kind to the boys – but they must commit crimes for his benefit; he is good to Nancy – but only until he has to choose between her and Bill Sikes; he brooks no nonsense from the Dodger and his friends ‘Shut up and drink yer gin’ – but he provides them with some sort of home in a city that offers them nothing else. Charlie Munro is a fantastic singer; the clarity of his voice in You’ve Got To Pick a Pocket or Two means that every word can be heard even when the orchestra is in full throttle – but it is not just technique that makes this actor stand out; he is able to make Fagin’s character shine through in every song – as reflective in the final reprise of Reviewing the Situation as he is devious in Pick a Pocket. There is a huge amount of movement in his performance – comic dancing in Back Soon, tearing around the stage in Pick a Pocket – but even when sitting down counting his takings, Munro’s Fagin communicates as only great actors can; every gesture tells us more about this complex character.

Bill Sikes is one of Dickens’ most terrifying creations, second only perhaps to Magwitch. His first appearance on stage is silent and hugely effective; he comes to Fagin’s den late at night with the loot from his burglaries. Black coat, black hat, no words; the bag is deposited and he is gone. To this short scene Lech Boron brings all the menace and threat that make Sikes such a formidable character. He has been brought up on the streets as one of Fagin’s boys, but unlike Fagin there is no humour about him. He is a hard man with no soft edges. He will not be crossed. Bullseye, Sikes’ dog, is traditionally a bull terrier and a scary one too (having been ill-treated by Sikes for years); SLO have awarded the role to Kym, a gorgeous ex-rescue Staffie* – Kym may not be very scary, but boy does she enjoy her moments of glory – you’ve never seen a tail wag so fast. Did the audience like her more than Oliver? Probably, but I expect he’ll forgive her.

And so we come to Nancy, Bill Sikes’ prostitute girlfriend. Like him, Nancy has been on the streets for a long time – but unlike him she has retained a heart. Lori Flannigan is an excellent Nancy – brash and loud, caring and loving – and ultimately doomed by her obsessive love for Sikes. As Long As He Needs Me may profess to be a song about loyalty, but underneath it is about abuse. Nancy is already the victim of this cold, calculating villain before he beats her to death in a horrific, jarring scene – one very different from the rest of the show, its red lighting emphasising that we are no longer in the world of happy songs and happy endings. Flannigan’s voice did seem to be suffering a tiny bit towards the end of the first act, but it returned to top form in the reprise of As Long As He Needs Me.

In the end, of course, after a frantic chase across London Bridge and two violent deaths, Oliver falls on his feet when – in one of Dickens’ trademark co-incidences – he meets up with his late mother’s father and is welcomed into the grandpaternal household. Scott Walker gives us an entertaining turn as a Dr Grimwig straight out of Dr Findlay’s Casebook, and David McBain and Margo Dunn as Oliver’s bereaved grandfather and his kindly housekeeper provide a sharp middle-class contrast to the London underworld. The show is drawn to a close with Fagin’s poignant reprise of Reviewing the Situation.

This is an exuberant and layered interpretation of a classic that we all think we know; SLO have succeeded in bringing new depths to the story, and in Charlie Munro they have discovered a star.

Oliver is at the King’s Theatre until Saturday 7th March 2015.

*Kym was saved from Doggy Death Row in 2014 by Staffie Smiles Rescue, a non-profit organisation that rescues and rehomes ‘pound dogs’ About 7,000 unclaimed strays were put down last year; Staffie Smiles Rescue ensures that any dog it helps to save is healthy, up-to-date with its vaccinations and neutered before it is rehomed. Staffie Smiles Rescue relies on donations and fundraising events to carry out its work. Kym lives with her adoptive family in Fife; she is an amateur to acting but hopes to advertise the Staffordshire Bull Terrier breed, as she is such a loving, loyal little dog and so eager to please. If you would like to find out more about Staffie Smiles Rescue visit www.staffiesmilerescue.com.

To mark International Women’s Day, self-defence school Rencounter and the Crags Community Sports Centre are inviting all women over 16 to a free self-defence workout in Edinburgh’s Old Town on Saturday 7 March at 4.30. The workout will give participants a taste of the no-nonsense martial art of krav maga.

“This workshop is our way of marking International Women’s Day. I believe that learning self-defence is a way for women to take power into their own hands to keep themselves and the people they care about safe.” explains Rencounter owner, Linn Haraldsvik .

She continued:  “I believe that women should be able to take control of their own safety. That’s why I’m organising a free self-defence workshop to reach as many women as possible. The topic is serious, but the classes are not. I teach women how to keep themselves safe, and give them a fun workout at the same time.”

The self-defence workouts are a great combo for people who lead busy lives. It’s easy to learn, it keeps you fit, and it teaches valuable real-life skills at the same time. Krav maga is based on instinctive reactions. It also has its own method of teaching that makes it very easy to pick up. But it is not just about feeling safer and being able to get out of a scary situation, it’s also a great way to keep fit.

Participants use their whole body while practising the techniques, and working kicks and punches really gets the heart rate going. They develop strength, endurance and mobility, without really noticing that they’re doing it because they’re having fun and learning the techniques at the same time.

“The combination of fitness and fun was one of the things that kept me hooked after I started training in krav maga. I hated running and interval training and all those things that are very good to develop endurance, but through my weekly Krav classes I got all the same effects without it being a painful chore, I just couldn’t wait for the next class”, Linn added

A key part of staying safe is to be able to read situations, to identify potentially dangerous ones and avoid them, and if that fails, to get away as fast as possible. Krav Maga stresses this as part of the training.

“It’s also a great way to unwind and release the frustrations of the day.  There’s nothing like kneeing people in the groin after a hard day’s work to get rid of any stress”, jokes Michelle O’Hara, a regular Krav Maga student who is currently attending a six week women-only  self-defence course with Rencounter.

This no-nonsense martial art is less known than traditional martial arts like karate or kung fu but is starting to become more widespread. It has been picked up by Hollywood celebrities like Brad Pitt and Angeline Jolie who got in shape and learned fighting skills using training Krav Maga for their movie ‘By the sea’.

Krav Maga is suitable for all ages and levels of fitness and Rencounter offers regular mixed classes for men and women of all ages and levels of fitness from complete beginners to experienced krav maga practitioners.

The flowering of the crocuses and the occasional glimpse of blue sky has alerted us to the fact that spring has officially arrived. But unofficially, we have also had snow here on the sheltered streets of Edinburgh and some pretty strong westerly winds. Up in the Highlands, that has meant blizzards and roads closed.

Spring has also meant “spring offensives” by the political parties as they fight for a place in the sun in the general election on 7 May.  Each day seems to bring a new policy announcement. The SNP have launched an economic strategy paper suggesting that equality is the way to greater prosperity. There is certainly a lot to do here with news this week that nearly three quarters of young people are paid less than the living wage of £7.85 an hour. As far as I can work out, the SNP plan is to push government funds towards the poor, in the form of child-care, mortgage assistance, help for struggling schools etc in the expectation that this will lead to more people in work and therefore more prosperity.

The Labour Party has already pledged to increase the legal minimum wage to £8 an hour and, for those young people still in education, the party in Scotland has said it will continue the SNP’s policy of not charging tuition fees for university. Gordon Brown has marked his retiral from parliament with a speech calling for a “reserve fund” for the oil industry. This, he said, would allow the government to enter into partnerships with private companies to mothball oil fields during periods of low oil prices, like the present.

Pity he didn’t think of that while he was Chancellor, said the SNP. They’ve also,   rather indelicately, pointed out to Mr Brown that Lord Ashcroft’s latest opinion polling has found that even his Labour stronghold in Kirkcaldy is in danger of falling to the SNP on election day. The constituency polls also make scary reading for Alistair Darling’s successor in Edinburgh South West, the Lib Dem’s Charles Kennedy in Skye and the only Scottish Tory, David Mundell in Dumfriesshire. All could be swept away on the nationalist tide.

But the SNP had their own scary moment this week when they came within five votes of defeat in the Scottish Parliament over their plans for a new NHS database. Apparently, our postcode is to be added to our NHS number and a whole raft of other public institutions will be allowed to use the new register, including the tax authorities. The opposition parties said it’s an attempt to bring in a national identity card by the back door. They didn’t quite use the analogy of micro-chipping, which, we learned this week, is being introduced for all dogs in Scotland from April next year.

I wonder if the new NHS database will help to improve hospital waiting times. On Tuesday we got the first weekly figures on waiting times and they didn’t make impressive reading. Only 86 per cent of patients in accident and emergency departments were seen within four hours, compared to the target of 95 per cent. Personally, I’m not sure our obsession with weekly figures is helpful. We all know that hospitals are becoming the safety net for those let down by other agencies, like GP practices, local authority care services and the police, who used to put Saturday night drunkards in the cells but now, it seems, they call an ambulance.

Local councils, of course, are struggling to keep services going in the face of the Westminster “austerity” cuts. A report out from Fiscal Affairs Scotland this week reminded us that councils have had a 10 per cent real reduction in their funding since the austerity programme began in 2009. And it warns that such chronic under-funding will bite even deeper in the years ahead. It doesn’t help that party in-fighting is causing the break-up of COSLA, the umbrella body for the 32 local councils in Scotland. Four Labour councils, including Glasgow and Aberdeen, are threatening to leave and form their own organisation to fight the SNP over funding for teachers, nursery places and social care.

Politicians are not the only ones mounting a “spring offensive”. Dave King, the Scottish/South African businessman looks certain to stage a come-back as a major shareholder of Rangers Football Club. He has warned though that the road to recovery “might be tough and it might be long but we’ll know where we’re going.”   The club, he reckons, will need at least £20m of investment and five years to get back to its place at the top of the premier league. I get the feeling that this long and sorry saga has some episodes still to go but to understand it I would need to attend a whole term of evening classes.

As a life-long cyclist, I’m glad to see that more and more people are joining me in the pot-holed cycle lanes. But then I live in “sheltered” Edinburgh where nearly 10 per cent of journeys are made by bike. That compares to just 1.6 per cent for the whole of Scotland. After years of cuts to the cycling budget, the Scottish gGvernment has stepped on the pedals this year and it’s increased cycle spending by 60 per cent to £39m. But that’s still less than 2 per cent of the total transport budget.

Still, spring is here. It’s no time for complaints. We’ll just have to put our heads down and pedal into the March winds. And admire the crocuses.

Scottish Government £2.25m Edinburgh Festivals Expo funding confirmed for 2015/16
Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs, has confirmed £2.25m in funding to support the ambitions of Edinburgh’s festivals.

Announced today, the next round of the Scottish Government Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund will support twelve projects and the work of strategic umbrella organisation strategic umbrella organisation strategic umbrella organisation Festivals Edinburgh in 2015/2016.

The Expo Fund provides Edinburgh Festivals with £2.25 million to promote themselves to overseas audiences and invest in the work of talented Scottish artists and performers. Running since 2008, this year’s allocation brings the total invested close to £16m.

The focus of the 2015/16 Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund is new creative works by Scottish artists, international collaboration and the promotion of Edinburgh as the best festival city in the world.
Ms Hyslop said: “The Scottish Government Expo Fund is direct investment in the future of Edinburgh’s Festivals. The fund has given the festivals scope to deliver world class pieces and performances that have caught the imagination of international audiences. Thanks to the Expo Fund festivals are working more closely together boosting tourism and Scotland’s cultural ambitions.

“The investment in Edinburgh’s Festival is about creating long term benefits for Scottish artists, the economy and our country’s’ international reputation. The Edinburgh festivals contribute more than £250m in additional tourism revenue to Scotland’s economy but just as important is their international profile.

“Edinburgh’s Festivals have been defining and promoting Scotland’s identity as a confident, creative, welcoming nation for over 65 years. We are supporting their work through the Expo Fund to fund innovation, collaboration and artist development, all vital for future success of our festivals.”

Faith Liddell, Director at Festivals Edinburgh, said: ‘The Scottish Government’s Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund provides an incredibly powerful platform for Scotland and its artists, thinkers and companies to be showcased to the world at Edinburgh’s Festivals. As a direct result, not only have hundreds of performances and events of the best Scottish work been presented as highlights in our prestigious Festival programmes; many have also been taken to other venues and festivals around the world and new networks and opportunities have been delivered for Scotland’s artists and thinkers.”

All twelve of Festival Edinburgh’s members benefit from the Expo Fund. The funded projects develop the creative industries at home and showcase Scottish talent abroad. The projects included in this round of funding are:

‘A Bollywood Love Story’, a collaboration between the Edinburgh Mela and The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. A forty-minute, full length show in the Bollywood tradition will be created for the Mela Festival. Key aspects of the show will also be presented as part of this year’s Edinburgh Tattoo in August.

The Edinburgh International Film Festival Short Film Challenge will profile new Scottish filmmakers from across the country and the EIFF Talent Lab and Animation Lab will work with emerging feature film writers, directors and producers during the 2015 Festival.

The Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival will use the funding to create new works by Scottish musicians and opportunities for them to perform internationally. (Photo above courtesy of Rob McDougall)
The Edinburgh International Festival will premiere a new stage adaptation of a classic Scottish novel with a leading Scottish theatre in 2015.
Expo Funding supports Edinburgh Art Festival’s commitment to opening up new and unexpected places across the city through its annual, city-wide commissions programme, providing a platform for leading and emerging Scottish artists to make ambitious publicly-sited work.
How a multilingual society influences literature in Scotland and elsewhere and how language and identity shapes the writers that Scotland produces will be examined in a dedicated strand for Edinburgh International Book Festival.
The Mela World Dance Feste continues this year as a platform for diverse arts within Scotland and will work alongside ‘A Bollywood Love Story’
Expo Funding makes the Made in Scotland Showcase, part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, possible.
The fund has already supported Scot_Lands during the 2015 Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations earlier this year.
Expo Funding will support, live and digital works as part of the Scottish International Storytelling Festival will bring some of Scotland’s oldest cultural resource to international audiences with explorations of global issues.
In celebration of Scotland’s year of Innovation, Architecture and Design in 2016, the Edinburgh International Science Festival will launch a major new programme that will combine a cutting-edge technology showcase with an innovative series of associated events for teenagers.
Imaginate Platforms will be a celebration and showcase of Scottish-based artists who consistently create work of a world class standard for children and young people.

Festivals Edinburgh receives £250,000 to continue to promote and position Edinburgh as the world’s leading festival city.
Since 2008 the Scottish Government Expo Fund has provided a legacy of important new work. This includes writing by Don Paterson, Ali Smith and James Robertson to installations by artists Callum Innes and Martin Creed at Regent Bridge and the Scotsman Steps as well as science installations and ambitious new performing arts commissions that have gone on to tour around the world.

The Edinburgh Reporter visited the Scotsman Steps recently and was quite shocked by their filthy condition as we hope you can see from these photos. We are not sure who is responsible for their upkeep but presume it must be the council?

Councillors on the Culture and Sport Committee will be asked next week to bring under-used sports facilities back into use by agreeing funding to upgrade some pitches and construct new courts in Sighthill, Queensferry and Trinity.

When the committee meets on Tuesday 10 March 2015 members will be asked to agree an investment of £130,000 into pre-existing rugby and football facilities and new tennis and basketball courts.

The Sport Partnership Projects: capital contributions by Culture and Sport report has outlined a funding package designed to boost participation in outdoor sport in the Capital.

Under the proposals, Councillors will be asked to allocate £50,000 as the Council works in partnership with Scottish Rugby and Edinburgh Napier University to locate the BT Sport Scottish Rugby Academy in Sighthill. The project will enable a stream of selected young players to follow their performance pathway, alongside hosting rugby skills camps through contacts with local schools. The changing pavilion in Sighthill Park will be upgraded as part of the works being undertaken for the Academy, and Edinburgh Leisure will continue to manage the bookings for the pitches which will remain accessible to local people and clubs.

Councillor Richard Lewis, Culture & Sport Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “We have a range of outdoor courts and pitches in Edinburgh but some sites are being better used than others. By upgrading and adding to the facilities we already have, we will hope to inspire more people to get into outdoor sport and physical activity.

“The BT Sport Scottish Rugby Academy will support young and aspiring rugby players as they develop their skills and aim to reach their full potential, whether at a club or professional level, but we are also conscious of the needs of local pitch users. In Sighthill Park we have five football pitches but they are being under-used. By partnering with the University, we could offer a new home for Napier’s pitch sports teams, while also offering better facilities for local users, schools and community groups.”

Mark Dodson, Chief Executive of Scottish Rugby added: “The BT Sport Scottish Rugby Academies are a key pillar of our strategy to give young, talented boys and girls the chance to develop their rugby and life skills, close to home. We have been working for some time with our partners, Edinburgh Napier University and City of Edinburgh Council to develop this project and we hope this important first step at Sighthill can be taken.”

A spokesman for Edinburgh Napier University commented: “The prospect of a BT Sport Scottish Rugby Academy based at Sighthill is an exciting one, and we support the idea of growing the use of the Sighthill Park pitches for the benefit of the local community, Scotland’s emerging rugby stars and our students.

“We hope that the ongoing discussions, including the plan to improve the sports pavilion at the park, are successful. In the meantime, it’s important that local voices are heard and so we will be continuing to engage with community groups to get their take on the proposals.”

The Council will also be asked to provide £10,000 to complete the re-instatement of two tennis courts and creation of a new basketball court in Victoria Park, to be opened in time for the school summer break with free taster sessions. The rest of the cost is being met by the North Edinburgh Partnership and sportscotland.

Under a Section 75 Agreement with developers of the former Agilent site in Queensferry, £70,000 is available to the Council to be reinvested in local sports facilities in the area. Councillors will consider using the funding to convert grass football pitches into all-weather 3G pitches which can accommodate rugby as well as football training.

Maggie’s the charity that provides free support of all kinds to people with cancer as well as their friends and family recently ran a competition to find a gift for the charity’s patrons and the winner has just been announced.

Stephanie Dalzell, aged 28 and from Edinburgh, impressed the competition judges with her design for a ceramic candle holder laser-cut with an illustration of the donor’s nearest Maggie’s Centre which glows when the candle is lit.  She was awarded first place at the competition final at Edinburgh College’s Granton Campus on Wednesday 4 March.

Students on the Edinburgh College HND graphic design course were invited to imagine an object that would reflect the spirit of Maggie’s and that could be produced as a thank-you gift for patrons of the charity. Students visited Maggie’s Edinburgh, in the grounds of Western General Infirmary, so they could see for themselves the vital role that architecture and design play in making Maggie’s Centres calm, uplifting places. Five students then had their product designs shortlisted.

Marie McQuade, Development Director at Maggie’s, said: “All the students came up with original and unique designs that showed they had a real grasp of what is special about Maggie’s Centres.  Stephanie particularly impressed us with a creation that beautifully illustrates the hopefulness of Maggie’s Centres.  It will make a wonderful gift for our patrons.”

Stephanie, whose prize is a behind-the-scenes tour of the National Portrait Gallery with Ben Thomson Chairman of the National Galleries of Scotland, said: “It is fantastic to have had the opportunity to work on such a rewarding project, for such a worthwhile charity, so I’m really pleased to have won.  I wanted to come up with something that would incorporate the light and warmth of Maggie’s Centres into an object that could be used everyday and also act as a talking point to start conversations about Maggie’s.”

Graphic design lecturer Helena Good said: “All the students did a fantastic job with the brief, and really understood what Maggie’s is about and what the charity is trying to achieve. It’s really important that our students get to work with real clients to real briefs so they know what will be expected of them as professionals, so competitions such as this are valuable learning opportunities.

“Seeing her work brought to life will be a great inspiration for Stephanie and everyone on the course as it shows them what the end product of their hard work is. We’re delighted that Maggie’s are happy with what they’ve got and hopefully their patrons will love their gifts.”

Built in the grounds of Western General Hospital, Maggie’s Edinburgh is a warm and welcoming place, with qualified professionals on hand to offer an evidence-based core programme of support that has been shown to improve physical and emotional wellbeing.

Maggie’s Edinburgh relies on voluntary donations to support and grow its network of Centres and to develop its unique, high quality programme of support.  The charity’s aim is to make the biggest difference possible to people living with cancer and their family and friends.

To find out more about Maggie’s Edinburgh and to see how the Centre supports people with cancer across the region please visit the Centre at Western General Hospital or get in touch on 0131 537 3131 or at Edinburgh@maggiescentres.org.

The development of the former Royal High School building on Regent Road has attracted much comment in Edinburgh and today is your final chance to go and see the public exhibition of the proposals to redevelop the 19th century building into a luxury hotel. The exhibition is open till 7pm this evening.

As part of the public consultation process, developers Duddingston House Properties and the Urbanist Group along with Gareth Hoskins Architects, have invited the public to discuss the proposals with the project team at the school.  The exhibition there follows the first public consultation last month which attracted nearly 600 people. The developers tell us that 76% of the 383 people who completed the questionnaire then expressed strong support for the proposals.

The display includes the latest impressions of what the new hotel might look like by architect Gareth Hoskins.  Hoskins, whose work in Edinburgh has won many awards, says he is keen to ensure the new architectural elements restore Hamilton’s building as part of a more considered and planned setting for the three buildings on the site. “We’ve created a great deal of space around Hamilton’s strong sculptural building so it becomes the central focus.  The scale of the new symmetrical buildings either side of the centrepiece draws from Hamilton’s architectural language in the use of the stone in a stylised contemporary colonnade.  As the former school is the focal point of the amazing stage set of Calton Hill, we’ve take great care to make sure none of the new elements break the skyline or conflict with the other monuments on this dramatic backdrop.”

Speaking on behalf of the project team, David Orr of the Urbanist Group, is looking forward to further discussions with members of the public about the latest designs which will continue to be refined as part of the planning process.  “We’ve responded to what people commented on in the first public consultation and we are keen for people to continue to get in touch with their questions and comments even beyond this current exhibition.  While we’ve had encouragement from some quarters, we also recognise there is anxiety from others so we will continue to gather information and to respond to what people are saying.  We understand the stewardship and responsibility that goes with this proposal and want to do something brilliant for the city.”

The Edinburgh Reporter met with David Orr who explained his vision for the building, and also met a rather well-known former pupil who shared his thoughts on the building with us:

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The old Royal High School will be open for the public consultation today Friday 6 March from 10am – 7pm prior to an application for planning consent being submitted to The City of Edinburgh Council in due course.

One former pupil explained to us that there used to be a swimming pool in the secondary school building and  a science block at the far end, but the proposals include demolition of everything except the central original structure and replacement by bedroom wings. The developer hopes this will mean that the original part of the building will be open as ‘public space’ for the first time, since the centre will house bars, restaurants and space for art exhibitions there.

Another former pupil we spoke to expressed the view that any use of the building would be better than leaving it empty any longer. He said: ” It is tragic that it has lain empty all this time.” The school which used extra classrooms at numbers 1,2 and 4 Regent Terrace moved out to Barnton in the late 1960s. The Royal High Junior School was at Jock’s Lodge at Northfield.

The Cockburn Association’s Marion Williams has expressed their views on the proposed development and said that they are disappointed that the entrance lodge would be demolished. Although this is a later addition and not by the original architect, the Association feel that it should be worked into any scheme. David Orr explained to us that by removing the additions and by taking all new building forward to the original building line the vista approaching from Waterloo Place would in his view be much improved and the walkway to the top of Calton Hill would become more ‘accessible’ simply by being less hidden away.

The Cockburn Association dispute the level of repairs which might be needed to the interior of the building and claim that the conservation work done in the 1970s when the building was to be used as the Scottish Parliament was thoroughly executed.

In relation to what might be built the Association feel the new pavilion blocks would be too high and would feature too much glass which would ‘disturb the whole idea of the dominant temple on a wild hill’. Their view is that the new proposals ‘prove that any viably-sized hotel does not work spatially and compositionally on this very special site’ and they question whether mothballing would not in fact be a safer option for the long-term security of the building.

They also claim that a hotel is not a public building as access depends on management policy, and they feel that use as an hotel is not appropriate for such an important building.

The Edinburgh International Science Festival celebrates the science of writing with the return of The Reading Experiment. The Reading Experiment explores the world of science writing in all its diverse forms and encourages audiences to engage with science literature of all sorts – from popular science to poetry, literary fiction to sci-fi, through a programme of literature-themed events and activities.

In the lead up to the Science Festival – starting 4 April – readers can enjoy online author interviews, book recommendations, readings and pop-up activities, and then choose from over 40 Festival events that celebrate the worlds of science and words. The Science Festival is also partnering with literary organisations based in Edinburgh – the Scottish Book Trust, the Scottish Poetry Library and the National Library of Scotland – to engage readers and audiences across the full spectrum of science writing.

First up is the return of the Sci-Ku poetry competition, where entrants are asked to compose a 3-line ‘science-inspired’ Haiku style poem about the wonder of light. For this year’s instalment the focus for entries takes inspiration from the Science Festival’s Light and Enlightenment strand of programming. Sci-Ku coordinator Sarah Thomas asks entrants to unlock the scientific secrets of light:

Light is seen

Light cold and warm is felt

Light is never heard

From 21 March, Sci-Ku entries will also be seen on Portobello High St in the Festival’s on-street exhibition The Porty Sci-Box. This re-purposed community-run phone box ‘gallery’ hosts a series of mini exhibitions throughout the year and is joining forces with the Science Festival showcase The Reading Experiment by displaying Sci-Ku entries on an interactive and tweet-able screen, transforming the Sci-Box into a hub of Sci-Ku sharing. There are separate categories for primary and secondary age school pupils, along with a public category for adults, with Sci-Ku running until Friday 3 April. The winning entries will be announced at a live event during the Science Festival and winners names and poems published.

Literary Science will also be out and about around the pubs and cafes of Edinburgh, as the Festival’s Mobile Bookshelf travels to establishments across the city. Packed with science books of every description, the bookshelf will offer all kinds of science writing linked to Festival events, for visitors to enjoy at their leisure. A full schedule and further information can be found on the Science Festival website, with updates on Twitter @EdSciFest.

During the Science Festival itself, a series of author talks, workshops and events explores why everyone can enjoy sci-writing:  in The Science of Storytelling winners of the Scottish Book Trust’s New Writers Award discuss how science can bring new inspiration to writers who love it (15 April), whilst Bad Science Books? Jurassic Park takes on the relationship between science fact and science fiction (7 April), and in Forensic Fact Meets Forensic Fiction, author Lin Anderson examines the scientific fact behind popular crime writing (5 April).

For more information on The Reading Experiment, Sci-Ku and all reading related Festival events, visit our dedicated pages sciencefestival.co.uk where readers can also access science reading lists, author interviews and book group information. Science writing will also be on sale at the Festival from partner Blackwell’s Books, whose pop-up science shop will be open for business the Summerhall courtyard throughout April.

This year’s Science Festival runs from Saturday 4 to Sunday 19 April 2015, where through the theme of The Ideas Factory – celebrating Edinburgh as a hub for ideas and innovation – we invite audiences of all ages to discover the wonder of the world around them over two weeks of special events.

Full details of the 2015 programme can be found at sciencefestival.co.uk. Tickets for all events can be booked online via the website or through the Box Office on 0844 557 2686.

Flybe is to open a new base at Cardiff Airport.  The airline will serve Edinburgh and a further 10 destinations across the UK and Europe this summer and will base two of its existing Embraer E195 aircraft in Wales. One of these 118-seat aircraft will arrive at Cardiff in June and the second in September 2015.

This announcement will result in the creation of 50 jobs, including flight crew and ground handling staff.

Flybe will offer flights toEdinburgh, Belfast, Cork, Dublin, Düsseldorf, Faro, Glasgow, Jersey, Munich, Milan Malpensa, and Paris Charles de Gaulle. Seats are on sale from today along with the publication of full schedules.

Saad Hammad, CEO, Flybe said: “We are delighted to launch these exciting new routes from Cardiff Airport. As part of Project Blackbird, we have been looking to find a productive home for our surplus E195 aircraft and we are delighted at this 10 year agreement with Cardiff Airport which involves us basing two of these jets there to serve the Welsh market with great value fares and further improving UK regional connectivity. We continue to seek solutions for the remaining 7 E195 Project Blackbird aircraft.”

Lord Rowe-Beddoe, Chairman, Cardiff Airport, said: “Our customers want greater choice in routes, more frequent services and better value flights. This new Flybe base is most welcome news for our passengers as it will bring new destinations and increased services from a popular great-value airline, as well as creating opportunities to encourage more visitors to come to Wales.”

First Minister of Wales Carwyn Jones said: “Flybe’s announcement that it is opening a new base operating 11 routes from Cardiff Airport is fantastic news. We’ve always said that we want the Airport to be a gateway to Wales, as something that will drive our economy by bringing tourists and business to the country. We’ve already invested in improving the overall customer experience at Cardiff Airport and the new routes to major European destinations, as well as the creation of 50 new jobs, demonstrates Flybe’s commitment to the Airport and will help to make it the success we know it can be.”

Cardiff Airport has become an important gateway, both to the city of Cardiff and the rest of Wales, following significant investment in recent years. Over one million passengers passed through the Airport last year. Cardiff is a vibrant city, where stunning ancient architecture sits harmoniously alongside contemporary developments. Cardiff is the UK’s top ranked city for quality of life and boasts a serious passion for world-class culture and sport, creating an atmosphere like no other city.

The latest development builds on Flybe’s growing network of bases, including Aberdeen, Belfast, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Edinburgh, Exeter, Glasgow, Manchester and Southampton, showing the airline’s commitment to improving connectivity across the UK.

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Dame Sue Bruce has announced her plans to retire from local government on her birthday in the autumn.

The Edinburgh Reporter went along to Waverley Court to talk with the Chief Executive of The City of Edinburgh Council about her impending retirement, which does not actually mean stopping working completely it seems.

In November 2013, Sue was awarded the Chief Executive of the Year in the Hr NETWORK National awards. In October 2014 she was named the UK City Leader of the Year in the prestigious MIPIM UK awards for her work in driving the city’s economic development achievements, and she was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2015 New Year’s Honours list.

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The Edinburgh Reporter NEWS from Phyllis Stephen on Vimeo.

Gray’s School of Art Pre-Degree Show 2015: final year painting students exhibit a broad range of upcoming talent, cutting-edge practice and contemporary takes on traditional methods. Private view tonight, then 10am-6pm daily, Gallery 1, St Margaret’s House, 151 London Road. Ends 20th March 2015.

Tansy Lee-Moir, Eoin Cox and Catherine Lilley: Time Around Trees. Drawings, paintings, carvings and prints celebrating trees, wood and woodlands, from the powerful presence of a veteran tree to the intimate surfaces of trees and the plants and organisms that inhabit them. Private view tonight, then 10am-6pm daily, Gallery 2, St Margaret’s House, 151 London Road. Ends 22nd March 2015.

Rona MacLean and Aileen Grant: No Woman is an Island.  Planned to coincide with International Women’s Day on 8th March, No Woman is an Island will include paintings and hand-made prints by Rona MacLean and Aileen Grant, both residents of St Margaret’s House and members of Edinburgh Printmakers. The work will feature Scottish landscapes, fishing huts, seascapes, allotments and natural forms. Private view tonight, then 10am-6pm daily, Gallery 3, St Margaret’s House, 151 London Road. Ends 22nd March 2015.

Word Power Books: Anne Schwan launches Convict Voices: Women, Class and Writing about Prison in 19th Century England. ‘A lively study of the development and transformation of voices of female offenders in 19th century England’. Anne Schwan analyses a range of colourful sources, including crime broadsides, reform literature, prisoners’ own writings about imprisonment and courtroom politics, and conventional literary texts such as Adam Bede and The Moonstone. Crossing class lines, gendre boundaries and gender roles in the effort to trace prisoners, authors and female communities (imagined or real), Schwan brings new insight to what it means to locate feminist (or protofeminist) details, arguments and politics. ‘A sophisticated approach to questions of gender, genre, and discourse in the representation of female convicts and their voices and viewpoints’. Sponsored by the Centre for Literature and Writing, Edinburgh Napier University. 6pm, Word Power Books, West Nicolson Street. Free, all welcome: donations also welcome!

Peeling A Glass Onion: a major solo exhibition of works by Norwegian visual artist and musician Magne Furuholmen: music, film, tapestry, printmaking and large-scale ceramic. 10.30am-5.30pm, Dovecot Studios, Infirmary Street. Ends 25th April 2015.

As I Was Young and Easy: Dylan Thomas – A Lyrical Celebration. Storyteller David Campbell and cellist Wendy Weatherby come together in this joyous evocation of their fellow Celtic poet’s life and wit. The programme connects Wales and Scotland in recalling Thomas’s memorable 1948 visit to Edinburgh and is fresh from a hugely successful performance in the Scottish International Storytelling Festival. 7.30pm, Netherbow Theatre, Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street. Tickets cost £8/£6 and can be booked online here or by calling the Box Office on 0131 556 9579.

Rhythms: a joint exhibition of painting and print – 2D and 3D works on canvas, wood and paper – by Soosan Danesh, Tracy White and Mary Walters, three recent Edinburgh College of Art graduates and Society of Scottish Artists members. In this exhibition the artists explore the rhythms of natural and urban environments, Soosan taking the urban surroundings of Edinburgh as her starting point, with Mary and Tracy being inspired by the wild places of Scotland and Iceland. Preview tonight at 6.30pm, then 12 noon-5pm (Thursday 7pm) daily until 15th March 2015, Patriothall Gallery, 1D Patriothall, off Hamilton Place, Stockbridge.

The Travelling Gallery: Design In Motion. The Travelling Gallery’s spring 2015 tour is a collaboration with the new V & A Dundee, taking exhibits, designers and the V & A Dundee team across the country, connecting communities with Scotland’s design heritage and raising awareness of the talent in Scotland’s present-day design industries, inspiring creativity along the way. The exhibition concept, brought to life by DJCAD-trained Gabrielle Underwood, will showcase seven innovative designers currently working with digital technology to push the boundaries of their discipline within games, product, jewellery, fashion, textiles and built heritage. 10am-5pm, Edinburgh Napier University, Colinton Campus, Colinton Road; please note access may be restricted at certain times owing to visiting groups. Also at same times on Friday 13th March at Edinburgh College, West Granton Road. For more information please contact The Travelling Gallery via City Art Centre, 2 Market Street, EH1 1DE, 0131 529 3930 or travellinggallery@edinburgh.gov.uk.

The Astronomical Society of Edinburgh: Bursts, bangs and things that go bump in the night – transient astronomy, a talk by Professor Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell (University of Oxford). 8pm, Church Centre, Augustine United Church, George IV Bridge. All welcome: free admission.

Possibilities of the Object: Experiments in Modern and Contemporary Brazilian Art. A group exhibition curated by Paulo Venancio Filho, Possibilities of the Object examines the transitions that have occurred in the sphere of the object in Brazilian art since the 1950s, and the importance of these transitions in the establishment of the hugely influential experimental tradition in Brazilian contemporary art. ‘A celebration of some of the beautiful and artistically radical sculptures with which Brazilian artists have tried to redefine what an art object can actually be’. 11am-6pm, Monday to Saturday, 12 noon – 5pm Sundays, Fruitmarket Gallery, Market Street. Guest curator Paulo Venancio Filho will be in conversation with curator Professor Briony Fer (UCL)  tonight 5-6pm: free tickets can be booked via eventbrite here.

Eilidh Muldoon: launch of a new exhibition of artwork by the Illustrator in Residence at Edinburgh College of Art. 8pm, Boda Bar, 229 Leith Walk.

Storytime: come along and help roll out the Magic Story Rug. 10.30am today and every Friday, Piershill Library, Piershill Terrace.

Jackie Gardiner: A Coastal Tale. Abroath-based painter Gardiner’s distinctively painterly style has garnered her a loyal following and a reputation as one of Scotland’s finest land and seascape painters. Previews 6-8pm tonight and 12 noon-5.30pm tomorrow (Saturday), then 10.30am-6pm Tuesday to Friday, 10.30am-5.30pm Saturdays and 12 noon-6pm Sundays, Union Gallery, 45 Broughton Street. Ends 5th April 2015.

Media Education: Radio City.  A media-training day for young people aged 12-24 years. Learn fantastic skills like audio recording, interviewing and more, with special guests from the industry and Media Education staff to help you make your first broadcast. 5-7pm, Media Education, 183 Dalry Road. For more information and to register contact Laura on 0131 313 8900 or email laura@mediaeducation.co.uk.

Edinburgh College of Art Friday Lecture Series: Hayley Newman. 11.30am – please contact ECA to check time and for details of venue.

Lunchtime Concert: Horn Trio. Pamela Turley (clarinet), Neil Mantle (horn) and Gillian Gray Mantle (piano) play Duvernoy Trio No 1 in C major and Tovey Trio in C minor, Op. 8. 1.10pm, Reid Concert Hall, University of Edinburgh, Bristo Square. Free: no booking required.

Masters of Japanese Porcelain: in the late 19th century, new markets and technologies inspired innovation in the Japanese ceramic industry. The finest potters of this period achieved recognition as Imperial Household Artists. This small exhibition focuses on four such individuals. Their most prestigious creations were grand and impressive presentation pieces for the court, but they were also capable of small-scale works for humble enjoyment. 10am-5pm daily, Grand Gallery, Level One, National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street. Free.

Vive the (R)evolution: Poems in Translation. Gaelic poet Meg Bateman gives a bilingual reading of her poems in Gaelic and English. Meg has been bringing new qualities to Gaelic poetry since her first publications in the 1990s. Tonight she will both read her poems and discuss her views on languages seen as different media for creation. 7-8.30pm, Institut francais d’Ecosse, 13 Randolph Crescent. Admission £5 (members £3).

A Winter’s Oresteia. A chilling new adaptation by award-winning playwright James Beagon of an Ancient Greek classic; a chilling story of anger and revenge. For ages 14+: includes violence and some strong language. 7.30pm, Summerhall, 1 Summerhall. Tickets cost £8/£6 and can be purchased online here or by calling the Box Office on 0131 560 1581.

Meet the Dogs Trust: an educational talk, a canine story and activities for 5-10 years olds. 1-2 pm, Gilmerton Library, 13 Newtoft Street. For more information call the Trust’s Education Officer on 07920 658 660 or email rachel.bliss@dogstrust.org.uk.

The Sutton Gallery: Eleanor Rees, Lila Matsumoto and Felix Bernstein. An exciting event bringing together two poets – Eleanor Rees and Lila Matsumoto – reading live in the gallery, together with performance and video artist, writer and cultural critic Felix Bernstein via a live video stream. There will also be an opportunity to see the gallery’s latest exhibition. 7pm, The Sutton Gallery, 18a Dundas Street. Free: no booking required. Free refreshments!

Italian Film Festival: curated by Allan Hunter and Richard Mowe, the 22nd Festival opens today. ‘An exciting and diverse line-up of contemporary and classic Italian cinema, including hilarious comedies, insightful dramas, seat-edge thrillers and classics from award-winning directors’. All films are subtitled in English. Today: I Can Quit Whenever I Want (15) ‘This wildly entertaining mixture of Breaking Bad and The Lavender Hill Mob proved the most successful Italian comedy of 2014′. 8.45pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets can be booked online via the website or by calling the Box Office on 0131 228 2688.

Ismael Teira: Argyle Project. Newly-arrived Spanish artist Ismael Teira will investigate the histories of Argyle House, an imposing building belonging to the Brutalist movement, which has recently been transformed into artists’ studios and workshops, and also houses the Interview Room 11 Gallery. Although the primary purpose of Argyle House has changed, there are traces of the previous occupants to be found; documentation, archives, illuminated signs….Curated by Antonio Cervera and Ana G Choucino. Preview 6-8pm tonight, then 2-7pm Wednesday to Friday, 11am-2pm Saturdays, Interview Room 11, Forest Centre Plus, 38 Castle Terrace. Ends 28th March 2015.

Photographs by Mhairi Law: launch of a new exhibition by the current Graduate Artist in Residence at Stills Centre for Photography. Mhairi’s recent work explores how people relate and respond to their home environments, with particular focus on rural communities. 7.30pm, Sofi’s Bar, 65 Henderson Steet. Refreshments provided.

Man dies after falling from the Scott Monument

Work on the link between the Innocent Path and the Union Canal about to start

Are you ready for Pretty Muddy?

Friends of Canongate Kirkyard publish podcasts

Are you up for GROW for it?

Yesterday morning a man fell from the Scott Monument and was pronounced dead at the scene. The monument is owned and run by the council. Princes Street was closed to all traffic except that crossing from Hanover Street to The Mound for a few hours while police cordoned the area off.

A Council spokesperson said yesterday afternoon: “The Police have carried out a full investigation at the scene and Princes Street has re-opened to traffic. Our priority is to ensure the safety and welfare of our staff and visitors to the Scott Monument, and we are satisfied that all procedures and precautions were followed correctly. Our thoughts are currently with our staff and with the loved ones of the deceased. Monument workers are being offered counselling and support at this sad and shocking time.”

***
A £1.25 million scheme to link the Innocent Path cycleway to the Union Canal towpath via the Meadows is scheduled to get under way from Monday 9 March 2015, lasting approximately 12 weeks.

This first part of the project will include fully segregated sections of cycleway, as well as new cyclist/pedestrian crossings.

So now we have to lay down a challenge to Councillor Lesley Hinds the Transport Convener. When it is finished will she cycle along the new path with us? We hope she might be persuaded that this route is ‘off road’ enough even for the most nervous cyclist.

The scheme will fix a longstanding ‘hole’ in National Cycle Network Route 1 (previously cyclists would have had to dismount in order to cross Clerk Street) and is an important step in delivering the Council’s ‘family-friendly’ network of cycle routes, which aims to cater for younger, new or less confident cyclists.

Work on the second phase of the project, which will link the Meadows to the Union Canal, is scheduled to take place in 2016. The whole £1.25m scheme is being jointly funded by the Council and Sustrans, who have contributed £500,000.

The route in the first phase connects North Meadow Walk to the Innocent Path, which follows an old railway route to Duddingston, Brunstane and Musselburgh, using:

– shared footway and cycleway or cycle path on main roads

– on-road cycle route on side streets

– new and relocated crossings on Buccleuch Street and Clerk Street, respectively

Councillor Lesley Hinds, Transport Convener, said: “This is a very exciting project. The upgraded route will form a fantastic addition to our Family Network, making cycling and active travel even more attractive to families and new or less confident cyclists. We had a great response to our consultation on the initial proposals and we look forward to seeing the route well-used once construction is finished.”

John Lauder, National Director of Sustrans Scotland, said: “Sustrans is delighted that the first phase of this project is just about to get underway.  We consider that the new infrastructure will be hugely beneficial to cyclists in the area.  It will also help the City of Edinburgh Council in working towards its ambitious targets for increasing cycling in the capital.”

The works will be undertaken between 0930 hrs and 1600 hrs Mondays to Fridays and according to the council the contractor, Lafarge Tarmac, will make every effort to minimise disruption. Pedestrian access will be maintained throughout the duration of the works.

The new cycle corridor route will run along the following streets:  North Meadow Walk (off-road shared footpath and cycle path), Hope Park Crescent, Buccleuch Street, Gifford Park, Clerk Street (A7), Rankeillor Street, St Leonard’s Street and Hermits Croft.

The works will also affect these streets: Buccleuch Terrace, St Leonard’s Lane and Montague Street.

***

Teenager Aimie Caldwell is leading the charge against cancer by appealing for women to join her at Edinburgh’s first Pretty Muddy Race.

Aimie who was just 16 when diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma has signed up for Cancer Research UK’s new Race for Life Pretty Muddy event near Scotland’s capital, which takes place at Dalkeith Country Park on Saturday June 13. She’s teamed up with her mum Gillian, 47, and her sister Claire, 22, to raise money for life-saving research by taking on the women only, non competitive 5K obstacle course-with added mud. Participants are encouraged to run, climb, and clamber over a series of jumps and slides- all to help beat cancer sooner.

Read more here

***

A new voluntary group aims to raise the public profile of the Canongate Kirkyard with a series of heritage trails and podcasts voiced, among others, by Alexander McCall Smith. The author said: “I hope that the podcasts will help visitors to appreciate the remarkable history of this important corner of Edinburgh”

The Friends of the Canongate Kirkyard was formed at the beginning of 2014 with the support of Edinburgh World Heritage, as part of the Edinburgh Graveyards Project. Their aim is to explore new ways to maintain and enhance this historic burial ground and encourage local community involvement.

Laura Harrington, Chair, of the Friends of the Canongate Kirkyard said: “It is a privilege to be able to work towards enhancing and promoting our wonderful kirkyard and to contribute towards the Edinburgh Graveyard Project.  Not only is this a lovely location it also holds many untold tales and secrets of its past, just waiting to be found. It’s vital these aren’t lost and I see us all as the guardians of this sacred and historical place. The trails are the first steps towards the incredible things that can be achieved when volunteers work together towards a common goal. The connection we make won’t stop at the walls of the kirkyard but will stretch out into the Canongate and its community.”

Adam Wilkinson, Director of Edinburgh World Heritage said: “We are delighted to be able to support the Friends of the Canongate Kirkyard, through the Edinburgh Graveyards Project. Enabling local people to get involved in their care and promotion is a crucial aim of the project, helping to ensure the long-term future of graveyards as a valued part of the World Heritage Site. These trails are a great example of how volunteers can participate in their local heritage, conducting detailed research to unearth the wealth of hidden stories the kirkyard has to tell.”

The ‘Burghs and Burials’ heritage trails each take a different theme: Scotland and the World, Arts, Enlightenment, Royalty and Trades.  They highlight some of the fascinating and quirky stories behind the people buried in the kirkyard. The philosopher Adam Smith, poet Robert Fergusson and Agnes Macelhose or ‘Clarinda’, the muse for Burns’ poetry, all have graves there, but the trails also highlight some of the less well known burials.

The trails are illustrated by Carmen Moran (http://www.carmenland.com/), and researched by Eric Drake, Vice Chair of the Friends. Support for the initiative has come from the EWH Green Heritage Project, funded by the Climate Challenge Fund.

There are also podcasts on the same five themes narrated by Alexander McCall Smith, Rev Neil Gardner, Minister of Canongate, Marco Biagi, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Donald Smith, Director of the Scottish Storytelling Centre and Liz O’Malley, a member of the Friends group and a qualified tour guide.

The new trails and podcasts are available here.  

In 2015 The Friends plan to further promote the fascinating history of the kirkyard through locally based events and publications. The first of these events will be a coffee morning on Saturday 7 March 2015 from 10.00am in the Harry Younger Hall, Lochend Close, Canongate.  Anyone is welcome to come along to meet some of the group and find out about plans for the kirkyard and its community.  Later in the year we will be working on the garden area around the Mercat Cross.  And we are looking at the possibility of raising funds to prevent deterioration of the historic mausoleum of Dugald Stewart who was a key figure in the Scottish Enlightenment.

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Grow Wild is on the lookout for dynamic project ideas from 12 to 25 year olds to raise awareness about the importance of UK native wild flowers and plants. Whether it is transforming an unloved wall at a youth centre with a wild flower mural, showcasing a passion for writing nature inspired poetry, or developing a plan for an animation highlighting the benefits of growing wild flowers – Grow Wild welcomes creativity.

Supported by the Big Lottery Fund and led by Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew;  Grow Wild’s youth-led initiative, Grow For It is a fresh new opportunity supported by some great partners throughout the UK;  the Scottish Youth Parliament, the British Youth Council, Youth Cymru, Northern Ireland Youth Forum.

While Grow Wild’s overall focus is the transformation of spaces, Grow For It projects can encompass more than sowing and growing to include all things wild, original and creative. Grow For It funding can be used to produce anything that communicates the Grow Wild message about the importance of UK native wild flowers and plants – whether that’s a short film, edgy clothing design, or a wild flower cycle tour.

Read more here.

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The search is on for young people to spread the Grow Wild word

Grow Wild is on the lookout for dynamic project ideas from 12 to 25 year olds to raise awareness about the importance of UK native wild flowers and plants. Whether it is transforming an unloved wall at a youth centre with a wild flower mural, showcasing a passion for writing nature inspired poetry, or developing a plan for an animation highlighting the benefits of growing wild flowers – Grow Wild welcomes creativity.

Supported by the Big Lottery Fund and led by Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew;  Grow Wild’s youth-led initiative, Grow For It is a fresh new opportunity supported by some great partners throughout the UK;  the Scottish Youth Parliament, the British Youth Council, Youth Cymru, Northern Ireland Youth Forum.

While Grow Wild’s overall focus is the transformation of spaces, Grow For It projects can encompass more than sowing and growing to include all things wild, original and creative. Grow For It funding can be used to produce anything that communicates the Grow Wild message about the importance of UK native wild flowers and plants – whether that’s a short film, edgy clothing design, or a wild flower cycle tour.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72LkeX8nh_A]

There will be 50 Grow For It projects across UK during 2015 and 50 more in 2016. Successful applicants will receive £400 to bring their ideas to life and their supporting group or organisation will receive £100 to help towards their support for the individual or group.

Clare Dalton who is leading on the project for Grow Wild says: “We’re looking for 12 to 25-year-olds who are brimming with creative ideas. We’ve worked with young people right across the UK who have designed the project and will be deciding which Grow For It ideas will get the funding. We really want to spread the word and encourage as many ideas from young people as possible.”

Grow For It 2015 project applicants should:

        Deliver their project between June and August 2015.

        Design a project that inspires and involves other people.

        Be known to an eligible supporting group or organisation, such as a youth and sports club, school, college or university.

        Host a simple seed giveaway or planting event as part of their  project.

Grow Wild are welcoming Grow For It applications until 2 April 2015.

Applications can be downloaded at www.growwilduk.com/content/grow-it

Former Hibs’ star Derek Riordan has agreed terms with East Fife subject to SFA approval. Riordan has played the last three games as a trialist for the Methil men, scoring twice in wins over Annan Athletic and Elgin City.

The strike against Annan was actually the 100^th league goal of his career.

After leaving Hibs, Riordan signed for Celtic and although manager Gordon Strachan said that he was the best finisher at the club, his appearances were limited and he returned to Easter Road to resume his Hibs’ career under former team-mate Mixu Paatelainen.

During his two spells at Easter Road, Riordan played 260 games, scoring 104 goals including 10 penalties.

He also played briefly for Chinese side Shaanxi Chan Ba, St Johnstone, Bristol Rovers, Alloa Athletic and Brechin City.

The 32-year-old striker has been training with Championship side Livingston.

Riordan also won three Scottish caps and played four times for the Under 21s as well as winning the Scottish PFA Young Player of the Year award in 2005.

Edinburgh based folk band Blueflint are launching their new album ‘Stories From Home’ and doing a major UK tour to support the release during March, April and May 2015 including two events in the capital at the Voodoo Rooms and the Pleasance Cabaret Bar.

After receiving funding from Creative Scotland, autumn 2014 saw Blueflint record their third album with renowned producer Paul Savage (King Creosote, Mogwai, From Scotland with Love)

The sound of Blueflint is defined by the sublime close harmonies of Deborah Arnott and Clare Neilson whose voices are accompanied by a five-piece line-up intertwining banjos, fiddle, piano, electric guitar, double-bass and drums in raw, honest and beautifully-crafted songs, imbued with a strong alt folk flavour.

In 2012 Blueflint supported The Proclaimers for six weeks on their UK album launch tour. The tour took in venues such as Edinburgh’s Playhouse and London’s Shepherds Bush Empire. Blueflint’s atmospheric and evocative performances, proved them to be a formidable live act and gained them a strong reputation and following through the UK.

Blueflint were delighted to see many of these audiences again as they toured throughout the UK in 2013. The band’s Edinburgh Fringe show was selected to perform as part of the prestigious ‘Made in Scotland’* 2013 Showcase and played to sell-out audiences, mirroring their similar success during the Edinburgh 2012 Fringe.

The success of Blueflint’s highly acclaimed debut album ‘High Bright Morning,’ gained the band plaudits throughout the music press. The much anticipated second album ‘Maudy Tree’ raised their profile even further.

The Scottish Album Launch Night is on Sunday 5 April @7.30pm Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh. Tickets £10 adv. Tel. 0131 556 7060 www.thevoodoorooms.com

Then they re-visit Edinburgh on Wednesday 13 May @ 8pm Edinburgh Folk Club at The Pleasance Cabaret Bar. Tickets £9/£8/£6 Tel. 0131 650 2458 www.edinburghfolkclub.co.uk

Sue Bruce who has served The Chief Executive of the City of Edinburgh Council for five years, and who was recently made a Dame Commander of the order of the British Empire in the 2015 New Year’s Honours list for her work on the Edinburgh Trams project, has announced she is to retire from local government service.

Dame Sue has informed Council Leader Andrew Burns and his deputy Steve Cardownie of her plans to leave her post when she turns 60 in October. She will formally give notice at next Thursday’s council meeting and the search for her replacement will begin immediately.

The Edinburgh Reporter is meeting the Chief Executive later to find out what she is thinking of doing after giving up the city’s top role.

Sue took up her post as Chief Executive of the City of Edinburgh Council in January 2011 having previously held the same role at both Aberdeen City Council and East Dunbartonshire Council. She began her local government career 39 years ago.

She said: “From my first job as a Youth and Community Worker for Strathclyde Regional Council back in 1976, I have been hugely proud to dedicate my entire working life to local government and public service.

“Serving as Chief Executive of the City of Edinburgh Council, particularly during such a challenging and exciting time for the Capital, has undoubtedly been the pinnacle of my career and I am proud of what we have achieved together during my time here. There is still much to do and I will continue to focus on that until I handover to my successor. ”

Cllr Andrew Burns said: “Sue has successfully tackled some key challenges during her time as Chief Executive and has achieved real progress for the Council.

“Of particular note was her leadership in resolving the tram dispute, paving the way for the completion of the project and successful launch of passenger services last May, and her decisive yet sensitive handing of the Mortonhall baby ashes investigation.

“From the outset, she has worked tirelessly and well beyond the normal expectations of the role. This is particularly true of her support of charities, building relationships with the business community and other key partners and improving the job prospects of young people across Edinburgh.”

Cllr Steve Cardownie added: “Our attention now turns to finding a high calibre replacement; an individual capable of building upon the platform laid by Sue during her years in post while taking on the undoubted challenges we face as a council in the years ahead.”

In November 2013, Sue was awarded the Chief Executive of the Year in the Hr NETWORK National awards. October 2014 saw her named the UK City Leader of the Year in the prestigious MIPIM UK awards for her work in driving the city’s economic development achievements.

Police Scotland and Europol joined forces today to further strengthen combined efforts to keep people safe through tackling cross-border international criminality.

Deputy Chief Constable Iain Livingstone met Europol Director Rob Wainright during a two-day visit to Scotland.

Mr Wainwright visited the home of the Scottish Crime Campus at Gartcosh in North Lanarkshire to see first-hand how collaboration between law enforcement agencies in Scotland is helping keep our communities safe through increased sharing of intelligence, joint investigations and multi-agency operations.

DCC Livingstone, who leads on Crime and Operational Support, said: “Police Scotland works closely with a wide range of other organisations and agencies to prevent criminals attacking the wellbeing and safety of our communities. Europol is a key partner in how we achieve that.

“Criminals do not respect boundaries – whether those are local, national or international. Law enforcement locally, nationally and internationally is becoming smarter and stronger in how it operates to target criminal networks which present risk to the public.

“Those networks may span many jurisdictions, nations or continents – but the harm they can cause to communities here in Scotland is considerable.

“Police Scotland and the Metropolitan Police are the only two police services in the UK to have a full-time dedicated liaison officer working with Europol in The Hague.

“That helps sharpen our focus and information-sharing to allow us to take action where and when it’s needed to stop criminals.

“Since the inception of Police Scotland and with it, the creation of the Specialist Crime Division two years ago, we have targeted a broad range of criminality including human trafficking, firearms, drugs, money laundering and cybercrime, in collaboration with Europol and other partners.

“The threat posed by terrorism is also ever-present. Police Scotland’s focus is on keeping our communities safe, but our reach is international and working with Europol helps us achieve our goals.”

Prior to the creation of Police Scotland legacy forces across Scotland contacted Europol around 300 times a year, since the legacy forces combined this number has risen to approximately 2,000 per year.

The Police Scotland Fugitive Unit was established in March 2013 to investigate and execute both European and International Arrest Warrants relating to a variety of crimes including Murder, Rape, Fraud, Domestic Abuse, Armed Robbery and theft.

The 6 officers, based at The Scottish Crime Campus have so far arrested 172 individuals from countries across Europe including Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Germany, Sweden and Portugal.

With the assistance of Europol colleagues and law enforcement across Europe another 31 individuals have been arrested in relation to warrants issued by Scottish Courts.

Speaking after a meeting with Chief Constable Sir Stephen House and Deputy Chief Constable Iain Livingstone, Europol Director Rob Wainwright said:

“We welcome the opportunity to speak with senior police and law officers on our joint efforts to tackle the threat of organised crime and terrorism, as this affects Scotland and the wider EU.

“Since its inception in 2013, Police Scotland has improved its interaction with Europol, which has meant a threefold increase in the amount of information shared with and through Europol.”

Focusing on human trafficking, firearms trafficking, cybercrime and counter terrorism, the Director stressed the unique added value Europol can bring to Police Scotland.

Police are investigating following an attempted robbery at a newsagent’s which took place  around 7.55pm last night at Fernieside Newsagents when two males entered the shop and demanded the shopkeeper open the till and give them money.

The shopkeeper chased the suspects out the shop. He then noticed a third suspect waiting outside, and all three suspects made off along Fernieside Crescent, before turing left onto Fernieside Gardens.

The two males who entered the shop are described as white, 14 to 18 years old and with a local accent.

One suspect was wearing a dark hooded tracksuit with a white or light coloured zipper, white or light panel at tip of the hood, hood up and scarf covering mouth.

The second suspect was wearing royal blue Adidas trackshit with three light blue stripes down each arm and on hood, with the hood up, and wearing a red scarf or bandana over mouth.

Detective Inspector Alan O’Brien said: “Thanks to the bravery of the victim, the suspects left empty handed. No violence was threatened or used and no one was injured during this incident.

“We are determined to trace those responsible. If anyone saw the three suspects acting suspiciously in the area of Fernieside Crescent just before 8pm, they are urged to contact Police Scotland on 101.”

A brave teenager leading the charge against cancer is appealing for women to join her at Edinburgh’s first Pretty Muddy Race. (Aimie is in the centre above with her mum Gillian on the left and her sister Claire on the right)

Aimie Caldwell who was just 16 when diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma has signed up for Cancer Research UK’s new Race for Life Pretty Muddy event near Scotland’s capital, which takes place at Dalkeith Country Park on Saturday June 13. She’s teamed up with her mum Gillian, 47, and her sister Claire, 22, to raise money for life-saving research by taking on the women only, non competitive 5K obstacle course-with added mud. Participants are encouraged to run, climb, and clamber over a series of jumps and slides- all to help beat cancer sooner.

Aimie of Livingston said: “Until I was told I had cancer, I thought it was just something that affected older people.

“Now I know differently. It can happen to anyone and the only way we can help families- families like mine- is by trying to find new treatments and cures. I’m lucky, the kind of cancer I was diagnosed with is very treatable. Not everyone is so lucky. The work that Cancer Research UK does is so important and I’m really proud to help launch Edinburgh’s first Pretty Muddy event. It will be great to raise money while doing something fun.”

Aimie, now 18, is today cancer free thanks to the world class medical team at Edinburgh’s Royal Hospital for Sick Children. But she vividly recalls first noticing a lump on her neck in October 2012. She endured 12 weeks of chemotherapy as well as three weeks of daily radiotherapy sessions after doctors diagnosed cancer. Chemotherapy meant Aimie’s hair fell out in clumps, so her mum Gillian, a hairdresser, stepped in to cut off Aimie’s long blonde hair.

Aimie said: “I know that was difficult for my mum but it was a comfort to me that she could do it.

“Mum said that she’d done it for a few clients before but never in a  million years dreamt she would be doing it for her own daughter.”

But Aimie who had just started a photography course at West Lothian college decided to stand up to the illness in the only way she knew, by picking up her camera and documenting her journey.

Aimie said: “We’d been given a reportage project to do at college.

“Our tutor said the images had to tell a story and this was the only story going on in my life. It was the natural thing to do. It became quite therapeutic in a way. It was good to have something to focus on.”

On July 30 2013, Aimie got the news she’d been hoping for- the treatment had worked and the cancer was gone. Now she gets check ups every six weeks but is healthy, enjoying life with her boyfriend Kyle McBain, 21, and has started a full time job with financial firm Aegon.

Every hour, around three people are diagnosed with cancer in Scotland and the number of people being diagnosed with cancer has now reached around 30,200 cases each year.  Everyone is special, everyone is somebody’s mum, dad, brother, sister, friend or colleague. And that’s why Cancer Research UK is calling on women of all ages, shapes and sizes to fight back against this devastating disease by entering one of 13 Race for Life events across Scotland.

Simon Burley, Cancer Research UK’s Pretty Muddy Edinburgh events manager said: “We’re so excited about launching Race for Life Pretty Muddy in Edinburgh.

“We’ve no doubt that ladies across the city have the fighting spirit to get down and dirty to beat cancer sooner. Pretty Muddy promises all the fun and camaraderie of our much loved 5K and 10K events- just with an extra serving of mud. Race for Life events are not competitive. They are not about being fit or fast. Women can complete the Pretty Muddy course at their own pace, climbing, jumping, walking and laughing their way around. It’s about an army of women coming together in the fight against cancer.With fire in their bellies and trainers at the ready, we know that Edinburgh ladies are up for the challenge.”

Last year, almost 46,000 women took part in Race for Life in Scotland and raised a fantastic £2.9 million. This year organisers are appealing for even more women and girls to stride out to beat cancer sooner with Scotland’s first Race for Life 5K of this year kicking off in Glasgow on May 10 closely followed by events across the country, everywhere from Edinburgh to Dundee, Inverness to Irvine.

Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life, in partnership with Tesco and official energy sponsor Scottish Power, is an inspiring women-only series of 5k, 10k and Pretty Muddy events which raise millions of pounds every year to help beat cancer sooner by funding life-saving research. Money raised through Race for Life allows Cancer Research UK’s doctors, nurses and scientists to advance research which is helping to save the lives of men, women and children across Scotland.

Cancer survival rates have doubled since the 1970s and Cancer Research UK’s work has been at the heart of that progress. But more funds and more supporters are needed to bring forward the day when all cancers are cured. Cancer Research UK spends around £34 million a year in Scotland.

To enter Race for Life today go to raceforlife.org or call 0300 123 0770.

Hibs’ midfielder Danny Handling (pictured)  is looking forward to Sunday’s Scottish Cup quarter-final against a team that helped advance his career and prepare him for the first team

Handling joined Berwick Rangers on a two-month loan deal three years ago and proceeded to score seven goals in seven games.

Speaking ahead of the game to Hibs TV, Handling said: “I loved it at Berwick – the fans, the staff and the players were all really good to me there.

“It helped that Jordon (Forster) was already there on loan because that meant I settled in really quickly and I got off the mark with two goals.

“That got me started and I really enjoyed my time there – it got my confidence up.

“I would recommend going out on loan to any youth player because first team opportunities at Hibs can sometimes be limited.

“I think that going out on loan is the best way to learn. When I was at Berwick, I played against different teams in different places and it gives you an insight into what it’s going to be like.”

: “Our mindset will be the same as it is for any game really. We’re doing really well just now – we’re winning games and playing well.

“I think Saturday at Alloa was another example of what we’re doing – we had to go and get a result and we did that.

“We can take that into Sunday because Berwick will come with fighting spirit and we will need to perform well in order to come out on top.”

Photo by John Preece

The Hibernian Community Foundation have announce the launch of Deaf Friendly Football sessions at the club’s Training Centre designed to help deaf youngsters learn more about the game, learn new skills and make new friends.

• Weekly Football Training Sessions
• Hibernian Training Centre, EH35 5NG
• Starting on Saturday 14th March 2015
• Great fun and enjoyment
• 11:00 to 12pm
• Ages: 5-15 yrs
• Boys & girls, sibling/friend welcome
• Free!

The  Foundation are offering boys and girls from ages 5-15 who are deaf the chance to build their football and interpersonal skills and make new friends.

This exciting new project will link to community football and will include other organisations such as the National Deaf Children’s Society.

To register for a place contact:  Simon Spence; syspence9@gmail.com

V&A DUNDEE DESIGN IN MOTION SETS OFF IN STYLE 

V&A Dundee’s first national touring exhibition, Design in Motion, embarked on a 17-week journey across Scotland. The exhibition, a collaboration with the Travelling Gallery, is housed in a custom built gallery in a bus and today you can see it outside the People’s Postcode Lottery head office on 76 George Street.

We went along with the staff of the PPL this morning when they got a preview of what the bus looks like inside. It houses some examples of what the V&A will have when it eventually opens.

Part of the new museum’s pre-opening programme, Design in Motion is the second V&A Dundee project to benefit from funding from players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

The exhibition includes leading fashion designer Holly Fulton, BAFTA award-winning game designer Sophia George and innovative product designer and artist Geoffrey Mann. All seven featured designers use digital technologies to push the boundaries of their discipline, enabling them to demonstrate how design can be put to work to reconstruct our heritage, visualise the unseen, and create products not previously possible.

The tour will visit more than 70 venues across Scotland. Including Edinburgh, locations will include cities such as Glasgow and Aberdeen, as well as rural locations including Lewis, Harris and Skye. Venues range from secondary schools and art colleges to museums, community centres and libraries. The final stop will be the Victoria and Albert Museum, London in June. It is anticipated that more than 10,000 people will visit the exhibition in total, with additional audiences taking part in events, activities and digital engagement.

Philip Long, Director of V&A Dundee said: “Through the tour we can showcase some of our most extraordinary contemporary designers and raise the profile of design and its benefits to society across Scotland. It helps demonstrate that design is a wonderful and very viable career choice for young people and there is a broad range of disciplines to consider.

“The exhibition is just a snapshot of the creative riches that V&A Dundee will showcase, allowing us to get out and talk to our audiences and build real excitement towards opening in 2018.

Design in Motion was developed in partnership with the Travelling Gallery and generously supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery, The Mathew Trust, Heritage Lottery Fund, Creative Scotland, The Scottish Government, and City of Edinburgh Council.

Live Music Now: Aonach Mor. With accordion, fiddle, guitar, piano and voice, Aonach Mor draw on a wealth of traditional material whilst adding contemporary melodies to create an exciting blend of songs and tunes. The programme includes some specific references to the Remembering the Great War exhibition, including Pipe Tunes From The War (The Taking of Beaumont Hammel, Hogmanay Rejoicings, The Royal Scots and The Shell That Took The Billet), and Keep the Home Fires Burning. 6-6.30pm, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street. Free and unticketed.

Storytime: for 3-5 year olds. 10.30-11am today and every Thursday, Central Children’s Library, George IV Bridge.

Ecumenical Friends at St John’s: Carol Finlay – Mary Slessor and her legacy. 1pm, St John’s Church, Princes Street (please note different time and venue). All warmly welcome: bring your own packed lunch, tea and coffee are provided. £1.50 per person, These events are organised by Edinburgh City Centre Churches TOGETHER.

Books In Focus: Matisse’s Jazz. The Books In Focus series focuses on artists’ books held in the special collections of the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art. This session will look in detail at Henri Matisse’s livre d’artiste Jazz, which was published by Teriade in 1957. The book is a meditation on colour and what it is to be an artist by one of the most famous artists of the 20th century. 11.30am-12.30pm, Reading Room, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art TWO, Belford Road. Places are free but limited, and should be booked by calling 0131 624 6268 or emailing gmainfo@nationalgalleries.org.

Big Scream: screenings exclusively for parents and carers with babies under the age of 12 months. Membership of this club costs £5 and expires on your baby’s first birthday: it enables you to buy tickets for Big Scream screenings at Picturehouse members’ rates (babies admitted free). This week: Into The Woods (PG), 10am, Cameo, Home Street. Tickets can be booked online here or by calling the Box Office on 0871 902 5723.

Scotland-Russia Forum: sparkling Russian/English conversation over tea and cakes. Open to all, no booking required, just turn up – you will be warmly welcomed by the group. 11am today and the first Thursday of every month, Summerhall Cafe, Summerhall. No charge apart from the cost of any drinks or food you may wish to purchase. For more information see the Scotland-Russia forum’s website and Facebook page.

Scotland-Russia Forum: Professor Paul Dukes – The Urals: Russia’s Crucible. A Dashkova Open Seminar. 5.10pm, The Princess Dashkova Russian Centre, 14 Buccleuch Place.

Representing Muslims in Scotland and the North-East: a screening of The Last of the Dictionary Men and a Q & A session with filmmaker Tina Gharavi. Gharavi is a BAFTA-nominated filmmaker and screenwriter of Iranian heritage, whose films and documentaries have examined her own experiences travelling from her adopted home city of Newcastle to Tehran in Mother/Country (2001), recorded the history of Yemeni migration to South Shields in The Last of the Dictionary Men (2008), and documented the lasting impact of Muhammad Ali’s extraordinary visit to the Muslim communities in South Shields in The King of South Shields (2008). Her first full-length feature film, the BAFTA-nominated I Am Nasrine (2012) traced the arrival of two Iranian asylum seekers to Newcastle. 5.30pm, Project Room, 50 George Square, University of Edinburgh. Refreshments will be available after the talk. This is the last in a series of seminars with British Muslim writers. poets and filmmakers organised by PhD students Sybil Adam and Peter Cherry.

Edinburgh College of Art Thursday Research Seminars: Composite Formation – Freud’s Rome and the Phantasy of ‘Self-Analysis’. The seminar will be chaired by Professor Whitney Davis (UC Berkeley) and will be followed by drinks in the common room. 5.15pm, Lecture Room 1, Minto House, 20-22 Chambers Street. Free and open to all: no booking required.

A Family of Painters – The Faeds: an exhibition of 30 paintings by five members of the Faed family. One of the oldest and rarest of Scottish surnames and with its history firmly rooted in the picturesque landscape of Dumfries and Galloway, for over a decade the Faed name has been associated with the family of artists from the area. From portraits of Highland Marys and Robert Burns to scenes of rural and domestic life in Galloway and rolling countryside, the family covered many genres which did and still do appeal to many. 10am-6pm Monday to Friday, 11am-2pm Saturdays, Bourne Fine Art, 6 Dundas Street. Ends 11th April 2015.

World Book Day at the National Library: learn about the Library’s collections, services, exhibitions and events. Enjoy a tour of the public areas and behind the scenes. 10am, 11am, 12 noon, 2pm, 3pm or 4pm, National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge. Booking is required and can be made online here or by calling the Library on 0131 623 3734. Please inform the Library if you have any special access requirements. Free.

The Jonathan Mills Lectures: Performing the City. How do we respond to the intimate details of our surroundings? Our homes or streets? Our neighbourhoods and offices? Our urban or, decreasingly, our rural environments? In this lecture composer, festival director and Visiting Professor (University of Edinburgh) Jonathan Mills explores the idea of performance as a way in which we might want to inhabit our place  in the world. 12.30pm, Main Lecture Theatre E22, Edinburgh College of Art Main Building, Lauriston Place. Free and open to all.

Edinburgh College Creative Industries Open Days: an opportunity to speak to lecturers in Art & Design, Performing Arts, Broadcast Media & Photography, Music & Sound Production and Computing, see the cutting-edge facilities and try some fun,interactive activities. 3-6pm, Edinburgh College Granton Campus, 350 West Granton Road. See Edinburgh College’s website for more information and details regarding which subjects are offered at each campus.

Edinburgh Palette Figurative Painting and Drawing Workshops: a drop-in untutored group available to all, beginners and professionals. Some easels and drawing boards are available on a first come, first served basis. Male and female models are used. 9.45am-12.30pm today and every Thursday, Drawing Room, Studio 5.18, Fifth Floor, St Margaret’s House, 151 London Road. £6 per session. For more information please call Trina Bohan on 07783 398112, or just call in.

A Winter’s Oresteia. A chilling new adaptation by award-winning playwright James Beagon of an Ancient Greek classic; a chilling story of anger and revenge. For ages 14+: includes violence and some strong language. 7.30pm tonight and Friday, Summerhall, 1 Summerhall. Tickets cost £8/£6 and can be purchased online here or by calling the Box Office on 0131 560 1581.

Magne Furuholmen and Gaby Hartel in conversation: Peeling A Glass Onion, a new body of work by Norwegian visual artist and musician Magne Furuholmen at the Dovecot, forms the backdrop for this exchange with Berlin based freelance arts journalist, radio writer and translator Gaby Hartel. The making of Glass Onion tapestry in collaboration with Dovecot Tapestry Studio will also be discussed. 5-6pm, Dovecot Studios, Infirmary Street. Tickets cost £6/£5 and can be purchased via eventbrite here. Peeling A Glass Onion opens at Dovecot tomorrow.

The Travelling Gallery: Design In Motion. The Travelling Gallery’s spring 2015 tour is a collaboration with the new V & A Dundee, taking exhibits, designers and the V & A Dundee team across the country, connecting communities with Scotland’s design heritage and raising awareness of the talent in Scotland’s present-day design industries, inspiring creativity along the way. The exhibition concept, brought to life by DJCAD-trained Gabrielle Underwood, will showcase seven innovative designers currently working with digital technology to push the boundaries of their discipline within games, product, jewellery, fashion, textiles and built heritage. 10am-5pm, George Street (between North Castle Street and Frederick Street); please note access may be restricted at certain times owing to visiting groups. Also at same times on Friday 6th at Edinburgh Napier University Colinton Campus, Colinton Road and on Friday 13th March at Edinburgh College, West Granton Road. For more information please contact The Travelling Gallery via City Art Centre, 2 Market Street, EH1 1DE, 0131 529 3930 or travellinggallery@edinburgh.gov.uk.

Mayfield Salisbury Thursday Club: A Vet’s Life in Kenya, with George Smith. 2-4pm, Upper Hall, Mayfield Salisbury Parish Church, 18 West Mayfield. Visitors of any age very welcome: tea 50p, annual membership £3. For more information please contact Florence Smith on 0131 663 1234.

Game Changers: what is the future of game design? V & A Game Designer Sophia George, Lucky Frame founder Yann Seznec and the National Theatre of Scotland’s Philippa Tomlin will discuss their inspirations, award-winning projects and their aspirations for the future of game design. The evening will be chaired by Chris Wilson of Abertay University. For ages 14+ only. 6.30-8pm (doors open 6.15pm), Auditorium (entry via Lothian St), National Museum of Scotland. This event is in partnership with V & A Museum of Design Dundee and will include an opportunity to visit the Design in Motion Travelling Gallery, which will be open to the public 6-8pm. Free but booking is required: tickets may be booked online here or obtained from NMS’s reception desk.

Kitten On The Keys: jam session – bring along any instrument you choose and jam away with like-minded musicians, with a focus on getting everyone involved and experimenting with music. 7pm, Boda Bar, 229 Leith Walk.

New Fellows at the Royal Society

Free yoga classes

Edinburgh International Festival news

At Sandy Bell’s – a film

Kazuo Ishiguro in Edinburgh

The names of 56 distinguished people elected to become Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) were announced earlier this week and the list includes Edinburgh based author, Ian Rankin.

Spanning the arts, business, and science and technology sectors, the  join the RSE in its work to place the advancement of learning and useful knowledge at the centre of public life in Scotland.

The RSE said it is heartened to see its multi-disciplinary purpose reinforced by an increase in the number of new Fellows from the arts, business, professional and political spheres.

They include:

Ian Rankin OBE, one of Scotland’s most outstanding contemporary literary figures, famous for his Edinburgh-set Inspector Rebus novels.

Don Paterson OBE, one of Scotland and UK’s pre-eminent poets, as well as Professor of Poetry at the University of St Andrews.

Margaret Ford, Baroness Ford of Cunninghame, Chairman of STV Group Plc.

Dame Seona Reid, Chair of National Theatre of Scotland and former Director, Glasgow School of Art.

Sir George Reid PC, Former Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament.

Mary Robinson, UN Special Envoy for Climate Change and former President of Ireland, who becomes an Honorary Fellow.

President of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Professor Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell, said, “I am delighted to welcome such a wide range of outstanding individuals to the Fellowship. Each of our new Fellows is elected on the distinguished merit of their work. In joining the RSE, they strengthen our capacity to support excellence across all areas of academic and public life, both in Scotland and further afield.”

New Fellows are elected each year through a rigorous five-stage nomination process. The breadth of the Fellowship, which numbers over 1600 individuals from Scotland, the UK and abroad, enables the RSE to provide a wide range of leadership and expertise.

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Lululemon is the new yoga kid in town. They run classes in their shop! Here’s what they say:

Are you waiting for a sign to start doing yoga? Well this is it. Our classes at the showroom are always complimentary! Step outside your comfort zone and try something new! Start your Saturday off with with a smile. 10am, doors open 9:40am, first come first mat, see you there.

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Edinburgh International Festival has announced that extra tickets will be available for Antigone starring Juliette Binoche. Here she is talking about the play:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1AAI4eWuHc]

Book your tickets here.

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Louise Dautheribes McKerl is a filmmaker working in Edinburgh for now. She has collaborated with Sandy Bell’s to make acoustic music videos to promote Scottish bands. The videos have been shot by Louise with a sound engineer. They are looking for more bands to film but also some sponsorship. If you can help at all then get in touch with Louise at  wallpapertunes@gmail.com

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Spend an hour in the company of one of the world’s leading novelists,Kazuo Ishiguro, tonight to celebrate the launch of his long-awaited new book. Well that is if you can get a ticket……Booking details here. It seems to us there may be some stray tickets left for the Upper Circle but check with the venue.

Edinburgh International Book Festival brings Kazuo Ishiguro to the Lyceum for a rare Scottish appearance to talk about The Buried Giant, his first novel for a decade, presented in association with publisher Faber & Faber. A stunningly original piece of work, urgent and as relevant as it is troubling and mysterious, The Buried Giant describes a couple’s journey across a land of mist and rain in the hope of finding a son they have not seen for years. Often intensely moving, a story of lost memories, love, revenge and war unfolds.

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Cycling Scotland has issued figures claiming that cycling rates have increased in Scotland by a third since 2003, and the number of people who cycle regularly is highest in Edinburgh than anywhere else with 12.2% saying they either cycle to work every day or most days. 

Councillor Lesley Hinds, Transport Convener, said: “I very much welcome this report, which highlights the great strides we’ve made in the Capital to encourage active travel. More people in Edinburgh cycle, walk and use public transport to get to work than anywhere else in the country and every year we invest an increasing proportion of our Transport budget in cycling projects – this coming financial year it will be up to 8%.  

“Edinburgh has a much-loved and growing Family Friendly Network and there are a number of projects under way or in the pipeline that will help boost provision further, such as the Meadows to Innocent Tunnel Path works, which are due to start on Monday 9 March and the ongoing trial of on-street bike storage across the City. We can’t become complacent, though, and through our Cycling and Walking Forums, we continue to explore ways of making active travel even more appealing to our residents and visitors.”

Minister for Transport and the Islands, Derek Mackay MSP, said:

“I welcome this latest update from Cycling Scotland as part of its role in delivering the Cycling Action Plan for Scotland.   The increase in some figures is a positive sign but there is still work to be done among all partners to achieve our shared vision of 10% of journeys by bike by 2020.

“It is encouraging that Sustrans is working with at least 41 partners in delivering community links projects this year. This shows a real appetite for partnership working and to match-fund Scottish Government record investment at a local level.”

Chief Executive of Cycling Scotland, Keith Irving, commented:

“The report, prepared by Cycling Scotland, demonstrates how cycling is truly becoming an everyday activity for more people of all ages and abilities in many places across Scotland.  The success in many communities show that it is possible to make a step change in getting people on bikes anywhere in Scotland. Investment in cycling is at record levels and as national and local government continues to invest in cycling, improving health, cutting emissions and tackling inequalities, it is essential we continue to monitor the progress in enabling more people to cycle more. We need action across Scotland to enable the Cycling Action Plan vision of 10% of journeys by bike to be reached and today’s report helps demonstrate where we need to renew our efforts.”

The Hibernian Community Foundation has joined forces with Scotland’s favourite sponsored walk event to raise funds for Scotland’s children’s charities.

The charitable arm of the football Club is hoping to enter a team of 250 or more to take part in this year’s Edinburgh Kiltwalk so they can nominate for a share of funds to be distributed to their own children’s causes.

Promoting the event, striker Jason Cummings said: “I really hope every Hibs fan gets behind it by signing up to the Hibernian Kiltwalkers team.

“It looks like a brilliant event and it is a great way of raising money.

“And it’s even better that some of the funds raised are given back to the Hibernian Community Foundation for their projects supporting kids in Edinburgh.

“I know the Hibs fans will do us proud by putting in a big team.”

Leaving Murrayfield Stadium on Sunday 3 May, The Kiltwalk is expecting thousands of people to turn out in their kilts to take part in the Full or Half walks.

There is also a five mile Wee Walk, open to anyone, which starts in Cramond.

By entering a team of 20 or more Hibernian Community Foundation will receive 75 per cent of all funds raised, with the rest being divided between Edinburgh Kiltwalk’s charity partners.

Carey McEvoy, Kiltwalk founder and CEO, said: “It is great to see everyone involved with Hibernian Football Club coming together to support The Kiltwalk and helping to raise vital funds for children’s charities across Scotland.

“We hope to award grants of up to £2.5 million this year to help Scotland’s children and the contribution of the Big Hearts Community Trust by raising awareness and generating a team of walkers will go a long way towards making that happen.

“I welcome you all to the Kiltwalk family.

“I know generous Hibees will pull out all the stops to make sure they have a great team taking part and helping to create that special Kiltwalk atmosphere.”

Walkers can chose between the 26 mile Full Walk for everyone over 13 years-old, a Half Walk for everyone over the age of 10 and a six mile Wee Walk which is open to anyone.

Registration prices are £25 for the Full and Half Walks and £10 for the Wee Walk.

To sign up for the Hibernian Community Foundation Team visit www.thekiltwalk.co.uk/hibs

A man has today been sentenced to 10 years at Edinburgh High Court.

Michael Harris, aged 60, was convicted on Thursday, January 8, for several offences including rape, sexual assault and the taking, making and possession of indecent images of children.

These incidents happened over the course of a number of years, and involved several young complainers.

Edinburgh Division’s Child Protection Team, who undertook this investigation, worked relentlessly to bring Harris to justice.

Detective Inspector Morag Bruce said:  “The crimes perpetrated by Harris showed an utter disregard for the victims wellbeing.  It is hoped that this sentence will provide some closure to those involved.

“Police Scotland welcome this sentence as it sends out a clear message that this type of offending will not be tolerated.  We will rigorously investigate those who perpetrate sexual crimes and hope that this will give victims the confidence to come forward.”

Justin Moorhouse will be in both Glasgow and Edinburgh this weekend doing what he does best -no-frills big-hearted stand-up comedy.  Audiences of Gilded Balloon Comedy at Drygate (Friday 6 March) and in Edinburgh Gilded Balloon Comedy at The Studio (Saturday 7 March) will be treated to a stand-up romp from one of the brightest stars working on the British comedy circuit today, a master of his craft.

With his exuberant, larger than life personality and cheeky northern charm Justin Moorhouse will headline both comedy clubs delivering his compelling and greatly entertaining rants and observational musings about everyday life. ‘It’s the comedy of domesticity, comfortable marital strife and childminding that speaks to people of their own experience and giving voice to lives of low level disgruntlement.’ – Chortle.

Moorhouse is a vegetarian comedian, actor, writer and radio presenter whose TV credits include ‘Young Kenny’ in Peter Kay’s hugely successful, award-winning ‘Phoenix Phoenix Nights; Max and Paddy’s Road To No-Where, Shameless, Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow and Live At The Apollo.  He won Celebrity Mastermind in 2011, with Les Dawson as his specialist subject.  He also wrote and appeared in the Radio 4 sitcom Everyone Quite Likes Justin

Moorhouse will be joined by Irishman Michael Redmond, most famous for his character Father Stone, one of the most memorable and ill fated creations of C4’s classic comedy Father Ted.  With his shock of white hair, droopy black moustache and a face that the phrase hangdog expression was invented for, Redmond is a true master of the deadpan comedy.  His natural gifts of precision timing and outrageously well-crafted material will his audiences in hysterics without him uttering one word.

Also on the bill at both clubs will be Glaswegian comic Scott Gibson who burst onto the comedy scene in 2010 and was described by Capital FM Breakfast Host, Des Clarke, as ‘The Best Act to emerge from Scotland in Years’.  A storyteller at heart, Gibson mixes a conversational style with his own unique brand of dark humour. This ability to push boundaries and control any room he plays, has allowed him to move up the ranks quicker than many before him.

Keeping the boys in check and making sure everyone has a great time at both ends of the M8 will be compere for the weekend Katie Mulgrew, the Lancashire comedian who really likes making people laugh.

Gilded Balloon Comedy at Drygate brings together the very best craft beer, fearless food for the soul and strong intelligent comedy with a quality blend of up and coming comedians and the finest established comics in an intimate comedy club.

The Gilded Balloon at The Studio at the Festival Theatre is a brand new comedy club for Edinburgh. It is staged in the exciting, intimate and flexible studio space, perfectly suited to stand up, and features a line-up of popular Scottish, UK and international comedic talent.

For further information on Gilded Balloon Comedy at Drygate and Gilded Balloon Comedy at The Studio at The Festival Theatre go to: http://www.gildedballoon.co.uk

Twitter – @Gildedballoon

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/Gildedballoon