A 40 year-old man has been arrested and charged with drugs offences as a result of high visibility patrols carried out under Operation Wolf.

The man was stopped in Broomhouse yesterday morning and found to be in possession of a significant quantity of cannabis valued at £600. A quantity of heroin was also recovered from his home address.

The man will appear at court at a later date.

Superintendent Matt Richards said: “This was another excellent result for Operation Wolf, where a quantity of drugs was seized while officers carried out high visibility patrols. Drug misuse is a particular concern for residents in south west Edinburgh and we will continue to target those in possession of controlled substances or involved in their supply.

“Let’s not forget that individuals concerned in the illegal drugs trade don’t care where they sell drugs, or who buys what are often life-threatening substances. They will sell to adults or children alike and create pain and suffering across all communities. Today’s recovery of cannabis and heroin, along with the recovery of £35,000 in cash last week, show how Operation Wolf continues to take a bite out of local criminals.”

“The aim of this operation is to target the issues and concerns of residents across the city, if anyone in Edinburgh’s communities wishes to help shape the activities we undertake during this initiative, you can contact us on 101 or speak with your local policing team to raise any community matters you wish police to respond to.”

FirstGroup has been informed by Transport Scotland that it has not been awarded the new ScotRail franchise.

Tim O’Toole, FirstGroup’s Chief Executive, said:

“We are very proud of our success in operating First ScotRail and our team were recognised last week, once again, as Rail Operator of the Year. We have kept our promises and more for ten years, delivering record levels of service including during this extraordinary summer in Scotland with the Commonwealth Games and the Ryder Cup. Our bid would have delivered even greater levels of service and growth, and we are disappointed we will not have the opportunity to implement the credible plans we submitted, building on our record of improvement across every measurable score, for the benefit of ScotRail’s passengers and employees.

“We shall continue to operate First ScotRail until the new franchise commences on 1 April 2015. Until that time we will deliver further enhancements to trains and stations including further free Wi-Fi and continue important work to enable the extension of smart ticketing across the whole country and the opening of the Borders Railway next year.

“Today’s news does not alter the Group’s stated medium-term targets. As one of the largest and most experienced rail operators we are actively participating in franchise competitions with the objective of achieving earnings on a par with the last round of franchising, with an acceptable level of risk. We are in negotiations with the Department for Transport (DfT) to operate the First TransPennine Express franchise until February 2016, and continue discussions with the DfT in respect of a potential longer direct award to operate First Great Western, our largest franchise, over the period when a substantial programme of infrastructure upgrades and introduction of new trains will take place on the network.”

FirstGroup has operated the First ScotRail franchise since 2004 and during that time it says it has:

·        Provided more services and introduced new trains:  Scotland now has its biggest ever timetable of 2,300 services each day, up by 300 since 2004.  In addition 215 extra coaches have been introduced. This has helped to attract new passengers, with customer numbers rising to more than 86 million – an increase of 34% since 2004.

·        Improved service quality:  Punctuality and reliability scores reached a record high this year of 95.3% – up from 84% in 2004, and customer satisfaction is at its highest ever level at 90% – eight points higher than the UK average and six points higher than in 2004.

·        Invested in Scotland’s rail services: more than £82 million invested since 2004 including station improvements of £56m and improvements to rolling stock of £26.3m. More than 130 trains and 50 stations have been fitted with free Wi-Fi.

·        Invested in our people to deliver performance and customer service:  Employee numbers increased from 3,500 to 4,900 including nearly 300 more drivers. We achieved Investors in People Gold status, the largest UK Company to do so, and we launched a Modern Apprenticeship in Customer Service – the first of its kind in the rail industry.

·        Awarded Rail Operator of the Year at the National Transport Awards on 2 October 2014 for the third time in six years and also current Rail Business of the Year.

·        Forged effective partnerships:  First ScotRail was one of the first train operating companies to sign an alliance agreement with Network Rail, resulting in savings including the delivery of the industry-leading Paisley Canal line electrification project within 6 months whilst reducing the costs from £28m to £12m.

·        Delivered Scotland’s successful year of events in 2014: First ScotRail carried more than 1.1 million people to the Commonwealth Games, and 50,000 to the Ryder Cup as well as Edinburgh Festivals and Bannockburn Live.

Third man arrested for West Pilton serious assault

A third man has been arrested and charged with attempted murder following a serious assault on a 37 year-old man in West Pilton last Wednesday. The 19-year-old is due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court today (Wednesday 8 October.)

A 24 year-old man is also appearing at Edinburgh Sheriff Court today, and an 18-year-old man was previously charged with attempted murder and appeared before the same court on Monday 6 October.

Detective Chief Inspector Gary Boyd said: “Three men have now been arrested and charged with attempted murder and for the theft of the vehicle prior to this serious assault.

“We are still keen to speak to anyone with information that can assist with our enquiries or who witnessed these incidents last Wednesday evening.”

Anyone with information should contact Police Scotland on 101 or alternatively, the charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

In a debate yesterday at Holyrood new legislation was passed which will bring about the biggest modernisation of Scotland’s courts in a generation.

Opposition to these changes came largely from Clydeside Action on Asbestos a charity which seeks to ensure that damages are paid to asbestos sufferers. They had hoped that an exception could be made for those claiming for such damages to allow those cases to be heard in the higher court, the Court of Session.

Phyllis Craig the chair of the charity who organised for protesters to assemble at Holyrood yesterday said:- “Asbestos victims from all over Scotland are coming to Holyrood today to make a personal plea to Kenny MacAskill. They’re saying please don’t allow your new court reform to stop us and our families getting justice for what’s been done to us.

“That’s a very powerful message and I sincerely hope that Mr MacAskill hears it. Asbestos related Illness is a shameful legacy of Scotland’s industrial past and more victims than ever are coming forward. He may not have intended it but the Justice Secretary’s reform will end up stacking the odds very much in favour of the insurance companies who, to their shame, will use any means they can to avoid admitting liability. The men and women suffering these conditions must be protected by our justice system not forgotten about in the drive for reform.”

The court reforms include recommendations made by Lord Gill as part of the Scottish Civil Courts Review to improve the structure and operation of the courts, which were described as “slow, inefficient and expensive.”

The new powers passed today will ensure that the right cases are heard in the right courts at the right cost.

The reforms will change the procedures and processes in our courts and include:

• Raising the exclusive competence of the sheriff court to £100,000
• Introducing summary sheriffs to deal with some types of criminal and civil cases in the sheriff courts
• Establishing a Sheriff Appeal Court

You can watch the proceedings from Holyrood here:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b06SJS-rzq8?list=UUMfSH3HULOeoeEbxHkqF21A]

Justice Secretary, Kenny MacAskill said:

“I am delighted that this Government’s Court Reform Bill has passed stage 3 and will now become enshrined in law.

“Our courts have remained relatively unchanged for decades but this new legislation will bring about the most important change for Scottish courts for more than a generation.

“This is a hugely important step forward in making Scotland’s civil justice system more accessible, affordable and efficient for those people who need to resolve civil disputes.

“We have listened to and accepted concerns from some stakeholders and made amendments to ensure that people get access to the most appropriate legal representation in their cases.

“I am confident that the reformed courts structure, including the new national specialist personal injury court, will ensure that cases can be raised and dealt with quickly and effectively and there is easier and more affordable access to justice.”

Grahame Smith, General Secretary of the Scottish Trades Union Congress, said:

“We are delighted that, in his speech today, the Cabinet Secretary for Justice has shown an understanding of the need to protect access to justice for victims of workplace injury and personal injury more generally. We welcome in particular his clear concerns about the implications of Section 69 of the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act and his personal commitment to supporting its reversal should the Scottish Parliament be empowered to do so.

“In making clear his view that the Specialist Court is the appropriate place for health and safety cases of any financial value to be heard, the Cabinet Secretary has provided enormous comfort for our members. Equally, his recognition that the test for sanction is likely to be met in the majority of work related personal injury cases shows a keen understanding of the complexity that these cases are likely to carry.”

Alan Rogerson, Chairman of The Forum of Scottish Claims Managers, said:

“We welcome the Courts Reform (Scotland) Bill as a progressive, forward thinking piece of legislation. The establishment of a specialist Scotland-wide court to deal with personal injury cases, together with the £100,000 privative jurisdiction of that sheriff court, will improve access to justice and play an important part in the delivery of the reforms envisaged by Lord Gill in the Scottish Civil Courts review.”

In celebration of Alexander Awareness Week, the Centre for Holistic Health, an Edinburgh based alternative therapies centre, is opening its doors to the community with a complimentary Introduction to Alexander Technique Lesson, making this popular treatment more accessible. This session runs at 5a York Place Edinburgh on Sunday October 12th from 10-4pm.

With the Alexander technique you can….

Be poised without stiffness
Move gracefully with less effort
Be alert and focused with less strain

The Alexander technique is a simple and practical method for self improvement and self help.

Anyone can benefit
Poise, vitality and coordination improve
Breathing and speaking become easier
Movement becomes lighter and more enjoyable

What happens in a lesson?

Using explanation and a guiding touch to help you re-discover balance and ease within yourself. You start by working with simple movements and positions such as sitting, walking or bending the knees which are basic to all activity. Through experience and self observation you learn how you can prevent or release it. This awareness enables you to change longstanding habits and function more efficiently and in time bring awareness and poise to anything that you do.

Interested?

Then why not consider booking your complimentary introduction with Malcolm Hurst at the Holistic health Centre on Sunday 12 October 2014. Malcolm had his first Alexander lesson some 30 years ago and having lessons helped him overcome longstanding, debilitating back pain. His early lessons were so powerfully and positively impacting that he decided to give up his work as a P.E. teacher in order to train to teach the Alexander technique.

He said:  ‘I love the technique and it has been my privilege to work with many people who have sought its help. In an increasingly stressful world we all need to develop our personal resources to help us maintain our health and well being. The Alexander technique is a tool which has the potential to offer lifelong support’.

For a complimentary Introduction to Alexander Technique Lesson, call 0131 556 8440 to book your place at the Centre for Holistic Health, 5a York Place Edinburgh on Sunday October 12th.

 Submitted by Centre for Holistic Health

City Centre MSP in challenge to council

Blackwood open a new HQ

Holycross Primary School take part in the reading challenge

God Only Knows

Friends of Lochend Park

Edinburgh Central MSP Marco Biagi and Peter McColl, the Rector of Edinburgh University, have released a statement calling on Edinburgh City Council to change council policy to ensure that private developments of student accommodation are not exempt from the requirement to include affordable housing.

Mr Biagi has also written to the Council to call for the relevant policy, Housing Policy 7, to be applied to private developments of student residences.

Mr Biagi commented:

“There is huge concern within the local community about the impact of several proposed developments, as well as utter disbelief at the decision of the Reporter to intervene and allow the Lutton Court development.

“We need a mix of housing, and student accommodation is a part of that. I support the University’s own developments for this reason.

“But the private developments are hugely expensive and are pushing out potential developments of affordable housing.

“The Council should insist that private student developments include affordable homes for the wider community, just as other residential developments are required to.”

“These private developments are hugely profitable – we should put some of that profit to good work in providing affordable homes.”

Mr Biagi was due to make further comments in a debate due to take place at Holyrood yesterday evening, but this was cancelled due to legal action regarding the development discussed in the motion.

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Later today The Edinburgh Reporter will attend the opening of the new HQ for Blackwood the company which provides housing and care.

It will be an important showcase for the housing and care specialist, which believes in embracing technology to improve the lives of those with disabilities or impairments. Guests will see a range of clever adaptations at work in the Dundee Street offices.

Among the guests will be tenants who volunteer to work with Blackwood’s scrutiny panels, which were relaunched during the summer as Team Blackwood. They include wheelchair users who helped test and choose the new HQ building.

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A workshop took place at Holycross Primary School off Ferry Road last week as part of the Tesco Bank Summer Reading Challenge Scotland programme.

Tesco Bank are funding a project where the P7 class at the school are creating and publishing their own book based on the Mythical Maze creatures that formed this year’s Summer Reading Challenge theme. This class actually worked with the award winning illustrator Sarah McIntyre last year to create these characters.

The book will be launched later this year.

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Watch this last night? We think it is worth watching again!

BBC Music created a unique broadcasting and musical moment spanning the BBC’s television, radio and online networks at 8pm on Tuesday 7 October.

From BBC One to BBC Radio 6 Music, BBC iPlayer to BBC Radio Cornwall, BBC outlets will join forces in the very first pan-channel broadcast of God Only Knows, an extraordinary reworking of The Beach Boys’ classic song uniting 27 internationally acclaimed artists from across the musical genres to form ‘The Impossible Orchestra’.

The promotional film marks the official launch of BBC Music – an ambitious wave of new programmes, innovative partnerships and ground-breaking music initiatives that amount to the BBC’s strongest commitment to music in 30 years.

God Only Knows will be released as a single in aid of BBC Children in Need. It is available to download from midnight last night.

Bob Shennan, Director BBC Music, says: “This is an exciting moment for BBC Music as we launch to a global audience. With the 80-piece BBC Concert Orchestra at its heart and comprising an array of iconic music stars, from a wide range of musical genres, this ‘impossible’ orchestra is a celebration of all the talent, diversity and musical passion found every single day throughout the BBC.

“Our audiences are very clear in their passion for music and that’s why BBC Music exists: to create, curate and celebrate music – for the love of it.”

God Only Knows features the song’s original writer and creator, Brian Wilson, alongside 26 award-winning musicians including popular music stars Sir Elton John, One Direction, Stevie Wonder, Pharrell Williams, Jake Bugg, Lorde, Emeli Sandé, Chris Martin, Kylie Minogue, Paloma Faith, Sam Smith and Florence Welch; rock musicians Chrissie Hynde, Brian May and Dave Grohl; classical musicians Alison Balsom, Martin James Bartlett, Danielle de Niese and Nicola Benedetti; folk performer Eliza Carthy; Senegalese singer Baaba Maal; jazz performer Jamie Cullum; British Asian Music star Jaz Dhami; the BBC’s Zane Lowe, Lauren Laverne, Katie Derham, Gareth Malone and Jools Holland; with the youthful vocals of the Tees Valley Youth Choir and the BBC Concert Orchestra at its heart.

This extraordinary version of God Only Knows is the calling card for BBC Music around the world.

Recognised as a modern masterpiece, Brian Wilson himself says: “I just feel so incredibly humbled that the BBC would choose God Only Knows to promote their new music initiative.

“All of the artists did such a beautiful job I can’t thank them enough. I’m just honoured that God Only Knows was chosen. God Only Knows is a very special song. An extremely spiritual song and one of the best I’ve ever written.”

Music producer Ethan Johns adds: “One of the things that interested me most about this project was the idea of bringing together so many different styles of music and as a great opportunity to bring the musical community together in celebration of the thing that we all love. To make so much diversity work within one piece of music was quite a challenge. I feel like I’ve taken a 1000-piece puzzle and just thrown it in the air. I’m standing there trying to grab them as they come down and put them into place.”

The film is situated in the seemingly disused and decayed Alexandra Palace Theatre – home of the first ever BBC broadcast over 90 years ago – which is brought to life by a magical performance of God Only Knows. As the track builds, the theatrical space opens up to reveal a fantastical and moving world, with a tropical rainforest, a tiger, birds, butterflies and giant bubbles. Viewers are transported high above the orchestra into a balloon-filled celestial sky, before finally being delivered back into the empty theatre, where the song’s creator and star of the performance, Brian Wilson, sings the final line.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqLTe8h0-jo]

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Remembering the Great War: Peter Catrell. Photographer Peter Catrell talks about his lifelong fascination with the Great War, his project to photograph the battlefields of the Somme and his research into the Sheffield City Battalion (of which Edinburgh poet Alexander Robertson was a member.)  ‘A homage to those men, and to the sad loss of a talented generation.’ 12.45-1.30pm, Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free and unticketed.

George Monbiot: Feral: Rewilding the Land, Sea and Human Life. Monbiot has spent his career as a journalist and environmentalist: his celebrated Guardian columns are syndicated all over the world.  He is the author of many bestselling books, including Captive State and Amazon Watershed, and won the UN Global 500 Award for outstanding environmental achievement. He discusses his latest book Feral. 3pm, Word Power Books, West Nicolson Street. All welcome: free – donations also welcome!

University of Edinburgh Careers Fair: a great chance to find out about potential career opportunities and meet employers. Students and graduates of any university are welcome to attend. 1.30-6.30pm, Adam House, Chambers Street.  For more details of employers attending and talks offered throughout the day, click here. Free: no pre-registration necessary.

Lunchtime Concert: Sandra Landini (piano) plays Chopin, Glinka, Tchaikovsky and Prokofiev. 12.15pm, St Giles Cathedral, Royal Mile. Free.

Meet the Author: local author Janice Cairns talks about her debut novel Forgiving Nancy. ‘A rags to riches family saga drawing a fascinating picture of wealthy and deprived Edinburgh.’ 2.30pm, Morningside Library, 184 Morningside Road. Booking essential: call 0131 529 5654 or drop into the library.

Lothians On Film: an exciting selection of short films made in and around the Lothians. The films (documentary, fiction, animation and film-art) include previous winners of SMHAFF Film Awards, newly finished and highly acclaimed films by members of the Midlothian Men’s SHARE Project, film-art pieces by members of the Stepping Stones (now Alma) Project, Volunteering Changes Lives a celebration of 30 years work by Volunteer Centre Edinburgh’s Health & Wellbeing Team, and documentaries by CAPS Advocacy, MECOPP and many more. 6.30-8.30pm, The Stafford Centre, 103 Broughton Street. Free but booking required: email emily@health-in-mind.org.uk  Part of Scottish Mental Health Arts & Film Festival.

Regeneration: 1997 film revealing the humanity at the heart of the nightmare of World War One. Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon meet at Craiglockhart War Hospital: destined to become two of Britain’s most important poets, they struggle to give voice to the pain and futility of armed combat through their poetry. 6-8pm, Lindsay Stewart Lecture Theatre, Craiglockhart Campus, Edinburgh Napier University, 219 Colinton Road. Free but booking required via eventbrite.  Part of Scottish Mental Health Arts & Film Festival.

Morningside Justice and Peace: Human Trafficking in Scotland. A short talk by Graham O’Neill, Policy and Communications Manager, Scottish Refugee Council, followed by questions and discussion. Morningside Justice and Peace Group exists to promote informed opinion on matters of concern to the community at large. 10.30-11.30am, Open Door, 420 Morningside Road. All welcome: donation of £1 requested to help cover costs.

Between Tides: Tentsmuir is a unique area of NE Fife caught between the tides. In this exhibition of artwork, internationally acclaimed artist Derek Robertson captures the rich ecology of the place, inspired by his 2013 artist-in-residence appointment at Tentsmuir National Nature Reserve and his collaborations with scientists, poets, dancers, artists and storyteller Lea Taylor. Lea will present a storytelling performance based on the tales of Tentsmuir later in October. 10am-6pm today until 20th October 2014 (closed Sundays), Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street. Free.

Beans & Pulses

By Chris Mantle, Senior Food and Health Development Worker at Edinburgh Community Food

In the last edition of The Speaker we talked about superfoods, suggesting that we don’t need to go for expensive ‘trendy’ food items such as acai berries or wheatgrass but instead can plumb for much cheaper and equally nutritious options. The real superfoods are often much more humble things like oats, onions or sardines. Other un-sung heroes are everyday beans or pulses. These come in many shapes and colours, are very cheap and are widely available too. But more importantly, they are absolutely packed with fantastic nutrition!

The term pulses refers to various types of seeds which come from pods. Beans and pulses are often used interchangeably but in everyday usage pulses is a broader name, also taking in lentils, dried peas and even certain seeds. Although technically pulses, legumes like green beans and garden peas are thought of as vegetables and peanuts are classed, perhaps unsurprisingly, as nuts. It is thought that we humans have been cultivating and eating these foodstuffs since the Stone Age.

So what makes beans and pulses so great? Pulses are an excellent source of protein with one portion contributing 15-40% of our daily needs (depending on the variety) and so are a much cheaper alternative to meat. They are also full of minerals and – because they can be high in calcium and really high in iron – are important parts of the vegetarian or vegan diet. In terms of vitamins they are a good source of some B vits, plus folic acid. As a result pulses count as one portion (only) of our at least five-a-day fruit and vegetable intake. It’s also worth noting that they are very low in sugar and – unlike meat – fat.

These days it’s all fat and sugar that are making the headlines but we’re in danger of forgetting about other really vital parts of our diet, especially the slightly unglamorous fibre. Fibre doesn’t only ‘keep us regular’ and reduce bowel cancer, it also helps us to digest sugars healthily, may reduce blood pressure and cholesterol and helps keep our blood sugar on an even keel (potentially reducing the risk of diabetes type 2). It is also very filling and may help us maintain a healthy weight. And while unfortunately most of us in Scotland don’t eat enough fibre beans and pulses are fantastic sources of it, with a portion providing up to 50% of our daily requirements. Meat, on the other hand, contains no fibre at all.

How can we add more beans and pulses to our diet? Cannellini beans, haricot beans and all other types may all be added to stews, casseroles, soups, pasta dishes and curries and can also provide much needed protein in salads. Chickpeas may be blended and made into hummus or added to many Mediterranean or North African dishes. Would a chilli con carne be the same without kidney beans? And don’t forget the Scottish favourite, lentil soup! Just bear in mind that baked beans contain a lot of added salt and sugar so only eat them occasionally.

Although dried pulses are cheap to buy they can require some serious soaking and boiling – up to 12 hours soaking and 60 mins cooking. Tinned ones are widely available and although a bit dearer weight for weight they are already cooked so we only need to warm them up. Just check the label to make sure they don’t contain added salt. Beware, however, that uncooked kidney beans are poisonous. If you are using dried kidney beans follow the instructions on the packet and make sure they are thoroughly boiled! Tinned ones though are perfectly safe to eat straight from the can. All pulses freeze very well so you can cook in bulk and save portions for a later date.

So, with all this in mind, why not have a shot at this delicious Chickpea Curry?

Sour Chickpea Curry
Serves 4-6; 15 mins prep; 30 mins cooking

Ingredients:

• Dash of oil
• 2 medium onions, chopped finely
• 8 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• ½ tin whole plum tomatoes
• 3 cans unsalted chickpeas, drained
• 1 vegetarian stock cube
• 1-2 tbsp curry powder
• 1 tbsp or more lemon juice
• 1 tsp garam masala (optional)
• 1 fresh hot green chilli, finely chopped (or ½ tsp cayenne pepper)
• 2 tsp. very finely grated fresh ginger or 1 tsp. powdered ginger

Method:

1. Take half the onion and mix in a bowl with the lemon juice, chilli powder, ginger and set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a wide pot over a medium flame. When hot, put in the rest of the onion. Stir and fry for 5 minutes and then add the garlic. Keep frying until the mixture is a rich medium-brown shade. Turn the heat to medium-low and add the curry powder. Stir for a few seconds. Now put in the finely chopped tomatoes. Stir and fry until the tomatoes are well amalgamated with the spice mixture and browned lightly.
3. Add the drained chickpeas, crumbled stock cube, 1 cup water and the garam masala if you have it. Stir again. Cover, turn the heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes.
4. Add the onion mixture in the cup and serve with brown rice and wholemeal naan bread.

Submitted by Chris Mantle

Police Scotland has launched an appeal for witnesses, after the body of a 49 year-old man was found at a house in the Macmerry area of East Lothian this morning.

Officers are treating the incident as murder, and are keen to speak to anyone who was in the Greenmill Brae area of the village in the early hours of this morning.

Detective Inspector Grant Johnston, from Police Scotland’s Major Investigation Team, said: “I am appealing for anyone who was in this part of Macmerry this morning and has any information about this incident, to contact Police Scotland immediately.

“I am particularly keen to speak to anyone who saw a car, possibly a Honda Civic or similar, in the Macmerry or Tranent areas of East Lothian any time overnight.”

Anyone who has information is asked to call Police Scotland on 101 or can supply the information anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

A second man has been arrested and charged with attempted murder following a serious assault in West Pilton on the evening of Wednesday 1 October.

The 24-year-old is due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court tomorrow morning, Wednesday 8 October. An 18-year-old man was previously charged with attempted murder and appeared before the same court on Monday 6 October.

The 37-year-old victim sustained serious injuries as a result of the incident and he remains in hospital in a serious but stable condition.

Detective Chief Inspector Gary Boyd said: “The investigation continues into this serious assault, and we are following a positive line of enquiry. We are still keen to speak to anyone with information about the assault and also concerning the theft of the victim’s car prior to that. Anyone with information about either incident should contact Police Scotland on 101 or alternatively, the charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”

The CEO of Ryanair, Michael O’Leary, was in Edinburgh this morning to speak at the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce breakfast but of course he was keen as always to take up the opportunity of speaking to the press, particularly in light of the announcement by Little Red yesterday that they are pulling out of their Edinburgh to London routes. (“Ah yes – No more virgins in Scotland!”)

O’Leary confirmed they are stepping into the breach: “We spoke to Edinburgh Airport last night and we have committed to taking our flight frequency up from three flights a day this winter to five flights a day next winter making up all of the capacity that is being lost with the departure of Little Red.”

Even though the airline boss agreed that the flights are not on exactly the same route (Virgin Atlantic fly to Heathrow till 2015) he explained that it is important to maintain the capacity of running flights between the two capitals thus keeping prices low. “The problem for Little Red was that they were not able to persuade people to fly to Heathrow at their prices. We will bring in more seats at significantly lower prices.”

At a fare of £19.99 one way the airline claims to make only £6 as there is £13 of Air Passenger Duty, but the important thing from O’Leary’s point of view is to grow the market here in Scotland. “I think Scotland is going to grow strongly on the back of things like the Commonwealth Games and the Ryder Cup.

“I think we will still grow strongly in Scotland even though you did not get independence last month. It makes little difference to our business.”

There was a good two way exchange with the businesss leaders at the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce business breakfast where he had been speaking, and he admitted that not all of them were complimentary to his business model, but one senses that he was ready for the naysayers. He has had something of an epiphany in recent months and both he and the business itself are on a bit of a charm offensive. Mr O’Leary told us at our last meeting that he is taking lessons in being nice to people and today he admitted that had he known how easy life would be just by being nicer to othershe might have started before now.

He is dismissive of the effect of the independence question but clearly is on top of the political situation here: “One of the things the Westminster government are going to have to do is demonstrate in the next six months more and more devolution in Scotland. I think one of the things they will devolve is Air Passenger Duty (APD) or control over it. And I would hope that the Scottish Government will then keep its word and abolish the taxes. It will have a dramatic impact on growth here in Scotland, certainly in Prestwick. It is the one thing that hinders the development of traffic in Prestwick where the customer base is very price sensitive. Our two biggest routes there five years ago were from Belfast and London both of which suffered badly when APD was introduced.  We would restore both of those routes at Prestwick if APD was scrapped.

“We are certainly not turning our backs on smaller airports. If you look around Europe we are operating at two or three airports in each city. For instance in London we serve Stansted, Gatwick and Luton. In Brussels we serve Charleroi and Zavantem. I think that in Glasgow we can easily serve two airports.

O’Leary explains that the introduction of routes out of Glasgow International to Dublin has allowed them to increase the number of flights to three from the one flight out of Prestwick which was offered previously. Part of the reason for this appears to be airport location.

He explained: “Some of our business market will just not use Prestwick, but it will continue to be a leisure airport. I think it has great potential as a leisure airport, but that in turn means it is much more price sensitive traffic and that is where APD has such an impact. I think we would like to continue to grow Prestwick but we are waiting for the new management team to be appointed there.

Asked about the improvements which he had proposed for the business customer and whether these were already paying off, O’Leary was quite frank and said: “I think so! We started this process about twelve months ago in improving a better customer experience. I think we have made mistakes in the past by being too focussed on just being the cheapest and not addressing what were fairly minor elements of our service that caused passengers a lot of grief, the free seating being one of those and of course being overly strict on the rules over one carry-on bag.

“We have addressed a lot of those issues in the last twelve months. We have rolled out a much better website and a new mobile app, a  product that offers discounts for families travelling on Ryanair, discounts on checked in bags and allocated seats for the children, and now a new business product that gives business passengers flying with Ryanair flexible tickets, allocated seats, priority boarding and fast track through airport security. We have seen a huge and very favourable response from customers. Load factors are up, traffic growth is up strongly and profits are up as well. It is working!”

Ryanair’s half year results will be out in the first week of November. The results in the last financial year showed a dip in company profits for the first time in five years but the CEO said that this year’s profit guidance has already been increased. Asked about reasons for last year’s dip the former accountant explained: “Last year the reason was softer pricing. A lot of other airlines reported softer pricing too but I think it was the kickstart we needed to begin to address the problems of customer experience and all the things we have done this year. We can’t always be the cheapest just for the sake of being the cheapest. We need to be the cheapest and the best in terms of delivery of customer experience and service too.

“I am a regular traveller and of course I know how the system works. But the business needs to evolve for new passengers coming to Ryanair. Regular users of our flights know how to comply with the system. They know all the rules. But I think we created an unnecessary fear factor against potential customers who haven’t flown with us before, but who might like our prices. They have been put off by the image or the reputation that we will fight with them over baggage size or there will be a scrum at the boarding gate over free seating. There isn’t and now we need to get that message across that we are being nicer to customers and customers are enjoying the experience. Try us you’ll save money, save time and you’ll have a pleasant experience as well.”

Asked about the possibility of taking on any of Richard Branson’s other businesses he dismissed the idea completely and said he is going to stick to airlines, rather than being distracted into running any other types of organisation.

“We will focus on being an airline. We are Europe’s biggest airline and we want to continue to be that and continue to save our passengers money.”

On their green credentials the CEO also claims that Ryanair is doing well. “We are ranked by independent studies as the greenest cleanest airline in Europe. We have the youngest fleet therefore the newest engines. We also do not offer an expensive or wasteful business class product therefore we carry more passengers per flight which equals fewer emissions per passenger than any other airline.”

You have until Thursday to book flights to London with Ryanair at prices from £19.99 upwards.

Watch an excerpt from the interview with Michael O’Leary here:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAsr228_GP4]

RYANAIR LAUNCHES £19.99 SEAT SALE FROM EDINBURGH & GLASGOW TO LONDON AS LITTLE RED CONFIRMS ROUTE CLOSURE

Following the announcement yesterday that Richard Branson’s Little Red is giving up on its Edinburgh to London route, Ryanair has launched a £19.99 seat sale on its Edinburgh-London Stansted and Glasgow-London Stansted routes, which commence on Sunday, 26^th October, with three times daily services. Little Red will fly till next year, but it is hard to see how they will be able to compete with Michael O’Leary’s price onslaught, except that they fly to Heathrow which Ryanair does not.

Ryanair’s new Scottish-London services are billed as ideal for business customers, with morning, afternoon and evening departures and at fares starting from just £19.99 are a third of BA’s fares and over 40% cheaper than those regularly charged by Easyjet.

Ryanair has reaffirmed its commitment to Scotland, as it prepares to open its third Scottish base at Glasgow International, ahead of the launch of its new three-times daily services between Edinburgh and Glasgow and London.

Ryanair launched its £19.99 seat sale for travel in October, November and December and these low fare seats are available for booking on the Ryanair.com website until midnight on Thursday 9 October.

Ryanair’s Robin Kiely said:

“Ryanair’s new Scottish routes between Edinburgh and London, and Glasgow and London, will commence on Sunday, 26^th October, with three daily return flights on each route at fares starting from just £19.99, which are a third of BA’s fares and 40% cheaper than Easyjet’s.

Ryanair is launching these routes in response to strong demand for Ryanair’s low fares from Scottish consumers and business customers, and increased competition between Scottish airports. While other airlines are reducing capacity and cancelling routes, Ryanair is again underlining its commitment to Scotland and Scottish tourism, as we prepare to open our third Scottish base at Glasgow International later this month.

Scottish consumers already choose Ryanair for our low fares, industry leading customer service and great route choice. Now they can also book their flights on our improved website and new app, carry a free small 2nd carry-on bag, enjoy allocated seats, avail of our new Family Extra and Business Plus services and use their personal electronic devices at all stages of their flight, making Ryanair the ideal choice for families, friends and businesses.”  

Woman assaulted in the city centre at the weekend

Bill McLaren rugby tournament

Morningside Community Council

Cocktails in the City

Cycling in the city

Police Scotland officers in Edinburgh are appealing for information after a woman was assaulted and robbed in the city centre at the weekend.

The 25-year-old was threatened and knocked to the ground by a man outside her home on Milton Street at around 3am on Sunday 5^th October.

The man stole her handbag and ran off towards Spring Gardens. The bag was later recovered nearby but some of the contents, including a purse and iPod, were missing.

Detective Inspector Carol Craig, who is based at Gayfield, said: “The victim was uninjured but this was obviously a distressing incident and we are very keen to trace the man responsible.

“The young woman screamed in an attempt to alert neighbours, so we are hoping there are members of the public who were in and around Milton Street in the early hours of Sunday morning who perhaps saw or heard something suspicious. We would urge these people to come forward.”

The suspect is described as white, between 30 and 35-years-old, around 5ft 4in, and of stocky build. He had a shaved head and stubble, and was wearing an orange t-shirt, possibly with black tribal design and dark coloured tracksuit bottoms.

Anyone with any information about the incident should contact Police Scotland on 101 or, alternatively, phone the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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LORETTO School held its inaugural Under 10 rugby tournament in partnership with the Bill McLaren Foundation and the event was hailed as a resounding success.

The ‘Bill McLaren Foundation and Loretto School Under 10 Rugby Tournament’, sponsored by Savills, took place on Sunday, 28^th September at Newfield playing fields at Loretto School, and attracted a large number of teams from all over Scotland – from Perthshire, East Lothian and Edinburgh to Fife and the Scottish Borders. 150 youngsters, both boys and girls, took part in the event and they were cheered on by many hundreds of spectators. There were three competitions – the shield, the plate and the cup competition.

Bill McLaren was a Scottish rugby union commentator, teacher, journalist and one time rugby player. Until his retirement in 2002, he was known as ‘the voice of rugby’ and he was renowned throughout the sport – his enthusiasm and a memorable turn of phrase endeared him to many.

Following Bill McLaren’s death in 2010, The Bill McLaren Foundation was set up in Bill’s name, with the support of his family, to serve three purposes :

·         ·         To develop and promote the sport of rugby union and its values

·         ·         To encourage and provide sporting opportunities for young people

·         ·         To create an educative centre which will include the Bill McLaren Archive

Jonathan Hewat, Director of External Affairs at Loretto School said, “We are thrilled to be working in partnership with the Bill McLaren Foundation. Bill believed passionately in encouraging children, all shapes and sizes to get involved in sport and to do their best for themselves, for their team and at the same time to honour the game. He believed that sport and rugby in particular was a great way of helping youngsters develop life skills.

Sunday’s Under 10 rugby tournament was a great success and instilled respect for team mates, for the opposition and for the officials which was central to Bill’s teaching as were discipline, sportsmanship and developing the concept of team and ethos. Fun and friendship were very much at the heart of Sunday’s tournament. We have great plans to extend next year’s tournament making it even bigger and better!”

Prizes were presented by Linda Lawson, Foundation Trustee and Bill’s daughter.

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Enter our latest competition here to win a pair of tickets to Cocktails in the City on 23 October 2014.

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The proposals aim to encourage the take up of cycling in the city and the Council is calling for people to put forward their views on the plans.

Four possible options to create new cycling facilities within the park are now public before they are put forward to the Culture and Sport Committee in December for approval.

A survey  has been launched to collect feedback from local people and cycling clubs on the proposals, which aim to offer low cost access to first class cycling facilities for all ages and abilities. Members of the Council’s sport team will tour local public venues including libraries, schools, and Edinburgh Leisure facilities to consult on the cycling hub vision.

The facilities illustrated in the options include a closed road circuit – designed to be safe for young people to learn cycling and racing skills – plus BMX and small cycle speedway tracks. The plans also outline designs for an outdoor velodrome for track cycling, and the provision of new synthetic turf 3G football/rugby pitches, to compensate for the loss of grass pitches on the site.

The plans have been allocated £1.215m of funding and have been drawn up by architects Reaich and Hall, working to a brief from the Council.

Councillor Richard Lewis, the city’s Culture and Sports Convener, said: “Cycling is one of the country’s fastest-growing sports, and our aim is to provide young people in Edinburgh with facilities where they can sharpen their skills and gain confidence in their abilities.

“It is part of the Council’s broader aim to provide more opportunities for people to get active, and it is hoped that these facilities will prove an exciting and fun way people to take part in sport and perhaps join a club. All the facilities would be open at low cost to anyone with an interest, and there would be free sessions made available also for local young people.

“Edinburgh is also keen to build on the legacy for community sport that Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games brought to Scotland, and these proposals are all part of a bigger plan to encourage more and more people to become physically active.

“We know that we need to provide facilities that can encourage and nurture the development of sport and specifically cycling. We also know that the proposals for Hunter’s Hall outline potential changes to the level of open green space in the park, and we understand there will be concerns about this. We want to hear residents’ thoughts on this before proposals go to Committee, and this is why we are embarking on the consultation.”

Craig Burn, Chief Executive of Scottish Cycling, hopes the cycling community gets onboard with the project. He said: “Scottish Cycling is delighted to see the consultation phase of the Hunter’s Hall Park cycling hub starting.

“We would encourage the cycling community to get behind this project and complete the City of Edinburgh Council’s survey.

“Facilities like the proposed cycling hub will not only benefit cyclists in the local area but will provide a safe and accessible environment for cyclists of all ages and abilities throughout Scotland to get involved in our fantastic sport.”

Double Silver Commonwealth Games medallist Louise Haston added that a cycling hub would encourage young people to be physically active. She said: “It would be fantastic to see new facilities in Edinburgh like the proposed Hunters Hall Park cycling hub.

“Facilities like this will not only provide opportunities for adults and young people to develop their cycling abilities and try the sport but will also provide a safe environment for people to cycle and hopefully encourage more people to get on their bike and be physically active.

“I would encourage as many people as possible to complete the survey and give their opinions on the proposed cycling facilities.”

Take part in the City of Edinburgh Council’s survey on the cycling hub plans.

Follow the developments on Facebook  and Twitter  with the hashtag #CyclingHuntersHall

William McIlvaney: Looking Glass Books and the University of Edinburgh present the Guest Writers Series – authors in conversation with Writer in Residence Jenni Fagan. Kilmarnock born McIlvaney is a writer of novels, short stories and poetry: his works include crime novels Laidlaw and The Papers of Tony Veitch, and his short story collection Walking Wounded. 6pm, Looking Glass Books, 36 Simpson Loan, Quartermile. Free, all welcome.

eBook Surgery: get help with downloading free eBooks, audiobooks and emagazines. 2-3.30pm, Central Library, George IV Bridge. Free, no appointment necessary.

University of Edinburgh Careers Fair: a great chance to find out about potential career opportunities and meet employers. Students and graduates of any university are welcome to attend. 1.30-6.30pm, Adam House, Chambers Street. Also open at same times but with different exhibitors on Wednesday 8th October.  For more details of employers attending and talks offered throughout the day, click here. Free: no pre-registration necessary.

Lunchtime Concert: Daklen Difato (piano) will perform Beethoven’s Sonata Op 31 No 2 The Tempest, Schumann’s Papillons Op 2, Schoenberg’s Klavierstucke Op 19 and Debussy’s Estampes. 1.10pm, Reid Concert Hall, Bristo Square. Free: supported by the Italian Cultural Institute.

John Kitchen: Inaugural Concert to Celebrate the Restoration of the McEwan Hall Organ. The organ was originally built by Robert Hope-Jones in 1897: a major restoration has recently been completed by local firm Forth Pipe Organs. John Kitchen will play Francis Jackson Edinburgh Fanfare, Guilmant Grand Choeur in D, JS Bach Prelude and Fugue in E Flat (St Anne) BWV 552, Cecilia McDowell Church Bells Beyond the Stars (2013) and Widor Three Movements from Symphony No. 5 in F.  7.30pm, McEwan Hall, Bristo Square, University of Edinburgh. Free admission.

Art Party: a new artist film by Bob and Roberta Smith and director Tim Newton. This screening will inform the artist’s Friday Lecture Series talk on 10th October. The film features Cornelia Parker, John Smith, Haroon Mizra, Jeremy Deller, Richard Wentworth and Jessica Voorsanger. 5.30-7pm, Main Lecture Theatre (E22), Edinburgh College of Art, Lauriston Place.  Free and open to all.

Japan Matters Lecture: Environmental Radiation in Fukishima. Mr Kimiaki Saito, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, talks about the current environmental radiation situation in Fukishima, three years after its nuclear power plant accident. He has conducted large-scale radiation monitoring, contamination mapping and investigation of radiocesium movement in the environment. Event organised by Japan Desk Scotland with a grant from Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation. 7-9pm,  St Andrew’s and St George’s West Church, 13 George Street. Free entry, all welcome.

Madness and Melancholy: Boswell’s Life of Johnson. Allan Beveridge presents James Boswell’s Life of Johnson, a fascinating account of discussions between James Boswell and Samuel Johnson on their experience of melancholy and madness.  Poet Jo McFarlane will then respond to this unique biography through contemporary poetry. 6.30-8pm, Anatomy Lecture Theatre, Summerhall, 1 Summerhall Place. Free but booking required: contact Kirsten at CAPS Advocacy: 0131 273 5116 or kirsten@capsadvocacy.org Part of Scottish Mental Health Arts & Film Festival.

Fairy Story Walks and Lantern Parade: SEASONS presents a family-friendly community event for wellbeing. Join a fairy story walk around a beautiful lit wild garden and experience the power of the wishing trees and other magical surprises, then warm up with homemade soup and a hot drink. 7-8pm, Enchanted Garden, Lochend House, 33-35 Lochend Road South EH7 6BR. Free but booking required: jane.mather@edinburgh.gov.uk  A similar event will take place at Braids Hills, 5-6 pm on 15th October 2014. Part of Scottish Mental Health Arts & Film Festival.

Keywords: Realism. One of a 5-part series on language and contemporary art organised by the School of History of Art at the University of Edinburgh, with Glyn Davis (University of Edinburgh) and Antigoni Memou (University of East London), chaired by Kirsten Lloyd (University of Edinburgh.) For more information see www.keywordscontemporary.com. 6.30-8.30pm, Fruitmarket Gallery, Market Street. Free places should be booked on 0131 226 8181 or by emailing bookshop@fruitmarket.co.uk

Police in Livingston are appealing for witnesses to an attempted robbery at the Co-op Newyearfield on Sunday morning (October 5, 2014)

A man approached the till and demanded a staff member hand over cigarettes. The quick-thinking employee refused, and pressed an alarm button, at which point the man ran away.

The alleged thief is described as white, about 30 year old with a medium to heavy build. He spoke with a local accent, was wearing a dark green parka jacket and black boots, with white flashes around the sole area. He was also carrying a dark-coloured haversack on his back.

Detective Constable Steven Telford, who is leading the investigation, said: “I am looking for the man involved in this attempted robbery. Thanks to the quick-thinking initiative of the member of staff, he did not get anything, although he caused distress to the shop assistant, so it is important we catch him as soon as possible and bring him to justice. Anyone who was in or around the shop at this time and witnessed this man either carrying out his attempted theft, or has any other information which would help the enquiry, is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101 or provide the information anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

Forth Bridges Festival

Scrapyard Manifesto

Nonna’s Kitchen reopens on Friday

Postcards for Sick Kids 2014

Police Box for sale

The Forth Bridges Festival took place at the beginning of September to mark the 50th anniversary of the Forth Bridge being opened. Now the organisers want to know what you thought of the festivities…

There is a survey here.

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More information here.

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Big news for you Edinburgh foodies! The lovely people at Nonna’s Kitchen are back from their holidays and will reopen the restaurant in Morningside on Friday. Book your table now.

And just in case you need to know they already have their Christmas and New Year menus up on their site to tantalise your tastebuds. Click here.

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The Sick Kids Friends Foundation (SKFF) is inviting art lovers to discover a unique exhibition where a number of specially commissioned artworks by some of Scotland’s most renowned artists will be sold to raise funds for the children’s charity.

The Postcards for Sick Kids 2014 ‘Small Pictures for Big Projects’ event will exhibit over 100 works of art generously donated by more than 70 distinguished artists and painters from across Scotland and  beyond.

Works will be shown at the prestigious Lyon & Turnbull auction house, Edinburgh between Thursday, 6 November and Saturday, 8 November.

Each postcard sized masterpiece will hang anonymously, with the identity of the artist only revealed upon purchase of the postcard. For just £500, attendees will have the opportunity to own one of these truly unique pieces from contributors such as David Michie, Donald Provan, Helga Chart and Jack Knox.

All proceeds will be donated to the Foundation’s Artists in Residence programme at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children (RHSC) in Edinburgh.

This programme uses art to enrich the hospital environment and promote sick children’s recovery. SKFF fund the provision of art, music and drama therapy and art works around the hospital and have helped employ three long term art residencies within the RHSC, as well as short term creative writer and illustrator posts.

Harnessing the inspiration and strength that art can deliver for children and their families, Artists in Residence is now a comfort to thousands of patients and will be transferred to the new RHSC when it opens in 2017.

Since its launch in 1999, Postcards for Sick Kids exhibitions have raised more than £250,000 in support of the Foundation’s work at the RHSC. The most recent display held in 2012 gathered an impressive £46,500, a target which organisers are hoping to surpass at this year’s event to help further expand the art therapy initiative.

One mother, whose son Noah received treatment at the RHSC following diagnosis of cancer of the soft-tissues behind the eye, has spoken of the benefits the project brings to young patients and their families.

Brenda Duncan said: “At the Sick Kids, children are often stuck in bed for days, weeks even. Their world has been turned upside down and filled with new emotions, fears and insecurities.

“With nothing much to do, stuck in that bed, surely writing and drawing would be a positive way to organise thoughts without really realising it. The encouragement we, as a family, have received from the Artists in Residence has certainly given us confidence in our ideas and abilities.”

Maureen Harrison, chief executive of SKFF, said: “We’re very excited to unveil Postcards for Sick Kids 2014. We’ve been overwhelmed by the response from so many gifted artists who have produced some beautiful pieces for the exhibition.

“Small Pictures for Big Projects is all about people buying an original work of art while helping us fund vital initiatives which help make thousands of sick children feel better.

“The event would not be possible without the help of our corporate partner Lindsays and we are also grateful to Investec, Drambuie, Lyon and Turnbull and Fastframe for their support.”

Alasdair Cummings, Managing Partner at Lindsays, said: “As long term supporters of the SKFF, we’re delighted to be involved in this exclusive event. I am sure that visitors to the exhibition will have a wonderful time as they help the Foundation continue to provide a vital artistic outlet for patients of the RHSC.”

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One of the police boxes which was sold in 2012 has come up for sale again, although we are not sure that anything was done with it by the buyer. The one up for sale is in Drumsheugh Place. (curiously we do not have a photo of it!)

Now, the price is an amazing… £15-20,000 and the details are on the auction site here. There are also various others being sold by the Scottish Police Authority in cooperation with the City of Edinburgh Council and you can read more about those here.

We have a storyboard of photos of the police boxes we have spotted around town. You can see that here. (And you can add your own photos, thoughts or videos to the storyboard of course!)

Otherwise we have various pages here about the boxes we have spotted around town. Which one do you like?

Mrs Mash the Storytelling Cook: stories, songs and participative fun for Portobello’s youngest residents. 10.30-11am, The Skylark, 241-243 Portobello High Street.

Toddler Time: Poppy Cat. Join fabulous feline Poppy Cat on her adventures through magical lands with her colourful group of friends.  Each story is a celebration of imaginative play and problem solving; three 11 minute programmes will be shown. Poppy is voiced by Joanna Page and based on the award-winning books by Lara Jones. Toddler Time is for pre-school children and their parents and carers only. 11-11.33am, Cameo Cinema, 38 Home Street, Tollcross. £3 per child, babies under 1 year free, accompanying adults free provided they become members of Toddler Time (free membership – ask at Box Office or call 0871 902 5747.)

Inspired by Dutch Still Life: a practical workshop and tour suitable for community groups, including care homes and those with dementia. Explore the National Gallery, work with artists and create a beautiful art work inspired by Dutch Still Life. Wheelchair users welcome – please note there will be some moving between the gallery and the workshop area. 10am-12 noon or 2-4pm, Clore 1, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free: to book places call 0131 624 6560. Part of Luminate: Scotland’s Creative Aging Festival. Also available at same times every day until Friday 10th October.

What Next for Scotland? the Referendum result has raised question for both the medium and the long-term future of Scotland and the rest of the UK. Experts from the Scottish Centre for Constitutional Change will offer some answers, looking at what happened on 18th September and what might happen in the weeks, months and years ahead, and highlighting research by some of the UK’s most respected academics. 9am-12.30pm, Our Dynamic Earth, Holyrood Gait. Free tickets should be booked via eventbrite. A University of Edinburgh event chaired by the Rt Hon Henry McLeish.

Blackwell’s Edinburgh presents The Monthly Book Quiz: if you know your Waugh from your Peace and your Meyer from your Heyer, try Blackwell’s monthly book quiz.  Teams of up to five welcome. 6-7.15pm, Caffe Nero, Blackwell’s, South Bridge. Free and unticketed but arrive early as space is limited. For more information contact Ann Landmann on 0131 622 8216 or email events.edinburgh@blackwell.co.uk

Tricolour: monthly night showcasing three different poetry and spoken word talents. Three different voices, three different styles, three different takes on life. This month: Diana Hendry, Hamish White and Kate Hendry. 6.30pm, National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge. Free but places should be booked here or by calling 0131 623 3734.

For Crying Out Loud: special screenings for carers and their babies (under 12 months). This week: Woody Allen’s Magic in the Moonlight (12A) featuring Colin Firth, Emma Stone and Eileen Atkins. 11am, The Filmhouse, 88 Lothian Road. £4.50/£3.50 per adult (max. 2 adults per baby.) Baby changing, bottle warming and buggy parking facilities available.

Exposure: a thought-provoking exhibition as part of Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival. Through the medium of photography, young people with experience of mental ill health explore issues of living with social anxiety, depression, OCD and isolation. 10am-5pm today and every day until Friday 10th October 2014, Out of The Blue Drill Hall, 36 Dalmeny Street. Free.

Firhill Art Group Exhibition: the group returns to the Undercroft Cafe with a mixed exhibition of work curated by Alex Lodge. Today until 1st November 2014, Undercroft Cafe, St Andrew’s and St George’s West Church, 13 George Street.

A Scottish Architect Abroad: Robert Lorimer’s work in England and further afield. Simon Green will explore this topic to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Lorimer’s birth. 6.30-8.30pm, St Andrew’s and St George’s West Church, 13 George Street. A talk in the Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland’s winter lecture series. £5 (students £2.50), non-members warmly welcomed.

Oh What a Lovely War! Based on the celebrated anti-war stage piece by Joan Littlewood’s Theatre Workshop, this film (made in 1969) chronicles the various madnesses of the First World War. Shown as part of Gorgie War Memorial’s commemoration of the start of the war. 6.30-8.45pm, St Bride’s Centre, Orwell Road. Free: certificate PG.

Conflict, War and Climate Change: the need to act now. A short film produced by the Move for the Abolition of War, aiming to convince people that climate change and conflict are linked and can be tackled together by ordinary people, communities and governments. To be followed by a discussion. 7.30-9pm, Quaker Meeting House, 7 Victoria Terrace. All welcome. Presented by the Campaign Against the Arms Trade. Part of Edinburgh World Justice Festival 2014.

Edinburgh Rugby

place in the Guinness PRO12 table, just ahead of Zebre and Treviso. A full report from Stephen Brunsdon can be read – before it gets dark! – in the Sports section.

Club Rugby

In the BT Premiership, only one of the four Edinburgh sides recorded a win at the weekend and that was Heriots, who beat Currie 34-28 at Malleny Park. Boroughmuir were beaten 34-16, at home, by Ayr and Edinburgh Academy’s woes continued with a 26-19 defeat by visitors Gala.

The league table, Heriots retain their shared second place with Ayr on 24 points, Boroughmuir drop to eighth on 11 points and Accies stay tenth with 3 having gained another losing bonus point.

In the BT National League, Div. 1, Watsonians scored seven tries in their 44-12 win against Kelso at Myreside (Full report in the Sports section), but Stewarts-Melville suffered an agonisingly close 17-16 defeat by Selkirk at home.

As a result, Watsonians climb up to third, now on 15 points, while Stew-Mel drop a few places to sixth on 14 points.

As an aside, in conversation with Stew-Mel’s President, Colin Rigby, at a previous match, it appears that not only do Stew-Mel and Watsonians play either at home and away on the same weekends for almost all of the season, but Watsonians act like Stew-Mel’s ‘beta-testers’ by playing their next opponents the week before. He went on to comment that the situation has lead to a bit too much attention being paid to their next opponents rather than the game in hand.

It also means that, on alternate Saturdays, the ER’s Rugby ‘correspondent’, who has an ‘easy access’ arrangement with both clubs, has to occasionally consider other plans…….

Image by John Preece

Robert Wardell turned himself “inside out” (Orange Monkey Pro Team) to draw first blood in the Ridley Scottish Cyclocross Series today, taking the win from race organiser David Lines (Starley Primal) and young buck Jack Ravenscroft (Team Thomson’s Cycles). The hour-long race was hotly contested with the top three riders staying close together for the large majority of the race. Ravenscroft was first to be distanced by the relentless pace of the two elder statesmen of Scottish Cycling. Wardell managed to put distance into Lines when he had a spill and, although holding on, was being closed in on the rest of the race.

Elsewhere in the veterans race, with a field of an impressive 125 riders, Gary McCrae (Leslie Bike Shop) reminded everyone of his continuing dominance in the 40+ category with a fine win over Colin May (Velo Club Edinburgh, 2013 Scottish Cyclocross Senior series winner), underlining that he is the man to beat again this year.

In the Women’s Race, Anne Ewing (WV Breda) managed to ride away from the rest of her rivals to take the maximum points towards the series standings.

Seven try ‘Sonians sees off Borders’ challenge.

After two successive defeats by Borders’ teams, Watsonians faced their third side in a row as Selkirk travelled up to Myreside for their fifth round match in Division 1 of the BT National Leagues. And it was to prove a long trip back for the visitors as, despite puting up a spirited resistance, Kelso went down 44-12.

An early lead for Watsonians from a Ross Aitken penalty was soon wiped out as Kelso battled up the field and, within a minute, had scored the opening try of the match through centre, Gregg Minto. With the conversion missed, it was 5-3 to Kelso. Just less than 10 minutes later, however, Watsonians came back with a try of their own. A lineout from a penalty was gathered in and hooker, Jake Kerr, slipped round the tail and barrelled through for the try. Another successful kick from Aitken stretched the lead out to 10-5.

A short period of possession from Kelso moved the ball into ‘Sonians’ half, but a knock on gave the advantage back to the home side. An advantage they took well as the ball was moved swiftly upfield, and a won lineout, had the ball quickly across from right to left, where a neat inside ball from wing, Scott McKean, to scrum half – and recent Scotland U20 graduate – Reiss Cullen who took a couple of the opposition with him to score Watsonians’ third try. What was then to prove a nightmare day with the boot for Aitken, failed to increase the score past 15-5 with just over a quarter of the match played.

A few minutes later, the home side had their third try of the half. Chasing his own kick, full-back, Rory Steele, sliced through the Kelso defence and made ground down the left wing. A despairing tackle from a Kelso defender dragged the Watsonians back into touch, but not before he had released the ball into home side hands. Another quick move across the field left No. 14, Julien Hyarder with one man to beat for his first of a brace on the day. A bit of ‘afters’ saw the ref have a wee word but nothing came of it. Hyarder then kicked the conversion to take the lead out further to 22-5.

 A swift riposte from the visitors was called for to, at least, keep them in with a fighting chance and, another five minutes saw their reply. Keeping a hold of the ball and quickly recycling from a succession of rucks, saw Minto through a gaping hole in the ‘Sonians’ defence for his second try. A successful conversion from Andrew Skeen brought the score to 22-12 to Watsonians.

They then came back, yet again, with the bonus point fourth try within a minute of the restart. A lineout win around the 22 had the forwards form a maul, which inexorably rolled and heaved its way up to, and over the Kelso line. All prop, Martin Christie then had to do was fall down with the ball to score the try. With the stiff breeze making the kicker’s job a bit dodgy, the score remained at 27-12.

Once again, the visitors shown a bit of fight, and held onto the ball for a period of time. However, an early push from the pack in a scrum in their own half, gave a free kick to the home side. A bit of quick thinking and a quick tap, left Cullen (Watsonians Man-of-the-Match) with a straight run in to score his second try of the match under the posts. With Aitken now relegated to non-kicker, the conversion was scored by Hyarder to leave the score at the break, 34-12.

The second half was to prove much less eventful. Kelso secured long periods of possession and came close to crossing the line on two occasions, but a fumble and a try saving tackle, which knocked the ball clear, prevented them from adding to their points, Watsonians, on the other hand, scored a further two tries to take a fine win, 44-12.

The first of these came just after 10 minutes of play. Winning the ball just inside the Kelso half, flanker, Niall Dennis broke through several tackles to touch down for ‘Sonians sixth try and another five points. The kick was missed so 37-12 was the scoreline. The second came soon the match went to non-contested scrums following an injury to a Kelso prop. The ball was passed out to Steele on the wing by Hyardet to release the full back u the line, but with the cover coming over, he just managed to get a kick away. As the ball bounced about in space, No 8 Ally Miller followed up and, kicking the ball through, touched down between the posts for the seventh Watsonians try of the afternoon. With a successful kick, the score now stood at 44-12, which went on to be the final score of the match.

 A fine win from the Myreside men hauled them up from sixth to fourth in the table, but nine points behind leaders, GHA, with 15.

 Images from the match will appear here over the next few days.

Police Scotland is hunting a man who is alleged to have spray painted racist graffiti against the Muslim faith at several locations across the Dedridge area of Livingston.

The graffiti is believed to have been sprayed from 2am on Saturday morning (October 4, 2014).

The man believed to be responsible is described as white, wearing a black baseball cap with ear flaps, and a red, white and blue striped football scarf wrapped round his face. He had a dark coloured zip up jacket, jeans and black boots.

He may have been wearing yellow ‘marigold’ gloves and using a large white coloured 18inch tin of red spray paint.

Detective Constable Steven Telford, who is leading the enquiry, said: “Anyone who recognises this man or has information about this incident is asked to call Police Scotland on 101 or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

Police in West Lothian are appealing for witnesses to an incident in Livingston this morning  in which a man was robbed of a two-figure sum.

The man and a companion were walking on the pathway to rear of Heatherbank, Ladywell, Livingston around 3.45am when they were approached by three men walking towards them.

The man was then assaulted and money stolen from his wallet.

Detective Constable Bruce Kennedy, who is leading the investigation, said:  “I am looking for the three men involved in this robbery, who are all white and in their late teens to mid-20s.

“The first man is 5’9”, medium build and was wearing a dark jacket or a hoodie with the hood up. He had a rough local accent.

“The second man is 5’9″, medium build, and wearing a lighter jacket with the hood up. He had a scar at the side of his nose, while the third man I am seeking is around 5′ 7″ in height and was wearing a light blue hoodie with the hood up and jeans.”

Anyone who recognises these men or who has information about this incident is asked to call Police Scotland on 101 or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

MONDAY 6TH OCTOBER 2014

Mrs Mash the Storytelling Cook: stories, songs and participative fun for Portobello’s youngest residents. 10.30-11am, The Skylark, 241-243 Portobello High Street.

Toddler Time: Poppy Cat. Join fabulous feline Poppy Cat on her adventures through magical lands with her colourful group of friends.  Each story is a celebration of imaginative play and problem solving; three 11 minute programmes will be shown. Poppy is voiced by Joanna Page and based on the award-winning books by Lara Jones. Toddler Time is for pre-school children and their parents and carers only. 11-11.33am, Cameo Cinema, 38 Home Street, Tollcross. £3 per child, babies under 1 year free, accompanying adults free provided they become members of Toddler Time (free membership – ask at Box Office or call 0871 902 5747.)

Inspired by Dutch Still Life: a practical workshop and tour suitable for community groups, including care homes and those with dementia. Explore the National Gallery, work with artists and create a beautiful art work inspired by Dutch Still Life. Wheelchair users welcome – please note there will be some moving between the gallery and the workshop area. 10am-12 noon or 2-4pm, Clore 1, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free: to book places call 0131 624 6560. Part of Luminate: Scotland’s Creative Aging Festival. Also available at same times every day until Friday 10th October.

What Next for Scotland? the Referendum result has raised question for both the medium and the long-term future of Scotland and the rest of the UK. Experts from the Scottish Centre for Constitutional Change will offer some answers, looking at what happened on 18th September and what might happen in the weeks, months and years ahead, and highlighting research by some of the UK’s most respected academics. 9am-12.30pm, Our Dynamic Earth, Holyrood Gait. Free tickets should be booked via eventbrite. A University of Edinburgh event chaired by the Rt Hon Henry McLeish.

Blackwell’s Edinburgh presents The Monthly Book Quiz: if you know your Waugh from your Peace and your Meyer from your Heyer, try Blackwell’s monthly book quiz.  Teams of up to five welcome. 6-7.15pm, Caffe Nero, Blackwell’s, South Bridge. Free and unticketed but arrive early as space is limited. For more information contact Ann Landmann on 0131 622 8216 or email events.edinburgh@blackwell.co.uk

Tricolour: monthly night showcasing three different poetry and spoken word talents. Three different voices, three different styles, three different takes on life. This month: Diana Hendry, Hamish White and Kate Hendry. 6.30pm, National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge. Free but places should be booked here or by calling 0131 623 3734.

For Crying Out Loud: special screenings for carers and their babies (under 12 months). This week: Woody Allen’s Magic in the Moonlight (12A) featuring Colin Firth, Emma Stone and Eileen Atkins. 11am, The Filmhouse, 88 Lothian Road. £4.50/£3.50 per adult (max. 2 adults per baby.) Baby changing, bottle warming and buggy parking facilities available.

Exposure: a thought-provoking exhibition as part of Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival. Through the medium of photography, young people with experience of mental ill health explore issues of living with social anxiety, depression, OCD and isolation. 10am-5pm today and every day until Friday 10th October 2014, Out of The Blue Drill Hall, 36 Dalmeny Street. Free.

Firhill Art Group Exhibition: the group returns to the Undercroft Cafe with a mixed exhibition of work curated by Alex Lodge. Today until 1st November 2014, Undercroft Cafe, St Andrew’s and St George’s West Church, 13 George Street.

A Scottish Architect Abroad: Robert Lorimer’s work in England and further afield. Simon Green will explore this topic to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Lorimer’s birth. 6.30-8.30pm, St Andrew’s and St George’s West Church, 13 George Street. A talk in the Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland’s winter lecture series. £5 (students £2.50), non-members warmly welcomed.

Oh What a Lovely War! Based on the celebrated anti-war stage piece by Joan Littlewood’s Theatre Workshop, this film (made in 1969) chronicles the various madnesses of the First World War. Shown as part of Gorgie War Memorial’s commemoration of the start of the war. 6.30-8.45pm, St Bride’s Centre, Orwell Road. Free: certificate PG.

Conflict, War and Climate Change: the need to act now. A short film produced by the Move for the Abolition of War, aiming to convince people that climate change and conflict are linked and can be tackled together by ordinary people, communities and governments. To be followed by a discussion. 7.30-9pm, Quaker Meeting House, 7 Victoria Terrace. All welcome. Presented by the Campaign Against the Arms Trade. Part of Edinburgh World Justice Festival 2014.

TUESDAY 7TH OCTOBER 2014

William McIlvaney: Looking Glass Books and the University of Edinburgh present the Guest Writers Series – authors in conversation with Writer in Residence Jenni Fagan. Kilmarnock born McIlvaney is a writer of novels, short stories and poetry: his works include crime novels Laidlaw and The Papers of Tony Veitch, and his short story collection Walking Wounded. 6pm, Looking Glass Books, 36 Simpson Loan, Quartermile. Free, all welcome.

eBook Surgery: get help with downloading free eBooks, audiobooks and emagazines. 2-3.30pm, Central Library, George IV Bridge. Free, no appointment necessary.

University of Edinburgh Careers Fair: a great chance to find out about potential career opportunities and meet employers. Students and graduates of any university are welcome to attend. 1.30-6.30pm, Adam House, Chambers Street. Also open at same times but with different exhibitors on Wednesday 8th October.  For more details of employers attending and talks offered throughout the day, click here. Free: no pre-registration necessary.

Lunchtime Concert: Daklen Difato (piano) will perform Beethoven’s Sonata Op 31 No 2 The Tempest, Schumann’s Papillons Op 2, Schoenberg’s Klavierstucke Op 19 and Debussy’s Estampes. 1.10pm, Reid Concert Hall, Bristo Square. Free: supported by the Italian Cultural Institute.

John Kitchen: Inaugural Concert to Celebrate the Restoration of the McEwan Hall Organ. The organ was originally built by Robert Hope-Jones in 1897: a major restoration has recently been completed by local firm Forth Pipe Organs. John Kitchen will play Francis Jackson Edinburgh Fanfare, Guilmant Grand Choeur in D, JS Bach Prelude and Fugue in E Flat (St Anne) BWV 552, Cecilia McDowell Church Bells Beyond the Stars (2013) and Widor Three Movements from Symphony No. 5 in F.  7.30pm, McEwan Hall, Bristo Square, University of Edinburgh. Free admission.

Art Party: a new artist film by Bob and Roberta Smith and director Tim Newton. This screening will inform the artist’s Friday Lecture Series talk on 10th October. The film features Cornelia Parker, John Smith, Haroon Mizra, Jeremy Deller, Richard Wentworth and Jessica Voorsanger. 5.30-7pm, Main Lecture Theatre (E22), Edinburgh College of Art, Lauriston Place.  Free and open to all.

Japan Matters Lecture: Environmental Radiation in Fukishima. Mr Kimiaki Saito, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, talks about the current environmental radiation situation in Fukishima, three years after its nuclear power plant accident. He has conducted large-scale radiation monitoring, contamination mapping and investigation of radiocesium movement in the environment. Event organised by Japan Desk Scotland with a grant from Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation. 7-9pm,  St Andrew’s and St George’s West Church, 13 George Street. Free entry, all welcome.

Madness and Melancholy: Boswell’s Life of Johnson. Allan Beveridge presents James Boswell’s Life of Johnson, a fascinating account of discussions between James Boswell and Samuel Johnson on their experience of melancholy and madness.  Poet Jo McFarlane will then respond to this unique biography through contemporary poetry. 6.30-8pm, Anatomy Lecture Theatre, Summerhall, 1 Summerhall Place. Free but booking required: contact Kirsten at CAPS Advocacy: 0131 273 5116 or kirsten@capsadvocacy.org Part of Scottish Mental Health Arts & Film Festival.

Fairy Story Walks and Lantern Parade: SEASONS presents a family-friendly community event for wellbeing. Join a fairy story walk around a beautiful lit wild garden and experience the power of the wishing trees and other magical surprises, then warm up with homemade soup and a hot drink. 7-8pm, Enchanted Garden, Lochend House, 33-35 Lochend Road South EH7 6BR. Free but booking required: jane.mather@edinburgh.gov.uk  A similar event will take place at Braids Hills, 5-6 pm on 15th October 2014. Part of Scottish Mental Health Arts & Film Festival.

Keywords: Realism. One of a 5-part series on language and contemporary art organised by the School of History of Art at the University of Edinburgh, with Glyn Davis (University of Edinburgh) and Antigoni Memou (University of East London), chaired by Kirsten Lloyd (University of Edinburgh.) For more information see www.keywordscontemporary.com. 6.30-8.30pm, Fruitmarket Gallery, Market Street. Free places should be booked on 0131 226 8181 or by emailing bookshop@fruitmarket.co.uk

WEDNESDAY 8TH OCTOBER 2014

Remembering the Great War: Peter Catrell. Photographer Peter Catrell talks about his lifelong fascination with the Great War, his project to photograph the battlefields of the Somme and his research into the Sheffield City Battalion (of which Edinburgh poet Alexander Robertson was a member.)  ‘A homage to those men, and to the sad loss of a talented generation.’ 12.45-1.30pm, Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free and unticketed.

George Monbiot: Feral: Rewilding the Land, Sea and Human Life. Monbiot has spent his career as a journalist and environmentalist: his celebrated Guardian columns are syndicated all over the world.  He is the author of many bestselling books, including Captive State and Amazon Watershed, and won the UN Global 500 Award for outstanding environmental achievement. He discusses his latest book Feral. 3pm, Word Power Books, West Nicolson Street. All welcome: free – donations also welcome!

University of Edinburgh Careers Fair: a great chance to find out about potential career opportunities and meet employers. Students and graduates of any university are welcome to attend. 1.30-6.30pm, Adam House, Chambers Street.  For more details of employers attending and talks offered throughout the day, click here. Free: no pre-registration necessary.

Lunchtime Concert: Sandra Landini (piano) plays Chopin, Glinka, Tchaikovsky and Prokofiev. 12.15pm, St Giles Cathedral, Royal Mile. Free.

Meet the Author: local author Janice Cairns talks about her debut novel Forgiving Nancy. ‘A rags to riches family saga drawing a fascinating picture of wealthy and deprived Edinburgh.’ 2.30pm, Morningside Library, 184 Morningside Road. Booking essential: call 0131 529 5654 or drop into the library.

Lothians On Film: an exciting selection of short films made in and around the Lothians. The films (documentary, fiction, animation and film-art) include previous winners of SMHAFF Film Awards, newly finished and highly acclaimed films by members of the Midlothian Men’s SHARE Project, film-art pieces by members of the Stepping Stones (now Alma) Project, Volunteering Changes Lives a celebration of 30 years work by Volunteer Centre Edinburgh’s Health & Wellbeing Team, and documentaries by CAPS Advocacy, MECOPP and many more. 6.30-8.30pm, The Stafford Centre, 103 Broughton Street. Free but booking required: email emily@health-in-mind.org.uk  Part of Scottish Mental Health Arts & Film Festival.

Regeneration: 1997 film revealing the humanity at the heart of the nightmare of World War One. Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon meet at Craiglockhart War Hospital: destined to become two of Britain’s most important poets, they struggle to give voice to the pain and futility of armed combat through their poetry. 6-8pm, Lindsay Stewart Lecture Theatre, Craiglockhart Campus, Edinburgh Napier University, 219 Colinton Road. Free but booking required via eventbrite.  Part of Scottish Mental Health Arts & Film Festival.

Morningside Justice and Peace: Human Trafficking in Scotland. A short talk by Graham O’Neill, Policy and Communications Manager, Scottish Refugee Council, followed by questions and discussion. Morningside Justice and Peace Group exists to promote informed opinion on matters of concern to the community at large. 10.30-11.30am, Open Door, 420 Morningside Road. All welcome: donation of £1 requested to help cover costs.

Between Tides: Tentsmuir is a unique area of NE Fife caught between the tides. In this exhibition of artwork, internationally acclaimed artist Derek Robertson captures the rich ecology of the place, inspired by his 2013 artist-in-residence appointment at Tentsmuir National Nature Reserve and his collaborations with scientists, poets, dancers, artists and storyteller Lea Taylor. Lea will present a storytelling performance based on the tales of Tentsmuir later in October. 10am-6pm today until 20th October 2014 (closed Sundays), Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street. Free.

THURSDAY 9TH OCTOBER 2014

GENERATION DJ Set: A La Fu. A La Fu has performed at Glastonbury, Brixton Academy, Trans Musicales, Pukkelpop and NYC’s Knitting Factory. He will be offering an improvised response to the GENERATION art works before playing tracks that engage with the Scottish art and music scene of the last 25 years. 6pm, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art ONE, Belford Road. Free and unticketed. Part of GENERATION By Night. ‘Inspired by the turntable and anything slightly off kilter.’

Drama @ WHALE: Whale’s Without A Cause drama group are looking for new members who would like to be involved in devising a show to be performed at the WHALE Arts End of Year Christmas Party – no previous experience needed! 7-9pm today and every Thursday until 11th December 2014, WHALE Arts, 30 Westburn Grove. Free.

Wordplay: Transportable Words. Creative gallery-based writing session inspired by the GENERATION exhibition. This session will journey through multiple artists’ works to examine varying approaches to creating a sense of place and map a journey that can act as a basis for a fictional text. Materials will be supplied to create a ‘mood board’ map in the style of Lucy McKenzie’s Quodlibets. 5.30-6.45pm, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art ONE, Belford Road. Free but places must be booked by calling 0131 624 6410 or emailing education@nationalgalleries.org. Part of GENERATION By Night.

Graham Fagen: Artist’s Talk. Fagen discusses the inspiration behind his 1998 installation Peek-a-Jobby, now re-staged in the gallery as part of GENERATION. 5.30pm, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art ONE, Belford Road. Free and unticketed.

Bobby Niven: Artist’s Talk. Niven discusses the aims of The Bothy Project before exploring the design and construction of the most recent bothy, on-site at Modern ONE until 31st October 2014. 6.30pm, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art ONE, Belford Road. Free and unticketed.

Let’s Dance! Relaxed, informal social dancing sessions with tuition from an expert. This term the group will continue to learn ceilidh dancing: come and enjoy the Scottish whirls! 7-8.30pm today and every Thursday until 11th December 2014, WHALE Arts, 30 Westburn Grove. £2 per session.

Portrait Gallery Insights: Citizens of the World. Senior Curator Linda Lax takes a detailed look at the Citizens of the World display, which explores the worlds of Enlightenment men David Hume and Allan Ramsay. 5.30-6pm, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street. Free but places are limited and must be booked by calling 0131 624 6560.

The Drawing Room: an informal artist-led drawing session. Each session is developed by a contemporary artist and is inspired by the GENERATION exhibition; concerns in the artist’s own work are also reflected. All materials supplied: no experience necessary. 5.30-6.45pm, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art ONE, Belford Road. Free and unticketed. Part of GENERATION By Night.

Aidan Moffat: The Lavender Blue Dress. The former Arab Strap singer/songwriter signs copies of his new novel – the story, told in rhyme, of Mabel, a little girl who wants nothing more than a beautiful dress to wear to the Christmas ball. 12.30pm, Waterstones West End, Princes Street.

University of Edinburgh Careers Fair: More Than Profit. The third day of the Careers Fair will offer the chance to meet with an alternative range of organisations. Students and graduates of any university are welcome to come and meet charities, not-for-profit organisations, social enterprises, social service organisations, international development and environmental organisations, who can tell you about paid and voluntary work and give tips on how to get into both. 1-4pm, Adam House, Chambers Street. Free: no pre-registration necessary.

Stigma Free Arts Cafe…Inspiring Tales of Life: Bring your lunch to an inspiring and safe cafe space and enjoy poets, musicians, dancers, speakers and visual artists. All welcome. 12 noon-2pm, Augustine United Church, George IV Bridge. Also open on 16th, 23rd and 30th October 2014. Part of Scottish Mental Health Arts & Film Festival.

The Intimate City: Violence, Gender and Ordinary Life in Delhi Slums. Ayona Datta, University of Leeds, uses the stories of the intimate lives of three slum women to argue for the expansion of the horizons of urban geography through the lens of intimacy. 4-6pm, Sydney Smith Lecture Theatre, University of Edinburgh Medical School, Teviot Place (Doorway One, Room 2.520.) More information from the Centre for South Asian Studies.

33 Artists in 3 Acts: Sarah Thornton launches her latest book, a follow-up to Seven Days in the Art World, a fly-on-the-wall account of art creation, curating, trading and collecting by the non-fiction writer and sociologist of art. 33 Artists in 3 Acts attempts to explore what it means to be an artist, and includes conversations with Ai Weiwei, Jeff Koons, Yayoi Kusama, Cindy Sherman, Andrea Fraser, Laurie Simmons and Caroll Dunham, and their daughters Lena and Grace. The launch will include an interview with Thornton by Professor Simon Frith, Tovey Professor at Reid School of Music. 6-8pm, Main Building, Edinburgh College of Art, Lauriston Place.  Free but booking essential via eventbrite.

Free Tai Chi: 10 minute sessions of this slow and gentle form of exercise with many health benefits. Starts today, 12.30-12.40pm, East Neighbourhood Centre and Craigmillar Library, 101 Niddrie Mains Road. Free.

A Day in the Life: an exciting visual exhibition of artworks made by people who attend groups and workshops with the Contact Point day service. 2-4pm, Contact Point, 101 High Riggs, Tollcross.  Also open at same times on 16th and 23rd October 2014. Free, donations welcome. More information from Angie on 0845 140 7777. Part of Scottish Mental Health Arts & Film Festival.

Moving Minds: Community-Led Dialogue. Gypsy/Travellers lead interactive awareness-raising workshops to dispel myths, promote dialogue, discuss new ways of ‘talking about mental health’ and reflect on the impact prejudice can have on mental health and wellbeing. 10am-1pm and 2-5pm, Conference Centre, Norton Park, 57 Albion Road. Free but booking required: contact emma-jane@mecopp.org.uk  Part of Scottish Mental Health Arts & Film Festival.

Connections: an exhibition of jewellery and pottery by young people from across West Lothian who have accessed mental health services. Working with jeweller Kirsty Muir, they have created artwork based around themes of power and empowerment. 2-4pm, Art Space, 2 The Howden Park Centre, Livingston. Free. Part of Scottish Mental Health Arts & Film Festival.

What Adult Education Means to Me Workshops: these workshops will allow you to speak with the artists involved in the What Adult Education Means to Me exhibition currently showing at the St Bride’s Community Centre. You will be able to try out some of the techniques and approaches used in the creation of the exhibition work and will be encouraged to think about ways of expressing your own experiences and ideas about adult education. The project will be co-led by Outlook Project students and tutors. 3-4.30pm  today, 16th October and 23rd October, St Bride’s Centre, Orwell Road. Free places can be booked by calling 0131 337 6215 and the workshops are open to both individuals and groups.

Big Scream: film screenings exclusively for parents and carers with a baby under one year old. A great way to meet other parents, and no need to worry about your baby causing a disturbance. Low lights are left on in the auditorium and baby changing facilities are available. Membership of Big Scream Club (free) is essential – ask at Box Office. This week The Boxtrolls. 10.30am, Cameo Cinema, 38 Home Street, Tollcross. Tickets are at Picturehouse members’ rate, no charge for babies, no-one admitted without a baby.

Caesura @ SPL: Experimental poetry wonder-night Caesura comes to the SPL. Heralded as ‘one of the most vital avant garde readings in Great Britain’ by poet SJ Fowler, Caesura is the live home for sound poetry, found poetry, text-based performance art and all manner of linguistic innovation. 6.30pm, Scottish Poetry Library, 5 Crichton’s Close, Canongate. Tickets £5/£4 bookable via eventbrite.

FRIDAY 10TH OCTOBER 2014

The Art of Golf Course Design: golf course designer Scott Macpherson discusses how landscapes are adapted to create the best possible golf course whilst retaining a site’s natural beauty. 12.45-1.30pm, Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free and unticketed.

Flamenco Ad Libitum Flashmob: a community project involving artists and members of the Edinburgh Flamenco Community and five participants with physical disabilities and their carers.  A six week period of improvisation, workshops and rehearsals will culminate in this flashmob live music and dance performance. 1pm onwards, National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street. Part of Hispanic Festival 2014.

Lunchtime Concert: Pistons and Pipes. Pistons and Pipes are Tom Poulson (trumpet) and Calum Robertson (organ.) They will perform Christopher Gough Preamble (first performance), Handel Suite in D, Jean-Michel Damase Trois Prieres Sans Parole, William Mathias Processional, Lubos Fiser Dialog, Oskar Lindberg Andante and Naji Hakim Sonata. 1.10pm, McEwan Hall, Bristo Square, University of Edinburgh. Free admission.

The School of Art Friday Lecture Series: Bob and Roberta Smith (see Tuesday 7th October). Edinburgh College of Art, Lauriston Place.  Free and open to all: contact ECA for times.

Be Arty Be Healthy photographic exhibition: created by Outlook Adult Education project students and local residents in the Craigmillar area. 10am-5pm today, then 10am-8pm Monday-Wednesday and 10am-5pm Thursday-Saturday until 17th October 2014. East Neighbourhood Centre and Craigmillar Library, 101 Niddrie Mains Road. Free. More information from margaret@outlookproject.co.uk

Am Mod Naiseanta Rioghail 2014: The Royal National Mod 2014.  Want to get out of Edinburgh this weekend? The Mod is Scotland’s premier festival celebrating its Gaelic linguistic and cultural heritage, showcasing emerging and professional artists and musical talent and offering opportunities for people of all ages to perform across a range of competitive disciplines in music, song, highland dancing, drama, sport and literature. Today until 18th October 2014, Inverness: see website for full details.

My Electric Love Affair: an acoustic set upstairs in the cafe from this 4-piece Edinburgh band, who have been playing together for 13 years. 7.30pm, Forest Cafe, 141 Lauriston Place.

Guatemala Past and Present: Screening and Director Q & A.  A gripping film depicting Guatemala’s long-running civil war and recent activities to move on. Followed by a discussion led by those close to the situation in connection with human rights today, looking at how we can respond to the needs of the country. 7.15-10pm, Augustine United Church, George IV Bridge. Presented by Amnesty International. All welcome. Part of Edinburgh World Justice Festival 2014.

SATURDAY 11TH OCTOBER 2014

Tiger Tales: stories and craft for ages 4-8. 3-4pm, Fountainbridge Library, 137 Dundee Street. Free.

Bruncheon, featuring The Sound of Muesli: brunch and live music at the Drill Hall Arts Cafe. Local musical talent and DJs creating a chilled-out atmosphere; delicious food available from the cafe. 11.30am-3pm, Out of The Blue Drill Hall, 36 Dalmeny Street. Free entry.

Free Family Cinema: adventure, excitement, fun and laughs – it’s all here and it’s all free! Juice and choc ices available in the interval for 50p each. Best for children up to 10 years old; all children must be accompanied by an adult. This week: The Iron Giant.  Next week: Turbo. Subtitles are available for each film on request. 10.30am-12.30pm, St Bride’s Centre, Orwell Road.

Craftivism: Creative Activism. Find or restore your inspiration, consider new ways to campaign, share your ideas, make things! A two day gathering to share skills and ideas for using crafts in activism, as part of Edinburgh World Justice Festival. All welcome, all materials provided – but please bring your own needles if you can – no experience needed, free. 10am-2pm today and 18th October, to allow for finishing a piece over two sessions – but if you can only come to one session, you are still welcome. Forest Centre Plus, Argyle House, 38 Castle Terrace. Enter from Castle Terrace, by the roundabout at the bottom of Johnston Terrace. Note: this is not the Forest Cafe, although you are welcome to continue crafting there afterwards.

Octob-aargh! Museum Treasure Maps: create your own pirate treasure map featuring some of your favourite objects in the museum. 12 noon-4pm (drop-in), Grand Gallery Level One, National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street. Also available at same times on Sunday 12th October 2014.

Magic C-aaargh-pet! Pirate and treasure themed story activity sessions on the museum’s magic carpet. For under-5s and their parents/carers. 11-11.25am, National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street. Limited places: sign up ten minutes before at the Lighthouse Lens in the Grand Gallery, Level One. Also available at same times on Sunday 12th October 2014.

Roofless at Referral: A unique exhibition of images and ideas based on true life accounts of people who have experienced homelessness, this is an exploration of the challenges faced and isolation felt by those who are homeless and who wish to tell their story and share their journey. 11am-6pm today until 17th October 2014, Old Animal Hospital, Summerhall, 1 Summerhall Place. Free. Part of Scottish Mental Health Arts & Film Festival.

Edinburgh World Justice Festival 2014 Book Fair: a large number of new and second-hand books on the themes of the EWJF and of broader interest. Come along, have a tea or coffee, chat and browse. Videos drawing on the Festival theme will be showing throughout the day. 1-5pm, St John’s Hall, Princes Street. Part of Edinburgh World Justice Festival 2014.

Meet the Gordon Highlanders of World War One: meet re-enactors from the renowned Gordon Highlanders 1914-18 and find out what it was like in World War One. Explore the uniforms, weapons and equipment of the time, and learn about daily life on the Front Line. Suitable for ages 7+. 2-4pm, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street. Free, no booking required.

GENERATION Tours at Modern ONE: free, discussion-led tours of the exhibition, focusing on key themes and artists. 11-11.45am or 1-1.45pm, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art ONE, Belford Road. Free and unticketed.

Fungus Fun: discover the amazing world of fungi with Plant Life Scotland. Fungi are neither plants nor animals, but these often strange looking things play a vital role in keeping plants healthy and recycling nutrients. 1-4pm, Real Life Science Studio, Royal Botanic Garden, Inverleith Row. Free and unticketed.  Also available at same times on Sunday 12th October 2014.

Print Room and Library Open Weekend: an opportunity to learn more about the collections held in the Print Room, Library and Archive at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery. Ticketed talks at 11am, 2pm and 3.30pm – for details see NGS website. 11am-4pm, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street. Free but tickets (for the open day and for the talks) must be obtained from the Information Desk or by calling 0131 624 6560. Also available at same times on Sunday 12th October 2014.

Chen Xiwo: Chen, ‘one of China’s most outspoken voices on freedom for writers’ (Asia Sentinel), will be in conversation with Julian Ward, Senior Lecturer in Chinese at the University of Edinburgh. They will discuss Chen’s PEN Award winning English language debut The Book of Sins ‘an unforgettable journey to the dark side of the human psyche.’ Chen’s writing has been banned in China owing to its graphic depiction of sex and violence. 12 noon, Word Power Books, West Nicolson Street. All welcome: free – donations also welcome! Please read website notes before attending.

Open Mike Afternoons: come to the Music Library and entertain everyone by playing the digital piano without headphones! Music Library, George IV Bridge. Drop in during the afternoon or book by emailing central.music.library@edinburgh.gov.uk

Active Inquiry Theatre Company Presents Resilience: over the past year, Drill Hall based theatre company Active Inquiry has been working with community organisations in Edinburgh on a Legislative Theatre Project. They have considered how community groups can become more resilient and thrive in difficult economic times, and how they can be supported to take more control of their own assets and of the decisions that affect them. This event will see the culmination of their work in the form of a piece of Legislative Theatre! There will also be food from World Kitchen and performances from local artists and choirs. 4-9pm, Out of The Blue Drill Hall, 36 Dalmeny Street. Free but pre-registration required via eventbrite.

Little Artists with Kate McClelland: illustrator Kate will read a story and lead an illustration workshop for children aged 3-7.  All art materials supplied and parents are invited to have a coffee and browse the books – or get involved in the arty fun! 11am, Golden Hare Books, 68 St Stephen Street, Stockbridge. Free but advanced booking advised as places are limited – call into the shop or book via eventbrite.

A Requiem for Edward Snowden: this large-scale, live audio-visual performance focuses on a number of themes: media, invasion of privacy and personal sacrifice. Emma Lloyd (violin), Justyna Jablonska (cello), Peter Furniss (clarinet), Jules Rawlinson (visuals and electronics) and Matthew Collings (electronics and composer.) 8pm, Reid Concert Hall, Bristo Square. Free but booking essential via eventbrite.

Her Sacred Spirit Soars: a unique ‘surround sound’ choral concert in aid of Marie Curie Cancer Care. Ex-King’s Singer and artistic director of Tenebrae Nigel Short conducts Vox Coelestis, a group of singers from top chamber choirs across the UK who give their time free to raise funds for charities. In this ‘very special concert for a very special cause’, the spaces of the cathedral will be used to create stunning audio effects. 7pm, St Giles Cathedral, Royal Mile. Tickets £5 + optional donation, from www.voxcoelestis.co.uk or on the door.

Sky Diving For Beginners: poet Jo McFarlane launches her memoir of madness and recovery. Described by Richard Holloway as ‘a brave and beautiful book‘, it tells ‘the remarkable story of a remarkable woman‘ (Dr Allan Beveridge) ‘with a humbling sense of optimism and love‘ (Liz Lochhead) 7-10pm, Summerhall Cafe, Summerhall, 1 Summerhall Place. Free but booking required: contact Kirsten at CAPS Advocacy: 0131 273 5116 or kirsten@capsadvocacy.org. Part of Scottish Mental Health Arts & Film Festival.

Cool Creatures – Animal Handling: a chance to get up close and personal with various animals, possibly including a hedgehog and a baby skunk. Far From The Madding Crowd, 20 High Street, Linlithgow.  Contact shop for more information, times and tickets: 01506 845509.

Stories and Songs From Around the World: Linlithgow’s own Ewan MacVicar will tell stories and songs from Scotland and beyond. Far From The Madding Crowd, 20 High Street, Linlithgow. Contact shop for times and tickets: 01506 845509.

Celebrating Ceramics – Bridge Pottery Collective exhibition: Scottish Lustre: Keeping the Flame Alive. There will be three concurrent exhibitions: Margery Clinton 1932-2005: A Retrospective, Chasing Rainbows – the Story of Lustre, featuring work by contemporary lustre potters, and Scottish Studio Pottery, celebrating the diversity of work by potters and ceramic artists working in south-east Scotland. 11am-6pm today and then 11am-6pm weekends, 2-6pm Monday to Friday, until 2nd November 2014, Edinburgh Palette, St Margaret’s House, 151 London Road.

SUNDAY 12TH OCTOBER 2014

This is Supermarionation Weekender: a programme of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson’s classic TV shows to coincide with the release of the new documentary Filmed in Supermarionation.  Includes Thunderbirds, Stingray and Captain Scarlet. 12 noon (4 hour programme), Cameo Cinema, 38 Home Street, Tollcross. For tickets see cinema website.

GENERATION Tours at the Academy Building: free, discussion-led tours of the exhibition, focusing on key themes and artists. 11-11.45am or 1-1.45pm, Royal Scottish Academy, The Mound. Free and unticketed.

Portrait Detectives! Collect your kit, follow clues and solve a mystery from history! For ages 4-12. 2-4pm, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street. Free, no booking required. Supported by the Friends of NGS.

Lego Swap Shop 7: come and swap your minifigures – it’s going to be awesome! 3pm, Waterstones Cameron Toll, Lady Road. More information on 0131 666 1866.

Octob-aargh! Museum Treasure Maps: create your own pirate treasure map featuring some of your favourite objects in the museum. 12 noon-4pm (drop-in), Grand Gallery Level One, National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street.

Magic C-aaargh-pet! Pirate and treasure themed story activity sessions on the museum’s magic carpet. For under-5s and their parents/carers. 11-11.25am, National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street. Limited places: sign up ten minutes before at the Lighthouse Lens in the Grand Gallery, Level One.

Seed Gathering Sunday: if you enjoyed the seed swap run by Gorgie City Farm and Edinburgh Garden Partners in February, why not go along today for some more seed gathering? 1-4pm, Gorgie City Farm, Gorgie Road.

St Giles at Six: Huw Morgan (trumpet) and Simon Smith (piano) play Vivaldi/Bach Concerto in D Major (BWV 972), Georges Enescu Legende (1906), Thorvold Hansen Sonata for Trumpet and Piano in E-flat Major Op 18, Valentin Silvestrov Classical Sonata (1963, rev 1974) – piano solo, and FJ Haydn Trumpet Concerto in E-flat Major (Hob Vlle:1) 6pm, St Giles Cathedral, Royal Mile. Free: retiring collection.

A Spiritual Banquet: an open worship service led by a variety of speakers who use different spiritual practices to enrich their own mental health. Come and hear about the power of mindfulness, mandala, prayer, artwork and creative writing to empower and improve wellbeing. 11am-12 noon, Augustine United Church, George IV Bridge. Part of Scottish Mental Health Arts & Film Festival.

Edinburgh Endure Yet More Pain in Ulster

Report by Stephen Brunsdon. Images by John Preece from 2013-14 Season

Edinburgh slumped to another dismal defeat in this year’s Guinness Pro 12 season after a 30-0 defeat at the hands of Ulster at the Kingspan in Belfast last night. The hosts in turn, recorded their third victory of the season in a bonus point performance which rarely saw the visitors play any part. Edinburgh were present merely in numbers as Alan Solomons’ side failed to reproduce the sort of performance that rewarded them with a draw with the Scarlets last weekend.

Ulster began the match well, winning the early set piece battles and developing a tight grip on the scrum. Edinburgh twice gave away scrum penalties, in a marked contrast to last weekend where their set piece proved dominant. And it would be from a scrum that the first points would come; prop John Andress penalised and Ulster fly-half Paddy Jackson slotting the resulting penalty.

Some four minutes later, Edinburgh won a penalty which Jack Cuthbert failed to convert. This was the first of two points scoring chances the visitors had but with each chance there was no reward. Ulster struck after seventeen minutes through a break from centre Stuart McCloskey. The youngster escaped several would-be Edinburgh tacklers before feeding Andrew Trimble who went sprinting under the posts. Jackson converted to make the score 10-0.

Jackson added another three points a minute before half time to take a 13-0 lead into the break. Things looked bleak for an uninspired Edinburgh squad desperately searching for answers. And in all honesty, things would not get better. Ulster dominated possession and territory throughout and squeezed Edinburgh into submission. Edinburgh would get over the line briefly, only for the ball and Roddy Grant to be held up by solid Ulster defence after fifty minutes. That would be the closest Edinburgh got to scoring anything all night.

While the game never seemed to be within Edinburgh’s reach, it soon slipped completely out of it after captain Mike Coman was yellow carded after fifty nine minutes for pulling down a rolling Ulster maul just short of the line. It was a killer blow to the visitors as two minutes later, Ulster struck. Eighteen stone number eight Nick Williams barged his way through Sam Hildalgo-Clyne after a pick and go from the ruck. Replacement fly half Staurt Olding missed the conversion but the hosts extended their lead to eighteen points.

It was then that Ulster really put Edinburgh to the sword. Confident with ball in hand and with a man advantage, the penalties kept on coming for the home side. Edinburgh were scrambling in defence but could not hold off a further two tries to complete the whitewash. Hooker Rory Best crashed over for an easy bonus point try after a rolling maul proved unstoppable. Olding converted from in front of the posts.

As the Belfast rain became a downpour, Edinburgh’s chances were all but washed away. Despite a range of substitutions, nothing could stop Ulster scooping a fifth try in the final minute. Trimble went in for his second try of the match after a nicely worked set piece move. Scrum half Paul Marshall floated a beautifully weighted pass to the speedy winger to slide in at the corner. Again, Olding was unsuccessful with the conversion, but the score nevertheless extended to an embarrassing 30-0 without the home side having to do too much for their victory.

The clock wound down on another dismal Edinburgh performance on the road. It was their third defeat in this season’s Pro12 and second heavy away loss in a row. Despite the defeat, coach Alan Solomons saw at least some light at the end of an increasingly long tunnel for the capital side: “We know we’re a decent side and there’s no reason, if we play well and put in a good performance, that we’re not going to get the result next weekend”

Edinburgh drop to 10^th in the Guinness Pro12 while Ulster move up to 3^rd, one place behind but level on points with Glasgow Warriors. Edinburgh will need to hope for a return to some sort of form next weekend when they return to BT Murrayfield to face the Dragons.

Result

Ulster 30 (13)

Tries: Trimble (2), Williams, Bes

Conversions: Jackson, Olding

Penalties: Jackson (2)

Edinburgh 0 (0)

Most of us who are lucky to be in employment have experience of human resources. This profession can be much-maligned – the only other section possibly less popular is the audit team –so The Edinburgh Reporter sought the views of a HR professional, an expert in their field. Sadly, we couldn’t find one so we asked our resident Hearts supporter Mike Smith, who works in HR, for his views. Perhaps we shouldn’t have bothered…

Working in the field of Human Resources as I do – okay, some people may challenge the term ‘work’ but I do at least turn up at the office on a daily basis – I was interested in an article in an edition of Personnel Today, the weekly publication for HR professionals (enter your own punchline here)

The article was about the Employment Statutory Code of Practice which has been published by the Equality and Human Rights Commission. Part of the aim of the Code is to protect people’s beliefs. I can see, dear reader, you are already ahead of me on this one. For it is envisaged that some of these beliefs may include:

Feng Shui believers who shun the number four in meeting rooms, desk numbers etc. This stems from the fact the number four is considered inauspicious as it sounds like ‘death’ in Cantonese. I look forward to the next disciplinary hearing I am asked to attend. There will be the manager, the employee, their trade union representative – and me. Hang on, that makes four in the room. ‘That’s discrimination on grounds of my beliefs‘ says ‘the accused’. ‘And you’ve deliberately arranged the hearing for four o’clock on the fourth day of the week on the fourth month of the year. Okay, then – you may have been suspected of emptying the safe in the office and burning the building down with ten people still inside but rather than risk being taken to an Employment Tribunal, we’ll let you off – this time…

Vegans demanding a separate fridge and non-leather chairs. Now, I don’t really have a problem with this. In fact, I wouldn’t stop at separate fridges. How about separate kitchens; separate floors; nay, separate buildings. And non-leather chairs? Only one person in our company can even consider a leather chair (and it certainly ain’t me, eh boss?)

An environmentalist demanding time off to attend a protest march, under a company policy that allows absence for important events. Many years ago in the early 1980s BC (before children) I used to attend CND marches in Aberdeen and Edinburgh – at weekends. In those less enlightened days, if I took time off work during the week to do so I would have been involved in another kind of march – the sort that would have taken me to the nearest Job Centre.

Reading this article had my manager and I shaking our heads. I did, however, agree with one part of the article – a quote from Richard Crouch, Head of HR at Somerset County Council who said of the Code of Practice ‘the world has gone barking mad’

Well said, Mr Crouch – although I suspect he may receive a letter from some tree-hugging, Feng Shui practising vegan who says their dog has found his comments offensive…

I also read an article on the internet the other day about ‘office-speak phrases you love to hate’ and, unsurprisingly, I found myself nodding and smiling at many of them.

36 years after I first began working – jings, that makes me feel old as I still recall my first day as a working man, 1st June 1978 in a ramshackle furniture store – the world is a much different place. In the late 1970s, you were bawled out if you made a mistake, the ever-present threat of an on the spot sacking loomed large, sexism was commonplace and the words ‘grievance’ and ‘procedures’ were about as common as hairdressers refusing to do perms because they looked ludicrous.

Nearly four decades on and much has changed for the better in today’s working environment. But the downside of better working conditions is the jargon which has not so much crept into today’s working vocabulary as swept in.

In the list I read on t’internet was the use of idea showering instead of brainstorming– less this offended people who have epilepsy. That’s one used in the company I presently work for, the head office of which is in England and whose regular guidelines on what to say and how to behave cause much amusement to us Scots north of the border. Thinking outside the box and blue sky thinking are others. I recall doing some blue sky thinking while at school in the 1970s – only for my teacher to believe I was merely gazing out the window and throw a chalk duster which struck me on the back of the head. She wouldn’t get away with that today (principally because I’m now 52 and the fact she’s probably scrawling away at a blackboard beyond the Pearly Gates. Can I say ‘blackboard’? Is that politically correct?)

I particularly like my door is always open which emanates from our office – particularly as we’re in an open plan office and the only door is the one heading for the way out. Of course, senior managers may be trying to tell me something – and my appraisal is next week…

Anyway, I suspect I don’t have enough bandwith to carry on with this nonsense and the end of this rant is now in my radar. I’ve just received an e-mail from someone who wants to touch base about something off-line.

So I’m turning the computer off…

Hibs have announced that Joe McBride has been appointed the club’s new Under-20s Player Development Coach.

McBride followed in the footsteps of his father, Joe Snr, by playing for Hibernian – recording 92 appearances and scoring 11 goals during a three-and-half year stay at Easter Road during the mid-1980s.

He is best remembered by fans for scoring two late free kicks against Hearts at Tynecastle to secure a valuable point when the game looked lost.

Joe also featured for Everton, Rotherham United, Oldham Athletic, Dundee, East Fife, Albion Rovers, Livingston and Hamilton Academical before the curtain came down on his playing career in 1996.

Now 54, McBride has a wealth of coaching experience from spells with Celtic, and Watford where his primary role was to develop young players.

McBride then became first team coach with Cardiff City and helped the club to achieve promotion into the English Premier League.

Speaking to Hibs TV, McBride said: “My job goal is to develop players, who will be knocking on the door for a first team place.

“I really enjoyed my time as a player here at Hibs, I’m delighted to now be back at the club and I’m excited about the challenge ahead.”

Head of Football Operations George Craig says he is delighted to have McBride on board in a key role within the football department.

Craig said: “The club received a huge amount of applicants for the position, but Joe was the stand-out candidate for the role and we’re really pleased to be able to bring him to Hibernian.

“He has a proven track record of developing quality young players and the fact he already has a strong connection with Hibernian made him ideally suited for the job.”

Academy Coaching Manager Eddie May, who was in temporary charge of the under-20s, will now revert back to his original remit to strengthen and improve the club’s youth set-up.

Regular readers will know that The Edinburgh Reporter was persuaded to go on the Star Flyer last year just before it was opened to the public for the Christmas period. Then it was sited in St Andrew Square, but this year it is moving to East Princes Street Gardens where we are sure it will be just as thrilling!

In the artist’s impression provided by Edinburgh’s Christmas you can see the Star Flyer on the left of the Scott Monument.

This is what it felt like last year….

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ur8M7wAfKUU]

This year tickets will cost from the concession fare of £6 upwards, with a family ticket bundled at £25. You must be at least 1.2m tall to go on the 60 metre high ride which rises vertically before whirling round at what seems to be high speed!  Last year over 62,000 people took to the sky – if you do then be sure to send us your photos!

Hibs’ Head Coach Alan Stubbs admitted his players didn’t do enough to warrant three points against Raith Rovers at Easter Road yesterday.

The result and performance were disappointing for all concerned at the club after two wins on the road against Ross County and Rangers.

Almost 10,000 watched the game but the majority left frustrated at losing even more ground to high flying neighbours Hearts.

After the game Stubbs said: “After the result against Rangers on Monday, anything other than three points today was always going to be a disappointment.

“Overall I didn’t think we did enough in the game to put ourselves on a foothold to see the game out.

“We defended the goal well enough but there was a slice of luck where the ball fell into his path off a deflection. On other days they fall for you but today it didn’t.

“The defenders stood up to the challenge but I’d like to see them more dominant but overall they dealt with the majority of it reasonably well.

“I thought that even in the first ten minutes that it was going to be a difficult game to win and I thought it would end one-nil.

“I didn’t think we were fluent enough through the game. We had bits and pieces of decent play but not enough to create chance upon chance.

“That’s something we would like to put right. We want to win every game at Easter Road. We’ve only been beaten once but we want to be taking three points from games.

Stubbs also passed on some good news to supporters concerned about the extent of the injury to David Gray. He continued: “Hopefully David won’t be out for too long. It’s not a major concern for me. He was touch and go today and we probably erred on the side of caution. I’m hoping that he will be fit for next week.

Global Justice in a New Scotland: an Open Space discussion. This is an opportunity to get together – regardless of how or whether you voted in the Referendum – to explore how Scotland can become a champion for global human rights, action on climate change, economic justice and equality. Be prepared for positive, practical discussion! 1-4pm, City of Edinburgh Methodist Church, Nicolson Square. Free, all welcome, no booking required. For more information email scotland@peopleandplanet.org

GENERATION tours at the Royal Scottish Academy: free, discussion-led tours of the exhibition, focusing on key themes and artists. 11-11.45am or 1-1.45pm, Royal Scottish Academy, National Gallery of Scotland, The Mound . Free and unticketed.

Art Maker: join the Art Maker club and make your own masterpieces, with artists Tessa Asquith-Lamb and Louise Fraser. For ages 4-12. 2-4pm (drop-in session), National Gallery of Scotland, The Mound. Free and unticketed. Supported by the Friends of NGS.

Apple Festival: is the early ripening of the apples this year a taste of things to come, and should we be planning to use new varieties? Apple displays, fruit tree displays, tastings of unusual varieties, the opportunity to get your apples identified and apple juice pressing by Cuddybridge Apple Juice. 12 noon – 4pm, John Hope Gateway, Royal Botanic Garden, Inverleith Row. Free. With the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society.

Songs of Environmental Justice: listen to singers of radical songs and share stories, songs and poems. All welcome, free entry, donations welcome, raffle. 6.30-9.30pm, The Constitution Bar, Constitution Street. Organised by Radical Voices.

Blackwell’s Edinburgh Teenage Book Group: a monthly group reading anything from classics to contemporary, dystopian to historical. This month’s book: Emma Haughton’s Now You See Me.  2-3pm, Blackwell’s, South Bridge. If you would like to join, email schools.edinburgh@blackwell.co.uk

Patriothall Gallery: Open Studios. A weekend event as part of WASPS Open Studios, which are taking place throughout Scotland at various dates during October. WASPS is a charity set up to provide good quality, affordable studio space to enable artists and arts charities to carry out their work. The weekend will also include demonstrations of Mokuhanga (Japanese wood block printing) and tapestry weaving, and a children’s landscape painting workshop. Patriothall Gallery, Patriothall, off Hamilton Place, Stockbridge. See website for times and details.

Fungal Foray: 10am-12 noon, Colinton Dell. Free but booking essential: email ruth@elgt.org.uk or call Ruth Wyatt on 0131 445 4025. The first in an autumn series of workshops organised by Edinburgh and Lothians Greenspace Trust.

St Giles at Six: organ recital by Peter Backhouse. Widor Symphonie B. 6pm, St Giles’ Cathedral, High Street. Free: retiring collection.

EICC promotes Ridacards

Street Soccer

Scottish Kids are Making Movies

St John’s welcomes your pets

Job with Sustrans

Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) is using Ridacards to fast track delegates to a conference there this weekend. The cards allow for airport transfers and other journeys on Edinburgh Trams and Lothian Buses.

The venue is promoting ‘Ridacard’ to professional event managers and this week hundreds of delegates attending a major pharmaceutical conference will use the prepaid travel cards for the first time.

Visiting professional event manager, Hayley Bridgman of Ashfield Meetings and Events said: “Integrated public transport systems are highly prized and well used by international conference delegates who want to make the most of their time in a capital city that many will be visiting for the first time”.

EICC Corporate Sales Specialist, Ekaterina Alison said: “International meetings bring thousands of business tourists to Edinburgh and increasingly organisers are concerned to build public transport into the programme which is always the best environmental option”.

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Street Soccer Scotland is a non-profit social enterprise that delivers a range of football related services to socially disadvantaged adults and young people across Scotland.

It was established in March 2009, inspired by personal experience of the power of sport and football to create real change and a desire to provide a unique response to the social disadvantage prevalent in Scottish society.

In May 2009 they began providing weekly drop in street soccer sessions in Edinburgh and from there they have grown to providing a range of programmes and activities across Scotland to over 5000 people.

Now in Edinburgh they offer two separate programmes:

Football Works (16+, no maximum age)

Dates: 28^th October to 18^th December, Tuesdays and Thursdays

Venue: Portobello Powerleague

Content: Football themed SQA’s; Working with Others and Communications, entry level coach development, participants will design and deliver a tournament for young people, one to one and group employability sessions and ongoing employability support. 

Change Programme (16 to 25’s) and Women’s Only Programme (16+, no maximum age)

These two separate programmes will include free football drop in sessions, volunteering opportunities, qualifications, peer mentoring, personal development and one to one employability support.

For further information or to make a referral for the above two programmes, please contact Rachel McLean on 07460 110 200 or email rachel@streetsoccerscotland.org.

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Today St John’s at the West End invites you to bring your pets for blessing at 10.30. They say they would especially welcome your bears and cougars.

More information here.

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A job is on offer with Sustrans as an Active Travel Coordinator:

This role involves identifying, developing and implementing projects and programmes of work across Scotland designed to get more people walking and cycling in communities and to workplaces and higher/further education.  You will also be involved in co-ordinating the delivery of celebrations for the 20thanniversary of the National Cycle Network in Scotland during 2015.

Educated to degree level or equivalent, you will have experience of delivering physical activity or other behaviour change projects, of organising, promoting and delivering events and of project management and delivery. Your excellent written and verbal communications, presentation and report writing skills will be enhanced by your effective time management. You will have the ability to network and negotiate, engage with communities and to plan and prioritise your own workload.  You will also be committed to the ideals of sustainable transport.

To apply please download and complete the application form and equal opportunities monitoring form. Alternatively, please email jobs@sustrans.org.uk or ring our recruitment line on 0117 915 0325. Please quote reference number.  Closing date for the receipt of completed applications is 1pm on Monday 20 October 2014.  Interviews will take place in Edinburgh on Tuesday 4 or Wednesday 5 November 2014.

The full job advertisement is here on the Sustrans website