by Barry Dickson

If music be the food of love…………………….You’ll gorge on The Asps.

The Asps performed at The Voodoo Rooms in Edinburgh in what was a cracking gig on Thursday 10 May.

The band have been playing, what must seem to them, constantly, over the past few months as they get ready to record thier first album and go touring,

Opening the show with drummer Lewis Hutchinson drumming along to a remix of Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet: Dance of the Knights which has been remixed by Michael Barry Synth/Korg player with the band, and I believe it is a great way for The Asps to introduce themselves to their audience. Indeed a guest I had taken with me exclaimed:- “Wow, that was amazing!”

After Lewis had finished, the rest of the band PJ Dourley (vocals and guitar), Chris Simpson (guitar) Craig Renwick (bass) Michael Barry (synth/korg) and Graeme Renwick (saxaphone) joined him on stage.

This is a video of Lewis during the opening on Thursday night, Video was taken by Ben Williams (and it is so worth watching and listening to! Ed)

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QyYlRtHT6U]

The Asps then treated us to some brilliant songs including Keep, Littleman, Microchip and All the wrong idols (a personal favourite of mine), all of which were received with great delight by the crowd.

All in all, it was a great show. The sound was superb and was indeed helped by Jonny from Banana Row who done a sterling job on the mixing desk.

Next for The Asps is a gig in Dundee at The Doghouse on Friday 18th May, then Edinburgh’s Cabaret Voltaire on May 25th (entry is free) and then the band are off to San Francisco to record thier debut album with the legendary Ron Nevison who has produced some of the biggest bands in the world including: Bad Company, Joe Cocker, Meat Loaf and The Who.

I for one believe that this band are one of the hardest working out there and deserve a shot at the big time.

I have seen The Asps a few times live now, and they keep getting better. I firmly believe that it will not be long before this band break through to the big time, so my suggestion to any music lovers out there is to go and see them before they go global.

Scotland’s museums and galleries hold an eclectic mix of inspirational cultural events from Aberdeen to Ayrshire and Dundee to Skye and Stirling, and this year there are almost 90 events confirmed.

From 18-20 May 2012, Festival of Museums will celebrate Scotland’s wealth of culture with exciting and innovative day and night events in museums and galleries throughout the country. Many of the workshops, talks, concerts and exhibitions are FREE. The Festival, organised by Museums Galleries Scotland, coincides with other Europe-wide celebrations of the many eclectic cultural experiences offered to visitors by museums and galleries, including Museums at Night.

There are many events in Edinburgh, and you can have a look at all the events at www.festivalofmuseums.com

Here are some of the events happening in and around Edinburgh.

Event Name: A Night in Wonderland

Venue: National Museum of Scotland

Address: Chambers Street, Edinburgh EH1 1JF

Telephone for publication: 0300 123 6789

Website: www.nms.ac.uk/late

Date and time: Friday 18 May 7-10.30pm

Price: £18/£16 Members and conc. including entry to our Fascinating Mummies exhibition, £10/£8 Lates only. Age 18+, ID may be required.

Description: National Museum of Scotland’s third RBS Museum Late invites you into a magical evening wonderland of music and imagination. Coinciding with the nationwide Museums at Night programme, A Night in Wonderland promises cutting edge contemporary Scottish music from Django Django and Discopolis. Meanwhile, the Museum will be taken over by installations, roaming creations and pop-up surprises inspired by the weird and wonderful elements from the collections of National Museums Scotland. Please note for this event you must have a ticket to get in – an email confirmation is not sufficient. Tickets will be posted out to everyone who books.

Event Name: Cultural Creations Workshops

Venue: National Mining Museum Scotland

Address: Lady Victoria Colliery, Newtongrange, Midlothian EH22 4QN

Telephone for publication: 0131 663 7519

Website: www.nationalminingmuseum.com

Date and time: Songwriting Workshop 1pm/Storytelling Workshop 1pm/Banner Making Workshop 12-5pm

Price: Adults £10 Children £7.50 Family £30

Description: Get your creative juices flowing as you take part in our series of creative workshops inspired by the museum’s collection. Get your creative juices flowing as you take part in our series of creative workshops inspired by items in the museum’s collection. Choose from songwriting or storytelling workshops or simply drop in to the FREE banner making session and dip in and out as you please!  This fun day, which is suitable for individuals and families alike, will culminate in a celebratory performance of the finished creations and a chance to unwind with a buffet and refreshments in the Old Power House.

Event Name: A little bit of…Tosca

Venue: National Galleries of Scotland in association with the Scottish Opera – Scottish National Gallery

Address: The Mound, Edinburgh EH2 2EL

Telephone for publication: 0131 624 6200

Website: www.nationalgalleries.org

Date and time: Saturday 19 May 2.30pm onwards

Price:  Free

Description: A fascinating meeting of two distinct artforms, providing a unique opportunity to enjoy sublime operatic performance amongst world-class paintings. Puccini’s famous opera, set in Rome, has been cleverly re-written into a lively 20-minute version that will be performed, fittingly, in front of David Roberts’ magnificent panoramic painting of the Italian capital. Based on a form of Japanese storytelling, ‘A Little Bit of…Tosca’ unfolds to a series of colourful illustrations, brought to life by a storyteller, singer and two players. The performance will be followed by a related art-historical talk by Dr Patricia Andrew, focussing on Rome: Sunset from the Convent of Sant’ Onofrio on the Janiculum by David Roberts. There will be a second performance at 4pm in The Scottish Cafe & Restaurant, to give visitors the opportunity to enjoy ‘A Little Bit of… Tosca’ over a drink or a bite to eat.

Visitors are advised to book a table at The Scottish Cafe & Restaurant for the 4pm performance (0131 226 6524 for reservations).

Event Name: Campaign for Conservation with John Muir

Venue: John Muir’s Birthplace

Address: John Muir’s Birthplace, 126 High Street, Dunbar EH42 1JJ

Telephone for publication: 01368865899

Website:  www.eastlothianmuseums.org

Date and time: Saturday 19 May 1-4pm

Price: Free

Description: Meet John Muir, environmental campaigner, to find out how little has changed since the 1800s! Join John Muir in Dunbar as he campaigns to protect the environment. You can hear all about how he campaigned from his earliest times in Dunbar, to working alongside American Presidents to create their National Parks. This inspirational figure will be showing people around his birthplace, and revealing a few stories about his time in Dunbar. Plus you can help make an inspirational banner, using a John Muir quote or one of your own! There is also an exhibition which covers John Muir’s campaigning, as well as modern day campaigning in Dunbar. What would John campaign for today? Help him decide!

Event Name: Defend Dunbar Castle with Black Agnes

Venue: Dunbar Town House Museum and Gallery

Address: Dunbar Town House Museum and Gallery, High Street, Dunbar EH42 1ER

Telephone for publication: 01368 863734

Website:  www.eastlothianmuseums.org

Date and time: Saturday 19 May 1-4pm

Price: Free

Description: Get the chance to defend Dunbar alongside Black Agnes! You might find a few enemies hiding in the museum too. Discover why Black Agnes needs your help to build some new defences for Dunbar Castle as she protects Scotland from English invasion. Can you use our materials to build a siege engine, new castle walls or replace a stolen fireplace? Black Agnes will be able to tell you exactly why she has fled from the Castle. You won’t believe your ears as she shares a few secrets about how she protected it! Plus, you might just find someone hiding in the rooms of Dunbar Town House – but is it a friend or enemy?

Event Name: Support the Suffragettes

Venue: John Gray Centre

Address: John Gray Centre, 15 Lodge Street, Haddington EH41 3DX

Telephone for publication: 01620 820690

Website:  www.eastlothianmuseums.org

Date and time: Friday 18 May 6-8pm

Price: Free

Description: This is your chance to campaign with local Suffragettes, hear their stories, and get involved! In Haddington, famous local suffragettes Catherine Blair and Elsie Inglis will make a rare appearance. Hear why they believe women deserve the vote and equal rights to men, and then join them as they take action! Catherine and Elsie will be telling the stories of their lives and how they came to be involved in the votes for women campaign. You’ll then be able to make your own banner or badge to take on their march, as well as seeing some of their belongings in our museum

Event Name: Back to the Miner’s Strike

Venue: Prestongrange Museum

Address: Morrison’s Haven, Prestonpans, EH32 9RX

Telephone for publication: 0131 653 2904

Website:  www.eastlothianmuseums.org

Date and time: Sunday 20 May 1-4pm

Price: Free

Description: Could you have been a miner? Hear why miners are going on strike and join in their protest! Join miners at Prestongrange as they go on strike! You’ll be able to meet a male and female miner and hear some of their stories about life as a miner. You’ll be able to find out about their awful working conditions by experiencing some of the challenges they faced. Can you lift a truck of coal, or set up a pulley system? Are you quicker than a pit pony? Plus check out a real life banner used by miners and make a banner of your own to take on the miners’ march.

Event Name: Rally for Royalty with Mary Queen of Scots

Venue: Musselburgh Museum

Address: 65 High Street, Musselburgh EH21 7BZ

Telephone for publication: 0131 665 6642

Website: www.eastlothianmuseums.org

Date and time: Sunday 20 May 1-4pm

Price: Free

Description: Make up your own mind about Mary Queen of Scots from the people who knew her best, her maids! The maids of Mary, Queen of Scots, disagree about what type of person she was – one likes her, the other doesn’t! Now you can get involved in their debate and make up your own mind. The maids do need your help though, they can’t help her escape until they crack the code Mary has been using in her letters. After cracking the code, the maids will also lead families in learning one of Mary’s favourite dances. A fun day out for the whole family! Plus see the exhibition in Musselburgh Museum all about the links the town has had with Royalty over the years. This event takes place between Musselburgh Museum and upstairs in the Town Hall.

Event Name: Creating a Perfumed Story Dome

Venue: Almond Valley Heritage Centre

Address: Millfield, Livingston, West Lothian, EH54 7AR

Telephone for publication: 01506 414 957

Website: www.almondvalley.co.uk

Date and time: Saturday 19 May and Sunday 20 May, 10am-5pm

Price: Normal admission prices apply: Adults £5.50, Children £4

Description: Throughout the course of the weekend, local craftsman and willow grower Rob Eves will be constructing a four metre dome of living willow, through which honeysuckle and sweet clematis will intertwine to create a magical space for stories and hatching secret plans. This living creation will become a permanent feature of our adventure garden. Visitors to Almond Valley will be able to assist in the construction of this special structure, learn new skills, and discover the history and traditions of weaving with willow. Staff and volunteers from Almond Valley will be on hand to extend the fun, leading workshops to create willow crowns, magic wands, and advising children on fantastic ideas for advanced den building techniques.

Event Name: Prawns, Parrots and Paintings! Discover the Art of Harpsichords!

Venue: Edinburgh University Collection of Historic Musical Instruments (EUCHMI) – St. Cecilia’s Hall Museum

Address: Cowgate, Edinburgh, EH1 1NQ

Telephone for publication: 0131 650 2805

Website: www.miayf.org

Date and time: Friday 18May 6.30-8.30pm/Saturday 19 May 10am-4.30pm and 5-7pm

Price: Free

Description: Discover the art of musical instruments at Edinburgh University’ s Musical Instrument Museum and get creative at the same time!This year, Festival of Museums at St. Cecilia’s Hall promises to be a colourful explosion that will keep people of all ages entertained. Get inspired by the painted decorations of our musical instruments, create you own soundbox, enjoy tours from an expert and take part in exciting family trails! Join us on Friday or Saturday evening for an entirely new Museums at Night experience! Tours will be running half hourly taking visitors on a journey of discovery into the world of harpsichord art.

Event Name: Crocant, Collops and Codsounds

Venue: Museum of Edinburgh

Address: Huntly House, Canongate Royal Mile

Telephone for publication: 0131 529 4143

Website: www.edinburghmuseums.org.uk

Date and time: Sunday 20 May 2pm–4pm

Price: Free

Description: At 2pm in an illustrated lecture, food historian Ivan Day will explore some of the more unusual aspects of the eighteenth century dining table. As well as introducing us to many of the less familiar dishes of the period, he will also discuss how specific foodstuffs and drinks had a potent influence on the design of silver, ceramic and glass table equipage.From 2.15–3pm discover the uses of herbs and their many uses in the kitchen and in the first aid kit! Make some gorgeous smelly reminders of your visit to this hidden courtyard in the Museum of Edinburgh. At 2/3/4pm find out what life was like in the old town in a dynamic and engaging way with special costumed performances depicting life in 18th century Edinburgh.  Meet James Craig as he talks about his plans for the New Town and find out about close living and crime and grime! At 2/3/4pm, enjoy 18th Century music with Quartet94. Its members enjoy playing a wide variety of music genres, with repertoire ranging from Haydn to The Beatles!

Event Name: Death Over Dinner – An Edwardian Murder Mystery

Venue: Lauriston Castle

Address: 2A Cramond Road South, Edinburgh EH4 5QD

Telephone for publication: 0131 336 2060

Website: www.edinburghmuseums.org.uk

Date and time: Friday 18 May 7– 9.30pm

Price: £30

Description: Expect a tingle in the spine and the little grey cells to tick over!  Living Lauriston will present an evening of intrigue, imagination and interrogation in the elegant setting of Lauriston Castle.  Step back in time to 1910…you will receive an invitation to a select soiree at Lauriston Castle. The jovial atmosphere ends dramatically on the discovery of a body. Turn detective to unearth a murderer in your midst. Indulge your inner detective in the extraordinary setting of the historic castle. Move around the period rooms to unpick events and unlock the murderer’s motive. Event includes a delicious buffet with complimentary glass of wine and canapés.

Event Name: A Summer Venetian Masked Ball

Venue: Lauriston Castle

Address: 2A Cramond Road South, Edinburgh EH4 5QD

Telephone for publication: 0131 336 2060

Website: www.edinburghmuseums.org.uk

Date and time: Saturday 19 May 6–8pm

Price: Free

Description: An evening of crafts and music for everyone! Enjoy a beautiful early summer’s evening in our gardens and listen to Venetian music, see a fashion show of masks and creative head-pieces, make family crafts and eat some Italian food. Mysterious masks! With Tessa Asquith Lamb create an exciting bejewelled Venetian style mask and personalise it to match your outfit using beautiful papers, fabric and trims. Miniature Gondolas with Lindsey Hamilton. Ever admired how the Venetians get around their watery city? Come along and try your hand at making and decorating your own miniature gondola in sumptuous golds and reds, finishing off with some luscious fabrics. Featuring Venetian Music with Quartet94. Currently based at the City of Edinburgh Music School, Quartet94 began four years ago under the tutelage of Peter Markham. Its members enjoy playing a wide variety of music genres, with repertoire ranging from Haydn to The Beatles! Quartet94 perform regularly across Scotland.  HND Textile students at Edinburgh’s Telford College present two collections of work which has been created for this event. Large scale head dresses will be worn in a fashion show/performance piece and an exhibition of art textile pieces will be shown in the glass house – with a Venetian theme.

Event Name: The Enchanted Garden

Venue: City Art Centre

Address: 2 Market Street Edinburgh EH1 1DE

Telephone for publication: 0131 529 3993

Website: www.edinburghmuseums.org.uk

Date and time: Saturday 19 May 10am–4.30pm

Price: Free

Description: Enjoy storytelling for families with children aged 5 and over! From 10:30-11:15am Tree Magic I, Celtic Tree Tales: Trees have always had a special place in Celtic tradition – come and listen to traditional tree tales from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales and reconnect with the trees that are our everyday neighbours.

From 11:30am-12:15pm Enchanted Gardens: Gardens are places of mystery and magic. Those who enter may meet their one true love, realise their deepest wishes or face their darkest nightmares – enter the world’s most fantastical gardens through the enchantment of story and see what you find there.

From 1:30-2:15pm Enchanted Gardeners: Unlock the golden casket, green your thumb and be amazed by stories in which the gardener outwits them all, saves the kingdom and wins the hand of the beautiful princess.

From 3-3:45 pm Tree Magic II, Tales from Around the World: Come journey around the world and meet some its most fabled trees.  If you listen closely to their stories, you might just learn some tree magic of your own. The Secret Garden Tours with Fiona Devlin can be enjoyed by everyone!

From 12.15–1pm explore Dunbar’s Close – a hidden 17th century garden full of history. Discover the uses of the plants in the garden and make a little keepsake to remind you of your visit. Suitable for all intrepid adventurers. Meet at the City Art Centre reception.

From 3– 3.45pm meander down the historic Royal Mile to find the hidden gardens and green spaces strung out like beautiful jewels bringing colour and wildlife to the centre of Edinburgh. For adults, tours will take place either 10.30am-12.30pm or 1.30-3.30pm. Booking is essential for the Enchanted Forest Frames with Tessa Asquith Lamb, where adults can create a beautiful decorated shadow box frame covered in leaves of embossed metal foils. Add details using gilding and then create a unique artwork for the interior inspired by a walk in the woods. Families can drop in either between 10.30am -12.30pm or 1.30-3.30pm. At The Magical Tree with Lindsey Hamilton, creative young artists are needed to help a magical tree that has appeared at the City Art Centre grow some leaves. Come along and create some beautifully decorated, multi-coloured leaves to add to our enchanted tree. As it grows help by creating unique and mysterious fruit to hang from its branches.

Advanced booking is required for Enchanted Garden Frames Adult Class. Contact Margaret Findlay 0131 529 3963 or email margaret.findlay@edinburgh.gov.uk

The Edinburgh Reporter talks to Belinda Roberts founder of WeDO Scotland.

What does your typical day look like?

Every day is different, in my work with WeDO Scotland, I spend a lot of time meeting our members and potential members who are interested in joining – decaffeinated coffee is a must!

Membership of WeDO is by invitation only and we carry out a fairly rigorous process to ensure that our members are like-minded and meet our criteria in terms of their growth plans. I also regularly host events as well as writing blogs for our website.  Researching the topics is always interesting and we’re fortunate to have access to lots of different sources of information from our members.

What is your potted business biography?

I started working in the recruitment industry in Edinburgh before moving to London. When I returned to Scotland,  having spent another three years working in recruitment, I saw a gap in the market for recruitment training.

So I started running training courses for the corporate market in the areas of sales and management. At the time I was also a director of the Recruitment & Employment Confederation, the representative body for the recruitment industry in the UK.

When I sold my training company 11 years ago I continued to work in training and consultancy for a time, and then launched WeDO Scotland in 2008.  WeDO is a collaboration and introduction organisation for entrepreneurs, and it provides support to our members in growing their businesses.

I am also the Founder of The Networking Coach, an Associate Partner in Castle Investments, a Non-Executive Director of Coffee With A Lid and am a National Board Director with Young Enterprise Scotland.

What was your first job?

My first job after my studies finished was in the recruitment industry with Kelly Services, I worked on the temp desk, supplying temporary administrative staff to a variety of companies.

What do you think is most important: theoretical training or ‘on the job’ training? Do you have any wish to study for a further qualification like an MBA?

I think a mix of the two is probably the ideal scenario. Some people are just not suited to ‘formal’ education, the best courses to my mind are ones which combine theoretical learning with an element of practical work experience. If I ever had enough time then I would enjoy doing an MBA but I can’t see that happening any time soon!

Are there any people who have been of great influence to you on your career path? 

I’ve been influenced by many people during my career and have always been fortunate to have spent a lot of time around entrepreneurs including my father who ran his own business while I was growing up.

Which business book would you recommend?

I am a big fan of Richard Branson and would highly recommend his autobiography “Losing My Virginity.” It’s a fascinating insight into the life of one of the world’s top entrepreneurs, and is truly inspirational.

What are your business goals for this year?

We are actively growing our membership of WeDO in Scotland and are also launching in London later this year. I am officially getting The Networking Coach as well as Castle Investments off the starting blocks too. It’s going to be a busy year but I thrive on that so I’m not complaining!

What do you do in your spare time?

I play tennis and badminton and enjoy walking and cycling. I love cooking, so spend quite a bit of time entertaining friends for dinner. I’ve also just finished writing a children’s book, ‘Hungry Horace – The Greedy Puppy’ which will be digitally published and sold through the iTunes store.

Do you think you have a good work/life balance?

It’s getting better! No-one who sets up a business can never expect to have an ideal work/life balance in the early stages, the hours are long but hopefully at the end of the day it will be worthwhile.

Do you use social media in your business? If you do then how is it important to you? 

We use social media on a daily basis for WeDO Scotland, and it is extremely important to us both in terms of brand recognition and engaging with both our members and the general business community.  We have a Facebook page, two Twitter accounts and a LinkedIn group, all of which are very active and managed by our Support team at TLC Scotland.

What are the best aspects of living and/or working in Edinburgh?

It’s small enough to make getting around easy (apart of course from the never-ending road works) and is a cosmopolitan city which offers so much to do from shops to cafes, to restaurants to open spaces for fabulous walks.  There’s always something going on in terms of culture and the summer with the Festival and Fringe gets better every year.

The best place in Edinburgh?

Stockbridge, for all its’ vibrancy and range of independent shops, restaurants, cafes and bars.

Your favourite Edinburgh restaurant?

Karen’s Unicorn, St Stephen Street in Stockbridge – the best Chinese food in Edinburgh by far, with laid-back surroundings.

Where else have you lived and or worked?

I’ve lived and worked in Helensburgh, Dollar, Glasgow, Paris, London, Nice and Luxembourg, quite an eclectic mix!

What do you do about business networking?

At WeDO, we host 39 events per year so I’m afraid that most of my networking time is taken up attending our own events. I am however fortunate to be invited as a guest to many other events too as well as speaking at events on a regular basis.

What does success look like to you?

Success is very much based upon belief.  If you believe in what you do then success should follow naturally. I am of the opinion that there isn’t a blueprint for success, it looks different for everyone. If you manage to achieve your goals both in life and work then you are successful in my book.

Big Screen – GO East! – Children go free at Channings – Festival of Museums – Local TV

Scotland’s only Olympic Live Site in Edinburgh’s Festival Square has a few things on next week:-

14 – 20 MAY:

LIVE OPERA, HAVE YOUR PHOTO TAKEN WITH THE SCOTTISH CUP, THE BIG DANCE, OLYMPIC TORCH RELAY ARRIVES ON BRITISH SOIL

Wednesday 16 May 10.30am to 6pm

Scottish Football Assocation’s UEFA Grassroots Day, with portable football pitches and coaching. The Scottish Cup will be present during this event and members of the public can have their photographs taken with it. Hibs and Hearts mascots will also be at the event.

Thursday 17 May, from 6.30pm

Puccini’s La Bohème broadcast live from The Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. Presented by Deborah Bull and Zeb Soanes.

Opera’s greatest love story returns in this beautifully detailed traditional production starring Anja Harteros and Joseph Calleja. Perfect for new opera audiences the free BP Summer Big Screen live relay of Puccini’s La bohème, the story of a struggling poet whose life changes forever after meeting a beautiful fragile young woman, is the ideal place to start.

Seats will be laid out in Festival Square for people to enjoy the live performance via the Big Screen. The evening will commence with a performance by Scottish opera group Aria Alba at 6.45pm.

Friday 18 May at 1pm

The Big Dance Schools Pledge. A multi-venue Guinness World Record attempt for the “Largest Dance Routine”.

During the day, coverage on the Big Screen of the Olympic Torch’s arrival in the UK.

Saturday 19 May and Sunday 20 May

Twice-hourly live coverage of the first two full days of the Olympic Torch Relay.

***

This video about the Hibs and Hearts Cup Final next weekend features the Edinburgh Evening News and it is just fab! Learn the words before next week now!   [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxsF4Y6Pv4M]

***

When you have a young family it’s sometimes difficult to find a restaurant that suits everyone – and which isn’t too painful on the pocket!  Channings on South Learmonth Gardens, a short walk from Edinburgh’s West End, offers itself as a perfect destination for everything from morning coffee to lunch or an early evening supper.

Head Chef, Karen Higgins, knows just how important catering for little guests is, and has created a dedicated children’s menu making Channings one of the most family friendly destinations in the city.  Keeping the costs manageable for mums and dads or perhaps grandparents is important too, so one child under five eats for free!

Menu is priced from £2.50 for soup of the day and includes sausage & mash (£4.50) and burgers and chips (£5.50) and, of course, the all important homemade vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce and sprinkles!

For further information, to discuss any special dietary requirements or to book, visit www.channings.co.uk; call 0131-274 7465 or email food@channings.co.uk

***

From 18-20 May, Festival of Museums will celebrate Scotland’s wealth of culture with exciting and innovative day and night events in museums and galleries throughout the country. Many of the workshops, talks, concerts and exhibitions are FREE. The Festival, organised by Museums Galleries Scotland, coincides with other Europe-wide celebrations of the many eclectic cultural experiences offered to visitors by museums and galleries, including Museums at Night.

There are loads of events in Edinburgh, and you can have a look at all the events at www.festivalofmuseums.com

Here is one example:-

Event Name: Cultural Creations Workshops

Venue: National Mining Museum Scotland

Address: Lady Victoria Colliery, Newtongrange, Midlothian EH22 4QN

Telephone for publication: 0131 663 7519

Website: www.nationalminingmuseum.com

Date and time: Songwriting Workshop 1pm/Storytelling Workshop 1pm/Banner Making Workshop 12-5pm

Price: Adults £10 Children £7.50 Family £30

Description: Get your creative juices flowing as you take part in our series of creative workshops inspired by the museum’s collection. Get your creative juices flowing as you take part in our series of creative workshops inspired by items in the museum’s collection. Choose from songwriting or storytelling workshops or simply drop in to the FREE banner making session and dip in and out as you please!  This fun day, which is suitable for individuals and families alike, will culminate in a celebratory performance of the finished creations and a chance to unwind with a buffet and refreshments in the Old Power House. Advanced booking is required

A volunteer clean-up squad collected bags of rubbish – and had bags of fun – when they took to Cramond Beach today.

More than 215 people from Edinburgh and beyond came out in force to do their bit for the first ever Marks & Spencer (M&S) and Marine Conservation Society (MCS) Big Beach Clean-up. Around 75 school children, 80 local volunteers and 60 staff from Marks & Spencer put themselves forward as beach cleaners for the day and helped to protect our sealife by collecting an impressive 350kg of rubbish. And we can spot an MSP and a councillor in the photo too – can you?

Amongst the items found were false teeth, sofa cushions, a lantern, bike tyres, a bike seat, a football, golf ball and volleyball and a bracelet charm.

Barbara Heslop, M&S head of region, Scotland East, said: “It was great to see so many people of all ages coming out to do their bit for the environment, and we relished the chance to get out onto the beach along with customers to help.  We’d like to extend a huge thank-you to everyone who rolled their sleeves up and helped clean up Cramond Beach.”

M&S customers who registered in advance to take part were thanked for their hard work with a money-off at M&S voucher and some free M&S snacks on the day of the clean. Beach cleaners were also treated to a free barbecue and kids’ games organised by the National Schools Partnership.

The Cramond Beach event was one of over 100 beach cleans scheduled to take place this weekend with thousands expected to take part. Further details can be found at www.mcsuk.org/foreverfish.

The M&S Big Beach Clean-up is part of M&S’ Forever Fish campaign which is funded by the 5p carrier bag charge in M&S food halls. Since its introduction in 2008, the charge has reduced carrier bag use by 80 per cent and raised over £4 million for charity.

Customers can find out more at www.marksandspencer.com/plana and follow the event on twitter (@marksandspencer or search #beachclean) and facebook (www.facebook.com/marksandspencer). And the MSP in the photo is Colin Keir. The councillor is Norrie Work who represents Almond Ward.

BALERNO PUPIL CROWNED JUNIOR BURNSIAN 2012
The World Burns Federation National Festival, held recently in Aberdeen, crowned local Balerno pupil Annie Bowes Scotland’s Junior Burnsian 2012, as reported on Deadline.   Over 165,000 pupils from across Scotland entered the competition with the finalists taking part in the live final. Annie Bowes from Deanpark Primary in Balerno was awarded the “West Sound” Rosebowl for her rendition of the poem ‘Tam O’Shanter’.

Local MSP Gordon Macdonald said ”What a fantastic achievement! Tam O’Shanter
is an epic poem with twenty verses and as someone who has attended many a Burns Supper over the years I can vouch it is a big challenge even to adult Burn’s enthusiasts.”  

In recognition of her achievement Gordon has submitted the following motion to parliament:-

“That the Parliament congratulates Annie Bowes, a primary seven pupil at Deanpark Primary School in Balerno, on her success at the Robert Burns World Federation National Festival; notes that Annie, who recited Tam O’Shanter, came first in the Primary recitation category and was overall winner of all four disciplines, which made her Scottish Junior Burnsian 2012; applauds Annie on her achievements and for her performing talents, and praises Deanpark Primary School for encouraging its pupils to participate in and learn about Scottish culture.”

Annie will now be invited to perform at the West Sound Burns Supper that takes place in Glasgow in January. The event which is broadcast live is reputed to be the largest Burns supper in the world and attracts around 600 guests.

The first meeting of the newly elected council will take place next Thursday, 17 May 2012, at the City Chambers, to deal with the installation of the Convener of the council (also known as The Lord Provost) and the officials who will sit on the various committees. So it will largely be a routine, administrative affair, except perhaps for those involved! The meatier version of the council will then convene on 24 May to discuss real council business.

The meeting will be chaired by Chief Executive, Sue Bruce, until the new Lord Provost is elected. As we reported to you earlier this week, it was agreed that the Lord Provost would be nominated by the Labour Group  and it will be Councillor Donald Wilson who represents Sighthill/Gorgie Ward, who is charged with this honour.

The rest of the meeting will deal with the appointment of a Deputy Lord Provost to be nominated by the SNP group who will run the council in coalition with Labour. Then the council will decide if they are going to choose any Bailies, and, if so, will appoint them  along with the members of the various committees which are required to deal with council business. These include the Policy and Strategy Committee,  the Audit Committee,  the Executive Committees (which include the Education, Children and Families committee, Health, Social Care and Housing committee, Transport, Infrastructure and Environment Committee, Culture and Leisure Committee, Economic Development Committee and the Finance and Resources Committee),  the Planning Committee/DevelopmentManagement Sub-Committee and the Regulatory Committee,  the Joint Committees and Joint Boards and the Licensing Board. The largest of these committees have 17 members, and the rest are of varying sizes depending on the importance and extent of the work which they will deal with.

The office of Bailie is an honorary title bestowed upon senior councillors, and bailies have a ceremonial role which allows them to stand in for the Lord Provost or Deputy Provost if needed.

The meeting will also appoint religious and teacher representatives to the Education, Children and Families Committee. There have to be three representatives of religious interests, and so far the nominations are:- A Craig Duncan for the Church of Scotland and Ted Brack for the Roman Catholic Church. There are three nominations for the third position:- Rev Thomas Coupar from The Robin Chapel, Eric John Scott from Carrubbers Christian Centre and Captain Alison Friday from The Salvation Army, and only one of those can be chosen.

The two nominees for the position of teacher members are Allan Crosbie from James Gillespie’s High School, and Raymond George Simpson from Queensferry Community High School. So the only real decision to be made next Thursday morning will be to appoint the third religious representative from the three nominees and the other positions where there are only the required number of nominees will require to be rubber-stamped.

And just to remind you who the 58 new councillors are:-

1 Almond  Lindsay Paterson Alastair Gordon Shields Norman James Work

2 Pentland Hills Bill Henderson Ricky Henderson Dominic Heslop

3 Drum Brae/Gyle Robert Aldridge Ron Cairns Karen Keil

4 Forth Steve Cardownie Cammy Day Allan George Jackson Vicki Redpath

5 Inverleith   Nigel Bagshaw Gavin Barrie Lesley Hinds Iain Whyte

6 Corstorphine/ Murrayfield  Jeremy Ross Balfour Paul Edie Frank Ross

7 Sighthill/Gorgie  Denis Charles Dixon Catherine Fullerton Eric Milligan Donald C Wilson

8 Colinton/ Fairmilehead Elaine Aitken Richard Lewis Jason Geoffrey Rust

9 Fountainbridge/ Craiglockhart Andrew Burns Gavin Corbett David Key

10 Meadows/ Morningside Paul Godzik Sandy Howat  Melanie Main Mark McInnes

11 City Centre Karen Doran Joanna Mowat  Alasdair Rankin

12 Leith Walk Angela Blacklock Deidre Leanne Brock Maggie Chapman Nick Gardner

14 Craigentinny/ Duddingston  Joan Griffiths Alex Lunn Stefan Tymkewycz

15 Southside/ Newington  Steve Burgess Jim Orr Ian Perry Cameron Rose

16 Liberton/Gilmerton Norma Austin Hart Tom Buchanan Bill Cook Nick Cook

17 Portobello/ Craigmillar  Mike Bridgman Maureen Child David Walker

NEW CONTRACT WITH THE CAPITAL UNVEILED BY COUNCIL LEADERSHIP

The Labour and SNP groups that now form the City of Edinburgh Council administration have unveiled their commitment to the city in a coalition agreement. The central priority in the new ‘contract with the capital’ is to build a more co-operative and prosperous Edinburgh that benefits every individual and community.

The agreement includes more than 50 pledges that the adminstration will be judged on, with a review going to Council each year detailing what progress has been made on meeting those aims.

Councillor Andrew Burns, leader of the Labour group, said:- “Edinburgh is internationally recognised as a fantastic city. It is successful, prosperous and a great place to live and work. Yet our city has major challenges, and we need to acknowledge that we have some work to do to rebuild trust between the residents of Edinburgh and their elected representatives. Tackling these requires strong leadership, which we will provide, as well as the political stability created by having a 38-strong coalition between the Council’s two largest parties.”

Councillor Steve Cardownie, leader of the SNP group, added: “This new contract with the capital marks a fresh start with a Council willing to listen to local people and work together with local communities, businesses and the voluntary sector. Together, we will move Edinburgh forward for the benefit of the city and its people, with decision-making that shows we are listening to public opinion.”

The agreement sets out six key priorities:

• ensuring every child in Edinburgh has the best start in life;
• reducing poverty, inequality and deprivation;
• providing for Edinburgh’s prosperity;
• strengthening and supporting our communities and keeping them safe;
• ensuring Edinburgh, and its residents, are well cared-for;  and
• maintaining and improving the quality of life in Edinburgh.

Council Chief Executive, Sue Bruce, said: -“The agreement lays out the goals that officers will be charged with delivering on behalf of the whole Council. It is a challenging set of objectives, as it rightly should be for a capital city. I’m very much looking forward to working with councillors, the senior management team, partner organisations and all of our committed staff on achieving them.”

The whole document is reproduced for you below:-

A New Contract With the Capital

Voting began this week to decide if Queensferry is to become a Business Improvement District.

This initiative, spearheaded by Queensferry Ambition, is a unique opportunity for Queensferry to reach its full potential, and for businesses to take ownership and collectively enhance trading conditions.

Areas of focus include creating a robust events and marketing campaign, business grant support and initiatives, improved signage and parking.

The Business Plan and voting papers are being posted out this week to all businesses in the BID area and owners are being asked to return them early.

Steve McGavin, Head of Physcial Development, the City of Edinburgh Council, said:- “It is important that all businesses register their vote as the outcome – whether a Yes or No – will affect them. This is an opportunity for businesses to create change, attract further investment and have a real say in decisions that impact their business. A Yes vote would help to deliver over £500,000 of additional investment over the next five years to be spent on projects led and managed by the business community.”

Following a successful Yes vote, a company would be set up, representative of all sectors and areas of the BID, to ensure the overall £500,000 budget delivers maximum return.

Voting closes at 5pm on the 21 June 2012.

For further information please call Queensferry Ambition BID on 0131 331 3203.

MOBILE PHONE CHARGES FOR TRAVELLERS SET TO FALL

EU AGREEMENT REACHED TO CAP ROAMING PRICES

Alyn Smith, SNP MEP, today welcomed the vote in the European Parliament which will hopefully see the end of extortionate charges for using your mobile phone when you are abroad.

With effect from July 1st, EU mobile operators will again be obliged to lower retail prices for roaming calls – a cut in the cap that was first introduced in 2007. The maximum call charge to consumers will be lowered from 35 eurocents per min to 29 cents, and be cut by another 10 cents by July 2014.

The big victory, though, is on data charging. With a growing increase in smart phones data is becoming more and more important in everyday life.

Mobile operators can currently charge whatever they like for data roaming which means that unsuspecting travellers are often hit with extortionately high bills. This will however change with a cap of 70 cents per megabyte from July 1st, lowering to 45 cents next year, and down to 20 cents in 2014.

The price of text messages will also drop from 11 cents as it is now to 6 cents by 2014.

Alyn Smith said:-

“These new roaming prices will be of benefit to the thousands of Scots holidaymakers and business travellers when they come into force this summer. As someone who has to use my mobile abroad on a regular basis, I’ll confess this is good news for me too.

“Previous caps were also limited to phone calls and text messages but this landmark agreement for the first time caps the amount operators can charge for the use of data whilst roaming. With a continual increase of data use for emails, facebook, twitter and everything else, this will be a huge benefit to smart phone users and save them from the extortionate phone bills which have, unfortunately, become common when travelling.

“I am delighted that Scots holidaymakers will be able to take full advantage of these cheaper prices during this summer holiday season.”

New Waste regulations now require all businesses to separate all their waste for recycling, and Edinburgh retailers, Glasgow restaurants, and Alloa industrial parks are amongst businesses in Scotland who are joining forces to recycle more and save on costs.

The projects are being showcased by the Scottish Government after a landmark step towards creating a zero waste society in Scotland was taken yesterday, when new Waste (Scotland) Regulations were passed by the Scottish Parliament.

The Waste (Scotland) Regulations will require all businesses to separate paper and card, plastic, metal and glass for recycling by January 2014.  Businesses that produce more than 5kg of food waste per week will also need to separate this for collection.

Householders are also set to see changes as a result of the regulations as councils will increase kerbside services to include separate collections for paper and card, plastic, metal, glass and, with the exception of rural areas, food too.

To support the changes required by the regulations, Zero Waste Scotland will be investing £8 million in councils and commercial waste management firms this year, including £5 million to support the roll-out of new food waste collections and £750,000 to help increase the availability of collection services to Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs.)

Zero Waste Scotland is also supporting collaborative approaches to recycling collections, designed to make it easier and cheaper for SMEs to recycle by working together.  Pilot projects are underway in Bathgate, Falkirk, Clackmannanshire, Alloa, and Dumfries and Galloway.

In Glasgow, the Glasgow Restaurant Association is taking forward plans to bring its 84 members together to recycle food waste at reduced cost.

Essential Edinburgh, a Business Improvement District* (BID) representing 600 levy payers, aims to work with local businesses and waste management company Shanks to let a single contract for waste and recycling services.  If successful, businesses could save up to 70 per cent on waste management fees per year  Working together will also reduce vehicle emissions and waste containers and bags seen on the street.

Environment Secretary, Richard Lochhead, said:

“I am delighted that the waste regulations have been approved by the Scottish Parliament as they represent a major step in delivering our vision of a zero waste Scotland. These regulations will bring about a profound and long-overdue change in how we view and manage the waste that we produce.

“Innovative solutions to recycle in cost-effective ways signal a welcome pragmatism from Scottish businesses to meet the requirements of new waste regulations.  The Scottish Government, along with Zero Waste Scotland, is providing funding to help businesses find better solutions to managing waste.

“We all need to realise that the price of and demand for raw materials is increasing globally, mainly down to rising energy costs, consumer trends, population growth and resource scarcity. To create a secure resource future we need to develop the infrastructure necessary to reprocess high quality materials in Scotland and reduce our dependence on raw materials from overseas. An increase in better recycling will provide the stimulus to drive this required investment and in turn create new employment opportunities and help Scotland become a low carbon economy.”

Denzil Skinner, Chair of Essential Edinburgh, said: “Our Zero 2 Waste scheme will provide a whole raft of benefits to the businesses themselves and also to the environment.

“Not only can we save each business money – often several times what they pay in their levy to us – but, very importantly, we will enable the waste to be collected in the most effective manner to divert it from landfill. This will become legislation for businesses in the coming years so it is prudent to start now.

“We are also helping the environment by reducing the number of collection lorries making journeys around the city centre, reducing carbon emissions. Finally we hope to improve the visual amenity of the area by reducing the number of bins and bags on the streets by providing shared bins when some issues with the regulations have been overcome.”

Robin Stevenson, Northern Regional Director from Shanks, said:

“We are delighted to be Essential Edinburgh’s Zero Waste Partner providing new services and containers for separate food, glass and recyclate materials. We are already seeing tremendous support from local businesses that are now able to significantly increase their recycling rates as well as reduce the amount of waste they send to landfill.”

Iain Gulland, Director of Zero Waste Scotland, said:

“The Waste (Scotland) Regulations are about unlocking economic opportunity for Scotland.  Our waste is a valuable resource we can no longer afford to ignore.  The potential to save money, create jobs, and grow Scotland’s recycling and reprocessing industry is huge.

“Many businesses are already adopting ‘zero waste’ measures to give them a competitive edge.  By taking simple steps to reduce waste, Scottish businesses could save an estimated £2 billion.  Reducing waste in the first place saves on disposal costs and is best for the environment.

“We are here to help businesses to reduce waste and comply with new regulations. We are also supporting councils to roll-out new collection services to householders.  Last year, we provided £4 million to councils and businesses to help with the start-up costs for food waste collections, and this year we will invest a further £5 million in this activity.  We are also helping private companies and the third sector develop their businesses to create a competitive marketplace.”

Photos by Cate Gillon

Cate Gillon
Photographer
Tel: 07894 664 288
Email: photography@categillon.com
Web: www.categillon.com

By Jessica Owen

Following two sell-out London seasons, Howard Brenton’s production of ‘Anne Boleyn’ is now enjoying a five night run at the Festival Theatre.

This engaging and vibrant Shakespeare’s Globe production gives an insight into Henry VIII’s notorious second wife played out over the seven years during which she went from the king’s lover to his Queen, and from revolutionary to heretic.

The production cleverly intertwines different generations to show the impact that Anne Boleyn had on subsequent monarchs and religion in England.

Brenton’s production moves seamlessly between tenderness and tension and laugh out loud humour.  James Garnon playing a particularly manic King James VI & I, and Colin Hurley as the delightfully camp and poisonous Cardinal Wolsey, both deserve a special mention for their excellent performances.

For anyone who enjoyed Hilary Mantel’s Booker prize winning novel ‘Wolf Hall’,  this production of Anne Boleyn will certainly give you a refresher on the tangled web of goings-on in Henry VIII’s Tudor Court and should keep you going until Mantel’s sequel ‘Bring Up The Bodies’ is published later today.

Anne Boleyn is at the Festival Theatre on Nicholson Street until Saturday 12 May. There is also a free post show talk tonight when you can put your questions to members of the company. If you’re not in the audience you can tweet questions using the hashtag #askAnBo  during the talk.

For more details visit http://www.fctt.org.uk/festival_theatre/event.aspx?evtid=535&gclid=CNfuq6Tz8q8CFUdlfAodYzc_YA

Photos by Robert Day

Report by Edmund Brown

Photos by Carson Ralton

Spartans rock solid performance in Granite City earns three points 

Spartans took all three points in the Scottish Women’s Premier League beating Aberdeen 2-1 at Aberdeen’s Sports village to go fourth in the league.

With all types of weather conditions being witnessed in the Granite City and with the Aberdeen surface stifling the passing moves of both teams, the crowd had to wait until the start of the second half for the deadlock to be broken with Sarah Ewens volleying home her tenth goal of the season for the Edinburgh side. Within five minutes the home side equalised as Rebecca Dempster crashed home a sweeping shot into the bottom corner of the Spartans net. However it was the away side who stole the show as with only six minutes to play they were awarded a penalty as Ewens was taken down by Keeper Lauren Sangster. Up stepped Barry to smash the ball home to seal the victory and take the three points back down the road to Edinburgh.

Spartans started the brighter and could have been a goal up inside the first ten minutes with a thunderous Molly McKean strike flying inches past the post. Bobbie Beveridge skipped down the right wing and cut inside before firing over a cross to Sarah Ewens whose shot, from the edge of the area, was charged down only as far as midfielder McKean who, with a flick of the hips, fired in a fierce drive that flew inches past the left hand post.

Moments later Spartans again came close to opening the scoring after they were awarded a corner which Claire Crosbie rose to send a header towards goal only to see it cleared off the goal line. Ewens wrestled clear of the Aberdeen defence and as she charged into the box Loren Campbell flicked out a foot clearing the ball from danger. Lana Clelland took the corner and sent over an out-swinging cross to the far post for Crosbie, who had risen above all challengers, to head towards goal. However Campbell, who was standing on the post, cleared off the line and away from danger.

On the stroke of half-time Spartans were awarded another corner after Ewens again wriggled free of two challenges before Lindsey Gauld managed to send the ball clear with an outstretched leg. Clelland, with the resulting corner, again swung a ball to the far post for Crosbie to head towards goal but Lauren Sangster was able to get her gloves to it and prevent it from crossing the line.

Nine minutes after the half time break Spartans took the lead through Ewens volleyed shot from eight yards out. Barry collected the ball from a throw-in on the left wing and, after flicking it past McKenzie, sent over a looping cross to the near post where Ewens, at full stretch, sent a volley into the bottom corner past the outstretched hands of Sangster.

However the away side’s lead only lasted five minutes as, against the run of play, Rebecca Dempster fired a sweeping shot into the bottom corner of the Spartans goal. Victoria McIntosh escaped the grasps of Chloe Fitzpatrick and sent over a low cross to Dempster who, from the edge of the area, sent a sweeping low drive around the defence and into the bottom corner.

Straight from kick-off, Spartans charged straight up-field and had a McKean shot from outside the box deflected wide by Murray. Louise Young fed the ball down the right wing to Barry who quickly played a one-two with Lana Clelland before sending in a wicked cross that was cleared to the feet of Mckean to let fly with a dipping right foot drive which was deflected off the foot of Murray.

Moments later Spartans were again close to regaining the lead as Barry laid the ball on for McKean however her shot from 18 yards out flew well over the bar. Barry created space for herself just inside the box and after twisting and turning fed the ball back to Mckean whose first shot sailed over the bar.

With 15 minutes left on the clock Spartans again came close to securing the victory as Ewens escaped the attentions of both central defenders and charged towards goal. However as she steadied herself to shoot, Campbell slid in to tap the ball away for a corner.

Three minutes from the end Spartans finally got their just rewards as the referee pointed to the spot after Ewens, who had sped clear of the Aberdeen defence, was sent crashing to the ground by keeper Sangster as the striker tried to round the home side’s number 1. Spartans Keeper Rachel Harrison fired a ball up to Clelland who cut inside and chipped a ball over the top for Ewens to run onto. However as she played the ball past the on-rushing Sangster, the keeper brought the forward down. Up Stepped Barry to fire the ball into the bottom right hand corner to give her side a crucial 2-1 victory sending the Edinburgh side into fourth spot.

Spartans Head Coach Debbi McCulloch felt the conditions didn’t help in creating a memorable game but was pleased to get the three points. She said: “Today was one of those games where the three points were the most important factor. The surface and weather conditions proved difficult and with the ball always taking a while to get back into play meant we struggled to get any tempo in our game. But the girls never gave up and scored a great goal by Sarah Ewens and Di Barry was so calm and composed in disposing of the penalty.”

Teams:

Aberdeen: Lauren Sangster, Loren Campbell, Lindsey Gauld, Melissa Aitkenhead, Cheryl Anderson, Victoria McIntosh, Kelly Forrest, Susan Murray, Kirsty McKenzie, Rebecca Dempster, Aimee Ross. Subs: Hannah Clews, Amy Innis, Megan Maver, Natasha Bruce, Claire Martin

Spartans: Rachel Harrison, Ashley Nicolson, Claire Crosbie, Victoria Farquhar, Chloe Fitzpatrick, Bobbie Beveridge, Lana Clelland, Molly McKean, Louise Young, Diana Barry, Sarah Ewens. Subs: Ann Taylor, Louise Mason, Nichola Sturrock, Louise Moultray

Public Sector Strike – Acrobatics at the Museum – Blipfoto – Trams – May at the Zoo

Hundreds of public sector workers are on strike today protesting against possible changes to their pensions. There will be picket lines outside the Scottish Government, St Andrew’s House and courts and Jobcentres will be disrupted according to The Herald. 

***

Picture this if you will:- Last night, The Edinburgh Reporter witnessed two young acrobats at either end of The National Museum of Scotland, hanging upside down from two lengths of fabric suspended in the middle of the Great Hall from a wire strung across from one side of the top balcony to the other. The two girls then performed all kinds of moves up and down the fabric for what seemed like far too long for their arms to hold them… It was almost too much to watch at times, considering the height they reached, the complexity of the moves and the audience’s keen awareness that the museum floor is made of marble. They were magnificent!  The occasion last night was the 30th anniversary dinner of Scottish Business in the Community (SBC), a not for profit organisation which aims to lead the business community in responsible business practice.

Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay and President of SBC, had unfortunately just left the building before the fabulous acrobatic display, but had already made a speech, eaten his dinner and presented the awards. And at least two of those awards were handed over to Edinburgh businesses, Rabbie’s Trailburners and Lothian Buses who were both recognised for their achievements. The full list of winners will be published here later today.

Earlier in the day HRH had visited an Edinburgh school where head teacher, Barbara Russell, said the Royal party had spent more than an hour with pupils and teachers learning how Craigroyston Community High School have benefitted from one of SBC’s programmes called ‘Seeing is Believing’.

***

An Edinburgh-based photography website has attracted new investment from the Scottish Investment Bank Seed Fund bringing the total investment in the business to £300,000. Blipfoto is the site where you are only allowed to publish one photo each day, and it now has tens of thousands of contributors and an unbelievable 16 million monthly page views according to The Next Web. We have our own Blipfoto page, which is a wee bit sad and neglected at the moment, but users can post photos retrospectively…although only one per day means we have to weed out loads of possibles!

***

A free smartphone app celebrating The Queen’s reign in Scotland will be among a series of events and initiatives launched by the Scottish Government to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee this summer, First Minister Alex Salmond announced yesterday.

As the Jubilee was marked by a Royal military march in Edinburgh yesterday morning, attended by the Duke of Rothesay, the First Minister said people in Scotland would use the event to mark the outstanding service of their Monarch, as well as celebrating Scotland’s history, people and technology over the past six decades.

The First Minister, who observed the military march past on the Royal Mile, revealed the Scottish Government would unveil a free smartphone app commemorating The Queen in Scotland in time for the Jubilee weekend to help people in Scotland and visitors learn more about significant Scottish milestones and locations in Her Majesty’s reign.

He also announced that further gifts and events would be unveiled in the weeks to come, including a donation to an appropriate Scottish charity in The Queen’s name, and a series of exciting events and initiatives across the country throughout the summer, all to mark the Diamond Jubilee.

As well as a programme being run by the Palace and local authorities, the Scottish Parliament will host a special debate marking The Queen’s reign later this month and Historic Scotland will run ticket offers across the Jubilee weekend itself, encouraging Scots and visitors to Scotland to visit Royal buildings during the celebrations.

***

The new council have said that they will wait until the trams are up and running in the city until they initiate an enquiry according to an article in The Scotsman.

***

The Zoo has just announced a programme of activities for under fives. Every Wednesday until the 20^th June, the Zoo is hosting fantastic activities suitable for under-fives.

Jo Jingles

Wednesday 16^th May – 10.30am

Popular children’s entertainer Jo Jingles will be at Edinburgh Zoo, helping to teach and captivate children through interactive song, dance and music sessions.  Free with Zoo admission.

Honey Pot Ceramics Arts and Crafts – Messy Play Sessions

Wednesday 30^th May, 11am – 3pm

Join Honey Pot Ceramics Arts and Crafts Studio for messy fun at Edinburgh Zoo.  Designed specifically for children between six months and five years old, each Messy Play session has its own fabulous animal or wildlife theme.  A fantastic opportunity for your youngsters to explore their creative side, the drop-in sessions cost £2.00 per child plus Zoo admission fees.

The Imagination Workshop

Wednesday 23^rd May, 11am – 3pm

Drop in to join The Imagination Workshop for a range of fun arts and crafts activities.  Each week will feature a different activity, from animal puppets to potato paw prints!  Free with Zoo admission.

LICENCE EXTENSIONS REFUSED ON PUBLIC SAFETY GROUNDS

The City of Edinburgh Licensing Board has taken the decision to refuse all applications for extended opening hours to licensed premises on Scottish Cup Final day, Saturday 19 May.

The decision was taken following concerns raised by both Lothian and Borders Police and Strathclyde Police.

A spokesperson for the Licensing Board said:- “Scottish Cup Final day will be a momentous occasion for the city and it is our aim to ensure that everyone enjoys this historic day.

“The decision was taken to refuse all applications for extended opening hours based on strong objections from the police.

“An expected 50,000 fans will be travelling through to Glasgow for the match with many more staying in Edinburgh. As a Licensing Board the safety of all these people is our main concern and we will continue to work with our partners to ensure the day is enjoyed by all.”

Chief Superintendent Gill Imery, Divisional Commander for the City of Edinburgh said: -“Lothian and Borders Police and their partner agencies are committed to ensuring that the Scottish Cup Final between Heart of Midlothian FC and Hibernian FC is able to be enjoyed by all of those who wish to see it.

“Robust planning for the policing operation is already underway and both Lothian and Borders Police and Strathclyde Police provided advice and guidance to the Licensing Board during their consideration of licence extension applications from a number of premises across the capital.

“The safety of all fans travelling to the match and those who chose to watch within a licensed establishment remains at the heart of all planning and we will continue to work alongside our various partners to ensure the day passes without incident.”

Some premises have already been notified of the refusal to their application and letters will be received by all those who applied later this week.

CRACKDOWN ON SMOKING LITTER IN SOUTH WEST EDINBURGH

Edinburgh’s South West Neighbourhood team will be stepping up patrols this week and next as part of an initiative to target smoking litter in the Gorgie and Dalry area.

From Wednesday 9 May to Friday 11 May environmental wardens will be distributing smoking pouches to all relevant businesses in the area in an effort to discourage employees and customers from dropping cigarette butts on the street.

Increased day time and extra weekend patrols with Lothian and Borders Police will then be carried out in the following week and enforcement action taken in the form of a £50 fixed penalty issued to anyone seen littering.

At the same time wardens will also give out leaflets encouraging local shop owner’s assistance by removing any graffiti from their shop fronts and encouraging them to keep the area directly in front of their shops clean.

Mike Avery, South West Neighbourhood Manager, said:- “Keeping our streets clean and tidy is one of our top priorities. We want to encourage people to make a few small changes that could have a major impact on the appearance of the South West Neighbourhood.

“Giving advice and support to businesses and local residents is the first step in tackling cigarette litter. But we are determined to crackdown on the irresponsible minority who have little regard for the cleanliness of the environment we all share.”

This Thursday you can follow the teams patrols live as they use their Twitter account, @southwest_team, to give updates from out on the beat. It’s another medium by which the team hope to engage local residents in this initiative.

Police are appealing for help in tracing a ten-year-old schoolgirl who has gone missing in Edinburgh.

Lisa Young was last seen leaving Craigroyston Primary School around 11am today.  The school is located in the Muirhouse area, just off Ferry Road.

There was another possible sighting of her in Gamekeepers Road, in the Cramond area, around 12.45pm.

There have been no sightings of her since, and police are carrying out extensive enquiries in the areas where she has been seen.

Lisa is described as white, around 4ft tall, with short light brown hair, and a fair complexion.  When last seen she was wearing a blue sweatshirt, black trousers, and pink trainers.  She was carrying a black rucksack.

A Lothian and Borders Police spokesman: “While there are no immediate concerns that Lisa has come to any harm, she hasn’t returned home, and we are anxious to trace her as soon as possible.

“We are appealing to anyone who thinks they have seen her today to contact police immediately.  Likewise, anyone who has any information regarding her current whereabouts should also get in touch.”

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

MODIFIED VEHICLE ROADSHOW FOR YOUNG LOTHIAN DRIVERS 

Lothian and Borders Police are hosting a series of road shows across East and Midlothian to highlight the dangers of vehicle modification to young drivers.

The events, which will take place in Straiton, Dunbar, Haddington, Musselburgh and East Fortune will demonstrate various modifications regularly made to cars and provide advice and guidance on their legality.

Every day in Scotland, around 16 young drivers between the ages of 17 and 25 are involved in serious road collisions that result in death or serious injury.

To assist with the presentations, Road Policing Officers and Road Safety Officerst have taken possession of a new car, which has been heavily modified. The vehicle was acquired and altered with the help of various partners in the commercial sector. Participants will be given advice and guidance on how these modifications affect the vehicle and the potential collision risks they pose. The road shows are open to drivers of all ages and anyone who wishes to attend is welcome to come along and discuss any driving issues they may have with police.

A police spokesman said: “Modifying a vehicle may seem like a desirable choice for young drivers who have recently gained their licence.

“However, alterations to engine capacity or other vehicle amendments may increase the risk of being involved in a collision and can also be illegal. It is, therefore, important we engage with these drivers and highlight all the associated dangers of vehicle modification. We would like to thank our partner organisations for their assistance with the educational car, which will act as a vital tool in our efforts to reduce the number of casualties on our roads.”

Any businesses or employers of young drivers, who would like this vehicle to attend at their workplace, please contact The Road Safety Office 0131 654 5539 to arrange a date and time

The road shows will take place at the following locations:

* Asda Superstore, Spott Road, Dunbar Wednesday 16th May, 12- 2pm
* The Bead Shop, 31 Court Street, Haddington Wednesday 30th May, 12-2pm
* Ikea, Straiton Thursday 28th June 12-2pm
* East Fortune Airshow, Saturday 28th July, all day
* Brunton Hall, Musselburgh, 28th, 29th, 30th August at ‘2mro’s Driver’ event, 9-3pm daily

Police appeal for witnesses to robbery – Adult Learning Week – Footballer arrested – Gorgie and Dalry music competition – TEDGlobal in Edinburgh

***

Lothian and Borders Police are appealing for witnesses following an attempted robbery at an East Lothian newsagent.

The incident happened around 9.45pm on Monday 7th May at the RS McColl store in Delta Drive, Musselburgh.

A female sales assistant was working within the premises when a man entered and produced a knife before demanding money.

The employee refused to hand any cash over and the suspect attempted to open the till.

However, he was unsuccessful and left the shop empty handed.

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

The suspect is described as white, early twenties, 5ft 5ins tall with a slim build and dark eyes. He spoke with a local accent.

A police spokesman said: “The male was thwarted by the sales assistant’s refusal to hand over any money and we are now keen to identify and trace him.

“Anyone who was in or around Delta Drive yesterday evening and remembers seeing anything suspicious is asked to contact police immediately.

“Similarly, anyone who believes they recognise the description of the suspect is also asked to get in touch.”

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

***

Exploring hieroglyphs, learning IT and discovering family history, are just some of the free taster courses that are running from 11 – 18 May 2012 to mark Adult Learners’ Week.

Throughout the week there are free events taking place, giving people the chance to explore the adult learning opportunities on offer across Edinburgh.

Mike Rosendale, Head of Schools and Community Services at the City of Edinburgh Council said: “Adult learners’ Week offers a fantastic opportunity for people to find out what’s on offer in their community and across the city. It is never too late to learn and adult learning courses offer the chance to try something different and pick up some valuable new skills.”

A full list of the events being coordinated by the City of Edinburgh Council  are available online and booking before is recommended for some of the events, others are drop in.

The events form part of the Adult Learners’ Week national initiative. The aim of the week is to raise awareness of the range and value of adult learning.

To celebrate the experiences achievements of adult learners from Edinburgh, an event will be held on Friday 18 May at the City Chambers to recognise the successes of different education groups and classes.

***

The Press Association have reported that a St Johnstone footballer was arrested in the early hours of Monday morning at the HMV Picturehouse, following a disturbance. Derek Riordan has play in the past for Hibs.

***

Gorgie and Dalry Gala is back and they are staging a music competition! Find out more here. 

***

TED Global is a non-profit organisation which promotes “Ideas worth spreading”. The TED Global conference is being held here in Edinburgh at the end of June. One of the speakers is to be sculptor, Antony Gormley who has given us all such a treat with his people in the Water of Leith.  Comedian Ruby Wax is also on the list, and you will find the full programme on the website. 

And our photo today was taken yesterday evening at STV’s Edinburgh offices. The Edinburgh Reporter was invited along to see their new space and sit in the news presenter’s chair. It was fun!

The Labour Group will confirm at their meeting tonight that the new Lord Provost will be a councillor with 13 years’ experience at the City Chambers. Donald Wilson, councillor for Sighthill/Gorgie Ward, is the group’s sole nominee, and will therefore sit in the big chair at the first council meeting of the new administration on 17 May. He will also be the person responsible for handing over the keys of the capital to The Queen when she visits in July, as The Lord Provost also becomes Lord Lieutenant of Edinburgh. (That means he is also responsible for getting you an invitation to the garden party at Holyrood….)

So what else happens now at the City Chambers? The election result last week gave a clear lead to the Labour Group, and they have now signed a formal coalition document with the SNP group, agreeing that they will run the council for the next five years in tandem, but all the various positions of responsibility still have to be filled.

Perhaps the most important position is that of council leader, and that will fall to Andrew Burns, Labour Group Leader.  As he was in the last administration, Councillor Steve Cardownie, will again be Deputy Leader, although the administration will have a different make-up.

Councillor Burns claims to be absolutely delighted with his new job, and said to The Edinburgh Reporter:-” I am thoroughly excited about the whole prospect of it.

“As for the other jobs we still have to agree the division of responsibilities with the SNP. On 17 May, the positions of Leader, Deputy Leader, Provost and Deputy Provost will then be ratified. Our group has a meeting tonight about this. Donald is our sole nominee for this position, having been a Bailie for five years and a councillor for 13 years.

“Although the division of responsibility will have to be thrashed out with the SNP in the next few days, each group will go through the nomination process to decide on the actual people who will take up each job which will then be formally ratified on 24 May. The Labour Group will meet next Tuesday to try and sort those positions out.

“If you look at the two manifestos, then I think it is hard to put a cigarette paper between the vast bulk of the policies. There are differences of course, but there is about 80 plus per cent of commonality.  It won’t be a problem delivering on that – there is a difference between Labour and SNP on national issues, but this will not be a problem for us at local level.”

One matter The Reporter is keeping a close eye on is the council newspaper Outlook, which is most probably for the chop. Burns said:-“Obviously this is not a done deal, but it is presently our intention to make good on our manifesto commitment to look at more effective alternatives.” The cost of running the paper, nicknamed Pravda by some, is reportedly around £200,000 per annum.

One other matter which both groups claimed during their election campaigns to have in their sights, is road repair. But it will take a few weeks to get the people in place before the new council can make any moves in any direction.

The Art of Italian Wine

Though not exactly a sommelier, I like my wine, and I think over a number of years my nose for wine has matured.  When offered the chance to go wine tasting at Le Di-Vin, with such an established and interesting winery as Masi, I jumped at it.

The set up of the evening was refreshingly simple; we were given a sheet marked with the order of wines, and Raffaele Boscaini of Masi winery mingled between us budding viticulturalists chatting about his wines. It was incredibly interesting, and we dissevered that Masi is a distinct family run winery from Northern Italy that is most notably famous for their Amarone.

Raffaele’s grandfather resurrected the ancient art of wine making by using the Roman technique, and a number of the Masi wines are produced using this ancient method of drying the grapes. Removing the water from the grape means that there is a higher concentration of glycerine giving the wine a richer flavour and you can certainly tell, specifically in the Amarone which is produced from 100% dried grapes.

Right, on to the wine tasting….

Our first Wine was the Levarie (£18.50), a white made from the Soave grape. A lovely light wine which we all agreed was fresh, light and very easy to drink.

Next we had the Masianco (£25), another white but this time a Pinot Grigio. The Masianco was much more golden in colour than the easy drinking Levarie and you could instantly tell a big difference. The Masianco was produced using about 25% dried grapes and this was clear as it was a much sweeter wine. The guide for this wine mentioned the flavours of wild flowers and honey, and this certainly shone through during the tasting.

Our 3^rd wine and first red was the Bonacosta (£23.50); a Valpolicella. This wine is a great little red. It was thoroughly enjoyable and easy to drink. The Bonacosta was very dry but with only 40% dried grapes it wasn’t too heavy.  This was the winning wine for me, and I could easily have drunk it all night (but with another 4 wines to go I am glad I only had half a glass!) (Thank goodness! Ed.)

The 4^th on our list was the Brolo Di Campofiorin (£30). This was a nice strong wine at 14%vol and again had about 40% dried grapes.  If you were just wanting a nice glass of red after a hard day at work, this would be the one for you! I wouldn’t have been able to handle more than a glass, as it was very rich, but it was also easy to drink and a typically sophisticated smooth red.

At this stage it seemed the reds were getting deeper and deeper and our table was becoming an Aladdin’s cave of half drunk wine glasses, but we soldiered on to number 5 which was the Tupungato Passe Doble (£30). The Passe Doble was a Malbec so it had gone through the double fermentation process before they had partnered it with the Corvina to make up the Passe Doble. This wine consisted of 25% dried grapes and was a blend of both the Masi Italian grapes and grapes from their vineyard’s in Argentina; 1000m above sea level.  The Passe Doble was a great wine, again very strong, but also easily drinkable.

The penultimate wine was Celia’s favourite;  the Grandarella Appassimento (£45) and grand it certainly was! This was seriously strong at 14.5% and is made from 100% dried grapes. It would have been perfect with a steak, and it actually left me hungry for one!

Last but not least was the infamous Amarone. We had been warned about this wine all night and at £55 a bottle and 15.5%vol this certainly was ‘the big boy’. Amarone is produced using 100% dried grapes and trying it certainly was an experience. I enjoyed the Amarone and Raffaele kindly talked us through the process. I understood the wine to be most similar to the sorts of wine the Romans drank and although this ancient style of wine was lovely, I don’t think I could handle more than a glass!

Celia and I loved the Masi wine tasting experience, and the friendly venue of Le Di-Vin made the night even better. I shall certainly be looking out for Masi wine in future, and if you want to try some Le Di-Vin is the best place to start!

Le Di-Vin, 9 Randolph Place, Edinburgh  0131 538 1815

The Reporter Food reviewer, Holly Jones, is a partner in The Lifestyle Company Scotland  You can follow the company and their lifestyle tips on Twitter

A range of books and resources to help young people cope with mental health issues is being launched at Oxgangs Library tomorrow to coincide with International Children’s Mental Health Day.

The event is aimed at promoting books and other resources to help children, young people, parents and carers who are dealing with problems such as anxiety, depression, bullying and eating disorders.  Libraries & Information Services staff from The City of Edinburgh Council have joined up with NHS Lothian to provide the resources, which are being launched on International Child Mental Health Day.

The list of books offers information, greater understanding and practical advice on a range of mental health issues. As well as being available through libraries, the books can also be borrowed by children at their school library.

Some of the books are written by those who have experienced difficulties themselves, and some are written by experienced mental health professionals.

Edinburgh Author Nicola Morgan, who has written “Blame my Brain” – one of the recommended titles on the list – will be speaking at the launch about teenage mental health issues.

Liz McGettigan, Libraries & Information Services Manager, said:-“Understanding how to deal with mental health issues can be very challenging especially when it involves young people. We hope that providing access to this information will help support families and carers.

“With our free online reservation service people can also reserve one of these books from the discretion of their own homes, collect it from a local library and issue it to themselves through our self issue service.”

Cathy Richards, Lead Clinician, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, (CAMHS), NHS Lothian said:- “In Lothian we offer a range of mental health services for children and adolescents including these specially chosen healthy reading books and other resources which are an excellent and additional resource in helping children, young people and parents access reliable information and self-help about common mental health issues.”

Nicola Morgan said:- “My favourite topics are the teenage brain and teenage books, so to be able to speak about both at the same time is a real treat. I also firmly believe that books are therapeutic – both relaxing and stimulating – so I love the idea of this project.”

PETER MOORE RETAINS HIS EDINBURGH WHEELCHAIR TENNIS TOURNAMENT TITLE

Peter Moore from Glasgow retained his title at the second Edinburgh Wheelchair Tennis Tournament in a hard fought rematch of last year’s final.  Peter fought back from one set down to eventually beat Keith Thom (Dumfries) in a third set match tie-break.  Keith can be very proud of his performance as he pushed Peter a lot closer than last year, no doubt Keith will be hoping for third time lucky in 2013.

Keith got his revenge in the final of the doubles when he teamed up with Steve Crompton (Southampton) to beat Peter Moore and James Shaw (Nottingham). Steve Crompton (Southampton) won the ‘B’ Division singles beating James Shaw (Nottingham) in the final.

Wheelchair players from Southampton, London, Preston, Nottingham & Birmingham joined players from throughout Scotland in a great weekend of wheelchair tennis held at Craiglockhart Tennis Centre in Edinburgh last month.  The players would like to say a big thank you to Edinburgh Leisure, Awards For All, Tennis Scotland, Activcity, Highland Spring and the Tennis Foundation for supporting the event.

Thanks also to Linda Birrell of the East Of Scotland LTA for refereeing and to Dan Maskell’s daughter, Robin Charlton for presenting the prizes.

Wheelchair tennis sessions are held every Sunday at Craiglockhart and there are now regular sessions in Glasgow, Stirling and Aberdeen.  Please contact David Hogg or Andrew Raitt for more details

davidhogg472@gmail.com  or 07835222533.

Andrew.raitt@tennisscotland.org or 07908091820

Lothian and Borders Police can now confirm the identity of a man found dead on a walkway in Edinburgh following a motorcycle collision yesterday (Monday 7th May).

He is 20-year-old Daniel William Baird from Bingham Way, Edinburgh. Mr Baird was discovered at 5.45am on Monday 7th May lying next to a motorcycle on the walkway running from the old ‘Big W’ car park at the Milton Link to The Jewel.  He sustained serious head injuries, and despite the best efforts of ambulance crews, he was pronounced dead on arrival at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.

An 18-year-old man who had been on the motorcycle with him also sustained serious leg injuries.

Police believe the motorcycle may have collided with a tree but have yet to trace anyone who may have witnessed the incident. A police spokesperson said: “While the two men were discovered at 5.45am, we have yet to determine exactly when the incident took place. We are keen to speak to anyone who may have witnessed the collision, or who may have seen two men riding a motorcycle in the area in the early hours of bank holiday Monday 7th May. We are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident, however we need to fully establish the circumstances.

“We would appeal to anyone who may have any information about the incident to contact us immediately.”

Information can be passed to Lothian and Borders Police on 0131 311 3131 or Crimestoppers in complete confidence on 0800 555 111.

CHAS Reaching for 50,000 Voucher Target

The Edinburgh fundraising office of Children’s Hospice Association Scotland (CHAS) are calling on all Tesco shoppers to donate their Tesco ‘schools and clubs’ vouchers to the charity.

Last year CHAS supporters collected a staggering 44,000 Tesco vouchers which were used to provide a range of creative toys and musical instruments for the CHAS at Home service, helping families in their own home and the charity’s two children’s hospices Robin House and Rachel House. This year the charity hopes to receive 50,000 vouchers. One Tesco voucher is issued for every £10 spent in store.

Fundraising Manager Pippa Johnston said:- “The musical instruments funded by the vouchers last year provide fun activities and sessions for the children on home visits, at social events and when we use our mini bus as a travelling sensory studio.
“This year we’d like to provide even more equipment for the children and families to enjoy and hope that our supporters will help us reach our target by Sunday 20 May.”

The vouchers can be handed in to the fundraising office at Canal Court, 42 Craiglockhart Avenue or posted to Debbie Mooney, Children’s Hospice Association Scotland, 2^nd Floor, Buchanan Tower, Cumbernauld Road, Stepps G33 6HZ.

Wave energy company, Aquamarine Power employs a large workforce here in Edinburgh, in Orkney and in Belfast. The company is working hard on its second generation wave energy converter, Oyster 800 at the EMEC centre in Orkney, and their CEO, Martin McAdam has issued this statement today about the recent moves by electricity and gas market regulator, Ofgem.

“Last week Ofgem announced (very quietly, under the cloak of the local government elections) their intent to retain locational charging as a principal element in the way in which generators pay to use the UK’s transmission network.

This is a real disappointment for all renewable energy projects in Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles, and presents a real challenge to Aquamarine Power – and the UK’s nascent marine energy sector.

It is a bitter pill that Ofgem, despite months and indeed years of debate and lobbying, has directed the industry panel (which will work out the details of the proposal) to continue to penalise renewable generation on Scotland’s islands – home to some of the best wind, wave and tidal resources not just in Britain, but in the world.

Our company has a 40MW wave energy project off the west coast of Lewis, in pole position to be the world’s largest fully consented wave farm.

All the elements are falling into place – we have a 40MW lease from seabed owner the Crown Estate; we are about to sign terms with the community-owned Galson Estate for the shore-based power plant; we have applied to regulator Marine Scotland for offshore consents, and are about to apply to local authority Comhairle nan Eilean Siar for planning permission.

That is why this decision is so disappointing.

Ofgem has not given any clear figures in its recommendation, but previous modelling suggests an annual charge of £77 per KW, which along with the annual connection costs will equate to over £3.5million each and every year for our 40MW Lewis project. This is a massive penalty for an early stage technology.

To put this in context, a renewable energy project the same size in southern England would pay just £40,000 a year. But we cannot choose where the best waves are – we have to put our projects at the periphery of the UK.

The economics of these first wave energy projects are challenging enough – and we have all the other arms of government, from DECC to the Scottish Government, Marine Scotland and local councils, doing their bit to help this industry get off the ground.

It is a big disappointment that Ofgem’s proposals are so out of kilter.

We will continue to engage constructively with the industry to find a way ahead, and we would urge the Scottish and UK Governments to continue to work together to find an equitable solution for Scotland’s islands.”

The Scottish Government has declared its aim to generate 100% of gross annual electricity consumption from renewable sources by 2020.

HRH Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay has just arrived at the EICC to give the keynote address to the World Fisheries Congress 2012.

The Duke of Rothesay addressed the conference on sustainability in His Royal Highness’s capacity as the founder of The Prince’s International Sustainability Unit (ISU). Established in January 2010, the ISU works to build consensus on how to resolve some of the key environmental challenges facing the world, specifically those concerning food security, ecosystem resilience and the depletion of natural capital.  The ISU works with governments, the private sector and non-governmental organisations with the aim of building partnerships to help address these challenges.

Council coalition formed – HRH in town today – Tickets on sale today for Edinburgh Castle Olympic event – Yester War Memorial – Community Council news 

The council have finally decided how they will run the city for the next five years. There is to be a Labour- SNP coalition which will give them a convincing majority of 38 (out of 58 Councillors). You can read more about this here.

The key pledges in the SNP manifesto are as follows:-

• Financial Responsibility. Edinburgh Council has gone from brink of collapse in 2007 to a situation where all council departments have balanced budgets and reserves are high. This resulted in the council investing an extra £2 million towards vital services at the end of the last financial year. The SNP Government also provided Edinburgh an additional £22m. We will continue to maintain a financially responsible and secure council.
• Setting up a Consultative Board made up of Group Leaders to discuss decisions of strategic importance to the city. This will put the interests of the city before party politics.
• Continue to build more homes under the 21st Century Homes project and strengthen enforcement action against bad landlords.
• Protecting Lothian Buses and continuing to roll out low-emission and electric vehicles in the Council’s fleet. Any other form of transport should complement the performance of our award winning bus service. We will ensure that Edinburgh is never held to ransom over a transport project like the Trams unless the people of Edinburgh support it.
• Pledge to introduce the Living Wage for all Council employees.
• Increase the road repair budget to £20 million to achieve higher standards of road maintenance.
• Appoint a Care Champion to represent carers and their interests and ensure that they have a strong voice at the most senior levels in the Council. The Scottish Government Change Funds will be used to provide better older people’s services.
• Strengthen early years services and extend the programme of activities available to young children.
• Administer the establishment of a “Business Partner” for every secondary school in the city to create and foster a relationship between them as a springboard for positive outcomes for school-leavers.
• Increase investment for cycling with a view to increase the percentage of people getting to work by bike.
• Work with the Scottish Government to deliver its £500m programme of preventative spending to reduce anti-social behaviour and the underlying causes of crime. We will continue to invest in Council-funded police officers who work jointly with the Council’s Environmental Officers.
• Devolve decision-making powers to Club Sport Edinburgh over the awarding of grants from the City of Edinburgh Council Sports Small Grants scheme. We will continue to invest in sports facilities including the provision of further small-scale skate parks across the city.
• Examine the introduction of “low emission zones” to drive down Edinburgh’s carbon footprint and improve air quality.

The Labour manifesto is set out by way of reminder here:-

Moving Edinburgh Forward Together

***

HRH The Prince of Wales, The Duke of Rothesay is in Edinburgh today for a conference and will then take the salute tomorrow after a parade down the High Street.

First on his agenda a speech at the EICC. The world’s fisheries community will gather in Edinburgh today to discuss the future of sustainable fishing at the 6^th World Fisheries Congress.

Organised by The World Council of Fisheries Societies, the congress will address “Sustainable Fisheries in a Changing World”. The event draws leading international figures influential in driving debate and shaping global policy on fishing.

The Duke of Rothesay will address the conference on sustainability in His Royal Highness’s capacity as the founder of The Prince’s International Sustainability Unit (ISU). Established in January 2010, the ISU works to build consensus on how to resolve some of the key environmental challenges facing the world, specifically those concerning food security, ecosystem resilience and the depletion of natural capital. The ISU works with governments, the private sector and non-governmental organisations with the aim of building partnerships to help address these challenges.

On Wednesday, The Duke of Rothesay, accompanied by The Duchess of Rothesay, will take the salute from Abbey Strand to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh, as a parade of Armed Forces personnel and Royal British Legion members marches past. Their Royal Highnesses will then review the Parade on the forecourt of the Palace of Holyroodhouse, before hosting a reception for Armed Forces personnel in the Picture Gallery.

***

Tickets are available this morning from 9 a.m. for the free party at Edinburgh Castle on 13 June 2012 when the Olympic Torch arrives in town.

The glittering celebration will enable thousands of people to enjoy a variety of entertainment staged by LOCOG and the three Presenting Partners of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay – Coca-Cola, Bank of Scotland and Samsung – with support from the City of Edinburgh Council.

The three Presenting Partners will each provide 20 minutes of exciting and stimulating entertainment for the event. Emeli Sandé, presented by Coca-Cola, will headline the celebrations followed by stunning acrobatic performances brought by Bank of Scotland and dance performances staged by Samsung.

The Council will also present two ten-minute slots of locally-programmed entertainment during the evening celebration. The BIG Project’s Youth Choir will be joined onstage by some of Scotland’s finest musical talent, including Kim Edgar and Karine Polwart, to reprise a selection of songs from their recent Celtic Connections and Usher Hall performances. The second, ten minute slot will bring the evening event to a close.

***

An Edinburgh solicitor, Alastair Shepherd, has researched the war dead on the War Memorial in Yester, East Lothian. He has set up a website and also published a booklet to record his findings. This must lead us to wonder who the individuals are who are mentioned on the many memorials and boards throughout Edinburgh who perished in the 20th century World Wars. Perhaps Mr Shepherd will expand his work further afield  to tell us about the many other residents who might otherwise be forgotten.

***

Gorgie/Dalry Community Council have written to advise of their meeting dates over the coming months.

GDCC 3 Poster 2012

West End Community Council has also been in touch. They are meeting tonight and have sent us a copy of the agenda and the minutes of the last meeting which are set out below for you.
agenda 20120508

minutes 20120402