Police in West Lothian are appealing for witnesses after a woman who was pushing a pram was robbed in Bathgate yesterday evening.

The incident happened around 6pm when the 21 year old victim was walking from Morrison’s supermarket, while pushing her two-year old child in a pushchair. She crossed the car park and walked onto the cycle path going towards Birniehill, Bathgate.

As she made her way halfway up the cycle path, she was pushed onto the ground from behind and her bag was taken from her by the suspect. The suspect fled along the cycle back in the direction of Morrison’s.

The suspect is described as white, in his late teens or early twenties, and wearing a light grey hooded top with the hood up, and dark jogging bottoms.

Detective Constable Stephen McCormick said: “This robbery and assault was particularly despicable given the victim was a mother with a young child.

“We are working to trace the suspect and are asking anyone who was in the area of the cycle path at Morrison’s in Bathgate yesterday around 6pm, to contact police immediately.”

Anyone with information should contact Police Scotland on 101.

Police are appealing for witnesses following a bogus workmen incident and distraction theft at an address in the Capital.

An 85-year-old man was within his home in Westfield Road at around 4.30pm yesterday (Thursday) when a man called at his door claiming to have been carrying out maintenance work within the common stair.

The man asked for access to the property to check water pressure and was allowed entry by the occupant.

After asking the elderly man to go into the kitchen to check his taps, the suspect left the flat.

A short time later the victim realised that various items of jewellery and a three-figure sum of cash had been taken from the bedroom.

Officers believe two men were responsible for this theft following information from a neighbour who saw the pair within the common stair prior to the incident.

The first suspect is described as having a tanned complexion, between 5ft and 5ft 2ins tall with a heavy build, broad shoulders, dark shaved hair and a clean-shaven face. He was wearing a dark bulky Barbour-style jacket, dark trousers, a lanyard round his neck and spoke with a Polish accent.

The second suspect is described as white, mid-forties to early fifties, 5ft 7ins tall with a slim build, grey scruffy hair that was shaved at the back and sides, a wrinkled face and spoke with a Scottish accent.

Detective Constable Jim Philp said: “We believe that while the first suspect was distracting the victim within the kitchen, the second male entered the property and stole the items from the bedroom.

“Officers are currently carrying out local enquiries to determine whether any other properties were targeted by these men and to establish their identity.

“Anyone who recognises their description or who has any information that can assist with our investigation is asked to contact police immediately.”

Those with information can contact Police Scotland on 101 or alternatively, the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Police in Edinburgh are today urging the public to make sure they stay safe while out enjoying the festive party season.

This evening is expected to be the busiest night in town with thousands of people expected to attend various parties and events within the city centre.

High-visibility police patrols will be deployed throughout areas of the Capital likely to see increased footfall and officers have already began liaising with staff at Edinburgh’s pubs and clubs to remind them of their licensing responsibilities.

To ensure revellers are able to enjoy the festivities, police are providing advice and guidance on a range of issues.

The ‘Think Twice’ campaign continues to operate within the city and many licensed venues will be displaying posters urging the public to drink responsibly and not to become involved in alcohol-related criminal activity.

In addition, the Edinburgh Facebook and Twitter pages will also be displaying Police Scotland’s ‘Good Nights Out, Get Home Safe’ guidance, which provides useful information on getting to and from your evening’s entertainment.

Inspector Emma Croft said: “The party atmosphere in Edinburgh during the festive season is always a wonderful experience and we have been busy working alongside our relevant partner agencies to make sure the public remember their celebrations for all the right reasons.

“I would urge anyone planning on heading out to please drink responsibly and don’t let a great night be ruined by the over-consumption of alcohol.

“Our ‘Think Twice’ campaign means that anyone found to be involved in serious criminal behaviour associated with alcohol will be subject to strict bail conditions barring them from the city centre, should they be charged.

“Local officers have already been engaging with the various licensed venues within the city, who fully support this campaign and will work closely with police to identify any offences, which happen in or around their premises.

“We also want to make sure you stay safe throughout all parts of your evening, including your return home. If travelling throughout the city, try to travel with friends, family or people you trust and consider using the numerous taxi companies or public transport available within Edinburgh.

“If travelling on foot stick to well-lit areas and always be aware of your surroundings. All of this advice can be found in our ‘Good Nights Out, Get Home Safe’ leaflet, which is currently on our social media accounts.

“I would also like to remind revellers that the drink-drive limit has now changed in Scotland and Road Policing Officers are robustly monitoring all roads across the country. The chances of being caught have never been greater and it is quite simply not worth the risk. If you are in any doubt as to whether you are fit to drive, then don’t.”

“Anyone who would like more information on staying safe while enjoying the night-time economy, or who wishes advice on crime prevention can contact Police Scotland on 101, speak with their local policing team or visit our website at www.scotland.police.uk.”

The Scottish Government has announced that three million Scottish sheep worked overtime last year to ensure we stay warm – and colourful – this festive season 

Our farmyard friends produced enough wool – around six million kilos – to make, on average, four Christmas jumpers for each person in Scotland.

Sheep farmers went into shearing overdrive to guarantee we can be clad in a vast selection of bright, cheery, festive – and unashamedly – cheesy woolly jumpers.

Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead said: “It’s certainly been a busy year for our farmers and their sheep!

“Scottish wool is of the highest quality and this is the perfect time of year to wrap yourself up in it – with so many people enjoying wearing their Christmas jumpers.

“Christmas is a time for celebration – it’s a fantastic time of year to have fun, relax and enjoy quality time with family and friends. Hopefully our farmers – and their sheep – will have the chance to put their feet up and enjoy a break, but it won’t be long before they’re back to work to get our Christmas jumpers ready for next year!

“Not only does this news give us a little festive cheer, it’s also a great boost to our economy, with the sale of Scottish wool contributing around £7 million to the Scottish economy in the past year.”

What are you doing on Christmas Day? Well a team of kind-hearted podiatrists from Queen Margaret University, will be spending their time on Christmas Day and Boxing Day this year to run a foot care clinic for homeless people in Edinburgh.

When the rest of the city is opening presents and tucking into Christmas dinner at home, podiatry lecturer and lead podiatry volunteer for Crisis Evelyn Weir and 12 Queen Margaret University podiatry students will offer a specialist service for individuals who live on the streets.

The Queen Margaret University podiatrists are volunteering with the ‘Crisis at Christmas’ project run by the charity Crisis which helps single homeless people.

Christmas can be an incredibly difficult time of year for a person cut off from family and home. The ‘Crisis at Christmas’ project provides companionship and support to tackle loneliness and isolation, and helps people take their first steps out of homelessness. The project ran for the first time last year in Edinburgh on Christmas Day and was a great success.  As well as offering some much needed foot care over the winter months, the 12 hour long Christmas Day and Boxing Day events this year will offer homeless people services such as hairdressing and massage, as well as providing breakfast, a hot Christmas meal, and supper on each day.

Evelyn Weir, Lead for Interprofessional Education and Lecturer in Podiatry at Queen Margaret University, has spent the last twenty years volunteering with homeless charities and is delighted that a team of university podiatry students have again offered to support her work at Christmas. She explained: “People who are homeless tend to have specific foot health problems. Many walk for miles every day but don’t have access to foot health care or good quality footwear, and may not have a change of shoes. Also, most people are out in all weathers, they spend large amounts of time standing on hard pavements, and often they have no place to dry shoes or socks. These difficulties can lead to quite significant foot problems.” Evelyn and her team of students on the BSc (Hons) Podiatry course at QMU will provide a podiatry service to between 60 and 80 homeless people each day. This will include relaxing foot baths, general foot care treatments and advice, and the supply of new warm socks.

 Evelyn said: “I am really heartened that some of our students volunteered to support this project on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, and I’m also overwhelmed by the generosity of our sponsors – Algeos, C&P Medical and support from senior management at Queen Margaret University.  Sponsors have provided absolutely everything on our project wish list – from essential medical supplies and instruments to new winter socks. It really does demonstrate that there is a lot of goodwill out there – from our podiatry students, QMU management, individuals and companies.  Last year was an absolutely fantastic day, and the students worked hard and we all really enjoyed the experience  I am really looking forward to Christmas again this year!”

Fiona Coutts, Dean of Health Sciences at Queen Margaret University, said: “We are delighted to support Evelyn’s involvement in this important project and we believe that it’s a great learning opportunity for our podiatry students. Not only will they develop both their clinical and interpersonal skills, an opportunity like this will no doubt enhance their student experience. Once again, this project is an excellent example of Queen Margaret’s mission of improving quality of life.”

“At this time of the rolling year I suffer most,” says the ghost in Dickens’ ‘Christmas Carol’ as he compares the world around him with the kinder, gentler world he wishes for. And there is an echo of Dickens’ Victorian times in the food-bank Britain of today. We have come through six years of austerity with little to show for it but another small and temporary spending boom. But, hey, Christmas is a time for a little light in the darkness of winter and for a bit of perspective.

2014 has been an extraordinary year for Scotland, the best of times and the worst of times. We had the driest summer on record but the wettest winter. We had the highs of the Commonwealth Games and the Ryder Cup but our main sport, football, has stumbled from crisis to crisis. We had a rip-roaring referendum campaign but an indecisive result which has left our politics in turmoil.

In the world at large, the triumphs have been out-weighed by the disasters. We landed a spacecraft on a tiny comet on the edge of the solar system but we are struggling to contain the Ebola virus. We enjoyed an exciting World Cup but the Winter Games were overshadowed by Putin’s more threatening Russia. We have brought the war in Afghanistan to end but the flames have broken out again in Iraq.   Syria continues to bleed its refugees into the rest of the troubled Middle East. And Islamist terrorists have struck at soft targets and put us all on our guard.

We all have our own images from 2014, memories of events which startled us enough to note them in our diaries. For that they are worth, here are mine.

January The month began with storms lashing Britain and the USA, causing us to wonder again about how bad climate change is going to get. In the middle of the month, hundreds of people in Edinburgh turned out to look for 3 year-old Mikaeel Kular. His body was eventually discovered in a garden in Fife and his mother was jailed later in the year for culpable homicide which she admitted.

February The storms continued, hitting the west coast of Britain, flooding the Somerset levels and long stretches of the Thames. The Winter Olympics were held in the Russian town of Sochi.

March Russia took Crimea from the Ukraine. A Malaysian airliner disappeared over the Southern Ocean. The pilot is widely thought to have been responsible, but nothing has been proved as the plane has never been found. Veteran Labour politician Tony Benn died.

April 12 year old Keane Wallis-Bennett was killed when a wall collapsed on her at Liberton High School, just up the road from my house. Veteran nationalist politician Margo MacDonald died. Conservative minister Maria Miller resigned in yet another Westminster expenses scandal. A South Korean ferry capsized killing over 300 people, many of them schoolchildren. The captain and owner were later jailed.

May 200 schoolgirls were kidnapped by Boko Haram terrorists in northern Nigeria, the first of several attacks during the year in Nigeria by the fundamentalist Islamist group. UKIP won the Euro- elections. The Glasgow Art School burned down. The trams started running in Edinburgh. Hibernian joined Hearts and Rangers in the second division of Scottish football.

June There was a re-enactment of the Battle of Bannockburn to mark the 700^th anniversary. Rolf Harris was jailed for indecent assaults on young girls, one of several high profile entertainers brought to book for offences committed decades ago but only revealed by the Jimmy Savile scandal. Indeed our shocking history of child abuse in institutions such as the church, children’s homes, scouts and even the Westminster parliament are now the subject of major enquiries about to get underway.

July Former editor of the SUN newspaper Andy Coulson was jailed for 18 months in the phone-hacking affair. His boss Rebekah Brooks was cleared. Novak Djokovic won Wimbledon. Germany won the World Cup. The Commonwealth Games opened in Glasgow.

August Islamic State militants invaded northern Iraq, brutally murdering hundreds of women and children in Kurdish villages. A ceasefire in Gaza ended seven weeks of fighting. Another record-breaking Edinburgh Festival.

September Scots voted by 55 per cent to 45 per cent to stay in the United Kingdom. Unionist leaders vowed to give the Scottish Parliament more powers. Alex Salmond resigned allowing the opportunity for Nicola Sturgeon to take over a triumphant SNP with membership quadrupling to over 80,000. Europe won the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles. There were mass demonstrations in Hong Kong against the Chinese regime.

October UKIP won the Clacton by-election and another in Rochester a month later. Johann Lamont resigned as leader of Scottish Labour saying she was fed up being treated as a branch office. The Ebola crisis in West Africa hit the headlines. The end of Britain’s 13 year long military mission in Afghanistan.

November We remembered the start of the First World War. But war goes on with the numbers killed in Syria’s two years of civil war reaching 200,000. Nine million people have been displaced. USA and China reached agreement on limiting climate change emissions. The European space ship Rosetta successfully landed a robot on Comet 67P, looking for clues as to how life arrived on Earth.

December The Chancellor announced yet more austerity in his autumn statement to parliament. Oil prices tumbled and inflation fell to 1 per cent. Jim Murphy was elected leader of Scottish Labour. And the year ended with yet more Islamist terrorist attacks, one in Sydney Australia and another in Pakistan where the Taleban killed 132 children and nine teachers at a school in Peshawar.

In this trudge through the year, we seem to have taken one step forward and two back. For every good news story, there are two bad ones. Perhaps this dismal picture is the fault of journalists like me who find it easier to report disasters and catastrophes than slow-burning developments like scientific advances or the daily good works of companies, charities, local councils and governments.

In any case, at Christmas time we generally retreat from the world outside and measure our own private happiness or sadness. This is as it should be perhaps. But sudden outside events do give us a wake-up call, an ice-bucket challenge, alerting us to what is happening around us and what we need to put right.

By the end of ‘A Christmas Carol’ Scrooge is sufficiently frightened by his ghosts that “ever afterwards, it was always said of him that he knew how to keep Christmas well.”

Greenman’s Grotto at The Secret Herb Garden: instead of Santa asking a child ‘what do you want for Christmas?’, why not allow a child the chance to hear how to respect and care for something really special – a tree? Enter the enchanted lit glasshouse and follow a fairy path to a hidden natural grotto where the Greenman awaits; once here choose a bare root tree from six indigenous species: alder, rowan. silver birch, oak, scots pine or hawthorn. The Greenman will help you to pot up your tree and to choose a stone or shell to keep with it; there will also be advice on how to nurture your gift. Allow the tree to become part of your life, grow together through the changing seasons, and witness the magic unfold. 10am-4pm, The Secret Herb Garden, 32a Old Pentland Road, EH10 7EA (for more information re location see the Secret Herb Garden’s website or call 07525 069773). £5 per child or adult, no booking required. Also at same times on Saturday 20th, Sunday 21st, Monday 22nd and Tuesday 23rd December 2014.

The Guid Crack Hearth: come and gather round the fireside and warm yourself with stories of Christmas past and present, with storyteller Bea Ferguson. Edinburgh’s monthly storytelling night, upstairs at the Waverley Bar. Accompanied young adults welcome. 7.30-9.30pm, Waverley Bar (upstairs), 1 St Mary’s Street. Free: suggested donation £3.

Leith School of Art Christmas Exhibition: this year’s exhibition will include a selection of work from the school’s new full-year courses in Printmaking, Landscape, Art & Spirituality, and Critical &  Professional Development, together with work from evening and day classes. 10am-4pm, Leith School of Art, 25 North Junction Street. Also open at same times on Saturday 20th December 2014.

Cookie decorating! A free Christmas craft event for ages 4+. 2.30-3.30pm, Stockbridge Library, 11 Hamilton Place.

Cezanne’s Montagne Sainte-Victoire: Frances Fowle, Senior Curator, Scottish National Gallery, and Lesley Stevens, Senior Paintings Conservator, National Galleries of Scotland, will reveal their new discoveries concerning this painting’s date, technique and viewpoint, the result of recent art historical and conservation research. 12.45-1.30pm, Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free and unticketed.

Family Festive Cinema at the Scottish National Gallery: enjoy the popular Disney film Frozen in the comfort of the gallery’s very own cinema. Frozen is a contemporary retelling of the classic Hans Christian Anderson story of The Snow Queen. 2pm, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Tickets costs £4.10 (adult), £3.85 (child), £10 (family – up to 2 adults + 2 children or 1 adult + 3 children) and can be booked via eventbrite. Also available at same time on Sunday 21st December 2014.

Your World War One Family History: Drop-in Session. Do you have any diaries, photographs, medals or letters from World War One that you would like to find out more about, or are you trying to discover more about your family’s history in World War One? Come and talk to the experts and get some free one-to-one help. 11am-1pm, Central Library, George IV Bridge. Free but please book via eventbrite so that the library can allocate the time you need: if these times are not convenient for you, please email edwar@edinburgh.ac.uk to make another appointment.

Christmas Crafts for all the family: 2-3pm, Kirkliston Library, Station Road and South Queensferry Library, Shore Road.

Christmas Bookbug Singalong – for all the family! 10.30-11am, Kirkliston Library, Station Road.

Festive crafts for children: 3pm, Piershill Library, 30 Piershill Terrace. All welcome!

Rally & Broad: Never Mind The Full Stops – The R & B Edition. Paula Varjack and Dan Simpson are the masterminds behind  this ‘pop-meets-poetry panel show mash up…(in which) brilliant poets and performers play silly games like Poetry Karaoke…and explore the efforts of celebrities writing poems.’ With Michael Pedersen, Chrissy Barnacle and music from Black Diamond Express. 7-10pm, The Bongo Club, 66 Cowgate. Tickets are £5 on the door. ‘Poetry as you’ve never seen it before’.

Carols in the Car Park: 15 minutes of fun carols. 5pm, St Mary Magdalene Church, Bingham Avenue, EH15 3HY.  Everyone welcome!

Christmas Workshop for Children: candles, games, music, crafts, storytelling, music and more. For children in P1 to P7. 1.30-5.30pm, Church Hall, St Peter’s Church, Lutton Place.  £3 per child.  ‘A treat for children, a gift to parents’.

Nitekirk: a sacred space for all; a place of welcome, a space for stillness, a pause on your journey, an open door. This month’s theme is Thread for New Life. 8-11pm (drop-in any time), St Columba’s-by-the-Castle, 14 Johnston Terrace. All welcome. For more information about Nitekirk, see website.

Is it Lionel Ritchie you’re looking for (He’s at the Castle…)

Three Fires in Edinburgh yesterday 

Speak Up Speak Out

Fresh Fruit: Film Stills

Robert Louis Stevenson Fellowship

Lionel Richie is bringing his ‘All The Hits All Night Long’ tour to Edinburgh Castle next summer on 22 July 2015. Tickets go on sale TODAY at 9.00am.
Online: www.ticketmaster.co.uk
Ticket Hotline: 0844 844 0444

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There were three fires that we heard of  in Edinburgh yesterday involving Scottish Fire and Rescue. Any fire is devastating for the property owner, and it is easy to demote these to simple statistics.

All of our reports are under News here.

Some fires are not caused by any negligence in any way, but we would urge you especially at this time of the year to please take heed of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Advice about fires. There is a whole range of advice for homes and businesses here.

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An Edinburgh public protection campaign against abuse will target night-clubbers on what is said to be the worst night of the year for violent behaviour.

Leaflets highlighting the multi-agency Speak Up Speak Out campaign will be handed out in clubs tonight. The last Friday before Christmas typically sees a rise in violence, including domestic abuse.

Speak up Speak Out was launched in August 2013 by the City of Edinburgh Council, NHS Lothian and Police Scotland to encourage those who are affected by abuse to come forward and find out about the wide range of support that is available to them.

The Council is also supporting Police Scotland’s annual festive domestic abuse campaign, which was launched this week.

Domestic abuse can be carried out by partners or ex-partners and can be physical, sexual, psychological or emotional.

Councillor Ricky Henderson, Convener of Health, Social Care and Housing, said: “We want to make sure that everyone has a good time this festive season and I urge revellers enjoying the last weekend before Christmas to think about their behaviour and how it can affect their loved ones.

“Nobody should have to suffer domestic abuse, whatever form it takes. We are reaching out to the people who are affected by domestic abuse, or anyone who has concerns about others who are being harmed in this way, urging them to Speak Up and Speak Out.

“Agencies will continue to work together on this ongoing campaign over the next year to make sure that families affected by abuse will be protected from harm.”

Superintendent Liz McAinsh said: “Tackling domestic abuse is a priority for Police Scotland and in Edinburgh officers will continue to pursue those responsible for crimes of this nature.

“We are also committed to providing victims of domestic abuse with all the necessary assistance and support they require.”

Extensive work by the Council is ongoing to ensure that children and adults who have been affected by domestic abuse feel safe, have access to appropriate support and advice networks and feel confident in reporting issues.

Recent developments include a clear pathway from initial reporting to the police, to support for the victim, including a comprehensive risk assessment and the provision of multi-agency services. Edinburgh has also seen a welcome roll-out of the pilot domestic abuse court to the whole city.

One of the key messages of Speak Up Speak Out is that anyone can suffer from abuse, regardless of their age, gender or the colour of their skin. It can happen anywhere and be caused by friends, relatives, colleagues or strangers. By encouraging people to be open about their concerns and talk to care professionals, it is hoped that more adults and children can be protected from harm.

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Opening: Friday 19 December 2014, 4–5pm
Stills, 23 Cockburn Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1BP

Join Fresh Fruit at Stills to celebrate photographs and film made over the last four weeks in sessions led by artists Caroline Douglas and Morwenna Kearsley, taking inspiration from Stan Douglas’s exhibition at The Fruitmarket Gallery.
Refreshments served.

The exhibition is open daily, 11am–6pm and continues until Sunday 25 January 2015.

Fresh Fruit is The Fruitmarket Gallery’s peer-led youth programme run by and for 16–25 year olds. This project was delivered in partnership with Stills. Fresh Fruit is funded by Cairn Energy PLC

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Scottish Book Trust is delighted to announce that the Robert Louis Stevenson Fellowship for published writers is now open for applications. Scotland-based novelists, poets, children’s writers, dramatists and screen writers who would benefit from time away from their usual environment to develop their work are encouraged to apply.

The Fellowship was initiated in 1994 by Franki Fewkes, a Scottish RLS enthusiast then living in France, and is supported by Creative Scotland. It provides residencies for four fellows for one month each, in a self-catering studio apartment at the Hôtel Chevillon International Arts Centre at Grez-sur-Loing. Travel and accommodation are paid for, and there is a grant of £300 per week to cover living expenses. The residencies will take place in June, July, August and November 2015.

Grez-sur-Loing is situated at the edge of the Forest of Fontainebleau, France, and was chosen because of its connections with Robert Louis Stevenson who first visited in 1875. It was there, at the Hôtel Chevillon, that he met his future wife Fanny Osbourne. Stevenson found both the place, and its well established community of writers and artists, highly attractive and he returned to Grez-sur-Loing for three successive summers.

Author Lisa Ballantyne, a 2014 Fellow, found the experience hugely valuable in terms of her writing development:

“The month’s residency that I spent in Grez-sur-Loing was a wonderful chance to focus on my new novel and complete my last in the midst of stunning natural scenery and in an area of France steeped in creative history. The Robert Louis Stevenson Fellowship and residency was of great use in developing my writing.”

Caitrin Armstrong, Head of Writer Development at Scottish Book Trust, said:

“Residencies are a fantastic opportunity for writers to spend time on their work without the distractions of everyday life. The combination of the beautiful surroundings of Grez-Sur-Loing; the rich literary heritage of the Hôtel Chevillon, and the opportunity to meet other artists has proved to be hugely inspirational to pervious fellows. We look forward to finding out what 2015 will bring.”

Jenny Niven, Portfolio Manager Literature, Publishing and Languages, at Creative Scotland, said:

“Time and again the case is being made by writers that support for them to immerse themselves in their practice, particularly in challenging financial times for artists, is absolutely critical. We’re delighted to support the RLS Fellowship to offer the chance for writers to do just that. International opportunities are of course highly valuable too; an outward looking perspective – even if the result is a greater understanding of one’s self – or as John Muir put it, that going out ‘is really going in’ – can bring a whole new dimension to a writer’s work.  Finally, as illustrated by writers from Stevenson himself, to Muriel Spark to Alistair Reid, travel has long been an integral part of the practice of Scottish writers; the Robert Louis Stevenson Fellowship seeks to offer that potential to contemporary writers that they might achieve similar extraordinary things.”

For details of how to apply for the Robert Louis Stevenson Fellowship, and for full eligibility criteria, please visit http://www.scottishbooktrust.com. The closing date for RLS Fellowship 2015 applications is Tuesday 10 February 2015.

Five reasons to go on a writing retreat:

1. Escape the demands of everyday life
2. Refresh your creativity with new experiences and new scenery
3. Meet other writers and exchange ideas
4. Remind yourself why you started writing in the first place
5. Renew your enthusiasm for the art and process of writing

Police are investigating following an armed robbery which happened around 1.10pm this afternoon when a man entered Niddrie Licensed Grocers, on Niddrie Mill Drive,  in possession of a handgun and stole a three figure sum of cash. The suspect fled on foot, heading west on Niddrie Mill Drive.

The suspect is described white, about 30 years old, 5ft10in to 6ft tall, and gaunt appearance. He was wearing a black hooded top, black scarf or similar covering mouth, black jogging trousers and white trainers, and was carrying a black and white polythene shoppers bag.

Detective Sergeant Robbie Wallace said: “While the shopkeeper was not physically harmed, this was a very distressing experience for her. We are keen to trace the suspect as quickly as possible, and ask that anyone with information should contact police immediately. We are particularly keen to trace three customers who left the shop moments before the incident and turned left onto Niddrie Mill Drive.”

Anyone with information should contact Police Scotland on 101.

Former Hibs’ fans’ favourite Leigh Griffiths has offered to replace christmas presents stolen during a housebreaking in the capital.

Michael Wright, an avid hearts’ fan and season ticket holder at Tynecastle was in his house in the Inch area when housebreakers entered on Tuesday morning and stole money for gifts, as well as the family’s white Ford car which was parked outside.

After reading about the incident on Facebook, kind hearted Leigh contacted Michael online, writing: ” Heard about the story of you’re house getting broken into. What games did you want for the little man and I’ll buy them for you. It’s a hard time of year for people to lose stuff and I’d like to help.”

An astonished Michael replied : “Wow. You were the last person I ever expected to send me a message lol. Seriously though your generosity touches me but we have things covered. Thnk you very much mate,”

A Police Scotland spokesman said: “Within ten minutes details of the vehicle were immediately circulated to police officers across Edinburgh and a ‘stolen’ marker was added to the Police National Computer.

“We would urge the public to always lock their doors prior to retiring for the evening or leaving your home unoccupied.

Photo by JCMackintosh

Police in are appealing for witnesses following a fatal road collision which happened around 1.15pm yesterday in Lindsay Road.

Harry Slade, an 81-year-old pedestrian, was involved in a collision with a Kia Picanto car and sustained serious injuries.

Members of the public, including an off duty doctor provided emergency first aid until the Scottish Ambulance Service arrived.

Mr Slade was then taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh where he later passed away.

Road Policing Officers responded to the scene and closed the road for around four hours while they conducted their investigation.

Enquiries into the full circumstances surrounding this collision are ongoing and anyone who can assist police is asked to come forward.

Road Policing Sergeant, Ross Drummond said: “The driver of the Kia stopped immediately and has been helping officers with their enquiry into this incident.

“We are now keen to hear from other motorists or members of the public as we look to establish exactly what happened.

“Officers have managed to speak with a number of those who provided emergency assistance to Mr Slade, but we believe there may be others who witnessed the collision and would urge these individuals to contact police immediately.

“Mr Slade was wearing a distinctive maroon-coloured jacket and a tweed hat. If you remember seeing him around the time of the collision the please get in touch.”

Those with information can contact Police Scotland on 101.

Firefighters were called to a small fire in a kitchen at a house in Blackthorn Court this morning just after 9:00am.

Crews from Marionville and Crewe Toll were mobilised by Operations Control Edinburgh and on arrival discovered a small fire in the kitchen.  Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus extinguished the fire with a high pressure hose reel.

One female casualty was treated with oxygen at the scene by firefighters until the arrival of the Scottish Ambulance Service.  She suffered slight smoke inhalation but did not require hospital treatment.

Station Manager Mike Colliar said: “The kitchen can be the most dangerous place in the home. Fire can cause damage not just to your property, but more seriously can put family at risk

“Many kitchen fires happen when people are not paying attention, leave things unattended or from the careless use of electrical appliances but there are several things you can do to prevent fires in the kitchen.

“Don’t leave pans unattended. Take them off the heat if you have to leave the room. Fire starts when your attention stops. When you have finished cooking, make sure the cooker or oven is turned off.  Don’t clutter your work surfaces with combustible materials.

“SFRS crews routinely conduct free home fire safety visits to help householders identify risks and take the simple steps needed to reduce the chance of fires.

“If you or someone you know could benefit from our free home fire safety visit then get in touch.”

Anyone can join Scotland’s fight against fire and register for a free home fire safety visit by calling 0800 0731 999, texting ‘check’ to 61611, filling out a form at www.firescotland.gov.uk or by contacting their local fire station.

An East Lothian man who allowed his two dogs to become half their ideal weight has been convicted following a Scottish SPCA investigation.

Dean Ross, 30, of Caponhall Road, Tranent, was sentenced at Haddington Sheriff Court on 17 December. At a previous appearance, Ross pled guilty to failing to provide veterinary attention and a wholesome diet for his two Weimaraner dogs. Ross was given a life ban on owning animals and a 200 hour community payback order, to be completed within nine months.

Commenting on the investigation and court case, Inspector Emma Phillips said, “We were alerted when Ross’ female Weimaraner named Roxy was handed into another animal charity and they took her to a vets due to her poor body condition.

“Roxy was emaciated and weighed just 18kgs, which is half the weight she should have been. She had no muscle mass and all her bones were clearly visible.

“A blood test revealed no underlying health issues, confirming her weight loss had been caused by a lack of food.

“We were advised a second dog named Dexter had recently died at Ross’ property and was buried in the back garden. We arranged for Dexter’s body to be exhumed so a post mortem could be carried out.

“Dexter was severely emaciated and had protein-energy malnutrition, likely caused by a lack of food. The vet advised it would have taken several months for him to reach this stage.

“We are pleased Ross has received a lifetime ban on owning animals following our investigation.

“While tragically it was too late for Dexter, Roxy made a full recovery in our care and has since found a loving new home where she is doing well.”

Photograph by Scottish SPCA

Eleven people have been arrested as part of an ongoing campaign to tackle domestic abuse in the Capital over the festive period.

Local officers along with Edinburgh’s Domestic Abuse Investigation Unit launched the local nine-day initiative on Monday 15th December and have since been executing arrests warrants across the city.

In addition, police have been carrying out proactive bail checks on individuals currently on release from prison for domestic abuse offences.

A further two individuals have also been reported to the Procurator Fiscal for breaching bail conditions.

As well as the proactive activity being carried out during this operation, police in Edinburgh have also responded to numerous domestic incidents in the past few days and as a result, a further 30 people have been arrested and charged.

The festive period often results in increased reports of domestic abuse, with alcohol regularly playing a contributing factor.

As such, officers have also been visiting victims of these offences this week to offer additional support and guidance.

Superintendent Liz McAinsh said: “After only three days, we’ve arrested an additional 11 individuals responsible for domestic abuse and associated offences.

“Tackling domestic abuse is a priority for Police Scotland and in Edinburgh officers will continue to pursue those responsible for crimes of this nature.

“We are also committed to providing victims of domestic abuse with all the necessary assistance and support they require.

“I would urge anyone who has been subject to domestic abuse and hasn’t yet reported the matter to police, to do so immediately. Your report will be taken with the utmost professionalism and investigated robustly.”

Councillor Ricky Henderson, Convener of Health, Social Care and Housing, said: “Nobody should have to suffer domestic abuse at any time of year. We want to reach out to those affected by domestic abuse, or anyone who has concerns about others who are suffering.

“I would urge people to drink sensibly over the festive season and to consider how their behaviour affects their loved ones. We will continue to work closely with Police Scotland and other partner organisations as part of our Speak Up, Speak Out campaign to protect vulnerable families and individuals.”

There was a small fire in the basement of the Travelodge on Queen Street this morning which was attended by five fire appliances, Police and ambulances.

Traffic was tailing back to York Place when The Edinburgh Reporter passed the scene.

Operations Control Edinburgh received the call just before 7:30am to attend a fire located in a lower ground floor bedroom in the hotel and immediately mobilised appliances from Tollcross, Sighthill and McDonald Road fire stations. The location and source of fire was subsequently identified within a ceiling mounted ventilation unit in the lower ground floor corridor.

A resident was reported unaccounted for and breathing apparatus crews entered to locate this person . It was subsequently found that this resident had left the building earlier.

All staff and residents were effectively and rapidly evacuated to safety by staff and firefighters entered the building wearing breathing apparatus and extinguished the fire. 

The Edinburgh Reporter has heard from Caledonia Youth this morning that it is to close its doors  in Spring 2015 as there is not enough funding to keep it going.

It is with great regret that we must announce the forthcoming closure of Caledonia Youth.  Our Edinburgh-based charity provides a variety of specialist preventative interventions to support young people under 25 in Scotland through challenges associated with their transition to adulthood, helping them develop their social and emotional capabilities and reduce negative risk taking behaviour.

 

Now, after 46 years, we find ourselves unable to sustain our charity following an erosion of funding in recent years.  While the team have worked hard to secure new sources of income and been successful in doing so for many years, like other colleagues in the third sector we have faced a constant reduction in statutory funding.  For us, this culminated in the termination of our contract with NHS Lothian earlier this year to deliver a specialist clinic in Edinburgh, which had served young people in the region since 1968, along with our school based programme to help increase knowledge. 

 

Having exhausted alternative funding avenues vital to the sustainability of our charity, the Board of Trustees have made the difficult decision to wind up Caledonia Youth.  We are in the process of applying to the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) to formally do so and the last day of operation will be 31 March 2015.  Obviously we are hugely disappointed to be faced with what is the only option left open to us, which will bring redundancy for 11 highly skilled people. 

 

We would like to take this opportunity to say how very proud we are of our extremely dedicated team here at Caledonia Youth who have developed and delivered many ground breaking programmes.  They have proved great advocates for tens of thousands of young people, particularly the more vulnerable, disadvantaged and disengaged in our society today.

 

Caledonia Youth’s enterprising and adaptable approach has impacted upon our young clients by helping to change long term behaviour, giving rise to both direct and indirect positive outcomes including their enhanced employability and opportunities to enjoy full and rewarding lives. 

 

While we wish we could do more, the focus now is on ensuring our young clients are supported through the closure, as there is a dearth of service provision.  We too experience waiting lists for our services.  We will do our utmost to ensure they are connected with an appropriate organisation, although that will possibly mean a different level of assistance.

 

On top of this, we will be doing everything in our power to help our team secure alternative employment as quickly as possible.

 

Our thanks go to those who have helped us sustain Caledonia Youth – funders, partner organisations and those who make referrals to us – and to all the young people we have connected with and supported over the years.

The City of Edinburgh Council published its draft budget a few months back, and the consultation on its terms finishes at close of business on Friday 19 December.

You can still have your say and Finance Convener Alasdair Rankin was anxious to explain that whatever you do say will be listened to. He said: “A lot of people have responded to the Budget Planner where they can try to produce a balanced budget but they have also emailed or written to us with their ideas.

“We have in previous years taken advantage of that feedback.  For example in the case of library hours being cut back or support for kinship carers, we did listen. We were not able to completely remove any effect on these areas in the budget last year but we were able to minimise it.

“But the key administration commitment is to make the council a more efficient operation and protect frontline services.”

The council decided only last week to proceed with sweeping changes in the way the council is run which will mean some voluntary redundancies will be sought in middle management. The council has a no compulsory redundancy policy so they cannot demand jobs to be cut, but the new way of working will divide the city into four localities which will have local managers.

If you visit the council website then you still have time to add your voice to the other 1600 people who have used the budget planner looking across all areas of council spending and trying to work out where savings can be made.

The council differentiates between the budget and cuts to spending. There are those in the city who believe that the council is about to cut Edinburgh Leisure facilities across the city which the council have said is untrue.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service was called to deal with a house fire at a property in Blackhall earlier this morning. 

The Edinburgh Reporter heard the reports of smoke on Twitter earlier, although it is clear that the fire was already being dealt with by then.

@EdinReporter heavy smoke on Ferry/Telford road. Hard to breath at to of Groathill N. Can’t see source. Any ideas?

— Shard Aerliss (@Aerliss) December 18, 2014

The call was received just after 7:00am  following reports of a fire at a detached bungalow under renovation at Forthview Road.

Appliances, along with the height appliance from Crewe Toll were immediately sent to the scene.  Further resources from McDonald Road and Marionville were then requested.

Group Manager Cameron McKenzie said: “The fire was well developed in the roof space and had broken through the roof when crews arrived.  Firefighters in breathing apparatus used two lines of hose to extinguish the fire. Crews made use of the height vehicle to carry out damping down operations.”

No one was in the property at the time and crews remain on scene dampening down the affected areas.

A joint investigation is being carried out today with Police Scotland into the cause of the fire.

The Secret Herb Garden Festive Evening: wine, cheese, chocolate and charcuterie in a beautiful setting at the foot of the Pentland Hills. 4-8pm, The Secret Herb Garden, 32a Old Pentland Road, EH10 7EA (for more information re location see the Secret Herb Garden’s website or call 07525 069773).

Pilton Equalities Project Presents: Cinderella – Panto Time! 6-8pm, Granton Baptist Church, Crewe Road Gardens. Tickets 4 (children £1), refreshments provided. Please book in advance to assist in planning of catering: phone Trish on 0131 315 4466.

Bookbug: songs and rhymes for young children and their adults. 10.30-11am, Fountainbridge Library, 137 Dundee Street.

The Rosie Nimmo Duo: Rosie Nimmo (vocals, rhythm, guitar and harmonica) and Stuart Allardyce (guitar) present a programme of swinging tunes to mark the Christmas season. 6-6.30pm, Main Gallery, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free and unticketed.

Under Fives Christmas Storytime: 10.30-11am, Morningside Library, 184 Morningside Road. Free.

Growing Underground: Forest’s Very Open Stage. Sign up for a 15 min+ slot in the cafe, or contact the team via Facebook.  Free tea, coffee or corkage up to £1.50 for performers. 7.30pm, Forest Cafe, 141 Lauriston Place. Free entry: BYOB – corkage 70p for beer, £1.50 for wine.

LGBT Learning Disability Project Festive Party. The Project provides a range of opportunities for building confidence and friendship among LGBT people who also identify as having a learning disability/difficulty. 2-4pm, Lifecare Centre, Cheyne Street. For more information call 0131 652 3281 or email george@lgbthealth.org.uk: please bring a carer or supporter if you need help to participate.

Christmas Cracker 2014! Readings and discussions with Angela Jackson, Michael Malone, Lucy Lawrie, Graeme MacRae Burnet, Daniel Gray and Alan McCredie: there will also be festive cheer, mince pies and tipples in abundance! 6pm, Waterstones West End, Princes Street. Free tickets are available from the store: for more information call 0131 226 2666.

Whale Arts Christmas Celebration! Special Christmas Show by resident drama group Whales Without A Cause, handmade crafts for sale from Stitch ‘N Time, South West Sounds groups premier their 2014 songs, smART Craft exhibition, mince pies and mulled wine (or BYOB). 6pm till late, Whale Arts, 30 Westburn Grove. For further information please call 0131 458 3267.

CinemaAttic Fundraising Event: #Mutant Christmas. A screening of Accion Mutante (18) – a cult film from 1993 by award-winning Spanish director Alex de la Iglesia – and Party Xmas Bash with special DJs. Film: 7.30 for 8pm, Red Lecture Theatre, Summerhall, 1 Summerhall (NOTE CHANGE OF VENUE FROM ONE SHOWN ON POSTER); party: 11pm-3am, Wee Red Bar, Lauriston Place. Film £6 + booking fee via eventbrite, party £5 payable on the door – party ticket price includes a raffle for a box of El Olivo Spanish products, Calduero Wines and Goya23. CinemaAttic is a community interest group aiming to offer the best independent cinema from the Iberian peninsula and Latin America.

Music Among The Trees: Drew Crichton. Talented pianist Drew entertains visitors to the Edinburgh Christmas Tree Festival. 12 noon-1pm, Sanctuary, St Andrew’s and St George’s West Church, 13 George Street. Free: all welcome.

Candles and Quietness: the church will be open for quiet reflection and prayer. 5.15pm (come and go as you please), St John’s Episcopal Church, Princes Street.

Hotel (15): the Nordic Film Festival concludes with this ‘brutally honest and at times absurdly humorous exploration of the human psyche’. In Swedish with English subtitles. 6.30pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Book online or call the box office on 0131 228 2688. The Nordic Film Festival is presented by day for night.

Closure of Duncan Place Resource Centre

Today at Edinburgh’s Christmas

North Edinburgh Grows

Day of Action against NHS in TTIP in Edinburgh

Our biggest competition of the year…..Enter now!

It will simply take too much money to fix the roof and the wet and dry rot discovered earlier this year at Duncan Place Resource Centre in Leith and it is to be closed and demolished immediately. This was discussed last week at the council’s Education committee meeting when councillors were told that the building would cost more than any other owned by the council to put in order. A decision was made as to its fate and that will now be ratified by the Governance, Risk and Best Value committee which meets this morning.

The cost of demolition will not mean any increase in the council’s capital spending as they will use money set aside for providing a lift in the building for that.

This decision was made despite concerns and deputations from the management committee of the centre and the Parent Council of Leith Primary School. The implications on the Primary School are that a temporary Portakabin will have to be installed there to allow nursery places to be provided, but further work will have to be done on finding long term solutions on providing nursery, gym and community accommodation. One option suggested was to stop up St Andrew Place and allow that street to be used by the school as a PE area and for outdoor play.

The building was erected in the 1920s as a technical block and was used in the past by Leith Academy. The building was converted to use as a community centre about 30 years ago.

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Briefs is the new show at the Spiegeltent in St Andrew Square which begins tonight.

This is not for the coy among you. Edinburgh’s Christmas describe it as : “An all male, sharp shooting cabaret of burlesque with balls, high flying circus bandits and savage gender offenders! Described as an Aussie Cirque du Soleil meets Ru Paul’s Drag Race, get ready for a madcap safari through extravagant birdbath boylesque, too-close-for-comfort yo-yo tricks, valiant aerial acrobatics, irreverent interludes, ferocious fanfares and show-stopping drag artistes.”

Booking details here.

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The area that used to be West Pilton Farm is now used for North Edinburgh Grows, an award winning project.

There are four separate allotments there where people grow vegetables in raised beds.

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There is to be a demo today at the UK office of the European Parliament. Why?

The group who are organising the protest there say: “The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership will mean the irreversible privatisation of public services including the NHS. Demand that our NHS is protected from this deal. Tory MEP Ian Duncan should stand up for the NHS against this corporate power grab. We need to make sure he does.”

If you feel like supporting them then they aim to be outside the office about 12.30/12.45.

If you don’t think you know enough about TTIP then there is some information here..here and here….

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To celebrate the festive season, Marks & Spencer is giving Edinburgh Reporter readers the chance to win their ultimate New Year’s Eve party outfit. Two winners will receive a £250 gift card to spend in store.

Enter here!

Hibernian have confirmed that the SPFL Championship match vs Rangers at Ibrox has been moved to Friday 13th February, 7.45pm kick-off. The match will be live on BT Sport.

Meanwhile the club has announced the ticket office and clubstore opening times for the festive period.

The main office will be closed at 1pm on Christmas Eve and Hogmanay with the main office shut on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and on 1 and 2 January.

Saturday 20th December (Away v Raith Rovers) 10am-3pm

Sunday 21st December Closed

Monday 22nd December 10am-5pm

Tuesday 23rd December 10am-5pm

Wednesday 24th December 10am-1pm

Thursday 25th December Closed

Friday 26th December Closed

Saturday 27th December (Home v Rangers) 10am-Kick Off

Sunday 28th December Closed

Monday 29th December 10am-5pm

Tuesday 30th December 10am-5pm

Wednesday 31st December 10am-1pm

Thursday 1st January Closed

Friday 2nd January Closed

Saturday 3rd January (Away v Hearts) 10am-1pm

Sunday 4th January Closed

Normal hours resume from Monday 5th January

Police are appealing for information to help trace an elderly woman who has gone missing from her supported accommodation in Edinburgh.

Winifred Hogg, who is 75 years old, has health problems and sometimes uses a motorised wheelchair to get around. She does not rely on her wheelchair, however, and so maybe walking.

Winifred has not been seen since 10.30am when she appeared to be heading towards Morrison’s supermarket in Granton.

She is described as 5ft 2in tall, with short grey hair, glasses, and wearing a blue skirt, pop socks, flat black shoes and is believed to be wearing a blue coat. She may appear confused.

Inspector Alan Carson said: “We are urgently seeking to trace Winifred given her health issues. Anybody who recognises the description of Winifred or believes they may have seen her is asked to contact police immediately.”

Those with information can contact Police Scotland on 101

A 19th century building used mainly as a school, but which was earmarked as the new parliament building for a devolved Scotland may be brought into use as a luxury hotel. The building has been empty since 1968 but is owned by the council and used for storage of ballot boxes.

Proposals to transform the old Royal High School on Edinburgh’s Calton Hill into a world-class hotel were announced today by the project developers.  The former boys’ school, designed by Thomas Hamilton, opened in 1829 but has remained empty since 1968 when the Royal High School moved to Barnton.

Over the years, numerous uses have been suggested for what is one of Edinburgh’s most distinctive landmarks, from a potential site for the new Scottish Parliament to a photography or military museum.  The City of Edinburgh Council, which own the A listed building, granted Duddingston House Properties (DHP) a conditional ground lease for 125 years after the company won an open competition in 2010.

Designed by award-winning architect Gareth Hoskins, the new hotel when completed, will provide the capital with a distinctive hotel of international standing with Thomas Hamilton’s restored building as its centrepiece.  Three of the world’s top hotel operators, none of whom currently have a presence in Scotland, have been shortlisted as front-runners to manage the new hotel.

The economic impact of this new type of hotel offering would be significant not just for Edinburgh but for the whole of Scotland.  When operational the hotel is likely to create 640 local jobs and contribute on average £27 million annually to Edinburgh’s GDP.  On a Scotland-wide basis the hotel could support an additional 100 jobs, across different sectors including tourism, retail and leisure, and contribute an estimated £32m in GDP to Scotland’s economy annually.*

A spokesperson from the City of Edinburgh Council’s Economic Development Department said: “The Old Royal High school building has not had a continuous use since the school moved 46 years ago. We look forward to the pre-application process in January 2015 for this important Edinburgh 12** project by the developers who won the council’s competition.  Edinburgh is demonstrating its ability to attract significant inward investment across a series of important projects which are crucial to the positioning of the city in Europe and to the creation of new job opportunities.”

The plan to turn the old Royal High School into a hotel of international standing is a fully-funded proposal with in excess of £55m committed by a group of institutional investors led by DHP’s Bruce Hare and David Orr of the Urbanist Group.  Orr, a hotelier, who was instrumental in bringing Harvey Nichols to Edinburgh, believes that the proposal for the new hotel has the potential to do for tourism what the department store did for retailing in the city.

“What we are proposing to do is to add something truly special to the Edinburgh hotel market by bringing one of the best hotel operators in the world to the city. This will not in any way diminish current hotel provision; indeed it will add another tier at the top which can only benefit all of the city’s operators.  By increasing the breadth of hotel offering, Scotland’s capital will be in a position to attract new visitors from the top end of the market as well as improve its ability to compete with other European cities for international diplomatic events and important global conferences.  But importantly, one of Edinburgh’s architectural jewels in the crown will be sensitively restored and the public will have access to Hamilton’s superb building for the first time.”

Gordon Dewar, chief executive of Edinburgh Airport, has urged the city’s business community to give the widest possible support to the project.  “Edinburgh’s success in world tourism requires that it keeps ahead of its competition and responds to the needs and demands of the tourist market.  A world-class hotel will enable Edinburgh to market itself around the globe as a great place to live, work and study as well as attract further inward investment opportunities to the city.  This will also help sell Edinburgh to the airlines at a time when we are competing with many other European Airports to attract their investment into the capital both as a market and a destination.”

The developers are due to submit a Proposal of Application Notice (PAN) to the council in January 2015 followed by three days of public consultations at the old Royal High School in February 2015.

Hbs’ on-loan midfielder Dylan McGeouch is about to resume full squad training after rehabilitation work at Celtic and has managed to do some light training.

The 21-year-old who is on a season-long loan from Celtic has been sidelined since October after undergoing surgery on his ankle.

Speaking to Hibs TV, McGeouch said: “I’ve just started jogging again this week. Hopefully I can pick it up this week and I’ll be back training again as soon as possible.

“We just need to see what the physios say and just take it from there.”But hopefully I’m good to go now and I can get back as soon as possible – I’ve just got to see how my ankle feels.

“The surgeon has given me the go-ahead to start running, so I hopefully I can step it up again and take it from there.”

McGeouch spent part of his youth career with Rangers and says he would love to be back in time to face his old club at Easter Road on Saturday 27 December.

He added: “Of course it would be great to be back for that – it’s a big game for the club and everybody involved.

“So hopefully I can get back for that, but I’m not promising anything.

“I’ve had a wee niggle in my ankle for a while. I saw a specialist in Glasgow about it and he thought it was best that I had the surgery just to clean it up before it got any worse.”

Several Hibs’ players visited the Royal Hospital for Sick Children (RHSC) in Edinburgh yesterday, with a selection of Christmas presents to bring some festive cheer to some of the city’s sickest kids.

Captain Liam Craig was joined by 11 of his team-mates; Scott Allan, Callum Booth, Farid El Alagui, Paul Heffernan, Liam Fontaine, David Gray, Scott Robertson, Jake Sinclair and Lewis Stevenson as he presented the hospital with a cheque for £1000.

Maureen Harrison, chief executive of the Sick Kids Friends Foundation, said: “We’re extremely grateful to the players and staff from Hibernian Football Club for taking some time out of their busy schedules to spread some Christmas cheer at the RHSC.

“It’s particularly difficult for children who are unwell at this time of year so it’s a pleasure to see their faces light up when they are surprised by a team of magical visitors armed with such special presents.”

Hibs also donated some signed balls and a signed shirt for the Sick Kids Friends Foundation to auction off in order to raise further funds.

Flybe, Europe’s largest regional airline, is encouraging people to consider flying over the festive period as major works planned for motorways and rail services look set to cause travel chaos during the upcoming weeks around Christmas and New Year.

Train companies have already warned passengers about major works that will severely impact the West Coast mainline route between Scotland and London, and Virgin Trains is urging people not to travel until 29th December due to planned closures on its network.

First Great Western is also asking passengers to check journeys before they travel. Meanwhile, motorists face lengthy delays on the M1 and M4 as road works are expected throughout the festive period. 

With just a week until Christmas Eve, Flybe’s ‘Purple Wednesday’ flash sale returns today featuring popular routes including those from Birmingham, Edinburgh, Exeter, Glasgow, London City Airport, Manchester and Southampton with one way tickets available from just £15 including taxes and charges, when booked before midnight.

Paul Simmons, Flybe’s Chief Commercial Officer, said: “People wanting to visit friends and family for Christmas and New Year will face difficulties with road and rail travel this year, which is why we are highlighting the convenience of air travel this festive period.

“Sitting in long queues on the motorway while trying to keep the children entertained, is not an ideal way to start the holidays. Travelling by rail doesn’t seem too appealing either, as operators confirm major engineering works, which will mean normal journeys will take much longer than originally scheduled. In some cases, lengthy bus replacement services will be in operation. 

“We pride ourselves on providing the best and fastest regional connectivity and, at this time of year especially, our extensive network of routes and convenient connections, is a real option – plus, with all the planned rail and road disruption, flying is certainly the faster way to travel.”

Flybe’s London City services offers passengers the ease of travelling from the heart of London with daily flights to six UK and Ireland destinations, including daily flights to Edinburgh, Exeter, Inverness, Belfast, Aberdeen and Dublin.

Mr Simmons added: “The train from Exeter to London can take more than two hours even on a good day, whereas we fly straight into the heart of the capital in around an hour.

“Likewise, passengers travelling between London and Inverness can expect to be on the train for over eight hours or in the car for over ten, before arriving at their destination. With Flybe, we take you there in just under two hours.”

For more information on flights included in Flybe’s ‘Purple Wednesday’ flash sale, visit www.flybe.com.

The Nutcracker is the lightest, most accessible of all Tchaikovsky’s ballets. It’s a Christmas delight, telling the story of a young girl named Clara who is gifted a nutcracker by the mysterious Drosselmeyer. The nutcracker comes to life as the Nutcracker Prince and helps Clara defeat the evil Rat King; the pair then travel to the magical land of sweets and see all manner of beautiful things. None of this is particularly serious but using the choreography of Peter Darrell, Scottish Ballet presents us with a curiously serious interpretation of this quintessential show.

The orchestra, under the baton of Richard Honner, is excellent. If there’s one instrument to choose when playing Tchaikovsky, it’s the cello, and the section most certainly delivers, never less so than in the grand pas de deux between Sophie Martin’s Sugar Plum Fairy and Erik Cavallari’s Nutcracker Prince.

Cavallari is a strong dancer but seems at times a little detached from the whole affair, even aloof. The Nutcracker is still a children’s toy, a playmate as well as a prince, and here lies my main problem with this production: it’s excellent classical ballet but it lacks chemistry or wit. Where is the profundity of Kirkland and Baryshnikov? Where is the humour of Matthew Bourne?

It would perhaps be inappropriate to suggest that a production which so heavily features child dancers should be sexy, but this production is safe bordering on bland. The humour is somewhat forced and the addition of the monkeys is funny for the first five minutes, but becomes uncomfortable as they jape and gawk from the wings during the more serious duets and trios – the audience becomes unsure of whether they are allowed to laugh and its attention is distracted.

The children of the cast are one of the strengths of this production. The discipline and talent, particularly of the children dancing in huge rat costumes, are fantastic. Credit here must go to the costume department who turn out dress after dress of astounding quality. Lez Brotherston has created a production of beauty and finesse. The staggered proscenium arch gives the sets a flexibility and depth that works very well.

The costume of the Rat King is stellar, as is the Rat King himself (Victor Zarallo), enthralling the audience for the brief time he appears on stage. Thomas Edward’s turn as the English dancer is one of the most charismatic on stage, and Constance Devernay and Laura Joffre are wonderfully fizzy and light as the Chinese dancers.

This is a production that does not know what it wants to be. It’s not pushing any boundaries but it’s technically excellent and very pleasing to the eye. The strength and dedication of the dancers are unquestionable. I just wish The Nutcracker Prince would smile a bit more.

On a final note, if you do visit this production, be sure to purchase a copy of the outstanding souvenir programme.

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The Nutcracker runs from Sat 13 December 2014 to Sat 3 January 2015 at the Festival Theatre before touring to Glasgow, Aberdeen, Inverness and Newcastle.

Edinburgh war veteran and charity worker Thomas Gilzean has been named as the eighth person to receive The Edinburgh Award.

The former Royal Engineer has been selected to receive the accolade from a shortlist of 25 nominations cast by the Edinburgh public. He will receive the title and an engraved Loving Cup at a ceremony within the Capital’s City Chambers in early 2015.

Mr Gilzean, who was presented with the British Empire Medal by the Lord Provost in 2013, can regularly be found fundraising in his trademark tartan trousers along Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. He has raised more than £100,000 for local causes, and continues to dedicate his time fundraising at the age of 94.

His handprints will be immortalised on a flagstone in the City Chambers quadrangle alongside those of previous recipients Ian Rankin, JK Rowling, George Kerr, Sir Chris Hoy, Professor Peter Higgs, Elizabeth Blackadder and Professor Richard Demarco.

Edinburgh’s Lord Provost, Councillor Donald Wilson, said: “The Edinburgh Award enables the people of Edinburgh to pay a lasting tribute to someone who has made an outstanding contribution to the city. To date, the accolade has been given to people who have contributed to the arts, literature, sport and science – but local charitable work deserves to be held in just as high regard.

“Tom Gilzean is an inspiring man who devotes his life to raising fantastic amounts of money for charity, and we are extremely fortunate in this city to have people like him who so selflessly give up their time for the good of their community.

“It gives me great pleasure to announce Tom as the eighth person to be presented with the Edinburgh Award. Having received more nominations than any other individual, he is a local champion for the people of Edinburgh.”

The development at St James Quarter proceeds apace. The only part of the newer building which is going to withstand the change is John Lewis, but the developer also has plans for the older buildings on James Craig Walk.

Martin Perry, Development Director for TIAA Henderson Real Estate, said: “Earlier this year, we appointed architectural firm Purcell to progress designs for 27-31 James Craig Walk and St Andrew’s Hall which form part of the Edinburgh St James development site. Both of these buildings are Grade B listed and Purcell has been working to safeguard their historical character, whilst ensuring they are suitably aligned with the overarching look and feel of the development.

“Subject to planning permission and listed building consent from The City of Edinburgh Council, St Andrew’s Hall will be redeveloped to include a three storey extension which will complement the existing building.

“It will provide office and restaurant space and include a base for support staff as well as a security centre. The planning application for 27-31 James Craig Walk sets out proposals to achieve a sensitive restoration of the building, the creation of 20 new homes and plans for new commercial space that will help increase the overall vibrancy of the area. A separate application to bring forward some of the detail of the wider St James development will be submitted to the City of Edinburgh Council before Christmas.”

The application has now been made and you can view it here. The student accommodation here is to be converted to residential apartments. From some of the drawings related to the application you can get a flavour of what the resulting development will look like. The photo above shows what is currently the pick up place for John Lewis, and which will presumably be included in the redevelopment of the area.

The development is possible because of an innovative funding agreement between the City of Edinburgh Council, Scottish Government and TIAA Henderson Real Estate (TH Real Estate) announced earlier this year.

The £61m required to improve local infrastructure and public space in the area for this major regeneration scheme will be facilitated by the council through a new funding model, announced by the Council and Scottish Government in April this year. This involves the council in funding the public realm elements of the development against future council tax or business rates increased as a result of the development itself.

Images courtesy of Purcell Architects