Police in Edinburgh are targeting known housebreakers across the city and warning them against committing any offences.

Over 100 individuals who have previous convictions for acquisitive crime will be visited by uniformed officers and presented with a Police Scotland Christmas card reminding them of the Force’s ongoing campaign to tackle housebreaking.

The card highlights to offenders that any crimes they commit over the festive period will result in arrest and spending the holiday season away from family and friends.

Each card will be hand-delivered by local officers from the area as part of Operation RAC and anyone else found to be involved in housebreaking or associated offences can expect to be dealt with by police.

Detective Inspector John Kavanagh said: “Officers in Edinburgh continue to carry out enforcement activity across the city and each day more and more housebreakers are being identified and brought to justice.

“Delivering these Christmas cards is a proactive approach to ensuring offences are not committed in the first instance and allows us to send a clear message to known housebreakers that we know who they are, and we are watching them very closely.

“Christmas and New Year is a time to spend with family and friends. However, rest assured that should you commit a housebreaking, then we will find you and you’re festive period will be spent in police custody.”

Hibs defender Paul Hanlon is enjoying life under the new management team of Terry Butcher and Maurice Malpas and believes that their experience of having played at the highest level can only help him to progress in the game.

Hanlon is fast approaching 200 games for the club he supported as a youngster, a remarkable achievement given that he is still a month shy of his 24^th birthday, but so far he has played under five different managers.

Speaking at the weekly press conference ahead of today’s game against St Johnstone at Easter Road, the former Scotland Under 21 captain said: “I’m enjoying it.  The manager’s brought in a few different things, but everyone’s buying in to what he’s trying to do.

“First and foremost, he’s working us really hard in training. He wants us to get the ball forward a bit quicker and create more chances, and basically put the other team’s defence under a lot of pressure. Since he’s been in we’ve done that in games. He’s a big personality, but at times he’s quiet, and will watch training, not say too much. But if you cross him he’ll be right on your case.

“He’s helping defenders out all the time. Maurice (Malpas) as well.  He had a great career as a defender and myself and the other defenders try to learn as much as we can.”

“When it’s time to work it’s time to work, but he enjoys a good laugh with the boys. When it’s going well, as long as you do your best you can enjoy it at the same time.

“Before the Celtic game he was telling us the whole story of David and Goliath. Eventually he brings it back to football and it all falls into place.

“It gets you thinking. Last week it got us believing we would go there and get a good result. He’s good for things like that.

“Lawrence of Arabia and George Washington came up as well. The main theme was the smaller person overcoming the giant: that’s what he wanted us to do last week.

“It just gets you thinking. It’s something completely different from football, then slowly but surely it comes back and you realise where it’s going.”

Hanlon is looking forward to seeing his friend and former team-mate David Wotherspoon who will be returning to Easter Road for the first time since his summer move to his boyhood heroes, but warns that he will be desperate to prove to the Hibs’ fans that the club were wrong to let him go.

He continued: ““I’m looking 
forward to it, I’m sure he’ll be coming back with a point to prove,”

“He’ll be desperate to put in a good performance. He’s one of their main threats so we’ll have to keep an eye on him.

“St Johnstone are the club he supported as a boy, so he was delighted with his move. They offered a bit more security than he was being offered here. He’s had a kid now as well, so he’s settled and enjoying his football.”

Photograph by John Preece

http://www.photoboxgallery.com/jlp-photography

Generous Hibs’ defender James McPake is offering free tickets to five games over the next month as well as the chance to meet the players and win signed memorabilia as part of a fundraising twitter raffle.

All money raised will go to help people and families affected by the Glasgow helicopter tragedy which took place in Glasgow last month when the Police Scotland helicopter crashed into the Clutha Vaults bar.

McPake, who is currently recovering from a back operation will provide tickets for the following games; Kilmarnock (H) 29th December,  Hearts (H) 2nd January,  Aberdeen (A) 10th January,  St Mirren (H) 18th January  and  Celtic (H) 26th January.

The lucky winner will also be invited to a behind the scenes tour to meet the players at the St Mirren match, plus a signed James McPake match worn top and signed Ben Williams gloves.

In addition, a special secret prize, only clue is it’s to do with Hibs’ Captain and the New Year Derby! (Best prize of the lot).

For a chance to win, donate £10 to – https://www.justgiving.com/local/project/cluthavictims

Donate £10, leave twitter name and Remember to put #Hibsprize next 2 your name as there are other prizes up for grabs.

An Edinburgh College student has fought her way to the top of the British Judo Championships, after winning gold in the U70kg category.

Sally Conway, who studies Instructors Course in Fitness and Exercise at Edinburgh College, is a full-time judo athlete and competes for Great Britain. The young athlete recently tore ligaments in her shoulder whilst competing at the London 2012 Olympics but returned to full health to win gold at the British Championships in Sheffield.

This sporting success follows a European Cup gold in Malaga and three weeks of Grand Prix and Grand Slam competitions in Tokyo, South Korea and Abu Dhabi, where she won a bronze medal and $1500 in prize money. Sally now has her sights set on competing in the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games and Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

Sally said: “It was important to finish the year on a high with a medal. The plan now is to taper down a bit before heading out to a training camp in the New Year. Over the Christmas period I will still be keeping active, nothing too serious, probably down to one session a day.

“I want to be ready for the Paris Grand Slam in February so I can achieve my main goal of 2014 – to compete and hopefully medal at the Commonwealth Games. To be selected as early as possible would be ideal as then the pressure of qualifying is off and I can focus on the competition.

“I’m so looking forward to competing at a Commonwealth Games, especially in my home country. I am sure it will be really fun. Already there’s such anticipation and everyone is asking me if I will be going to the Games.”

Sally is one of eight judoka to be nominated by Judo Scotland for scholarship support from Winning Students, the national programme that provides funding and assistance to talented athletes studying in colleges and universities across Scotland.

Sally, who is 26-years-old, added: “By the end of June, I will be qualified as a gym instructor and in delivering circuit training and exercise to music classes. I am also doing Lifeguarding and First Aid courses and there is the option of further study afterwards.

“I am loving being back in education. I left school at seventeen and went into full-time training until this year. After London, I said I want to get back into education again, both to break up the training, but also to let me have a different focus. It’s something which will give me more options for the future.

“I can’t see myself sitting in an office working at a computer; it was always going to be something around fitness and physical activity.”

Edinburgh College is brimming with sporting talent, with fellow judo champ Jodie Mullen, football players Lizzie Arnot, Lucy Graham and Sarah Laverty, and curling champion Jennifer Dodds all awarded Winning student scholarships to compete in international competitions, such as the Commonwealth Games, Olympics and Paralympics.

Photograph Rob Eyton Jones

The Edinburgh Reporter was granted an all areas pass to the Oaklands School and Pilrig School production of White Christmas. There was a lot of getting ready and then the performance itself attended by parents. friends and some of the businesses in Edinburgh who do work to support the award-winning school.

We had a great time and the Christmas muffins afterwards were divine.

In an effort to reduce the number of alcohol related offences, Police Scotland and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) are launching a new initiative to keep people safe while enjoying a night out.

‘Think Twice’ is a Scottish Government-supported partnership approach to deterring a variety of offences, which are regularly reported within the city centre during evenings and weekends.

Previously, any individual responsible for criminal activity in or around the Capital’s licensed premises faced a number of exclusions or prohibitions if found guilty in court.

However, discussions between police and COPFS concluded that more robust measures were required to address re-offending by those awaiting trial and to prevent crime occurring in the first instance.

The initiative aims to encourage drinkers within the city’s pubs and clubs to make the correct choices during a night out and not let alcohol lead to a decision, which results in a criminal record.

For less serious offences, the police will impose conditions on all those accused of a variety of crimes that take place in city centre pubs and clubs, barring them from all city centre drinking venues during the evening and night time until they appear in court.

For all cases, once the accused appears in court, the Procurator Fiscal will request the same conditions be imposed by the Sheriff until the case concludes, or, in the most serious cases, oppose bail altogether.

Ultimately, however, bail conditions are a matter for the Sheriff.

A formal launch of the campaign takes place today at the CAV nightclub in Tollcross. Police Scotland, COPFS and the Scottish Government will outline the terms of the new bail conditions and reiterate their partnership commitment to tackling alcohol-related violence.

The relevant offences all have an element of risk to public safety and include:

* Violent Crime
* Sexual Offences
* Serious Disorder
* Carrying of Knives or Offensive Weapons
* Hate Crime
* Culpable and Reckless Conduct
* Drugs Supply

The special bail conditions will not be used for minor offences such as breach of the peace or on occasions where a Fixed Penalty Notice is issued for antisocial behaviour.

However, in incidents where the individual has previously been convicted of crimes of violence, or where there is a clear intention to cause serious harm or injury during a fight or act of reckless conduct, the bail condition can be applied or requested.

Superintendent Matt Richards said: “Edinburgh has a vibrant night time economy and we want everyone to enjoy their night out without becoming involved in, or falling victim to, alcohol-related crime.

“The Think Twice initiative aims to keep people safe by excluding those charged with a relevant offence from city centre night time drinking venues until court proceedings are concluded.

“We also anticipate that public awareness of Think Twice will act as a deterrent. These incidents are often spontaneous in nature and it is hoped that awareness of the potential consequences of bad choices, will encourage drinkers to ‘think twice’, reflect on their behaviour and avoid confrontation.

“A night time ban on entering the city centre’s drinking venues will have a significant impact on a person’s social life and anyone who finds themselves in a situation that could lead to police involvement is encouraged to make the correct decision.”

Andrew Richardson, Procurator Fiscal for summary cases in the East of Scotland, said: “Police and prosecutors are always looking to find ways to tackle the issues that most concern people.

“Residents of Edinburgh, as well as our many visitors, should be free to enjoy the rich and varied nightlife that Edinburgh has to offer without fear of the inconsiderate minority. Anyone who thinks that drunkenness is an excuse for crime will find themselves very much mistaken.

“In all cases involving alcohol-related offences, as soon as the case calls in court prosecutors will either oppose bail or seek to have these bail conditions imposed. A breach of these conditions is a criminal offence it itself, and will be taken very seriously.”

Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said: “We all want to have good time during the festive period and catch up with family and friends but it is important to do so sensibly and safely.

“This initiative shows that our police and prosecutors will take robust action against the small minority who seek to cause harm and disorder, as well as being a powerful deterrent for would-be criminals.

“Crime in Scotland is at a 39-year low, backed by a thousand extra officers, and these close working partnerships play a crucial part in keeping our streets free from crime. I am grateful to everyone who is involved in keeping people safe this festive period.”

Photos by Thomas Brown

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service were called out to a road traffic collision in Murrayfield this morning just before 8.30.  The incident involved a car and a lorry at the junction of Kinellan Road and Murrayfield Road.

Crews from Tollcross and Crewe Toll fire stations were mobilised to the scene and on arrival found a 34 year-old man trapped in his car.

Firefighters immediately got to work to stabilise the vehicle before using hydraulic cutting gear to remove the roof.

Working with colleagues from the Scottish Ambulance Service, they safely released the casualty using a rescue board.

Once released, the casualty was then taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary suffering from suspected neck and back injuries.

Hibs’ assistant manager Maurice Malpas admits that he was pleasantly surprised by the fitness levels of the players he inherited at Easter Road following his move from Inverness Caledonian Thistle five weeks ago.  After watching his Caley side easily beat his new charges at Easter Road, he could have been forgiven for thinking that the Easter Road players were lacking fitness compared to the highlanders, but that turned out to be wrong.

Speaking at the weekly press conference, Malpas insisted: “There is no problem with fitness. The Hibs lads are fit but the way they were asked to play made it look as though they weren’t.”

The former Scotland international full back also claimed that observers who suggest that Hibs have become a team who punt the ball forward at every opportunity are mistaken. He continued: “We’re looking to get the ball forward quicker and a lot of people are saying we’re back to front. I’ve never played in, or been involved in, a back-to-front team. I have never asked a team to play back to front. We want to get the ball forward quicker and get in the last third and see what happens. That’s where you earn your corn, in the last third of the pitch.

“There’s nothing more frustrating for a striker if the ball doesn’t come into the box. We’re trying to drum that into them. It’s maybe different to what Pat did, but that’s our philosophy. We want to get the ball into the box. If you do that you score goals. If you score goals, you win games.”

Malpas will take charge of the team against St Johnstone on Saturday as Terry Butcher is banned from the dugout and tunnel area for an hour before that game, but he is adamant that the players’ preparation will not be affected.

“It will make no difference at all. That last time I was in the other dugout, I was by myself as well. It’s a common occurrence. Terry sometimes sits in the stand anyway, and it’s not the first time he’s been banned. We just get on with it. We know what we want to happen on the pitch. We work together closely, so it’s not the case that I’ll be worrying that I have to change anything.

“I’m sure we’ll have communication between us. One time we tried phones and someone’s mum phoned. The last time we tried walkie-talkies and I couldn’t hear him because he was shouting.

“The best thing we did in the past was we had a young kid at Inverness who ran up and down the stairs and he said that was harder than a day’s pre-season. I tend to do all right when I’m on my own.”

This will be the pair’s fourth game in charge, having drawn with St Mirren and Partick Thistle and beaten Ross County before last week’s narrow defeat to high flying Celtic at Parkhead and Malpas is happy with the progress to date: “We’re pleased with how things are going. We have improved in every game. Last Saturday against Celtic, when everybody thought we were going to get smashed because that was what they did the two previous games, if we had had a bit of belief or our shooting boots had been on, we may have got a goal or two. We have to keep battling away, getting the ball in the box. Against Partick we had a few chances: we had loads of balls in the box but it didn’t fall to us. We’ll keep on encouraging the players to do that, and goals will come, that’s a certainty.”

Photo by John Preece

http://www.photoboxgallery.com/jlp-photography

Council budget – Afternoon Tea – Payday Loans – Whisky sale – Films at the National Gallery

Today is the last day for you to have your say on what the council do with the budget proposed for next year.

All details here

***

If you have a moment in between wrapping presents and Christmas madness then you could stop for afternoon tea at The Scotsman Hotel’s North Bridge Brasserie.

Festive Afternoon Tea is being served there throughout December from 1^st-31^st (excluding Christmas Day) from 12.00pm-4.30pm everyday for £25 per person.

Join them for a classic taste of Christmas. To book, please contact them on 0131 556 5565 or atscotsman-events@thescotsmanhotel.co.uk

***

Edinburgh’s Liberal Democrat MP and member of the Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee, Mike Crockart, has welcomed the Select Committee’s report on Payday Loans.

The regulation of payday loan companies will pass to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in April 2014. The FCA has made clear that when this happens, the payday loan sector will be given particular attention and they are already consulting on a new regulatory framework for the sector.

The report recommended that the industry carry out more stringent affordability checks; deliver real time data sharing by July 2014 and to limit the number of times a debt can be rolled over to one.

The report also looked at the increasing number of nuisance calls and spam text messages which are being generated from the industry. The Committee recommended that the FCA and the Information Commissioner’s Office work together and make better use of the information generated by the ‘7726’ short code for spam text messages.

Commenting, Mr Crockart said:-“Following the Committee’s evidence session, I was intrigued about the referral and marketing processes of this industry. I followed the link which was included in a spam text I had received and was directed to a website offering payday loans. I applied for a £200 loan over a month and was offered a £400 loan over 3 months with a total cost of £754 to repay. I did not proceed any further with the loan process and was shocked when I immediately received 6 emails, one text and a phone call urging me to complete the process.

“Whilst that experience was shocking enough, I also made a fictitious application with a fake name and address. The loan was approved the day after the application was made and again I received a number of text messages. I find it absolutely appalling that the appropriate security checks were not carried out and a loan was offered to someone who simply did not exist.

“I was also shocked at the amount of pressure which was put on me to complete the loan process. It is no wonder that people get into unmanageable amounts of debt when companies are basically throwing money at them, and even at people who do not exist!

“We have an industry which is out of control and it needs to be dealt with urgently. Consumers are under siege from aggressive companies who are driven solely by profit. I hope the FCA takes the recommendations we have made and implements them as soon as possible to protect consumers.

“I urge anyone who receives an unsolicited text message to avoid replying and report the message via the ICO website. Over 200,000 responses have been sent in since the online reporting service was setup early last year and the information provided is being used to help identify those companies responsible. You can also report spam texts to your network operator by forwarding them to ‘7726’.”

***

A former pupil of Boroughmuir High School was one of two prizewinners announced earlier today by First Minister Alex Salmond. Eighteen year old Lucy Willets-White and seventeen year old Peter Rhodes met First Minister in the Scottish Parliament after attending First Minister’s Questions.

The Higgs Prize was established in recognition of the impact Nobel Physics Prize winner Professor Higgs’ theoretical work has had on modern day particle physics. Its purpose is to reward and inspire Scotland’s best young school physicists.

The award winners will visit the internationally renowned CERN research facility in Switzerland to take part in its summer school and a specially designed programme of events.

The inaugural Higgs Prize winners are:

• Lucy Willets-White, formerly of Boroughmuir High School in Edinburgh, now studying Physics at Imperial College, London. At the moment she intends to stay in physics, either in industry or research.

• Peter Rhodes from Crail, formerly of Madras College in St Andrews, is applying for further study starting September 2014. At the moment he is interested in a possible career in neurology and psychiatry.

The First Minister has also confirmed that £4 million funding will be provided to support Professor Higgs’ legacy. This will include a £2 million contribution to the Higgs Centre at the University of Edinburgh, alongside an additional £2 million to support a new generation of young researchers in physics and mathematics at universities across Scotland, through the Scottish Funding Council.

Announcing the Higgs Prize winners, the First Minister said:-“Professor Higgs’ achievements are hugely inspiring for our young people and his commitment to encouraging our next generation of scientists is well-known. It’s very fitting that we mark his globally recognised work through the Higgs Prize.

“For any young scholar, let alone a budding physicist, a trip to CERN is a once in a lifetime experience. As Higgs Prize winners, Lucy and Peter, who I met today, will have the fantastic opportunity to take part in internationally acclaimed CERN seminars and lectures.

“Meeting the Scottish university researchers at CERN will demonstrate exactly what someone can achieve with a career in physics. Science, engineering and technology will be central to Scotland’s future success and economic wellbeing. That is why I am delighted announced £4 million funding for the sector as a suitable tribute to Professor Higgs’ legacy.

“Scottish science in all its forms is going from strength to strength, building on our proud history of scientific discovery – the achievements of Lister, Kelvin, Logie Baird, Higgs and many, many others whom every Scot knows of and is proud of.

“We also want to help the university in their drive to build on the achievements of Professor Higgs. That is why, through the Scottish Funding Council, we will provide £2 million to support the Higgs Centre at the University of Edinburgh, which will further enhance the university’s reputation for research in Scotland and around the globe. An additional £2 million for post-graduate opportunities in physics and mathematics will help give more young people the opportunity to take their study to the next level at Scottish universities.

“I’m delighted that, above all, Professor Higgs’ achievements will continue to inspire future generations of Scots.”

Professor Higgs said:-“At my old school in Bristol, I was inspired by seeing the name of Paul Dirac on the Honours board. Dirac received the 1933 Nobel Prize in Physics for predicting anti-matter and, in particular, the positron. I know very well how exciting and amazing visits to CERN can be and I’m delighted to have my name associated with this prize. I hope it inspires young students today just as I was inspired by Dirac.”

CERN Director General Rolf Heuer said:

“CERN has a long tradition of organising visits and programmes for students and we are always very pleased to welcome brilliant young talents. We are particularly proud to welcome soon the two very first recipients of the Higgs Prize, Lucy and Peter, and look forward to their visit.”

The First Minister has interviewed Professor Higgs and you can watch that here:-

Photo courtesy of Scottish Government’s Flickr stream which you will find here.

Dr Nicola Steedman, Senior Medical Officer at The Scottish Government, vaccinates Father Christmas at Santa’s Grotto in The Gyle shopping centre, Edinburgh, to ensure he stays free from flu and is healthy enough to deliver this year’s Christmas presents.

Better safe than sorry – get the flu vaccine.

A man has been arrested and charged following three break-ins within the Currie and Balerno area.

Officers working as part of Operation RAC conducted enquiries after high-value bicycles were stolen from sheds and garages in Woodfield Avenue, and Hermiston between the 5th and 12th December.

Edinburgh Division’s Search and Recovery Team conducted enquiries at a second-hand store within the city and established that an attempt had been made to sell on one of the stolen bikes.

Further investigation led to a search of a property in the Clovenstone area and a 22-year-old man was subsequently arrested.

Two bikes and various bike parts worth around £7,000 were recovered from within the address.

He is scheduled to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court today.

Another 22-year-old man has also been charged with reset and has been reported to Procurator Fiscal.

Enquiries are ongoing to recover more of the property stolen during these incidents.

Detective Inspector John Kavanagh said: “Operation RAC was launched to address the issue of housebreaking within Edinburgh, which has been identified as a local priority for many of our communities.

“While these three offences took place in outbuildings, and were not an invasive home break-in, they still resulted in high-value items being stolen and left the victims deeply upset at the theft of their belongings.

“We treat all forms of housebreaking extremely seriously and have dedicated teams in place to identify those responsible and bring them to justice.

“Rest assured that Operation RAC will continue to operate until the message is being received that housebreaking and associated offences will not be tolerated.”

Edinburgh Zoo has launched its first Mini Keeper experience. The perfect Christmas gift for the littlest adventurer in any family, the newest hands-on animal experience is for children aged between five and seven years.

The ‘mini keepers’ will get the chance to join the Zoo’s team of expert keepers during their morning duties, which include helping to make up morning feeds, thinking up with creative enrichment ideas for the animals and carrying out daily health checks.

Erika Oulton, Senior Presentations Keeper at Edinburgh Zoo, said: “Our Junior Keeper experiences, for eight to 15 year olds, have been extremely popular and we have had a lot of requests for keeper experiences aimed at younger children. We have worked very hard to create the most exciting, hands on experience possible for this younger age range. Each Mini Keeper experience will be a little bit different, but will give younger ones the opportunity to get up close to some of our animals – such as wallabies, armadillos, cuscus, lizards and parrots. We hope that this exciting, interactive experience will inspire a whole new generation to become avid wildlife lovers and conservationists.”

The Mini Keeper experience will offer children their first chance to see behind the scenes at the Zoo and learn how the team of passionate keepers look after over 100 species of animals. Participants will get to meet Dillon the three-banded armadillo, a very special member of the Edinburgh Zoo family, Diloris the bearded dragon and some of the resident corn snakes. Also included are a variety of species of monkeys, who love to receive enrichment like as treats hidden in cardboard boxes.

The Mini Keeper experience is £100 and is available Saturday mornings at either 9am or 11am. The experience includes Zoo entry for one adult and one child. Participants will also receive a Mini Keeper certificate and animal mask to keep. The experience is available to buy and book now, however dates start from 1 March 2014.

Participants must have up to date tetanus shots and bring their own wellies to wear. Full terms and conditions are available online here or by calling 0131 314 0327 or emailinginfo@edinburghzoo.org.uk

The building and new concourse at Haymarket Station were declared officially open this morning by Transport Minister Keith Brown.

The project beganlast year and has cost £25m to redevelop the old narrow building and ticketing centre into something fit for the growing numbers of commuters who use the station.

There will eventually be shops on the lower level but for now The Edinburgh Reporter and other assembled press were invited to roam around the new glass and steel building which links to all platforms. The station is now one of the most accessible on Britain’s rail network as it has so many escalators and lifts which can be used.

The EGIP Programme is delivering a rolling programme of electrification across the Central Belt which The Scottish Government hope will reduce journey times and boost capacity on routes including the main Edinburgh to Glasgow line.

Meanwhile MSP Gordon Macdonald was at the official bash last night where there was a lovely cake!

At the opening of the new Haymarket Station. The 2nd oldest station in use opened in 1842 now upgraded by Scots Gov. pic.twitter.com/rTVrQ9HG23

— Gordon Macdonald MSP (@GMacdonaldMSP) December 18, 2013

Many people give pets as gifts to people and usually children at Christmas time. Local animal charities are urging that pets are not bought on a whim and given with very little thought as presents this year.

Emma Boyd, Co-Founder of Buddies Bunny Rescue, a rabbit rescue in Midlothian advises the following;

Rabbits in particular are very specialised pets, they may look cute and fluffy when young, which can be very hard to resist, however all babies grow up and become adults who will need your love, care and attention for possibly the next 10 years or more. This needs to be very carefully considered and discussed with the whole family before any impulse purchases are made.

Rabbits need to live in bonded pairs – it is cruel to leave a rabbit alone outside all year, they are prey animals so need the constant companionship of another rabbit friend for them to feel happy and secure.

Rabbits must be vaccinated once every year, like cats and dogs, for incurable diseases and they must be neutered. Even if kept in same sex pairs neutering must be done to prevent behavioural issues and reproductive cancers which are very common in entire males and females – around 80% of female un-neutered rabbits over the age of 5 will have uterine cancer.

It is also very outdated to keep rabbits hutch bound, in the wild rabbits would cover many miles of ground each day and are able to dig, lie out flat, hop and stand on their hind legs and fully stretch – none of these can be done in a small hutch. The minimum recommendation for hutch size is 6ftx2ftx2ft with a permanent exercise run of at least 8ftx4ft attached, rabbits are more active at dawn and dusk so they must have 24/7 access to this run so they can choose when to have play time and not wait for their owner to put them out at usually a time of day when they would be tucked up in their bed sleeping.

A common misconception is that rabbits are good children’s pets – they are not, being a prey animal they fear being picked up and sometimes handled – children must interact with them on floor level and be content with patting and stroking rather than lifting and carrying their bunny around.

So it is imperative to research any animal fully before buying it for a Christmas present and if everyone has decided after doing that that is the pet for them, consider getting them after Christmas – when times are less stressful and busy with friends and families and parties – animals needs calm environments in which to settle in and feel secure to be happy.

Lastly adopt don’t buy animals, there are 67 thousand rabbits alone in rescue centres throughout the UK waiting patiently on their forever homes, they deserve to be given this – many of them will have been last year’s Christmas presents – already given up as the novelty has worn off.’

The rabbits photographed are all available for adoption from Bunnies Rescue.

Contact the charity for further information!

Buddies Bunny Rescue

Scottish Registered Charity: SCO43193

www.buddiesbunnies.co.uk

A voluntary run rabbit rescue based in Midlothian. We help Edinburgh & beyond’s, stray, neglected, abandoned and unwanted rabbits & aim to educate the public of their plight.

Miss Scotland, Jamey Bowers, raises a glass to mark the first delivery of Homecoming Scotland 2014 beer to the country’s capital, wetting the head of what will be a year-long celebration of hundreds of events with a commemorative craft beer that has been lovingly brewed in Scotland by Inveralmond Brewery.

Inveralmond Brewery, based in Perth, is the first Scottish business to lead the way in a dynamic partnership arrangement which will see the beer featured at key Homecoming Scotland 2014 events and catapult its already growing global reputation onto an international platform.

The beer, which has been developed by Inveralmond Brewery’s Head Brewer Ken Duncan, is described as “An exuberant ale which displays berry sweetness on the palate and aromatic hoppiness, crafted to encapsulate the energy and presence of our incredible nation in 2014”.

Available in craft keg, cask and 330ml bottle, orders are currently flowing in from on and off trade customers across the country. Gearing up to satisfy burgeoning market demand, Inveralmond Brewery has recently invested in more efficient production equipment and is looking to significantly increase production capacity over the short-term. Export orders for Homecoming Scotland Beer have already been shipped to Italy and Sweden, and markets in Australia, New Zealand and the US have shown strong initial interest in the product.

The range of Inveralmond Brewery beers can now be found in most multiple retailers and exports its products to countries in continental Europe, Americas and Asia Pacific. The independent craft brewer employs 18 people, and their turnover hit £1.5m last year and is expected to grow in 2014.

Fergus Clark, Managing Director of Inveralmond Brewery, commented:  “We are delighted to be partnering with Homecoming Scotland 2014 with our limited edition commemorative beer which we hope will be very popular with revellers over the Festive period. Opportunities like Homecoming Scotland 2014 give home grown Scottish companies genuine prominence on an international stage and we’re very proud to know that our beer will be showcased as one of Scotland’s premium export products at major events across the country.”

Caroline Packman, Director of Homecoming Scotland 2014 said: “The team at Inveralmond Brewery has truly embraced the power of partnership opportunities which next year will bring, not just for events, but also businesses and organisations.  The creation of the dedicated Homecoming Scotland beer is a fantastic example of how businesses can pro-actively reap the rewards from being involved with 2014 – the year that Scotland welcomes the world.  With Christmas and New Year just around the corner, it’s a perfect time to look out for the craft beer and toast the arrival of the second Year of Homecoming.”

A survey of almost 1500 Hibs’ fans – initiated and conducted by supporters themselves – is already helping the Club and its support work more closely together.

“Green Views” was the brainchild of Let’s Work Together, a supporter-led initiative which sees volunteers meet and work with members of the Board and senior management on a range of projects to help take the Club forward.

The survey, the first with more planned, covered a wide range of issues, from the structure of Scottish football to scheduling of matches, from ticketing preferences to supporting fundraising for ‘managers budget’.

James Belton, who led the survey team for Let’s Work Together, said: “The first survey has provided us with a baseline, and future surveys will build on that. The survey was carried out for supporters and by supporters, but with input and co-operation from management and much of the information will help the Club.

“For example, matchday catering from the kiosks got a lot of criticism in terms of service and product. In response, management have arranged for a group of supporters to meet with the catering company manager and that will be taking place soon.

“Communications was also a big issue, with large numbers of fans wanting to see more and better communications from the Club. Again, we are now working directly with management through a communications group to see how we can support efforts to improve channels of communication to the wider support

“The moving of fixtures to accommodate television was also a thorny topic. However, most respondents showed an understanding of the competing priorities with only 10% selecting the shortest notice period. We will be providing the results about match scheduling from the survey to Supporters’ Direct so that they can share it with supporters of other clubs and advocate for greater supporter consideration with the games administrators”

Hibs’ executive director Garry O’Hagan said: “There is quite a lot of information in the survey for us to look at, and a great deal of it is very helpful in terms of how people get their information about the club, how they want to buy tickets and so on.

“It is also very important that we understand those areas which are less satisfactory from the supporters’ viewpoint, and we can then work with the fans and our other partners to make things better.”

LOTHIAN BUSES EMPLOYEES GIVE GENEROUSLY THIS CHRISTMAS

Staff donate over £10,000 to local special schools

For over thirty years, members of Lothian Buses 2,000 strong workforce have been making weekly contributions from their salary to a special fund set up by Unite the Union.

This year, the fund has given nine schools a cheque for £750 with a further school, Prospect Bank receiving an amazing £4,000, which was presented during the school’s Christmas concert by Rab Fraser, Chairman of Unite Sc 21 Branch and Duncan McBride, Secretary of Unite Sc 21 Branch.

The other schools benefiting from this fund are St Crispin’s School, Kaimes School, Braidburn School, Rowanfield School, Gorgie Mills School, Oaklands School, Pilrig Park School, Redhall School and Woodlands School.

Ian Craig, Chief Executive, said: The generosity of our staff never fails to impress me. I am delighted that once again we can donate a large sum of money to local schools.”

Commenting donations, Rab Fraser, Chairman of Unite Sc 21 Branch, said: “It was a pleasure for me to present the cheques to the schools and to meet with the children that will be helped by our contributions. The fund was set up over 30 years ago and I am thrilled that thanks to the continued support from staff at Lothian Buses it is still going strong today.”

This year Prospect Bank School was chosen out of the hat to receive the large fund. Next year, another school will be chosen by Lothian Buses to receive a large sum.

A bus service with a difference is to take to the roads of two Scottish cities with the aim of helping vulnerable members of the public.

The Safe Zone buses – providing modern and comprehensive first aid / medical facilities and safe havens created to meet the needs of people who are out in city centres – will become a familiar sight on the streets of Edinburgh and Dundee. One of the buses already operates in Glasgow.

The new buses in Edinburgh and Dundee will become operational from tomorrow night (Dec 20) – traditionally one of the busiest nights of the year for police and ambulance personnel due to the numbers of people in towns and cities celebrating the festive season – but will operate all year round at weekends.

Ambulance and Police personnel will work with volunteers from a range of charity groups on the single-decker coaches to keep people safe when they become vulnerable for a variety of reasons – through substance abuse or consumption, injury, domestic abuse or other kinds of emotional distress.

The buses will operate between 10pm and 4am – traditionally the peak demand period for police and paramedics – and will provide an initial place of support to those who might otherwise end up in police custody or Accident & Emergency.

The buses are a funded partnership between Police Scotland, the Scottish Ambulance Service and Scottish Government. Charities including the British Red Cross, Working on Wheels, Crew 2000, Tayside and Glasgow Councils on Alcohol are also heavily involved in supporting the venture as are local authorities in Dundee and Edinburgh. The service is also backed by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.

The service was introduced in Glasgow in December 2011 with the aim of providing a range of support and intervention.

During the first six months of 2013 there were a total of 500 visitors who received alcohol support via the bus service in Glasgow. More than half of those who were provided with support were women aged between 19 and 45 years old.

Assistant Chief Constable Wayne Mawson, who has helped co-ordinate the project, said: “This service provides people who are often at their most vulnerable, for a variety of reasons, with direct and immediate support when it is needed.

“The buses and the personnel working on them will act as a first point of contact and will be able to provide a range of support – from initial first aid to referrals to agencies which can help further if required.

“Traditionally the last Friday before Christmas is a hectic night for a range of agencies, not least the emergency services. There are many reasons why members of the public may become vulnerable and require the immediate support of someone who can assist. That’s what the presence of these buses and the crews on them are there to provide – direct and immediate help to keep people safe. They are not just places for people to go to sober up. People may find themselves in the bus through vulnerability and in need of being looked after in the short term and given support for the longer term.”

The buses are supported by a mobile patrol vehicle which operates in tandem and which provides a link between activity on the streets and the services available on the coaches.

ACC Mawson added:  “Safe Zone buses are the epitome of an integrated partnership approach to help keep people safe at the same time as reducing the demand on emergency services at peak times. This allows our resources to be more effectively deployed to ensure public safety and I hope these buses will become a fully-integrated and essential part of the night-time economies of Dundee and Edinburgh, as they have elsewhere.”

Pauline Howie, Chief Executive, Scottish Ambulance Service, said:  “Our key priority is to keep people safe and ensure that those who need medical care receive the most appropriate treatment. Ambulance staff will assess and treat those vulnerable patients, arranging transfer to hospital for appropriate cases and reducing attendance at A&E departments for those that can be treated at the bus because they have a minor injury or have simply over indulged.”

Minister for Public Health Michael Matheson said: “This weekend will be exceptionally busy for our hard working emergency services and we need to work together to keep people safe. That’s why the Scottish Government is investing £120,000 to support the setup of Safe Zone Buses in Dundee and Edinburgh.

“As well as a first aid facility, the bus will support individuals and help them cut down on their drinking. Safety zones will help treat incidents and provide assistance to anyone who needs it. A service like this is only possible through the collaboration of multiple agencies and the contribution of the voluntary sector.

“Too many people in Scotland die because of the long term effects of alcohol. We must take every opportunity to reduce the damage caused by Scotland’s unhealthy attitude to alcohol.”

Police in Edinburgh are investigating following a spate of car vandalism in Chesser and Hutchison areas of the city.

Since the start of December a number of cars have been broken into and vandalised on streets including Hutchison Park, Hutchison Avenue and Robbs Loan.

Some of these vehicles have had their windows smashed or had a corrosive liquid applied to the paintwork.

PC Euan Scobie from Police Scotland said: “Police are carrying out inquiries into this spate of vandalism and theft.

“Local officers would like to remind people to remove all items of value from their vehicles to lessen the chance of becoming a victim.

“Residents are encouraged to remain vigilant and are requested to contact police should they have any information in relation to these ongoing enquiries by telephone on 101 of confidentially through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

Police in Edinburgh are appealing for witnesses following an attempted handbag snatch.

The incident happened around 10am on Saturday morning (14th December).

The 46-year-old victim was stood at a bus stop on Lasswade Road near to the entrance of Murrays Brae.

When the number 31 arrived at the stop, the victim attempted to board the bus.  As she stepped on, the suspect approached her and grabbed her handbag.

The victim fell to the ground but kept hold of her handbag before the man fled the scene, running into The Murrays Brae housing estate, where he was lost to sight.

The suspect is described as white, 20-23-years-old, 5ft 10ins tall, slim build, wearing a plain grey/blue zipped up hooded top (with hood up), black trousers, white footwear, a striped scarf pulled up over the lower half of his face and black gloves.

Detective Constable John Mcshane, from Police Scotland, said: “While the victim wasn’t seriously injured, she was badly shaken as a result of this incident, and we are keen for any information that can assist our inquiries.

“We are keen for anyone who was at the bus stop, on the bus or lives in the Murrays Brae who may have witnessed the incident, or has any other information that can assist our inquiries, to contact police immediately.

“We believe this to be an isolated incident, however we would urge people to be vigilant and keep their belongings secure.

Anyone with information can contact Police Scotland on 101, or anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Haymarket Station – Give us Time to Cross campaign – Score Scotland Social Event – End of term – Rose Street pub given thumbs down

Now that the tram project is looking more likely that it will soon be a real form of transport, we turn our attention today to Haymarket Station which is to be opened this morning with a plaque unveiling by Transport Minister Keith Brown.

Network Rail has spent £25m on the redevelopment of the station which they now consider to be one of the most accessible in Britain. There is more space for passengers and more shops for them to use when travelling.

The Edinburgh Reporter will be at the ceremony this morning and we hope to bring you photos and video later.

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The Transport Minister has also added his support for charity Living Street’s calls for more time to cross at pedestrian crossings. Living Streets is campaigning for a review of the assumed walking speed at crossings which was apparently first calculated in the 1950s. It now appears that 75% of over 65s have trouble crossing the road in time.  Living Streets is calling for an average of just 3 more seconds green man time on our crossings to allow everyone to cross the road in comfort.  More details on the campaign here.

The Green Party want to have research done on the subject as well as a rollout of more 20mph zones and better street design.

Alison Johnstone Lothians MSP who asked Keith Brown MSP to look into the matter said:-“We need to put the needs of people on foot back at the heart of our street design, and there is a convincing case for longer crossing times. I’m pleased to see the Scottish Government backing this campaign, but there’s more they can do right now to improve safety for pedestrians. I want to see 20mph as the norm in residential and shopping areas and a complete redesign of our worst road junctions.”

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Term ends today for most schoolchildren in Edinburgh and the new one starts on 7 January 2014. All details of school term dates can be found here.

Yesterday Boroughmuir High School was evacuated due to a bomb threat.

One pupil told The Edinburgh Reporter that police were already at the school on arrival at just after 8.30. The pupil said:-“I was told to walk on the pavement on the oppposite side of the road but was not allowed to go in. I had to wait outside until a teacher from Bruntsfield Primary came and took us back there. We were seated in the main assembly hall for two hours and allowed to watch a video. Mr Dempster came to speak to us and told us it had been a bomb hoax. The whole school was searched but nothing was found. I was allowed to go home for the rest of the day.

Boroughmuir High School’s website reports that all end of term activities will take place today as planned.

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The council decided yesterday to refuse the planning application by Waxy O’Connors to convert the Charlotte Baptist Chapel into a 900 person pub. Neighbours were delighted at the outcome which ran contrary to the official recommendation to allow the pub with secondary glazing and additional noise baffling.

This part of yesterday’s Development Management Committee meeting was treated as a hearing and was webcast. You will be able to watch the recording here soon.

Today’s photo courtesy of Thomas Haywood.

The Scotland Women’s football team suffered their third defeat in the prestigious Brazil Women’s International Tournament last night despite a brave performance against Chile.

The game took place at the 68,000 capacity Estadio Nacional Mane Garrincha which hosted the opening match of the FIFA Confederations Cup earlier this year and will also host seven FIFA World Cup matches next summer, including a quarter-final.

Hibs’ goalkeeper Shannon Lynn made her first appearance in the tournament replacing skipper Gemma Fay.

The Scots started brightly with both Haley Lauder and Leanne Ross going close before Chile took the lead against the run of play when  Maria Rojas raced clear to send a low shot past Lynn.

Scotland were level within three minutes. Former Hibs and Arsenal star Kim delivered a fine cross for Jane Ross, who beat her marker to flick the ball high in to the net.

Christine Murray added a second just before the break after good work from Lauder then Jane Ross drew another save from Endler while Lynn did well to save at the feet of Maria Rojas as both teams pushed forward.

Ross and Little continued to cause problems for the Chilean defence, but it was the South American’s who scored next when Francisca was first to react to a free-kick and flicked the ball in to the net.

Chile then scored two goals in four minutes to secure the victory.  Araya got on the end of a cross in to the box to fire in to the net, before Saez blasted in a shot from close range.

Substitute Lana Clelland had a chance to pull one back for Scotland but Endler raced off her line to smother the ball and deny her.

Both sides continued to create opportunities, before another Scotland substitute Sarah Crilly picked up the ball on the edge of the box and unleashed a terrific effort to beat Endler to make the score 4-3.

Scotland will face either Canada or Brazil in the 3rd/4th place match on Sunday.

Scotland

Lynn (GK), Love, Corsie, Beattie, Lauder, L Ross, Crichton, Sneddon, C Murray, Little, J Ross

This week’s photo is from Col Walder, who has captured a long exposure image of the Star Flyer in St Andrew Square. The long exposure technique means that the camera will pick up all of the ride’s movement, and create light trails.

The Stockbridge Photography Club is a non-profit photography club that aims to operate in a different way from the traditional photography club mould. They have informal monthly meetings where they discuss their photos over a cup of coffee and learn about the month’s theme.

Outside of this, they arrange photowalks and trips to various locations and landmarks in and around Edinburgh, providing their members with something interesting to photograph, whilst always having someone on hand to answer any questions.

Their exhibition is ongoing, and Rosie McKenzie has kindly extended the running time. Why not pop into her gallery on St Stephen Street? Everybody is welcome, and all proceeds go to charity.

Our brand new website launched last week, and over the coming months we plan to add new features! Visit their website for more information.

Submitted by Stockbridge Photo Club

Dialog Semiconductor plc chooses Birch House for major Edinburgh expansion

Cosmopolitan Investments has secured a second significant letting at Birch House, the company’s office development at Bankhead in West Edinburgh.

The latest tenant is Dialog Semiconductor plc, which already occupies 14,000 sq ft of space at Multrees Walk, adjacent to St Andrew Square in the city centre.

Dialog has taken just under 1,200 sq ft of space on a ten year-lease at an initial rental of £12 a sq ft with a tenant break option after five years.

The letting is a result of expansion by Dialog, who will use the additional space secured at Birch House primarily as a test centre for components such as microchips which eventually form part of tablets and MP3 devices produced by some of the world’s leading consumer electronics companies.

Dialog’s biggest single client is Apple inc. The Stuttgart-based company achieved $774 million in revenues in 2012 and is recognised as one of the fastest-grown public semiconductor companies in Europe.

This deal comes in the wake of a recent letting to Hollander International Systems which has taken 3,480 sq ft of accommodation (the ground floor east suite) on a ten-year lease. This means that Birch House is now 50 per cent let just five months after Cosmopolitan Investments began a marketing campaign to fill space vacated by the previous occupant, Petroleum Geo-Services.

Iain Mercer, group managing director, Cosmopolitan Investments, said: “We began re-marketing Birch House confident that the suites available met an under-supplied part of the market in West Edinburgh, where there are very few sub-2,000 sq ft suites outwith the serviced office sector.

“Although Birch House is geared to provide business and R&D space, its roots lie in development and manufacturing (the building once formed part of the Ethicon surgical sutures factory) so it’s great to have a pioneering and innovative company such as Dialog continue that tradition in the consumer electronics industry.”

Mr Mercer also said that the proximity of Birch House to the tram stop at Bankhead Estate “cannot be underestimated” as it meant that Digital staff will, from next year, be able to transfer between both their Edinburgh offices in under 15 minutes. “Commercial connectivity of this nature will at least be one benefit of the long-awaited tram line.”

Cosmopolitan was represented in both deals by Eric Young and Co and Lambert Smith Hampton.

Submitted by Ken Houston

The Edinburgh Larder is a bit of a find. Situated in a lovely light basement in Alva Street at the West End, the food is exquisitely prepared and served, and is sourced as locally as possible. Where better to start off your Hogmanay evening before going off to see the Pet Shop Boys and the fireworks?

All details of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay are here.

Edinburgh’s Liberal Democrat MP, Mike Crockart, is calling for musicians and film makers to enter Parliament’s largest competitions, Rock the House and Film the House.

Founded by Intellectual Property Advisor to the Prime Minister, Mike Weatherley MP, the competitions are sponsored by industry and supported by celebrity Patrons.

Both competitions offer the opportunity for Edinburg’s creative minds to have their work judged by the leading lights of industry and win prizes ranging from festival slots, studio time, equipment, and the opportunity to have your work premiered in London’s West End to name a few!

Commenting, Mr Crockart said:-“I want to encourage any budding film directors or musicians to apply for this competition. Edinburgh is a vibrant city with a wealth of talented individuals and this competition is the perfect opportunity for this talent to be showcased in Parliament.

“The prizes and judges get better every year and I would be delighted to support and promote any acts from Edinburgh West in the 2014 competition. It would make me immensely proud to see a winner from Edinburgh and it would reinforce my view that I represent one of the most talented constituencies in the UK.”

“For more information on how to enter Rock the House go to www.rockthehouseHOC.com/apply; and for Film the House www.filmthehouse.com/apply.”

Rock legend and actor, Alice Cooper said:-“Rock the House is a great project which celebrates the fantastic diversity of the British music scene and gives musicians a vehicle through which to hold their legislators accountable about protecting the music industry’s intellectual property.”

Competition Founder Mike Weatherley MP said:-“Every year the competition gets bigger and better and my thanks go to our Patrons, Sponsors, Judges, the entrants, the MPs who take part. If you’re a musician or a film maker, make sure you take part in the 2014 competition!”