Another of our reporters was out on George IV Bridge and caught some of the action from Pedal on Parliament there on video…

[vimeo 66516657 w=500 h=281]

pedal on parliament movie from sam khan-mcintyre on Vimeo.

With many sports finished for the summer, all eyes are on Hampden where a board meeting of the SPL will decide Hearts’ immediate future. The National Stadium will also be the scene of the Scottish Cup Final next Sunday between Hibs and Celtic, and the Edinburgh Reporter wishes both clubs well.

We also send out congratulations to Leigh Griffiths for adding the Scottish Football Writers Player of the Year award; the first Hibs player to do so since the great Pat Stanton. This award completes a unique treble of SPL Player of the Year and PFA Young Player of the Year. Well done to his team-mate Alex Harris who was voted the William Hill Scottish Cup Player of the round for his semi-final performance against Falkirk at Hampden.

Elsewhere congratulations to Craigroyston for winning the  East of Scotland League Division One, Hutchison Vale and Tynecastle youngsters for trophy wins and also to the Edinburgh Monarchs for another double over Plymouth Devils.

Rugby by John Preece

Not so much in the way of action this week – well, none really – as two Scottish International players announced their retirement from the game, but for very different reasons.

Scotland’s Joe Ansbro has been forced to retire from the game on the grounds of injury. The eleven times capped player fractured his C1 vertebra in a pe-season match and in spite of a long and intense period of rehabilitation, has had to accept the advice of Scotland’s Head of Medical Services, James Robson and hang up his boots.

His full-team debut was in 2010 in the historic victory over South Africa after having made an impression playing for the ‘A’ side. In his, relatively short, International career he scored three tries for his country, the last one against being Samoa in the 2012 Southern Hemisphere Summer Tour.

Dumfriesshire born Ansbro will now take some time out to settle into the routine of ‘normal’ life and then decide on his future.

The Scotland Women’s captain also announced her retirement, but on the grounds of ‘my body’s had enough’. Susie Brown, who has played for the National team for nine years and won 62 caps in the process, has finally decided to call time on her rugby career.

She started playing whilst still at school and has played at club level for Boroughmuir High School, Glasgow University, Hillhead-Jordanhill and, latterly, Richmond. Her International debut was against the USA at Murrayfield in 2004 and her final game was the eleven try defeat of Sweden last month, a game, in which, Brown scored the fourth and bonus-point try. One of her highlight games was beating France at a – very – misty Lasswade in 2010 (a match which, coincidentally, was the ‘International’ debut of The Reporter’s rugby photographer and reporter, John Preece).

Brown has stated she would like to return to the game in some capacity in the future, but for now will dedicate some well-deserved time to her family and career.

Football

The main talking point amongst fans this week, is the fate of Hearts after parent company UBIG were listed on a Lithuanian government website of insolvent firms after reportedly declaring itself unable to meet its liabilities.

A team of Lithuanian lawyers have met SPL lawyers to try and unravel the issues and a decision is expected following a board meeting at Hampden Park on Monday morning. Potential sanctions could include an 18 points deduction which would see the club relegated with immediate effect, or alternatively this could be delayed until next season and Hearts would start the campaign with minus 15 points.

On the other hand, the board could rule that Hearts have done nothing wrong and they can continue as normal.

Whatever the decision, it will have massive implications for Scottish football.

On the field, Hearts ended their league campaign with a 1-1 draw at Pittodrie. Ryan Stevenson gave Hearts the lead heading in a Smith corner, but a Jamie Hamill own goal with 13 minutes remaining ensured the points were shared.

Across the city, Hibs beat Dundee 1-0 thanks to a powerful David Wotherspoon header from a Lewis Stevenson cross, to claim seventh place. The result means that Hibs go into next weekend’s Scottish Cup Final on the back of three straight wins, after beating Hearts in the Edinburgh derby, then beating Kilmarnock 3-1 at Rugby Park on Wednesday night thanks to goals from Scott Robertson and Eoin Doyle (2).

The final SPL table sees Hibs on 51 points in seventh with Hearts on 44 points in tenth.

After the game, the Hibs players completed a ‘lap of honour’ to say thank you to the fans for their support throughout the season.

On Sunday, Leigh Griffiths was named the Football writers Player of the Year and Alex Harris won the William Hill Scottish Cup Player of the Round for his performance against Falkirk in the semi-final.

East of Scotland Football

Whitehill Welfare clinched the Central Taxis Premier Division title with a 1-0 victory against Gretna 2008 on Wednesday night as the club’s nearest challengers, Spartans, were beaten 2-0 away from home by Stirling University.

Craigroyston won the Central Taxis First Division and promotion after beating Leith Athletic 4-2 in front of a large crowd at Spartans’ Ainslie Park.

Craigroyston took the lead midway through the first half from a Wilson volley before Leith equalised through Lewis Tracey. John Dunn restored Craigroyston’s lead and Anderson made it 3-1 but Hume pulled one back before Errol Douglas sealed the win in stoppage time.

Saturday ended with Tynecastle being relegated after a 2-1 home defeat by Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale. Elsewhere Edinburgh City beat Civil Service Strollers 2-0 in Muirhouse, and Preston Athletic beat Heriot Watt 6-0, and Spartans lost 2-0 at home to Edinburgh University.

In the First Division, newly crowned champions Craigroyston beat Berwick Rangers Reserves 3-1 whilst Leith Athletic hammered Eyemouth 5-0.

At least there was some good news for Spartans as their under-19s beat Edinburgh City 2-1 after extra time at Tynecastle on Friday night. City took the lead before Matthew Underhill equalised with ten minutes left. In extra time a Calum Donnelly free kick was deflected into his own net by a City defender to secure the trophy.

Women’s Football

Glasgow City retained top spot in the league with an impressive 4-0 won over Hibs at Albyn Park Broxburn, thanks to goals from Sue Lappin, Leanne Ross, Sarah Crilly and Leanne Chrichton.

Elsewhere Spartans came from 2-0 down to win 3-2 away to Aberdeen.

Schoolboy Football

Congratulations go to Hutchison Vale 15s who came from behind to beat Dundee United 3-2 and win the Scottish Youth Challenge Cup at the Excelsior Stadium in Airdrie.

Dundee United took the lead in the 41^st minute after a spectacular goal by Gibb, but Hutchie equalised right away through Gabriele Auriemma.

Three minutes into the second half Vale took the lead through Feachen-Hamilton, then Fraser Paton added a third midway through the second half.

Gibb pulled one back for the Tayside team but Hutchie held on to win the trophy.

Hutchison Vale: Byron Gibb, Cameron Milne, Fraser Paton, Sam Birch, Cameron Begbie, Shaun O’Donnell, Cal Sheridan, Ryan Fox, Ethan Feachen-Hamilton, Regan Hendry, Gabrie Auriemma, Cameron Fraser, Innes Goodall, Cameron McAlpine, Lewis Swaney, Arran Singh.

Congratulations also to Tynecastle 16s who won their fourth consecutive Scottish Cup by beating Clydebank United 4-0, at Airdrie United’s Excelsior Stadium.

Tynecastle took the lead when Greg Kerr played a pass into Kyle Mitchell who chipped the ball over Collinson from 16 yards.

Jason Kerr added a second with 15 minutes remaining before Matthew Quinn sealed the victory with a back post header from a Craig Russell cross, then substitute Euan Graham completed the rout.

Tynecastle FC: Billy Taylor, David Wright, Calum Cowan, Matthew Quinn, Euan Graham, Craig Russell, Jaimie Purves, Jason Kerr, Greg Kerr, Kyle Mitchell, Mark Shiells, Ciaron Small, Ryan Currie, Liam Thomson, David Henderson, Joseph Walker.

Speedway

Scotwaste Monarchs beat Plymouth Devils 56-36 despite a scare in the early stages when they took the lead in heat 4 and were still level after six races.

In heat 7 however, Mitchell Davey, in his first match for the Monarchs, who leapt from the tapes with Claus Vissing backing up for the 5-1.

Craig Cook and Theo Pijper both finished unbeaten from 5 rides, and Jozef Tabaka was also in top form despite suffering from a puncture in heat 4.

The following night, the Monarchs travelled south to Plymouth and returned with a well-deserved 51-42 victory at a ground, where they had not previously managed to take a single point.

The Monarchs had ten race winners and only five lasts, and a special l mention goes to Max Fricke, who bounced right back in spite of a fall in the first running of heat 3, took a paid win there and added a match-winning three points with his first race win in heat 14.

Theo Pijper and Claus Vissing were both in top form and Mitchell Davey took a good third in heat 2.

Cricket

Scotland took on Pakistan at the Grange in a one day international on Thursday. The visitors won the toss and choose to bat, and after making 231-7, cantered to victory by bowling Scotland out for just 135.

The slow pitch at The Grange seemed to catch out Pakistan early on, with Nasir Jamshed (20) first to go while Mohammad Hafeez (18) followed. Imran Farhat was then bowled by Haq’s fellow spinner Matt Machan on 49, just missing a half-centuary.

Haq then bowled out Asad Shafiq (seven) before claiming Umar Amin (three) while Akmal made just 12 before being trapped lbw by Neil Carter.

A 51-run seventh-wicket partnership by skipper Misbah-ul-Haq and Ajmal steadied the visitors nerves and Misbah eventually finished 78 not out.

The match had been Kyle Coetzer’s first as Scotland skipper,  and he led by example with a top score of 32.

The second one day international on Sunday was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.

Police have been involved in a stand off in the south of Edinburgh for around five hours today  where a male is reported to be holding women hostage in a flat.

Police attended the scene on Southhouse Broadway just after 5:00pm, and the incident is ongoing.

http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=124984

One local who asked not be named said:- “He’s an older guy who has just had a breakdown. He has lived here for years and is harmless. He has a big dog and lives with his three daughters.”

A Police Scotland spokesperson said:- “Police in Edinburgh responded to an address to in Southhouse Square to a male whose behaviour in a flat caused concern.

Officers continue to engage with the male to resolve this matter peacefully. There is no risk to any members of the public.”

On Friday 17 May around 7.20pm, my Jack Russell cross, Rory, was subjected to a brutal attack outside Tesco on Duke Street in Leith.

He was tied up outside at the back entrance for 10 minutes while I was in the shop.

When I came out Rory was lying on the ground together with a blonde haired woman, shaking and covered in blood. A man who had been driving along Duke Street in a white van had witnessed the attack and stopped his van to help my dog.

The man told me that a drunk had come out of the Duke’s Head pub, crossed the road and approached Rory – the drunk started to kick Rory in the chest and stomach, punching him in the head and spitting on the dog.

My understanding is that the drunk was chased away by the man in the van. He then continued across the road into another pub called the Marksman. The kind man and woman comforted my injured dog until I came out. I took Rory home, called the Police and the SSPCA before taking him to the PDSA animal hospital on Hutchison Crossway. Rory was fully examined and thankfully had no serious injuries but was in a lot of pain. The vet attributed the pain to internal bruising and has prescribed him a strong painkiller to take for 5 days.

Police Scotland are carrying out a full investigation into this brutal, unprovoked attack of a defenceless animal but to no avail. I really do hope that the kind man and woman who helped Rory come forward and give a witness statement which will help catch the individual who did this. I would hate another animal to suffer unnecessarily in this way.

I have attached a picture of Rory making a recovery at home.

Submitted by Rebecca Gibb

And finally for now…here is our time lapse of the cyclists passing by St Giles on the High Street this afternoon. They were all taking part in Pedal on Parliament and roads had been specially closed for the event.

The two police officers on motorbikes were at the front of each wave as it passed down the High Street….

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESNx6vYH670]

We hope you like our video of the start of Pedal on Parliament 2 today…..do let us know!

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcH8wyG2YQk]

Police are appealing for witnesses following an attempted robbery within the Capital.

Around 4pm on Friday 17 May 2013 in the Newhaven Road area, a 58-year-old woman was walking west along the Water of Leith walkway when a male attempted to steal her handbag, before running off empty-handed along the walkway towards Coburg Street.

The male is described as white, around 20 years old, average height and wearing a royal blue coloured zip up top.

Detective Constable Rachel Robertson said: “This incident occurred when the footpath had been busy with cyclists and walkers.

“Anyone who was in the area and remembers seeing anything suspicious is asked to contact police immediately.”

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

Here you are in all your glory if you were at Pedal on Parliament 2.

If you would like to buy your photo we will happily send it to your email address. You are invited to make a donation to The Edinburgh Reporter in return… Please email us theedinburghreporter@gmail.com

Police in Edinburgh are appealing for information to help trace a man who went missing in the capital last month.

39 year old Kristian Wilson was last seen in Hutchison Road on Tuesday 23 April 2013, and officers have been conducting local enquiries over the past few weeks to trace him.

Kristian is described as white, around 5ft 8ins tall with a slim build, short and neat light brown hair and blue eyes. There is no description of his clothing at this time.

A Police Scotland spokesman said: “Kristian knows the city extremely well and has access to money that could allow him to travel further afield. Since he was reported missing, officers have been following a number of lines of enquiry.

“However, given the time that has now passed without Kristian being seen, we are seeking the assistance of the public to trace him. Anyone who has information relating to Kristian’s whereabouts is asked to contact police immediately.

“Similarly, we would ask Kristian to get in touch and let us know he’s safe and well.”

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

We will be out and about along the route of Pedal on Parliament today and all our activity will be displayed here.

Pedal on Parliament 2

We are also using Tout to bring you live video….

Today the second Pedal on Parliament takes place starting from The Meadows at 3:00pm. The following roads will be closed….

Road closures for Pedal on Parliament by Phyllis Stephen

Pedal on Parliament – Stockbridge Market – Edinburgh Festival of Cycling – Mark Beaumont at the Queen’s Hall – Today at The Filmhouse

Pedal on Parliament takes place later today. We hope the weather is more favourable than yesterday! We will have a team of reporters out on the streets later, and our reports will be filed here in News and under our TERLive! section. 

The event attracted over 3000 cyclists last year and more are certainly expected this year.

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Stockbridge Market is on today and you will find out which traders will be there and how to get there here on their website.

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How did the idea come about for the Edinburgh Festival of Cycling? Well it was the brainwave of cycling enthusiast and safety ambassador, Kim Harding.

Tom Allan of InnerTube interviewed Kim about the idea for the festival which will take place from 14 -23 June 2013.

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

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Mark Beaumont is a Scottish broadcaster, adventurer and author whose series The Man who Cycled the World, The Man who Cycled the Americas and Rowing the Arctic have brought him worldwide acclaim. In 2010 he was presented with the Glenfiddich Spirit of Scotland Top Scot award.

Talking about these and other expeditions, Mark will share how he has made a career from adventure and documentaries. This event on 19 June 2013 is part of the inaugural Edinburgh Festival of Cycling and is supported by Alpine Bikes.

Websites www.edfoc.org.uk
www.markbeaumontonline.com
Twitter @edfoc
@MrMarkBeaumont

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The Filmhouse in association with Children’s Hospice Association Scotland (CHAS) are screening UP this afternoon at 3:30pm and here is why:-

“CHAS has launched The 100% Project, which aims to start conversations about death, dying and bereavement in a life-affirming way. We all love a good tearjerker for its cathartic and life-affirming qualities, and earlier this year The 100% Project held a vote to select ‘Scotland’s Favourite Tearjerker’. A shortlist of weepies was revealed on Facebook and Twitter, voting took place and the winning film is Up!”

This is one of The Reporter’s favourite films, and yes it will make you cry!

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

The Scottish Premier League board will meet at 9am on Monday to determine whether Hearts will face sanctions. This follows the news that majority shareholder Ūkio banko investicinė grupė (UBIG) had been listed on a Lithuanian government website of insolvent firms after reportedly declaring itself unable to meet its liabilities.

The SPL have spent the weekend consulting with lawyers to decide whether UBIG’s action breaches Rule A6.12 which states: “…all references to a Club taking, suffering or being subject to an Insolvency Event and/or an Insolvency Process as well as including the owner and operator of a Club taking, suffering or being subject to an Insolvency Event and/or an Insolvency Process shall, if the Board so determines having regard to (i) the need to protect the integrity and continuity of the League; (ii) the reputation of the League; and (iii) the relationship between such owner and operator and the Group Undertaking concerned, also include any Group Undertaking of such an owner and operator taking, suffering or being subject to an Insolvency Event and/or an Insolvency Process.”

Lawyers must first decide if UBIG’s 79 per cent share equates to the company being designated the ‘owner and operator’ of Hearts, and then whether UBIG have indeed suffered an insolvency event, and if so, whether it occurred before the deadline for sanctions relating to the current season to be imposed.

The board can take a number of courses of action, but should they decide that this rule has been breached then Hearts would be deducted a third of their total points from last year, rounded up, which totals 18 and would mean instant relegation to the Scottish Football League Division One.

Alternatively, should the board decide that UBIG’s liquidation can be deemed ‘not confirmed’ until after the deadline, then Hearts could begin next season in the SPL, but with a points total that is minus a third of this season’s tally, which currently stands at 43. This leaves the players in the farcical situation of knowing that a victory against Aberdeen at Pittodrie on Saturday could mean that they would start next season with minus 16 points rather than minus 15.

Hearts will argue that some form of court action is required to trigger an insolvency event in Scotland and the so far there do not appear to have been any court proceedings in Lithuania.

Another factor to be considered is the actual relationship between UBIG and Hearts , and the club will argue that they have been self-sufficient since early last year so have not benefited from the funding of an insolvent company this season.

Meanwhile, fans groups hope to make a formal bid to take over Hearts within the next few weeks and insists that events in Lithuania will not hamper their plans.

Candidates for By-election – Balerno Village Trust AGM – Pedal on Parliament – Pirates of Penzance  – Edinburgh Festival of Cycling

The candidates standing in the Liberton/Gilmerton by-election on Thursday 20 June 2013 have been confirmed.

They are:

Derek Howie – Scottish National Party (SNP)
Phil Hunt – Pirate Party Scotland
John Christopher Knox – Scottish Liberal Democrats
Alys Mumford – Scottish Green Party
Stephanie Murray – Scottish Conservative and Unionist
Keith John Robson – Labour and Co-operative Party Candidate
John Scott – Independent
Jonathan Stanley – UKIPScotland

Voters in this ward have until Wednesday 5 June 2013 to register to vote or apply for a postal vote for the by-election. To register to vote or apply for a postal vote people should contact the Electoral Registration Office or phone 0131 344 2500.

Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm. The location of some polling places has changed so voters should check their polling cards carefully to find out where to vote.

Polling Places:

• Gilmerton Community Centre
• Goodtrees Neighbourhood Centre
• Liberton Kirk Halls
• Liberton Northfield Church
• South Neighbourhood Office and Library
• St Gregory’s Church Hall
• TA Centre
• Valley Park Community Centre

The by-election will use the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system where voters can rank candidates in order of preference using numbers rather than a single cross. Voters can give a rank to as many or as few candidates as they like. The result of the by-election will be announced once the votes are counted on Friday 21 June.

The vacancy in the Liberton/Gilmerton ward was created by the death of Councillor Tom Buchanan on Wednesday 3 April.

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The Annual General Meeting of the Balerno Village Trust  will be held on Tuesday 28 May 2013, 7.30pm at St Joseph’s Hall, Balerno Parish Church, Balerno.

This year the AGM will be followed by an Open Evening at which those attending will be able to find out more about the various projects currently being worked on by the Trust.

Harlaw Hydro will also be present to explain the current Share Offer. Refreshments will be served.The AGM and Open Evening should be finished by 9.15pm. The Edinburgh Reporter went to meet the lovely people at Harlaw Hydro a week or two back to find out about their share offer – which has now raised nearly £200,000!

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

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This weekend is all about PEDAL ON PARLIAMENT which takes place in Edinburgh tomorrow.

If you don’t already know about it, then get your bike dusted down and get out to the Meadows tomorrow afternoon to join the ride to Holyrood at 3pm. This is not just any old cycle ride… it is to highlight the need for improved cycling infrastructure and thus more spending from the Scottish Government Transport and local councils’ budgets. Our own council in Edinburgh has promised this next year to spend 6% of the transport budget on cycling.

Pedal on Parliament last year attracted over 3,000 cyclists on the streets in what was an orderly and well-managed ride. This year who knows how many people will turn up on bikes of all shapes and sizes?

Watch our video with one of the organisers, Kim Harding, here.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xInfMzE46tE]

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Pirates of Penzance begins at the Festival Theatre on 28 May and this production is being staged by none other than the lofty Scottish Opera.

Gilbert and Sullivan as it’s meant to be – pure, uncomplicated fun, performed to the highest standards. This new co-production with D’Oyly Carte Opera Company – returning to the stage for the first time in over 10 years – brings the humour bang up to date with a Python-esque twinkle. A vibrant, stylish and hilarious romp through one of G&S’s finest scores, this show has everything you could want from a great night out.

A young man bound by an overactive sense of duty, a soft-hearted pirate king with a hopeless band of rogues at his side, a beautiful young girl, a very modern major-general and an ineffectual bevy of policemen… Add a plot hinging on the technicalities of having a birthday on the 29th of February and we’re just about there. What could possibly go wrong?

Gilbert’s high speed patter is razor sharp and Sullivan’s score sees him at the top of his game, with the catchy tunes for which he is so well known. Conducted by G&S expert John Owen Edwards and directed by Martin Lloyd-Evans, the fantastic ensemble cast includes a horde of young, fresh talent as well as G&S stars Steven Page as The Pirate King and Richard Suart as the Major-General.

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Since the refurbishment of the National Museum of Scotland, the curators have looked for innovative ways to open the doors to customers of all ages. Tonight it was the over-18s who got the run of the galleries for Dino Night, in the series of RBS Lates.

This is a taster of what is still to come this summer with Jurassic June set to educate us all about prehistoric animals.

There was a big queue to enter the building first of all, but as soon as we did get in there was plenty of room to move around, although other lengthy lines at the very elegant face painting and mask-making did put us off.

Instead we were happy to wander round having peace to look at some of the exhibits, get our photos taken in the spaceman suit without fear of some sniggering teenager creeping up on us, and taking in the sights and sounds. We were also able to be suitably silly in the silent disco, trying to guess what everyone else was listening to.

Tyrone Rex made his appearance along with what appeared to be his tamer…

The Miniature Dinosaurs were making big with the music on the stage, and the disco was otherwise giving it laldy. The light show which accompanied it made the whole place quite magical.

Disappointed with the food offering on the main floor (£5 for 2 chicken nuggets and 16 cold chips is a rip-off in anyone’s opinion and certainly in mine), we opted for the Brasserie on the ground floor to the right of the entrance. The staff there were lovely and the food divine. Suitably aged steak and burgers were on offer, and were delicious. The mini sundae was made to order with a choice of sauce and topping, and was a steal at £2.

All in all our night at the museum rocked! But as you can see from our photo some people were better prepared than others……

Tributes are being paid tonight to Brian Robertson who sadly passed away earlier today. Brian was a long standing community activist in North Edinburgh, and was at the forefront of numerous campaigns in North Edinburgh.

As well as being a community activist, Brian could often be found in the North Edinburgh Arts Centre cafe, helping out whereever he could.

Friends and family have been leaving messages on his Facebook page to pay tribute to him since the news of his untimely death was broken around 6.00pm.

Fellow activist Ann Hutchison’s tribute said:-“Eternal rest my favourite Ice Cream man. You will be missed by us all. xxx” Other tributes simply said RIP Brian. 

Local councillor Cammy Day said:- “I am really sad to learn of the passing of Brian earlier today. Brian has been a local activist for many years, campaigning to improve his community in North Edinburgh and was always supportive to new people getting involved. Brian will be sadly missed by us all, and my thoughts go to his family. He always spoke highly of them.”

SCHOOL’s EnergyPROJECT is a winner at the Glasgow City Chambers

Currie Community High School won the Go4SET national final which was held at the Glasgow City Chambers on May 15 and hosted by Glasgow City Council.

The teams of six second year pupils worked with their teacher and mentors from industry on the challenging 10-week project where they were tasked to research and consider  how the school could reduce their energy usage and save money.  Glasgow City schools worked on the project – how your school can reduce waste, the impact on the environment and save or make money.  All teams provide recommendations, submit a written report and build an appropriate model.

The schools competing for the Go4SET National Award had already won their regional finals in Scotland The schools were Calderglen High School, Craigie High School, Currie Community High School, Girvan Academy, Glasgow Gaelic Secondary School, Hazlehead Academy, Larbert High School and Lossiemouth High School.

All of the teams competing received a cheque for £100 and Currie Cummunity High School team were presented with the Go4SET Scotland trophy and a cheque for £500 by Martin Grey, Communications Manager at Viridor who sponsored the event and the awards.

Martin Grey, Scottish Communications Manager commented “how we create a sustainable Scotland is rightly the subject of intense debate.  As Scotland’s leading recycling, renewable energy and sustainable waste partner working with 96% of local authorities that is a debate we are keen to encourage.  We are delighted to support the Go4SET programme across Scotland, challenging young people to think about their environment and future.  “The standard of entries was again very high and with talented young people like those who took part today, Scotland’s future is sure to be bright.”

Currie Community High School were supported by Heineken and their mentor Angus Reid commented. “The team showed tremendous organisation and creativity in successful completion of the project. Heineken is proud to support the Go4SET programme”.

Gordon Macdonald MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, whose constituency includes Currie Community high School said:

“This is a wonderful achievement for the six S2 pupils who took part from Currie Community High School especially as they had to compete with 92 other schools from across Scotland to win the competition. Practical problem solving competitions like this are a fantastic way to encourage youngsters to take up studying for the STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects.”

Duncan McSporran, Director EDT Scotland commented “Go4SET is an exciting and innovative project which raises awareness in schools about engineering, science and industry, allowing pupils to make informed career choices. The National Final demonstrated the excellent projects from all over Scotland and this made it difficult for the judges to come to a decision on the winning teams.  The Go4SET programme which is part of the EDT continuum provides a live STEM project which we hope will empower young people to make informed decisions about future career opportunities in science, engineering and technology”.

The Scottish Prison Service have confirmed that a male prisoner from Saughton Prison was injured and admitted to hospital in the early hours of this morning. It is understood the prisoner, a 32 year-old male, suffered an injury to his neck which may have been caused by a razor blade.

The Reporter understands that this may be the same person who was arrested earlier this week after an incident in a Royal Mile chemist shop when several people were held hostage.

A Scottish Ambulance Service spokesperson said:- “We received a call to Saughton Prison at 4.17am, and  a male was taken from the prison to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary for treatment.”

A Police Scotland spokesperson said:- “We have not been called by the Prison Service to investigate any incident.”

Andrew Dinnes of leading Edinburgh print company, Murrayfield Projects Ltd, who operate Minuteman Press at Broomhouse Road, explains why top quality print can help businesses stand out from the crowd.

There have never been more ways to communicate with your customers than there are today.

Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin are just some of the more recent examples – and they can be extremely effective. However, the traditional methods still have their place and continue to stand the test of time.

Quite simply: many customers still want to see a printed brochure or leaflet about your business.

And the quality of the printed material you provide can influence any decisions they take. So, it is worthwhile to ensure it is well designed and printed to the highest standards. This helps you stand out from the competition, too.

The same goes for stationery. Professionally designed and printed business cards and letterheads present your company as one to be remembered – for all the right reasons.

Branded promotional products also provide a valuable opportunity for reminding your customers about your business. Pens, mouse mats, USBs, notepads and umbrellas are just a few to consider, that can reinforce brand awareness and won’t break the budget.

If it is time for you to review how you promote your business, why not seek specialist advice? It could make all the difference.

For a free print consultation and quote, contact Andrew on 0131 444 0800. Murrayfield Projects ltd (Minuteman Press) are based at Unit 6, New Lairdship Yards, Broomhouse Road and www.murrayfieldprojects.com

John McEnroe is coming to Edinburgh this summer, and yes, he will be playing tennis. This will be the first time in almost a quarter of a century that the former Wimbledon star has played in the Capital, and he was the first of several former champions to confirm his appearance at the Brodies Champions of Tennis at Raeburn Place betwen 20-23 June 2013.

So who is behind it all? The Tournament Director is Viki Mendelssohn, who established Big Blue PR in 1999. She is the person responsible for making it all happen in the first place, and for everything that goes on over the weekend. The Edinburgh Reporter went to meet Viki at Raeburn Place where all the tennis action takes place this summer.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6LHq6W0lzY]

More information about how to get tickets for Brodies Champions of Tennis here on the website.

Private Detective Jackson Brodie will return to our small screens on Sunday night in a new series of acclaimed BBC One drama Case Histories which is set in the Edinburgh.

Jason Isaacs reprises his role of Brodie, a complex and compulsive private investigator who attempts to unravel disparate case histories in modern-day Edinburgh.

Victoria Wood joins the Case Histories cast for the first of three 90-minute stories, adapted from Kate Atkinson’s novel ‘Started Early, Took My Dog’. The comedian is delighted to be part of the cast saying: “I am a huge fan of Kate Atkinson and couldn’t resist the chance to be involved in Case Histories.”

Jason Isaacs added:- “I can’t wait to put on the crumpled, witty, self-destructive, noble and naughty skin of Jackson Brodie again and dive into the unique flavour of Kate Atkinson’s worlds. Nobody connects the past with the present and the absurd with the heart-wrenching like she does and we all feel excited and lucky to bring another bunch of stories of damage and delight to the screen.”

Case Histories is the latest edition to BBC Scotland’s thriving drama department which is home to Waterloo Road (BBC One), Shetland (BBC One), Field Of Blood (BBC One Scotland) and River City (BBC One Scotland). This Sunday’s episode featured Brodie who is back in the capital after a child-snatching job in Munich, and struggles with guilt about whether he returned the child to the right parent or if he was duped.

A new case comes calling when Hope McMaster, a woman searching for her birth parents, approaches Jackson for help. His search takes him into the dark heart of 1979 police corruption and murder – and a secret that has remained buried for nearly 35 years. The investigation crosses paths with Tracy Waterhouse, a retired police officer turned store detective. When Tracy witnesses a little girl being physically abused by her mother, she takes a surprising course of action which stirs the past for her and former police partner Barry, and presents a moral dilemma for Jackson. He must decide whether he is brave enough to risk another mistake by doing what he feels is right, or walk away.

Motivated by his desire to help those in need and a need to atone for his recent mistake, Jackson’s investigation sees the past and the present collide dramatically with the old retired cops, Len Lomax and Ray Strickland, refusing to go down without the fight of their lives.

Meanwhile, Jackson continues to avoid speaking to a newly engaged Louise after admitting his true feelings for her. And when his daughter, Marlee, makes a shock announcement, non-committal Jackson is taken aback.

Case Histories is on BBC1 at 8.30pm on Sunday 19 May 2013.

A solicitor who attempted to smuggle contraband into HMP Edinburgh has been jailed.

David Blair Wilson was sentenced to four years in prison at the High Court in Edinburgh today, following a joint intelligence operation by police and the Scottish Prison Service.

Officers acted on information from colleagues within the prison that Wilson intended to distribute drugs, mobile phones and other accessories to inmates and detained him during a visit to the facility on Thursday 6th October 2011. During a search of the 55-year-old’s car, various drugs and electronic equipment were found inside and he was subsequently charged with a number of offences before being found guilty in court last month.

Police Scotland and the Scottish Prison Service welcomed today’s sentence and warned of similar fates for others involved in smuggling contraband into Scotland’s jails.

Chief Inspector Richard Thomas said:- “Blair Wilson tried to exploit his client visits to smuggle drugs and other items of contraband into HMP Edinburgh. However, thanks to the excellent partnership working between police and the Scottish Prison Service, his efforts were thwarted and all of the items intended for distribution within the prison were seized.

“Officers in the Capital regularly engage with their colleagues at the prison to ensure the safety of staff and prisoners and deter criminal activity arising in or around the facility. Our joint-agency Prison Watch scheme allows the organisations to share information and gather intelligence on criminals, both inside and out-with the prison.

“Anyone who attempts to smuggle contraband, or who is involved in any other offences detected by police or prison staff will be robustly dealt with.”

A Scottish Prison Service spokeswoman said: “The presence of drugs and other contraband in our prisons is something we take very seriously. It is therefore gratifying that joint partnership working of this kind has achieved such positive results.

“We are confident that our ongoing work with Police Scotland will yield further similar successes in the future.”

Edinburgh’s The Machine Room return with their first single since last year’s well-received Love From A Distance EP.

Since then the five-piece have played a string of notable gigs around the country, sharpening their teeth as both songwriters and a live act.

And ‘Sweden’ is the fruit of these labours. With synths so sweet they could be being played by angels, the song kicks off with a dream-like zest. Lead singer John Bryden’s vocals sound as good here as they ever have on record, fading in with a ghost-like delicacy that is as elusive as it is engaging.

But this is no introverted ballad. Adie Emanuel’s driving drums propel ’Sweden’ throughout, adding metronomic menace to raise the song to even higher ethereal excesses. Layer upon shimmering layer build towards the song’s towering chorus, which Bryden finally unleashes from atop of Ryan Marinello’s transcendent rifts.

Dripping in elemental ecstasy, ‘Sweden’ is as fine a slice of indie-electro to come out of Edinburgh for many a year. Producing music that sounds like TOY on Prozac, the Machine Room are more hypnotic than the Pied Piper. With single’s of this quality it won’t be long before the entire city is dancing to their tune.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8inNq7isUko]

‘Sweden’ is available form iTunes NOW – https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/sweden-single/id633129971

Housing Minister, Margaret Burgess and Miller Homes welcomed new tenants to the first completed phase of its development at Varcity North in Edinburgh yesterday morning.

In total, 89 new apartments, consisting of one, two and three bedrooms, will be available at mid-market rental rates at the development. In 2011, Miller Homes, the City of Edinburgh Council and Scottish Futures Trust (SFT) created a limited liability partnership (LLP) as part of the National Housing Trust’s initiative (NHT), aimed at fast-tracking the delivery of new homes for mid-market rental throughout Scotland.

The LLP is working with managing agent, Places for People, to manage the completed properties, identify potential tenants and manage the rentals over the contract term. Rent First@Varcity North will be available for rent to selected tenants, (employed on a minimum salary of £10k per annum, but struggling to find an affordable home to rent).  Under the NHT initiative’s rules, homes must be available to rent for a five year period, following which, tenants will have the choice to purchase their house at the market value or move on.  Should tenants select not to buy, Miller Homes will sell the property on the open market.

Housing Minister, Margaret Burgess said:-“It is fantastic to see house developers like Miller Homes embrace the opportunities offered by the Scottish Government’s pioneering National Housing Trust initiative. These new homes at Varcity North will go some way towards providing much needed affordable rented accommodation for Edinburgh residents.

“The initiative has been hugely successful, with deals secured with 13 developers to deliver over 1000 high quality homes for families throughout Scotland at very little cost to the taxpayer. A vibrant, expanding housing sector stimulates growth and protects and creates jobs in the construction sector and wider economy.”

David Knight, Managing Director, Miller Homes Scotland said:-“We are delighted to bring the mid-market rental homes to market slightly ahead of schedule.  Securing affordable housing in Edinburgh remains difficult and the challenging lending environment also means that buying is still out of reach for some households. The 89 apartments will go some way to helping those in employment secure an affordable rental tenancy. The apartments are developed to Miller Homes’ high standards of the quality of the build, fixtures and fittings and will form part of vibrant, modern development, which is quickly establishing its own sense of community.  Rent First@Varcity North provides much needed homes at affordable rents for key workers and has also created vital local employment opportunities within the house building industry.”

Rents per month are set at £457.20 for a one bedroom, £594.39 for a two bedroom en-suite apartment and a limited number of three bedroom apartments available.  Further details are available from Miller Homes.

Councillor Cammy Day, Housing Leader for the City of Edinburgh Council, said:-“The affordable homes available at Varcity North are a welcome addition to the market in Edinburgh.  We continue to tackle the shortage in affordable homes and look for opportunities like the LLP with Miller Homes and Scottish Futures Trust to bring these very welcome homes to fruition.

“With around one half of the national uptake of NHT being in Edinburgh that gives us a sizable amount of homes available for rent. Not only will it enhance the local community, it will also offer a significant boost for those who are in work, who can’t afford to rent at full market rent. It is a great model to increase availability of the number of homes for rent in the city and gives people a real opportunity to become tenants and secure a home of their own and save for the future.”

Christa Reekie, commercial director at Scottish Futures Trust said:-“I am delighted that the first phase of homes is now complete, providing hundreds of people in the capital with high-quality homes at affordable rents. We are pleases with the high standards of the Varcity North development which has already attracted a great deal of interest.”

Miller Homes purchased the Varcity North site as part of a larger transaction from Telford College, which comprised three campuses (Telford South, Telford West and Telford North). The development of Telford West campus for Home Scotland Housing Association (40 affordable dwellings) was completed in 2010 on time and on budget.

Telford South, now known as Varcity South, has now become one of the city’s, and Miller Homes’ flagship development and the last campus, now known as Varcity North, comprises 327 apartments within five new build blocks and a possible converted building.  The apartments under the NHT initiative are within the Dundas Campus and the Dean Campus.

FIRST EVER TEMPORARY COVERED TENNIS COURT CREATED FOR BRODIES CHAMPIONS OF TENNIS

In any event manager manual, the first rule is plan for the worst weather and hope for the best – we do live in Scotland after all. So when the Tournament Director’s first challenging question on suggesting bringing the ATP Champions Tour to Scotland for the first time was ‘How do we keep the players dry?’ the wheels were set in motion for a six month struggle to find an outdoor venue that could still be used for top class tennis….whatever the weather.

Damon Farrell from Airsculpt Ltd said:- ‘When we were asked to provide a temporary demountable and reusable roof structure to cover an entire open air tennis court in Edinburgh, one of the UK’s famously windy cities, we knew we had to come up with an innovative engineering concept,’

‘The task became more challenging when we were told the structure had to comply with ATP international tennis tournament minimum height guidelines. Additionally it had to be a clear open span construction, be easy to deploy, architecturally pleasing and at the same time compliant with a myriad of cross over construction codes and safety standards.’

Viki Mendelssohn, Tournament Director, researched the options over a six month period before concluding that Airsculpt was the only company who could deliver such a temporary structure. She said:- ‘When I first spoke with Damon at Airsculpt I had a clear vision of what we needed in Edinburgh, and I knew it was going to present some challenges. I’m absolutely delighted that we’ve been able to create our own unique court that will deliver that vision, and give weather protection to the players whilst on court. This is the first time a stadium of this nature has been built in Scotland so it is another first for the event. ’

The stadium will have its first showcase on Thursday 20th June. Brodies Champions of Tennis takes place 20-23 June 2013 at Edinburgh Accies, Portgower Place, Stockbridge.

For details on players, match schedule and tickets, visit www.championsoftennis.com

Pedal on Parliament – Tonight at the Museum – Celter Schmelter – Chinese Tea Tasting – Festival by the Sea

Cyclists who are planning to join in the Pedal on Parliament cycle ride on Sunday will no doubt be greasing and checking their bikes beforehand. The organisers have been excited to announce that Paul Wheelhouse MSP, the Minister for Environment and Climate Change will be joining the ride. This in addition to the families of Andrew Nicoll and Audrey Fyfe, two cyclists who died as a result of cycling collisions in Edinburgh, radio presenter Grant Stott, MSPs Jim Eadie, Sarah Boyack, Alison Johnstone and Kezia Dugdale.

The organisers are also encouraging you to come along and support the cause even if you don’t have a bike. There are posters on the website that you can print off and use.

Join our liveblog of the event, where we shall have several journalists and photographers out on the route to bring you a flavour of what goes on there.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjXHUAh_On4]

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You are probably too late to get tickets for tonight’s entertainment at The Museum – unless you get someone else to give you theirs as they sold like hot cakes.  This is Dino-Night and the programme will be led by Vic Galloway:-

Grand Gallery

Main stage – Vic Galloway introduces
19:00 – Fresh Air DJs
20:20 ­& 21.40 – Auntie Flo live
21:00 – Miniature Dinosaurs live
22.15 – Finale performance
22:25 – Millennium Clock chimes goodnight

So look out for the next event on the Museum website.

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On Sunday an intriguingly named group Celter Schmelter will be playing @42. Here is a taster:-

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sU5JZtLKvIc]

The House at 42 has had its difficulties with the council and so you have to be on the list to get in. If you would like to be there then email the organisers 42music42@musician.org
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On 23 May the nice people at Eteaket on Frederick Street are putting on a Chinese Tea Tasting evening.

Join us for a fabulous evening with eteaket founder Erica Moore, as she takes us on a tea tasting journey with a selection of teas from her recent adventure to China.

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From 5 -11 August the Fringe By the Sea takes place down at North Berwick. This is what the organisers say about their line-up on their website:-

“Once again we have the two Speigeltents coming across from Belgium, and the Harbour area will be transformed into the Festival Village. The pace will be fast, furious and non-stop – with a full programme of gigs in both right through the day.

Ever heard of the NEW ROPE STRING BAND? They won a Fringe First last year and will be kicking off our festival on the 5th. Later that night, THE BLUES BANDare back. Paul Jones now loves North Berwick so much that he couldn’t bear to be away for even a year. When they visited in 2011, many diehard music buffs reckoned it was the best gig they’d ever been to!

Through the week, you will have the chance to see DOUGIE MacLEAN, ELAINE C SMITH, BOMBSKARE and PHIL CUNNINGHAM & ALY BAIN. If you were in Edinburgh last year, you’ll know that THE BOY WITH TAPE ON HIS FACE was the hottest ticket around – we hope he’ll be down as part of a great comedy offering including LUCY PORTER and JENNY ECLAIR. And the USA is represented again this year with the incredible [and beautiful] LARKIN POE coming for the first time.”

The Hibernian Community Foundation have been running the ‘Fit Fans in Training’ (FFiT) programme designed for overweight men between the ages of 35 and 65. Over the course of the 12-week programme, they provide information and activities to help men lose weight, get fitter and be healthier, and on Saturday, ahead of the club’s last League game of the season against Dundee at Easter Road, several of these fans intend to complete at least three marathons running around the famous pitch to help raise money for future Fitness Activity programmes over the next two years.

Brian Ruxton will run a full marathon, which involves 104 laps of the field, whilst Glenn Milne and Riki Byers will do half marathons of 52 laps. Other Fit Fan graduates will run various distances with a minimum of eight laps required and organisers are confident that they will at least complete three but possibly even four marathons.

One of the fans, Glenn Milne weighed just under 24 stone back in 2002, and by 2009 he was at just over 19 stone, but struggling to lose any more. At the time the Foundation were doing the Fit Fans in Training programme as part of their Men’s Health initiative and he  joined the second group to participate, starting in February 2011 weighing 119.3kg (18 stone 11). After the initial 12 weeks, he was down to 105kgs, and his waist had reduced from 135cm to 104cm.

After the Fit or Change Programme his waist was down to 93cm and his weight was 91.2kgs, just over the healthy range.

A few more 12-week courses, with more advanced exercises resulted in Glenn getting down to a healthy weight of 78.9 kgs with an 87cm waist on his 52nd birthday in April 2012.

He can fit into 32″ waist jeans for the first time since he turned 15, and since then, I’ve been continuing with the keep fit, watching what I’m eating and drinking,

He’s off high blood pressure medication, his cholesterol levels are down to the low side of normal and he was able to run for 2 miles for the first time since 1979. He still play 5-a-side football, but can play out of goals now, and he’s even managed a couple of 11-a-side matches; captaining the Hibernian Fit Fans team.

Glenn told the Edinburgh Reporter:  “The Hibernian Community Foundation helped me to lose 7 stone and I’m running a half-marathon to raise funds so they can help people like me in the future. Before I started with the Fit Fans in Training, I couldn’t have run the length of pitch, never mind going round it 52 times! The Foundation has made a real difference to my life and I’m delighted to be able to give something back.”

The Foundation is involved in many activities, including Health, Fitness and Wellbeing.

The Fit for Change (FfC): programme was uniquely developed by the Foundation as a follow-on for graduates of the FFiT programme, and the 12-week programmes aim to help men maintain their success or continue to progress toward their personal fitness or weight-loss goals.

The Still Game programme is sponsored by the SPL Trust, and is a 10-week programme for those aged over 60 and offers weekly workshops on topics including healthy eating, personal safety, the social history of Hibernian FC, first aid, music performance and production, internet use and light physical activity.

In addition, the Foundations promotes many other initiatives including

Green Shoots: Coaching sessions focusing on fitness and technical progression and skill acquisition through weekly or school holiday training sessions.

Coach Education via an SFA tutor with all certificate courses at the Hibernian Training Centre.

Football coaching in schools wearing the Hibernian badge which aims to increase children’s physical activity and improve physical literacy.

Disability Football and Lothian Hibernian: Unique partnership with W / Lothian Special Olympics providing regular coaching for players with learning disabilities with the assistance of Hibernian FCs under-19 squad players.

Community Education and Learning in partnership with Edinburgh College, at the Hibernian Learning Centre and Computing Classes, specialising in literacy, numeracy, employability skills and IT including technology skills, core IT skills, European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL) and advanced ECDL.

The Kicks for Kids programme where generous individual and corporate sponsors purchase season tickets for use by local community and voluntary organisations who allocate them to their members and service-users.

Courses for 12 – 18 year olds on music related topics including drums, guitar, keyboard skills, singing and lyrical composition

Charity Ticket Allocations programme where local charities and organisations receive a block of tickets for their stakeholders, service users and staff to enjoy a match at Category B fixtures at Easter Road, and Charitable Donations of new ‘old stock’ kit to charities and voluntary organisations.

Anyone wishing to contribute to this fantastic cause can do so at http://www.justgiving.com/Glenn-Milne or just text HIBS99 £2 to 70070

A man who killed his neighbour has been convicted of murder at Edinburgh High Court

Harvey Frost today pled guilty to stabbing 25-year-old Craig Stewart during an attack within a flat in Magdalene Drive on Sunday 10th February.

Mr Stewart suffered a serious injury to his chest and was taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh where, despite the best efforts of hospital staff, he later passed away.

Detectives in Edinburgh launched a major investigation following this incident and Frost was quickly detained and subsequently charged.

The 47-year-old will be sentenced next month.

Detective Inspector Stuart Houston from the Police Scotland Major Investigation Team said: “Harvey Frost and Craig Stewart, who were unknown to each other previously, had been socialising together within a flat in Magdalene Drive when Frost launched a violent and unprovoked attack. Craig was a much loved brother, son and friend. His loss has had a significant impact on all who knew him and I hope the outcome today will go some way in allowing the family to take a step forward in what has been the most dreadful and tragic circumstances.”