The new Caledonian sleeper service sets off down the tracks to London in April 2015. There is now a chance for you to win a luxury dream trip on board the new service to London or one of five other cities. What do you have to do to win?

100 exclusive branded luggage labels, emblazoned with the mythical white stag of the Caledonian Sleeper brand, have been squirrelled away at well-known sites across the city and residents are invited to use their detective skills to locate a label, take a picture of themselves with it and upload the image to social media channels with the hashtag #stagchase. 

Treasure hunters can seek out the lucky labels at sites across the city on a voyage of discovery or re-discovery of some of the city’s highlights. Delve into Scotland’s artistic heritage at Edinburgh Castle, visit the pandas at Edinburgh Zoo or take a saunter through the fragrant Royal Botanic Gardens.

Labels will be hidden across five cities across the UK – Inverness, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Edinburgh and London. Each of the UK cities represents a hop off point on the world-renowned train service.

The winning sleuth will be whisked away on a dream trip – an exclusive prize for two including first class Caledonian Sleeper tickets and an overnight stay in a hotel in one of the five cities featured in the competition.  

City slickers can discover the international flavour of London, sample the festival delights of Edinburgh, discover the Granite City of Aberdeen, or enjoy Glasgow’s famous west coast welcome. While nature lovers can explore the great outdoors and the rich Highland heritage of Inverness. What will you decide? There are no easy antlers!

Launching the competition, Peter Strachan, Managing Director for the new Caledonian Sleeper said: “We wanted to raise awareness of the transformation of the service in a fun way which would allow us to engage with potential customers, as well as introducing improvements to existing guests.

“Our new booking and reservation system, sleeper.scot allows passengers to plan and book their travel up to 12 months in advance, a first for any UK rail operator. We hope the competition will generate a buzz around the new service and look forward to welcoming guests onboard from April.”

In addition to the five cities featured in the competition, the Caledonian Sleeper reaches a network of fantastic destinations across the UK including Fort William, Perth, Stirling, Gleneagles Aviemore and Crewe.

For more information about the Caledonian Sleeper visit www.sleeper.scot

Out of the blue, Prides were asked to play during the Commonwealth Games when their song ‘Messiah’ was acclaimed as representing the sporting event most appropriately.

The band had been writing and touring under different names and genres before that. With such hype surrounding this performance, Prides should be headlining venues similar to Catfish & the Bottlemen who are selling out two nights at London’s prestigious Brixton Academy. They have sold out all their Scottish dates on the tour in Aberdeen, Inverness and Edinburgh’s Liquid Room, which shows the band are on a trajectory worthy of their talents.

The album has been a long time coming – what are the plans for it?

To do an album [laughs]. It’s pretty much done. The DIY magazine put up the other day that we’ve done a Kanye approach, which we kind of liked. While we have the time to write, we’ll just write. If we come up with something better than we’ve got already, well then maybe it’s not finished. But at the moment, it’s finished. The plan is to get it out before the summer. Fingers crossed.

So if you’re continually writing, will you have enough material for another album?

Yeah, you always want to have more than you need. Whether that means we’ve got something to sit on for another album or EP or b-sides or all that that kind of stuff, it’s always good to have as much material as you can.

If we keep songs now that we’ve written now, they’ll sit for ages and when we come to do a second album, we’ll probably all get up and say: “We should rework this”, and we’ll rework it for ages.Then we just end up writing new songs.

Is there another EP release due or are you leaving all new songs exclusively for the new album?

We’ve got two singles that are to come out before the album. Well, ‘Higher Love’ has just come out and then we’ll probably do one more into the album, but that’s the plan.

So will there be b-sides on those EPs as well?

‘Higher Love’ is just the one track. We don’t really do b-sides actually. Digital has just gotten rid of that, really. We have some b-side type tracks. The other thing is, we need to sort out our first American release, so we might put out songs on that they’ve haven’t heard before.

Apart from the album release, what other plans is there for Prides?

Big thing is probably is just playing as much shows as we can. We want to get out and do all the festivals and we look to get over to America again pretty soon, and just see where the year takes us.

You’ve played the Commonwealth Games, you’ve toured with some of the hottest bands in the country – are you receiving any other attractive offers?

Well we’ve got some things in the pipeline, but we don’t want to give too much away.

Obviously your music is heavily influenced by the 80s, but is there anything modern influencing you?

All of it. There’s loads of really good music out just now, loads of good bands, good pop music. We listen to Radio 1 all the time and think that there is loads of good tunes. It’s a bit of everything, really. Depends what you’re into. Like, we have not stopped listening to One Direction’s new album. You’d be surprised where some of the ideas come from. It’s sort of like, ‘Yeah, I heard this really cool riff on a Gloria Gaynor track!’ Cool, that’ll do.

How is the songwriting process pursued? Is it jam sessions or songs written on guitar?

We don’t jam! No, we’re sort of like a backwards band. Usually you get together and jam in a rehearsal space, bash stuff out and try different things, make sure everyone is happy. Then you go into a studio and you refine it. It’s completely the other way: we go into the studio and then we have to learn how to play it in the end. We end up going to shows and not knowing any songs [laughs]. They’re very coffee-induced.

We started working on a track the other day on a flight to Philadelphia from San Francisco. We have a couple of hours and see what comes out of it.

We must say that we have never jammed an idea, it has never come about in that scenario. The closest that comes to when we are sitting in one of our houses while one of us watches the TV and the other plays the piano. Then the person watching the TV goes, ‘I like that bit!’ It’s like a verbal jam. Do that bit longer. Yep, that’s it.

Most, if not all of your songs, are upbeat numbers – how do you arrange a setlist?

It’s a bit of a weird one, especially when you’re playing shorter sets, it’s just full on. You do half an hour and it’s non-stop. But we have enough songs now that we’ve got a little bit more of a dynamic. So you just have to bookend it with the biggest ones. Just play the first and the last one really well, nothing else matters!

If there is one venue in the world you want to play, what is it?

Barras. It’s up there. The SSE Hydro. We played the Webster Hall in New York, which was amazing. We didn’t headline, we just supported. If we could go back there and headline then that would be cool. Brixton Academy as well is another one on the list, a bit like one of those iconic places to play.

Surely you’re on your way to the Barrowlands?

Maybe. If not this time then maybe next time.

You put out a lot of remixes of other artist’s songs, was that an influence based on Bastille?

Not really. We produce a lot of music so people ask us to remix. It’s a similar vibe. It’s actually quite a good thing to do. We would never ask Catfish & the Bottlemen to do a Prides remix, but that’s because most bands don’t have a producer. We’ve sort of got an in-built DJ function.

It is impressive that you have sold out certain venues like Liquid Rooms Edinburgh without releasing an album. How do you think you have managed it?

We have just tried to release the best songs we’ve got. At every stage we’ve just tried to put on the best performance. Do everything we can: posting stuff online, be really involved with people, and let people be involved with what we are doing. Just trying as hard as we can.

We’ve played loads of gigs, even before we started Prides. A lot of people come to shows and say, ‘We saw you at this and that’, and it’s like, ‘You’ve seen us this many times already?’ It feels like we haven’t actually played that many gigs in total. People say they’ve been to 22, and it’s like, ‘What the hell?’

Obviously everything has had amazing support from the likes of Radio 1 and XFM, and we’ve had Commonwealth Games and FIFA. So we’ve been really, really lucky with the kind of exposure we have had. So at the moment, we’re just trying to get as much out of it as possible.

Like the Queen of the Celts, Boudica, Nicola Sturgeon rode her chariot into the heart of the establishment in London on Wednesday and told the posh boys in blue suits that their austerity programme wasn’t working.  “It’s morally unjustifiable and economically unsustainable,” she lectured.  The budget deficit, she went on, is not the cause of our problems, it’s a symptom of a badly managed economy.

Her argument is that government debt is rising (by £99bn last year) because the tax-take is low and the welfare bill is increasing. And that’s because more people are being pushed into poverty, with low wages and only part-time work.  Prosperity and social justice (equality) go hand in hand is her argument. And in my view, she’s quite right.

Ms Sturgeon went on to outline her plan for recovery – increase government spending by £180bn over the next five years (an increase of 0.5 per cent) and reverse the cuts in welfare and the public services.  Presumably this would be paid for by the increase in tax revenue that would result, if we follow her Keynesian logic.  

It’s a clever tactic because it puts the SNP to the left of the Labour Party (which supported another £30 bn of austerity cuts in a vote in the Commons last month) and gives the nationalists another lever in any negotiations after the general election in May.   It also rides the wave of anti-austerity protests across Europe which saw the left-wing Syriza Party win power in Greece and has put Podemos in front in the opinion polls in Spain.

As evidence of her willingness to continue spending on public services, Ms Sturgeon went to a school in Dundee earlier in the week to announce £100m over the next four years for schools in deprived areas to help them close the “attainment gap”.   But alas, things did not go so well for her when trade unionists turned up outside local council budget-setting meetings on Thursday to protest against council cuts.  They argued that the council tax freeze, which the SNP government has imposed since 2007, is making the Westminster government’s austerity cuts even worse.

It’s also, they said, against the SNP’s promise of more autonomy for local councils.  This tied in fortuitously with a Labour Party announcement on Monday that it wants “devo-max” for Scotland’s cities.  The party leader Jim Murphy said: “I want to turn our twin cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow into the economic powerhouse they should be, an economic hub to rival London.” It’s a large ambition and a plan that has been tried before. But this time Labour is talking about devolving a part of income tax and allowing councils to raise other taxes, such as a tourist charge or a congestion charge.  

Scotland lags behind many countries in Europe when it comes to local autonomy. Personally, I’d like to see local councils take charge of the health service, colleges and universities, fire and police, water, pollution control etc. And I’d like to see more independent councils in our larger towns and islands.  Simply because I think local people would do a better job.

There might, for instance, be an end to the high-salary/bonus culture which we learnt this week still very much exists in the national quangos and the larger councils.   A “Scotsman” newspaper investigation found that Glasgow University, for example, paid out £148,000  in bonuses last year,  NHS Tayside paid out £3.7m,  Edinburgh council £1.7m,  and even Audit Scotland, which is supposed to be keeping an eye on extravagant spending, paid out £133,000 in bonuses.

But if you want to get away from all this materialist comfort, you can apply to the latest Shackleton expedition. In the words of the original 1915 newspaper advertisement it promises “a hazardous journey, small wages, bitter cold….but honour in the case of success.” 

Polar explorer Charlie Paton, from Aberdeen, is inviting applications from members of the public to be part of his team to complete Ernest Shackleton’s attempt to cross the Antarctic from coast to coast, via the South Pole, starting in September this year.  The final team member, he says, could be a man or woman. But he or she must be able to tow a sledge weighing 100kg for a hundred days in temperatures as low as minus 60C and also have compassion and a sense of humour, virtues we might need as we watch the politicians pull their sledges of election offers towards that other Poll on May 7th.

Photo courtesy of The Scottish Parliament.

Snowdrop and Early Spring Walk: join a Garden Guide on a walk to discover the Garden’s wonderful collection of specialist snowdrops. You can also see other early flowering plants that herald the onset of spring. For ages 14+. 11am-12.30pm, John Hope Gateway Reception, Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, Inverleith Row. Also at same time on Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th February. £5 per person, no advance booking required.

Creative Release: a multi-media exhibition of new works by SmART CRAFT from WHALE Arts Agency. Open preview 6-8pm tonight, then 11am-5pm Tuesday to Saturday, Gallery On The Corner, Northumberland Street. Until 28th February 2015.

Easel Sketching in the Gallery: led by artist Damian Callan, with a different subject every month and sometimes a model. All materials supplied. 2-4pm, Main Gallery Floor, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free and unticketed.

Mr Wuffles Crafty Friday: part of Mr Wuffles Week with Corstorphine Primary School. 2.30pm, Corstorphine Library, 12 Kirk Loan. Free and open to all.

Storytime: for ages 4+. 2pm, Blackhall Library, 56 Hillhouse Road. Free but please book on 0131 529 5595 or by calling in to the library in advance.

Son et Lumiere: enjoy two hours of sound and silence, light and darkness. Space and time to sit, to wander, to think, to be. 6-8pm, St Giles’ Cathedral, High Street. £3 on the door.

2015 Iranian Film Festival: a season of classic and contemporary films from Iran, including a number of Scottish premieres, shown as part of the Edinburgh Iranian Festival. Today: Kami’s Party (15) 6.10pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets can be booked online here or by calling the box office on 0131 228 2688. Prices vary: there are deals for purchasing multiple tickets for this season. The 2015 Iranian Film Festival is curated by Dr Nacim Pak-Shiraz and sponsored by The Sutton Gallery, Arts & Business Scotland, the School of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies of the University of Edinburgh, and the Filmhouse.

Karlheinz Stockhausen: Hymnen Electronic Music. Stockhausen’s 1967 4-channel tape piece uses many different national anthems as base material with all manner of electronic transformations, re-interpretations and manipulations to create an epic and intense two-hour electronic and concrete work. With sound projection by Sean Williams. 7.15pm, Playfair Library, Old College, University of Edinburgh, South Bridge. (There will be a pre-concert talk at 7.15pm.) Free but booking required via eventbrite. Supported by the Leverhulme Trust.

Edinburgh Iranian Festival: Persian Music – Lecture, Performance and Workshop. Dr Parmis Mozafari is a research fellow at the Institute for Iranian Studies, University of St Andrews; she is a Santur player who has taught music in Iran and ethnomusicology and Persian music in the UK. Today she will give a historical overview of female musicians and dancers in Iran, followed by a short performance on Santur and an introductory workshop on traditional Iranian instruments, including an opportunity for participants to get hands-on experience. There will also be a drinks reception courtesy of The Sutton Gallery. 8-9pm, The Sutton Gallery, 18a Dundas Street. Free admission.

Poussin’s Seven Sacraments of the Catholic Church: Poussin’s Seven Sacraments of the Catholic Church is a group of complex paintings displayed as a self-sufficient installation within the Scottish National Gallery, and undoubtedly represents one of the outstanding masterpieces on show. Many viewers, however, find them austere, even somewhat forbidding, images. Art historian Andrew Paterson will give an introduction to the erudite but passionate world of Poussin’s art. 12.45-1.30pm, Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free: no booking required.

Lunchtime Concert: Kist of Musick – the 2015 Reid Memorial Concert. Hector Scott (violin) Alastair Hardie (violin) Tim Paxton (cello) and James Hardie (harpsichord) play 18th century Scottish instrumental music, including works by General Reid, James Oswald and the Earl of Kelly. 1.10pm, Reid Concert Hall, University of Edinburgh, Bristo Square. Free and unticketed.

Pancake Weekend at Joseph Pearce’s! Stacks of them every day for three days, with more toppings than you can shake your golden syrup at! Children welcome every day till 5pm, Joseph Pearce’s, 23 Elm Row. For more information and to book a table, call 0131 556 4140.

Greenpeace Edinburgh – Make Love Not War! Go totally hippy and embrace the Greenpeace message at a 70s Disco for Valentine’s Day. Get your funky thread on – Greenpeace will paint your face with rainbows, flowers and hearts so that you can strut your funky moves with the polar bear. 8pm, The Counting House, West Nicolson Street. £5 per person on the door or in advance from eventbrite.

LGBT History Month: Dive Presents Broken: a Valentine’s ball complete with caged bar, visual art, performance, blood artistry and burlesque. Strictly for over 18s only: includes strobes, nudity and body art. ‘It’ll break your heart to miss it’. 9pm-3am, Small Animal Hospital, Summerhall, 1 Summerhall. Tickets cost £12/£10 and can be booked online here or by calling the box office on 0131 560 1581. For more about LGBT History Month read The Edinburgh Reporter’s article here.

Satellites Programme: Georgia Horgan. An exhibition developed from a research programme about the proliferation of the textile industry in Scotland and how this affected patterns of witch-hunting in the 17th century. The exhibition takes the form of a workroom containing writing, images and artefacts; the space will be used to house a series of events and screenings discussing how women, the body and labour are implicated in contemporary capitalism. Preview tonight 6-8pm, then 10am-4pm Tuesday to Sunday, Collective Gallery, 38 Calton Hill. Closes 19th April 2015.

Kalopsia and BeFab Be Creative present Printed & Co: a showcase exhibition evoking questions, answers, thoughts and discussions on the place of material within our history and even more importantly within our culture, and how we value its worth. Preview 6pm tonight, then 10am-6pm Monday to Saturday, 11am-5pm Sundays, Kalopsia, Ocean Terminal, Ocean Drive. Kalopsia is a creative agency and textiles collective, now operating as a social enterprise.

Holocaust Memorial Day Concert: Artisan Trio plays Messiaen Quartet for the End of Time. Featuring Jean Johnson (clarinet), Aisling O’Dea (violin), Clea Friend (cello) and Ed Cohen (piano). 6-7pm, Sanctuary, St Andrew’s & St George’s West Church, 13 George St. Free: donations welcome.

Portobello Open Door Silent Movie Weekend: tonight The Black Pirate with Douglas Fairbanks, tomorrow One Week and Seven Chances with Buster Keaton. The films will be accompanied by music from The Jane Gardner Trio. 7.30pm, The Wash House Community Centre, 3 Adelphi Grove. £6/£4: tickets are available from Popeye’s Sandwich Bar, 132 Portobello High Street, and advance booking is recommended. You are welcome to bring food and drink, and children can bring bean bags, but please note all under-12s must be accompanied by an adult.

Police are appealing for witnesses following an assault and robbery which happened at around 1.05pm today at the Restalrig Village Store on Restalrig Road South when two suspects entered the shop and demanded the elderly shopkeeper hand over the till. When he refused to do so, the suspects assaulted him and made off with a quantity of scratch cards. The shopkeeper was conveyed to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary to be treated for his injuries.

The first suspect is described as white, late teens, 5ft 10in tall, slim build and wearing a woollen hat, multi toned black, grey and brown gilet and dark bottoms.

The second suspect is described as white, in his late teens, 5ft 6in tall, slim build and wearing a dark blue hooded top with Hollister California written across chest, dark blue beanie hat and dark coloured Fred Perry bottoms.

DS Robbie Wallace said: “This assault and robbery left the elderly victim with a head injury which required hospital treatment. We are urgently seeking anyone who was in the area of Restalrig Road South at around 1pm this afternoon, or who recognises the description of the suspect to get in touch with police on 101.”

Police in Edinburgh have arrested a 39-year-old man in connection with two armed robberies in the Ferry Road area.

Both incidents occurred in Ferry Road, Edinburgh.  The first incident took place at a BP Garage on Sunday, January 18, while the second incident was at Scotbet on Tuesday, January 27.

He was arrested at Levenmouth Police Station last night (Wednesday, February 11) and is now in custody in Edinburgh.  He will appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court tomorrow.

Detective Constable Mark Seymour said “ The culprit was identified after we received information following the release of CCTV stills in the media. I would like to thank the public for their assistance with this.”

The Hibernian Historical Trust are holding Football Memories meetings inside Easter Road Stadium between 11 am and noon on the first Monday of each month and supporters of all clubs are made more than welcome.

The meetings allow people with dementia and other memory problems to enjoy talking football and looking back at old photographs and memorabilia.

Anyone wishing to attend should have the capability of making their own way to Easter Road Stadium either on their own or accompanied by friends or family who will also be made welcome.

The Hibernian Historical Trust is a supporter led initiative entirely independent from the football club. To find out more about this programme please contact Tom Wright on curator@hibernianhistoricaltrust,org.uk or phone 0131 656 7061

The meetings which are run by volunteers, are very informal and take place in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. Split into smaller groups, there is usually just a general discussion of the old days (not always football) with the help of photographs, items of memorabilia and occasionally short DVD’s of games.

Those attending can either join in the chat or just sir back and listen, there is absolutely no pressure exerted. Everyone appears to look forward to the meetings which often run over the allotted hour, and many of the participants have since become good friends.

All welcome. Tea coffee and biscuits will be supplied.

There is no charge.

( Meet at the main reception West Stand)

Scottish Charity No SC 035683

The Hibernian Community Foundation staged a successful Open Day last weekend to kick-off an exciting new project designed to engage with deaf youngsters, who love football.

An encouraging turn-out – 24 boys and girls aged from Primary 1 to Secondary 2 – attended the inaugural event, which took place at the Training Centre in East Lothian.

The youngsters were then given a tour of the Training Centre and enjoyed a fun football coaching session.

This launched the Hibernian Community Foundation’s innovative plans to carry out an upcoming programme, the play to learn approach, and how the Foundation hopes to develop a pathway of support for young people who are deaf, including regular weekly sessions.

Overall the programme is designed to give deaf youngsters an opportunity to build on their football and interpersonal skills and to make new friends.

If you are interested in getting your child involved then please contact the Hibernian Community Foundation:

Email gmilne@hiberniancommunityfoundation.org.uk

Hibs’ Head Coach Alan Stubbs will have a selection problem for tomorrow’s game against Rangers at Ibrox as only Farid El Alagui is unavailable.

Stubbs told Hibernian TV: “Everybody is fit, which is great news. We only have one out and that is the long-term injury to Farid (El Alagui) and he is doing really well.

“Over the last week, he has really stepped up his rehab work, which is great for Farid and it has given him a lot of confidence.

“So apart from that everybody is fighting fit and it’s probably the first time this season we’ve had a clean bill of health.

“There are a lot of boosts – Keith (Watson) and Martin (Boyle) come back into the squad and Dominique (Malonga) is now available for selection too.

“So they are three quality players added to last week’s squad – that’s great news from everyone’s point of view. The competition for places at this moment in time is very fierce.”

“We’re always purely focusing on ourselves. If you look at our head-to-heads against Rangers then that should fill us with a lot of confidence.

“But this will be a completely different game and, while our previous results certainly won’t do us any harm, we can’t get too distracted by them because we are preparing for an extremely difficult game.”

Michael McGoldrick, John McCusker and John Doyle three members of the BBC acclaimed Transatlantic Sessions will play the Queen’s Hall on Thursday 12 March as part of a unique European tour. With both Mike McGoldrick and John McCusker also having toured for the past year with Mark Knopfler, this is a rare chance to see three of the world’s finest musicians share a stage together.

Master of flutes, whistles and Uillean pipes Mike is a founding member of Flook , and Lunasa and is  a current member of Capercaillie. Regarded as one of the greatest flute players of all time, Mike has toured Bob Dylan and  Mark Knopfler, as well as with The Afro Celts, RTE Orchestra and Kate Rusby . He has  collaborated with the likes of Jim Kerr, Youssou N’Dour, John Cale and Zakir Hussian amongst many others. BBC Radio 2 folk Musican of the year  2006, he was again nominated this year and has just completed his first soundtrack for TG4 and the Smithsonian channel.

John McCusker’s unique fiddle playing has earned him a worldwide reputation as one of the most gifted and versatile musicians of any genre. John was also part of the legendary band that toured with both Bob Dyland and mark Knopfler.  Joining the Battlefield band at just 17 John spent 11 years touring the world with the now legendary folk outfit. Renowned for his skill at transcending musical boundaries he has worked with artists ranging from Paulo Nutini and Jools Holland to Steve Earle and Rosanne Cash and has recorded with Paul Weller and Ocean Colour Scene to name but a few. John’s expanding portfolio as a producer includes debut albums by Kris Drever and Idlewild’s Roddy Woomble. He’s also manned the controls for top folk chanteuses Eddi Reader, Heidi Talbot, Eliza Carthy, Linda Thompson & Kate Rusby. In 2013 John performed as a soloist with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra at Proms in the Park, playing his own compositions live on BBC TV. 2015 will see John Celebrate 25 years as a professional musician, publishing a book of his compositions, releasing a new solo record & embarking on an extensive UK & European tour.

John Doyle’s gifts as guitarist, songwriter and vocalist have played an essential role in the ongoing renaissance of Irish traditional music. Now living in the states, John was the recent musical director for Joan Baez and toured with her for 2 year. One half of the stellar duo Liz Carroll and John Doyle, he is also a founding member of the internationally acclaimed Irish group Solas.

TRIO TOUR FEB-MAR 2015 

February

8th – Canterbury – Gulbenkian Theatre www.thegulbenkian.co.uk

9th – North Boarhunt -Forest Folk Club http://www.focsle.org.uk/SCoFF/forestfolk/

10th – Fyfield – The Garrett Sessions http://www.thequeensheadfyfield.co.uk/The-Garret-Sessions

11th – Manchester- Mark Radcliffe Session/Radio

12th – London – Kings Place www.kingsplace.co.uk

16th – Aberdeen – The Lemon Tree www.aberdeenperformingarts.com

17th – Inverness – Eden Court www.eden-court.co.uk

18th – Birnam – Arts Centre www.birnamarts.com

19th – Peebles – Eastgate Arts Centre www.eastgatearts.com

20th – Bury – The Met www.themet.biz

21st – Saltaire – Victoria Hall www.saltairelive.co.uk

24th – Durham – The Witham Hall www.thewitham.org.uk

25th – Findhorn – Universal Hall www.findhorn.org/universal-hall/

26th – Stirling – The Tolbooth www.tolbooth.stirling.gov.uk

27th – Paisley – Arts Centre www.boxoffice.renfrewshire.gov.uk

28th – Kendal – Brewery Arts Centre www.breweryarts.co.uk

March

1st – Birmingam – Mac  www.macbirmingham.co.uk

2nd – Nettlebed – Village Club  www.nettlebedfolkclub.co.uk

3rd – Cambridge – The Junction www.junction.co.uk

4th – York – NCEM www.ncem.co.uk

5th – Basingstoke – The Haymarket www.anvilarts.org.uk

6th – St Helens – Citadel www.citadel.org.uk

7th + 8th – Belfast – Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich http://www.culturlann.ie/

9th – Colchester – Arts Centre  www.colchesterartscentre.com

10th – Worcester – Huntingdon Hall

www.worcesterlive.co.uk/huntingdon-hall.asp

11th – Nottingham – Lakeside Arts Centre www.lakesidearts.org.uk

12th – Edinburgh – The Queen’s Hall www.thequeenshall.net

13th – Glasgow – St Andrew’s in the Square www.standrewsinthesquare.com

Cafe Voices: Journey Through Love. At the Centre’s monthly storytelling session Wendy Woolfson leads  a journey through the stages of love, inviting the audience to feel  their own connections, and share in the familiar feelings that love can evoke. Including traditional tales alongside true stories and songs, this promises to be an entertaining, thought-provoking and uplifting evening. The evening will be split into two halves with an open-floor section for storytellers to tell their own tales in the second half, all in the relaxed setting of the Storytelling Court. 7pm, Scottish Storytelling Centre, High Street. Tickets cost £5 and can be purchased online here or by calling the Box Office on 0131 556 9579.

Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop Artists’ Talk: Jean Philippe Dordolo and Kadie Salmon. Two Sculpture Workshop Micro Residents discuss their practices and the work they have been developing over the course of their residency. 6-8pm, Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop, 21 Hawthornvale. Admission is free.

Edinburgh College of Art Thursday Research Seminar Series: Shadows of Herself: Lee Miller’s Collage. Chaired by Dr Patricia Allmer (ECA). 5.15pm, Lecture Room 1, Minto House, University of Edinburgh, Chambers Street. Free and open to all.

The Thursday Club: A Musical Afternoon with George Ross and friends. 2pm, Upper Hall, Mayfield Salisbury Church, West Mayfield. All very welcome: contact Florence Smith on 0131 663 1234 for more information.

Easel Sketching in the Gallery: led by artist Damian Callan, with a different subject every month and sometimes a model. All materials supplied. 2-4pm, Main Gallery Floor, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free: no booking required. Also at same times on Friday 13th February 2015.

2015 Iranian Film Festival: a season of classic and contemporary films from Iran, including a number of Scottish premieres, shown as part of the Edinburgh Iranian Festival. Today: The Prince (15) 6.10pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets can be booked online here or by calling the box office on 0131 228 2688. Prices vary: there are deals for purchasing multiple tickets for this season. This screening will be followed by a Q & A session with the director. The 2015 Iranian Film Festival is curated by Dr Nacim Pak-Shiraz and sponsored by The Sutton Gallery, Arts & Business Scotland, The School of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies of the University of Edinburgh, and the Filmhouse.

Ecumenical Friends at St Cuthbert’s: Simon Barrow – Ekklesia: Christian Political Think-Tank. 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.

LGBT History Month: Out There Anthology. Writers Zoe Strachan, Roy Gill  and Janette Ayachi present readings from Out There: An Anthology of Scottish LGBT Writing, which includes contributions from Scotland’s leading and emerging LGBT writers. 6pm, Waterstones West End, 128 Princes Street: free tickets are available from the shop. Please contact the store or www.lgbthistory.org.uk for more details. For more about  LGBT History Month, read The Edinburgh Reporter’s article here.

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.

Portrait Gallery Curator’s Talk: Beauty By Design. A chance to chat to Gallery curators about the current exhibitions: this month Tricia Allerston, Deputy Director of the Scottish National Gallery, talks about Beauty By Design. 5.30-6pm, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street. Free and unticketed.

The Drawing Room: informal, artist-led drawing sessions, each developed by a contemporary artist and reflecting concerns within that artist’s work. All materials supplied, no experience necessary. Please note: this month’s session takes place at Modern TWO in the Two Roberts exhibition. 5.30-6.45pm, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art TWO, Belford Road. Free but booking is required: please contact the Education Department on 0131 624 6410 or email education@nationalgalleries.org.

Getting Started at the National Library: learn how to register as a reader (please bring ID if you wish to register after the workshop), find your way around the Library, request materials and find out about other services. The workshop includes a short tour of the Reading Room and will last about 90 minutes. 2.30pm, National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge. Booking essential, either online here or by calling 0131 623 3734. The next workshop will be held at 6pm on 11th March 2015.

The Jonathan Mills Lectures: Curating in Time. In this age of information and the internet, does the idea of curating become fixed on objects, or in space, or time? Jonathan Mills, composer, festival director and Visiting Professor at the University of Edinburgh, proposes that we consider the temporal as well as the spatial – the musical as well as the visual – potential of the acts of keeping, preserving, archiving, curating. 5pm, Hunter Lecture Theatre, Hunter Building, Edinburgh College of Art, Lauriston Place. This is the second in a series of lectures: the next one Ethereal Eye – a musical meditation for an unbuilt city will take place on 19th February 2015.

Reid School of Music Research Seminar Series: Hitchcock, Psycho and the Aesthetic of ‘absolute music’. Chaired by Professor John Butt (University of Glasgow). 5.15pm, Lecture Room A, Alison House, University of Edinburgh, 12 Nicolson Square.

eBook Surgery: find out how to borrow eBooks, emagazines and audiobooks for free. 2-5pm, Leith Library, 28-30 Ferry Road. Please contact the library for more details and to book a 30 minute appointment.

Budget meeting

Volunteering in the city

The Slab Boys are coming!

The Big Dinner

The Big Screen at Boda Bar

Today is a big day at the City Chambers when the council will meet to discuss and approve the new budget for the coming financial year.

Some believe that cuts will be made to Edinburgh Leisure, although it is certainly not in the plans published by the coalition. You can read our article on the coalition plans here.

The council have a plan to reorganise the council in such a way that further savings will be made and they have assured anyone who would listen that frontline services will be protected.

So what will happen today? You can follow the proceedings here live.

***

Today you could do something good for your community by volunteering in the city. Don’t know where to start? Then begin here with the Volunteer in Edinburgh website.

There are many opportunities with a diverse range of organisations.

***

In the technicolour confines of the slab room of A. F. Stobo & Co. Carpet Factory in Paisley, young boys have to grow up fast.

And from 10 to 14 March it will be performed at the King’s Theatre under the dome designed by the author of the play, the multi-talented John Byrne.

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

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Police are appealing for assistance in tracing a teenager from Edinburgh.

Emma Mooney, who is 15-years-old, was last seen in Moredun area of the city on Thursday 5th February, at around 12:30pm.

Police are concerned for her welfare and appealing for anyone who may have information as to her whereabouts.

Emma is described as white, 5ft 4in tall and shoulder length dark hair. She was last seen wearing light blue skinny jeans, Nike Air Max blue, white and grey trainers, and a dark coloured body warmer with a fur hood.

She is also known to have links with the Fife area.

Sergeant Scott MacArthur from Police Scotland said: “We are increasingly concerned for the whereabouts of Emma and would encourage anyone who has any information or who may have seen her to get in touch with police immediately.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101 or the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Cullen Property met with queues of students at the first of their 100 city flat viewings

Students from around Edinburgh gathered outside the first of Cullen Property’s flat viewings this morning, with hopeful tenants queuing up the street. This was the first of 100 flat viewings that Cullen Property will be doing until Friday 20 February.

Cullen Property representatives were on hand to meet with the excited students this morning and show them around the property, before the prospective tenants made a dash to the finish line in order to beat everyone else back to the Cullen Property office and secure their perfect flat. In today’s competitive market for quality student properties, students are becoming even more creative in order to stand out and bag their property of choice.

Due to an increasing demand for student properties in the city, Edinburgh student property management and lettings specialist Cullen Property have listed the flats they have available for rent this summer on their website. The viewings will be taken place at properties in the Marchmont, Bruntsfield and Newington areas.

Steve Coyle, Operations Director at Cullen Property, says: “We had a fantastic turnout at our first viewing this morning and we look forward to the next week ahead. The students that turn up to our viewings are always very creative and we are interested in seeing the ideas they come up with in order to secure their flat. Previously, we’ve had semi-professional cyclists outside the property during the viewing waiting for the ‘go’ sign out of the window from their prospective housemate, before pedalling back to our office.

“By listing our properties and viewing dates on our website, students don’t have to contact us and arrange appointments. It makes the process easier for them if they can just turn up on the day and time stated. We always get great feedback from students who come to our viewings and we expect to let all 100 properties within three to four weeks.

Submitted by Stacey Dent

Police Scotland has today welcomed the jail sentence given to a 29-year-old man who subjected a woman to violent acts of domestic abuse.

At the High Court in Glasgow, Tayyab Ahmad was sentenced to 5 years after being found guilty of domestic abuse offences, including Wilful Fire raising, which occurred in the Oxgangs area of Edinburgh.

Detective Inspector Dougie Moran from Edinburgh Domestic Abuse Investigation Unit said: “This was an extremely dangerous and reckless act, which caused great distress to the victim.

“Tackling domestic abuse robustly is a key priority for Police Scotland. The sentence handed out to Tayyab Ahmad today reflects the commitment of the Domestic Abuse Investigation Unit, Police Scotland and the Crown Office in removing violent domestic offenders from our communities”.

“I would like to reassure the public that we treat all reports of domestic abuse with the utmost seriousness and professionalism and would urge victims of these offences to report their abuse to the police”.

Edinburgh residents want to persuade the Council that this year’s budget will have a bad effect on services and job. There will be a lobby of the Council outside the City Chambers from 8.30 am until 9.45am on Thursday 12 February followed by deputations to explain the damage the £22m of planned cuts will cause.

‘We are afraid the Council proposals could mean rapidly increasing poverty and inequality in Edinburgh,’, says one Northfield resident. ‘In 2012 our Council, the Coalition of the Labour Party and Scottish National Party, promised it would work to reduce poverty, inequality and deprivation and improve amenities and services. However the proposed changes could mean elderly and disabled people being forced to pay more for care and housing support for homeless people could be cut by 15%.

The cuts that are being made are not inevitable. This is a deliberate policy choice. We want our councillors to keep the pledge they made to us when they took office. This means finding alternatives to food banks and poverty. It’s important that Edinburgh is a city which cares for all of its residents and workers and a place that provides high quality care for those who need it. Our representatives have the power to stop the trend towards a two-tier city. We want them to use it.’

The council’s Communities and Neighbourhoods committee agreed on Tuesday to approve the final tranche of the sum of £50,000 set aside for local news pilot schemes to a third project.

Although the initial sum was to provide funding for news projects in North Edinburgh, Craigmillar and in Gorgie/Dalry the balance of £12,000 has now been given to the Digital Sentinel which reports news in Wester Hailes and the surrounding areas. This fits with the original plan which was to engender some news reporting in deprived areas of the capital. The news pilot for Gorgie/Dalry did not ever get underway.

North Edinburgh News has already had up to £25,000 of funding awarded to it, although it is not yet clear how much of that has been paid over as there are as yet no detailed accounts.  The Chronicle project centred around the Craigmillar area has been allocated up to £12,000 of support and now the Digital Sentinel which is already up and running has been given the balance of the £50,000 set aside. (Yes we know there is an underspend of £1,000 but these are approximate figures as we heard at the committee!)

The evaluation report on the three pilots is due in May 2015 in time for the next committee meeting and Councillor Paul Edie had lodged an amendment requesting that no more funds were paid over until the evaluation was carried out. He claimed it would be difficult to assess how the Digital Sentinel used the money: “How can we do an evaluation when the ink is hardly dry on the cheque?”

He received some support in his view from Conservative Councillor Allan Jackson who questioned what could be learned in the short time before the report is due in six weeks’ time, but their amendment was defeated and the committee agreed to deliver the funding by 9 votes to 2.

The Digital Sentinel is the online version of The Sentinel newspaper which became the West Edinburgh Times latterly and which then closed due to lack of funds. The media project was launched hand in hand with the Our Place in Time suite of projects which included the digital totem pole which now exists on the canal bank in Wester Hailes.  The website has published over 500 articles in the period since October 2013 to date and has a social media presence on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

The Digital Sentinel has already had funding of £10,000 from Carnegie UK Trust as part of its Neighbourhood News project and the final report on the findings can be read below. It was a one year information gathering project and the funding came to an end last year.As well as its online presence paper copies of some articles are printed and displayed outside WHALE Arts Centre and in Wester Hailes Library.

Councillor Nigel Bagshaw requested that details of what the money will be spent on is made clear and Councillor Karen Keil asked if there could be an audit of what is happening around the city after the pilots are complete. She said she would find that very helpful.

The Convener, Councillor Maureen Child, commented that the idea behind the council’s Contact in the Community project was to look for sustainable ways of replacing the council’s own newspaper Outlook. She asserted that key aspects of the pilots are employability and training, that the North Edinburgh News has offered some local training and that the Digital Sentinel will enter into an arrangement with the Wester Hailes Education Centre whereby their pupils will be trained to become reporters.

Councillor Child continued that she would like to include in the evaluation some input from other publications such as The Broughton Spurtle and Greener Leith although neither of these hyperlocal sites are  officially part of the pilot scheme. The Edinburgh Reporter understands that the collaboration between The Spurtle and Greener Leith to develop an app to encourage local shopping which got funding of almost £50,000 from the UK innovation foundation, NESTA, in its Destination Local project came to naught and most of the money was returned to NESTA.

The convener also confirmed in one line that the apparent investigation into the North Edinburgh News project had been concluded. This arose following the claims by some councillors that the way the money was being used to fund a paper rather than a digital version was not in line with the project’s guidelines.

Councillor Lunn who is Vice-Convener of the committee said he especially likes getting the daily email update from the Digital Sentinel and feels this is a project which is leading the way on training. The Sentinel employs one trainee reporter who is funded by an SCVO graduate scheme.

Councillor David Walker suggested that the money being granted now was in recognition of past work and was hopeful the good work would continue in future.

There are already many investigations into local or hyperlocal journalism. One of the most recent was the BBC conference in Salford last year entitled The Revival of Local Journalism when The Edinburgh Reporter was asked to deliver a presentation on the work we do here in Edinburgh. The nature of the conference was to find new ways for the BBC to assist local partners in delivering news. That work is ongoing and the Future of News report was published at the end of January.

In response to the report’s claims that ‘one of the biggest market failures in news in the last decade is local news’, the Chief Executive of Johnston Press, Ashley Highfield fired a warning shot across the BBC’s fairly broad bows.

Highfield, previously of the BBC, told the news broadcaster very firmly to get their tanks off his lawn, and leave local news to local newspapers. He also claimed that the best thing the BBC could do was give away its ‘bucket of content’ for free to local news outlets. Johnston Press owns The Scotsman and The Edinburgh Evening News which have just moved to a more streamlined editorial model and both papers now share the same 6:00am print deadline in an effort to shave the £360m debt which Johnston Press had when Highfield took over as boss. The full text of his letter is here.

Daniel Radcliffe investigated the hyperlocal journalism movement across the UK in 2012 when The Edinburgh Reporter was given a mention in his Here and Now UK Hyperlocal Journalism Today report prepared for NESTA. Radcliffe concluded that although there was a growth of the hyperlocal at least south of the border, there was little evidence of sustainability largely because of the individual nature of the sites. He claimed there is no one size fits all.

Since then NESTA has produced two further reports on its Destination Local funding the latest of which you can read here. This report suggest that local authorities should engage with hyperlocal news websites more fully as it is a cost effective way of reaching some citizens.

Hyperlocal Scotland is an organisation set up by Mike Rawlins of Talk About Local and Phyllis Stephen of The Edinburgh Reporter to try and assess the true spread of hyperlocal sites in Scotland and find ways of developing those in the future.

The Edinburgh Reporter is also a hyperlocal news website, and our model is one based on advertising and sponsorship, although in common with many other sites mentioned in the Destination Local report we still find it difficult to prove the worth of online advertising to some who prefer to see their advertising in print. Some other sites have produced their news on paper to overcome that barrier. 

If you would like to advertise with us or make a small regular donation then of course we would very much appreciate it. See the foot of the site for ways of making donations. 

Please read our advertising information here. If you are a charity then all prices are discounted by 50%.

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Utility company Scottish Water has pledged to commit extra resources to helping improve the condition of Edinburgh’s roads and streets.

Following discussions with the City of Edinburgh Council, the water and sewerage company has allocated additional manpower to properly reinstate apparatus, such as manhole covers, between now and the end of March.

Work will be carefully planned to minimise disruption to traffic and pedestrians in liaison with neighbourhood staff to limit disturbance to residents and target priority areas.

The programme of work will address more than 75% of the city’s 901 items of defective manholes and other similar access covers, as well as repairing 172 defective repairs – 40% of Edinburgh’s total defects for utilities.

The Council recently employed additional staff to carry out inspections of all repairs carried out by utility companies and also plans the relaunch of the Edinburgh Roadworks Ahead Agreement (ERWAA), which will involve a working agreement between the Council and the main public utilities companies to minimise disruption resulting from road and pavement works, ensuring a high quality of reinstatements.

Councillor Lesley Hinds, Transport and Environment Convener, welcomed the move. She said: “As a capital city, it is essential that our roads and pavements are safe and accessible for all those who live in and pass through Edinburgh each day.

“Our work with utility companies aims to balance their needs with those who live and work in the city, ensuring roadworks are carried out to the highest standard, with minimum disruption. That’s why it’s very encouraging to see that Scottish Water have committed to this programme of work, which will result in a vast improvement to the quality of Edinburgh’s roads.

“We will continue to collaborate with Scottish Water and the public to guarantee improvements are made to the highest quality and with minimum disruption.”

Mark McEwen, Scottish Water’s Customer Service General Manager, said: “Because of the nature of our work as a unique, multi-service utility, we operate a significant network of pipes, sewers and water mains under Edinburgh’s streets. This often requires us to carry out work to ensure our infrastructure is in the best possible condition. In doing so, we can ensure our customers in the city receive the best possible service.

“There are sometimes occasions when manhole covers can loosen or the road surface can require attention following completion of maintenance work.

“We have been working very hard to bring down the number of these repairs as they occur, and are determined to maintain the pace of improvement. We have been working very constructively with the city council on this and are pleased to commit some additional resources to carry out work in the coming weeks.

“A report published in 2014 on road reinstatements showed Scottish Water had the second highest compliance rate of 12 companies assessed by the Road Authorities and Utilities Committee (Scotland). We achieved a 92% compliance rate across Scotland – above the average rate of 83%.”

The Council reports on public utility performance every three months. Read the latest report on the Council website.

The Hibernian Supporters Association is backing the club’s share issue.

The announcement was made by HSA following a meeting of their affiliated branches, at which the Association’s rank and file membership and branch leadership expressed their backing for the Board’s plan to widen ownership by offering supporters the opportunity to buy up to 51% of the shares in the Club.

The HSA statement said: “The Chairman and General Secretary of The Hibernian Supporters Association (HSA) are happy to announce that following a meeting with affiliated branches, HSA are supporting the share issue launched by Hibernian Football Club.”

There are two basic propositions – buying and owning shares directly from the Club via the share issue, or being part of a collective ownership through Hibernian Supporters Limited.

For those wishing to buy directly from the Club, there are two ways supporters can participate:

Existing shareholders: The Club has 1700 shareholders, and it is open to them to buy more shares. The Club has issued an Information Memorandum to existing shareholders, explaining how they could subscribe for shares as of February 2nd. This process is not governed by the same level of regulation which applies to non-shareholders.

Supporters on the Club database who wish to buy and own shares direct: Letters have been sent from Chairman Rod Petrie to supporters on the Club’s database who have purchased match tickets within recent years.

The letter explains that The Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 and related legislation provide protection for people buying shares in the Club which fall into the category of “non-readily realisable securities”. People in this group who wish to buy shares directly, and so own a Hibernian FC share certificate, need to go through a rigorous process to comply with the legislation, and that process – involving confirming your desire to be a Potential Applicant for shares and also consulting an Independent Financial Adviser – is detailed in the letter they received, which also included forms that need to be filled in and returned to the Club.

For supporters who do not wish to, or qualify for, the opportunity to buy and own shares directly, or who believe in a collective ownership model, Hibernian Supporters Ltd was launched, with a Board of seven directors chaired by Kenny MacAskill MSP. The Board also includes former Club captain Jackie McNamara, Proclaimer Charlie Reid, and other founding directors including supporters Jim Adie and Gordon Smith along with former Club Director Stephen Dunn and Club Chief Executive Leeann Dempster.

Hibernian Supporters Limited is a simple alternative to holding shares directly

Any Hibernian supporter anywhere can participate through HSL, which is a company limited by guarantee with the sole objective and aim of buying and holding shares in Hibernian FC for the benefit of supporters. Any person can sign up to donate (the minimum suggested donation is £225 or £18.75 per month) to the company and this money will be used to acquire shares in Hibernian. Supporters who make contributions will not own shares directly but will own Hibernian Supporters Limited, which in turn will own the shares in the Club.

Every person who donates the minimum amount will become a member of HSL, and each member will have one vote on issues affecting HSL, including the make-up of its Board. HSL has a binding legal agreement with the Club to guarantee the transfer of shares on the receipt of funds.

Supporters who contribute through HSL will not own receive a share certificate, as they will not own shares themselves, but they will receive the equivalent membership certificate acknowledging the part they have played in securing supporter ownership of the Club.

It’s been a fantastic few days for Hibs’ teenager Lewis Allan. Earlier this week the youngster from Earlston in the Borders signed an extension to his contract then last night he scored a memorable hat-trick during Hibernian Development squad’s 3-2 win over Inverness Caledonian Thistle at Ainslie Park.

Goals in the 15th, 46th and 75th minutes secured the victory and afterwards he was praised by Hibs’ Under-20 Development Coach Joe McBride who told the club website:  “It’s a nice way for Lewis to celebrate his new contract with a hat-trick, but I said to him, and people might think I am being harsh, there was a few more goals there for him today.

“Fair play to him, he got three, but there was a few opportunities, especially in the first half, where I think he could have been hungrier in the box. If he had done that he might have got himself five or six goals today.”

“I thought we done okay. It was probably our poorest performance in the last three games and have won, but haven’t won our previous two.

“Performance wise it’s not so good, but it’s nice for them to get a victory. For me, I take pleasure in good performances.

“The lads obviously have a winning mentality because they are out on the pitch. I take a bit more pleasure when they have performed well and are able to give the manager a headache.”

Hibernian under-20s: Kleton Perntreou, Aaron Dunsmore, Callum Crane, Jordan McGregor, Jordon Forster (Ben Stirling, 60), Aaron Scott, Scott Martin, Taylor Hendry (Jai Quitongo, 55), Lewis Allan, Danny Handling (Jordan Sinclair, 60), Conner Duthie. Unused substitutes: Sean Brennan, Neil Martyniuk.

Police have arrested and charged an 18-year-old man for over twenty offences committed under the Wireless Telegraphy Act.

The crimes, which included offensive remarks, took place between June 2014 and January 2015. They related to interference with communications on private radio networks that caused disruption to various locations in the Capital, including Edinburgh Airport and Edinburgh Castle.

As a result of five months of partnership investigation between the local Community Policing Team, Ofcom and the British Transport Police, an address at Craigmillar was searched on Monday (February 9) and equipment was recovered.

The matter is now being reported to the Procurator Fiscal.

Inspector Murray Starkey said: “This type of crime may appear relatively low risk, however, the impact has caused genuine concern for the individuals and organisations involved, as well as significant disruption to their daily business.

“Our joint investigations have led to a man being charged with over twenty offences. This demonstrates the value of our partnership with Ofcom and is an example to others that perpetrators of these crimes will be traced and held to account.”

Mark Walls, Ofcom Spectrum Engineering and Enforcement Director, said: “Deliberately interfering with private radio networks can cause severe disruption and distress.  We worked closely with the Community Policing Team and the British Transport Police to thoroughly investigate and bring the illegal interference to an end.”

Anyone who has further information about these crimes is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101.

Police have traced Ronald Fleming, who was reported missing on Monday, February 9.  He was found in the Gorebridge area of Midlothian.

He has now returned to the Western General Hospital.  Police would like to thank those who participated in the search.

Creating A Portrait Head: considering Alexander Stoddart’s Making History exhibition as a reference point, sculptor Deidre Nicholls will talk about the creation of a portrait head, covering techniques and also the creative process. 12.45-1.30pm, Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free: no booking required.

Blackwell’s Edinburgh Presents Doug Johnstone and Helen Fitzgerald. Glasgow-based Helen Fitzgerald is the best-selling author of Dead Lovely and nine other adult and young adult thrillers: her latest novel is The Exit. Edinburgh-based Doug Johnstone is the author of five novels including the acclaimed Gone Again, and is also a freelance journalist, musician, songwriter and has a PhD in nuclear physics: his latest novel is The Dead Beat. 6.30-8pm, Blackwell’s, South Bridge. Free tickets can be obtained from the shop’s front desk, or by calling 0131 622 8218 or emailing events.edinburgh@blackwell.co.uk.

Wiff Waff Wednesday: a monthly ping pong night for all ages, with music, drink and great food available at the Drill Hall Arts Cafe. ‘Friendship first, competition second’. 6-10pm, Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 36 Dalmeny Street. Free entry: all welcome!

Beyond The Rage: Scottish author and poet  Michael J Malone launches his compelling new crime thriller in conversation with Lin Anderson. Kenny O’Neill is on a dual mission to hunt down his girl’s attacker and find out the truth about his Dad…instead he unravels disturbing family secrets and finds that revenge is not always sweet. 6.30pm, Looking Glass Books, 36 Simpson’s Loan, Quartermile.  Free but please email laura@saraband.net to book your place, or book via eventbrite.

Kirill Sokolov Documentary and Lecture. The premiere of Benjamin Sadd’s documentary about the life and work of the major contemporary Russian artist Kirill Sokolov (1930-2004), looking at his work in depth, from his early life in Russia to his emigration to Berwick-On-Tweed and then Durham in the 1970s. The film will be accompanied by a lecture on The Concept of Tragedy in Russian Silver Age Thought by Professor Avril Pyman. A leading translator of Russian poetry and a biographer of Aleksandr Blok and Pavel Florensky, Professor Pyman has also written the major text on the Russian symbolist movement and is a Fellow of the British Academy. 6.30-8.30pm, Project Room, 50 George Square, University of Edinburgh. Free but booking is essential: please email Dashkova.Centre@ed.ac.uk. This event is presented by the Dashkova Centre in partnership with The Sutton Gallery.

2015 Iranian Film Festival: a season of classic and contemporary films from Iran, including a number of Scottish premieres, shown as part of the Edinburgh Iranian Festival. Today: A Few Kilos of Dates for a Funeral (15) 8.45pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets can be booked online here or by calling the box office on 0131 228 2688. Prices vary: there are deals for purchasing multiple tickets for this season. The 2015 Iranian Film Festival is curated by Dr Nacim Pak-Shiraz and sponsored by The Sutton Gallery, Arts & Business Scotland, the School of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies of the University of Edinburgh, and the Filmhouse.

LGBT: Just for Men. A relaxed social opportunity for men who want to meet other gay, bisexual or transgender men in one of Edinburgh’s newest LGBT- friendly bars. For ages 18+.  6.30-8.30pm, Woodland Creatures, 260-262 Leith Walk. For more information contact LGBT Health & Wellbeing at admin@lgbthealth.org.uk.

Orchestre Tout Puissant Marcel Duchamp, Dominic Waxing Lyrical and Howie Reeve: featuring Wilf Plum on drums, this 7-piece group from Geneva also manage to squeeze a marimba, a double bass, a violin, a trombone and an electric guitar onto the stage at Henry’s. Tropical post-punk/afro-avant pop/mediaeval prog/bass.With support from Edinburgh’s own Dominic Waxing Lyrical and Howie Reeve from Glasgow. 7.30-11.30pm, Henry’s Cellar Bar, Morrison Street. £6

Edinburgh Iranian Festival: Xerxes Cabinet of Curiosities – exotic animals and royal authority in Achaemenid Iran. The Achaemenid dynasty (559-331 BC) ruled the largest empire the ancient world had ever seen. By examining a variety of sources – iconographic and literary, Greek, Indian and Iranian – Dr Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones (University of Edinburgh) will explore the rich variety of exotic wildlife imported into Persia to satisfy the monarch’s pleasure and his public image, wildlife that included Asiatic lions, Bactrian camels, zebu, wild asses, Arabian horses, parrots, peacocks and wild jungle fowl. How were these animals perceived by their Persian viewers, how were they displayed, and what do we know about their treatment? Dr Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones specialises in Achaemenid Iran and ancient Greek socio-cultural history, and in the reception of antiquity in popular culture. 5-6pm, Lecture Theatre F.21, University of Edinburgh, 7 George Square. Free.

Colinton Library presents an afternoon concert with the pupils of Merchiston Castle School. A range of classical and easy listening tunes for all to enjoy. 2.30-3pm, Colinton Library, Thorburn Road. All welcome.

Independence and Interdependence: The Dynamics of Scottish Self-Government. Professor Nicola McEwen, Professor of Territorial Politics, University of Edinburgh, delivers her inaugural lecture. The Scottish Independence Referendum may have resulted in a No vote, but it has reignited debates over Scottish self-government: Nicola McEwen’s lecture will put these debates into context. 5.15-6.15pm, Business School Auditorium, University of Edinburgh Business School, 29 Buccleuch Place.

Queer History: An Introduction. Dr Carole Jones (University of Edinburgh) will construct a brief history of the evolution of the discipline of queer theory – the ‘why’ of queer theory. She will then go on to look at definitions, some attempts to pin down what is meant – the ‘what’ of queer theory. Along the way she will explore examples of the work of one or two landmark queer theorists – the ‘who’ of queer theory, and will finish off by looking at the emergence of trans* theory and its implications for thinking about identity. 6pm, Lecture Theatre 1, Appleton Tower, Crichton Street. Free and open to all.

The Old Edinburgh Club. Jamie Pearce: Healthy Places? Environmental conditions and public health in Edinburgh over the last 100 years. 7pm, Augustine United Church, George IV Bridge. £5/members free.

Development Management Committee meets today

At the Fruitmarket Gallery

RSNO competition for young musicians

Scottish Fire safety message

At the Queen’s Hall tonight

The council’s Development Management Committee is a pretty important part of what the council do. It is essentially the planning decisions taken at a devolved level. Today the committee will be recommended by planning officers to approve developments across the city including a new gym hall at Blackhall Primary School, altering a petrol station into a residential site on Craigleith Road, erection of advertising hoardings at Dalry Road, bus shelter advertising panels on Princes Street, demolition of a building on Torphichen Street which will then be used as a hotel site, and the conversion of a bakery on St John’s Road into student accommodation.

There are also to be detailed presentations about putting up a single storey 3 classroom building at Flora Stevenson Primary School in Comely Bank, illuminated advertising hoardings on Glasgow Road, demolition of St John’s Parish Church Hall on Oxgangs Road North to replace it with an Aldi supermarket (which has had 230 comments) and student housing planned for St Leonard’s Street (this last application is recommended for refusal).

One of the most interesting parts of the meeting may be in the second half when the council are given notice of applications which will come up in the next few months. These pre-application reports are usually connected to large scale developments in the city. This time the areas include Fountainbridge where there is a hotel planned at Springside, Glasgow Road where housing is planned, Potterrow where the University plan a new public entrance and public way through the central courtyard. This will now remove the 29 car parking spaces originally proposed. The final pre-application relates to a residential development at Turnhouse Road which will include some retail too. No decisions will be made on these but the councillors can ask questions about the developers’ plans.

Watch the proceedings from this meeting live or after the meeting is over by clicking here. Read the papers here

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The Stan Douglas exhibition is running till 15 February at Fruitmarket Gallery.

Stan Douglas came to international prominence in the mid-1990s when his film installationDer Sandmann was one of the highlights of Documenta X in 1997. Born in 1960, Vancouver, Canada, Douglas is known for films, photographs and installations which use new and outdated technologies, the tropes of cinema, TV and photography, the conventions of various Hollywood genres, and classic literary texts to examine the intersection of history and memory in evocative, mesmerising artworks.

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Scotland’s national orchestra is running the nation’s first composition competition specifically for 12-18 year olds. In partnership with the National Trust for Scotland, Notes From Scotland invites young composers to write a two-minute work for an instrumental trio, quartet or quintet.

The theme for the first year’s Notes From Scotland is inspired by five National Trust locations around the country. From the entries five finalists will be selected by an expert panel with their compositions being performed and recorded by members of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO) at Perth Concert Hall on Wednesday 7 June 2015.

The winner will be announced following the performance and will receive an iPad loaded with music software packages, VIP access to RSNO concerts and a year’s National Trust for Scotland pass.

Find out more here.  Closing date is 31 May 2015.

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Scottish Fire have a series of safety messages on video one of which you can see here.

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At The Queen’s Hall tonight American pianist, composer and arranger, Scott Bradlee is appearing.

Bradlee is known for his viral videos on YouTube and Postmodern Jukebox – a rotating group of musicians producing alternate variations of pop songs in the styles of jazz, ragtime, and swing.

They rework 21st century pop hits in a variety of vintage styles transforming Miley Cyrus’ We Can’t Stop into a ’50s-style doo wop number, giving Macklemore’s Thrift Shop a 1920s jazz accent, crossing Daft Punk’s Get Lucky with Irish folk music and showing how Ke$ha’s Die Youngwould work as a classic country tune.

Ticket details here. 

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For many of us who grew up in the 1970s, the film Saturday Night Fever has iconic status. The disco music classic – if that’s not a contradiction in terms – made John Travolta a star and the image of him strutting his stuff across the dance floor in his white suit with flared trousers, waistcoat and black open-necked shirt to the sound of the Bee Gees is one which can both induce feelings of nostalgia and make you cringe, depending on your view. 

Nearly 40 years on from that landmark film, Saturday Night Fever, the stage show, arrived at Edinburgh’s Festival Theatre on Tuesday night. I recall watching the film for the first time when I was 16 years old in 1978 and, upon leaving the cinema, pontificating along Aberdeen’s Union Street in a rather hapless imitation of Travolta himself. So when I headed for the stage show 37 years, two daughters and four grandchildren later, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I’m delighted to report, however, that I had a thoroughly enjoyable evening.  

The man behind the film – Robert Stigwood – is also behind the stage production which is expertly directed by Ryan McBryde. The two main players – Danny Bayne as Tony Manero and Naomi Slights as Stephanie – are quite superb.  

Set in New York, Manero is a young man stuck in a dead-end job in a paint store where he has to fight for even a meagre pay rise. However, he comes alive on the dance floor on a Saturday night. When he meets Stephanie, who dreams of the high life, they decide to enter a dance competition – with the result their lives begin to change. 

The thing that struck me about this stage version is that while the music was excellent, with all the classic numbers you associate with the film, the storytelling was, in my opinion, actually better than the film. There’s a chemistry between the two lead players and this rubs off on the rest of the cast. Bayne, who is a previous winner of ITV’s Grease is the Word clearly relishes the part of Tony Manero while Slights, who has Mamma Mia, Women of Rock and The Ripper in her theatrical credits, is the perfect foil.  

Saturday Night Fever is on at Edinburgh’s Festival Theatre until Saturday 14^th February. If you enjoyed the film all those years ago, you’ll love this stage version. It’s hugely enjoyable – and will keep those disco memories ‘stayin’ alive’….

 Edinburgh Reporter rating: 4 stars.

The Chairman and General Secretary of The Hibernian Supporters Association (HSA) are happy to announce that following a meeting with affiliated branches, HSA are supporting the share issue launched by Hibernian Football Club.

For more information click here

Submitted by Tom Hall

Generous Hibs’ fans have raised over £15,000 and purchased 146 season tickets to allow children who otherwise would not be able to afford to go to games to attend home matches at Easter Road.

Leith Links was set up in June 2013 with the aim of helping children and supporting Hibs, by collecting donations so additional Kicks for Kids tickets could be purchased.

This season, supporters have exceeded all expectations and Susan Linn from Leith Links said: “I am delighted to announce that we have now raised from Hibs supporter over £15,000, and 146 season tickets for season 14/15 have been purchased.

“This is no mean feat, considering the our League position, demands for fans’ hard-earned cash from other quarters and the state of the Economy in general.
 
“It is wonderful to learn how much the children gain from going to the games and they all look forward to their next outing to Easter Road.

“In the summer, we’ll be holding yet another auction there’s plans for a football tournament and Leith Links/Multi Cultural Family Base are hoping to team-up for a mini-festival.

“Thank you to everyone who has supported and/or contributed to the fund over the last 20 months.  It makes me very proud to be a Hibby.”

The next phase of the Leith Programme is due to get under way on Monday 16 February 2015, focusing on upgrading the junction at the Foot of the Walk.

Contractors MacLay Civil Engineering Ltd, who are carrying out the project on the Council’s behalf, have begun preparing the site for the works, which are expected to take 15 weeks to complete.

Aimed at simplifying and improving the junction, the redesign will see four improved pedestrian crossings installed at the bottom of Leith Walk, Duke Street, Great Junction Street and Constitution Street.

Once fully operational the junction will allow pedestrians to cross more easily than at present, enhancing the overall accessibility of the area in line with the design principles of the Leith Programme.

Councillor Lesley Hinds, Transport Convener, said: “We’ve been delighted with the positive feedback we’ve had on how much the Leith Programme has already transformed the look and feel of Leith Walk and we know residents and businesses are keen to see the Foot of the Walk brought up to a similar standard.

“As always, every effort will be made to keep noise and disruption to an absolute minimum and we appreciate the public’s patience while this next phase of work is carried out.”

Traffic management arrangements have been drawn up in order to minimise disruption to traffic flow as far as possible. These are anticipated to come into effect from Monday 16 February 2015.

Constitution Street will be closed at its junction with Leith Walk for the duration of the works and local access to this area will be via Laurie Street, Queen Charlotte Street, or Bernard Street.

Meanwhile, three-way temporary traffic lights will be in operation at the main Leith Walk junction to control traffic flow.

For details of the most up to date information regarding any bus diversions and traffic conditions affecting Leith Walk, members of the public are advised to keep an eye on Lothian Buses’ website or Twitter account as well as @edintravel.

There isn’t a critics circle or academy around that have doubted the heart rending latest performance from Julianne Moore. The American actress has, deservedly so, spent the past few months picking up award after award for her role as Alice Howland – a woman slowly facing her worst fears as she develops Alzheimers.

A linguistics professor with three children has began to slowly lose her vast memory of words for seemingly unknown reasons. After neurological tests, she faces the reality of a life with early on set Alzheimers; a hereditary form that is set to destroy her children’s lives as much as hers.

As someone who has witnessed first hand the effects of a neurological disease, Julianne Moore creates her character in a movingly authentic manner. A fully formed professional woman in the film’s initial scenes, her degradation is depicted with irrefutable authenticity. Directors Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland have moulded a woman; not a subhuman creature, and so watching this devastating disease truly take hold is even more heartbreaking.

It has been a year of great work for supporting actress Kristen Stewart. Playing Alice’s independent actress daughter who, through her own lack of life commitments, is brought home to care for her slowly disintegrating mother. Following on from her versatile approach as a Guantanamo Bay prison guard in Camp X-Ray, she remains a vision of her usual self here; the beer drinking, sulky aging teenager. Her ability here is seen through her settling into this potentially rather shapeless character. Stewart provides a beautifully understated performance as a young woman with an all too clear understanding.

Still Alice has the room to be expansive, complex and soul shatteringly emotional, and yet decides to hold itself back perhaps a little bit further than it should. Although effective, its simplicity sometimes translates into safety. It holds itself back and refuses to truly let go; ending dignified rather than the somewhat distraught nature Alzheimer’s sufferers experience.

There is no doubt that the highlight of the simple, inspired Still Alice is the remarkable central performance gifted to the audience by Julianne Moore. Often sombre and filled with a humanistic loss of yourself, this is a testimony to Moore’s great talent.

Still Alice plays at the Glasgow Film Festival on February 21st. It opens nationwide on March 6th.