Ian Grimwade is the newly appointed Head of Business Development at Cyrenians the Edinburgh based charity.

We met him to find out a bit more about the charity founded here in Edinburgh and the work it does.

Most recently Ian worked with Edinburgh Leisure as Head of New Business Development and had only just completed his first week in his new office. Prior to that Ian had pursued his dream of becoming a golf pro and he worked in the software industry too.

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The Edinburgh Reporter NEWS from Phyllis Stephen on Vimeo.

The job which Ian has just begun is a newly created role at the charity.

At the time of his appointment last month CEO Ewan Aitken said: “The creation of this new post is part of Cyrenians’ strategy to face austerity measures head on rather than battening down the hatches.

“Cyrenians recognise that in order to continue their work they need to increase the income they receive from outside the public sector, and to develop collaboration between the third, private and public sectors. In particular they aim to develop their social enterprises and their ability to generate an income stream that is longer term and more within their control than income received from the public sector.”

The charity was founded to help those who feel excluded from society with no route back. The vision is of an inclusive society where we all have the opportunities to live valued and fulfilling lives.

The Cyrenian philosophy is one of journeying together on the road to change and the charity also has a care for the environment in which that journey happens. A sustainable future needs a sustainable planet. This is one of the reasons behind the farm but is also the firm ethos behind the Fareshare and Good Food Programme.

What the charity does is collect surplus food from wholesalers and retailers and then redistributes it round member agencies. This is not food which has gone off; it is simply food which cannot or will not be sold for some reason, but it remains of good quality. Each week they save 9 tonnes of food from going to landfill and the programme involves around 13,000 hours of work each year.

But more than that they also offer support and advice on food safety and healthy eating and they offer a Good Food Handbook (which you can download below) packed with loads of information about setting up a cooking class or eating healthily.

The name Cyrenians is derived from the Biblical personage Simon of Cyrene, who was “volunteered” from the crowd to share the burden of the Cross with Jesus. However, Edinburgh Cyrenians is not affiliated to any religious creed or organisation.

The charity was formed in 1968 by local people out of concern for the evident problem of homelessness in Scotland’s capital city. Although sharing the name “Cyrenian” with other groups in Scotland and the UK, there are no operational links.

Since its founding, Cyrenians has built a reputation on being willing to think differently, working with others, never giving up and delivering services of the highest standards for some of society’s most excluded citizens; especially those grappling with the challenges of homelessness, poverty, unemployment, recovery from addiction and recidivism.

Cyrenians in Edinburgh set up a 24-hour drop-in in The Cowgate, and then a community house in Broughton Place in July 1968, followed by Cyrenians Farm Community near Kirknewton in 1972 for people who needed to get away from the pressures of the city as part of their recovery.

If you or your company (they run great team building days!) would like to get involved with the charity then please click here. 

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Police are appealing for help in tracing relatives of a woman who died suddenly in the Capital.

Elizabeth Fowler (71) was found dead at her home in Heriot Place, Edinburgh on Wednesday 28th January.

There are no suspicious circumstances surrounding her death and a report will be sent to the Procurator Fiscal.

It is believed she has a daughter who was born Fiona Mhairi Ried who is now about 38 years old.

Police are appealing to anyone who has information that can help them trace any surviving relatives to contact them on the non-emergency number, 101.

Police  are appealing for information after a 15 year old boy was assaulted and robbed of his bike in Portobello yesterday afternoon.

The incident happened around 3.35pm when the victim was cycling through Portobello Park from Milton Road towards Hope Lane, on his way home from school. As he carried along the path, he observed two males walking him towards him on the path. He was then pulled off his bike and the two suspects made off with his bike, heading in the direction of Milton Road.

The bike is described as a distinctive white and black Kona Coiler downhill full suspension pedal cycle with hydraulic seat and brake discs, valued at £900.

Police are now appealing for anyone who witnessed this assault and robbery to come forward, particularly a man who is believed to have passed by and spoken with the suspects as the robbery was taking place.

One of the suspects is described as white, 15 to 16 years old, 5ft 5in tall, slim build and wearing a black hooded top and black body warmer.

Detective Inspector Alan O’Brien said: “While the 15 year old victim was uninjured, he was left very shaken. We are appealing for anyone who was in the area of Portobello park to get in touch with police. This bike is very distinctive so similarly we are asking people to be on the look out for it, as the suspects may attempt to sell it on.

“Anyone with information should contact Police Scotland on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

Police are appealing to the public in order to trace 24 diazepam tablets that are missing in the Edinburgh area.

The tablets were in a rucksack, which was left on a number 33 Lothian Bus this morning (Thursday, February 5).  The rucksack was found with all of its other contents, except for the missing diazepam.

Officers are now appealing for the tablets to be handed in to police. The tablets are described as 24 5mg diazepam.  If taken they can cause significant harm.

Lothian Buses no. 33 runs between Baberton and Gorbridge/ Dalkeith Campus.

Inspector Caroline MacKay said:  “We are eager to recover these tablets as a matter or urgency.

“If they are taken by someone they are not prescribed to they can be very dangerous.  It is essential they are recovered as quickly as possible.”

Anyone with information can contact Police Scotland on 101, or through Crimestoppers on .

If you are interested then you should apply now!

Of course it is still orange and white, but the new livery which easyJet have launched will appear on all of their new planes from April this year.

This is the first change to their look since 1998 and is designed to celebrate the airline’s twentieth year of flying. There have only been two styles in the past. In 1995 the design featured the booking number in giant lettering making it different from any other airline. The second design introduced in 1998 showed the web address reflecting the important move to online booking.

It takes about a week to repaint an aeroplane!

Peter Duffy, easyJet’s Commercial Director, commented:

“easyJet’s aircraft livery is one of the most recognised in aviation. As we approach our 20th birthday in November, we felt a refreshed livery would complement the many changes already made to easyJet including allocated seating, transparent prices, flexible tickets and our award winning mobile app.

“As you would expect from easyJet this is a low cost makeover – all our new planes will be painted with the new livery, but we’ll only re-paint the old ones as needed. It could take five years for all the fleet to sport the new paint job!

“Like easyJet itself, we wanted our livery to be as relevant for the next twenty years as it has been for the past twenty. The final design was selected by nearly 4000 staff and customers.”

easyJet has 197 Airbus A320 aircraft on order, the majority of which will replace older A319 aircraft currently in the fleet.

easyJet flies to 33 destinations from Edinburgh across the UK, Europe and to Iceland.

Edinburgh Iranian Festival Opening Ceremony: a non-political showcase for world-class Iranian culture, for musicians and artists working both in and outside Iran. Tonight’s event will include an introduction to the 2015 programme, a poetry reading by Rab Wilson of his Scots translation of the Ruba’iyat of Omar Khayyam alongside a reading in the original Persian, live music from Arezoo Symphony Orchestra and a drinks reception. 8-10pm (doors open at 8, event begins at 8.30), St John’s Church, Princes Street. Tickets cost £5 (under 10s are free but must be kept under parental supervision at all times) and are available from the Traverse Theatre Box Office on 0131 228 1404 or online here.

Harry Potter Party: calling all Muggles, Witches and Wizards! Come and make a wand with Mr Ollivander, brush up on your potions and try a treat from Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes Skiving Snackbox! Award for the best costume. 2-4pm, South Queensferry Library, 9 Shore Road.

Faith Eliott Exhibition Launch: Edinburgh based Faith Eliott is a maker of puppets, drawings, sculptures, songs, poems and ‘other such debris’. Come and be the first to see some of Faith’s work and get first dibs on unique pieces. 7.30-10.30pm, Sofi’s Bar, 63 Henderson Street.

Edinburgh College of Art Friday Lecture Series: Agata Pyzik.  Polish writer and critic Agata Pyzik writes for various magazines including Frieze, The Wire, The Guardian, New Statesman, Calvert Journal, Icon and New Humanist. In her book Poor But Sexy: Culture Clashes in Europe East and West she looks at the abandoned scenes of history in Eastern Europe, its relationship with the West through historical and political movements, and the development of popular cultural forms. 11.30am, Main Lecture Theatre E22, Edinburgh College of Art, Lauriston Place. Free and open to all.

Lunchtime Concert: Artisan Trio with Jean Johnson. Aisling O’Dea (violin), Clea Friend (cello), Ed Cohen (piano) and Jean Johnson (clarinet) play Messiaen Quartet for the End of Time. 1.10pm, Reid Concert Hall, University of Edinburgh, Bristo Square. Free and unticketed.

A New International: an evening of songs, stories and cabaret as A New International celebrate the release of their debut album Come to the Fabulon at a gig hosted by Rally & Broad, with Caro Bridges and Mr Twonkey. 7-10pm, The Bongo Club, 66 Cowgate. Tickets cost £6 on the door/£5 in advance, and can be booked online here. The Bongo Club is a nightclub, live venue and all-round artistic hub owned by local arts charity Out of the Blue, putting ‘the sounds of the underground and imaginative aspirations before the mighty dollar’.

Four Corners Tenth Birthday Party: Craig Charles (6 Music). Four Corners is one of Scotland’s longest running clubnights, providing a top drawer soundtrack of deep funk, soul, afro beat, latin, disco, rare groove, jazz, hip hop and reggae: tonight it celebrates its tenth birthday with top funk ambassador Craig Charles. ‘Craig Charles’ BBC Radio 6 show is the most popular on the network, and behind the decks he knows how to work a room’.  11pm-3am, The Bongo Club, 66 Cowgate. Advance tickets sold out: 200 will be available on the door (£10) from 11pm, first come, first served.

Balerno Village Screen: Boyhood (15), 7.30-10.15pm, St Joseph’s Centre, Johnsburn Road, Balerno. This month’s screenings will all be preceded by Danny MacAskill’s brilliant new video The Ridge, in which – for the first time in one of his films – Danny climbs aboard a mountain bike and returns to Skye, his native home, to take on a death-defying ride along the notorious Cuillin Ridgeline. Come along and enjoy it on the big screen in all its glory – much better than watching it online! Please register your intention to attend either via BVS’s online booking page (no fees) or by picking up a ticket in Balerno Post Office or the Mill Cafe. Balerno Village Screen is a community cinema offering free admission: it is funded by donations.

Pilmeny Youth Project needs your help

Council budget

Broomhouse Community Health Hub

Digital Sentinel

Targetting alcohol problems among the elderly 

Pilmeny Youth Project in Leith entertains around 250 people of different ages over the course of a week.

In an effort to find something for the young people to do which they would find interesting it appears that Bryan Maughan manager at the Pilmeny Youth Centre has struck gold.

He has begun an investigation into the Gretna Rail Disaster which happened at Quintinshill in Cumbria on 22 May 1915 and has big plans about the 100 year commemoration later this year.

If you are still asking what that has to do with Edinburgh then the story begins and ends in Leith since many of the 216 victims of the train crash which involved three trains came from Leith.

One of the victims lived at the same address as Bryan does now and he is very passionate about finding out as much as he can about the troops from 7th Battalion Royal Scots who left the Drill Hall in Dalmeny Street to perish hours later just over the border.

Now Bryan needs your help in tracing families of the victims who perished that night in what was Britain’s worst train crash.

Are you related in some way to one of those victims? If so then Bryan would love to hear from you to get your family’s story. Even though the stories will now be second or even third hand it would help to piece together the human element behind the disaster.

Some of the men who perished were in their teens, with the youngest believed to be Bugler John Malone aged 16. The investigations by the young people at Pilmeny who have paid several visits to Register House have uncovered an even younger victim.

Do you know anyone who might have some knowledge of the families of the victims? If so then Bryan would love you to get in touch with him.

Email any detail to gretna@pilmeny.co.uk

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The City of Edinburgh Council set their budget for 2015/16 next Thursday 12 February 2015. You can watch proceedings online here.

We interviewed the Finance Convener Alasdair Rankin about the Capital Coalition’s plans for how the council will allocate the money in the next financial year and you can read that here.

The Council’s budget is partly provided by a Scottish Government grant.

Within his budget statement the Finance Secretary announced an additional funding package of £51 million for Scotland’s local authorities to help them maintain teacher numbers.

Edinburgh will also receive an additional £13.7 million in 2015-16 within their local government finance settlement. This will ensure that Edinburgh receives its fair share of Scotland’s £10.85bn local government funding allocation and part of that will go towards funding childcare for 3 to 4 year olds. .

The city will also have a huge £31.6 million boost to its housing stock and significant Scottish Government investment in the school estate.

Spending in health and social care within NHS Lothian will increase and the people of Edinburgh will benefit from the developments at the new Chalmers Hospital and the Royal Victoria Building at the Western General Hospital.

Edinburgh West MSO Colin Keir said: “This is good news for the people of Edinburgh. Among the highlights there’s more money going into health helping with issues such as delayed discharge from hospital as well as new money encouraging local authorities to maintain teacher numbers in our schools.

Given the desperate austerity measures coming out of Westminster from the Liberal Democrat/Tory coalition I must commend the Cabinet Secretary for once again producing a balanced fair budget in extremely tight circumstances. It’s such a shame the Labour Party couldn’t find it within themselves to support this investment. This budget shows why the SNP in government are trusted more than any other political party in the country.”

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Broomhouse has a Community Health Hub and the Social Justice Secretary Alex Neil MSP visited the other day. The Scottish Government recorded this video report:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKWFPIewR6k]

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The Digital Sentinel in Wester Hailes is about to get an award of funding of £12,000 from The City of Edinburgh Council under its Contact in the Capital project.

£25,000 has already been earmarked for pilot schemes in North Edinburgh with money made available to North Edinburgh News for its community newspaper and a further £12,000 for an online community news outlet in Craigmillar, but this further funding will help the Digital Sentinel continue its development.

The online news website has already had £10,000 of support from Carnegie UK Trust and other financial and ‘in kind’ support from community partners in Wester Hailes. The Carnegie UK Trust offered a year’s funding to help support and grow the emerging hyperlocal news sector and to test out new models. They funded five projects in Brixton, Alston, Cumbria, Port Talbot South Wales, Harlow, Essex as well as the Digital Sentinel in Wester Hailes. The Digital Sentinel aimed to resurrect the local newspaper The Sentinel in digital form.

The Digital Sentinel plans to engage with the media studies students at Wester Hailes Education Centre (WHEC) as well as other teaching establishments. They are also going to print 500 copies of an eight page edition of a newspaper to engage locals. They will use QR codes in the newspaper to encourage traffic to the website as well as highlighting the project to those in the community without digital access.

The funding is recommended for approval at the Communities and Neighbourhoods Committee which is due to meet on Tuesday 10 February 2015.

The Digital Sentinel will be included in the first report on the £50,000 which the council earmarked for these projects which is due to be produced in April 2015.

You can read the Digital Sentinel here.

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The hardship and horror of a war that reached beyond the front line to our own doorsteps has been documented at the City of Edinburgh Council’s Museum of Edinburgh.

On display until 27 June 2015, Scars on the City: Edinburgh in World War I draws on the Capital’s extensive collection of objects and oral archives to recall what it was like to be in Edinburgh while the war was raging.

Documenting the stories of local munitions workers, nurses and children – and including an account of war recruitment drives that thronged the city’s streets – the display homes in on the tragic zeppelin raids of April 1916 which destroyed local buildings and scarred the Capital.

Councillor Richard Lewis, Culture and Sport Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said the exhibition offers a stirring glimpse at life on the home front during WW1. He said: “Scars on the City reveals the will of Edinburgh’s home front and how people coped with the hardship and dangers of the war. Most of the objects and photographs on display are from the city’s own archives, and have been based on fascinating accounts from those who lived through the unrest.

“Over the last year the Council has provided a programme of free exhibitions and events across the city which commemorate the centenary of WW1 and life on the front line. This free to visit display brings it back ‘home’ and recalls what life was like for those left behind. It’s hard to imagine Edinburgh’s skyline being attacked from the air by zeppelins, and it is stirring to see how the city was destroyed, but also how it survived and was rebuilt.”

Exhibition curator Vicky Garrington said she was spoilt for choice when it came to selecting objects for the exhibition. She commented: “We’ve got some wonderful objects that will really transport visitors back to wartime Edinburgh. There are pieces of shrapnel collected after the Zeppelin raids on Edinburgh in April 1916. A Braille pocket watch used by a blinded ex-servicemen shows the sacrifices made to defend Britain, and younger visitors will enjoy seeing the toys and games children played with during the war, drawn from the Museum of Childhood collection.

“I was surprised to find out how clued up young people at the time were about the details of the War. Cigarette cards taught them about ranks, Army signals and artillery, while board games challenged them to evade mines and bombs en route to Berlin.”

Scars on the City: Edinburgh in World War I will be on display at the Museum of Edinburgh until 27 June 2015. The Museum is owned and managed by the City of Edinburgh Council’s Museums & Galleries service and is free to visit.

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Although there will no doubt be challenges from across the City Chamber next Thursday the Capital Coalition have published their proposals for the way they will spend the council’s £1bn budget over the 2015/16 financial year.

The Edinburgh Reporter spoke to Finance Convener Councillor Alasdair Rankin about the budget he is putting forward next week. One of the main parts of the financial plan is that spending on Third Sector organisations is to be reduced by around 10 per cent. This has been discussed with the groups involved and planned for, but it will have an impact on them. You can see what he had to say about how they propose to help solve these issues here:

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The Edinburgh Reporter NEWS from Phyllis Stephen on Vimeo.

The good news is that there will be no cuts to the services offered by Edinburgh Leisure despite concerns in the media earlier this year. The council will provide Christmas trees and lighting for local communities across the city at a cost of around £130,000 per annum. Likewise there will be no increases to allotment charges and the rise in council rents will be limited to the rate of inflation. Some of these were ‘saved’ in the consultation process and the administration is keen to stress that they listened to what the public had to say. Some 3,500 responses were made to the council’s budget consultation which is five times more than last year and the council is delighted that so many people engaged in the process.

Winter garden waste will continue to be collected from your front door and licence fees of all kinds have been realigned to ensure that the cost of administration does not outweigh the income from such charges.

Funding for homeless services will be maintained, but some public toilets will be closed which will save £300,000 from the council’s expenditure.

Instead of maintaining public toilets in areas away from the city centre the council plan to make arrangements with sports facilities and businesses who will then open up their facilities to members of the public.

Some of what is proposed has been discussed for a while now. For example there are plans for an energy company which might gain match funding from the Scottish Government.

An unexpected windfall in the shape of an extra £2m dividend from council-owned Lothian Buses will be spent on roads and pavements.

But this is not all good news for the future. It is clear that some of the facilities run by Edinburgh Leisure will have to be examined closely and the council owned body will have to engage in new ways to run their business more effectively otherwise facilities will undoubtedly close. Discussions will start on this at the end of March.

The mantra is that frontline services are to be protected, and the young, old and otherwise vulnerable are the focus of what the administration thinks important. Inevitably that will mean that other services will become victims of the savings which the council has to make in future years.

Savings of £22m have been found in this year’s finances and there are still £45m of savings to find over the next two budgets to be set by this administration. Some of that is to be done by organisational changes in the Organise to Deliver proposals which the Chief Executive brought to the council in December 2014, and which are already approved for future action.

The administration admits that the savings needed will apply considerable pressure to the services which the council provides, but still schools will be built and projects from the Millerhill Zero Waste plant to feasibility studies into the redevelopment of Meadowbank Stadium and the extension of the tram line to Leith and Newhaven will proceed.

In an encouraging note for Craigmillar there is a commitment from the administration that they will plan a new high school as a catalyst for regeneration in the area.

There is an admission of the risks and challenges which face the local authority in fulfilling their role in running the city such as the probable increase in numbers of older people and young people all needing some kind of council service. The Labour/SNP coalition is also mindful of the fact that they have no control over the amount of money they will get from the Scottish Government in future years.

Ways of increasing the council’s income include looking closely at the council’s property portfolio and getting rid of buildings or sites which are either too costly to run or simply surplus to requirements.

The council is obliged to propose a balanced budget – in other words there is no possibility of proposing a loss-making financial picture, but the council has some difficulties to address. There is an increasing population at both ends of the age spectrum. The budget is static but has to go further owing mainly to the changing demographic in the city.

The council meeting is at 10:00am on Thursday 12 January 2015.

I know how difficult it is to be a teacher. So I’m not surprised that some parts of Scotland are finding it hard to recruit teaching staff. I was a volunteer teacher in Cameroon, West Africa, back in the 1970s. My headmaster, Mr Mfonyam, told me on my first day: “Just do as they did at Aberdeen Grammar, your old school.” And I was left to get on with it – class 3B for English and the sixth year for economics.

I probably did a dreadful job but the boys were bright and now they are likely to be heads of government departments, army colonels, rich businessmen or headmasters themselves. So I guess all that lesson preparation, all that performance in class, all that marking and setting of mock exams was worth it. The curriculum for excellence it certainly wasn’t but it made me realise what a skilled and time-consuming job school teaching is.

So when Moray Council says it has 70 teaching vacancies – and pupils may have to be sent home – I’m not surprised. Neighbouring Aberdeenshire has 57 vacancies in its secondary schools. Aberdeen city council is having to recruit teachers from Ireland and offer incentives to its non-teaching staff to go back to college to obtain a teaching qualification. Overall, the number of Scottish teachers is at a 10 year low, at 50,824. And this is at a time when pupil numbers are rising again and many teachers are retiring, either because of their age or because of the increased pressure put upon them by the new curriculum and the new exams.

The SNP government is naturally embarrassed at this state of affairs – 4,200 teachers fewer than when they came into office in 2007. So the Deputy First Minister John Swinney has sought to blame the 32 local authorities. And in his budget, pushed through parliament with the SNP’s majority this week, he threatened to withhold £51m from local councils unless they promised to spend the money on teacher recruitment.

The Scottish Government suffered another embarrassment this week, with the publication of the latest NHS waiting-time figures. They showed that only 91 per cent of patients in Accident and Emergency departments were treated within four hours, well under the target of 95 per cent. The Health Secretary Shona Robison said hospitals had been under “unprecedented pressures” this winter, due to more people turning up at hospitals rather than at their GP’s practice and because of the difficulty in finding nursing home places for patients waiting to be discharged.

And there was yet more embarrassment for the Government when it emerged that the police are continuing to carry out “stop and search” operations on children under the age of 12, despite promising to end the practice last summer. That prompted the First Minister the Rt Hon Nicola Sturgeon to tell MSPs at First Minister’s Questions that she and the Chief Constable were minded to stop all “voluntary” stop-and search operations in the near future.

None of these setbacks – in schools, hospitals or policing – have anything to do with the UK general election, at least directly. But indirectly, they are at the very core of the arguments. Because they all come down to money, and how much “austerity” the people are prepared to put up with – an issue not unknown across the whole of Europe.

The Scottish Labour Party is struggling with the dilemma of criticising the SNP for not doing enough to safeguard big spending departments like education or the health service but, on the other hand, promising to “deal” with the national debt without putting up taxes. Instead, curiously, Labour is reverting to the constitutional issue, with Gordon Brown and Jim Murphy promising to go beyond the “vow” on more devolution for Scotland. On Monday, they suggested that a UK Labour government would not only implement the Smith Commission powers within 100 days, it would also give the Scottish Parliament the power to top-up welfare benefits, such as state pensions, unemployment benefit and child benefit.

It seems Labour wants to appear more Scottish than the SNP in an effort to catch up on the SNP’s 20 per cent lead in the opinion polls. There was another shocker for Labour this week in Lord Ashcroft’s poll of 16 constituencies where there was a high Yes vote in the referendum. It found that in all but one, the SNP can expect to win in the general election on 7 May. Jim Murphy was left putting a brave face on for the cameras and suggesting that, as polling day drew nearer, people would realise that the only way to keep the Tories out of office at Westminster was to vote Labour.

For me, one of the startling images of this week was an artist’s impression of Shell’s giant Brent oil platform being lifted out of the North Sea on the arms of a floating dock-ship. Shell is consulting on its plan to decommission its heroic Brent platform after 40 years of service. It’s pumped out nearly 10 per cent of the oil and gas so far produced in the North Sea and added £20bn to the UK Exchequer. Apparently the scrap metal is to be used to make washing machines in Turkey !   Shell will have to come back later for the platform legs, which pose an even bigger problem because of their concrete oil-storage tanks.

It is a dramatic reminder that decommissioning, or what my mother might call “tidying up after yourself”, is often the forgotten part of a job, one that is left for “others” to do. But the oil industry, unlike the nuclear industry, is having to face up to it. No one really knows how much decommissioning will cost, but Oil and Gas UK estimate it will amount to around 10 per cent of the overall cost of production and constitutes a world market of £30 bn over the next ten years.   It’s a new industry in itself.

Let’s hope Scotland does not neglect it, as it is neglecting wave and tidal power. But, like school pupils, we are sometimes reluctant to learn our lessons.

And teaching is a difficult trade.

As we advised you last week the council negotiated an agreement with the firm of solicitors who are representing some of the affected families whose babies were cremated at Mortonhall Crematorium in the last 30 years, but who did not receive any ashes afterwards.

The City of Edinburgh Council approved proposals for a settlement scheme  at the meeting of the full council earlier today.

129 parents raised legal claims in relation to the past practices at Mortonhall Crematorium.

The scheme reached with Thompsons Solicitors, who are representing those parents, was put to councillors at the council meeting earlier. There was a deputation by representatives of Mortonhall Ashes Action Group presented by Willie Reid who lost his daughter, Donna.

The settlement provides for payments of £1,000 and £4,000 depending on circumstances, together with payment of legal expenses.

Sue Bruce, Chief Executive of the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “The agreement reached today allows us to settle the claims from parents represented by Thompsons, and means they do not need to pursue their cases through the courts.

“The issues that have emerged in relation to practices at Mortonhall have understandably been distressing for affected families. I want to reiterate my apology on behalf of the City of Edinburgh Council and give reassurance that we are taking forward all of the recommendations made by Dame Elish Angiolini in her report to ensure nothing like this ever happens again.

“We have been working closely with parent representatives on the Mortonhall Multi-Agency Working Group which is progressing well. Designs have now been produced for potential memorials which are available to view on the Council website.”

Cutting-edge tartan designs will be showcased at a fashion show event, at Edinburgh’s Grassmarket Community Project, celebrating the results of the Greyfriars Tartan Design Competition which has attracted submissions from designers around the world.

The unique Greyfriars Tartan was designed by a member of Grassmarket Community Project, a social enterprise based in Edinburgh’s Grassmarket where vulnerable local people (members) can be part of a community, develop new skills and self-confidence, and become more employable. The tartan is officially registered and used to teach members textiles skills. They learn to create a range of handmade products, as well as gaining other valuable skills such as team work and punctuality.

In order to celebrate, experiment with and re-imagine the tartan, The Greyfriars Tartan Design Competition was held last month and saw designs coming in from Indonesia (Jakarta) and India as well as England, Wales and Scotland.*

The Greyfriars Tartan Fashion Show takes place from 6pm on Thursday 12 March when three fashion show judges will choose three winning pieces, with the winners awarded over £1000 in cash prizes.

Guests will be able to purchase Greyfriars Tartan products plus take part in a raffle with all profits being invested back into Grassmarket Community Project and the Greyfriars Tartan Group.

Katerina Faulds, Greyfriars Tartan Sales Manager at Grassmarket Community Project, said: “We are so proud of our achievements with Greyfriars Tartan, both raising funds and teaching skills to our members. The fashion show will be a celebration of this, as well as a chance to re-consider perceptions of tartan as a whole.”

Grassmarket Community Project was born out of a century-old partnership between Greyfriars Kirk and the Grassmarket Mission in Edinburgh, transforming from a humble soup kitchen into a vibrant and inclusive community hub.

Nina Falk, Greyfriars Tartan Textiles Specialist at Grassmarket Community Project, says: “What we do here really changes people’s lives and our members have so much more self-confidence since learning to make our beautiful tartan products, while also being encouraged to develop new skills and work closely as a team.”

Tickets for the FREE fashion show are available on the Eventbrite website. There will be canapés and refreshments plus live music on the night.

Submitted by Samantha McKay-Challen

Here are some things  you might not know about Iran:

– it has a centuries-old tradition of producing intriguing textiles and beautiful garments AND a thriving modern fashion industry, mixing traditional designs and new ideas to create world class fabrics, clothes and jewellery;

– it has one of the world’s most important arthouse cinemas (Werner Herzog is one of its fans) and its films have won top awards at festivals in Venice, Cannes, Berlin, San Sebastian and London;

– Persian art has one of the richest and most diverse heritages in the world – and Iran also has a vibrant modern art scene;

– the Glasgow-based Arezoo Symphony Orchestra was founded in 2011 with the aim of introducing western audiences to Iranian classical and orchestral music;

– there is a Persian School here in Edinburgh;

– Edinburgh has its very own Middle Eastern and Kurdish restaurant, the Nawroz in Potterow.

This week sees the beginning of the Edinburgh Iranian Festival, a ten day non-political celebration of history and culture; one of its aims is to integrate Iranian and Scottish communities through a broad range of events and activities. You can attend a Persian Chic fashion show at the National Museum, see the work of Iranian (and other) artists at Summerhall, the Sutton Gallery and the Filmhouse, and learn how to bake Iranian bread at the Nawroz. The Sutton Gallery also offers a Valentine’s Day evening of Persian poetry and music, whilst at the Festival’s opening ceremony at St John’s you can hear the Ruba’iyat of Omar Khayyam – in Scots!

At Liberton High School (home of the Persian School on Saturday mornings) you can see the children’s art work and try an introductory workshop in the Persian language. Word Power Books, meanwhile, hosts a special book reading for children, at which the authors of The Adventures of Sohrab and the Genie and Persian Nursery Rhymes will read from and discuss their work, whilst at the University, Dr Karen Babyan will introduce Blood Oranges Dipped in Salt, her book based on the stories and memoirs of Armenians in Iran.

If you’d like to find out more about Persian textiles, go along to the Nomad’s Tent in St Leonard’s Lane for Dr Gillian Vogelsang-Eastwood’s talk Beyond the Chador; the Nomad’s Tent will also be the venue for Jila Peacock’s Persian Calligraphy demonstration – you’ll even get the chance to create your own calligraphic work of art.

The Friday Mosque of Isfahan, ‘The Jewel of Persian Architecture’ will be the subject of a talk by Professor Robert Hillenbrand at the University of Edinburgh’s George Square Lecture Theatre; Professor Carole Hillenbrand will be at the same venue to explore the career of Nizam al-Mulk ‘The Most Famous Persian Vizier’, who managed to stay in power for over thirty years in 11th century Iran. But in the ranking of ancient dynasties, few can be topped by the Achaemenid, who ruled the biggest empire the world had ever seen – and whose monarchs demonstrated their power by importing a huge variety of exotic wildlife, from Asiatic lions and Bactrian camels to parrots, peacocks and wild jungle fowl. That Iranian Court must have been a lively place – and you can hear all about it in a talk by Dr Lloyd Llewellyn Jones, Xerxes’ Cabinet of Curiosities on 11th February.

Meanwhile, the Filmhouse is hosting the 2015 Iranian Film Season; films range from a documentary about Negahdar Jamali, who has been making Westerns in Shiraz for 35 years, to Taboor, in which a man concocts an aluminium jumpsuit to protect his hypersensitive body from a daily rise in temperature caused by pervasive electromagnetic waves – and goes out every day to destroy cockroach nests. The Filmhouse Cafe is also exhibiting a set of photographs, Vividly in Tehran by Laleh Sherkat, who captures ordinary life in the capital’s busy, colourful streets.

Almost all of these events are free (exceptions being the films and the cookery class), so why not take advantage of this opportunity to learn about the culture of a country that few of us have visited? You can find full details at http://www.ediranfest.co.uk/index.php, and most events are also listed in The Edinburgh Reporter’s ‘What’s On’ columns. The Edinburgh Iranian Festival runs 6th-16th February 2015.

A stoat found unconscious at the side of a road in Edinburgh has been released back into the wild by the Scottish SPCA.

Scotland’s animal welfare charity was alerted after a member of the public discovered the creature beside Biggar Road on 22 January.

The stoat was nursed back to health by animal rescue officer Fiona Thorburn and staff at the charity’s National Wildlife Rescue Centre before being released.

Fiona said, “The wee stoat was unconscious so I tried to warm him up with the help of a hot water bottle.

“He improved greatly overnight and I was thrilled to see him showing his feistier side the following morning.

“I took him to our National Wildlife Rescue Centre in Clackmannanshire so our expert wildlife team could monitor him and make sure he was okay, which thankfully he was.”

Centre manager Colin Seddon said, “The stoat had his winter coat, known as ermine, which grows during the winter to provide camouflage. This is the first time we have treated a stoat who was in ermine.

“We believe he may have been dropped at the side of the road by a predator.

“The stoat remained with us for a few days and once we were satisfied he had made a full recovery we returned him to the snow covered hills close to where he was found.”

Anyone who discovers an injured or distressed wild animal should call the Scottish SPCA Animal Helpline on 03000 999 999.

You are urged to make sure you are registered to vote. Today is National Voter Registration Day (NVRD).

With an estimated value of £1.3bn Valentine’s Day should mean big business for the UK’s independent retailers. However with 37% of Valentine’s gifts being bought in supermarkets in 2013, it is no surprise that 88% of independent businesses reported that Valentine’s Day makes no difference to their sales.

Love from Indie Street are offering Edinburgh an alternative to the supermarket and High Street stores, by showcasing some of the best independent gifts available from across the city. Teaming up with The Brotique, they are hosting an ’Indie Valentine’s Day Gift Night’ on Thursday 5 February from 5pm – 8pm the new Brotique Store at 39 Queen Street. A chance for people to come along and pick out a brilliant Valentine’s Day gift with a difference, they will also have the opportunity to taste a range of Innis & Gunn’s fantastic range of beers as the sponsors of the event are holding a sampling session throughout the evening.

With ten independent businesses, who are all part of Edinburgh’s online retail community ’Love from Indie Street’, showcasing and selling their products on the night, there is sure to be something to suit everyone’s tastes. The diverse range of gifts includes; stylish handbags and accessories from Covet, bespoke jewellery hand crafted by Kakao By K and gift vouchers for a chauffeur driven trip in a VW Camper van. Gifts will also be available from Ooh Ruby Shoes, Inside out Chef, The Edinburgh Casting Studio, Lilies & Dreams and handmade cards by LE Designs.

Submitted by Rebecca Christensen

The City of Edinburgh Council meets today in one of two meetings this month of the full council. This first is the usual business of the council whereas the meeting to be held next week on 12 February 2015 is devoted to the 2015-16 budget.

Follow proceedings here live or read later after the meeting has finished.

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New images of Edinburgh’s £200 million office development at Haymarket have been released as businesses sign up to move in.

Progress on the development has, so far focused on strengthening works on the Victorian railway tunnels running beneath the site however construction activity has now started above ground, with the first buildings’ phase earmarked for completion by early 2017.

Tenants already signed up for The Haymarket’s initial development phase include a Premier Inn Hotel, Q Park, Tesco and serviced apartments’ provider Staycity. Food chains Prezzo and Pret A Manger have committed to the second development phase and advanced discussions are currently taking place with other occupiers for a further 70,000 sq. ft. of retail and office space.

Read more on Deadline News

Live Music Now: Knox and Ion. A dynamic and exciting guitar duo, creating a mix of Latin, world and jazz music. Based in Glasgow, Knox and Ion’s pieces consist of Indian scales, African beats and Brubeck-style changes. Their live show is infectious and ever-evolving, capturing the very essence of improvised music. 6-6.30pm, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street. Free and unticketed.

The Thursday Club: Duncan Currie will speak on Namibia and South Africa. 2pm, Upper Hall, Mayfield Salisbury Church, West Mayfield. All very welcome: contact Florence Smith on 0131 663 1234 for more information.

Ecumenical Friends at St Cuthbert’s: Swarup Bar – News From Kolkata. 12.30pm, St Cuthbert’s Parish Church, 5 Lothian Road. All warmly welcome: £1.50 per person, tea and coffee provided, bring your own packed lunch.These events are organised by Edinburgh City Centre Churches TOGETHER.

Streetlife: an exhibition of latest works from Gallery favourites such as Patsy McArthur, Adam Kennedy and James Newton Adams and new artists Frank McNab and Lucy Jones, all drawing inspiration from the sights and sounds of the urban jungle. Public preview tonight 6-8pm, then 10.30am-6pm Tuesday to Saturday, 12 noon-6pm Sundays, Union Gallery, 45 Broughton Street. Ends 1st March 2015.

The Friendship Club: a friendly meeting place for senior citizens – all very welcome, with or without any church connection, and whether you would like to attend every week or just occasionally. Tea, home baking, board games, card games, sometimes live music – and lots of chat! The club’s aim is to provide a relaxed friendly and welcoming meeting place for senior citizens: ‘There is always a smiling face waiting to welcome you’. 2-3.30pm, Ground Floor, Annan House, 10 Palmerston Place. Contact Palmerston Place Church for more information.

Blackwell’s Edinburgh Presents Owen Dudley Edwards: How David Cameron Saved Scotland. David Cameron was PM throughout the campaign for Scottish independence. Many thought that if Scotland voted Yes he may lose his job, but Scotland voted No, so where does that leave him? In this new book, Owen Dudley Edwards explains to Mr Cameron what the wilder psychiatric shores of premiership involve, whether he knows it or not, what sort of people he recruited to gain his victory and whether they knew they were recruits, what his opponents were like and why they opposed him, how Scotland reversed the UK fall in voter interest, and why. He also looks at how far the victory was won on the playing fields of Eton. 6.30-8pm, Blackwell’s, South Bridge. Free tickets can be obtained via eventbrite or from the shop’s front desk, or by calling 0131 622 8218 or emailing events.edinburgh@blackwell.co.uk.

Harry Potter Book Night: come and celebrate JK Rowling’s wonderful stories of everyone’s favourite wizard with an evening of games and activities, including a (fairly) fiendish quiz with prizes. Dress code: wizard, witch or best muggle attire, with a prize for the best outfit. Sorting Hat Ceremony begins at 6pm (evening ends at 7.30pm), Waterstones West End, 128 Princes Street. For more information call 0131 226 2666….AND

Another Harry Potter Book Night! (Except that this is an afternoon – so you could go to both!) Crafts, games and quizes, all related to the Boy Wizard, with a prize for the best costume. 2.30-4pm, Moredun Library, 92 Moredun Park Road.

LGBT History Month Community Discussion: Role Models. The theme of this year’s LGBT History Month is Education. A huge influence on our learning throughout life, whether at school, at work or elsewhere, are the role models we have. This evening will be a chance for the LGBT community to come together to discuss what role models mean to us. 6.30-8.30pm, LGBT Youth Scotland, 40 Commercial Street. Booking is preferred and can be made online here or by contacting Jules Stapleton Barnes on 0131 523 1104 or jules@lgbthealth.org.uk. For more about  LGBT History Month, read The Edinburgh Reporter’s article here.

The Jonathan Mills Lectures: A Potted History of Festivals and Festival-Making. They become more popular by the day, but what do we even mean when we use the word ‘festival’? Jonathan Mills, composer, festival director and Visiting Professor at the University of Edinburgh, explores aspects of the complex relationships between ritual and place, habit and space that have come to define the elusive phenomenon of the festival. 5.15pm, Lecture Room 1, Minto House, University of Edinburgh, Chambers Street. This is the first in a series of lectures: the next one Curating In Time will take place on 12th February 2015.

Kitten On The Keys: Jam Circle – improvisations, exercises, jam. 7pm, Boda Bar, 229 Leith Walk.

Council meeting

Alan Cumming

Aldi open second store

Council need some mystery shoppers

Tonight at the Cameo

The full council meeting takes place this morning at the City Chambers. You can follow online if you are not in the public gallery.

Items on the agenda include approval of the compensation to be paid to the affected families in the Mortonhall affair who are represented by one firm of solicitors in Edinburgh.

The council is also offering to install two memorials in the city in answer to the recommendations in the report prepared by Dame Elish Angiolini.

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We missed being invited to meet Alan Cumming when he was here recently for the unveiling of his portrait by Christian which now hangs in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery. It was lovely therefore to find this video online.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6G5TWDHe1Y]

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Aldi will be opening the doors to its second store in Edinburgh on Thursday 12^th February at 8.00am, with a special golden ticket event.

The first one hundred people in the queue will be handed a golden envelope, each containing a prize.  Customers will be in with the chance of winning a 24” TV/DVD Combi, Sat-Navs and DAB Radios, as well as a range of Aldi goodies.

To celebrate the opening, the store will also be donating fresh food and products from its Mamia range to the Gilmerton Community Centre, in support of their Mother and Toddler Group.

The store, located on Gilmerton Road, stands at nearly 1000sqm and has created 27 new jobs, providing a range of opportunities for local people. More information on all store roles can be found at: www.aldirecruitment.co.uk.

The store will be served by 135 car parking spaces and will feature around 1,350 product lines.  Aldi prides itself on the high quality of its produce, so shoppers can expect fresh, locally sourced food throughout the store – Aldi in Scotland works closely with around 70 Scottish suppliers to source over 250 products across its 56 existing stores.

In addition to the opening day ‘golden ticket’ giveaway, Aldi will also be hosting several of its Scottish suppliers in the new Edinburgh store on Friday 13^th and Saturday 14^th February with samples of Scottish products for customers to try.  A number of suppliers are due to take part in the sampling days.

Aldi has also invited brand ambassadors from Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) to the new Edinburgh store during these two days, where they will be preparing cooked samples of Scotch Lamb Leg Steaks and Scottish Aberdeen Angus Ribeye and Sirloin Steaks for customers, all of which display the official Scotch mark.

“Specialbuys” occur every Thursday and Sunday and offer customers a range of products from fresh produce to electrical goods. Aldi’s opening week reduced “Specialbuys” include: Halogen Ovens (£14.99), Cordless Drills (£9.99) and 10” Tablets (£129.99).

The new store will be the first Aldi to open in Scotland in 2015, with seven planned in total, following a string of successful openings last year, including in Ellon, Inverurie, Airdrie, Inverness, Cambuslang, Ayr and Perth.

Aldi Store Manager, Marek Lasisz, said: “We are looking forward to opening a second Aldi in Edinburgh, following the success of the store on Gorgie Park Road. We hope that customers enjoy the special golden ticket event and all the amazing offers that are up for grabs.

“Aldi is proud to engage with the local community and hope that the Gilmerton Community Centre enjoys their donated products. We hope that this support ensures that the group can continue the excellent work they do for the area.”

Following its launch, the store on Gilmerton Road, Edinburgh, EH17 7QS, will be open:

                Monday – Saturday: 8.00am – 10.00pm

                Sunday: 9.00am – 7.00pm

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Ever fancied being a mystery shopper? Then you could apply here to become a mystery shopper in Edinburgh and get paid for it!

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If you would like to know more about what is on at the Cameo tonight then listen to the podcast here

http://picturehouseblog.co.uk/2015/01/25/picturehouse-podcast-ex-machina/

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Sign up here for a daily email from The Edinburgh Reporter !

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Reacting to the launch in parliament of the 2015-2016 budget today, Emilia Hanna, air pollution campaigner for Friends of the Earth Scotland said:

“The Government’s failure to invest in clean air measures will ultimately cost lives. Traffic-related air pollution is creating a public health crisis and is responsible for 2000 premature deaths in Scotland every year.

“The Government is consulting on a new Low Emission Strategy right now and the Budget could have given that Strategy a kickstart. Instead, we will have to wait an extra year for the Government to back clean air measures.

“The lack of serious spending on tackling air pollution will end up costing us all. Air pollution costs the Scottish economy around £1.6 billion annually in healthcare spending and days lost at work.”

Friends of the Earth revealed Scotland’s most polluted streets last month. They analysed the streets for two toxic pollutants and found dangerous levels of pollution. In Edinburgh St John’s Road had become worse since 2013 and was number two on the list just behind Hope Street in Glasgow. Other streets in Edinburgh named and shamed included Queensferry Road and Salamander Street. Friends of the Earth quoted Helen Crowley, 38, a mum of two and campaigner against the new Waitrose planned for St John’s Road as saying that the council should prevent the development on grounds of air pollution alone.

The Scottish Government pledged just £3.15 million, the same as last year, to air quality measures compared with almost £700 million towards building new roads.

“To tackle air pollution local councils need to roll out Low Emission Zones but these require around £1 million to start up and £500,000 in annual running costs. Cash-strapped councils should not be expected to bear the brunt of these costs without Government support. An extra £3 million in the budget for air quality could have gone a long way.”

Fri

Police  are appealing for witnesses following a robbery which took place around 4.45am this morning in The Jewel area of Edinburgh.

A 58-year-old woman was walking along the footpath near to the Asda store when two men approached and assaulted her.

The victim was robbed of personal items before the suspects made off on foot.

Officers are now urging anyone who can assist with their enquiries to come forward.

Both suspects are described as being in their late teens or early twenties. One of the men was wearing a dark-coloured, thickly padded jacket and a scarf.

Detective Constable Joyce Gunderson said: “We are appealing to anyone who saw two men acting suspiciously in the Jewel area on Wednesday morning to contact us.

“Fortunately the victim was not seriously injured during this incident, but was left very shaken and distressed at the theft of her belongings.

“Anyone with information that can help with our enquiries is asked contact Police Scotland on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”

The family of Chloe Sutherland have today  issued a statement through Police Scotland:

“Chloe was a beautiful and vibrant little girl who had everything to live for and who sadly passed away peacefully with her daddy and family at her side.

“Chloe was much loved by her brother and sister and her family and friends and will be sadly missed by all of us.

“We would ask that our privacy be respected at what is a very difficult time.”

A 35-year-old woman has been charged in connection with Chloe’s death and is expected to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court tomorrow

The Moray School of Education at the University of Edinburgh is home to exciting works by leading contemporary Scottish artists, whose works are featured in the Tate, National Galleries, and other major institutions.

A tour on Thursday February 19th will introduce the public to the works hidden away in one of Scotland’s oldest university buildings. Paintings by Alan Davie, Robin Philipson, Anne Redpath, and countless others are being brought into the spotlight for the very first time.

Bring your packed lunch to this interactive tour led by renowned professor of contemporary Scottish art, Andrew Patrizio, and learn directly from the curators about the ongoing research to redisplay these works in an upcoming exhibition. The one-hour tour starts from the Main School Reception at the Old Moray House at 1:00pm.

Submitted by Stephanie Armstrong

Panmure St Ann’s School in the Cowgate have recently achieved their silver award for Eco schools and are working towards achieving their green flag status.

The pupils have been out in force tidying up the local environment as well as planting vegetables and spices at the Trinity Apse.

In addition to working hard to improve the local environment they have focussed on ways of cutting energy use within the school. They have been switching off lights, computers and ensuring that the bulding stays war. They have taken part in draught excluder workshops as well as using the smoothie bike to generate energy to power a blender therefore making their own healthy smoothies. Well done to everyone involved!!

City Centre councillor Karen Doran said: “I visited the school last year, had a tour, met with pupils and teachers.  I was so impressed by the hard work that was being done at the school.

“I am delighted to hear of their achieving the silver award.  How wonderful the pupils are looking after their surrounding area by collecting litter, and have worked in the Trinity Apse.  I have no doubt they will certainly achieve their green flag, and wish them the best of luck.”

Deputy First Minister John Swinney visited Heriot Hill Nursery in Broughton ahead of the Scottish Budget Bill reaching Stage 3 later today and The Edinburgh Reporter spoke to the Minister about the plans for increased spending on children. This was one of the backbones of the SNP plans put forward during the Scottish Independence Referendum campaign last year.

[vimeo 118681066 w=500 h=281]

The Edinburgh Reporter NEWS from Phyllis Stephen on Vimeo.

The budget sets out increased support for early learning and childcare helping to tackle inequalities, boost the economy to ensure that all children have the best start in life.

Mr Swinney met staff, children and parents of the nursery and talked about the positive impacts of the additional funding for childcare.

The Scottish Government says its track record since 2007 has been one of delivering opportunities for all to flourish through sustainable economic growth. The 2015/16 Budget will include provisions for free school meals, £4.5 billion for health and education infrastructure and, for the first time, more than £12 billion total for the health budget.

Ahead of the bill coming back to Holyrood this afternoon the Deputy First Minister John Swinney said:

“This budget is focused on tackling inequality, investing in our economy and protecting and reforming our public services.

“It is well understood that a strong economy is essential to building a fair and wealthy society. However, the reverse is also true. A society that is fair and equitable underpins a strong economy.

“The challenge we face is not simply returning to pre-recession levels of growth, but tackling the underlying challenges in our economy and labour market, boosting competitiveness and reducing inequality.

“The Scottish Government’s approach will continue to be based on the principle that delivering sustainable economic growth and addressing long-standing inequalities are reinforcing – and not competing – objectives. Promoting a fairer, more balanced model of growth and creating economic opportunity across society as a whole are key objectives of this government.

“We want to create a stable economy that promotes growth across all regions of Scotland – one that is outward looking, confident and based on the core strengths of our people, is innovative and supported by investment.

“This approach is at the core of the Scottish Budget and I look forward to setting out to parliament today further steps the Scottish Government will take to tackle inequality and boost the economy.”

A 35 year-old woman has been arrested and charged in connection with the death of a 10 month old baby yesterday.

Police in Edinburgh were called to a property on Parkhead View, yesterday afternoon following a report of concern for a 10 month old girl.

The baby was taken to The Royal Hospital for Sick Children but she passed away just before midnight.

The child has been named by police as Chloe Sutherland.

The woman is expected to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court later today Wednesday.

WEDNESDAY  4TH FEBRUARY 2015

Centenary Choral Concert in aid of Poppy Scotland. Edinburgh Napier University Chamber Choir and soloists, directed by Michael Harris, present a re-creation of a charity concert originally given in 1915 by the Morningside Amateur Opera Company, including music by Sullivan, Stanford, Coleridge-Taylor and Elgar. 7.30-9.30pm, St Andrew’s & St George’s West Church, 13 George St. Admission by programme: £7/£5 on the door.

Portobello Film Club: Nick Cave  in 20,000 Days on Earth (15). Drama and reality combine in a fictitious 24 hours in the life of musician and international cultural icon Nick Cave. With startlingly frank insights and an intimate portrayal of the artistic process, the film examines what makes us who we are and celebrates the transformative power of the human spirit. 7.30pm, Skylark Cafe, 241 Portobello High Street.

The Scottish Gallery: four new exhibitions. Introducing: the work of three jewellers – Heather McDermott, Una Burke and Sarag Angold, David Eustace: Selected Works – a survey exhibition on the work of renowned photographer, including celebrity portraits, iconic fashion photographs from Vogue and images from Highland Heart, Lindean Mill Glass Showcase: a beautiful collection of glassware, and Modern Masters IV: unseen work of FCB Cadell and rediscovered groups of work by Denis Peploe and JD Fergusson. 10am-6pm Monday to Friday, 10am-4pm on Saturdays, The Scottish Gallery, 16 Dundas Street. Exhibitions close 28th February 2015.

Lunchtime Concert: flautists from Edinburgh Napier University, with Chris Harding (piano). 12.15pm, St Giles’ Cathedral, High Street. Free.

Craigmillar Library Book Group. A new group starting tonight; come along and collect the first book, Stef Penney’s The Tenderness of Wolves. 6.30pm, Craigmillar Library, 101 Niddrie Mains Road. Coffee, tea and biscuits available!

The Colour of Emotion: Jenny Mason and Lynne Harkes. Jenny Mason is an Edinburgh-based painter using landscape as a starting point, a place of escape to ease the busy mind. Her current work concentrates more on formal aspects and fields of colour rather than direct representation of the landscape. Also from Edinburgh, Lynne Harkes finds her inspiration above all in nature, getting a special thrill from taking hidden blooms or faded leaves and giving them magnificent life on canvas. 9am-5pm, Wednesday-Sunday, Bon Papillon Gallery, 15 Howe Street.

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

Adult Scrabble Club: pop in for a fun and relaxed game of Scrabble. 3.30pm today and fortnightly, Blackhall Library, 56 Hillhouse Road. For more information please call 0131 529 5595 or drop in to the library.

Heriot Watt University Postgraduate Open Day: an opportunity to meet academic staff and current postgraduate students. Explore the campus and facilities, and find out more about how postgraduate study can enhance your career prospects. 1.30-4.30pm, Heriot Watt University Edinburgh Campus, EH14 4AS. Please register your intention to attend via eventbrite here. If you cannot attend in person, the university is running a simultaneous live chat event, when you can join in online and put your questions to advisers.

Central Library Lego Night: for ages 7-11 accompanied by an adult (possibly an AFOL – Adult Fan of Lego!), Central Library, George IV Bridge. Contact the library for times.

Doing Politics: Professor Richard Freeman, Professor of Social Science and Public Policy, University of Edinburgh, delivers his inaugural lecture. 5.15-6.15, Main Lecture Theatre, 50 George Square. All welcome.

The Cramond Association History Section: AGM, after which Jenni Calder will speak on Scottish Emigration to North America. Tea and coffee are served after the meeting. 7.30pm, Millenium Room, Cramond Kirk Halls, Cramond Glebe Road. All welcome: visitors £1 per meeting.

Jazz Romantics: songs by Astrud Gilberto, Jamie Cullum, Ray Charles et al. 7pm, Hemma, 75 Holyrood Road.

Scottish Budget

Royal visit to the capital

People Power

Edinburgh International Festival

Coppelia

Today at Holyrood The Scottish Government will be considering the Stage 3 Proceedings of the Budget (Scotland) (No. 4) Bill. This will then be either passed or rejected by the Parliament and in four weeks’ time the bill will pass into law.

The Scottish Government intends to do the following in the next financial year:

• Secure £4.5 billion of infrastructure investment in 2015-16

• Support £330 million of further capital investment in the Scotland’s Schools for the Future programme through NPD funding

• Provide £140 million to deliver 2 new college campuses through the NPD pipeline

• Continue to deliver the most competitive business tax environment in the UK

• Invest £16.6 million in 2015-16 to further take forward recommendations of the Commission for Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce

• Drive investment in affordable housing of over £390 million to deliver 6000 affordable homes and £125m of additional financial support for the housing sector.

• Invest over £300 million over two years in extending child care to 600 hours for all 3 and 4 year olds and vulnerable 2 year olds.

• Provide additional support for looked after children

• Provide £81 million to mitigate against Westminster’s welfare reform including the ‘Bedroom Tax’

• Maintain a council tax freeze across Scotland

• Continue the Scottish Government’s social wage commitments including free prescriptions, concessionary travel and free personal care

• Increase the health budget to over £12 billion with a funding increase of £288 million

• Invest over £170 million in 2015-16 to help drive integration of adult health and social care

• Support 1000 additional police officers

• Protect the Local Government budget

• Maintain a Scottish living wage for public sector workers covered by public sector pay policy

• Continue the commitment to no compulsory redundancies.

Scottish Labour maintain that the NHS is in crisis and they recommend that a Frontline Fund is set up to protect it.

They explain that Scotland has 22 hospitals with full front facing A&E provision; Scottish Labour’s Frontline fund would be used to support spreading elective surgery over more days to avoid the weekday congestion, this would help both scheduled and unscheduled care. 

 A Frontline Fund would target £100m for the incremental delivery of weekday equivalent services on evenings and weekends, starting with Trauma Hospitals.

Scottish Labour have called for the Scottish Budget to use Barnett consequentials to establish a £100 million frontline fund. This means that they would expect the money to come from Westminster in an expected increase in the block grant paid to Scotland. The grant is calculated by applying the Barnett Formula which adjusts the public expenditure available to Scotland according to that in England or other parts of the UK.

You can watch the proceedings from Holyrood on Parliament TV.

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The Princess Royal was in Edinburgh yesterday and was accompanied on her busy schedule by The Lord Lieutenant the Rt Hon Donald Wilson.

The Edinburgh Reporter was at Edinburgh Erskine Home which she toured in the morning stopping to speak to many of the residents, families and staff who were waiting to meet her. Read more here.

[vimeo 118616420 w=500 h=281]

The Edinburgh Reporter NEWS from Phyllis Stephen on Vimeo.

In the afternoon yesterday Her Royal Highness visited Firrhill Centre Technology Hub where she was met by the Council’s Health Convener, Councillor Ricky Henderson for a tour of the facilities. Read more here.

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A fund which gives community groups the power to tackle poverty and inequalities in their areas has been given a £5.6 million funding boost.

Social Justice Secretary Alex Neil confirmed community-led regeneration will be given extra support through the People and Communities Fund (PCF), on a visit to the Broomhouse Health Strategy Group yesterday morning.

The People and Communities Fund will be increased from £9.4 million to £15 million as it benefits from support through the dedicated £10 million funding for Empowering Communities announced by the First Minister last November.

This investment builds on the Government’s commitment to giving people the power to take charge and make changes in their own communities.

The additional funding will be allocated to a variety of projects, including community groups who are promoting change in disadvantaged communities through training, employment, healthy eating and volunteering opportunities.

Mr Neil made the announcement ahead of yesterday afternoon’s Stage 1 Debate for the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill. He said:

“We know every community in Scotland has different needs, and that we all have our own ideas about how we can make our areas better.

“This Government recognises that by giving communities the power and confidence to shape their own futures, we can tackle poverty and address inequalities more effectively.

“Through the People and Communities Fund we will provide money direct to community groups to help them tackle local issues on their own terms.

“This new money will support the aims of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill, which will give people a stronger voice in the decisions that matter to them and will help communities who wish to take over public land and buildings.”

Since PCF launched in 2012, 156 projects have received funding worth £18.3 million those projects include the Broomhouse Health Strategy Group which was awarded almost £30,000 to run cookery and exercise sessions which encourage local people to make healthy lifestyle choices.

The sessions have helped increase self-esteem and confidence among local people, many of whom had never cooked a meal from scratch before, and it has supported their skills development with some developing the confidence to move into local volunteering roles.

Lucy Aitchison, from the Broomhouse Health Strategy Group said:

“It’s been great to develop our health and wellbeing services, and you can see them making a real difference to people’s lives.

“To give people the skills to be able to look after themselves and their family more healthily is really significant.

“We’re so pleased to have the support to be able to address these local needs.”

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The brand new Edinburgh International Festival Director, Fergus Linehan, announced his 2015 programme of classical music yesterday and while the rest of the events will not be announced until 18 March, there is much to think about. Brian Ferguson writing in The Scotsman postulates that there will be a big opening event in the Usher Hall spilling over into the Festival Square. There are no details of this being released until March so you will just have to wait and see!

Here is the trailer of events announced yesterday to keep you going meantime:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhgv2jPByD0]
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At the Festival Theatre from tonight until Saturday the Birmingham Royal Ballet present Coppelia. Watch a preview here:

[vimeo 36770561 w=500 h=281]

Tickets available here.

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This is a dating night for young people looking for a career rather than love!

Tonight at Drummond Community High School they expect to have 30 presenters from all sorts of employment backgrounds to explain their jobs to young people who are in the final years of school and thinking of leaving.

This event is jointly organised by the school and the Parent Council. 

Acting Head Teacher, Sue Cook, commented: “This will be a great way of getting businesses involved and helping progress our positive destinations as well as opening up our pupils’ minds to different career options.”

It will run from 5.30-6.30pm in the school concourse.