A recent partnership between Edinburgh Airport and Lothian and Borders Police (LBP) has successfully contributed to a 71% reduction in the number of alcohol-related incidents at Scotland’s busiest airport.

The campaign, which ran from June to December, last year, has led to a proactive approach by uniformed police officers in Edinburgh Airport to prevent anti-social behaviour and encourage people to think amount they drink before flying. This resulted in a significant reduction of incidents, compared with the same period in 2011.

Inspector Paul McDonald, from Lothian and Borders Police and Edinburgh Airport, said; “Throughout the summer we worked with retail outlets, air crews and licensed premises to ensure that Edinburgh Airport remains a safe environment for everyone. Due to the success of the initiative it was decided to continue with it through the autumn and into the festive period.

“We carried out high visibility police patrols throughout the terminal and in the departure lounge, providing reassurance and raising awareness of excessive drinking before jetting off on holiday.”

Commenting on the success of the scheme, Edinburgh Airport’s Chief Operating Officer, David Wilson, said; “Although we don’t wish to deter passengers from having a good time when travelling through Edinburgh Airport, their safety, and that of our staff, remains paramount.

“Through working with Lothian and Borders Police on this project we have been able to continue our focus on excellent customer service, whilst making every passenger’s experience at Edinburgh Airport as safe and enjoyable as possible.”

Lothian and Borders Police are drafting in specialist teams today as the search for missing Edinburgh man, Sanjay Dhital, continues.

Teams of volunteers from the Borders Search and Rescue Unit and Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue will be assisting officers in the capital by carrying out rope-access searches of Holyrood Park.

It is now more than four weeks since Sanjay (24 years) was last seen at his flat in Elm Row, and it is very unusual for him not to have contacted his friends or family since then.

Sanjay is in his final year of studies at Edinburgh College, and has a part-time job at Saigon Saigon restaurant in South St Andrew Street.

Sanjay, who is Nepalese, is described as being 5ft 6ins tall, slim with untidy black hair and had a stubbly complexion when he was last seen – he may now have a full beard, however.

Inspector Kevin McLean, who is leading the inquiry, said:- “We are grateful to both Borders Search and Rescue Unit and Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue Team for their support this weekend.

“We have carried out searches of the area around Elm Row, but it is important that we now sweep the hard to reach areas around Arthur’s Seat, as there is a possibility Sanjay may have come to some harm.

“Door to door inquiries continue to be carried out, and we are still appealing for anyone who might know where Sanjay is, or who may have seen him since Boxing Day, to contact us on 0131 311 3131.”

Sanjay’s brother, Sailesh Dhital, who lives in Kathmandu, Nepal, with the rest of his family said: “This is a very difficult time for our family as we’re all worried about Sanjay, and we’re desperate to hear from him.

“We’re a close family and although Sanjay is living in Edinburgh he contacts us regularly either on the phone or online chats.

“He enjoys his college course and has been working hard at his studies for the past two years; it’s very unusual for him to miss his classes.

“We are asking anyone who might know where Sanjay is to tell the police so we can be sure he is safe and well, we are all waiting for that call.”

Anyone with any information should contact Lothian and Borders Police on 0131 311 3131, or the independent charity Crimestoppers in complete anonymity on 0800 555 111.

Scotland’s largest airport has announced the launch of a new £15m route development fund, to drive competition and bring new airlines and new routes to Edinburgh.

Speaking to an audience of Scottish business leaders at an SCDI event in Edinburgh on Thursday night, airport Chief Executive Gordon Dewar announced the creation of the fund and his desire to bring Edinburgh’s public and private sector together to promote the capital and the airport around the world.

Since taking ownership of Edinburgh Airport in June 2012, the new airport management team, with the support of owners Global Infrastructure Partners, has prioritised the development of Edinburgh’s route network.

New agreements have been reached with easyJet and Ryanair, a new Turkish Airlines route to Istanbul is flourishing and Brussels Airlines, Air Canada and Virgin Atlantic have all announced new routes.

These successes mean that Edinburgh Airport will offer Scottish passengers choice from an unprecedented 130 routes this summer.

It is widely understood that developing new routes cannot be left solely to the airport and Edinburgh Airport is clear that there is a role for the city’s public and private sector to play.

Recent experience says that airlines value support from civic and business leaders, which provides additional market confidence at the beginning of a new route and which can often be the single factor that determines whether airlines come to Edinburgh or go elsewhere.

The airport will therefore be working closely with city partners: the Council, the Chamber of Commerce and others to explore how we work collaboratively to promote Edinburgh to the world’s airlines.

Gordon Dewar said;- “Creating new routes in and out of Edinburgh Airport is one of our core activities. We came to Edinburgh last summer focused on building Scotland’s connections with the world. The deals with easyJet and Ryanair alone will see almost 16 million passengers pass through Edinburgh Airport over the next five years.

“But we are hungry for more success, and will work hard to take business from other Scottish airports and from our European competitors. To fuel that competitive effort, we will invest £15m a year underwriting new direct routes for Edinburgh, sharing the commercial risk with airlines; it is simply putting our money where our mouth is.

“We believe that in doing so we send a powerful message to international airlines – we’re going to be the place where Scotland meets the world so come here and we will work harder than anybody else to deliver you long-term success.

“We can’t do this alone but be in no doubt, we will lead on the commercial deal, but any business with a significant stake in a new route should be thinking: how can I potentially make a difference?

“In the coming weeks and months, we will approach city businesses to listen. We want to know which markets are important and what the value might be to Edinburgh, and those individual businesses, or new routes into Europe, the Middle East or North America.

“I am confident that Edinburgh Airport will grow and our route network will soon be the envy of many European airports. We will compete hard and we will compete fairly; importantly, we’ll do that as one team and one city.”

Details of the route development strategy will be announced over coming months as the £15m fund is targeted.

Lothian and Borders Police are appealing for witnesses following a large-scale metal theft from a business premises in Edinburgh.

The incident happened sometime between Saturday 19th and Monday 21st January at the Agilent Technologies UK premises in South Queensferry.

Over four tonnes of copper was stolen from the roof top of the property, with an estimated value of £10,000.

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

A police spokesman said:- “A theft like this would require several people for a number of hours and the stolen metal would need to be transported in a large vehicle.

“As such, anyone who remembers seeing suspicious activity at the premises last weekend is asked to contact police immediately.

“Similarly, anyone with information that can help with this investigation is also asked to get in touch.”

Those with information can contact Lothian and Borders Police on 0131 311 3131 or alternatively the charity Crimestoppers in complete anonymity on 0800 555 111.

Lothian and Borders Police are appealing for witnesses following a fatal road collision in Edinburgh today.

The incident happened around 3.10am in Marchmont Road.

A 64-year-old man was crossing at the junction with Warrender Park Road when he was involved in a collision with a black taxi cab.

The man sustained severe head injuries and was taken to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary where he later passed away.

Police attended and the road was closed for around four hours while officers carried out an investigation at the scene.

Anyone who can assist with these enquiries is asked to come forward.

A police spokesman said:- “We are still trying to establish the full circumstances of this collision, which, tragically, resulted in a man’s death.

“Despite the time at which the incident occurred, there may have been other pedestrians or motorists in the area returning home who can perhaps help with our investigation.

“Anyone with information relevant to this enquiry is asked to contact police immediately”

Greyfriars Bobby Sells For £3,100 and is set to return to the Isle of Skye

The original plaster model of Edinburgh’s famous Greyfriars Bobby, valued at up to £1,000, was sold today at Lyon & Turnbull for £3,100. He was bought by a representative of the Skye Terrier Club who said:- “We are delighted to have bought the statue. He will be returned to the Isle of Skye where he will become a centrepiece to a celebration of the breed on the Island. The Skye Terrier Club are currently in the process of commissioning a statue of a Skye Terrier.”

Margaret Cumming who is selling the statue and is the granddaughter of the owner said:- “ I am so pleased that ‘Wee Bobby” will not only be staying in Scotland, but will actually be on Skye. This couldn’t be better and I am quite sure my father would be very happy.”

The plaster model was originally owned by Chief Constable Willam Merrilees OBE of Lothian and Peebles Constabulary. He was given the model by the company who made the famous statue after he offered his help with making the 1961 Walt Disney film about the famous dog.

On a visit to America, Chief Constable Willam Merrilees met and became friendly with Walt Disney, and when the Disney Studios decided to make the film “Greyfriars Bobby”. Disney contacted Merrilees to consult him on suitable locations for the film. To thank him for his help, Walt Disney gave Merrilees the star of the film “Wee Bobby”. “Wee Bobby” paid regular visits to the special needs children at Trinity Lodge in Edinburgh, as well as appearing at various charity events to raise funds for good causes. He was joint ‘best man’ at Chief Constable Willam Merrilees marriage in 1968!

WHO ARE YOU AND WHERE DID YOU COME FROM

My name is Gillian Dalgliesh and I am an Edinburgh-based business and life coach. I am Edinburgh-born and bred and live here with my four teenage children.

I run SlimThink. A life coaching consultancy which focuses on helping people to overcome the barriers to losing weight and maintaining weight loss through positive mindset techniques www.slimthink.com

The course is just as useful though, for helping clients achieve other personal, or professional goals. I am passionate about the benefits of positive thinking – it is a very powerful tool for living a happier and healthier life.

WHAT IS THE BUSINESS BOOK YOU RECOMMEND THAT EVERYONE SHOULD READ

I would recommend reading anything by Richard Branson – we can all learn from his insights into business. I would also suggest motivational speaker, Anthony Robbins‘ books – Unlimited Power: The New Science Of Personal Achievement is particularly inspiring.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE YOUR BUSINESS STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

I have been told that one of my main strengths is my empathy for and understanding of other people’s challenges, which helps me help them more effectively. We are all capable of achieving so much more and so often, all we need is to eliminate the doubt which holds us back and to improve our self-belief.

My weakness is that there is only one of me at the moment, to run the business and the courses, but my plan is to hire other coaches with a similar focus.

WHAT WAS THE DEFINING MOMENT ON YOUR CAREER PATH THAT HAS GOT YOU WHERE YOU ARE NOW

The defining moment for me was when I realised I was unhappy in my working and personal life and I took some very tough decisions to be able to make positive changes. It was a difficult process, but the results more than justify the steps I took and have demonstrated for me yet again the power of positive thinking.

HOW DO YOU SPEND YOUR SPARE TIME

Life is very busy, but I always make time for my children, family, friends, reading and yoga.

DO YOU THINK YOU ACHIEVE A GOOD WORK/LIFE BALANCE

I always try to achieve a good work/life balance – I think it is very important. Every day I set aside blocks of time for work and also time for relaxation. I live very much ‘in the moment’, so whatever I am focusing on at the time, receives my full attention. This helps me be much more effective in my working life and to be able to relax and enjoy my free time too.

WHAT MAKES EDINBURGH THE BEST LOCATION FOR YOU TO LIVE AND/OR WORK IN

Quite simply, I love Edinburgh and its beauty, culture and history. It’s not too big, not too small and has easy access to other cities I like, such as Glasgow and London.

WHAT IS YOUR SPECIAL AREA OF EDINBURGH OR SPECIAL PLACE IN EDINBURGH AND WHY

Stockbridge is my favourite part of Edinburgh. It is special to me because I grew up near Stockbridge and having lived abroad for many years, I have now returned to the area. I love its sense of community, its style, shops, restaurants, bars, the Botanics Gardens, Inverleith Park and its proximity to the city centre.

WHAT WOULD YOU CONSIDER THE PINNACLE OF YOUR CAREER

The pinnacle of my career emerged recently when I launched SlimThink. The first session of workshops delivered very positive feedback – clients are not just finding it easier to achieve and maintain their weight goals, but the focus on positive thinking is also helping people feel more in control and confident about addressing career and business objectives as well as providing them with the tools to improve family and other relationships.

IF YOU HAVE A MENTOR, TELL US WHO THAT IS AND ABOUT YOUR RELATIONSHIP

I feel very lucky to have five mentors, including family, friends and business contacts, who guide and offer support. While they all have different perspectives, I value their individual views and opinions.

WHICH NETWORKING GROUPS IN EDINBURGH HAVE YOU FOUND PARTICULARLY USEFUL

So far, I have found The Edinburgh Businesswomen’s Club (ESBC) and the PA Exchange very helpful, but I plan to also attend others which have been recommended to me.

WHO ARE YOUR BUSINESS HEROES

Like many people, I admire Richard Branson for his business success. I find him inspiring and I like that he strongly emphasises the value of intuition in decision-making. So many people underestimate its power, but we can all benefit from developing our intuition and using it more actively and regularly in all aspects of our lives.

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE NEXT YEAR

My plan for the next year is to grow Slim Think – I want to help as many people as possible to achieve their weight goals, their personal ambitions and to improve their relationships.

DESCRIBE YOUR TYPICAL DAY FOR US

I am an early riser, so I am usually up at 6am. I meditate and do yoga until 7am, then I get the children off to school. The rest of the day is filled with work – SlimThink is proving very popular and I am developing a CD to help boost clients’ motivation levels on an ongoing basis, when the course ends. In the evening, I like to watch some TV and read.

BEST JOB ADVICE YOU EVER RECEIVED

The best job advice I ever received was to love your life, love your work and life will love you back – so true and it has become one of the foundations of my life. Once again, it emphasises the power of positive thinking!

Shrub Place development – Clickety Chicks – Robert Burns – Saturday at the Cameo – Safety advice!

Planning permission was granted in 2008 for the site of the former bus depot on Leith Walk. Over the last two days there has been a pre-planning consultation exhibition running at MacDonald Road Library although the exhibition will remain in place for the public to view for another two weeks. Next week’s meeting of the Development Management Committee will consider the new application which is being made for a mixed use development. All the planning papers so far are on the council’s planning pages here on their website. While there are no details yet the main thrust of the application is for residential use which would fall within the local plan according to the report produced for the meeting.

The site has been empty for some considerable time.

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Tickets are now on sale for Clickety Chicks, Edinburgh’s glamorous bingo fundraising evening in aid of Action for Children Scotland.

Date: Friday 1 March 2013

Time: 6:30 pm – 11:30 pm

Venue: The George Hotel, Edinburgh

Ticket Price: £65 per person (or £650 for a table of ten), which includes:

• Drinks reception

• Bingo games hosted by Gala

• 3-course dinner

• Fabulous prizes

• Grand auction hosted by Grant Stott

To book contact katie.forsyth@actionforchildren.org.uk or call 0141 550 9022.

All the money raised on the night will go to Action for Children’s Gilmerton Road service which helps families across Edinburgh and the Lothians who have a child with a learning disability and severe behavioural problems. The charity helps them live the lives they choose by providing fun, inclusive and flexible support, including short break care, help for families in dealing with challenging behaviour and provision of specialist education and leisure opportunities. The project currently supports 40 children aged 0 – 19 years.

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Of course today is Robert Burns birthday and there will be many Burns Suppers across the city over the weekend. We mentioned those we could find in our article here.  You might be tempted to download the Burns app here…. created by the Stormid agency in Constitution Street. And in 1786 Burns penned a line or two about Edinburgh itself…

Edina! Scotia’s darling seat!
All hail thy palaces and tow’rs,
Where once, beneath a Monarch’s feet,
Sat Legislation’s sov’reign pow’rs:…..

The full poem is here.

A new poll has revealed ‘dreich’ as Scotland’s favourite word in the Scots language.

The You Gov survey asked adults across the country to select their number one Scots word from a list of options including some of Robert Burns’ own favourites.  With 23 per cent of the public vote, and perhaps proving Scotland’s love for talking about the weather, the word ‘dreich’ meaning ‘wet’, ‘cold’ and ‘gloomy’ trumped other classics such as ‘glaikit’ (20%), ‘blether’ (12%) and ‘crabbit’ (11%).

‘Sleekit’ (6%), ‘beastie’ (5%) and ‘braw’ (6%) – just some of the words made famous by our national Bard’s iconic songs and poetry – also featured.

Lassies across the country also proved their love for gossip with 17% of female Scots voting ‘blether’ as their number one word, while ‘glaikit’ came up trumps with 35 to 44 year old respondents at 26%.

This poll follows the launch of an online interactive game, ‘Rhyme with Rabbie’, which allows Scots to follow in the steps of the great poet and pen their very own Scots masterpiece.

Speaking ahead of this year’s Burns Night celebrations, Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs Fiona Hyslop said:

“Scots is intrinsic to our nation’s culture, heritage, and identity. It is also one of our living languages which are as relevant today as they were in Robert Burns’ time – many of the words highlighted in this survey have no direct English translation, demonstrating their enduring appeal. My own personal favourite word is ‘bùrach’, which means ‘a right mess’, and is from the Gaelic. There’s also a Scottish folk rock group called Bùrach, and I think it’s a great name for a band.”

Burns Night is the culmination of Scotland’s Winter Festivals and celebratory events will be taking place across the country. Scotland’s friends the world over will also be joining in the fun with Burns Night celebrations happening across the globe from New York to Sydney and Toronto to Beijing.

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On Saturday night – very late mind you! – the Cameo is showing the wonderful Nicholas Cage in Con Air…. A bit of a thriller! More details on tickets here. 

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A newsreader in Birmingham had a narrow escape when walking and texting….she fell into the canal! Here she is talking about it on BBC Breakfast….So take care out there!

Men arrested in connection with armed robbery – New Street Development – No 45 bus – Submit Your story – Bad parking? –  

Two men have been arrested and charged in connection with an alleged armed robbery at an Edinburgh jewellery store in George Street on Tuesday, January 15.

The men aged 25 and 26 are scheduled to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court tomorrow.

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A planning application has been submitted to Edinburgh Council this week for a mixed use development on an empty site next to New Street and Calton Road. Yes that empty site:- the former bus depot. (Bit confusing that the plan has been submitted with the north point facing downwards!) There will be a public consultation on 14 March 2013 at Canongate Venture on New Street from 11am to 8pm and again from 16 March 2013 from10am to 12.30pm. This site already has planning permission from 2007 in place but a separate application has been made to extend the time within which the development will start. If you are interested in seeing what might be built on the land then put the dates in your diary now. All papers for this new application are here.

The Reporter attended the recent meeting of the West End Community Council who seem to keep a close eye on all proposed developments in their area of the city and were particularly exercised about photovoltaic panels which some property owners wish to install. At the same meeting Councillor Alasdair Rankine mentioned a new booklet which has been produced specifically for the members of the planning committee to give them some idea as to relative sizes and measurements called Measuring Edinburgh. You can download a copy to your computer here or you can contact the council to ask for a paper copy.

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Recent changes to the Lothian Buses 45 route have been hailed as a success. Last year Lothian Buses extended the route of its service 45 bus providing a valuable new East to West link across the City. The extended route which runs to Queen Margaret University via Chambers Street, North Bridge, Leith Street, Meadowbank and Portobello has proved very popular with passengers.

Students in particular have found the service very useful as it visits Heriot Watt at Riccarton, Napier University, Edinburgh University as well as Queen Margaret University. Since its launch on 28 October 2012, the new and improved 45 has seen an 80% increase in passenger journeys.

Bill Campbell Operation Director Said:-“This extended route has proved a great success.  Its very popular with customers as it misses out a great deal of the City Centre keeping journey times down.”

Service 45 runs every 30 minutes Monday to Friday.

Our submit your story feature is proving fairly popular and here is our latest story from one of our readers. The new Salvation Army shop is looking for volunteers! If you have a story (not just an advert for your business please!) then please use the Submit your Story page to send it to us.

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There is of course the new Facebook page devoted to Edinburgh’s worst parkers, but the BBC has some evidence of this on a street in Tollcross too. Apparently a caravan is not a vehicle so the council cannot ask for it to be moved.

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Edinburgh to Represent Scotland in the RHS Britain in Bloom Finals 2013

Judging will take place during July and August

Edinburgh has been selected from more than 1,000 entrants to take part in the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Britain in Bloom UK Finals 2013, the country’s biggest voluntary campaign which involves more than 300,000 people. Edinburgh is one of 80 finalist and is in the Large City category.

Scotland nominated Edinburgh to the UK stage of the competition following regional and national judging last year. Edinburgh was selected for outstanding commitment to environmental responsibility, community participation and gardening achievement.

In July / August this year, Edinburgh’s green-fingered volunteers will be showing off their commitment to a cleaner, greener Britain, by taking the Britain in Bloom judges on a tour of local projects and initiatives in a hope of being awarded Gold and being named category winner at the annual award ceremony, this year being held in Cleethorpes in October.

Andrea Van Sittart, Head of Regional Development, said:- “Thanks to the legacy of London 2012, the power of volunteering has never been more widely recognised or appreciated. Britain in Bloom saw a 30% uplift in sign-ups over the past year and this year, we have a record number of finalists. It seems more people are prepared to donate time and energy to projects like this, because they’re aware that improving their neighbourhoods can change lives and boost people’s confidence, health and happiness. The Britain in Bloom campaign is making a difference, and people want to be a part of that.”

“On behalf of the RHS, I’d like to wish every volunteer from Edinburgh the very best of luck in this year’s UK Finals and look forward to celebrating with you all in October.”

The kind of projects undertaken by Britain in Bloom volunteers, which judges will be assessing, include maintenance of parks and communal gardens, the management of natural spaces such as wildflower meadows and conservation areas, community initiatives to promote recycling and environmental awareness, and projects to involve local schools and residents.

Started in 1964 by the British Tourist Board as a way of marketing the country through floral displays, today Britain in Bloom is a campaign that brings communities together to enhance the look, feel and pride of a place, through gardening and environmental projects. Although the campaign runs all year round, the run-up to the judges’ tour is a time when communities throughout the UK unite and redouble their efforts.

For more information on RHS Britain in Bloom and to download a copy of Britain in Bloom: transforming local communities visitwww.rhs.org.uk/communities 

The organisers of Haddowfest have announced that the festival will now stage a monthly club night at The Liquid Rooms.

The first ‘Haddowfest:Presents’ will take place on 26 April 2013, with indie-folk band Meursault set to headline the event and curate the rest of the bill.

The night will be hosted by BBC Radio 1 DJ Ally McCrae, one of the nationwide station’s resident new music hosts.

Haddowfest, which will be staged for the fourth time next year, has seen the likes of The Cribs and Razorlight play alongside top Scottish bands at venues across the city. The first announcements on 2013’s line-up are expected in the next few weeks.

Tickets for ‘Haddowfest:Presents’ are available from Ripping Records and TicketWeb.

NEW EDINBURGH CHARITY SHOP SEEKS VOLUNTEERS

An Edinburgh charity shop opens its doors to the public next month and although it is on track to welcome the first eager bargain hunters, the shop is still in need of more volunteers to help run it.

Salvation Army Trading Company is set to open a shop at 65 Newington Road on 31 January 2013 at 10.30am. The shop will sell quality donated goods including clothes, accessories, bric-a-brac and household goods, with all profits gift-aided to The Salvation Army to help fund its valuable work throughout the UK.

After months spent collecting donated items, the is set to open with a host of designer bargains, which include a pair of Jimmy Choo boots, a Lladro ornament, an original Toskana leather coat and a Missoni designer handbag.

Although preparations are underway in terms of fitting out the shop there is always room for more helpers and the team is holding a volunteering open day on Wednesday 30 January, between 10am and 3pm, so that those interested in becoming a volunteer can come and learn more about what’s involved, as covering manager Maggie Hope explains:

“We rely heavily on the generosity of our volunteers, who are key members of the team in all our shops,” says shop manager Maggie Hope. “There are lots of different jobs that need doing from sorting through the donated stock to window dressing and helping customers with their purchases. We are also looking for volunteer drivers with their own transport to help pick up donations from people’s homes in the area. Volunteering is a fantastic way to learn new skills or brush up on old ones and a lovely way to give something back to community you live in. As well as knowing that giving your time will ultimately help The Salvation Army’s work throughout the UK including homeless services, elderly care, professional addiction services, family tracing and much more, you’ll also be helping people in the community who rely on shops like ours for quality goods they can afford. And it can be a lot of fun too!

“So if you think you can spare any time at all, from a few hours to a few days a week, please do get in touch – we’d love to hear from you. You don’t need any experience, although if you do have some retail knowledge we can definitely put it to good use.”

“We are also always grateful to accept donations from the public, whether it’s clothes, shoes, accessories, bric-a-brac or homewares. In fact, we know that items of small, portable furniture like nests of tables, stools and chairs are in demand at the moment so they would also be gratefully received. The only things we ask are that the items are clean and in good condition, and that no electrical items are included as we cannot safety test them.”

For more information on becoming a volunteer simply pop into the shop between 10am and 3pm on Wednesday 30 January or email volunteer@satradingco.org. For more information on Salvation Army Trading Company and all its shops, visit http://www.wear2shop.co.uk.

Submitted by Kerry-Rose O’Donnell

One of Scotland’s brightest young companies has bucked recent business trends and posted record profits.

In the face of a radically-changing sector, Bright Red Publishing has managed to ‘punch above its weight’, posting record profits in their fifth year of trading.

The most recent accounts – reflecting the 12 months to March 2012 – show a gross profit of £332,000 on a turnover in excess of three quarters of a million pounds. Net profits have rocketed from less than £1000 to nearly £60,000.

Twice named Education Publisher of the Year, Bright Red have shown that, despite the challenging conditions, hard work and innovative thinking can reap the rewards.

John MacPherson, director at Bright Red, commented: “The landscape of the publishing industry has changed in the five short years since we took the rather brave decision to set up shop in 2008. The challenges facing the industry are numerous, from the closure of major high street bookstores to the rise of new media, but we’re delighted at the success that Bright Red has managed to achieve over the last year.

“A big part of our approach is to embrace new ways of working, whether that’s communicating with our core audiences – the students – through social media or just making sure that our books and materials are being seen by the right people through some smart marketing.

“By working with the students and the educators, we can build some great resources for the education sector to use and that meet the needs of the students, no matter what or where they are studying.”

As well as offering parents and pupils the option of buying direct fromwww.brightredpublishing.co.uk, Bright Red, based in Edinburgh’s West End, will publish its first free mobile app later this year, providing even more support for students in the run up to the exam season in May.

The company is currently in the process of developing a suite of resources to support the evolving Curriculum for Excellence and new SQA National 5 qualifications, including a fully-interactive digital resource and mobile website which is being developed in conjunction with Edinburgh Napier University. They have also made the final five of the Local Business Accelerator awards for the Edinburgh region.

Saturday 23 March 2013 From 11am – 3pm

Muirhouse Millennium Community Centre is hosting a table top sale and you can reserve a table now.

Tables cost £7.50 for non centre members ( £5 for members )

Cafe will be open serving Tea, Coffees and Cakes

Why not pop along and pick up a bargain

Free entry for everyone

Call the Community Centre on 0131 467 3578, Pop in or Email: enquiremuirhouse@gmail.com

This is an indoor event – so the lovely Scottish weather will not put a damper on anything!

Submitted by Robert Pearson

A 26-year-old man who murdered a Polish man in his own flat in Edinburgh has been sentenced.

Maciej Ciania (34) pictured above was found dead in the address in Dickson Street on 14th January 2012.  He had suffered multiple stab wounds in an attack by his former friend, Grzegorz Gamla, who is also Polish.

At the High Court in Edinburgh today, Gamla received a life sentence, with a recommendation he serve a minimum of 19 years.

He had been previously found guilty of murder at the High Court on December 20 last year.  He was also found guilty of assault to severe injury for a previous assault on Mr Ciania.

The discovery of Mr Ciania’s body led to a murder enquiry that involved over 60 officers, and Lothian and Borders Police worked with Eastern European communities in the Capital as well as Polish authorities as part of the investigation.

Detective Chief Inspector Keith Hardie, from Lothian and Borders Police, said:- “Maciej Ciania’s family have lost a much-loved son and brother and experienced a truly terrible and life-changing ordeal.

“While nothing can compensate them for the pain they have endured, it is my hope that today’s sentence offers his family some form of closure.

“I am grateful to the Polish authorities who, along with Lothian and Borders Police and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, assisted in securing the timely arrest of Gregorz Gamla in Poland.

“The support provided to Lothian and Borders Police from the Polish community in Edinburgh, particularly from local churches and Polish support organizations, was also crucial in our investigation, and I would like to once again express my gratitude for this assistance.”

Musselburgh Warms Up for John Smith’s Scottish Cheltenham Trials Day

Britain’s deep freeze conditions continues to cast an icy chill over the racing industry, meaning Musselburgh’s John Smith’s Scottish Cheltenham Trials next Sunday 3 February 2013 takes on extra significance.

The East Lothian course has established its own Cheltenham Trials as an important staging post to the Festival proper and is preparing to offer a much sought after opportunity for trainers desperate to give their horses an outing.

Racecourse boss Bill Farnsworth is keeping in close contact with the BHA and is ready to spring in to action if further abandonments mean there is a requirement to stage an additional pre-Cheltenham trial race on the high quality card.

More than £100,000 prize money is on offer at what will be Musselburgh’s richest jumps card and this reflects the ambitions of the management to make this a not-to-be-missed fixture.

Three £20,000 races include the card highlight, the Class 2 John Smith’s Scottish Triumph Hurdle Trial, the John Smith’s Scottish Champion Steeple Chase and the John Smith’s Scottish County Hurdle.

And in keeping with providing a bona fide trials for Cheltenham prospects, Musselburgh has secured for the first time Cheltenham Festival sponsors Albert Bartlett, which supports a three mile £12,000 novices’ hurdle race, and the Country Gentleman’s Association which underwrites Scotland’s most valuable Hunter Chase, the £10,000 CGA Scottish Foxhunter Steeple Chase.

Bill Farnsworth said: “We really sympathise with those courses which have had to abandon racing and know from personal experience how painful it is to watch carefully laid plans slide from your grasp.

“It makes it even more imperative that trainers and jockeys get the chance to have a proper run out before Cheltenham and our John Smith’s Scottish Trials day is ready to fill that gap.

“It has come on leaps and bounds since we started the concept five years ago and we have strengthened the card again this year by adding two new races, the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle and the CGA Scottish Foxhunter Steeple Chase, which is Scotland’s richest race for amateur jockeys.

“The quality of entries we receive improves year on year and it will certainly be buoyed by the cold snap which has wiped out many fixtures and frustrates all in the racing industry. We have spoken to the BHA and are ready to do what we can to ease the pressure on training yards in the build up to Cheltenham and later Aintree.”

Fresh ground has been saved for the February 3 fixture and groundstaff are busy moving steeple chase fences, hurdles and running rail to provide the best possible ground. The going is currently  good to soft, good in places.

Winners announced today, at an Awards Ceremony at the The Byre Theatre, St Andrews

Creative Scotland announced the winners of the country’s Creative Place Awards today which includes a £50,000 award to Pathhead for their music collective.

The inspirational musical scene of the Pathhead Music Collective, the international creative links and artistic community initiatives in Huntly and the thriving arts venues and year round series of festivals of Kilmarnock all received awards in recognition of the opportunities offered for wide community involvement within in their creative initiatives.

Now in its second year, the Awards were established to celebrate and recognise the hard work and imagination that contribute to the rich cultural life of a community, as well as its social and economic well-being.  The initiative focuses on creative programmes in areas outwith Scotland’s main cities.

Representatives from the three communities received the awards at a ceremony hosted by broadcaster Dougie Vipond at The Byre Theatre, St Andrews.  The winners of each category received cash awards to enable them to enhance and promote their creative activity throughout 2013:

For places with up to 2,500 residents (£50,000), the winner is:

Pathhead, Midlothian is home to 15 acclaimed musicians including Martin Green, Tom Bancroft and Karine Polwart.  The Creative Place Award will support Pathhead Music Collective in its aim to make Pathhead internationally renowned as a centre of musical excellence through a range of activities, including increased performances, education outreach projects and three one day festivals.

For places with up to 10,000 residents (£100k), the winner is:

Huntly has developed world-wide creative community links through its ‘Town is the Venue’ programme.  Several projects, including the town re-branding, have been led by artists initiatives involving the community. The Creative Places Award will enable Huntly to create a roaming initiative, ‘Walks of Life’, bringing together physical walking initiatives with creative and cultural opportunities.   In addition, over three years, including the Year of Natural Scotland and Homecoming Scotland, local arts groups and individual artists will be able to collaborate on a new initiative ‘Hospitality in Huntly and District’.

Places with up to 100,000 residents (£150k), the winner is:

Kilmarnock’s thriving arts venues and their year round series of festivals including Kilmarnock Edition Festival, Kilmarnock Fair Festival, Summer Symphony, Harvest and Imprint Festivals, present an ambitious range of cross art form programming.  The Creative Place Award will enable the East Ayrshire Festivals to expand their programmes, including new work based in vacant shops in Kilmarnock as part of on-going work to regenerate the town centre.

Iain Munro, Director of Creative Development for Creative Scotland, said:  “These three communities are fantastic examples of how embedding arts and culture within the foundation of a community strengthens and improves people’s lives, impacting the social and economic wellbeing of the community.  The Awards celebrate how arts and creativity can promote the identity and character of a place.  Congratulations to all the winners and shortlisted places.  The creative vitality and energy demonstrated in this year’s shortlist is extremely impressive.”

Derek Mackay MSP, Minister for Local Government and Planning who attended the awards ceremony, said: “The Creative Place Awards provide inspiration for our people and visitors by encouraging and promoting the exceptional creative programmes that are taking place in towns, villages and communities across the country.  

“Culture really can be an important catalyst for economic development and a powerful force for regeneration. As well as attracting tourists and inward investment – creative and cultural activity helps to support and shape our communities and places – fostering and reinforcing people’s sense of identity and community cohesion. I congratulate the winners of today’s awards.”

The Awards were hosted in St Andrews, winner of the 2012 Creative Place Award for places with up to 100,000 residents.  Jacqueline McKay, former Chief Executive at the Byre Theatre (part of the team who submitted the Creative Place Award bid), said: “The Creative Place Award has provided a real focus for the arts in St Andrews. It has brought festivals together to work in partnership and better tell our creative stories with enhanced impact. We now have a Creative Hub that projects and festivals can work out of, and we’ve attracted additional support for our year round calendar of projects. Importantly we’ve established new opportunities to collaborate with the business and tourism community and are confident that this way of working is here to stay.”

Alan Tricker, the Byre Theatre’s current Chief Executive said:- “Being a recipient of the Creative Place Award has been tremendous for the Byre Theatre and St Andrews. We have been able to develop our relationship with local festivals, create a Festivals Office to help sustain them in the future, and lastly to put on a stunning performance of MacPherson’s Rant as part of the St Andrews Festival.  Having the 2013 Awards ceremony at the Byre closes the circle for us. It is the end of a successful and vibrant year, and the chance to show our wonderful theatre to the 2013 recipients. We wish them all success in their endeavours.”

The application process for the next awards in 2014 will be open in spring 2013, with an autumn deadline. Information about the application process can be found here: www.creativescotland.com/investment/nationalevents201214

For more information about the Creative Place Awards visit: http://www.creativescotland.com/explore/projects/creative-place-awards

NEW FREE NUMBER FOR NHS 24 – EASY TO REMEMBER AND FREE!

People in Scotland will no longer be charged for calling NHS 24 after April 2014 when the existing number will be replaced by 111.

The current cost to call NHS 24 from a BT landline is the price of a local phone call, with calls from other landline service providers and mobile providers often costing more.

SNP MSP Gordon MacDonald in welcoming the changes said: –

“This is fantastic news that will see people continue to receive the same high-quality service from NHS 24 without being charged.

“NHS 24 is designed to help people get the right care, from the right people, at the right time. The Staff at NHS 24 have been providing effective telephone support to the people of Scotland for the past decade, taking 1.5million calls every year.

“It is a fundamental principle of the SNP that our health service should be free at the point of contact – and the introduction of this number will ensure that is the case when people seek advice from NHS 24.

“The impact of introducing this free number could extend past easing the burden of people having to pay for it, as we could also see fewer people misusing 999 and accident and emergency.

“This is yet another step the SNP is taking to make our health service more user-friendly. With patient care safer than ever, we must continue this hard work and ensure our health service continues to go from strength to strength.”

International creative branding agency, threebrand, has been appointed by Turnberry, a Luxury Collection Resort, after a competitive four-way pitch, which included the incumbent agency.

Edinburgh based threebrand will create a range of assets that will communicate the 5 Red Star resort’s offering as one of the world’s most iconic hotel and golf destinations.

Stephen Walker, Director of Sales and Marketing at Turnberry, commented:- “We were excited by threebrand’s approach to the brief and the depth of research undertaken alongside great creative.

“We were seeking a dynamic and responsive creative agency to help push forward our key objectives and refresh our messaging into 2013.

“threebrand met and exceeded this by demonstrating a clear understanding of Turnberry and our luxury hotel and leisure offering.”

Situated on the West Coast of Scotland in Ayrshire, Turnberry is part of Starwood Hotels & Resorts much acclaimed Luxury Collection portfolio.

Client Services Director at threebrand, Lisa Gray, said:- “We are delighted to have been appointed by Turnberry.

“Turnberry will extend our client portfolio, joining our other premium clients, such as leading clothing manufacturer, Peter Scott and Sirius Intrepid Whisky Purveyors.

“We see Turnberry as an exciting opportunity to build upon and strengthen our experience within the luxury branding and design sector”.

threebrand is now busily working on its campaign for Turnberry.

For more information on threebrand visit www.threebrand.com 

You can also follow us on Twitter  and Facebook 

Greyfriars Bobby – Leith Academy reopens – Council Budget Consultation – Cairn Energy – Horse trials  

A plaster model of Edinburgh’s famous Greyfriars Bobby is being sold at Lyon & Turnbull on the 26th January 2013 as part of their Interiors Sale.  It is believed that it was originally made for Edinburgh Council to approve before the final statue, cast in bronze, was unveiled at its current location in Candlemaker Row.

The plaster model was owned by Chief Constable Willam Merrilees OBE of Lothian and Peebles Constabulary. He was given the model by the company who made the famous statue after he offered his help with making the 1961 Walt Disney film about the famous dog.

On a visit to America, Chief Constable Willam Merrilees met and became friendly with Walt Disney, and when the Disney Studios decided to make the film “Greyfriars Bobby”. Disney contacted Merrilees to consult him on suitable locations for the film. To thank him for his help, Walt Disney gave Merrilees the star of the film, a Skye terrier named “Wee Bobby”. “Wee Bobby” paid regular visits to the children at Trinity Lodge in Edinburgh, as well as appearing at various charity events to raise funds for good causes. He was joint ‘best man’ at Chief Constable Willam Merrilees marriage in 1968!

Margaret Cumming who is selling the statue and is the granddaughter of the owner said  “Wee Booby” had a very special place in our family and the statue is a happy reminder of him, but sadly in the future I will not have space to keep him, so I need to let it go.”

The catalogue listing reads:-

A brown painted plaster model of Greyfriars Bobby, on a circular wooden base, overall 51cm high; together with a VICTORIAN HAND TINTED PHOTOGRAPH, depicting a female with a Skye terrier, purporting to be Greyfriars Bobby, signed ‘Crowe and Rodgers, Stirling’, in a glazed frame, 32 x 25cm (2)
£500-£1,000

The Reporter was at the recent event held in Greyfriars Kirkyard to commemorate Greyfriars Bobby’s birthday and you can watch video from the event here.

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Leith Academy School (and Nursery) will be re-opened for pupils today Wednesday, 23 January 2013 at 8.30am. Heating issues have been addressed.

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A mere 336 people have responded to the council’s online budget survey, although other responses to the council’s monetary plans were also received by other means such as post and email.Today’s meeting at the City Chambers of the Policy Development and Review Sub-Committee of the Finance and Budget Committee will discuss the report on consultation feedback.

It has been proposed that council staff will in future be able to make cost cutting recommendations. There will also be a long term arrangement where anyone, whether a member of the public or a group involved in council work, will discuss what are described as ‘key budget issues’ such as transport, education and care for vulnerable people. The way that this will be done will be proposed at the February meeting of the committee.

The council’s draft budget will be discussed and ratified at a meeting of the council to be held on 7 February 2013

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Cairn Energy the Edinburgh based oil exploration company seems to be on a roll with its many exploration sites across the world. The company has issued the following statement about its future exploration plans:-

‘Over the next five years the Company expects to spend US$1.5 – US$2bn on its development assets (which will be partially debt funded); plus a rolling average annual programme of exploration and appraisal to average between US$250 to US$300 million (net of any Norwegian tax refunds).”

Cairn will issue its preliminary 2012 figures on 19 March 2013.

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The Courier reports that the Central Scotland Horse Trials are being relocated to Dalkeith Country Park from their long-established base at Scone Palace. The first event is due to take place in 2014.

REMAINS FOUND ON GOLF COURSE

Police have confirmed that remains have been found at Musselburgh’s Links Golf Course.

Officers arrived at the scene at midday on Tuesday and cordoned off the location.

A Lothian and Borders Police spokesperson added:- “Enquiries are ongoing regarding the discovery of ‘potential’ human remains at the Old Golf Course in Musselburgh. Those remains have been sent off for further forensic analysis.”

Uniformed officers were detailed overnightto protect the location situated at the world’s oldest links golf course.

Lothian and Borders Police are appealing for information after following a high-value fraud and theft in Edinburgh.

The incident happened sometime after 3pm on Tuesday 15th January in the East End of Princes Street.

A Chinese Buddhist woman had been within the St James Centre earlier in the day when two other Chinese women approached her and discussed the opportunity to meet with a spiritual healer.

After agreeing to meet the healer within the Balmoral Hotel, the 64-year-old was met by a third Chinese female who offered to bless her family’s valuables and cash.

She returned home and gathered large quantities of jewellery and money before placing them in a red bag and meeting all three females at the corner of West Register Street.

Once the items within the bag had been blessed, the woman returned home and was told not to open the bag for a few weeks in order to allow the charm to take effect.

However, after inspecting the contents of her bag a few days later, the victim discovered it had been swapped and her possessions were gone.

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

Constable Kris Harvey said:- “The victim has been specifically targeted because of her ethnicity and faith, having been led to believe her valuables were blessed to bring her family good luck.

“She has subsequently been robbed of several thousand pounds of cash and jewellery and has been left devastated as a result.

“All of the females who approached the woman are believed to be involved in this fraud and local enquiries are underway to trace them.

“Anyone who can assist officers with their investigation is asked to contact police immediately.”

Those with information can contact Lothian and Borders Police on 0131 311 3131, or the charity Crimestoppers in complete anonymity on 0800 555 111.

Police Commander for Edinburgh City Announced

The appointment of Chief Superintendent Mark Williams as the local police commander for City of Edinburgh has been announced today.

Chief Superintendent Williams, who has a wealth of experience policing the capital, has been appointed by Police Scotland Chief Constable Stephen House following consultation with The City of Edinburgh Council.

He said:- “I feel privileged to have been given this opportunity to play a key part in the new era of policing in Scotland. Tackling crime, supporting victims and working to protect the most vulnerable in our communities will be at the heart of everything the Edinburgh Division stands for.

“I am committed to building on the outstanding partnerships that already exist within the city and working with other agencies to prevent crime. Domestic abuse, violent crime and anti-social behaviour will be among my priorities.

“However I will also be listening to the people of Edinburgh and identifying and addressing their local priorities through the local policing plans for each council ward area.”

Chief Superintendent Williams joined Lothian and Borders Police in 1993. He served mainly in the capital, becoming the Superintendent for the busy city centre area which includes the Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh Castle, other iconic sites and all the associated major events and parades.

In 2010, he was promoted to Chief Superintendent and became the Divisional Commander for East and Mid Lothian. Most recently he lead a project for the National Police Reform Team and is currently attending the Strategic Command Course. He will take up his new post in mid March.

INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION INTO MORTONHALL CREMATORIUM

Following consideration on 15 January 2013 by the Transport and Environment Committee of the initial findings of the Council’s Mortonhall Crematorium Investigation, the Committee agreed to commission an appropriate independent expert to lead and direct a further investigation.

The City of Edinburgh Council has now confirmed that it has commissioned The Right Honourable Dame Elish Angiolini DBE QC to lead the further investigation. Dame Elish is the former Lord Advocate for Scotland and had a long and distinguished career in law before moving in to academia.

It is anticipated that Dame Elish will review the files, conduct further investigation and interviews and draw on such other expert advice as she deems necessary to enable her to reach her own findings. The current review by independent auditors PWC into the Crematorium records will feed into Dame Elish’s investigation, as will the policy review activity being led by the Council’s Services for Communities directorate in consultation with key stakeholders including SANDS Lothian.

Dame Elish will report to council Chief Executive, Sue Bruce. The findings of the investigation will be reported to the Council’s Transport and Environment Committee which is led by Councillor Lesley Hinds.

The precise start date of the investigation will be contingent on clarification from Lothian and Borders Police of the status of complaints made to them in relation to Mortonhall Crematorium to ensure that any police investigation is not impeded.

The council have confirmed that the scope of the further investigation, which may be subject to amendment as the investigation makes progress, is as follows:

• Assess and review the initial findings;
• Review the findings of the audit of crematorium records which is currently underway;
• Assess and review the Council’s arrangements for communicating with all parents who have registered an enquiry and who are to receive a full response to their enquiry supported by the relevant documentation;
• Establish whether the evidence from the records audit, the initial findings and any other interviews indicate failures in professional standards and/or management practices;
• Assess and comment on the arrangements to review current policy and practice recommended in the attached report and contribute as necessary;
• Assess and comment on the communication process between Mortonhall, NHS Lothian, funeral directors and bereaved parents;
• Review national guidance and policy and practice in other authorities in order to establish whether guidance within Edinburgh requires to be reviewed and refreshed; and
• Any other relevant matters relating to this scope according to the progress of the independent investigation.

Councillor Hinds said:- “I am very pleased at the appointment of Dame Elish Angiolini. As a former Lord Advocate, Dame Elish is held in the highest esteem and reflects the authority and experience required to properly investigate this significant and sensitive matter. I look forward to receiving her findings.”

LOTHIAN BUSES LAUNCHES ITS SOCIAL MEDIA BUS

Can you imagine life without your smartphone?

It is becoming increasingly important to everyone to be able to get information on the move, whether that is travel information, news or simply finding out what their friends are up to.

Over half of UK residents are registered on Facebook and there are over 34 million UK twitter accounts.

Lothian Buses Facebook and Twitter accounts are followed by almost 20,000 thousand people every day who are looking for travel information, service updates, company events and news.  The company also have a free phone app, Edinburgh by Bus, which provides real time bus departure times and a journey planner.

Today the Company launched their distinctive blue Social Media bus.  The bus livery shows travellers the many ways they can connect with Lothian Buses while on the move and includes quotes from bus passengers as well as famous people outlining their thoughts on social media.

As an added attraction for travellers, the bus has been fitted with free onboard wi-fi.

Ian Craig, managing director of Lothian Buses, said:-

‘Social media is a ideal way for us to communicate information to our passengers.  We hope our new social media bus will raise awareness of our Twitter and Facebook acounts which will allow more customers to get our real time bus and travel information and updates, to help them get around our operating area.’

Follow Lothian Buses twitter account https://twitter.com/on_lothianbuses

Or Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/lothianbuses

A 95-year-old woman was treated for smoke inhalation after a microwave went on fire in her Edinburgh home yesterday evening.

Firefighters were called to a tenement building on Dunedin Street shortly before 6.30pm after a report of a blaze. They discovered a microwave had caught fire in a second floor flat occupied by a 95-year-old woman. She had suffered smoke inhalation and was treated with oxygen by fire crews at the scene.

Two firefighters in breathing apparatus used a high-pressure hose reel to put out the fire. Crews then vented the stairway of smoke.

Four appliances went to the incident with a total of seventeen firefighters involved in ensuring no one else in the building was affected and making the building safe.

Appeal for witnesses to robbery – Blue Badges – SCORE Scotland – RNLI Queensferry – Jobs at the Film Festival

Police are renewing their appeal for witnesses to last week’s robbery at Rox jewellers on George Street. More here.

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Dennis Robertson MSP is launching a Holyrood consultation today on measures to improve enforcement of people using blue badges. No doubt he will be accompanied by that venerable tweeter Mr Q, who is Mr Robertson’s guide dog.  He has already tweeted about Dennis speaking about blue badges on Good Morning Scotland! Leith Academy pupils

Having provided quality picture framing to the people of Edinburgh for the past 21 Years, Blackhall Framing Gallery are launching a brand new retail experience for their customers. The gallery, located at 18 Hillhouse Road, on the main A90 road into Edinburgh in Blackhall reopened on 21 January 2013. This follows an extensive refurbishment project that they hope will allow them to provide the very best selection and choice of any picture framer in Edinburgh.

Blackhall Framing Gallery is a family run business specialising in quality custom picture framing, art and gifts. The refurbishment is designed to improve the retail experience for customers and provide additional display space for quality art. The shop is brighter and easier to navigate, allowing customers to easily see all items on display. The new moulding display area has been specially designed for the store and now allows customers access to the full selection of the 1500 plus frames available.

The proprietor is Mary Case, who is a Guild Commended Framer. When asked what makes the new store so special she said:- “Our new retail store allows us to offer the very best service, choice and experience that our existing clients have come to expect. We will also be able to provide an increased choice of frame and glass options. In addition we have introduced new visualisation software that will allow our customers to see on screen how their artwork will look once framed. Customers will be able to see at a glance how different framing and mount options affect the overall look of their artwork, allowing them to make a fully informed decision. ”

Complimentary tea and coffee is also available while you shop.

Submitted by Grahame Case

A special year for RNLI Queensferry Lifeboat Station with the busiest inshore lifeboat in Scotland.

2012 proved to be a landmark year for the RNLI Queensferry Lifeboat Station having moved into their newly built lifeboat station at the Hawes Pier, South Queensferry. They took delivery of the latest Atlantic 85 lifeboat Jimmie Cairncross and finished the year as Scotland’s busiest inshore lifeboat for the second year running.

The dedicated crew is made up wholly from volunteers under the guidance of RNLI Queensferry Lifeboat Station Operations Manager, Tom Robertson MBE. They are on call 24 hours a day and were summoned out on 66 rescue missions last year. They rescued 163 people and were out at sea for over 350 hours in a variety of ‘shouts’ from searching for a missing kite surfer off Silverknowes in ferocious weather conditions, to rescuing Sea Scouts on an inflatable which had suffered engine failure. They were towed safely to Port Edgar Marina.

Another rescue involved a Seamaster Yacht ‘Prospect’ which had a snapped tiller off Inchcolm Island. In July the yacht ‘Frith’ ran aground on rocks at Hawcraig Point off Aberdour. The crew towed her free from the rocks and returned her safely to Burntisland.

The lifeboat crew came to the aid of a variety of distressed men, women and children on Cramond Island with an injured child, a female with an injured foot, a man with a broken leg and another with a head injury. They also responded to a report of a distressed pregnant woman having a miscarriage on the island. All were landed at Cramond where the waiting paramedics and ambulances transported them to hospital for treatment.

In December the crew were called out again to Cramond Island by the coastguard where adults with children had tried to wade ashore in the fast incoming tide. They found the water to be chest deep and were reportedly relieved to be taken aboard the lifeboat and returned safely to Cramond where some needed treatment for hypothermia. Over the years there have been many people caught out by the tide on Cramond Island, despite all the safety warnings.

In May the crew responded to a ‘shout’ and put their extensive first aid training to good use when a male was reported to have fallen from the Forth Road Bridge. The casualty was recovered quickly but was unconscious and was not breathing. Lifeboatmen Ross Denver and Jonathan Payne administered CPR as the lifeboat sped back to the Hawes Pier. After many compressions the casualty started breathing again and was then handed over to the care of the waiting paramedics and taken by ambulance to hospital. The man’s family contacted the lifeboat station to thank the crew for saving his life.

All of last year’s work highlights the invaluable work carried out by the RNLI lifeboat service and the dedication of the volunteer crew at Queensferry Lifeboat Station.

From Bonnyrigg to Bollywood

Eight Boys’ Brigade (BB) members from 51^st Edinburgh are preparing for a trip to India, to meet four children who are being educated, thanks to a BB fundraising campaign.

The Bonnyrigg-based BB Company has been sponsoring 15 year-old Ajit, 14 year-olds Irfan and Divka and 13 year-old Harshada by putting them through school at Lady Khatun Marium Navik School in Nhava, India.

BB members Lewis Houliston, Blair Wright, Michael Daniel and Jay Aird, along with four officers are flying to India on 9 February 2013, for the first visit since the project was started eight years ago.  The project, set up by former BB treasurer, Eric Lamb, pays for schooling costs as well as uniforms and meals for the four youngsters

Over the past few months, the BB has raised more than £900 for the Indian youngsters through various bucket shaking events.

The Bonnyrigg young people are also packing lots of socks to take with them.

BB member, Lewis said:-

“We asked the teacher in India what else they needed and the reply was socks!  It’s hard to get hold of good quality white socks there, which are part of their school uniform, so we are packing a case-full and taking them with us.”

After buying the socks, any money left over will be given to the school itself to pay for new equipment.

Derek Houliston, Captain, 51^st Edinburgh, Boys’ Brigade said:-

“We are all very excited about our trip to India.  Even though we haven’t been over there before, we feel like we know the children already.  They send us letters and cards regularly and we can’t wait to actually meet them.

“For eight years, 51^st Edinburgh BB has been sponsoring these children, who otherwise, would not be getting an education at all.  All the young people here are very keen to help out fundraising and have been taking part in various events, including shaking buckets outside the Playhouse, where we raised £800 in one night.”

It costs £100 per child, per year for their education, all of which is paid for with BB funds.