In typical Branson style he had a message for British Airways with whom he has for so long fought a battle for domestic routes.

 Sporting a bespoke Virgin Atlantic Harris Tweed kilt, Branson flashed a cheeky message to the competition Virgin Atlantic Little Red offers 26 daily flights between London Heathrow, Edinburgh, Manchester and Aberdeen

He was accompanied on the flight by a host of VIPs to celebrate the launch of Virgin Atlantic’s Little Red domestic service in Edinburgh in authentic Scottish style. The Reporter spotted John Hannah, and spoke to a journalist brought all the way from Washington for the beginning of a domestic service which will feed into Virgin’s international offering.

On arrival in Edinburgh, Richard and the glamorous Little Red cabin crew disembarked from the aircraft to the sound of bagpipes provided by pipers, Bill Loughridge and George Smart.

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Branson and some members of the crew were wearing specially-commissioned Harris Tweed kilts, in Virgin Atlantic colours. Richard posed for photographers in front of the Little Red plane, and battled valiantly against the wind before lifting his kilt to reveal the message: “Stiff Competition” and a Little Red logo on his rear.

Mike Cantlay, Chairman of VisitScotland said:-“The launch of Virgin Atlantic Little Red is great news for Scotland. Getting visitors to our beautiful country has to be an easy, cost efficient, enjoyable process for the modern day traveller. These routes to Edinburgh and Aberdeen will make a real difference to Scottish tourism, especially as we prepare to welcome the world in 2014 with large scale events such as the Commonwealth Games, Ryder Cup and Homecoming.

“We applaud that Virgin Atlantic has ensured that international connectivity on to Little Red is an uncomplicated process whether arriving or departing from Heathrow, guaranteeing the imperative global link that connects Scotland to the world.”

For more information, visit the Virgin Atlantic website.

And guess who was on the inaugural flight? Well not one to miss a PR opportunity, Sir Richard Branson was on the flight and yes he was wearing a kilt supplied by Howie Nicolsby of 21st Century Kilts who had to go on to the plane to dress the airline owner.

The flight travelled  from London Heathrow to Edinburgh, and in true Branson style he was accompanied by some well-kent faces, including Scottish actor John Hannah.

Sir Richard was also met by Deputy First Minister for Scotland Nicola Sturgeon and local MSP Colin Keir. We have a video interview with Sir Richard and will publish this very soon.

In the meantime what was under his kilt? Boxer shorts bearing the words:-“Stiff Competition”.

This week, the Edinburgh Reporter congratulates the Edinburgh Scotwaste Monarchs for their stunning start to the speedway season, and also to Hearts for a sensational comeback against Ross County at Tynecastle. We report on the Edinburgh connection to the Grand National winner 66/1 outsider Auroras Encore, and send our best wishes to winning jockey Ryan Mania who was airlifted to hospital after a horror fall at Hexham on Sunday. We also send a good luck message to Hibs, ahead of next week’s Scottish Cup semi-final against Falkirk at Hampden.

Rugby by John Preece

With no RaboDirect matches this week – European Cup weekend and all that – Edinburgh Rugby entered a scratch team into the Gala Sevens at Netherdale. Showing a distinct lack of practice, they went down 24-17 to Heriots, before coming back with a 27-12 win over Peebles to earn a place in the Bowl Semi-final. Here they defeated Jed-Forest 27-12 and then went on to sweep Watsonians, who had beaten Currie in their Semi-final, aside 40-0 in the Final.

On a slightly ‘out there’ note, Edinburgh’s Southern hemisphere alter-ego city, Dunedin (Dùn Èideann), are the home of the Highlanders Rugby Union team. If it was thought that Edinburgh Rugby were having a tough time of it this season, then spare a thought for our Southern counterparts. A team, which is stuffed full of All-Blacks and other International players are currently lying fifteenth out of fifteen in the Super Fifteen (spot the theme here) Championship with six defeats from six! Struggling Edinburgh were two from six at the beginning of their season, but then it all went a bit downhill after that….

In the RBS Premier Division, the results from the matches noted last week have decided the final table places. Edinburgh Academy are in third and have a place in the British and Irish Cup. Heriots went from fourth to fifth, so lose their B+I Cup place. Currie drop to eighth, so stay up in the Division, but poor old Boroughmuir are relegated to the National League, where they will join Watsonians (third) and Stewarts-Melville (sixth).

Looking ahead, next week sees the 123rd edition of the Melrose Sevens. All six of Edinburgh’s senior teams are entered and the whole event – which is where the game was ‘invented’ and is the oldest tournament in the World – is a superb advertisement for Sevens Rugby. The Reporter will be there to bring news of how the teams get on, along with a few photographs from the relevant matches. However with Saracens, Worcester and Clermont Auvergne all having teams in the mix, it will be a fairly steep mountain for the local sides to climb to the final. (Photo – Stew-Mel scoring against Biggar in the 2011 Tournament).

And finally, Hillhead-Jordanhill lift the Sarah Beeny Cup at Murrayfield, beating RHC Cougars 22-20 after a last minute try scored by H-J’s Megan Gaffney.

Football

Three goals in an amazing five minutes at Tynecastle enabled Hearts to fight back from 2-1 down to beat Ross County 4-2.

Steffen Wohlfarth put the visitors in front, before Michael Ngoo nodded Hearts level just after the break only for Wohlfarth to regain the lead for the Staggies with a powerful header.  Jason Holt equalised with a stunning volley, then Evangelos Ikonomou’s own goal put Hearts ahead and Ngoo netted his second with a low strike to secure the three points, to the delight of the majority of the 10,456 crowd.

Across the country, Hibs hopes of a top six finish vanished as Pat Fenlon’s men went down 3-0 to champions elect Celtic at Parkhead. The Easter Road side needed a combination of results to go their way to secure a top six finish, but it was not to be. A Kris Commons’ double either side of half time then a Mikael Lustig strike late on gave the Hoops a comfortable win which all but seals the SPL title.

The results leave Hibs three points ahead of Hearts with a superior goal difference of four. The bottom six fixture list will be produced shortly and all eyes will be on the date and location of the fourth Edinburgh Derby which is likely to be at Tynecastle.

In midweek, the Hibs v Hearts mini derby ended 2-2 at Linlithgow’s Prestonfield Park. After a goal-less first half, Hearts took the lead through Dale Carrick before Jordan Forster equalised. Billy King restored Hearts’ lead before Robert Wilson levelled the scoring and the game finished all square, leaving Hibs three points clear of their city rivals in the Clydesdale Bank U20 League.

Off the field, Hibs have announced that 14,500 tickets have been sold for the Scottish Cup semi-final clash with Falkirk at Hampden Park next Saturday. Further tickets are available from the club shop.

Hibs striker Eoin Doyle has signed a pre-season contract with Chesterfield, teaming up with former Sligo Rovers manager Paul Cook.

Hearts’ owner Vladimir Romanov, who previously demanded £50 million for the Edinburgh club, has admitted he does not expect to make any profit from the sale, following the collapse of his banking empire and loss of his personal fortune.

Mr Romanov claims to have spent around £60m on Hearts since buying the club in October 2005, but now plans to sell control to supporters.

East of Scotland Football

In midweek, Heriot-Watt University blew the race for the Central Taxis Premier Division championship wide open after they won 2-0 against current champions Stirling University. Two goals from Ronnie 
Napier in the closing stages of the first half secured all three points to help in their fight against relegation.

In the First Division, Leith Athletic won 4-1 victory against Ormiston after trailing at half time, but Craigroyston’s promotion hopes were dashed when they were beaten 1-0 at home by Easthouses Lily in a game which saw both teams finish with nine men, with Danny Watson and Jamie Shields  red-carded for Easthouses while Jordan Low and Steve Moncur were both sent off for Craigroyston.

Elsewhere, Gretna 2008 continued with their run of good form beating Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale 2-1 at Saughton Enclosure

On Saturday, Tynecastle lost 4-0 to Preston Athletic in the third round of the Kings Cup, and Leith Athletic beat Craigroyston 5-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the first round of the Central Taxis League Cup.

In the Central Taxis Premier Division, Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale beat Civil Service Strollers 3-0 at Muirhouse, and Spartans extended their lead at the top of the league by beating Edinburgh City at Meadowbank.

Mark Whatley opened the scoring in the 38th minute before Keith McLeod almost doubled the lead a few moments later when his strike from 40 yards rattled the bar and went over.

With four minutes remaining, McLeod headed a cross towards the goal and sub Donal Henretty reacted quickest to poke the ball into the net, securing a valuable victory. Malt & Hops Man of the Match: Gary Cennerazzo

Last years’ champions Stirling University lost 1-0 to Vale of Leven.

The Under 13 squad from top Danish club Viborg FF are over in Edinburgh this weekend using the Ainsley Park Academy as their base. They arrived on Thursday for a training session and the following day comfortably beat Dundee in a friendly. The youngsters trained over the weekend, visited Celtic Park for the Hibs game on Saturday and enjoy Edinburgh before taking on Dundee United on Monday with an 11am ko.

Charity Matches

A Hearts Legends team including Jimmy Sandison, Henry Smith, Gary Mackay, Scott Crabbe, Alan McLaren, Brian McNaughton, Jim Hamilton, Ian Ferguson and Edgaras Jankauskas took part in a charity match against a team from Aegon Charity Committee on Sunday at Hearts’ Football Academy in Riccarton. Funds raised went to Ecas Edinburgh, FACE, Pancreatic Cancer UK and the Big Hearts Community Trust.

The legends won 5-4

A charity match in honour of Hutchison Vale coach Alan McConnell who lost his brave fight to cancer last month aged 51, will take place at Redhall Park on Saturday April 20 with all proceeds going to Marie Curie Cancer Care.

Alan played for several clubs and was an outstanding centre-forward who was a well-known figure in the amateur game. Latterly, he coached Hutchison Vale Under 13s, and in his last season before he passed away, his side won everything including the Scottish Cup.

After the game there will be a buffet at the Village Inn in Longstone. For more information on how to make a donation, please contact Davy Winton on 07775854121

Women’s Football

Two Hibs’ players, goalkeeper Shannon Lynn and defender Frankie Brown played for Scotland in their 2-1 win over Wales at East End Park Dunfermline on Sunday.

Scotland women team Lynn (GK), Beattie, Brown, Crichton, Jones, Lauder, Little (Cpt), Love, Mitchell, J Ross, Sneddon

Speedway

The Scotwaste Edinburgh Monarchs started the speedway season in style with a 59-31 win over Glasgow Tigers in the first leg of the Spring Trophy, with Craig Cook and Theo Pijper both scoring paid maximums.

Other good performances came from  Jozsef Tabaka scoring 9+1, Claus Vissing 8+2, Derek Sneddon 7+1 and Marcel Helfer 5+1 whilst newcomer, 16 year old  Max Fricke scored 2 + 1.

Cook (heat 1), Pijper (heat 5) and Bager (heat 14) all won races from the back.

Armadale’s new starting gate position, which allows fans to see the riders at the gate, went down well with the crowd.

The Monarchs next fixture is against Leicester Lions at Armadale on Friday 12 April in the Premier league Knockout Cup.

Grand National

66/1 outsider Auroras Encore, partly owned by 78-year-old Jim Beaumont, who was born in Liverpool and worked in the city’s Adelphi Hotel as a bellboy at the age of 14 and now lives in the Dean Village, was the shock winner of the Grand National at Aintree on Saturday. Galashiels born jockey Ryan Mania rode the horse to victory on his first appearance in the race. Trainer Sue Smith, wife of show jumper Harvey, was the third woman to train a National winner.

Mr Beaumont’s other horse Mr Moonshine pulled up near the finish after a credible performance.

Ice Hockey

Some good news for the Edinburgh Capitals as 24 year old Slovakian goalie Tomas Hiadlovsky, has agreed a deal with the club that will see him return to Murrayfield for the 2013-14 season.

University Basketball

England retained both titles in the British Universities 4 Nations Basketball Championships which took place over three days at The Pleasance Sports Centre.

Scotland Men got off to a great start on the first day of the British Universities 4 Nations Championships, beating Wales 91-43. Canadian forward Al Alilovic led the home scoring with 26 points whilst Fraser Glass (West of Scotland) added 17 and Ryan Webb (Edinburgh) scored 15.

The Scots then fought back from 39-45 down at half-time to beat Northern Ireland 83-73 with Edinburgh’s Michael Kirkpatrick scoring 24 points to set up a decider against England.

Scotland men led for much of the first half and went into the half-time break tied 38-38, but England pulled away in the third quarter in which they hit 34 points to Scotland’s 11 and, though Scotland tied the final quarter 15-15, England went on to win 87-64, led by captain Kalil Irving with 21 points.

Al Alilovic (Glasgow) was top home scorer with 15, Edinburgh centre Ryan Webb added 12, Fraser Glass (West) and Chris Alimi (Glasgow Caledonian) both 10 and skipper Michael Kirkpatrick (Edinburgh) nine.

In the women’s tournament, Wales caused a surprise by beating Scotland 70-53. The Scots recovered however and beat Northern Ireland 70-58 with Polonia’s Claire Paxton scoring an impressive 24 points. Four members of Edinburgh Kool Kats also featured in the scorers, Shauna O’Connor with 11, Louise Gray eight, Emma Findlay six and Hannah Peacock five.

In the final game, Scotland had to beat England by 16 points to take the title and led 37-35 at half-time then 52-49 after the third quarter, but England fought back to win 71-63 winners, led by the tournament’s Most Valuable Player Helen Naylor, who scored 36 points.

Final positions: Men: 1 England, 2 Scotland, 3 N Ireland, 4 Wales. Women: 1 England, 2 Wales, 3 Scotland, 4 N Ireland

Hockey

Inverleith beat Edinburgh rivals Grange 4-2 in the quarter final of the Scottish Cup.

Grange led 1-0 at Peffermill through Cammy Fraser but Paul Ritchie equalised before half-time before goals from Tom Cousins, Adam Mackenzie and Patrick Christie netted a fourth to end the game as a contest.  Stuart Laing pulled one back for Grange, but Inverleith held on to secure a place in the last four.

Golf

Former Duddingston assistant professional Tom Buchanan beat fellow Scots Steven Munro and Callum Nicoll to win the UAE Matchplay Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates, holing a 20 foot putt on the 18^th green in the final to secure the top prize.

Cycling

A strong field lined up for the elite event in Saturday’s Gifford Road Races, hosted by Edinburgh Road Club. The 65-mile contest, which started at 1pm in Gifford, also incorporated the East of Scotland Championship. The main event was preceded by a 40-mile support race. The prize winners in both events are listed below.

Winner was Andrew Hawdon of Herbalife-Leisure Lakes Bikes.com in a time of 02:30:48

Kevin Barclay of The Bicycleworks.com won the ESCA Senior Cycling Champion of 2013

Alex Coutts of Herbalife-Leisure Lakes Bikes.com won the Category 2 riders prize.

Alan Clark of the Team Leslie Bike Shop/Bikers Boutique won the Category 3 prize.

Jamie Kennedy of Paisley Velo Race Team won the V40+ Caetgory Riders.

Kyle Petrie of the Stirling Bike Club won the Juniors.

Andrew Hawdon of the Herbalife-Leisure Lakes Bikes.com won the KOM Primes.

Evan Oliphant of Team Raleigh won the Sprint Primes.

Edinburgh claimed first and second spots in the B Race (Cat 4 Men & E/1/2/34 Ladies)

Alex Kinsley of Edinburgh RC won the race in a time of 01:37:27. Second place went to Keir Greatorex also of Edinburgh RC.

Mona Petrie of Deeside Thistle CC won the Ladies Prize.

Alex Kinsley of Edinburgh RC also won the Juniors Prize, with Keir Creatorex second.

Jack Taylor of Dumfries CC won the KOM Primes.

Calum Gray  of Equipe Velo Ecosse/Montpeliers won the Sprint Primes.

Missing  jewellery – Consultation on community councils – Panda news – Virgin Atlantic Little Red – Sport

Some jewellery related to the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland has gone missing from a bag at Edinburgh airport. Police would like to hear from anyone with information. Read more here.

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You have a few more days if you wish to make comment on the council’s consultation on community councils and how they work. Read more here. 

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Well the thing is really there is no panda news. That is the news. The keepers are however keeping a close eye on what the pandas are up to and having Tian Tian’s urine analysed every day….in Chester Zoo. Deadline News have the story about the motorcycle courier who drives around 5000 miles a week to take the samples there.

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Sir Richard Branson is flying in on the inaugural flight from London Heathrow to Edinburgh today to publicise the new commuter service from his company Virgin Atlantic. The Edinburgh Reporter will be there and we shall bring you photos and video of the event later today.

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We hope you enjoy the breadth of sport covered in our Sports round-up. Please do let us know if there are any sports fixtures you would especially like covered?

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Police in Edinburgh are appealing for help in tracing some significant jewellery that has gone missing in a bag at Edinburgh Airport on Friday 5 April 2013.

Two unique items – a gold ring and a cross pendant – which are related to the office of the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland were in the brown saddle-style bag outside the terminal at the pre-booked taxi area, on a luggage trolley about 8.30am.

The bag is very distinctive, brown saddle-style with Peruvian-style embroidery.

The gold ring has an amethyst stone bearing a burning bush and St Andrews cross with the motto ‘Nec Tamen Consumebatur’.

The cross pendant is on a silver link neck chain.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Inquiries are ongoing but we are appealing for anyone who may have any information regarding this to get in touch.

“These items are of great historical significance to the Church of Scotland. Further to that, they’re so unique and distinctive we would ask jewellers to stay vigilant should anyone try to sell them on.

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

A spokesperson from the Church of Scotland said:- “We are praying that these articles will be returned in the very near future. These items are not the Moderator’s own jewellery. They are of significant historical importance and belong to the Church of Scotland. We would be grateful for any help the public can give to help trace their whereabouts.”

The Bomb Disposal Squad removed a ‘device’ from an area of land at Gypsy Brae in Granton early this morning and took it under police escort to a quarry in Kirknewton to be safely destroyed.

Police had kept watch there all night and had excavated an area of land, apparently intending  to deal with the ‘device’ on site, but eventually it was deemed safer to take it elsewhere for disposal.

Local man Danny Hardwick who supplied the photos to us said:-“We arrived just after 6:00am this morning and the Bomb Disposal squad were just leaving. The bomb squad hadn’t been there long though, only since about 5:30.  The Bomb squad told me that something had been found and they hadn’t done an explosion there but were taking it away. They were given a police escort.

“There is an area where they have been digging. It’s a very small bit, and is literally a few feet away from where police were sitting overnight.”

Edinburgh technology company, Sigma Seven, has successfully completed the first of two phases of a significant £350K contract with Kent-based utility company, South East Water. Some of the UK’s largest technology businesses tendered for the prestigious three-year contract.

South East Water, which supplies drinking water to 2.1 million customers across Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire, from 250 boreholes and wells, 96 water treatment works, 197 service reservoirs and through more than 14,500 kilometres of water mains, is half way through a five-year, £390 million programme to further enhance its operations. They appointed mapping technology specialists, Sigma Seven, to create, develop and implement a solution that is consistent with the South East Water vision for the use of geographic and business information.

Sigma Seven created a solution based on its product, GeoField, which uses state-of-the-art technology to bring data together from a number of sources, allowing field workers to access files, collect and manage data, organise tasks and record information directly onto digital maps, either on a tablet or a laptop. This enables Sigma Seven’s clients to reduce costs, risk and waste; increase efficiency and improve standards.

The main focus of the initial work for South East Water was on providing a platform to support mobile map viewing and on-site data capture. The solution will be rolled out to 129 South East Water field technicians, which will enable them to collect and annotate vital data on the map wherever they are. The scheme encompasses the location of water supplies, leaks and faults, new water connections, areas for repair and potential health and safety issues. Field technicians will also receive and transmit near-real-time data updates from field to office, which allows them to inform and be informed of crucial events as they arise.

The software has streamlined field technicians’ working practices. For instance, if a leak inspection is required, the system helps the field technician find the leak and affected pipe on the map, and the process ensures that an inspection is carried out based on the latest available information. The appropriate data is collected on site, photographs taken and remedial work recommended, all of which are sent wirelessly to the office.

Sigma Seven managing director, Paul Reid, said:- “We have now delivered the system for final testing, meeting all project deadlines. The final phase of the project, which will take place later this year will be to extend the use of the system to support improved outage management and design of customer connections in the field.”

Mr Reid added: “Demand is increasing for mobile mapping technology, from a wide range of organisations, indicating that integrated field work management solutions on digital mapping are becoming standard practice. Our product, GeoField, is leading the way and this contract further confirms our position as the mobile working solutions provider of choice for utilities and other businesses.”

David Bradley, Asset Information Manager at South East Water, added:- “Sigma Seven has developed a system that wholly complements our vision for improving the way we use geographic and business information.

“GeoField comprises a broad range of functions that have been tailored to suit our specific business requirements, including processes which integrate with our mobile work and asset management system.”

Bomb Disposal Squad in Granton  – Royal Society announce new fellows – Warhol – Art @ 37 – Chitty Chitty Bang Bang today!

The Bomb Disposal Squad were in Granton this morning removing a ‘device’ which had been found in a loft… More on this story soon….

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The Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) has announced its new intake of Fellows for 2013.

There are 47 new UK and International Fellows to add to its 1500-strong Fellowship. Fellows are elected following a rigorous examination of their achievements in their relevant fields.
The RSE’s mission is the advancement of learning and useful knowledge and since its establishment in 1783 it has made a major contribution to Scottish Society through its Fellows. It is unique in Britain and distinctive internationally in the breadth of its Fellowship, which ranges across the sciences, medicine, engineering, the socialsciences,arts,humanities,businessandpublicservice.

Amongst its wide range of activities it provides: independent advice to Government and Parliament; research and enterprise Fellowships; education programmes for young people; and conferences and events aimed at both public engagement and specialists.

Sir John Arbuthnott, RSE President and eminent microbiologist, commented “As the President of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, I am aware that I am a representative of men and women who are outstanding in their intellectual fields and are “standing on the shoulders of giants”. Given this, one of the most important and rewarding tasks of my role is, on behalf of the RSE Council, approving the internationally-recognised candidates who will be admitted as new Fellows to the Society.

“Every year the competition for places is intense and this year is no different, so I am delighted to welcome 47 new Fellows to the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

“The RSE prides itself on its international outlook, as well as its recognition of excellence in Scotland, so I am particularly pleased to welcome to the Fellowship our three new Honorary Fellows, Sir David Cox, Professor Robbert Dijkgraaf and Professor Jean Tirole.”

The new Fellows were announced at the RSE’s Ordinary Meeting on the evening of 19th March. The speaker at this meeting, Professor Michael Barrett, Professor of Biochemical Parasitology, University of Glasgow, was one of the new Fellows being announced. In his lecture on “The Scientific Life of Dr Livingstone”, he outlined key scientific and geographical discoveries made by Livingstone and, in particular, discussed the impact of tropical diseases on Livingstone’s travels in Africa.
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There is to be an exciting exhibition of Warhol art later this year at Holyrood.
The announcement of this unique exhibition follows an agreement signed today by the Presiding Officer the Rt Hon Tricia Marwick MSP and the Chair of the Carnegie UK Trust, Angus Hogg with Eric Shiner, Director of The Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh.

More here

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A new art gallery Art @ 37 has just opened in Leith and we have more news about it here.

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Chitty Chitty Bang Bang we love you, Oh you…..

Come on you know the words so get along to the Filmhouse this afternoon and have a great sing along with the film…

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

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Abstract landscapes from Philip Raskin feature in the spring exhibition at art@37, the newest addition to the gallery scene in Edinburgh. The artist opened the exhibition at the end of March by painting new work in front of invited guests.

Philip Raskin is an artist with a varied career. He started off working in the clothing industry and has been both a restaurateur and a jazz musician and currently lives and works in Glasgow. He succeeds in combining the weight and presence of acrylic paint with a subtlety more usually achieved in watercolour. The overall landscape effect captures, quite magically, the texture and ethereal quality of his native Scotland and he is rapidly achieving a loyal following.

art@37 in Bernard Street, Leith is a new venture for Lynne Crossan of Crossan Communications, a public relations and corporate publishing firm that has been operating in Edinburgh for almost 20 years.

Owner Lynne Crossan has collected original art for many years and has joined forces with Christo’s, a Glasgow gallery owned by her sister, Louise Burns. Louise sources art from artists working all over Scotland and the resulting exhibitions are eclectic and colourful.

“The diverse range of quality work has been attracting art lovers from all over Edinburgh and we are looking forward to welcoming more visitors now that the weather is set to improve. Some of the traditional galleries can be a bit off-putting to a new collector and we want to ensure that our gallery has a fresh attitude. The team at art@37 just love original art and want to share that passion. We are on a mission to make sure that there is something for everyone here, with prices that are affordable. ”

Artists showing in the spring exhibition also include Hazel Bowman, Alison Cowan, JP McLaughlin, John Martin Fulton and Ross Muir, with unique sculpture work from Maralyn Reed-Wood. A unique collection of quality gifts is also available.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RipNbCmRGs]

Edinburgh’s Brass Monkey bar will be hosting the first UK screening of Kenyan film Ni Sisi tonight at 6:30pm.

Ni Sisi (It Is Us) is the second film produced by S.A.F.E., a Kenyan NGO and UK charity that uses street theatre and community programmes to educate, inspire and deliver social change. Founded by Nick Reding, a British-born actor and filmmaker now living in Nairobi, S.A.F.E.’s work has had a considerable impact in issues such as HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention, the importance of clean water, and the futility of tribal and gender based violence.

In an effort to avoid a repeat of the violence that followed the last General Election in Kenya in 2007, Ni Sisi was first produced as a stage play two years ago. Since then, more than 96,000 people have experienced the show and its messages of peace and personal responsibility. The play was adapted to the screen to ensure that people all over Kenya could hear these messages before going to the polls last month. Ni Sisi was released to cinemas across the country in February and broadcast on television the day before the election, and it seems to have worked; despite a contested ballot being taken to the Supreme Court, the people of Kenya have responded to the call for peace.

S.A.F.E.’s first film Ndoto Za Elibidi (Dreams) has so far won ten awards at various international festivals–including Best African Film at the 2011 Festival of African Cinema–and now you have the chance to see the movie that will undoubtedly win several more, and will raise the profile of this important group even further.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmhIPOigon0]

As well as the Brass Monkey screening on Sunday, Ni Sisi will also be shown at the home of one of S.A.F.E.’s local supporters on Monday and Tuesday evening at 7:30pm, at 48 St. Alban’s Road in Edinburgh. All three events are free and open to the public, but space will be limited so please RSVP to Francesca Shaw francescashaw@xenarcha.com stating which event you wish to go along to.

For more information on S.A.F.E. and the work they do, and to make an online donation, visit SAFEKenya.org.

In a first for any Parliament, the Scottish Parliament is set to host an exhibition of more than forty Andy Warhol works of art exploring the themes of power and politics.

Including Andy Warhol’s Flash-November 22, 1963 screen prints about the assassination of John F. Kennedy and his portrait of Scots-American philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, the exhibition has been carefully selected for display at the Parliament and many of the works are being shown in Scotland for the first time.

The announcement of this unique exhibition follows an agreement signed today by the Presiding Officer the Rt Hon Tricia Marwick MSP and the Chair of the Carnegie UK Trust, Angus Hogg with Eric Shiner, Director of The Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh.

The meeting took place during the Presiding Officer’s Scotland Week programme and follows on last year’s Scotland Week announcement that the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy would return to Holyrood in 2013.

Speaking from Pittsburgh, the Presiding Officer, Rt Hon Tricia Marwick MSP said:-“It gives me great pleasure to sign this agreement which will bring over 40 of Warhol’s iconic pieces to the Scottish Parliament, particularly knowing that we will be the first Parliament ever to have the privilege to do so. It is a unique opportunity to view Warhol’s works as they explore the role of power and politics in modern life, within the home of debate in Scotland, our Parliament.

“As a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, Andy Warhol benefited personally from Andrew Carnegie’s legacy. It is therefore fitting that this exhibition will form part of a series of activities to mark Andrew Carnegie’s international legacy at Holyrood. As well as learning more about the work of Warhol, visitors can learn about the life of Andrew Carnegie and how his philanthropy has inspired generations on both sides of the Atlantic. I hope as many people as possible will visit Holyrood to enjoy the exhibition, both those from Scotland and from further afield.”

The exhibition will be held at Holyrood from Friday 4 October – Sunday 3 November, to coincide with the ‘Andrew Carnegie International Legacy: Shaping the Future’ activities taking place at the Scottish Parliament.

Chairman of Carnegie UK Trust, Angus Hogg said:-“Andrew Carnegie envisioned a world of peace, wellbeing and opportunity and Carnegie foundations around the globe have invested more than 100 years and billions of pounds and dollars in the physical, social, cultural and intellectual infrastructure of society. We have a long history of promoting access to arts and culture.

“The focus of our festival of events will be on the emerging challenges of the 21st Century and the role of philanthropy in modern society. The Carnegie institutions of today address the real issues facing the communities where they operate and our international festival will celebrate philanthropic efforts across the globe.”

Eric Shiner, Director at the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, said:-“The items we are sharing with the Carnegie UK Trust have been hand-picked to represent the full gamut of Warhol’s life and work. Some are very recognisable while others will give the British public an opportunity to learn more about Warhol’s approach to art and life. We are delighted to be sharing some of our permanent collection – it may be the only opportunity some people in the UK will have to see an original Warhol.”

by Bill Scott

The news that The City of Edinburgh Council is to build a new city park on the site of the old Buttercup Poultry Farm – to be called the Buttercup Farm Park – has gladdened the hearts of many of us who remember the Buttercup in the ‘old days’. It is also a fitting tribute to the remarkable man who founded the Buttercup Dairy Company over a hundred years ago and gave away a fortune in his ultimate ambition to die a poor man. His name was Andrew Ewing and, until recently, his achievements and extraordinary generosity have been largely forgotten, except by those of us who knew him, and those old enough to remember the days when grocery shopping meant popping down to the Buttercup, which once had 250 beautifully designed shops all over Scotland.

I was born and brought up at Clermiston Mains, which was Andrew Ewing’s home and the site of the old Buttercup Poultry Farm. My mother and grandparents worked for him, and my aunts were his housekeepers for many years. By the time I was born, Andrew Ewing was eighty years old but I still remember him well, from the tales I was told by my relatives and also from my frequent encounters with the old man, who bore an uncanny resemblance to ‘Mr Chips’, and used to regularly give me half a crown.

The story of Andrew Ewing is partly one of rags to riches – but there is more to it than that, since his business success was combined with a generosity of spirit that led him to give away a fortune in pursuit of his ultimate ambition to die a poor man.

Born in Stoneykirk, near Stranraer, in 1869, Andrew Ewing was the son of a farmer and in the normal course of events would likely have become a farmer himself. However, fate had other ideas for young Andrew and following his father’s early death the family moved to Dundee where he was apprenticed to a local grocer, so beginning a lifelong career in the grocery trade. In 1894, he opened his first grocer’s shop and ten years later founded the Buttercup Dairy Company in Kirkcaldy. The first Buttercup shops in Edinburgh were opened in 1908 and in 1915 the company established its permanent head office and depot in Easter Road, Leith.

With his business established, Andrew then began developing a distinctive style and image for his shops, which were all decorated in the same style – predominantly green and white tiles with ornamental inserts. The centrepiece was a mural located on the wall of the entrance lobby; it showed a little girl in a sunbonnet holding a buttercup under the chin of a cow, with the implied question: “Do you like butter?” The Buttercup shops were also renowned for their eye-catching displays, using the company’s products and changed every week ready for Monday morning opening. The whole image was rounded off by a high standard of cleanliness, exemplified by female staff, resplendent in their spotless white overalls.

In the early years, the Buttercup shops sold only seven products: eggs, butter, margarine, cream, tea, cooking fat and condensed milk, although this later expanded to many more goods. Butter and margarine were sold by weight, with butter pats used to shape it into its final form, after which it was stamped with the girl-and-cow logo and wrapped in Buttercup paper.

The beauty and service of these old shops also made a lasting impression on most of those who remember them, including Muriel Spark – author of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie – who recalls in her autobiography that: “The sparkle and morning freshness of the shop … formed a mind-picture which accompanied the whole of my youth.” (You can read this below)

For the first eighteen years of its existence, the Buttercup imported most of its eggs from Denmark and Poland. However, Andrew believed that he could produce a better and fresher product by setting up his own large-scale poultry farm. His plans came to fruition, in 1922, when he purchased eighty-six acres of farmland at the top of Corstorphine Hill, on the western outskirts of Edinburgh. Initially the new poultry farm was a fairly modest enterprise with only 10,000 laying hens but by 1928 Andrew had transformed it into one of the largest poultry farms in the world, with accommodation for 200,000 laying hens. The farm itself was laid out like a small town, with six and a half miles of tarmacadam roadways, illuminated at night by street lights. So impressive was this new enterprise that it became known locally as “Hen City”.

At its peak, the Buttercup Poultry Farm produced over 100,000 eggs a day which were graded, stamped and checked for quality before being packed in felt-lined boxes – each containing twenty-dozen eggs – for dispatch to the Buttercup shops. However, eggs laid on a Sunday had a different destination for, by order of ‘the boss’, they were all donated to hospitals and charities. When totalled up, this amounted to a staggering five million eggs given away every year!

At the heart of the Buttercup Poultry Farm was the mansion of Clermiston Mains, home to Andrew Ewing, and also known as “the Big House”.  It was an imposing whitewashed building that lay at the eastern end of the farm, approached by a tree-lined avenue. The remainder of the small estate comprised a number of cottages, all occupied by my relatives who were given various jobs by Andrew Ewing. In the cases of my grandfather – John Davidson – and Uncle Tom, they had become ill from working down the pit and Andrew wanted to give them a new healthy life at Clermiston Mains.

This extract from a letter from Ruth Ewing – Andrew’s wife – to my grandmother brings out the exceptional kindness in this offer. “This move on Mr Ewing’s part to take your husband from the coal pits has made me particularly happy … John has had his share and done his bit in the war so deserves a little bit of sunshine and air into his lungs.”

As my family was to find out, such generosity was far from unusual for Andrew Ewing and during the Depression years of the 1930s, many a person found a small packet slipped into their pocket, containing half a pound of butter or some rashers of bacon.

On the lighter side, tradesmen were also on the receiving end of Andrew’s generosity and former apprentice, Ian Thompson, recalls that on Saturday mornings ‘Mr Ewing’ would make his rounds, giving each tradesman £1 and the apprentices, ten shillings. “Needless to say, we were all peeping around corners awaiting his arrival!”

The beginning of the end for the Buttercup started in the early 1930s as competition intensified and the company was ‘milked’ by Andrew’s continued generosity. Then, in 1936, a major fire at the poultry farm destroyed the hatchery and caused the farm to close two years later. By that time Andrew Ewing was nearly seventy and didn’t have the heart to restore it. By 1949 the business was in such poor shape that many of the shops had to be sold off. But it survived for much longer and the last Buttercup shop closed in Edinburgh in 1965.

Andrew Ewing died in 1956 and was largely forgotten. There was no public obituary, but this extract from the church magazine says much about the man I remember.

It was quite characteristic that a member of the happy “colony” at Clermiston Mains was heard to say after Mr Ewing had ordered some kindness to be done from his sick-room: “Mr Ewing just loves to give things away. It is almost the last pleasure that is left to him now.”

Photos courtesy of Bill Scott, author of The Buttercup: The Remarkable Story of Andrew Ewing and the Buttercup Dairy Company

(Excerpt Muriel Spark Cirriculum Vitae by New Directions

Police seek witnesses to unexplained New Town death – An App for the Galleries – Gorgie Dalry Community Council – Morningside Gallery – Panda babies?

Cumberland Street was closed off until late afternoon yesterday by police following the discovery of a man in his 30s who later died in hospital. Police are keen to hear from anyone who was around the area in the early hours of yesterday morning. More in our article here.

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An App for you to try out today. Find out more about it on the National Galleries of Scotland website.

“ArtHunter is the free mobile phone app for art lovers, featuring works in the National Galleries of Scotland.

Use ArtHunter to capture featured artworks on your visit to the Scottish National Gallery, Scottish National Portrait Gallery and Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art.

Unlock bonus content, video, audio, and high resolution images to come back to whenever you like.

Play your way. Complete themed collections, hunt for all the ArtHunter artworks in a gallery, earn trophies, and share your progress with your friends as you go.

With new works and collections added every month, make sure to keep coming back for more.”

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A reminder that Gorgie Dalry Community Council have a meeting on Monday evening 8 April 2013 beginning at 7pm.

“Remember we have changed where we hold our meetings and you’ll now find us in Gorgie Dalry Parish Church, 190 -192 Gorgie Road, EH11 2NX. It’s very easy to find – next to Tynecastle and opposite White Park. Enter through the main door on Gorgie Rd and walk through to the meeting room at the rear of the Church.”

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Morningside Gallery have a new exhibition which opens next Saturday 13 April 2013which will include paintings by Lynn Rodgie. They told The Edinburgh Reporter:-“On Saturday 13th April, between 12 and 3pm, Lynn Rodgie will be in the gallery to open her collection of new paintings and to meet and greet her many fans. It looks to be a fun event so do pop along! We’re also introducing three fantastic new artists this month – painters Gary Morrow and Claudia Massie and the award winning ceramicist Tom Hopkins Gibson. ”

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It would be nice to think that the pandas will be able to breed this year. Read more about the science behind it all here.

The private contractor responsible for providing school meals to a number of the City’s primary schools where mince containing 1%-5% horsemeat may have been served to children has apologised to the City of Edinburgh Council and parents for ‘an unfortunate and unacceptable lack of communication’.

Last week, the Council obtained the results of its own tests on a batch of frozen mince taken in late February from the shared kitchen of Pirniehall and St David’s Primary Schools. A letter was then sent to parents at the affected schools as swiftly as was practicable, advising them of the test results and reassuring them that there was no risk to their children’s health.

Amey Built Environment (Amey) has since responded to a request by The City of Edinburgh Council to explain why they failed to notify the Council of the presence of horsemeat in beef mince which they had used in school meals in six school kitchens on 8 March, when they themselves were first alerted to the fact by their supplier, 3663.

The company has also provided a list of meals containing beef mince which were on the menu at each school in the five-week period between w/c 3 February 2013 and w/c 4 March 2013 and which may have contained mince from the affected batch which was later recalled by 3663.

During this period, one week was a holiday.  This information, together with a statement of explanation and apology from Amey, has been included in a letter which was sent to parents in the six affected schools on 4 April.

Councillor Paul Godzik, Education Convener, said: “As soon as we became aware through our own tests that mince containing a small percentage of horsemeat had been supplied to a number of our schools, we immediately took action by contacting parents to let them know. We also checked each of the school kitchens to make sure there was no mince from this batch remaining.

“It was only after we raised the issue with Amey that they advised us that this same batch had in fact been recalled by 3663 on 8 March.

“It is unacceptable that the Council was not given this information immediately – had we known on 8 March, we could and would have alerted parents to this at that time.

“We are pleased that Amey have now apologised for this lack of communication and are grateful to them for their cooperation in this matter.

“Parents are quite right to expect the highest possible standards from the food their children are served at school and the Council prides itself on providing meals which are nutritious, satisfying and value-for-money**. It is absolutely crucial therefore that any problems with the produce supplied to our school kitchens are flagged up to us immediately so that we can take appropriate action.”

Gillian Duggan, Managing Director of Amey Built Environment, said: -“Recently we have commenced an investigation into how contaminated meat made its way into our supply chain at a date between February 2013 and 8 March 2013. Tests have revealed that a small amount of contaminated meat containing up to 5% horse DNA was served to six schools in Edinburgh before a product recall notice was issued by the meat supplier on 8 March 2013.

“Although checks confirmed no current stock of the contaminated meat in any of the premises, there has been an unfortunate and unacceptable lack of communication from Amey to the City of Edinburgh Council regarding this issue. This resulted in a delay in the Council being able to notify parents.

“We at Amey are very sorry this issue has occurred, and for any distress caused to parents, who quite rightly expect high standards.”

Ms Duggan added that Amey would be making a donation to the Scottish NSPCC on behalf of the impacted schools.

She also said that the company would be undertaking a review of its supply chain and an enhancement of their communication and escalation procedures.

Green councillor Chas Booth said:-“It does appear that the main delay in informing parents was a result of Amey failing to tell the council that mince delivered to a city school contained horsemeat. But that’s what you get if you get locked into a food system that puts volume and profit way above quality and trust.

“There are also still questions as to why the Council’s own testing took a full month before results were available. Surely that can be speeded up.

“This sorry saga may be closed now but I really hope we can learn the lessons. The first step is to carry out a fundamental review of school meals and other catering, with a focus on fresh, local and organic food we can trust.”

Excitement and anticipation is again rising in Corstorphine as it gets near to the time when the pandas might just get it together enough for Tian Tian to fall pregnant and produce a baby panda. The right food, the right music is being provided along with a regime of early nights and enclosure swopping.

It is all a bit more scientific than that however, and takes a lot of analysis and attention. Maybe this year?

Iain Valentine, Director of Giant Pandas for the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, commented:-“It’s an exciting time at Edinburgh Zoo and we hope to have some news to share soon.

“A combination of methods are used to predict when female pandas go into season, primarily hormone analysis and behavioural observation. So far we’ve been encouraged by both pandas starting to show breeding behaviours much earlier when compared to 2012, which is a sign that they’re nice and settled in their home in Scotland.

“Interestingly, Tian Tian’s behaviour has started to change a lot over the last couple of days – she’s become grumpier, has gone off her food and has become a bit temperamental – basically a different panda to how she normally is.

“Tian Tian has also shown hormone fluctuations a couple of times that suggested we were about to see a hormonal crossover that then tells us the 36 hour breeding window is ten to 14 days away. We’re still to see this indicator and expect it imminently in the test results we receive back from the Centre for Integrative Physiology at the University of Edinburgh first, and then from Chester Zoo – who both analyse samples of Tian Tian’s urine collected twice a day, each and every day.

“The strong behavioural changes seen already in Tian Tian do suggest things are about to start to happen, we just need to wait and see now, and carry on testing and observing.”

“The peak of giant panda breeding season peak is normally mid-April and into May, so this is really still only early days.

“When the important 36 hour window is here Tian Tian and Yang Guang will meet several times to have the opportunity to mate and then, as Tian Tian finally ovulates and her hormones fall off, artificial insemination will also take place.”

If Tian Tian does fall pregnant, it will be second half of July or early August when Edinburgh Zoo experts will be able to tell by using ultrasound scans. The majority of giant panda cubs are then born at the very end of August or beginning of September.

Disneyland Paris Tickets this Summer!

Disneyland Paris is a complex of two theme parks, Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park, in Marne-la-Villée, France. The complex also includes seven hotels and a village including dining, shopping and entertainment. Apart from a few Europeanising tweaks, Disneyland Park is modelled after Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California.

Dedicated to all things show business, Walt Disney Studios Park is the studio of dreams.  The park opened in 2002. In 2011, 4.7 million visitors passed through the gates. It is represented by the iconic Earfell Tower a whimsical take on its counterpart, Earful Tower, in Anaheim, California. Although designated a water tower, Earfell Tower is not designed to actually hold water.

The park is laid out in a triangular shape with the Production Courtyard and the Backlot to the left from the entrance and the Front Lot and Tune Studio to the right. Down the centre are Disney Studio 1 and the Studio Tram Tour.

Production Courtyard – Mingle with Lilo and Stitch while meandering through shops and restaurants. Have the fright of your life on the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, an accelerated drop thrill ride. Recover at Cinémagique.

Backlot – How many hard rock bands have a rollercoaster named after them? Visitors ride on Aerosmith, an enclosed steel rollercoaster and then walk through Armageddon – Les Effets Spéciaux to experience explosions and incandescent rocks flying across the room. This area of the park is aimed at older children and adults.

Front Lot – The primary gift shop and largest restaurant of the park are the main features here. Visitors are part of the action as they stroll through with special effects going on around them. A large Fantasia fountain forms the central feature of the courtyard.

Toon Studio – Visitors meet characters from Finding Nemo, Cars, Toy Story and Aladdin in this area of the park themed after animated characters from Disney and Pixar. There is something for everybody here, from the gentle ride, Flying Carpets over Agrabah to the thrilling Crush’s Coaster based on Finding Nemo.

AttractionTix offers some fabulous discount packages, all of which offer great value for money and many of which are exclusive to the United Kingdom and may not be available at the park. Snap them up while you have the chance. Check out these great Disneyland Paris deals:

Disneyland Paris 1-Day Hopper – Celebration Ticket – Adult £49/Child £41

One day’s entry to Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park. Available 28 March 2013 to 30 November 2013 and must be used between these dates.

Disneyland Paris 2-Day 2 Park Hopper – Adult £105/Child £95

Hop at your leisure between Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park for two days. Availability and conditions are the same as for the 1-Day Hopper.

Disneyland Paris 4 Days for the Price of 3 Party Ticket – from £129 – Adult £129/Child £119

Exclusive to the United Kingdom, this great value package provides four days of freedom to hop between both Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park for the same price as three. All four days must be taken during the same seven-day period.

This is a paid advertorial.

The only company in Scotland to build bespoke Mustang cars has completed its first 1965 Mustang Fastback model which the company founders hope will attract financial investment.

Wild Horses specialises in creating bespoke classic Mustangs, from sourcing and restoring a car to its original glory to building a client’s dream car from scratch.  Owner Allan Fearnley hand-built the 1965 car, tailored specifically to the private customer’s wishes, at his Wild Horses workshop in Edinburgh.

Allan and his two part-time staff have been working on the stunning silver and black car for a year and while it has the classic Mustang look it has been fitted with modern suspension, brakes, leather interior, and even an iPod port hidden under the radio. Allan has installed a function which allows the car to be started with a button on the key, and the car will also feature a Wild Horses plaque detailing its unique name and serial number.

The car will now be used as an example of what Wild Horses can achieve as Allan seeks financial investment into the company, which was established in spring 2011. And a special name, based on Greek words for old war horses, will be chosen for each Mustang Allan completes.

Allan said:- “Completion of our first fully bespoke custom Mustang Fastback is a real achievement for the business and it has been an exciting project to work on. I plan to use the car as an example of what can be achieved through unique Scottish craftsmanship when seeking financial investment into the company. My dream is to really put us and Scotland on the map as a place which builds exceptionally high quality Mustangs for a worldwide audience.”

A launch event, when Allan will hand over the keys for the car to the new owner Paul McKay, takes place at the Wild Horses workshop later this week.

Paul McKay said:- “Working with Allan has been a great experience and I’ve been impressed by his level of expertise and excellent knowledge of Mustangs. I’m thrilled the car is now complete and I’m really looking forward to collecting the keys from Allan so I can take her for a spin.”

Will you make it?  That is what LAStheatre’s Deadinburgh  would like to know.  Scotland is ravaged by an unknown disease and those of you who are left are kindly invited to the Summerhall,  the former Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies near the Meadows.  Full of old laboratories, professional actors and real scientists you  have only hours to save Edinburgh …  

Dates: 19 April, 2013 – 21 April, 2013

Times: Show Duration 7.30pm – 10.00pm

Trystan Davies spoke to Deadinburgh director Barra Collins:

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A society, founded with a vision of “A Scotland where all parents and families are valued and supported to give children the best possible start in life,” is hoping to raise awareness amongst men and fathers in particular by targeting football fans in the east of Scotland.

On Saturday, an advert by Parenting Across Scotland will appear in the Hearts programme for their SPL fixture with Ross County at Tynecastle. Similar adverts have already appeared in Rangers’ and Aberdeen’s programmes, which has resulted in an increase in web visits and it is hoped that this will be the case in the capital.

The government funded society has been operating for several years, and following a consultation exercise with parents, it was recognised that many fathers felt that there was not enough information available, suitable for their needs, so Parenting Across Scotland have  brought together a selection of websites, booklets and videos geared up for dads. There is also information on legal, money and benefits advice, relationship support, keeping yourself in good health, plus adoption, fostering and stepfamilies in the parents and carers section; and age-related parenting advice in pregnancy and babies, toddlers and pre-school, age 5-12 and teenagers.

The web page is aimed at single fathers, or dads who want to get more involved in bringing up their children, and includes of video such as; How to be a role model and learn how to identify strengths and weaknesses, so that they can be a positive and empowering example to their teenage son or daughter, Getting fathers involved with tips to help get stuck in and make the most of fatherhood and advice for non-resident dads regarding keeping contact with their kids for separated dads,  and keeping a constructive relationship with an ex-wife or ex-partner.

The site also contains a downloadable booklet written for dads by dads looking at how becoming a parent changes your life, and going through what you need to know about pregnancy and giving birth. Its advice for dads-to-be includes: Different stages of pregnancy, healthy eating in pregnancy, sex during pregnancy, scans and tests, antenatal classes, work and finance, birth plan, stages of labour and giving birth and recovering after the birth, lack of sleep, baby feeding, baby blues. Another booklet  provides advice on keeping talking and working things out, postnatal depression, sex, baby feeding, bath time and playtime, rights at work, stay at home dads, money and benefit entitlements and childcare. There’s also some advice on how to find local dads’ groups.

The website also provides useful information from the NHS for dads on how to care for a sick child or a child with a disability, including practical and financial help, combining work and caring, family relationships and emotional support for dads.

Hearts’ season ticket holder Darren King of Baberton was introduced to the website by Thomas Lynch and David Marshall, the founders of ‘Dads Rock’ a playgroup for dads at gate 55 in Sighthill, and recognises the importance of a website which provides invaluable assistance to parents in the time of most need.

Darren told The Edinburgh Reporter:- “Most things are centred on mums, such as post and pre natal classes, and it’s sometimes forgotten that dads get into the same situation. I was fortunate enough to get three months off work to look after my daughter Orla on extended paternity whilst my wife Layla went back to work. It was a great experience, but nothing gears you up to look after a small child. I used to go to a playgroup alongside twenty five women which didn’t bother me, but then Layla heard about Dads Rock at an ante natal class, so I started going there. I now get to interact with loads of other dads and we enjoy sing-a-longs with the children. Sometimes there are up to 36 dads there, with some coming from Fife. They also run play groups in Westburn and Granton now. When I was there, Tom and David told me about the Parenting Across Scotland Website which I would recommend to anyone looking for any information on parenting. I am lucky to be in a happy steady relationship, but I know that that isn’t the case for many people.”

Parenting Across Scotland is a partnership of charities which offers support to children and families in Scotland. The society provides support for parents and families through their information service and partners’ helplines. They also find out what matters to parents and families and what they need, and try to get this across to politicians. They also share research, policy and good practice with people who work with families.

The society’s partners include: Aberlour Childcare Trust, Capability Scotland, CHILDREN 1^st, One Parent Families Scotland, Relationships Scotland, SMC and Scottish Adoption.

The Edinburgh IT company Simply FixIt have donated a new iPad to a computer class who meet at the Central Library following the theft of an iPad used by the class a few days ago by a thief who sneaked into their classroom.

The class is made up of partially sighted and blind computer buffs who find the Apple device revolutionary and easier to use. They also use a piece of software which is called Supernova and this allows them to increase the font size or listen to what is being displayed on the screen of a normal PC. The group are very keen to learn and the untimely loss of the iPad had left them without something which had proved very useful to them.

Jim McKenzie leads the class and is himself partially sighted said:-“I’m absolutely delighted that SimplyFixIt have offered to give me a replacement iPad – it’s restored my faith in humanity! The iPad had proved really popular with the Resource Centre users and it’s great that we’ll be able to continue to run these sessions. Although it was my own device, I mainly used it for working with the blind and visually impaired people who would come in to the library. I decided to get one after the RNIB hailed the technology as the way forward. It’s been a huge success and we’re getting more and more people asking to use it. I’m very grateful that we’ll be able to continue these sessions.”

The Edinburgh Evening News reported the story earlier in the week of the theft of the iPad, and Scott Wilkinson from nearby Simply FixIT on Forrest Road was happy to donate a new device to the group.

Scott said:-“The perpetrator of this cowardly act was obviously the lowest type of human being imaginable. To target a vulnerable individual without consideration of his circumstances is reprehensible. We felt, as a local business, that we could not stand by without doing something.

“If for the sake of a few hundred pounds we could reinstate the continuation of the class then it is a no brainer on our part. Hopefully, this should send a lesson to anyone else who tries to steal from the vulnerable.”

The classes are held in the Central Library’s Resource Centre and you can get more details of the classes here on the Council website.

Simply FixIT have branches across the city.

Our photo shows Scott Wilkinson of Simply FixIT handing over a new iPad to Jim McKenzie, left, and Ken Black, right, one of the members of the computer class.

Free support and training Award up for grabs for innovative start-ups in Central Belt

New charities and budding entrepreneurs in and around Edinburgh have the chance to win free support and training for a year, thanks to a unique programme designed to kick start social ventures.

Emerging entrepreneurs and start-up and non-profit organisations with innovative ideas can now apply to The Melting Pot to win a package of start up support on the Social Innovation Incubator Award programme.

The SII Award provides a package of start up support for social entrepreneurs and community activists keen to develop their innovative ventures that deliver on social and environmental goals.

Previous winning ideas include a cargo bike service, a hip-hop music centre, computer training for older people and a youth music orchestra project.

Ten lucky start-ups will win a package of sponsored support worth £10,000 including office and meeting space, ITC support, training and access to expertise in all areas of social business start-up.

Entrepreneurs also benefit from being able to tap into a thriving network of other projects that already make use of the business facilities provided by The Melting Pot, Scotland’s Centre for Innovation.

The Melting Pot launched the SII Award for the first time last year. Sophie Unwin, Founding Director of Remade in Edinburgh, was one of the eleven winners of last year’s Award.

“The Social Innovation Award has been a great boost to the project. It came at just the right time and has helped us to implement ideas and facilitate growth. We now have service level agreement with a local council, received corporate funding and opened a shop/ training centre to teach computer and furniture repair. Last year all our income was grant funding. Now we get 55% income from sales and business, so we are more sustainable.”

The SII Award is now open for applications and the deadline is 20th May 2013. The 12 month programme starts on 1 July. The Social Innovation Incubation Award programme is run in conjunction with a range of partners and sponsors including The Big Lottery, FirstPort, Social Enterprise Academy, WWF Scotland, Red Lynx and others.

The Melting Pot is also calling for sponsors to contribute towards the Award through offers of financial or in-kind business support. Claire Carpenter, Managing Director at The Melting Pot said:-“People can also contribute a small – or significant – amount of financial support to help these start-up projects by getting behind the crowd-funding campaign – it all goes into the same pot!”

“The aim is to replicate and build upon the first year’s achievements, creating an effective social business incubation service that provides just the right resources during those critical early-days when resources are particularly tough to find.”

The Social Innovation Incubator Award package includes free access to co-working space and meeting rooms; a range of dedicated business support including ICT and printing facilities; a range of training opportunities specifically designed for start-up and emerging non-profits; business coaching mentoring and the all important emotional support.

For more information about the SII Award crowd-funding campaign which launches on 1st April 2013 visit http://www.igg.me/at/siia2013

Submitted by Claire Carpenter

Unexplained death, Edinburgh

Police in Edinburgh are investigating the death of a man who was found unconscious in the New Town area of the Capital earlier today (Friday, April 5)

The man, believed to be in his thirties, was found in a lane off Cumberland Street around 5am.

He was taken by ambulance to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, where he passed away.

Police have been carrying out enquiries in the area this morning, and Cumberland Street has been closed to traffic to allow forensic examinations and other enquiries to take place at the scene.

Detective Inspector Neil Spowart said: “We are currently at an early stage of our enquiries, and at this time the man’s death is being treated as unexplained.

“We are working to establish the circumstances leading to the discovery of the man, and we are keen to hear from any local residents who may have information that can assist our enquiries.

“Anyone who was in the area of Cumberland Street around 5am today, who saw or heard anything suspicious or unusual, should contact police immediately.”

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

The Odeon – North Edinburgh Arts Centre today – You could star with East Coast – Tonight at the Filmhouse – Edible Estates

Councillor Cameron Rose was at the recent meeting with Susan Boyle’s brother Gerry who is planning to develop the old Odeon on South Clerk Street into a film and arts venue. You can read more here about the plans to reopen the former cinema by August this year.

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This afternoon at North Edinburgh Arts Centre they are showing Gulliver’s Travels starring Jack Black at 1:30pm to entertain the children among you! The centre have a page where they tell you how to contribute funds to them. They are a registered charity and so you can use Easy Fundraising.

The other week in Wester Hailes we noticed that the Wester Hailes Health Agency are also using Easy fundraising. It is a simple way of using your own purchases with Amazon or other large retailers to raise funds for the charity.

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East Coast have a project to make a film about their trains and the people who use them. This is what they say about how you can get involved:-

“Sky 1 has commissioned a new TV series about life on East Coast trains.

Will you be making a special train journey with East Coast between the beginning of March and the end of May 2013? Maybe for an important or unusual event? Or are you a regular East Coast traveller?

If you have an interesting story to tell about you and your journey with us and would like to take part, please drop us a line at: Email: passengers@cineflix.com

Filming is due to take place from early March until early June 2013.

We’d love to hear all about your journey experiences with East Coast!”

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A Late Quartet is showing at 13:30, 15:50, 18:20 and 20:45. More details on the Filmhouse website. Here’s a taster

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NX66lRnNmqs]

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Edible Estates is already working in Edinburgh and they have a couple of new projects which may be about to start. They are advertising a new post for a Community Resilience Officer for the newly funded project  in Wester Hailes. The closing date is 11 April 2013 and the job will start in May.

What is an edible estate?

On their website they describe their aims:-“The goal of Edible Estates is to understand the greenspace around social housing estates as a valuable resource, which with the right support, communities can transform into beautiful, enjoyable and edible landscapes.

by Lynn Hogg

Ice, the customer loyalty programme,  held a Mummy Bloggers Tea Party earlier this week to promote their programme in Scotland.  Some local mummy bloggers and family were invited to join in the fun, and I was one of them.

The venue for the event was the lovely Craigie’s Farm Deli and Cafe.   I can’t believe we have never been before. Nestled between South Queensferry and Edinburgh, it offers great views of the surrounding countryside and over the Forth.  We got to sample some of the delicious home baking on offer and have a chat whilst the children coloured in and counted eggs.

There was lots for the children to do outside as well and they  got to help feed one of the cute little lambs.  There are also pigs and chickens on the farm for the children to discover.  They then enjoyed an Easter egg hunt outside the cafe.

We are going to come back again when it is a little warmer to try out the Nature Trail and walks around the farm.

So what has all this to do with Ice ? Well the Ice card is a unique loyalty programme that allows customers at local farm shops all around the country to collect and spend loyalty points.  There are also online retailers who offer environmentally friendly products and you will find some interesting niche products available.

You can also shop and redeem online with Marks and Spencer and John Lewis.

Spending points is easy, no redeeming of vouchers etc, just present your card and the money comes off your purchase.  You don’t need to pay in full for the items, like some stores, either  you can even spend your last 1p on the card if you want.

I think it is a great idea to be able to reward customers for shopping with local farm shops as well as the major chains.

Submitted by Lynn Hogg – Small business owner and mummy blogger at More4mums.

Police in Edinburgh are appealing for information to help trace a 37-year-old man who has gone missing from his home in the Colinton Mains area of the Capital.
Cliff Steel was last seen at 6pm on Wednesday night  3 April 2013 at his work in Sainsbury’s, Straiton Retail Park but he did not return home from there.

He is described as being white, 5ft 8ins tall of thin build, with short blonde hair and an unshaven complexion and is missing his upper front teeth. He was wearing a green Bench jacket, a dark blue beanie hat and a Sainsbury’s high-vis jacket, a maroon fleece, with black trousers and was carrying a very small blue rucksack.

Sergeant Jeremy Pullar said:-“We are appealing for anyone who may have seen Cliff since last night, or who may know where he is, to contact us as a matter of urgency.

“It’s very unusual for him not to return home after his work and not contact anyone.

“Anyone who recognises the description should contact us on 101, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

A couple who entrusted their entire wedding to TV funny woman Miranda Hart celebrated their first hours of married life in a luxury Scottish castle.

Delighted staff and catering experts at Dundas Castle prepared a relaxing welcome for newlyweds Claire Gilchrist and Ben Springett, to help them recover from the whirlwind of their wedding day which was organised in a single day. The couple headed to the stunning venue at South Queensferry after Miranda organised every element of their big day – including cake, guests, bridesmaids, outfits and rings – in less than 24 hours.

More than £1 million was raised for charity by the televised wedding special with a host of celebs and other well-wishers helping ensure it was such a massive success, including Dundas Castle which laid on a two night stay for the newlyweds. The castle is among a number of the most exclusive venues in Scotland which partner with Prestige Scotland, a specialist arm of Sodexo Prestige and the joint team laid on a memorable visit for the couple, to round off their wedding celebrations.

As well as being put up in The Boathouse a romantic retreat sitting on the loch within the beautiful grounds, the Prestige Scotland team created a breakfast hamper, boasting the finest Scottish produce.

Lucy Scillitoe, Director at Dundas Castle, said: “We were delighted to be asked to play a part in this wedding as not only did it raise money for a great cause, it also allowed us to play a special part in the most important day of any couple’s life. We work extremely hard to give the perfect stay for all our guests. For Claire and Ben it was a pleasure to give them a day or two of luxury in The Boathouse to help them relax and recover before their honeymoon. 

“We know exactly how to make newlyweds welcome, because the castle itself is one f Scotland’s most renowned wedding venues, while The Boathouse on the lake is a perfect intimate and romantic setting for a newly married couple.  Claire and Ben’s wedding raised more than £1million for Red Nose Day and it is a privilege to have been a part of that.” 

The wedding was part of TV star Miranda’s Mad March – and the rapidly organised marriage helped raise more than £1 million as part of the televised Comic Relief extravaganza. While the visit of the newlyweds was the highlight of Red Nose Day activity at Dundas Castle, it wasn’t the only contribution. A Red Nose day themed Great British Bake off at the venue saw staff and suppliers raise more than £300.

Thirteen participants baked cakes and Prestige Scotland provided expert baking tips from its Scottish executive chef Stephen Frost and expert pastry chef, Phil Elwis, who also helped with the judging. Prestige Scotland is the exclusive catering provider at Dundas Castle, catering for a wide range of events, including corporate meetings, international events and weddings and celebrations.

Dundas Castle is one of Scotland’s most historic castles. A five star exclusive use venue which is booked out in its entirety, it caters for a wide range of events including; conferences, business meetings, private dinner parties, weddings and receptions and much more.

More information can be found at www.dundascastle.co.uk

The police were out in force today in Edinburgh city centre – as a single force. Since Monday the new single police service was launched and the new Divisional Commander for the City of Edinburgh, Chief Superintendent Mark Williams was keen to hit the ground running and show off some of the benefits of the new arrangements.

So this morning, 12 officers from the north and west of Scotland, members of the National Alcohol and Violence Reduction Unit arrived by train in the capital to help 20 of the city’s own police officers in a joint operation to tackle violence and anti-social behaviour in and around the city centre in what is a dry run for a series of planned Campaign Against Violence (CAV) days which begin next week.

The operation was declared a success by this afternoon when 3 people had been arrested:- a 38-year-old male was arrested in connection with recent city centre robbery, a 48-year-old male was arrested for shoplifting and a 40-year-old man arrested for a drugs related offence.

Officers based in Edinburgh were working along with Environmental Wardens from The City of Edinburgh Council, as well as police officers from the national unit. In addition to actual arrests they believe the success of the operation can be measured in knowing that their presence alone caused disruption to known and travelling criminals in the city centre, particularly in the areas of the High Street and the Old Town, and they gained a lot of intelligence simply by being out and about. They also checked on various licenced premises in the city centre and made enquiries about some stolen property. So even though the operation was designed to target violent crimes, many other matters were brought to the police’s attention over the course of the morning.

Chief Superintendent Mark Williams welcomed the assistance of the extra officers to police what is now known as E Division in Police Scotland and said:-“This is a really unique day for Police Scotland and for Edinburgh City and I offer a very warm welcome to Chief Super Hamilton and his team from the National Alcohol and Violence Reduction unit who are working with our own Alcohol and violence reduction team today.

“It is week one of the new force and this is the opportunity at last to bring our resources together to make a difference in Edinburgh. These kind of joint operations were more routine in the old Strathclyde force, but this is a fantastic new advance for us here in the capital, and something we hope to take advantage of in the weeks and months ahead.

“Edinburgh is no different from any big city across the country. The crimes include serious assaults, robberies, aggressive begging, alcohol and violence. All these things are typical of course and today is the chance to try out the new policing arrangements. Violent crime has actually gone down in Edinburgh but we have to keep a focus and this helps us achieve the visible policing presence. We have the same number of police officers in Edinburgh as we have always had, but now we can call on extra resources. The national unit has about 50 officers in it.

“This is not a one-off. There will be more CAV days in the weeks ahead, and the next one is on Friday 12 April when 50 extra officers will be out on the street to carry out operations similar to those today in Police Scotland’s aim of keeping people safe.

“We will address areas where we know there is on street drinking too. Anything which affects and undermines the quality of life for people living and working in the city centre will be targeted.

“The fact that we are all here together is important and we will see more of this joint working. The people of Edinburgh will see a far bigger police presence than they are used to today and this is a great opportunity for us and the new force.”

Councillor Cammy Day, Community Safety Leader, said:- “Two of our Environmental Wardens took part in the joint initiative with Police Scotland officers in Edinburgh’s city centre today. We regularly work in close partnership with the Police to provide a high visibility presence, which gives reassurance to members of the public as well as acting as a clear deterrent to antisocial behaviour and other criminal activity.  This is another example of our partnership approach with Police Scotland to make the City Centre a safe place to live, work and visit.”

The absence of iconic and much loved puffins from the nation’s Big Five initiative has prompted the Scottish Seabird Centre to create its own unofficial People’s Big Five list, and they are encouraging the public to vote for their favourite Scottish Wildlife species.

This new list aims to create a more representative version of Scotland’s iconic species, as the Centre, in North Berwick,  feels the Big Five List, created by Scottish Natural Heritage, and VisitScotland, is not representative of the country’s wildlife.

Their list naturally includes seabirds, which were not included, as well as grey seals, whales and dolphins.  The centre wants to redress the balance, although it supports the Big Five initiative, and its aims of  spreading awareness of our wildlife.

Tom Brock OBE, CEO of the Scottish Seabird Centre, said:- “It is absurd that the Big Five should omit our iconic seabirds, notably the much-loved puffin. Scotland’s seabirds are of international importance: Scotland is home to almost half (45%) of all of Europe’s seabirds and over 60% of the world’s North Atlantic gannets nest in Scotland. To exclude all seabirds from the Big Five defies logic.

“Many visitors to Scotland, both from the UK and overseas, are drawn here to experience the beauty and wonder of our amazing wildlife. For many people an encounter with a puffin or dolphin can be nothing short of a deeply emotional experience, leaving impressions that last a lifetime. The puffin is one of Scotland’s most iconic birds and engenders a level of public affection that is unrivalled. Puffins are of major environmental and economic importance and can be seen all around Scotland’s coasts. They are one of the “stars” of Scotland’s natural world and our increasingly important wildlife tourism industry which raises awareness of Scotland’s wildlife and helps to support rural communities.”

Visitors, staff and volunteers at the award-winning Centre in North Berwick are watching eagerly on their live interactive cameras for the imminent landing of the first puffin of 2013 on the Firth of Forth islands. This key sighting is always a significant milestone in the annual wildlife calendar, but this year has added significance due to the distressing “puffin wreck” of recent days. The discovery of hundreds of seabird corpses including puffins, guillemots and razorbills along the entire length of the east coast has been extremely upsetting and is a major concern. While the reasons are not entirely clear, the extreme weather conditions are undoubtedly a contributing factor. Many seabirds including puffins have been suffering declining numbers in many parts of Scotland in recent years. It is thought that food shortages as a result of climate change, a legacy of overfishing and changing sea temperatures could all be factors.

Brock added:-“The gaping absence of the puffin from the Big Five is deeply regrettable and extremely disappointing. This is a missed opportunity to highlight a species that is loved by many but is now in trouble. The Big Five announcement should have been used to recognise the importance of this wonderful bird and to raise public awareness that it needs our help to survive. I am truly appalled that this iconic seabird has been entirely missed off the “official” list.

“So we’re out to redress the balance. We now encourage all members of the public to tell us what species they believe ought to feature in our “People’s Big Five” – our own unofficial list, a Big Five that truly represents Scotland’s most iconic and best-loved animals.”

The public are encouraged to vote for their favourite species by emailing the Scottish Seabird Centre at big5@seabird.org, stating which animal they think should represent Scotland’s wildlife, and captures its essence. Votes can also be cast in person at the Scottish Seabird Centre in North Berwick.

The public are also encouraged to debate the “People’s Big Five” on the centre’s Facebook page at  www.facebook.com/scottishseabirdcentre and on Twitter @SeabirdCentre using the hashtag #peoplesbigfive.

Voters have until 31 May 2013 to cast their votes. The “People’s Big Five” will be announced at the Start of June. The overall winner of the votes will be announced on 21 June 2013 at a special event at the Seabird Centre.

Police in Edinburgh are appealing for information following a high-value theft at a shop in the Capital this morning 4 April 2013.

Beaverbrooks at Fort Kinnaird was targeted around 4.30am, with a number of items taken.

A full stock check is now underway to establish exactly what was taken and the total value  of the goods- initially it appears a number of expensive watches have been stolen.

Inquiries are underway in the area, with CCTV coverage being examined.

Detective Sergeant John Graham said: -“While work is still ongoing to find out exactly what has been taken, it would seem there’s been a significant quantity of items taken worth a lot of money.

“We are appealing for anyone who may have been in the area early this morning and who may have seen something suspicious to contact us on 101.”

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

Globetrotting broadcaster and former Royal Geographical Society President, Michael Palin, today paid a visit to a stunning outdoor exhibition he helped develop.