Colleges Come Together To Showcase Best of the Fest

Over 4,000 people attended a series of events, designed to showcase student talent and success, as part of Edinburgh’s biggest student-led festival.

The Edinburgh Colleges Festival has brought together the collective student talent present at Edinburgh’s Telford College, Jewel & Esk College and Stevenson College Edinburgh ahead of the proposed merger of all three establishments, set to take place later this year.

Proving they can work together to offer the very best in student focused further education across a variety of sectors, the event featured the work and performances of over 1,000 students from all three colleges.

Showcasing sporting, arts and design, music, performing arts and hospitality achievements among others, the festival programme featured an impressive 43 events, over a six week period.

Brian Lister, Interim Principal for Edinburgh College, said: “This year’s festival has been a huge success, not only in terms of its size and scale, but the fact that it demonstrates the potential of the Edinburgh College, for offering one of the biggest and best further education facilities.

“The merger of the three colleges has the interest of the students at its heart and so it made sense that we brought together the collective talent of the combined student body for the Festival.

“I attended several of the events myself and it was a great pleasure to see the hard work and talent of all the students involved. There are definitely a few future stars out there and we wish every single student the very best of luck in their future careers.

“We look forward to building upon the success of this year’s vent in years to come and not only make next year’s event even bigger and better, but ensure that the positive and collective hard work of all three colleges is taken forward under the Edinburgh College brand.”

Feedback about the festival from an online survey was extremely positive and revealed that 100% of people would like to see an Edinburgh Colleges Festival in 2013 – 34% of these being members of the local communities surrounding the colleges.

Highlights of the festival included a Celebration of Achievement event at Jewel & Esk College, which recognised and celebrated the talent of its FE students, as well as the ‘Exposed’ photography exhibition, featuring work from Stevenson’s final year photography students which was attended by over 300 people.

A final highlight was the Gala Launch dinner hosted by hospitality and catering students at Edinburgh’s Telford College with music and performances by students from across the three colleges. The event was also attended by Mike Russell, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning.

The new Edinburgh College will be formed later this year when Edinburgh’s Telford College, Jewel & Esk College and Stevenson College Edinburgh merge. The merger will bring together around 35,000 students across four main campuses, helping strengthen and grow the further education offering across Edinburgh and the Lothians.

A Scottish events firm is hoping to develop its business in Edinburgh with two new key appointments to the company.

Roselle, already a well established business with a £3million turnover, has appointed a new Managing Director as well as a new Business Development Manager to its growing Edinburgh office.

The company which plans and produces a wide range of events for corporate and business clients has appointed Charlotte McIntosh, 30, as the new Managing Director.

The former Operations Director was promoted earlier this month after working hard in her former role to maintain focus on the Edinburgh events market, as well as contributing largely to last year’s successful turnover.

Charlotte said:- “I am delighted to be appointed as the new Managing Director of Roselle.

“I started in the company in February 2010 and have continued to work hard on our key focus of client focused relationships and success driven events.

“2011 was an extremely successful year for Roselle with a 30% growth on our annual turnover from the previous year. Our continuous hard work is evident with a record number of new proposals being submitted to new and existing clients as well as total of 76 events being organised over six different countries.”

Keen to continue its focus on the events market in Edinburgh, Roselle has also appointed a new Business Development Manager to work on building business in the capital.

Amanda Kirk,28, former Sales Manager at Perth Racecourse will be tasked to grow Roselle’s business outside its core business within the pharmaceutical, energy and financial sectors as well as establishing key relationships in distribution and procurement.

Amanda said: “I’m delighted to start my position of Business Development Manager within Roselle’s Edinburgh office.

“One of the things that drew me to Roselle was its values and they way in which they develop key relationships within the different industries they are working within. It’s an extremely honest company which translates positive energy in to each project they work on.

“I’m excited to work alongside the team in Edinburgh and look forward to growing the business in the central belt.”

Charlotte continued: “We are excited to welcome Amanda to the Roselle team.

“Her job will be extremely important in the company as we continue to maintain our focus and grow our business in Edinburgh.

“She will be a key force in establishing new relationships with different sectors we have maybe not worked in before as well as ensuring our network of contacts within distribution and procurement continues to grow.”

Roselle which has offices in Aberdeen and Edinburgh has a decade of experience in working with a range of blue chip clients organising events which includes conferences, incentive and recognition days, award dinners, dinner dances and product launches.

It also provides innovative event solutions in the UK & worldwide with event theming, event branding and registration website solutions on a separate basis.

It breathes, it roars – come face to face with a dinosaur at Our Dynamic Earth

This summer, Edinburgh’s five star attraction Our Dynamic Earth is welcoming its oldest and most fascinating visitor to date – a 125 million year old dinosaur!

Brought to life by the wonders of modern technology, Tiny the dinosaur will be keeping audiences captivated with daily shows at Dynamic Earth, where visitors can meet Edinburgh’s very special guest face to face.

In Scotland for the first time, this interactive experience allows audiences to pet and even feed the dinosaur, while also discovering how dinosaurs lived and why they disappeared. Tiny will be accompanied by a palaeontologist, who will present a lively and informative natural history show in which audiences are encouraged to share their knowledge of dinosaurs and to come up with some theories of their own.

Commenting on Our Dynamic Earth’s summer guest, Eilidh Massie, marketing manager of Dynamic Earth said: “This is a unique opportunity to get up close with a dinosaur for the first time since the Cretaceous era. The show is fascinating and we’re confident that adults and children alike are going to love Tiny.”

Along with the opportunity to meet a dinosaur, Our Dynamic Earth also features Scotland’s only permanent 4D cinema, a real iceberg, a bone-shaking earthquake, a tropical rainforest with actual rain and two recently launched 360-degree full dome projection films. These superbly rendered animations are strikingly realistic, and screened with 10.2 surround sound, providing a fully immersive cinematic experience – unique in Scotland.

Tiny and the palaeontologist will be performing at Our Dynamic Earth, three times a day most afternoons from today until 12 August.

For more information on events and activities happening this summer at Our Dynamic Earth, visit www.dynamicearth.co.uk.

Arthur’s Seat will resonate to an electronic score during Edinburgh International Festival 2012. Thousands of walkers will create the music, which is triggered by altitude and movement, as they participate in NVA’s Speed of Light.

One of Scotland’s major contributions to London 2012 Festival and the Cultural Olympiad, NVA’s Speed of Light fuses sport and art, and gives audiences the chance to become a vital part of the show. During the nightly performances over the three weeks of the Edinburgh International Festival, opening on Thursday 9 August, runners who have signed up from around the world will wear specially designed light suits, dynamically illuminating the hillside.

Contributing to the spectacular patterns of light across the mountain, the audience carry specially commissioned lit walking staffs as they walk to the summit. Tickets to be part of the walking audience are still available.

Innovative software contained in the walker’s sticks now means they will also help to create the musical soundscape.

Resonance Radio Orchestra, a group devoted to the live performance of radiophonic art, has been commissioned by NVA to create the soundtrack for the audiences’ experience on the mountain. Each of the walker’s light sticks contains an individually encoded micro-computer. The score, created by Resonance Radio Orchestra, is uploaded to these computers. Movement and altitude trigger the music, causing the pitch and volume to alter. As the walkers ascend Arthur’s Seat they create a layered and ever-changing musical effect which will never be the same twice.

The walkers will be guided across Arthur’s Seat by walk leaders. Describing her experience at a recent rehearsal, walk leader Angelika Kroeger, who is travelling from Inverness to take part in the event, said:

‘At a recent training session we had the opportunity to get a glimpse of how the event will look for the audience and it surpassed all expectations. It is fascinating to watch especially against the background of the more static lights of the city. It is like watching the sea, where you can’t take your eyes off it, because it is constantly changing, and through your own movement you are part of this, of the choreography and the artwork.’

NVA’s Speed of Light takes place on:

9–12, 15 –19, 22–27, 29–31 August and 1 September
Guided walking groups meet at NVA’s Speed of Light base every 15 minutes at 9.15pm, 9.30pm, 9.45pm, 10.00pm, 10.15pm, 10.30pm, 10.45pm and 11.00pm

Tickets £24 or £18(concession) available from www.eif.co.uk/speedoflight

Greenpeace have closed a number of Shell petrol stations in Edinburgh as part of a day of action to highlight the company’s policy of drilling for oil in the Arctic.

Fourteen garages throughout the city have been targeted along with 86 in London.

At 6.45am, activists from Edinburgh Greenpeace visited the Shell garage in Dalry Road and disconnected the petrol supply to the pumps. Two activists climbed onto the roof and pitched a tent before unfurling two banners. One reads ‘Save the Arctic’ while the other shows various Arctic wildlife.

In response, three  police cars and a van containing an inspector and eight officers, attended the scene, but so far no attempt has been made to forcibly remove the protestors.

Climate Campaigner Richard George from Greenpeace London Headquarters told The Edinburgh Reporter:- “Greenpeace has declared a day of action against Shell, targeting one hundred petrol stations in London and Edinburgh, in protest against them drilling for oil in the Arctic. This is not like drilling for oil in the North Sea. The Arctic is deeper, colder and more hazardous with the risks of an oil spill far greater and the impact more severe. There would be no way to clean up any oil spill there.

“This is part of a campaign, and we have been focussing on Shell in particular. Already this year Greenpeace have boarded drilling ships from New Zealand and Scandinavia.

“Although I am from the London office, most of the people involoved in today’s action are from Edinburgh. As well as the Dalry Road garage, we have people out and about in Edinburgh on bikes and low emission cars visiting other garages.”

Staff in the garage were unavailable for comment.

Greenpeace have a livestream video about today’s events which you can access here 

Greenpeace demo  – Terrorist arrest – City centre Traffic management – Fringe App –  CHAS Big Picnic

Greenpeace have occupied Shell garages across Edinburgh this morning, stopping them from selling petrol. John Hislop has been to Dalry Road and we will be bringing you his full report shortly.

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One of Spain’s most wanted criminals has been arrested in Edinburgh and will appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court this morning.  Benat Atorrasagasti Ordonez was apprehended in Leith on Friday where he may have been living (under his own name) for about 10 years according to The Daily Record. 

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The council have reported that Broughton Street has reopened to traffic this weekend as the next major programme of city centre tram works gets underway on York Place.

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Tickets for shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe can now be bought through the Fringe App for iPhone and Android smartphones.

This is the third year that the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society have developed an App in conjunction with Edinburgh based developer Kotikan. Last year the Fringe App, , was downloaded over 45,000 times, a figure the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society hope to build on this year.

Kath M Mainland, the Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society said:

“We think this app makes us the biggest mobile box office in the world. It allows anyone with an iPhone or an Android phone to buy tickets for the shows that make up the 2012 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.”

“It’s very simple, you can buy tickets for a show on the app and then collect the physical tickets from our collection points at the Fringe Box Offices on the High Street, at Glasgow Queen Street Station, at the Virgin Money Half Price Hut and at the University of Edinburgh Visitor’s Centre on Bristo Square.

“You can use the app to navigate your way around the 279 venues putting on events this August. The app will tell you which shows are starting soon, which shows are closest to you and which shows are available at the Virgin Money Half Price Hut each day.”

Gavin Dutch, CEO of Kotikan said:

“This August, Kotikan and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe are hoping to build on the success of last year. We’re massively excited about the Fringe this year and we hope the app helps people get the most out of it.”

The app allows people to organise their Fringe events with My Festival planner and share details with friends on Facebook and Twitter.

There are also details on all the shows selling tickets at the Virgin Money Half Price Hut as well information on the show happening next and the show that’s happening nearest to the phone’s user.

The app is free to download and is available from the iTunes Store, Google Play andwww.kotikan.com.

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Children’s Hospice Association Scotland (CHAS) the charity that provides the only children’s hospice services in Scotland is inviting the public to bring their lunch and join in a big picnic this Friday 20 July 2012 at St Andrew Square Gardens.

Supported by Essential Edinburgh, the picnic from 12-2pm, will launch ‘Time for CHAS’ a new campaign encouraging families, friends and colleagues to spend time together raising money for CHAS. Everyone attending on 20 July will be asked to donate the money they would normally spend on their lunch to CHAS who run two children’s hospices, Rachel House and Robin House and a homecare service across Scotland called CHAS at Home.

CHAS Fundraiser Kirsten Dugan said: “Time for CHAS encourages everyone to have fun doing something for CHAS, whether that’s putting on their own event, taking part in someone else’s or simply donating to CHAS. We’re kicking off the campaign with our St Andrew Square picnic and hope to see a big crowd in the gardens.”

To find out more and download a leaflet of fundraising ideas to support the campaign visit www.chas.org.uk or call 0131 444 1900.

New signing Tim Clancy opened his Hibs goal-scoring account with a stunning 25 yard free-kick to secure a 2-0 victory over second division East Fife at New Bayview Stadium on Saturday.

There was a familiar face in the home dug out for the travelling support. Gordon ‘Jukebox’ Durie had a successful spell in the green and white, making 47 appearances and scoring 14 goals before attracting the attention of Chelsea. Durie then moved to Spurs and Rangers before ending his career with Hearts.

Before the game, The Edinburgh Reporter spoke to some of the Hibs fans to gauge their thoughts ahead of this season.

Craig McGroarty from Hamilton said:- “You never know with the Hibs. I hope we are better than last season, but I’m not expecting anything brilliant. So far I’ve been pleased with the new signings but we need a couple of strikers at least.”

His views were echoed by pal Terry Daykin from Leith who said:- “I’m confident ahead of next season. We have to fight for second place and bring more supporters back. It’s good to see McPake back, and I know some Falkirk fans who have seen Cairney play and they tell me he is a good player. We need another goalkeeper and definitely a big striker.”

Father and son Peter and Finlay Hart from Silverknowes suggested that the attitude of the team last year was not right. Peter said; “We need to get some bottle on the park and believe in themselves. Any team would like to have someone like James McPake to solidify the side.”

The game had been hastily arranged after the midweek clash with Rapid Bucharest which was due to have taken place at Grangemouth was cancelled due to a waterlogged pitch.

A sizeable Hibs support made the journey across the Forth to see the debuts of new keeper Ben Williams, Tim Clancy and Paul Cairney, along with the return of captain James McPake who received a tremendous ovation when he led the team out.

Tim Clancy started the game at right back, with Paul Hanlon on the left. McPake was partnered in defence by David Stephens.

Eoin Doyle was up front on his own and whilst he worked hard, he was unable to penetrate the Fifers rear-guard.

Hibs began brightly, and Ivan Sproule was unlucky to see his long range shot tipped over the bar, and even more unlucky when the referee awarded a goal kick, to the annoyance of the Hibs fans.

Scotland under 21 international David Wotherspoon looked lively and had two long range efforts which struck the post and then the bar, as the Easter Road men dominated possession.

Hibs should have had a penalty when an East Fife defender handled a Cairney corner, but the referee was away the appeals.

It was East Fife however who almost opened the scoring when full back Johnstone hit a speculative cross which deceived keeper Big Ben Williams who was delighted to see the long range effort strike the crossbar and bounce to safety.

In the second half, young Ross Caldwell replaced Doyle, and made his mark within five minutes when he held off an East Fife defender before finding Paul Cairney on the left wing. New Signing Cairney’s cross found Sproule unmarked in the box, and the Northern Irish international blasted the ball past the helpless keeper.

Caldwell had the ball in the net a few minutes later, but his lob was ruled out for offside.

Isaiah Osbourne was unlucky to see two well struck shots saved before Tim Clancy wrapped things up. With fifteen minutes remaining, Pa Kujabi was brought down on the edge of the box, and Clancy curled a twenty five yard free kick over the wall into the top corner.

All three new signings played their part in the victory. Williams looked confident and was continually shouting instructions to his defenders, whilst Clancy fitted played well at right back in the first half then replaced Stephens at centre back in the second. Cairney showed some nice touches on the left and linked up well with Hanlon.

After the game, Pat Fenlon said:- “It was disappointing with the game being called off through the week, but it was great to get a game before we travel. There was a lot of positives in it and obviously a lot of stuff we need to work on but I’m happy enough but maybe over the weekend we can work on things that weren’t right although a lot of it  was decent enough. We didn’t sign Tim Clancy for his ability to take a free kick, so that’s a bonus. It’s like everything, it takes the lads time to settle in but they have worked really hard for two weeks. Today, I thought we started really well for twenty five minutes and started the second half in a high tempo as well. We should have scored more today, we had two or three other really good chances.”

On Tuesday, the squad fly out to Belgium for their pre-season tour.

Legionella – Pufflings – Taste of Edinburgh – Dovecot Studios – Portable hotel

The latest reports on the Edinburgh Legionnaires’ outbreak show that one further person has been confirmed with the illness.The person has been unwell for some time, and is being treated in hospital.

This brings the total number of confirmed cases to 52 and the number of suspected cases is 48. The total number of overall cases is 100.

At noon yesterday, of those cases being treated in hospital, there were two patients in intensive care and six on general wards. A total of 20 cases are being treated in the community, 59 have been discharged from hospital and three people have sadly died. Ten cases are being treated outwith the NHS Lothian area. The ages of the confirmed cases ranges between 32 and 85, with more males than females affected.

Investigations into the source and cause of the outbreak continue.  Lothian and Borders Police and the Health and Safety Executive are jointly investigating the circumstances of the deaths under the direction of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) Health and Safety Division.

Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said:

“The latest case of Legionnaires’ has been ill for some time, and has now been identified as a confirmed case. Over recent days as expected, we have not seen as many cases of Legionnaires’ as we did at the peak of the outbreak, and this continues to offer reassurance that the outbreak remains under control. NHS Lothian are maintaining high quality care for patients who remain unwell and investigations continue to identify and deal with the source of the outbreak.”

Dr Richard Othieno, Consultant in Public Health Medicine, NHS Lothian, said:

“While this is the first new case in more than a week, it is not unexpected. As the outbreak draws to a close we can expect to see a small number of cases coming forward who have experienced mild symptoms initially and have sought medical attention later in their illness.”

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The Scottish Seabird Centre, North Berwick, is appealing to the public to keep their eyes peeled for young puffins,which are known as pufflings, following two occurrences of them making their way inland over the last few days.

A puffling, named Buddy by the team at the Centre, was found wandering the corridors of the Macdonald Marine Hotel & Spa! Sam McCaskill, who works at the hotel, alerted the team at the Seabird Centre who were on hand immediately to assist with the hotel’s new guest.

Buddy initially resisted feeding but soon had his fill of tasty fresh whitebait from the Seabird Café. Once it was established he was fit and healthy, the following evening Seabird Centre guide Maggie Sheddan took Buddy to the pier and he jumped into the sea and swam off towards the island of Craigleith, home to the Centre’s SOS Puffin project.

A second puffling, known as Feisty, was brought into the Centre by a North Berwick resident after being found at Mitchell’s Garage on Dunbar Road. Feisty was also fed whitebait by Maggie Sheddan and released once it was established he was ok.

Tom Brock OBE, Chief Executive of the Scottish Seabird Centre, said: “Every year the pufflings get attracted into the town by the lights, when they leave their burrows. This puts them at risk as they often wander under cars or they can be attacked by pets and other animals.

“We are appealing for everyone in North Berwick, and coastal towns in East Lothian, to please keep their eyes peeled to help save any more pufflings who have lost their way. Please contact the Centre and we will coordinate a rescue.

“We know from watching our live interactive cameras on the nearby islands that there are still plenty of pufflings in their burrows as we see the adults returning with fish in their beaks to feed their young. However, we suspect that many puffin burrows may have been flooded in the recent wet weather. With people’s help, we would like to save as many lost pufflings as possible.”

From 09:00 to 17:30 anyone who finds a puffling should call 01620 890202 and outwith these hours please call Maggie on 07709 505 133.

Pufflings look very different from their adult counterparts – they are shades of grey rather than the distinctive black and white, and their beaks are also grey, rather than the bright colours of the adults.

The puffins and pufflings will remain on the Firth of Forth islands until the start of August, before spending the autumn and winter out at sea. Visitors to the award-winning Discovery Centre can zoom in on the puffin action on the islands of Craigleith, Fidra and Isle of May National Nature Reserve with interactive live cameras which do not disturb the wildlife in any way.

The Centre also runs a range of boat trips which enable visitors to travel round the Firth of Forth islands to take photographs of the seabirds and other marine wildlife.

For further information on the Scottish Seabird Centre visit www.seabird.org

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Taste of Edinburgh was cancelled due to adverse weather last weekend. The nice people at Eteaket were so disappointed that they are offering a discount on online purchases of their tea to help make up for it. You can access the money off voucher here.

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Dovecot Studios are putting on a major new exhibition starting from today. This is what they say about it:-“This is the first major Dovecot tapestry exhibition to be presented in Scotland for over thirty years. Curated by art historian Dr Elizabeth Cumming and presented across all three of Dovecot’s public gallery spaces. The exhibition features over 60 tapestries, rugs and rarely seen works on loan from major museums and private collections in America and Britain.

In the one hundred years since it was established Dovecot weavers have built a reputation of collaborated with leading international modern and contemporary artists, a tradition which continues today. Weaving The Century: Tapestry from Dovecot Studios 1912-2012 will bring together work from many of these artists including: David Hockney, Paul Gauguin, Elizabeth Blackadder, Sir Peter Blake, Edward Wadsworth, Cecil Beaton, Graham Sutherland, Eduardo Paolozzi, Louise Nevelson and Claire Barclay.

The works in the exhibition show the broad range of artistic and technical weaving styles that has firmly established Dovecot’s reputation as a centre for excellence and innovation offering the definitive account of one of the world’s most innovative centres of textile-art production.

Following the Edinburgh run of Weaving The Century: Tapestry from Dovecot Studios 1912-2012, the exhibition will embark on a UK tour.”

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STV report on the portable hotel which will be used to increase the number of beds available in the city during the Festival. The portacabin hotel will be erected in the Canongate.

An Edinburgh student has sharpened his job prospects after receiving a nomination for one of the design and creative industry’s leading awards.

Steven Brown, 28, who studied HND Visual Communication (Graphic Design) at Edinburgh’s Telford College, made the shortlist for this year’s D&AD Student Yellow Pencil Awards, thanks to his creative installation design for Coutts private banking.  This is not the first time that the talented student from Leith, Edinburgh, has found himself up for a prestigious award this year, after he was nominated and awarded the top prize of Star Creative Student at 2012’s Marketing Society’s Star Awards.

Steven said: “It was a fantastic honour to be nominated for a Yellow Pencil Award, one of the biggest awards in the industry attracting creative talent from all over the world. The project was a great opportunity for me to showcase my ability across all elements of, graphic and digital design and I was really pleased with the finished entry.

“Although I didn’t win I see the nomination as a huge achievement in itself and this alongside my Marketing Society Award has really helped me get a foot hold on the career ladder – landing my first full time job in the industry.”

The rising star has now taken the position of Junior Designer with leading digital agency HeeHaw were he will now use his creative talents on a range of clients including, RBS, Marriott and The City of Edinburgh Council.  Having already completed a placement and carried out part time work for the company, Steven was delighted to accept their offer, saying it is exactly the type of company he dreamed of becoming involved with.

He said: “It has always been my aim to work for a renowned digital agency and now I have been given a great opportunity to do so with one of Scotland’s biggest and well known agencies. Thanks to the teaching and training I received at the college I can now explore my creative skills to their full ability.”

The Yellow Pencil Awards are a category within the prestigious, annual D&AD Awards, which are recognised worldwide and set the standard for creative excellence across the globe.  Edinburgh’s Telford College provides a wide range of career-related programmes to help learners progress into work or University education. Currently the College has around 17,000 students and 600 members of staff

An innovative scheme aimed at getting more pupils on their bikes, which was piloted at schools in Edinburgh, has won a Scottish Transport Award.

The 12 schools involved in the I Bike scheme have reported an increase in the number of children cycling to class, as well as a fall in the number of those being driven.

Run in partnership by transport charity Sustrans and the City of Edinburgh Council, I Bike was launched in 2009 and is set to be rolled out to more schools across the Capital and to other local authorities following its success.

The programme aims to identify and break down barriers preventing children from cycling at both primary and secondary school level, then uses tailored schemes to encourage them to cycle both to school and for leisure.

Since I Bike’s launch, the number of pupils regularly cycling to school has risen from 10.7% to 19.3%, while the number being driven dropped from 23.9% to 17.2%.

I Bike was awarded the Best Practice in Travel to School and Work schemes at the transport awards.

Each school involved had a bike crew which leads the project. Schemes included bike and helmet decorating, “hi-viz” days when pupils wore bright clothes to school, and “beauty and the bike”, specifically aimed at secondary school girls after Edinburgh University research revealed that older girls are more likely to become less physically active than older boys.

Transport Convener Councillor Lesley Hinds said: “Congratulations to all of those involved in the I Bike scheme, it is fantastic to see that such an innovative project to encourage pupils to get out of cars and onto their bikes is paying off.

“Regular exercise improves the concentration of pupils in the classroom as well as keeping them fit and healthy. We will continue to work with organisations such as Sustrans to ensure that Edinburgh is as safe a city as possible for cyclists of all ages.”

John Lauder, National Director of Sustrans Scotland, said, “It’s great that Sustrans work with schools in Edinburgh has won this award. Our project really works, with levels of cycling to school doubling in the first year of having a member of Sustrans staff working with them.

“We’re delighted that City of Edinburgh Council continues to offer support for this work, which is helping to keep our kids healthy and active, while cutting down on congestion and pollution, too. We hope the council will be inspired to allow even more children to benefit from the project.”

Former Hibs and Celtic star Joe McBride died last night aged 74 at Glasgow Royal Infirmary.

Joe was taken to hospital last Saturday, after suffering a stroke, but hopes that he would make a full recovery, were quashed last night when the sad news broke that he had lost his battle.

The 74-year-old played for Kilmarnock, Wolves, Motherwell, Celtic, Hibs, Dunfermline and Clyde in a career lasting 15 years between 1957 and 1972. During that time he was a prolific goal scorer, netting 226 goals in 382 league games.

He was part of the Lisbon Lions squad but a serious injury stopped him appearing the European Cup Final victory over Inter Milan, although he did receive a medal.

Joe was born just yards from Ibrox Stadium, and signed for Kilmarnock when he was 15. Then his performances came to the attention of top English club Wolves who paid £12, 500, a considerable fee in those days, for his services.

He did not settle in the Midlands however and returned to his homeland to sign for Motherwell where was the club’s top scorer in three successive seasons.

Joe was then signed by Jock Stein for £22,000 in 1965. He became a regular  scorer for the Parkhead side, and the following season, he topped the scoring charts alongside a certain Alex Ferguson who was playing with Dunfermline at the time.

Injury dogged his time with Celtic and in 1968, he signed for Hibs, replacing Colin Stein who had signed for Rangers for a record breaking £100,000. Joe immediately became a hero amongst the Easter Road faithful, scoring on his debut, against Rangers, a hat-trick in his second match, against Lokomotive Leipzig, and four goals in his third match, against Morton.

Later that season, he scored two against Celtic in a match which is still talked about in Leith. One of the goals that day is often quoted amongst the finest ever scored at Easter Road.

Joe was Hibs’ top goal-scorer in both the 1968–69 and 1969–70 seasons, and scored a second European hat-trick against Malmö FF in the Inter City Fairs Cup. He left Hibs in 1971, after scoring 58 goals in 91 games, and then had short spells with Dunfermline and Clyde.

Amazingly, he only won two caps for Scotland, both in 1967 British Home Championship matches against Wales and Ireland, and also scored eight goals in just four appearances for the Scottish League XI.

After his retirement, Joe, like many of his teammates went into the licensing trade, running ‘The Wee Mill’ near Shawfield Stadium, and also Sidelines on London Road along with another ex-Celtic and Hibs star, Bertie Auld.

Joe’s son, also called Joe, joined Hibs from Everton and also became a favourite with the supporters for his style of play and his ability to score from free kicks, memorably scoring two late goals to earn a valuable point against Hearts at Tynecastle.

Both father and son demonstrated their love for the club in the Hibs end at Hampden earlier this year, hoping to see the club finally win the Scottish Cup. En route to Hampden, they were greeted warmly by the supporters who remembered the contribution both had made.

Since the news of his death, many fans forums have been inundated with messages of sympathy for his family, highlighting the respect in which he was held by supporters of all clubs.

On Hibees Bounce, Haarlem Shuffler posted: “One of the most memorable early matches I saw hanging onto a floodlight pylon behind the goals as Joe hammered two fantastic goals past Celtic in a game we were forecast to lose easily. What a player. Rest well man, cheered up my childhood.”

Joe the Hibby posted: “Deepest sympathy to Joe’s family and friends, a well thought of member of the Hibernian family, both as a player and a person.”

A spokesman for Hibs said today: “Our sincere thoughts are with his family at this difficult time, he left a lasting impression on our club and he will always be remembered with great affection.”

Three police officers are donning their cycle helmets this weekend to raise vital funds for the Sick Kids Friends Foundation (SKFF).

The courageous cops will tackle the 35 mile route from the National Museum of Flight, in East Lothian, to Edinburgh Airport.

Inspector Paul McDonald from Lothian and Borders Police Force will be leading his team including Sergeant Stevie Amabile and PC Alan Dunlop, who are all based at Edinburgh Airport, on the charity cycle.

Paul said: “We decided to raise money for the Sick Kids Friends Foundation because we have all had experience of a child who has been admitted to Edinburgh’s Hospital for Sick Children at some point.

“It’s a truly worrying time and terrible experience for any parent to go through. In particular, a team member’s son fell seriously ill this year with pneumonia and the Sick Kids Friends Foundation was a huge support to him and his family.”

The SKFF t-shirt clad police officers will begin their journey this Saturday and hope to bring a £1,000 cash boost for the charity to fund reward boxes for children who go through surgical procedures and to fund the maintenance of the hospital’s fish tanks.

Edinburgh-based Paul continued: “We decided to donate all of the cash to reward boxes and the maintenance for the fish tanks because we wanted to physically give sick children something to enjoy. Children love animals and we feel it is important to reward those admitted to the hospital with something they can care for and enjoy. Fish are known to be therapeutic and we hope they bring a lot of positive energy to children suffering from a range of illnesses.”

Will Guest, corporate fundraiser from the Sick Kids Friends Foundation, said: “We are delighted to support Paul and his team on their cycle challenge.

“Edinburgh Airport is one of our affiliated companies and we are very grateful for the support they have given the Sick Kids Friends Foundation.

“Although police deployment at Edinburgh Airport includes airport policing bikes, these police officers are in no way serious cycling competitors so we are delighted to see them going the extra mile for charity.

“The funds raised this weekend will provide luxuries for children undergoing treatment and will brighten up their hospital stay.”

SUNSHINE (HOPEFULLY) ON LEITH THIS WEEKEND

St Nicholas Court Sheltered Housing Complex in Edinburgh is hoping for sunshine this weekend as it gets set for its annual Summer Fayre.

The housing development is owned by Port of Leith Housing Association (POLHA)  and the Summer Fayre has become an integral part of the social calendar.  This year’s event takes place on Saturday 14 July between 12pm and 2pm.

In recent weeks, the Edinburgh weather  has been less than ‘Summer-like’ but this will not dampen the spirits of those involved as Maureen Tait Senior Sheltered Housing Co-ordinator with PoLHA explained:

“I have checked the weather forecast and fingers-crossed we are set for better weather this weekend.  Even if it does rain though, we have a plan B ready to swing into action.

“Every year we have our Summer Fayre at St Nicholas Court and the residents and staff thoroughly enjoy it.  We love planning the event and hopefully people love coming to it and having a fun day out.

“It is a very important event to us as it helps to raise vital money  for our social fund.  It means that we can organise day trips, keep-fit classes and other treats for our residents.  We recently organised an outing  to Dynamic Earth for our residents  and they really do get a lot out of these trips”

Some of the attractions include face-painting for the children, a book stall, tombola stall, raffle prizes and refreshments.  Entry is just 30p.

East Lothian’s award-winning visitor attraction, the Scottish Seabird Centre, has appointed a new Chairman. David Windmill was voted in unanimously at the annual general meeting of the charity’s trustees yesterday.

David brings a wealth of experience to the Scottish Seabird Centre as his previous roles include Chief Executive of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (2002 to 2011) and Managing Director of Marine Harvest Chile and Scotland (1994 to 2001).  These roles bring a mix of commercial and charity management experience – key requirements for the Seabird Centre.

As Chief Executive of RZSS he significantly developed the wildlife conservation, education and research work of the Society. Similarly these are key activities for the Centre.

David is currently the Honorary Consul General for Norway in Scotland and in this role he hopes to help develop the links between the Scottish Seabird Centre and Norway, as the Centre is currently providing advice for the proposed national Seabird Centre on Norway’s north coast, above the Arctic Circle.

David Windmill, Chairman of the Scottish Seabird Centre, said: “I’m very much looking forward to taking over from Neil Rankin CB CBE, who has had an impressive number of achievements during his time in this role. I would like to thank him for the energy and commitment he has shown to the Centre since its beginning and wish him all the best for the future.

“I believe that we can build on all these accomplishments and I envisage a bright future with potential for further international links and broadening the Centre’s appeal for the benefit of all. We must also remain focused on our objectives as a conservation and education charity. The first of my duties will be building relations with staff, volunteers, members, local community groups and indeed my fellow board members to ensure that the Centre continues its long tradition of success and engagement.

“There are some exciting times ahead and I’m confident the international reputation of the five star Centre will continue to grow whilst remaining firmly based in the local community.”

Tom Brock OBE, Chief Executive of the Scottish Seabird Centre, adds: “David has extensive experience in visitor attraction management. His expertise and vision will undoubtedly be an asset as we look forward to building on the success of the charity for the benefit of our local community, visitors and our amazing wildlife.”

For further information on the Scottish Seabird Centre visit www.seabird.org

Facebook/ ScottishSeabirdCentre

twitter@SeabirdCentre

Small Steps Big Difference grants scheme – Community groups urged to submit their best ideas

Community groups in Edinburgh are being urged to apply for funding as part of the Small Steps Big Difference healthy living campaign. The project, run jointly by NHS Lothian and The City of Edinburgh Council, is aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of women aged 20-49 throughout the city. Up to £4,000 is available for projects that can develop innovative and engaging food and physical activity programmes for women within their local communities.

Dr Alison McCallum, Director of Public Health and Health Policy, NHS Lothian, said:- “Small Steps Big Difference aims to promote small changes to lifestyle as a way of improving overall health. This is a great opportunity for local groups to get involved in a campaign targeting women within their local communities. The campaign promotes simple ideas that are relatively easy to work into their lives.

“You can be active without going to the gym and you can be healthy without going on a diet. Simply swapping salt for herbs or walking for 30-minutes a day can have hugely significant benefits.”

Councillor Ricky Henderson, Health Leader for The City of Edinburgh Council, said:- “Equipping people with the skills needed to improve their health and wellbeing is very important, and the Small Steps Big Difference scheme is a fantastic chance to do so. It’s also a great opportunity to encourage communities to work together, which is welcome from a social perspective.”

The deadline for applications for the Small Steps Big Difference grants scheme is Monday 16 July 2012. More details can be found at www.smallstepsbigdifference.co.uk

Jamie’s at Assembly Rooms – Penguins launch Rock Appeal – Our AR app – We need help for the Fringe! – Festival of Politics

Next Thursday the Assembly Rooms will once again open its doors to the public. Part of the renovation has been to form a restaurant which is being occupied by Jamie Oliver’s Jamie’s Italian. They are already taking bookings and you can find out more here.

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Edinburgh Zoo will launch their 2012 appeal and introduce 2012’s gentoo chicks to the media today.  Called the Penguins Rock Appeal, the Zoo is unveiling plans for a new 21^st century colony for the Zoo’s iconic penguins.

Penguins Rock, the new enclosure, will cost £750,000 and feature a complete visual redesign; including interactive elements, slides and diving boards, enhanced interpretation and new viewpoints.  Edinburgh Zoo is asking for assistance in raising £100,000 to go towards its new enclosure.

Edinburgh Zoo’s outdoor penguin pool is the largest in Europe and has served the Zoo’s much loved penguins for over 60 years.  However in March, it was announced that their penguin enclosure would be the focus of an intensive maintenance and upgrade programme.  In order to do this, the resident colony of kings, rockhoppers and gentoos were split up for a short time.  A third of the penguin colony remained at Edinburgh Zoo, with the remaining birds being temporarily rehomed in other experienced Zoos.

Darren McGarry, Head of Animals at Edinburgh Zoo, explains more:-

“Our existing penguin enclosure at Edinburgh Zoo is one of our most iconic features, however after leaks started to appear in the main pool earlier this year, we took the decision to perform extensive maintenance work.  We are now delighted to announce that Edinburgh Zoo will also carry out a total visual redevelopment as well, creating a new 21^st century exhibit that both our penguins and visitors will love.

“To date, the important exploration work has how been completed and the first phase of engineering work and demolition has commenced.  We’re also looking at a new filtration system, a special membrane to coat the existing pool and other maintenance.  The bulk of the work will commence in September after the busy summer season and we hope to welcome back our esteemed penguin residents early next year.

“The total work to make our vision of a 21^st century colony, worthy of our beloved penguins, will cost £750,000.  We are seeking funds from a variety of sources, but will also make Penguins Rock the focus of our 2012 appeal.  We hope that people can help us in raising £100,000 worth of funds.  The remainder will be raised through grants, trusts, sponsors and Royal Zoological Society of Scotland funds – the charity that owns and operates Edinburgh Zoo.

“I’m also delighted to introduce Rocky and six other gentoo penguin chicks.  We didn’t think our gentoo penguins would breed this year in their temporary enclosure as they really are creatures of habit, but have been delighted to be proved wrong!”

Penguin fans can leave a permanent legacy of support for Penguins Rock by sponsoring a penguin footprint near to the pool, with their name and a special dedication.  This will be displayed for decades to come and viewed by thousands of people – not to mention the famous penguins on their daily penguin parade!

• £250 gives supporters a penguin footprint and their name at the enclosure
• £500 gives the same as above, plus an exclusive invite to the grand opening of Penguins Rock
• £1,000 gives all of the above, plus an exclusive experience for six at Penguins Rock
• Also text PENG12 £2, PENG12 £5 or PENG12 £10 to 70070

For more information on Penguins Rock Appeal, please visit www.penguinsrock.com or contact Edinburgh Zoo on penguinsrockappeal@rzss.org.uk or 0131 314 0380

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We have now added many articles which have geolocation activated and which will enable you to pick up our articles around the city if you have the Wikitude app downloaded to your phone. All that you have to do is download the app and then search for ‘The Edinburgh Reporter’. What you will see on your screen – which then acts a bit like a camera – is all of our articles tagged in that part of the city which you can then click through to. We have tagged today’s article with a Leith Walk tag, but there are quite a few in George Street and St Andrew Square, and you can pick them up from quite a distance anyway. Do let us know what you think! This has been developed by Mike Rawlins from Pits n Pots with help from charity Nesta and the Talk about Local Project.

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The Scotsman has helpfully listed its 50 recommendations of things to go and see at the Fringe this year. We are busy working on our Edinburgh Reporter Radio project which is to begin in a couple of weeks. We aim to record audio at, before, during and after Fringe events to bring you really up to the minute audience reaction and a round up of what you might still be able to go and see. We have recorded a couple of test articles already and you will find them on our new Radio Section. We need help however. Do you have the skills or the time to help us in August? Or if you have some energy and enthusiasm then we can train you to do what is necessary. So get in touch! email us theedinburghreporter@gmail.com to tell us what you  might be able to help with. If you are staging a Fringe show then get in touch so that you can be featured too.

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The Festival season is of course almost upon us and will include the Festival of Politics. The List has published a guide to help you decide what to go and see there… Are you going? Maybe you would write a review for us?

Following this week’s report on the conviction of three men following the recovery of Edinburgh’s largest ever drugs haul from a house in Sighthill, The Edinburgh Reporter examines the performance of Lothian and Borders Police ahead of next year’s amalgamation which will signal the end of the force after 37 years.

In his penultimate annual report published last month, Chief Constable David Strang conveyed some good news to the capital’s citizens. Overall recorded crime fell by 5%, including a 6% reduction in violent crime, an 11% drop in break-ins and thefts from homes, and an overall reduction of 5% in crimes of dishonesty.

He claimed that these results can be attributed to a number of positive factors such as the force’s continued work with partners, the opportunity to build upon existing good practice, and listening to and addressing the concerns of all of our communities.

His report contains details of various initiatives and operations carried out by his officers, including those which resulted in this week’s court case, as well as a number of high profile events which stretched the force to the limit.

One example was Operation Accessible, which targeted thefts from homes throughout the city, and resulted in 37 arrests. These raids followed seven months of police activity, during which officers recovered around £200,000 worth of stolen goods, and £3,000 worth of controlled drugs.

A domestic abuse pilot, which began last year, means that anyone accused of domestic abuse in the south or east of the city will now be dealt with by a specially dedicated court. An infrastructure has been developed to support victims through court proceedings to help them get a positive outcome at the end of the process. Early indications show there has been a positive impact for victims.

The School Link Officer project was recently expanded, and now 11 police officers are dedicated to covering all 23 state secondary schools in the area. Strang says that feedback so far has been overwhelmingly positive.

In October 2011 the Force developed a new approach to the investigation of major crime with the creation of the Major Investigation Team (MIT). This dedicated unit was created to increase consistency and efficiency in the investigation of serious incidents. The murder of a Polish man, in Leith in January 2012 provided considerable challenges for the team, not only in the investigation but also in the significant impact felt by the local community. The MIT worked closely with community officers and the Force’s Diversity Unit to ensure there was significant engagement with Edinburgh’s Eastern European communities, as well as local churches, support groups and the Polish Consulate. Polish speaking police officers contributed significantly to the investigation to ensure that language and cultural differences were minimised and local intelligence information could be gathered. This, combined with considerable media interest in both Britain and Poland, resulted in a 26 year-old man being arrested quickly.

In November 2011 the Serious and Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) was formed to provide a specialist investigative response into significant crime groups working in the Force area. The unit works in partnership with local authorities, non-government organisations and other law enforcement agencies to target, disrupt and detect those involved in criminality, and to divert and deter persons who are at risk of becoming involved in organised crime. The SOCU also investigates crimes involving human trafficking, the sex industry and security industry offences. Since November the unit has recovered over £1 million worth of class A and class B drugs, as well as several firearms and associated ammunition, and a number of high profile serious organised crime group members have been arrested. Over £63,700 of criminal cash has been seized and three victims of human trafficking offences have been rescued. A number of offenders have also been reported to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.

‘Made from Crime?’ is one of the largest force-wide initiatives ever run by Lothian and Borders Police. The campaign was designed to tap into local knowledge and encourage communities to report their suspicions about people they thought might be making money illegally through crime. It was launched at the Money Museum in Edinburgh in August 2011 by Assistant Chief Constable Iain Livingstone, the Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill and the Solicitor-General for Scotland, Lesley Thomson. Following a successful intelligence-gathering phase throughout the summer involving traditional marketing channels combined with new and innovative methods such as Facebook, the Force conducted a significant 48-hour enforcement operation in November 2011.

This was designed to show communities that Lothian and Borders Police will act on information received. Over £450,000 worth of cash was seized from suspected criminals while £6.5 million worth of assets were reported for seizure. The campaign has received recognition through national communications awards for its innovative and thought-provoking approach.

‘Cut Out Metal Theft’ was a campaign launched by the Force to target carriers and dealers of stolen scrap metal and to detect, investigate and deter metal theft. Radio adverts, posters, leaflets and postcards were created to raise public awareness and urge people to report anything suspicious. A national day of action saw more than 500 vehicles stopped and searched and 24 scrap metal dealers inspected.

Edinburgh continues to be a key location for high profile events and the city was given the honour of staging the UK National Armed Forces Day in 2011. The event was a huge success with over 80,000 people attending, along with members of the Royal Family. In addition, among the several hundred events Lothian and Borders Police were involved in last year was the high profile wedding of Zara Phillips to Mike Tindall. A huge planning structure was put in place over many months, and on the day itself, more than 1,000 police officers and staff worked to ensure it was a resounding success that showcased Scotland’s capital as a safe, dynamic and exciting city.

One of the most unusual events that Lothian and Borders Police was involved in was the arrival of our pandas, Tian Tian and Yang Guang,  to Edinburgh Zoo in December 2011. The eyes and ears of the world were again focused on the Capital, with over one billion people watching as our police motorcycles escorted the lorry carrying the animals from Edinburgh Airport to their new home at Edinburgh Zoo.

During the year, the number of police officers in the force increased by 41 from 3025 to 3066. The number of women officers increased by 29 from 754 to 783. The number of Minority Ethnic officers remained at 44, while officers with a disability reduced from 78 to 75. The number of lesbian, gay and transgender officers increased by 4 from 49 to 53

Chief Constable Strang concluded:- “Despite continued financial pressure and uncertainty over restructuring on a national level, we have continued to work with our partners to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour at a local level. We have focused on increasing community reassurance through closer partnership working, listening to people’s concerns and responding accordingly.

“I would like to thank my officers and staff for their continued efforts over the past year. They, along with the support of our partners and the Police Board, have ensured that we will continue to deliver the best possible service as we move towards a new era in Scottish policing.”

Everyone has a legal right to see information from Scottish public authorities. You don’t have to say who you are or why you want the information. And if the public authority refuses to give it to you, they must tell you why, and the Information Commissioner can overrule them.

Want to know about Freedom of Information, but too afraid to ask? Tonight the Centre for Carbon Innovation, 15 South College Street is hosting an evening event on how FOI works and how you can make it work for you.

“Speakers include leading environmental journalist Rob Edwards and Irish blogger and journalist Gavin Sheridan, with more to be announced. Learn about what FOI is and how it works, in Scotland and abroad, and how you can best use information from FOIs in your work.

The evening will start at 6.15pm with talks followed by a relaxed Q+A session (event should last about an hour and a half in total). We’ll follow that up with both a space in a pub and a large table at Mother India Cafe for those who want to sit down for some food.”

Tickets are free but there will be a suggested donation of £5 on the door.

Here’s where you can reserve your tickets:

http://foiedinburgh.eventbrite.co.uk/

The overall number of cases either suspected or confirmed remains the same but one more person has been changed to ‘confirmed’ status.

Reports into the Edinburgh Legionnaires’ outbreak have shown that one suspected case has now been confirmed as having the illness.

This means the number of overall cases remains at 99. The total number of confirmed cases is now 51 and the number of suspected cases has dropped to 48.

At noon yesterday, of those cases being treated in hospital, one patient remains in intensive care and there are six on general wards.

A total of 20 cases are being treated in the community, 59 have been discharged from hospital and three people have sadly died.

Ten cases are being treated outwith the NHS Lothian area. The ages of the confirmed cases ranges between 32 and 85, with more males than females affected.

Investigations into the source and cause of the outbreak continue. Lothian and Borders Police and the Health and Safety Executive are jointly investigating the circumstances of the deaths under the direction of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) Health and Safety Division.

Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said:-

“Strong evidence continues to suggest that all cases are associated with the suspected period of exposure and that the outbreak has peaked.

“NHS Lothian are maintaining high quality care for patients who remain unwell and work to identify and deal with the source of the outbreak continues.”

Hibs announced their fourth summer signing today in former Manchester United and Colchester goalkeeper Ben Williams.

The 29 year-old was introduced at a press conference ahead of today’s game against Rapid Bucharest, even though he will not play due to a lack of match fitness.

Williams said that he has heard good things about the club from former team-mates John Rankin and Darren Fletcher, and is delighted to join Pat Fenlon’s men. Although he was paraded with the number one jersey, he admits that he has not been guaranteed a place in the team, and manager Pat Fenlon confirmed that the offer to out of contract Mark Brown remains on the table.

Williams spent four years at Old Trafford which included several loan spells at Coventry City and Chesterfield and Crewe Alexander. At United, he was third choice behind Tim Howard and Roy Carroll, although his time did overlap with Fabien Barthez and Mark Bosnich which limited his chances.

Although he never made a first team appearance for Manchester United, he was on the bench for two Champion’s League games and several Premier League matches, before deciding to leave to gain more experience.

He then spent four years with Crewe Alexander before moving to Carlisle on a Bosman free transfer. He spent a year with the Cumbria club before signing for Paul Lambert’s Colchester United for a reported £60,000, where he became a fans’ favourite winning three Player of the Season Awards, including both the home and away player of the year awards as voted for by fans and also the Official Player of the Year Award.

The 6ft tall keeper revealed that he chose Hibs despite interest from Championship sides as he wants regular first team football. He said:- “I have friends at Hibs who all said that the training ground and history was geared up for a top four side. I want to be involved in pushing the club to where it should be”

Manager Pat Fenlon said the he was “delighted” with the signing. He said “I’ve been working away at it for a while and it’s great to get another one over the line. It was vitally important that we got a goalkeeper in and an experienced one as well and he fits the bill for what we are looking for. He’s an experienced player and has played a lot of games and the type of character he is as well. He’s a decent goalkeeper who has played at a very good standard. I actually watched him when I was the manager at Bohs and a few times last season.”

Williams’ arrival does not mean the end for Mark Brown who finished last season as first choice goalkeeper, and Fenlon confirmed that he is still hopeful that he will remain at the club.

“We’ve spoken to Mark (Brown) over the last two or three weeks and that’s on-going and it’s now at the stage of the agent talking to the board so we will have to wait and see.”

The manager also revealed that the reason for the departure of last year’s assistant manager Bill Brown was entirely down to finance. He said:- “When I came in Billy was fantastic and was a tremendous help to me last season but it’s just something that we couldn’t do. You work with people day to day and build up a relationship so it (breaking the news) was a hard thing to do. There was nothing personal in it but you have to make the best decisions on behalf of the club.”

He also revealed that he has not watched the Cup Final and has no intention of doing so. For him it was a shame that the season didn’t end with the 4-0 victory in front of a packed Easter Road which ensured SPL survival, and would have left the fans with a feel good factor over the summer months, but the cup final defeat meant that did not happen.

Fenlon is well aware that improvements are required and that another bottom six season is unacceptable.

“Everybody talks about Hibs being a big club, but we have to go and prove that and that’s what I have been working on. We were in the bottom six last year and we’ve got to be in the top six and that’s it.”

He also confirmed that Mark Kerr and Alan Maybury have been training with the club for one week, but both have other options and he is not in a position to make them any offers at the moment although that may change.

Hibs are hoping to play Rapid Bucharest at Grangemouth where the Romanian club have been training, but the game is in doubt due to a waterlogged pitch and an inspection will take place later today.

Extolling the Benefits of Pilates!

As a fitness instructor, I receive lots of enquiries about Pilates, from people who have never tried it and are intrigued to find out more.

They want to know how it works, what the benefits are and whether it would be suitable for them.

So, if you’ve also been contemplating the possibility, but needed to ask a few questions first, here are some of the main facts.

To sum up, Pilates is about posture and alignment. The aim of the exercise is to put your bones in the right place, so your muscles can do the job they’re designed for – rather than the job they’ve learned to do, through imperfect posture.

This can develop stronger back and abdominal muscles, reducing the risk of muscular aches and pains in your back, neck & shoulders. It can also train you to breathe more efficiently and improve your concentration.

Many people who try Pilates notice that they ‘lose’ half a stone instantly, simply by standing taller with their abdominal ‘corset’ pulling them in round the middle. Re-aligning rounded shoulders helps you look and feel better too.

Another benefit of Pilates is that it can provide you with a stronger, more stable centre, improving your balance, flexibility and mobility.

Pilates is suitable for most people, so why not give it a go? You could be very glad you did.

This is the tenth of Jenny’s fitness columns for The Edinburgh Reporter. We hope it helps you to achieve your fitness goals!

You can contact EnergyWise by email or you will find them here:-

EnergyWise Health & Fitness

Holyrood Business Park

146 Duddingston Road West

Edinburgh EH16 4AP

Tel: 07775 621465

A group of men who were caught with the largest haul of drugs ever seized by Lothian and Borders Police have been convicted.  

The three men were caught with almost £2 million worth of heroin at a house in Edinburgh in December 2010. At the High Court in Edinburgh today, Kris Brown (22) was found guilty of being involved in the supply of the drug.  His co-accused, Lee Knott (23) and Ian Hunter (22), had previously pled guilty on Friday, to the same charge.

All three were remanded in custody and will appear for sentence at Glasgow High Court on August 9.

The seizure, which happened at a property in Sighthill View, in the Sighthill area of the Capital, is the biggest drugs seizure ever made by Lothian and Borders Police.

The drugs were seized as part of Operation Congress, an initiative launched in April 2010, which has focused on the activities of serious and organised criminals operating in the Lothians.

The operation has resulted in the arrest of 31 people, a number of whom have been convicted and are currently serving custodial sentences.

Approximately 30 kilos of Class A drugs with a potential street value of approximately £3.5 million have been seized as part of Operation Congress, along with firearms and £53,000 in cash.

Chief Superintendent Gill Imery, Head of CID at Lothian and Borders Police, said:

“The three men who have been convicted today were caught in the act of preparing large amounts of heroin for distribution on the streets of our local communities, however their plans were thwarted as a result of Operation Congress, which has struck a major blow against serious and organised criminals operating in the Lothians.

“Lothian and Borders Police is committed to protecting our communities from serious and organised criminality in all its forms, and we welcome any new information on criminals operating in local communities.

“The Made from Crime? Campaign has encouraged people to come forward to police with any information they have on individuals who they suspect are making money from crime, and we continue to appeal to people to contact police or Crimestoppers in confidence and anonymity with any information they have.”

Chief Constable of Lothian and Borders Police, David Strang, welcomed the conviction:

“Today’s convictions are the result of a significant operation for the Force which represents our biggest ever drugs seizure, and I am pleased the hard work and comprehensive investigation undertaken by my officers has yielded positive results for the communities we serve.

“Drug dealers impact on all of us – whether it be directly through associated criminality, such as housebreakings and thefts, or indirectly through fear and intimidation.

“We are committed to improving the quality of life for people living in the Force area and disrupting serious and organised crime groups is just one way in which we can do this.

“By working with our partners at the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service we can continue to deliver our strategy of prevention.”

Equality campaigners lobbying for gay marriage and equality in society yesterday took their petition to Holyrood. There, in front of the parliament building,  they held a staged ceremony for Jay and Ruth Richards-Hill with supporters looking on. Speaking afterwards, the couple said they believed that it was wrong for them to be able to be married in Cape Town,  but that the marriage is not recognised when they stepped off the plane in Edinburgh.

Adding that equality cuts both ways, they said that The Scottish Government should not be swayed by one religion but all voices.

The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, who play a part in educating the LGBT community in safe sex, said that it was about equality recognition.  They maintained that “it is crazy that if someone wants to change their gender and is married, they must get divorced first before remarrying.”

The measures currently before the Scottish Government to introduce gay marriage have broad support, with a ratio of 8 to 1 MSPs promising to vote for it.  Polls suggest a high percentage of the Scottish people are also in favour, although the results of the Scottish Government consultation will not be released until later in the month.

Tom French, Policy Co-ordinator of the Equality Network, said that this was an important time for the Scottish Cabinet about to make a decision. He explained the drive to put together a petition containing 10,000 signatures and also 25,000 signed postcards.

Photos by Thomas Haywood Photography

A retired Baberton Mains man is planning to cycle 4,000 miles across Australia to raise money for The Craig Gowans Memorial Fund and Radio Lollipop.

Andrew Dickson will arrive in Perth on Sunday 19 August and travel alone and unsupported to Brisbane, via Norseman, the Nullabor Plain, Adelaide, Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney. His return flight is booked for Saturday 27 October although he hopes to complete the gruelling journey well before that deadline.

Last year Andrew cycled across America from the Pacific to the Atlantic in memory of his wife Aileen who passed away in 2006, raising awareness of dementia (especially in younger people). The trip raised £7000 for his chosen charity, Alzheimer Scotland, and left him with many fond memories of the American people.

Taking time out from his training schedule, Andrew spoke to the Edinburgh Reporter about that experience and also his forthcoming adventure.
The 60 year old former policeman said:

“My wife Aileen was diagnosed with MS with added dementia in 1998. Her condition worsened to the extent that she required 24/7 care before she passed away in 2005. After retiring from the police, I helped out at Alzheimer Scotland, working one to one with other families who had a loved one under 65 with dementia. That involved taking the patients out walking, or doing some gardening. I have always enjoyed cycling and last year was the first time I was able to get away for the time required.
“Many people have low opinions about Americans, but I found the opposite to be true. I can honestly say that I never had one negative experience, and found lots of people would take a genuine interest in what I was doing.
“In the two months I was there, seven or eight complete strangers insisted that I stay the night with them, despite the fact that I sometimes went up to a week without showering or shaving. I probably raised about $1000 from people I met on the journey.
“I normally pitched my tent in public parks, although American churches remain open all night and I occasionally slept in them. In one church in Sandy Level, Virginia, Pastor Kendell Smith insisted that I share a meal with him and his family and wrote a cheque for $100 for the charity before I left.

“One day after I left Yellowstone Park, there was snow on the ground and very few places were open for food. I was directed to the Jackson Lake Resort which had bellboys, and despite my appearance, I was welcomed into the restaurant where several diners took an interest in what I was doing and chatted to me.”

This year Andrew has decided to support the Craig Gowans Memorial Fund, set up in the memory of the young Falkirk footballer who was killed when a net catcher he was instructed to move during a training session struck an overhead cable. Last month, the Edinburgh Reporter featured an account of a Hibs / Hearts select beating Hutchison Vale in a charity match at Saughton Enclosure on behalf of the fund.
Andrew chose this charity as he knew Craig’s parents, John and Sheila, and was aware of the heartache they had been going through since the accident. He also knew several volunteers at Radio Lollipop, and decided to share any money raised between the two worthy causes.

“I’m hoping to raise both funds and awareness of two hard working charities connected to The Royal Hospital for Sick Children here in Edinburgh, whose fund-raisers work tirelessly for their respective organisations.”

Whilst he had been in America before his trip, this time it’s a step into the unknown as he has never visited Australia before, although he has researched the weather conditions.  He continued:

“Last year I needed both summer and winter clothes. In the Rockies the weather was below freezing, whilst in Kansas it reached 103 degrees. The worst was Virginia where the humidity was through the roof.

“At least this time there won’t be any snow and the terrain will be flatter, especially through the Nullarbor Plain which is the longest, flattest road in the world and runs over 1000 miles. During this part of the journey, villages are few and far between, so I have to ensure I have an emergency supply of fluid. I had estimated that I would need to carry three litres, but checking online I see that others recommend carrying seven or eight litres which will be very heavy.

“I won’t be carrying a mobile phone, but this year I am taking a laptop with me and I intend to update my blog wherever I can find some Wi-Fi.

“At the moment I am training by cycling about 100 miles a week, although I will be increasing this as the date gets nearer. In America I aimed for about 60 miles per day although it was often more than this, and on one day when I felt good and there was a strong wind behind me I did 117.”

Craig Gowans’ sister Lyndsay paid tribute to Andrew’s efforts. She said:

“We all appreciate the superb efforts and dedication of the venture that Andrew is about to undertake. I look forward to reading his blog.”

Anyone wishing to contribute can do so at virginmoneygiving.com/bikingacrossaustralia
Andrew was keen to stress that he is treating this trip as his holiday and all expenses are met by him. Every penny donated will go to the charities, which was the same as his American adventure.
Although Andrew talks highly of the American people, there was actually one incident which still rankles. In Norfolk where the Pilgrim Fathers landed, a bedraggled Andrew used a ferry and was given a pensioners ticket by the ticket collector who did not even ask for identification. Such tickets are only for people over 60 years – and at the time Andrew was only 59!
The Edinburgh Reporter will provide regular updates on his journey, but anyone wishing to follow his progress more frequently can do so at http://bikingacrossaustralia.blogspot.co.uk/

https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F52188380 Edinburgh Reporter Radio – New era begins for Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop by bobertd

Edinburgh Reporter Radio visited the Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop’s new Bill Scott Centre to find out more about this new space, who can use it and what lies ahead for the organisation.

Assistant Director Gordon Munro told us that he hoped Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop in its new form would be something that “Leith, Edinburgh and Scotland will be proud of”.

You can find out more about the new facilities on the Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop website.