This may be one of the youngest Hearts teams in the history of Edinburgh’s finest football club, but in Billy Brown they have one of the most experienced and wily men in football.

Ahead of the all-Edinburgh Scottish League Cup quarter final tie at Easter Road on Wednesday, the Hearts assistant manager declared that most observers have written off his team’s chances of not only avoiding relegation this season but of getting one over their city rivals in the quest for a semi-final place.
“It will certainly be a challenge to get a result on Wednesday night – and a challenge to go on for the rest of the season and prove everybody else wrong,” said Brown.

“Ever since I’ve been in football, you’ve got to prove yourself and it makes it sweeter when you prove yourself right when everybody else says, ‘you couldn’t do it’. Listening to everybody and reading the papers, I feel we have been written off by most people. On that basis, maybe the pressure’s off.”

Brown, now in his third spell as assistant manager at Tynecastle – he was Jim Jefferies’ right hand man on two previous occasions, being instrumental in Hearts ending their 36 year wait for a major trophy when they won the Scottish Cup in 1998 – was adamant that no one at Tynecastle shares the consensus of opinion that Hearts will be playing in the Championship next season.

“I certainly haven’t given up and the manager hasn’t written us off either. Like me, he’s fully up for the challenge.”

Hearts are in a dismal run of form that has seen them failed to win their previous seven SPFL games with their only wins coming in penalty shoot-outs against lower league opposition in Raith Rovers and Queen of the South in the League Cup. But Brown insists nothing has changed.

“We had a major task at the start of the season, we’ve still got that major task and we’ve still got enough games to be successful in that task,” added Brown. “We’ve got one of the best up and coming managers in the game. He’s meticulous, he’s passionate and he’s got a stern streak in him that will do well and get us out of this situation. At the moment, there isn’t a better man to take Hearts forward. I’ve worked in partnership with one of the best managers this country’s had for a long time in Jim Jefferies so I know what it takes. And there’s no doubt in my mind Gary Locke has got what it takes to get us out of the situation we’re in”

Brown said the spirit in the Tynecastle camp is as strong as it was at the start of the season.

“All the doom and gloom is from people in the media. There’s no doom and gloom here. We’re up for the task. There’s no great cloud hanging over Tynecastle. Everybody likes to think there is but there isn’t. We’ve certainly got a chance of winning the cup tie against Hibs – certainly the players are not lacking in confidence despite what a lot of people may think.”

Brown refused to entertain the idea that the League Cup quarter final was a distraction for his young team. “It’s not a distraction, it’s something everyone here relishes. People might say Hibs are favourites and you can understand that. They have signed loads of players and there are not many clubs who pay £200,000 for a player as Hibs have. So there is a financial outlay and big expectations for their supporters. They are at home, there are not many young players in the Hibs team and they are playing a young team. I would think, if there’s extra pressure in a game like this, it’s certainly not at this end of the city.”

Despite his talking up of Hearts city rivals, Brown remained as confident as ever. “It’s a game we are desperate to win and these games mean more to the supporters than any other. As long as we give our all we can get a result.”

Hearts striker Callum Paterson is likely to replace the injured Ryan Stevenson for the tie at Easter Road which will be broadcast live on BBC Scotland television.

Two of the foremost wave energy companies in Europe were represented at the European Ocean Energy Conference today at Our Dynamic Earth, and they are both based in Edinburgh.

Pelamis Wave Power is run by CEO Dr Richard Yemm who extolled the virtues of being based in the capital where their workforce has such a good lifestyle. Martin McAdam, CEO of Aquamarine Power which has its main office here and other offices in Belfast and Orkney, was happy to tell us about the electricity their revamped Oyster machine is now making.

These are unique photos of Aquamarine’s Oyster in the foreground and Pelamis’s P2 being towed off-site earlier this year at EMEC  in Orkney where they are undergoing testing.

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Following the success of pedestrianising parts of George Street during the Festival, the council is now set to trial a one way system there for a year following the decision of the Transport & Environment Committee this morning.

Andy Neal, CEO of Essential Edinburgh said:-” Essential Edinburgh carried out a full review of visitors and residents after the Festival period and everyone agreed that what was done in George Street this year was a success. There is further learning to be done however and we continue to look at the arrangements.”

Mr Neal kindly agreed to meet with us prior to the meeting to give us his reasons for supporting the council’s plans.

There is to be a two way cycle route  along the middle which will actually form part of the National Cycle Network, and buses will continue to use Princes Street as before. Cycle parking is to be increased and key city centre junctions are to be retimed to increase the pedestrain priority.

The administration made the suggestion of a trial for 12 months which will allow them to  monitor all traffic movements in the area.  Councillor Aldridge asked about cyclists on Princes Street  and was told that they can still use Princes Street if they wish, but the national cycle route and thus the preferred route will be George Street. Councillor Aldridge also asked about low emission vehicles to be used by Lothian Buses, but admitted that the area around Princes Street was probably not the worst in terms of air quality.

Councillor Cardownie, the Festivals Champion asked again about George Street when he said:-” Is there anything in the proposals which is an obstacle to Festival arrangements being replicated next year?” The council officer replied that traffic management would be required but did not see an obstacle. The convenor explained that the festival arrangements are due to be reported on at the next meeting in January.

The Conservatives suggested a motion which included a suggestion that bus services would be continued for 12 months in both direction to allow the effects of the tram service to be assessed.

Councillor Hinds said that she wants the city centre to be comfortable for everyone, whether pedestrian, cyclist or driver. The essential thing is to make it an attractive place for people to come to. She mentioned comparisons with Times Square in New York where the ideas were first trialled. “We want to be able to travel around the city centre more easily no matter what our mode of transport. We have a long term commitment about making the city centre better and more vibrant for everyone.”

Conservative Councillor Joanna Mowat agreed that their aspirations were the same, but the two political groups had a different approach. She said:-“We are trying to meddle with situations which are currently unknown. We cannot know the baseline until the tram is up and running. This would then allow us to decide what needs to be altered. At present, we cannot know what the city centre will look like next year until the trams start running. We want to establish a robust baseline before making changes. We cannot disagree with the vision but we disagree with the way it is being done. People are not impressed by either George Street or Princes Street at the moment, but we want to make any changes properly. We will have no way to measure the success of these steps unless we know what we start from.”

Councillor Aldridge supported the coalition motion  in saying:- “Where we can anticipate the position, we should make the change.”

The Green Group also supported the administration motion which Councillor Booth said was a real vision and showed that the council had listened to the results of the consultation.

This plan started during the last administration when the LibDem/SNP coalition instructed a report by Gehl architects. In March 2013 the Transport committee agreed that to improve pedestrian space in the city centre would take some reorganising of the traffic arrangements, and that to start with the emphasis should be on Princes Street and George Street with other programmes such as the Leith Programme, Waverley Bridge and the Royal Mile to follow closely behind, as well as the public realm improvements expected at Charlotte Square.

Consultation events took place earlier this year, and a petition was made to the council’s Petitions Committee demanding that Princes Street be made free of all motor traffic, which would more closely follow the vision of the Gehl Report.

Buses will continue along Princes Street in both directions for the 12 month trial period to allow assessment of the tram service, and the council will work with all main bus operators to review frequency of other bus services with a view to reducing the number of buses which cross the city centre.

The idea is to make Edinburgh more continental with on street cafes, and more flexible space, but also to encourage property owners in Princes Street to develop their upper floors. The city centre is also to be decluttered with unnecessary street furniture being removed. Please tell us if you see any that needs to be dealt with!

The move to introduce temporary one way systems in George Street will require only a temporary Traffic Restriction Order which is also easier to manage from an administrative point of view.

The whole report is reproduced for you here:-

http://www.theedinburghreporter.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Item_7.1___Building_a_Vision_for_the_City_Centre.pdf

VETERANS MINISTER ANNOUNCES £2 MILLION GAIN FOR VETERANS THROUGH CHARITY ADVICE PROJECT

As the 2013 Scottish Poppy Appeal gets underway the Veterans’ Minister, Keith Brown MSP today  announced the success of a vital charity partnership project that has attracted both £2 million gained for members of Scotland’s Armed Forces community and an expansion of the project across the country.

The Armed Services Advice Project (ASAP) is delivered by the Scottish Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux and funded by Poppyscotland, the charity behind the Scottish Poppy Appeal, and three other charities (ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, RAF Benevolent Fund and Seafarers UK). Since its launch in 2010 ASAP is making a huge impact on the lives of serving and ex-Service people and their families by delivering free and expert information, advice and support on a wide range of issues, including benefits, debt, employment, health and housing.

Announcing the news, Mr Brown was joined by two Edinburgh & Lothians ASAP advisers, Army veteran Alan Hamilton MBE and Fiona Salem, who are based in the West Lothian Citizens Advice Bureau. Also present were Gary Gray, Head of Welfare Services at Poppyscotland, and serving soldiers Fusiliers Jamie Wilson and Graeme Ward (both aged 20) from 2 SCOTS (The Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland).

The tremendous £2 million financial gain for hundreds of members of the Armed Forces community was achieved in a number of ways including supporting people to claim benefits to which they are entitled, amounts being awarded in appeals, debt being written off and charitable grants awarded.

A three-year extension to the project and expansion into additional strategic areas from October 2013 means that, as well providing advice through a national helpline, ASAP is now available in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Angus, Dundee, Edinburgh & Lothians, Falkirk (funded by Falkirk Council), Fife, Inverness, Moray & Nairn, Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, Stirlingshire & Clackmannanshire and Perth & Kinross.

Veterans Minister Keith Brown said: “I congratulate ASAP, Citizens Advice Scotland and Poppyscotland on reaching such a landmark.  The work done in fighting for benefits that veterans are entitled to receive shows the impact of the ASAP service and the skill of the staff who have worked tirelessly for our veterans.

‪“The Scottish Government has been a strong supporter of the ASAP service since its creation in 2010 and has contributed financially to its work with a grant of £6,000 towards a booklet for potential users of ASAP.  The success of this work is clearly demonstrated through strong collaborative work between a range of charities and partners.”

Gary Gray from Poppyscotland commented: “Veterans can face a number of challenges after leaving the Armed Forces, from physical injuries and mental health problems, to not finding the right house or job or being able to deal with their finances. Poppyscotland and its co-funding charities are working to address the current and future needs of veterans and, through ASAP, we are tackling issues and great results are being achieved.

“However, we need to do more to reach those who are still in need of help and I am delighted that, thanks to the generosity of the public who support us through the Scottish Poppy Appeal and other fundraising activities, Poppyscotland is able to expand the service in order to continue to make a difference to the lives of veterans and their families across Scotland.”

Margaret Lynch, CEO of Citizens Advice Scotland said: “This is a project that we have been delighted to be a part of. The CAB service provides free, confidential and independent advice to everyone who needs it, but we are always happy to work with other charities where we can target advice to particular sections of society. Members of the Armed Forces community their families are a very good example of that, and our advisers across Scotland have been delighted to help them.

“The fact that we have reached this milestone today is a sign of what a terrific success the project has been so far. Putting £2 million in the pockets of Servicemen and women is something that will make a real practical difference to them in these difficult economic times. And we urge anyone in the Armed Forces community who has not used the project yet to come and see us to discuss any problems they have.”

In the past three years 3,300 people have been helped, presenting over 13,000 issues. The main areas of need were benefits, debts, housing, employment and financial issues. Over 500 people benefited from a financial gain.

An individual that has been helped by ASAP said: “ASAP, and in particular my adviser whose continuing support, tireless work and relentless form filling, was a huge help to me as I was at my lowest and couldn’t even open any mail as it came through the door. He restored my faith and trust in people and I will be forever grateful. I have no idea where I would be now if it wasn’t for ASAP as I was in a very dark place, in pain and almost suicidal through frustration at constant bombardment of phone calls, forms and tribunals. I always speak extremely highly of them and refer any other veterans towards them. This project is highly deserving of recognition and reward and my adviser deserves a medal!”

ASAP’s confidential, Scotland-wide helpline number is 0845 231 0300.

Edinburgh and The Lothians – Discover More of Scotland

Rich in culture, history and tradition, the city of Edinburgh and the surrounding Lothians offer travel enthusiasts a memorable experience. Due to its strategic location in the heart of Scotland, the region attracts students, businesses and families from across the UK and even worldwide. Entrepreneurs who plan to expand their business, students in need of holiday storage room, and short term visitors can all hire the services of a secure storage facility like Len Lothian Store & More to stock office furniture, personal belongings or anything else.

This family-owned self-storage company has three different facilities in and around Edinburgh, and the family name illustrates the company’s deep roots throughout the capital city and the Lothians.

As a city-wide storage facility, Len Lothian Store & More enables businesses and home-owners the opportunity to rent storage space from a local company with almost 50 years of experience in the storage and removals industry.

Located south of the Firth of Forth, the Lothian region covers the city of Edinburgh, West Lothian, Midlothian and East Lothian. From ancient architecture to vibrant countryside, fine food and shopping centres, the region offers something that captivates the mind of every visitor.

Read on to find out more about the fascinating history, culture, and most popular tourist spots of Edinburgh and The Lothians.

History and Culture

Edinburgh and the neighbouring Lothian region is steeped in a deep history amply reflected in its wide range of monuments and battlegrounds which date back to the times of the Celts and Romans.

Today, the region has the strongest economy outside of London in the UK with the establishment of many financial sectors, research centres and tourism services. All these factors not only make the region an ideal place to visit but also a great place to live and work. Home relocation is demanding, and Len Lothian Store & More have storage units across Edinburgh (and Glasgow) meaning extra storage space is available and conveniently located. As a reliable and secure storage company, Len Lothian Store & More offers a wide range of rooms, lockers and containers to suit all manner of storage requirements.

Places to Visit in Edinburgh and The Lothians

The region boasts a variety of attractions, from the iconic Edinburgh Castle to charming museums, galleries and theatres. Some of the most visited attractions that lure big crowds throughout the year include the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and the Royal Botanic Gardens. Just south of Edinburgh, the Midlothian region is well known as the home of the ornately decorated late Gothic Rosslyn Chapel, which featured prominently in The Da Vinci Code. West Lothian, similarly, has many intriguing features and attractions including pre-historic burial sites and stately homes.

As a World Heritage Site, Edinburgh is frequented by visitors, students and business representatives throughout the year. Len Lothian Store & More eases the transition for home movers in need of temporary storage, burgeoning enterprises looking to rent storage space for office furniture, or students who require summer storage room for their belongings. Hiring self-storage space from Len Lothian Store & More leaves you to enjoy the city and the surrounding areas, whatever your circumstances.

Advertorial feature

The council has decided to trial the new scheme we reported on last week, and traders will have to comply with new rules about when their waste will be collected in three areas of the city from January next year.

The motion was as follows:-

The Green Group offered an addendum to the administration motion asking the council to trial zero waste options. The Convenor resisted this as it would be confusing. She insisted on giving clear direction to the council officers that the option adopted by the council is the one which is now agreed upon, rather than continue to consider other options already discounted.  The Greens withdrew their motion.

The council has undertaken that the existing environmental wardens will deal with the enforcement of this scheme. The council also plan to encourage traders in streets to get together and enter into one contract with trade waste companies for each area. This would mean that there would be one company removing waste from certain areas rather than a mass of different vehicles trying to gain access to some narrow streets.

Alive after 5 is the message to city centre shoppers

Despite some opposition the council decided this morning to approve the use of £47,000 to persuade Christmas shoppers to come to the city centre with their cars this Christmas. This cost is shared by the council, Essential Edinburgh and Marketing Edinburgh. These two bodies will contribute £15,000 to reduce the lost revenue to the council.

The full list of streets where there will be no charge after 5 is a lengthy one:-

http://www.theedinburghreporter.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Parking-after-five-list.pdf

During the Transport & Environment Committee meeting this morning the council report on supporting this measure for a second year was discussed. You can read the report here at Item 7.4.

Councillor Joanna Mowat who represents the city centre asked about consultation with residents. “Some streets were not included last year. These streets are very pressured already. We seem to have consulted everyone else but not the people who live in the streets.”

The council officer confirmed that some people who answered the survey may have been residents but they were not particularly targeted.

The Greens wanted the whole plan scrapped and no further action taken until a full option appraisal is carried out.

Transport Convenor, Councillor Lesley Hinds said that the traders want to stay open longer hours over this period, and they think the free parking is important to that scheme working. She also said that for next year the alternatives of encouraging public transport etc would be examined.”

Councillor Jim Orr commented that he has misgivings about doing this in future but was happy to support this for a second year.

Councillor Bagshaw with Councillor Booth in support said:-“£94,000 is being spent on something which is not value for money, and there was not full council support for the plans last year. This money would be better spent elsewhere, for example to reduce bus fares. We agree that the idea is to support city centre business but the way this is being done is not the correct way.

“There is no hard evidence that the car parking initiative works.”

Andy Neal CEO of Essential Edinburgh which is the city centre Business Improvement District took the time before the Transport Committee meeting this morning to explain why they support the council’s plans for the city centre.

Youth Theatre Arts Scotland – a new name and patron for Promote YT

The national development organisation for youth theatre arts in Scotland is changing its name: from Promote YT to Youth Theatre Arts Scotland from today.

The new name and visual identity reflects the growth in scale and diversity of Scotland’s youth theatre sector over the past 10 years.

Acting CEO Helen Bain said:-“Our new name (Youth Theatre Arts Scotland) will allow us to better represent Scotland’s youth theatre sector, and to communicate clearly what we do: showcase talent, nurture potential and develop professional
expertise. Our vibrant sector not only plays a vital part in producing Scotland’s artists and audiences of tomorrow, but also gives our young people an accessible form of social, creative and cultural development.”

Findings from a recent review of youth theatre in Scotland (conducted by Youth Theatre Arts Scotland) showed that participation in youth theatre is growing. Youth theatre organisations delivered cultural activity to more than 23,000 young people per week in 2012/13 – up by a third on the previous year. Organisations that responded to the study turned over £3.5m per year, with an average of six young people per youth theatre moving onto further education in the creative industries.

Youth Theatre Arts Scotland can also announce that Scottish Actor Sam Heughan has joined the company as Patron.  Born in Dumfries and Galloway, and a graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Heughan has recently been cast in US cable network drama series Outlander. Filming began last month in Cumbernauld. The series has already been hailed as Scotland’s answer to Game of Thrones, which provided a huge boost to Northern Ireland’s film and TV industry.

Sam Heughan said:-“Going to a youth theatre was a crucial first step at the start of my career. It was a safe, welcoming environment where I met like-minded students and inspiring leaders. It introduced me to the skills needed (which I still use today) and I worked alongside professionals. Youth theatre organisations are a fundamental part of helping young people become successful in the acting industry.”

Youth Theatre Arts Scotland provides youth theatre organisations and freelance practitioners with opportunities that develop professional expertise, showcase talent and strengthen sector alliances.  Their membership scheme represents over 100 youth theatre organisations and freelance practitioners across Scotland. The organisation currently receives project funding from Creative Scotland.

Transport & Environment Committee meets today – Holyrood Cycling debate – FOMBL Autumn meeting – European Annual Conference on Ocean Energy begins today – Tonight at the Bongo Club

The council’s Transport & Environment Committee meets this morning. A fuller report on what will be discussed is here.

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Following a motion by Alison Johnstone MSP for Lothians the Scottish Parliament is to discuss the possibility of introducing strict liability for motorists involved in collisions with cyclists today. At 2:00pm the motion to be debated in the chamber is as follows:-

S4M-07934 Alison Johnstone: Strict Liability—That the Parliament believes that the number of fatalities and injuries to pedestrians and cyclists on Scotland’s roads, including in the Lothian region, is unacceptably high; recognises that the Scottish Government has funded a number of national cycle safety initiatives; notes that versions of a strict liability rule exist in the civil law of many European countries; notes that a number of walking and cycling organisations support the introduction of such a law in Scotland; understands that a petition by Cycle Law Scotland on this topic has secured nearly 5,000 signatures; considers that a stricter liability rule could have positive benefits for the safety of more vulnerable road users as part of a package of measures, and would welcome further debate on this proposal.

You can watch proceedings on Parliament TV.

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Autumn is officially here: the leaves are falling in the Meadows, and  the FoMBL autumn meeting will be held in the Dining Room,  Teviot Row House, Bristo Square, at 7.30 pm on Monday 4th November.   Read all about it in their newsletter, which you will find on their  website.

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The European Annual Conference on Ocean Energy begins today at Our Dynamic Earth. Drawing together main players in the development of the renewable technology, there will also be opportunities to see and hear politicians from Greg Barker the UK Minister for Energy and Climate Change to Fergus Ewing the Scottish Government’s Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Tourism and the First Minister, Alex Salmond who will address the conference on Wednesday.

Full programme here.

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And if you’re a night owl then you need to know that The Bongo Club opens its doors tonight at 11:00pm to host a Hallowe’en Special.

I LOVE HIP HOP Halloween Special – Tuesday 29th. October. 2013

It’s at Bongo every Tuesday – for those who want to celebrate the hip hop classics, but just as importantly the brand new!

Tonight it’s a Halloween Special with Nasty P & P-Stylz

Tracks ranging from Big Daddy Kane, Odd Future, Slick Rick, Wiz Khalifa, Biggy, Wu Tang, Cool Kids, Lil Wayne, Mack Maine, Outkast, Biz Markie, J Dilla, Rick Ross, Styles P, The Dream, Kool G Rap, Kanye, Gangstarr, Clipse, Evidence, Big L, Strong Arm Steady ….

EAST COAST, WEST COAST, SOUTHERN…BOOM BAP, CRUNK, CLUB, UNDERGROUND, HARDCORE, CLASSICS, REMIXES, 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, naughties and the future!

Live performances, guest DJs & more

More details here.

Councillor Hinds will convene the meeting along with Vice-Convenor Councillor Jim Orr in the Dean of Guild Court Room at the City Chambers. The committee which usually has 15 councillors in attendance and which meets six times a year, deals with matters concerning roads,trams,buses and the way we get rid of our refuse.

This month the council is set to adopt new measures to encourage traders to become more responsible about disposing of their waste, which will hopefully lead to our city centre streets becoming cleaner and less cluttered with waste containers.

The CEO of Essential Edinburgh which runs the City Centre Business Improvement District will be making a presentation to the committee on behalf of city centre business owners. This is in relation to item 7.1 on the agenda which is the proposal by the council to make George Street a one-way street in parts for a trial period. This follows the pilot during the Festival when sections of the street were closed off to allow cafes and restaurants to spill over onto the pavements, which has been declared a success. The new pilot project will also include a two way cycle lane probably down the centre of the street. All measures in the city centre flow from a report commissioned by the previous administration by Gehl Architects which identified the challenges to deal with traffic and pedestrians in the city centre, and which proposed the trialling of schemes to see what works and what doesn’t.

The council is keen to make the city centre a more pleasant place for pedestrians, and less dominated by cars and other motor traffic, partly by introducing a one-way system on George Street and party by ensuring that Lothian Buses make changes to their bus routes so that not every bus comes through the city centre. The proposal is to continue with two way traffic on Princes Street for the trial period of 12 months to assess the impact of the tram line which will commence no later than May 2014. In common with other consultations in the city the consultation carried out earlier this year only attracted around 100 letters and emails from the public.

The committee will also hear that three non-executive directors will be recruited to the board of Transport for Edinburgh (TFE) following the initial appointments of four councillors and four directors from Lothian Buses as reported from the full council meeting last week.

The committee will also hear that there will be a workshop held on 11 November 2013 in Almond Ward to work out options for bus services which will feed into the tram network. The residents of Kirkliston and South Queensferry had complained about the cost of using local buses which is higher than other areas within the City of Edinburgh Council area. Lothian Buses do not serve these areas which have buses provided by First Group.

Other matters to be discussed include the introduction of Alive after Five which is the initiative to bring shoppers to the city centre at Christmas. Part of this will include arrangements to reduce the parking charges to zero after 5:00pm a move which will cost the council just under £50,000 in lost parking revenue. Other streets such as Leith Walk, streets at the West End including Melville Street and the area around Broughton Street will be included in the scheme as well as Albany Street. The latter is a residential street which was badly affected by the rerouting of traffic during the York Place tramworks, and the road surface there is now, in The Reporter’s view (from a bicycle!), badly damaged.

All papers for the meeting are here on the council website and there will be a further report here later.

Operation Christmas Child Calls for united community action

Samaritan’s Purse is appealing to everyone across Edinburgh and Midlothian to join others in their community and help bring joy and hope to one million children as part of this year’s Operation Christmas Child appeal.

Over the past 23 years, globally, through Operation Christmas Child, Samaritan’s Purse has delivered over 100 million gift-filled shoeboxes to disadvantaged children in over 100 countries.

Right now teams of Operation Christmas Child volunteers across Edinburgh and Midlothian are busy setting up Drop Off Points and warehouses in order to collect and process the thousands of shoeboxes that will be sent from Edinburgh and Mid Lothian to children in countries like Belarus, Liberia, Romania, Swaziland and Ukraine this Christmas, but more help is urgently needed.

“Christmas is almost upon us and we urgently need people in Edinburgh and Midlothian to work with us to help us reach our target of delivering one million shoeboxes from the UK this year,” said June Vasey, Samaritan’s Purse Area Coordinator for Edinburgh and Midlothian.

“Getting involved in Operation Christmas Child, wrapping and packing shoeboxes can be such fun and is always hugely rewarding.  Every year we see people organising their work colleagues, teachers working with parents and schoolchildren and churches inviting their communities to get involved.

“It can also be hard work, so while we are grateful for our existing teams of volunteers, we are always looking for more, to help at our warehouses.  Again, hugely rewarding, if only because a small investment of time will bring smiles to the faces of so many children overseas this Christmas.  These children are always so thankful to know that someone on the other side of the world cares about them.”

To find out the nearest centre where people can volunteer or drop off their shoeboxes go to the website or follow on Facebook

Pictured left to right: Abinaya Selveraj; Leon Dagg; Convener of the Friends of Inverleith Park Pamela Barnes; Nicolas Hann-Rengifo; Councillor Lesley Hinds; Jamie Stewart; Keep Scotland Beautiful Campaigns Director Mark Bevan; Tamanna Paranthaman.

A mountain of rubbish was displayed at an Edinburgh beauty spot today as the City of Edinburgh Council launched a major new initiative to combat litter in the capital. The initiative will encourage people to play their part and pledge their support to the Clean Up Edinburgh anti-litter campaign.

Around 120 bags of litter were piled up in Inverleith Park to give an idea of how much debris is dropped by people onto the streets of the capital every day. On average, over 45 tonnes of litter is collected each day in Edinburgh.

This is the Council’s most significant anti-litter campaign for several years, supported by Keep Scotland Beautiful, and is a call to action to residents, businesses and community groups to play their part in changing behaviour and attitudes to dropping litter, in a bid to keep the capital clean. One of the main aims will be to get as many signatures as possible on the pledge to either bin or recycle litter. People can sign up here.

Clean Up Edinburgh organisers want to encourage as many people as possible to join the campaign’s first event, a host of mass community clean-ups taking place at various hot spots across the city, on the same day, November 29. Find out where you can join in at www.edinburgh.gov.uk/litter or get advice and support such as litter picking equipment for organising further clean-ups on the same day. Groups and individuals will be encouraged and supported to organise local initiatives and projects over the next 12 months.

With tourism worth £10 billion to Edinburgh’s economy and with visitor numbers predicted to rise once again next year, making sure that the city’s beauty is not marred by litter is vital. This is even more important in 2014 when Scotland hosts the Ryder Cup and the Commonwealth Games, with the diving events taking place in Edinburgh.

Pupils from nearby Flora Stevenson Primary School joined Environment Convener Councillor Lesley Hinds, Keep Scotland Beautiful campaigns director Mark Bevan and Pam Barnes, Convener of the Friends of Inverleith Park, at today’s launch.

Councillor Hinds said:- “Edinburgh is a stunning city but the amount of litter being tossed onto its’ streets and parks is staggering. Today we want to raise awareness of this and also encourage people and businesses to sign the Clean Up Edinburgh pledge.

“The Council spends £4,500 each day disposing of rubbish dropped by the public, money which would be far better spent on other resources. With around 3,500 litter bins available, there is no excuse for not using them and when litter bugs cannot be bothered taking responsibility for their own rubbish, everyone is affected. It is the Council’s responsibility to keep Edinburgh clean, but it is up to each and every one of us to play our part and keep our streets free of litter – which is why we are launching Clean Up Edinburgh.

“We are asking as many people and businesses to sign the pledge online and to get involved in Clean Up Edinburgh – either taking part in one of our events on November 29 or by organising one of their own.”

Derek Robertson, Chief Executive of Keep Scotland Beautiful said: “Clean Up Scotland is trying to engage a million like-minded people by the end of 2014 to help make Scotland shine when the world is watching us host the Ryder Cup and the Commonwealth Games.

“The campaign is all about local people deciding to do something about the litter, dog dirt and other mess that blights our neighbourhoods and landscape, and Clean Up Edinburgh are making great efforts in engaging with the city’s public and creating exciting opportunities to help make Scotland that bit cleaner.”

This year the annual Edinburgh Festival of Remembrance will be held in aid of Combat Stress, the UK’s leading charity specialising in the care of Veterans’ mental health. The event is being held in the Usher Hall, Edinburgh, on Saturday 9 November 2013.

The Edinburgh Festival of Remembrance will give guests an opportunity to take time to remember those members of the armed forces who lost their lives in the line of duty. The story of the Arctic Convoys will be featured this year, with the help of Lieutenant Commander Ken Reith who took part in four convoys as a Naval Officer.

An organ serenade will introduce Veteran Reverend Iain May, a former member of the Merchant Navy, who will be addressing attendees. The evening will be filled with remarkable musicians, from the Royal Marines Corps of Drums, Jubilo Choir and the Phoenix Band to the Pipe Band and Dancers of Queen Victoria School, Dunblane. With opera star Donald Maxwell and organist John Willmett also giving a recital, the night promises to be a fitting musical tribute to mark this historical occasion.

This year the festival is being held in aid of Combat Stress, a charity which provides a unique and dedicated service to Veterans who are suffering from conditions such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression and anxiety disorders.  In order to provide the highest standards of care to Veterans, Combat Stress provides a range of services including residential clinical treatment, 24-hour Helpline and their Community and Outreach Service.

With over 830 Veterans receiving support in Scotland, Combat Stress aims to ensure ex-Service men and women receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time, and have supported more than 100,000 Veterans since 1919.

Kath Provan, Fundraising Officer for Combat Stress in Scotland said: “It is incredibly important to us to not only help those who have served in the army but also to remember those who have lost their lives fighting for our country. We are honoured to have been chosen by the organisers of this important event as the sole beneficiary. It is through donations like these that we are able to give Veterans the outstanding level of care which they truly deserve”.

The event will be held on Saturday 9 November at 7pm at Usher Hall, Edinburgh. Tickets are on sale now at a cost of £18, £16 and £14 with a concession rate available and can be purchased via www.usherhall.co.uk or by calling the Usher Hall box office on 0131 228 1155.

LOTHIAN HEALTHCARE HEROES NAMED AS SCOTTISH HEALTH AWARDS FINALISTS

A healthcare professional and two teams at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary have been announced as 2013 Scottish Health Awards finalists in recognition of their dedication to providing outstanding patient care.

Dr John Casey, Consultant Transplant Surgeon and his team, the Pelvic Pain Team and Andy Glancy, fought off stiff competition from across the country to secure their place at this year’s glittering award ceremony in November.

Dr John Casey’s team has been shortlisted for the Care for Long-term Illness Award thanks to their dedication to research and supporting transplant patients, which is helping improve the lives of people all over Scotland.  

The Chronic Pelvic Pain Team has been chosen as a finalist in the Services to Women & Children Award category. The pioneering team has set up the only integrated multidisciplinary management service for women with chronic pelvic pain in Scotland. Established in 2010, the service has challenged traditional treatments, introducing novel medical approaches and evidence-based psychological therapies.

Andy Glancy, Perinatal Pathology Technician, is also a finalist in the Services to Women & Children Award category. Andy, who has been in this role for around 25 years, provides after-life care for children who have died and facilitates post mortem examinations. Andy’s immeasurable compassion and unassuming professionalism have earned him this place in the Scottish Health Awards finalists.

Alan Boyter, Director of Human Resources and Organisational Development, NHS Lothian, said: “It is fantastic that the efforts and achievements of staff from a range of NHS Lothian services and sites have received recognition in this year’s Scottish Health Awards. 

“Having two teams and one individual from across Lothian shortlisted in two of the categories is a great result and my congratulations go to all of the finalists on this well-deserved acknowledgement.”

Every year, the Scottish Health Awards recognise and reward the dedicated NHS staff, support workers, volunteers and specialist teams who go the extra mile to provide outstanding patient care. 

The winners of the Scottish Health Awards 2013 will be announced at a prestigious awards ceremony on Thursday 7th November 2013 at the Corn Exchange in Edinburgh.

To view the full list of finalists, or for more information, please visit www.scottishhealthawards.com

On Saturday evening 2 November 2013, Perthshire singer-songwriter Sophie Ramsay is launching her long awaited album The Glassy Mountain at the Scottish Storytelling Centre in the Netherbow on the High Street. She will be singing a selection of her haunting and poetic songs, each a powerful exploration of personal grief, love, death and resurgence, ranging from poignant folk with a European feel, through moments of visceral lamenting to gently upbeat pop.

The Glassy Mountain was produced by Edinburgh music icon Jim Sutherland and includes performances from some of Scotland’s most outstanding talents in the realms of folk and jazz, including Matheu Watson, Fraser Fifield, Pete Clark and others, most of whom will play on the night.

Sophie has been writing and singing her own songs since her young adulthood, deeply influenced by her lyrical Highland inheritance. After Saturday she has plans to take her performance on tour.

Booking details here.

Submitted by Roddy Martine

Police Scotland will be carrying out an operation at Wednesday’s League Cup Quarter Final between Hibs and Hearts, searching for anyone in possession of fireworks or flares.

Officers will be carrying out searches outside Easter Road stadium, and a specialist search dog, capable of detecting flares, will also be used to identify anyone trying to smuggle illegal items into the stadium.

Police are warning that robust action will be taken against anyone trying to take flares or fireworks into the ground.  The warning follows incidents at recent derbies where flares or fireworks were used.

Superintendent Kenny MacDonald, who is in charge of the policing operation on Wednesday, said:

“The match kicks off at 7pm, and I would encourage supporters to get there early, as they will be travelling to the game during rush hour and there is limited parking near to the ground.

“There will be search cordons in place around the stadium, and searches will be undertaken as a condition of entry to the ground.  A specialist search dog will be used to detect anyone in possession of fireworks or flares.

“We recognise that the majority of supporters are well behaved, however there are a small minority who in the past have put themselves and others in danger by throwing fireworks or flares.

“If this behaviour continues then it will only be a matter of time before someone suffers a serious injury, and we are working with clubs and stewards to do all we can to prevent such dangerous behaviour.

“Anyone who is caught with a flare or firework can expect to be arrested, either at the time, or as a result of a post-match investigation.  As well as receiving a criminal conviction, they may very well find themselves being banned from attending future matches throughout the country.”

A Polish man who admitted responsibility for the death of his compatriot earlier this year has been jailed.

At the High Court in Edinburgh today (Monday) Robert Gruszka was sentenced to five years and three months in prison for killing 43-year-old Robert Dudek, whose body was found on ground near to a car park at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, on Sunday 7th April.

Gruszka, 37, had previously pled guilty to culpable homicide after Police Scotland launched a major investigation into the circumstances surrounding Mr Dudek’s death.

Detective Chief Inspector David McLaren, who led the investigation, said: “While nothing can undo the pain caused to Robert Dudek’s family, Gruska’s earlier guilty plea to culpable homicide has spared them the ordeal of a full trial and I sincerely hope they can now begin to move on with their lives.

“Police Scotland is committed to tackling violent crimes and will continue to work alongside our partners at the Crown Office to ensure those responsible for such crimes are brought to justice.”

Police in Edinburgh are appealing for witnesses to a serious assault that happened in the Capital in the early hours of this morning.

A 37-year-old man was found with a serious head injury in Earl Grey Street around 3.15am.  He was taken by ambulance to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, before being transferred to the Western General Hospital, where he is in a stable condition.

The victim and his girlfriend had been walking into Lauriston Place when they were confronted by two men.  An altercation then took place which led to the woman being knocked to the ground. The man then followed the two suspects into Earl Grey Street where another confrontation took place, resulting in the victim being seriously injured.

The two suspects are both described as white, in their early 20s, average build, with short dark coloured hair.

One was wearing a dark coloured hooded top with writing on the right sleeve and an emblem on the left chest area, dark coloured trousers and white shoes.

The other was wearing a dark coloured top with a red crew neck top underneath, dark coloured trousers, and white shoes.

Detective Sergeant Raymond Gray, from Police Scotland, said: “The victim has suffered a serious head injury for which he is receiving hospital treatment, and we are appealing for any information that can help us trace the two suspects, who were last seen running in the direction of Semple Street following the incident in Earl Grey Street.

“We know that there were witnesses who were in the area at the time who saw what happened, and we are appealing to those people to come forward and help us with our inquiries.

“Anyone else with any information that can help us should contact Police Scotland on 101, or make an anonymous report through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

Police Scotland are appealing for witnesses after a woman was robbed of her mobile phone in the Wester Hailes area of the city on Thursday 24th October.

The incident happened around 12.30pm in the underpass at Longstone Road and Calder Road.

The 19 year old victim alighted from the no.34 bus at the first stop on Longstone Road and began walking towards Calder Road while talking on her Samsung mobile phone and wearing earphones.

When she entered the underpass tunnel she felt a push to her shoulder and the suspect pulled the earphones and took the phone from her hand, before running through the underpass towards Saughton Road.

The male suspect was described as white, 20-22 years, short blond/ginger hair, possibly curly, around 6ft tall, medium build, wearing a light blue cotton style jacket and jeans.

Detective Constable Richard Emerson from Police Scotland said: “This was a frightening experience for the victim who was robbed of her phone. We are keen to trace anyone who witnessed this incident, particularly a woman who came to the victim’s aid.”

Anyone with any information should contact Police Scotland on 101, or make an anonymous report through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Police in Midlothian are appealing for witnesses following an attempted robbery in Bonnyrigg.

The incident happened just before 8am today (Monday) at the Dalhousie Newsagents in Dalhousie Place.

A 41-year-old man was working alone within the store when a male entered and presented what appeared to be a handgun. Following a struggle, the shopkeeper sustained minor injury after being struck to the face.  The male then made off from the area empty handed and police were contacted.

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

The suspect is described only as white and wearing a faded black top and blue jeans.

Inspector Stuart Reid said: “This must have been a terrifying experience for the shopkeeper. However, he refused to hand over any money and successfully fended the suspect off.

“Thankfully he did not sustain any serious injury and police are now conducting various enquiries within the area to identify the male responsible.

“During this time, high-visibility police patrols are being carried out to engage with local residents and offer reassurance to the community.

“Anyone who remembers seeing any suspicious activity around the shop on Monday morning or who has information relevant to this investigation is asked to contact police immediately.”

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

Edinburgh East MP Sheila Gilmore today reiterated her backing for High Speed Two, emphasising that passengers in Scotland will benefit from reduced journey times immediately.

This followed her submitting her response to the consultation on Phase Two of the project, which will extent the line from London to Birmingham on to Leeds and Manchester. It also comes ahead of an important vote in parliament on Phase One on Thursday.

Under the Government’s current plans phase one from London to the West Midlands will be up and running by 2026. Phase two will extend the line to Leeds and Manchester by 2033/34. Trains will travel at speeds of up to 250mph.

Passengers in Scotland will benefit immediately as the high speed network will be linked to existing lines, meaning trains will continue up to Edinburgh and Glasgow at conventional speeds. Once the second phase is complete, the Edinburgh to London journey will be cut by an hour to 3 hours 30 minutes.

Sheila Gilmore said:-‘Passengers in Scotland will benefit from HS2 immediately as it will be linked to existing lines, meaning trains will continue up to Edinburgh and Glasgow at conventional speeds.’

‘Once the first phase from London to Birmingham is complete in 2026, the Edinburgh to London journey will be cut by 30 minutes. Once the second phase to Leeds and Manchester is finished in 2033, this time-saving will rise to an hour.’

‘Improving links with London and England’s other major conurbations will make Scotland a more attractive place to do business, which will boost jobs and growth.’

‘In addition it will allow for genuine competition with air travel, encouraging modal shift to rail and lowering our carbon emissions.’

TICKETS TO BE RELEASED THIS WEEK FOR TOP TOWER TRIPS

One thousand exclusive tickets for a once in a lifetime chance to scale the heights of the Forth Road Bridge will go on sale this Wednesday 30 October at 1:00pm.

Demand is expected to be high for these one-off tower top trips which will take place in July and August 2014 in the run up to the Forth Bridges Festival. The ten day Festival is a key part of the Homecoming Scotland 2014 calendar and celebrates the 50^th birthday of the Bridge.  Tickets, which will be allocated on a first come, first served basis, are priced at £120 plus £2.95 booking fee each. Those fortunate to secure places will ascend by lift and ladder 156 metres above the Firth of Forth, where they will be met by stunning panoramic views of Edinburgh, the Lothians and Fife.

At 10am on Friday 1 November, 96 tickets for an “Ultimate Bridge Experience” on 9 or 10 September 2014 will also go on sale.  Priced at £180 plus £2.95 booking fee per ticket, these packages will give visitors the chance to enjoy the bridge from a variety of new perspectives on land, sea and high above the road.  As well as a tower top trip, this definitive experience will  include the chance to see first-hand the hidden engineering of the Bridge by viewing the anchorages underneath;  lunch with a view in a local restaurant; and a boat tour of all three bridges, including progress on the new Queensferry Crossing, due to open at the end of 2016.

Lesley Hinds, convenor of the Forth Estuary Transport Authority, said:- “Major bridges around the world are awe-inspiring and held in particular affection by the public.  As the Forth Road Bridge prepares for its golden milestone, we are thrilled to be able to invite people to get closer to it and experience it for themselves.   The Forth Road Bridge and the Forth Bridge are symbols of Scottish engineering excellence and a trip to the top of the towers will give visitors an unrivalled opportunity to appreciate the majesty of both bridges like never before.

“The tower top trips are an important part of next year’s Forth Bridges Festival, which itself is a key part of the Homecoming Scotland 2014 programme.  Revenue raised from the sale of tickets will go directly towards funding a range of free events in the Forth Bridges Festival programme.  This means everyone can join in the celebrations and we look forward to welcoming the world for this very special occasion.”

Caroline Packman, Homecoming Scotland 2014 Director, added:- “Homecoming Scotland 2014 will place the spotlight on our greatest assets, and what better way to celebrate this special year than to take in the view, standing at the top of one of Scotland’s best-loved icons.  This will be an unforgettable experience for those lucky enough to get the chance.”

The tickets will go on sale on Wednesday 30 October at 1pm, through the Forth Bridges Festival website.  Customers may purchase up to 12 tickets per transaction.  Trips will take place on selected Saturdays and Sundays between 19 July and 23 August 2014, with morning or afternoon choices available.

The tower top trips have been scheduled during the summer months in order to minimise the possibility of poor weather.  However, in the unlikely event that trips have to be cancelled due to high winds, ticket-holders will be offered a full refund.

The Forth Bridges Festival will take place from 4 – 13 September 2014 with a full programme of events to suit everyone.

Full details and the programme can be found on www.forthbridgesfestival.com

Theatre Uncut: Edinburgh artists unite for night of cutting edge political theatre

What happens to political views in times of economic austerity? On Friday 15th October six Edinburgh theatre groups perform a series of short plays exploring that idea and other contemporary issues including Scottish independence. The performance is part of the growing ‘Theatre Uncut’ organization, which began as a response to continuing cuts in Arts spending.

The performances will take place at Summerhall in the Main Hall at 7.30pm, Friday 15th November. Tickets cost £5 and any profit will go to Amnesty International.

The line-up for this year’s event boasts performances from groups as diverse as community activists Active Enquiry, inclusive theatre company edgeeradica, Scottish New Writing group Urban Fox Theatre and student-run Bedlam. Everyone involved has put their services forward for free, including the playwrights which include Kieran Hurley, Davey Anderson and Tim Price among others.

Theatre Uncut was created to get people thinking, talking and taking action on the events that are happening in the world around them. The idea is simple. Playwrights from a selection of countries are asked to write brand new short plays in response to their current political situation. These scripts are then made available for anyone to perform anywhere for a limited period. Theatre Uncut is run by artistic directors Emma Callander and Hannah Price.

So far Theatre Uncut plays have been performed by more than 3,000 people in 17 countries across four continents. Performances have taken place in theatres in New York, community centres in Scotland, on public buses in Mexico, and village church halls in Wales.

Inspired by a performance of David Greig’s contribution to Theatre Uncut 2012, Edinburgh residents Carol Hayes and Damhán McLaughlin decided to put on a performance themselves. With zero budget for their first show, the pair found that people were so inspired by Theatre Uncut that they gathered enough interest for a whole evening of theatre.

‘It was amazing,’ says McLaughlin, an English teacher at James Gillespie’s High School. ‘Initially we thought we might be able to stage something in our front room to a few friends, but so many people came forward that we realised we had to do something bigger. I think people feel that these ideas need to be heard.’

Hayes, founder of Edinburgh cultural events website CulturePie, added ‘It’s not something we could have done without social media. Twitter and Facebook allow everybody to have a voice, to get involved, and I think that’s what Theatre Uncut is all about.’

Box Office https://www.summerhall.co.uk/2013/edinburgh-unites-theatre-uncut/

• Director of Funding Operations
• Director of Finance

In a cleverly named campaign the IT and business people of Edinburgh have contributed to the fundraising of over £1m for the young homeless by sleeping out overnight.

Over 1,000 IT and business professionals across the UK took part and over 150 sleepers took part in Scotland Those bedding down in Holyrood Park contributed over £90,000 so far to the growing £1m total.

The Edinburgh event was one of seven sponsored sleep-outs held to raise awareness of the plight of the 100,000 homeless young people in the UK. The money raised will fund services that provide emergency accommodation and emotional and practical support for homeless young people.

Rhona Hutchon, director at Harvey Nash and co-chair on the Edinburgh Byte Night board, said:- “It is enormously inspiring to see so many people sleep out on a cold October night to help make in support of the homeless young people in the area.

“We are really proud to have raised a landmark £1m and plans are already underway to make next year’s event even bigger and better – I would urge businesses from across Scotland to sign up and join us next October. Not only is it a great team-building and networking opportunity, but you are also helping us in the fight against the sad truths of youth homelessness.”

The Edinburgh sleep-out raised funds for several local Action for Children services – including New Horizons, a service in East Lothian which provides supported accommodation for homeless young people who find themselves homeless. Young people are able to access emotional support as well as assistance with lifeskills such as cooking, budgeting and finding work; with the aim of helping them to prepare for running their own home.

Byte Night is the technology and wider business community’s annual sleep-out in support of Action for Children. Each year, colleagues from hundreds of companies spend a night exposed to the elements in a bid to raise sponsorship and awareness of the charity’s work to combat youth homelessness and associated issues.

If you missed the chance to sleep out, there is still time to support Action for Children’s work. To donate, just text the word ‘BYTE13£5’ to 70070 or visit www.actionforchildren.org.uk.

The charity is already recruiting sleepers for next year’s event on Friday 3rdOctober 2014. To register or find out more, please visit www.bytenight.org.uk or email [email protected]

Edinburgh’s Wozniak will launch their debut single with what promises to be a powerful performance at Sneaky Pete’s on 1 November.

The four piece formed in 2012 on a mission to cause terminal tinnitus with their brooding (largely) instrumental cocktail of feedback, reverb and delay, distorted bass tones and pounding drum beats. Already their live sets are gaining a reputation for being ‘brutal, in a good way’.

This is definitely deliberate as James, John, Sarah and Simon explain:- “Loud – think jet engines, hurricanes, dinosaurs, blackholes. It’s all pummelling drums, driving bass, swamps of delay and reverb and ear-busting feedback too.”

Citing influences from shoegaze, post rock, hard rock and no wave, 70s public information films, 80s Japanese cartoons and the odd tartan shirt, they have already been dubbed part of an Edinburgh shoegaze revival by respected blog Song, By Toad. 

Their first release comes just weeks after the band headlined a stage at Edinburgh’s popular Haddowfest. The double A-sided single was recorded at The Depot in Edinburgh under the expert guidance of Craig Ross of Broken Records and the band say it gives a sample of Wozniak at their most moody.

MFMB is a real goosebumper of a track, taking its cues from the band’s heavier influences. A musical Cold War spy thriller, the spacey guitars and uncompromising rhythm section build towards a deadly conclusion.

New Hampshire insists that you ‘live free or die’ with tribal drums, whacked out phaser, reverb so deep it could come from the bottom of the Atlantic and icy chills thanks to an atmospheric (and rare) vocal.

The single has been played on California’s Decay FM and Amazing Radio. It is available on CD at the gig, or for download at www.wozniak.bandcamp.com

For the launch gig, Wozniak will be joined by Edinburgh post-rockers We Came From the North who are fresh from their tour with Stutter and up and coming Dundonian band, Vladimir. 

WOZNIAK SINGLE LAUNCH – 1 NOVEMBER, 7 – 10PM, SNEAKY PETE’S, EDINBURGH. ENTRY £5, INCLUDING SINGLE.

Photo courtesy of Manic Pop Thrills

Edinburgh-based Aquamarine Power’s Oyster 800 wave energy machine is back in operation following the completion of a comprehensive improvement programme which took place over the summer.

The machine has now been de-ballasted and is clearly visible operating at the company’s site at Billia Croo, part of the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney.

The Oyster 800 improvement programme involved shutting down the near shore wave energy machine to carry out improvements in five specific areas – with the overall goals of improving performance, reliability and availability of Aquamarine Power’s second full-scale device.

“The product improvement programme has been extremely challenging but has resulted in an even better Oyster 800,” says Aquamarine Power Chief Executive Officer Martin McAdam.

“We have just completed a huge programme of work over the summer period. I think someone referred to the programme as major heart surgery. I think that that is an exaggeration but we swapped out a large number of failed or non-functioning components

“The machine’s survivability is already well proven. It has operated through two winters, enduring massive storms. The downside is that several of the systems and components on Oyster were just not fit for purpose. Our Product Improvement Programme (PIP) allowed us to focus on those areas which were just not up to the job, such as cabling, connectors, accumulators and several of the components of the control and instrumentation system. We also had some failures in the valve and pipework systems.

“We exported our first power since the refit last week and we are now running through phased testing and building up our electricity exports.  We can already see a marked improvement in Oyster 800 performance. Of course we have had some additional start-up issues, we would be naïve to assume that all will work perfectly since the PIP.

“The most important part of the Oyster 800 programme has been the learning. Failures can be frustrating but they are not all bad, they are opportunities to learn and we have done a lot of learning

“The team at Aquamarine Power have given the programme an extraordinary level of commitment. I am very proud and grateful to them all. I am also very pleased with the financial support from our key investors ABB, SSE and Scottish Enterprise. The support from many of our key suppliers is also appreciated – especially those in the local community in Orkney including Leask Marine and Hamnavoe Engineering.

“We have not completed anything yet – we have just started. We have a full-scale research platform in Oyster 800 and before we build our next generation machine we need to learn a lot more,” McAdam concluded.

M&S has launched its Best of British range of clothing for men and women, marking the start of a three year partnership between M&S and the British Fashion Council. The new collection will be available online and in just six selected stores across the country – one of which is Edinburgh Princes Street. And it’s there now!

To explain the thinking behind the womenswear range the Head of Womenswear Design answered these questions:-

Q: What is the Best of British Collection?

A: It’s a 34 piece collection celebrating the best in British design and manufacture. It’s made up of an edited selection of premium wardrobe classics and investment pieces inspired by our heritage but modern in both design and cut.

The clothing is complemented by a select edit of key accessories including brogues and Chelsea boots handcrafted by traditional British shoemakers, and oversized wool wraps made in soft, warm lambswool and finished in heritage checks.

Q: What were the inspirations behind the designs?

A: British heritage is very evident throughout the womenswear collection from the cloths used down to the pieces themselves. There’s also a distinct androgynous feel, with several pieces very much influenced by masculine styling. We were also inspired by quintessentially British pieces like the Peacoat, the Trenchcoat and the Chelsea boot and have created new takes on these wardrobe classics.

Q: How does this range differ in style and composition to M&S’ other ranges?

A: This collection is at the more premium end of our offering which has enabled us to use luxury fabrics and trims on our garments. The collection also has a very defined colour palette of neutral tones, monochrome with pops of hot pink which sets it apart from our other M&S collections.

Q: Tell me a bit about the manufacturers you used?

A: As we have so much home grown talent in Britain, we feel strongly about continuing to support and champion these manufacturers to ensure they will still be creating great clothing in the years to come. We have worked 6 British companies for the womenswear collection including Manchester based Cooper & Stollbrand, known for their quality of their hand crafted outerwear and painstaking attention to detail and NPS Shoes Ltd who have manufactured the brogues and Chelsea boots in the Best of British collection.

Q: Which are your favourite pieces and why?

A: Particular favourites of mine include the iconic tweed suit as I love the contrast between the rich, heritage fabric and the super slim, modern cut and the pink check cocoon coat which is the perfect statement winter coat.

Q: What’s the price range of the collection?

A: Prices range from £45 for a wool wrap and £349 for the pea coat and sizes range from 8 – 18.

Q: When is the collection available to buy?

A: It will be available in selected stores and online at marksandspencer.com from October 2013.

Now time for the guys!

Q&A with Head of Menswear Design, Tony O’Connor, Head of Design Menswear

Q: In your words, describe the collection?
A: The Best of British menswear collection is an edit of iconic pieces, with an emphasis on traditional British craftsmanship and quality. I would describe the menswear as confident and masculine, constructed in contemporary shapes.

Q: What was the inspiration for it?
A: The idea for the collection was born from the M&S archive, based in Leeds. With hundreds of pieces kept there from throughout the decades, it was the perfect starting point for a collection synonymous with British design.

Q: What are the key pieces in it?
A: The double breasted suits, classic coats and Scottish cashmere in bright colour pops are key stand out pieces in this season’s collection

Q: Which suppliers are you working with?
A: For menswear we are working with 15 British suppliers from across the UK. We looked for specialists that have a long standing heritage in British manufacturing, and found unique companies such as Cheshire Bespoke, who have a renowned reputation in premium British tailoring, and Hawick knitwear based in the Scottish borders, who are known for luxury wools and cashmere, all finished to the highest level. In addition, we have long standing relationships with Yorkshire based manufacturers Alfred Brown and Abraham Moon, who we have also worked with on the collection.

Q: Is the collection an exclusive collection?
A: The Best of British collection is an exclusive, capsule collection constructed from premium fabrics and with a high level of detail to finishes, a standard synonymous with British design. We have chosen to work with manufacturers who are specialists in their areas, taking pride in attention to detail and hand-finishing many of the garments. Increasingly, we have found that the customer has a keen interest in the provenance of garments, and this collection is the perfect opportunity to celebrate the Best in British design and manufacture.

New measures to raise tram line awareness at Haymarket Junction

The Council is to take steps to address some of the concerns raised by cyclists about a junction in the Haymarket area. The area was returned to public use on 12 October and since then cyclists have reported a number of falls.

A video report showed some cyclists coming to grief with the tramlines….

A cycle lane has been designed and is in place next to Haymarket station and adjacent to the taxi rank. The facility has been designed to redirect bikes away from the track so they can cross at an appropriate angle when rejoining the road.

However, it has been reported that the number of taxis using the marked rank area has exceeded the three spaces allocated.  Taxi drivers have complained that this space is not large enough for them to use for queuing and this has led to queued taxis extending back into the designated cycle lane which blocks access for bikes. This means cyclists are being forced to take the wrong line of approach over tram tracks which can increase the risk of slipping and falling.

It has been observed that this dedicated cycle area is not being used by the majority of cyclists passing westbound through the junction. The Council has taken steps to raise awareness of the cycle lane and will continue to monitor the situation.

Transport Convener Lesley Hinds said:-“We’ve been monitoring the area closely since it came back into public use and listening to the concerns of cyclists and taxi drivers. It’s clear that we need to make some changes in the short term that will improve the situation for cyclists who pass through the area.

“The most important message for cyclists is to cross the tracks as close to a right angle as possible and to take extra care avoid getting wheels caught in between the rail grooves. Our new measures will help cyclists to get into the right position by using the designated lane to cross tracks. It’s encouraging that cyclists have come to us with their ideas and we’ll be looking further at the suggestion to improve road markings in a way that guides them safely over tracks as they pass through the area.

“We also want to make more provision for taxis so they can operate effectively in the Haymarket area. It’s important that everyone gets ready for the trams and now that the city centre is clear of tram works we’re keen to take on the views of road users about how they feel the new arrangements on the road are working and we’ll make changes where appropriate.”

The following measures have been recommended to address the concerns:

• Council to actively enforce the use of the taxi rank area to reduce the incidence of overspill of taxis.

• Council to prepare a report to the Regulatory Committee for the management of taxis in the vicinity of Haymarket Station. This could include options to extend taxi facilities in close proximity to the station and sign these appropriately.

• Additional temporary signage to be installed advising taxis of the limits for ranking

• Reinforcing the existing signage advising cyclists to approach tram tracks with caution and additional signage directing cyclists towards the cycle route.

• A road safety audit process is underway and nearing completion and further measures may result.

• Council tram team to continue to promote the cyclist/tram track interaction messages.

Signs have already been put in place this week and enforcement action is being used to keep the cycle lane clear. A report into taxi rank facilities are being prepared and road surface options will be reviewed over the coming days.

A guide to safely crossing tram tracks is available on the Council’s website. This also includes information for drivers and pedestrians.

The tram project remains in line with the revised budget (£776m) approved by the Council in September 2011, with work either ahead of schedule or in line with the revised timescale reported in December 2011. A passenger service is scheduled for operation in May 2014.