In-form Lawrence Shankland slotted his 22nd goal of the season as Hearts edged St Johnstone 1-0 at McDiarmid Park.

The strike following a long ball from defender Frankie Kent after 55 minutes secured a sixth win in a row for the Jam Tarts and they are now unbeaten in nine in the cinch Premiership.

The closest Saints came to scoring was through a header from Nicky Clark but it was that man Shankland (pictured by David Mollison) who cleared the ball off the line.

Hearts enjoyed 53 per cent of the possession against 47 per cent from the home side and had 493 passes against 455 from Saints.

His 50th goal for the Tynecastle team moves Hearts on to 48 points from 25 games, 12 clear of Kilmarnock who beat Livingston 1-0 at Rugby Park. 

St Johnstone are tenth with 24 points from the same number of games and the win sets Hearts up for their televised fifth round, Scottish Gas, Scottish Cup tie at the Excelsior Stadium against Airdrie on Sunday with a 5pm kick-off. It’s on BBC Scotland. 

Elsewhere, Hibs were beaten 2-1 by pace-setting Celtic at Easter Road. Adam Idah scored from a penalty for the visitors after ten minutes, his first goal for the Hoops, but Dylan Levitt levelled on the hour.

Idah scored the game-winner also from the penalty sport in the second minute of injury time leaving Hibs seventh in the 12-strong table with 26 points from 24 games.

Food at Little’s Restaurant is never run-of-the-mill, and no more so than Valentine’s Day, when chef proprietor Willie Little, and his talented team, have pulled out all the stops to create the new menu.

To begin diners will be served a glass of sparkling wine, and will enjoy a choice of starter options including shelled Langoustines on a skewer with pineapple and chilli salsa.

Alternatively pigeon breast will be served on a bed of brown lentils, with port wine gravy, or there is a delicate seafood crêpe glazed with hollandaise sauce, or marinated fruits with warm honey.

It is said that oysters are the food of love, so two delicious oysters served with or without spice, and accompanied by a citrus sorbet also feature.

Main courses include monkfish rolled in coconut flakes, served with asparagus risotto and crisp Parma ham, or a grilled sirloin steak garni, with hand cut chips.

Vegetarians are well catered for with a Gateau of aubergine and oven dried tomatoes, with dauphinoise potatoes and creamy mushroom sauce.

To finish the meal there is pecan pie with vanilla ice cream, or passionfruit soufflé with a hot chocolate sauce – a truly romantic dessert.

Willie Little said: “We love to lay on special menus for significant days and have put a great deal of care and attention into this romantic Valentine’s Day menu.

“Come along to Little’s to celebrate – we have the romantic ambience and atmosphere that you’re looking for in our stunning converted church. It really comes into its own in the evening with our beautiful stainglass windows and soft lighting. Make sure you book soon to get a table!”

Little’s has also announced that it’s holding a special dinner dance on Friday 23 February at 7pm.

Willie said: “We thought we’d bring back old-fashioned dinner dances which used to be all the rage in the 1970s.

“We’ve done some customer research, and many of our customers want to see the return of such an event to liven up a cold winter evening. We hope it will be a big success.” 

www.littlesrestaurant.com

Call 01250 875358 to book.

With Valentine’s Day the perfect time to indulge yourself and your loved one by dining out, Jack Coghill, Head Chef at Jack O’Bryan’s Bar & Kitchen in Dunfermline, has made two special additions to his menu, to help diners celebrate.

As well as mastering every section of the kitchen, Jack is also a skilled pastry chef and chocolatier, with his visually stunning desserts and chocolates, made fresh on the premises, which has become a real talking point at the restaurant.

The first new taste sensation is a dessert entitled “Champagne & Roses” consisting of a rose petal mirror glazed forced rhubarb mousse, tempered white chocolate, mini sugar doughnut, and Champagne Sorbet.

The second is a tempting “Porn Star Martini” chocolate – inspired by the popular cocktail and featuring flavours of passion fruit and vanilla.

Jack’s chocolate collection features beautifully decorated chocolates in a range of flavours, such as After Dine Mint, Passionfruit Caramel, and Pistachio.

The chocolates can be purchased, boxed in sleek and sophisticated black packaging, in the restaurant, with customers choosing their own selections from a glass cabinet on the bar.

“Jack’s Chocolate Box” is a popular option on the menu. A choice of four or six of Jack’s handmade chocolates are presented to the customer in a novel wooden presentation box. The box was made for Jack by his Great Uncle Neville. Accompanied by a hot drink, Jack’s Chocolate Box is the perfect way to round off any meal at Jack O’ Bryans in style.

Jack said: “We can’t wait for Valentine’s Day.

“With the new dessert special, inspired by the rose, the most romantic of all flowers, and my passion fruit cocktail chocolate, we are ready to offer a couples an unforgettable meal in the most intimate of surroundings.

“If you want to spread the love throughout the year, we also have our Jack O’Bryans gift vouchers available.”

www.jackobryans.com

Rory McIlroy will defend the Genesis Scottish Open he won last year when the event returns to East Lothian from July 11-14. Tickets on sale at etg.golf/GSO24Tickets to watch the world No 2 in action.

The four-time Major winner produced a birdie-birdie finish on the final day at The Renaissance Club last season to edge out home favourite Robert MacIntyre by one stroke.

Eight of the top ten players in the world competed last summer and McIlroy’s win in East Lothian saw him notch up another piece of golfing history. He became the first player to triumph in the national opens of both Scotland and Ireland as well as The Open.

After that, the man from Northern Ireland went on to top the season-long Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex for the fifth time and second consecutive season.

Looking back at his Scottish Open win, McIlroy said: “It was special to win the Genesis Scottish Open for the first time last season and to do it with such great support from the Scottish fans made it a memorable week.”

The Genesis Scottish Open is co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour and PGA TOUR, counting on both the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex and the FedExCup, and boasts Genesis, the luxury automotive brand from South Korea, as title sponsor. 

The popular tournament benefits from the continued commitment of the Scottish Government, managed by VisitScotland, and retains its place in golf’s global calendar the week ahead of The Open.

A range of ticket options, including daily general admission tickets, season tickets, Ticket+ and Green on 18 premium hospitality packages, are available at etg.golf/GSO24Tickets

PICTURE: Rory McIlroy with the Scottish Open trophy. Courtesy of Getty images

Ticket+ options for all four tournament days sold out well in advance in 2023 and Green on 18 packages are already sold out for Friday of this year’s event so fans are encouraged to buy their preferred ticket option early.

Megan Keith, European under-23 10,000m record holder, and winner of the European Cross Country title in the same age-group by a record margin, heads a list of Scottish champions and prospects who will benefit from a scholarship programme.

Winning Students 100 aims to ensure studies can be balanced with high performance training and competition with grants of up to £3,000.

Re-launched with a new injection of funding from sportscotland and the Scottish Funding Council the programme will also work with respective colleges and universities to offer additional support such as academic flexibility.

New scholars for the revamped programme include current Olympic champion, Hailey Duff (curling), Paralympic medallist, Lewis Stewart (cycling), Commonwealth gold medallist, Grace Reid (diving) and Britain’s first ever Para Nordic World medallist, Scott Meenagh (biathlon) as well as Megan Keith.

Established in 2008, the original Winning Students programme saw over 1,700 scholarships awarded during its first phase of funding with noteworthy alumni including Olympic medallists Laura Muir (athletics), Duncan Scott (swimming), Vicky Wright and Bruce Mouat (both curling) benefitting.

With funding secured until 2028, it is expected 500 scholarships will be awarded over the period with the programme also introducing a hardship fund to offer additional support to eligible student athletes.

Some 106 scholarships have been awarded for 2023-24 across 28 different sports and 21 universities and colleges.

Megan said: “I really appreciate the generous support from Winning Students 100 for the upcoming year. In what is looking like an exciting year of competitions, the scholarship will help fund the travel required to train and compete to the best of my ability”

List of Winning student awardees continuing from 2022-23 include the following locally based competitor:

University of Edinburgh – Kara Hanlon (swimming), Niamh Hunter and Eilidh Campbell (orienteering).

Heriot Watt University –  Lisa Aitken (squash).

Latest recipients:

University of Edinburgh – Megan Keith, Alyson Bell, Sarah Calvert (all athletics), Isla Bethune (canoeing), Grace Reid, Danny Mabbott , Angus Menmuir, Clara Kerr (all diving), Ellen Buckley, Isaac McKerr (both fencing), Sophie Hinds, Kerr Robb, Lunjika Nyirenda, Calum Douglas (all hockey), Oliver Short (judo), Hannah Supple, Alexander Paton, Grace Dawson, Isla MacCallum, Josephine Briggs, James Deardon, Freddy Foxwell, Oliver Holme, Joshua Matthews (all rowing). Shona Campbell (rugby sevens), Lucy Evans (shooting), Archie Goodburn, Thomas Carswell, Ciara Scholsshan (all swimming), Isla Hedley (triathlon).

Napier University – Lauren Bell (cycling).Edinburgh College – Jaimie Cook (fencing), Samuel Downie (swimming),

Heriot Watt University – Sunny Doig, James Gray and Jacob Callaghan (all judo), Andrew Goodall (climbing), Andrew Glen (squash).

• Other capital athletes may have been recognised out of academic institutions around Scotland.

Our city bus operator Lothian has announced the passenger numbers for 2023 which have increased by more than 17% from the previous year.

In 2022 the number of passenger journeys on the buses was 94 million and last year the number had increased to 110 million.

The combined passenger numbers across Lothian, Lothian Country and East Coast Buses reflect a positive year for the Group. Other key numbers in 2023 include:

• 63 daytime services, 19 night bus routes and special event services413 drivers recruited and trained by Lothian’s dedicated training team100,000 contactless taps recorded in a single day in August369,688 downloads of Lothian’s journey planner app1,225,251 visits to Lothian’s journey planner webpage26.7 million miles operated throughout 2023

Lothian’s Managing Director, Sarah Boyd, welcomed the figures and said: “Lothian is at the heart of our city, delivering reliable, inclusive and accessible public transport for the hundreds of thousands of customers who choose to travel with us daily. We’ve been really pleased by the increased patronage over the course of the past year despite facing operational challenges across our network.

“A thriving public transport system is vital for everyone who travels around Edinburgh and the Lothians, and this strong commercial performance is a testament to our people on the frontline and behind the scenes, who day in, day out, strive to deliver an exceptional service for our customers.

“2024 is set to be a big year for Lothian as we look to grow our network to meet increasing customer demand, welcome new electric vehicles and charging infrastructure to our garages and continue to invest heavily in our people and the future of our business.”

Cllr Scott Arthur, Transport and Environment Convener, said: “These figures demonstrate the commitment all at Lothian Buses have shown to get Edinburgh moving and our economy back on track again after the pandemic. Key to this has been that everyone in Edinburgh, no matter what their background, feels safe and at home on a Lothian Bus. Not only does Lothian provide millions of reliable journeys to passengers every week, it also supports efficient, sustainable public transport, and our net zero 2030 goals, the impacts of which will benefit the city for generations to come.

“Lothian Buses are part of what defines Edinburgh, and I will do all I can to support their continued success and growth as we get Edinburgh’s transport system ready for the future.”

Lothian Buses is wholly owned by The City of Edinburgh Council.

Forbes Travel Guide has once again awarded The Balmoral five stars in its 2024 guide, retaining its position for the fourth year in a row.

The Balmoral, a Rocco Forte hotel, was first awarded the rating as a hotel where luxury and hospitality are key in 2021. General manager Andrew McPherson took up the reins of the 167 room and 20 suite hotel in 2023.

He said: “It is a wonderful honour to be able to share that we have retained our five-star Forbes rating for the fourth year running. Forbes truly requires the very best standards for guests and we are extremely proud to be recognised with one of the most renowned hospitality awards in the world. 

“Edinburgh’s most iconic hotel is highly regarded not only for its incredible architecture, history, restaurants and bars but also for the world-class Scottish hospitality delivered every day. The Balmoral team works hard to provide our guests with memorable experiences, and we look forward to continuing to deliver world-class service for our guests.”

A gold standard in the hospitality industry since 1958, Forbes Travel Guide’s luxury travel rating recognises the world’s finest properties. Anonymous inspectors check into a hotel for at least two nights, then test up to 900 objective standards with an emphasis on exceptional service, to help discerning travellers select the world’s best luxury experiences. 

To view the new Star Award winners, visit ForbesTravelGuide.com

Police Scotland has announced that sadly around 11am on Wednesday 7 February 2024, a woman’s body was recovered from the sea at Gullane, East Lothian.

A formal identification has been carried out and the woman has been identified as 50-year-old Alison Campbell who was reported missing from Edinburgh yesterday Tuesday, 6 February, 2024.

Police say there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death and a report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.

Hilda Miller was impressed by Founder of the Steps to Hope charity, Richard Roncero, who recently slept rough for eight weeks to raise funds – so much so that she came up with a couple of ways to keep his spirits up.

First of all she recorded a video message to wish him Happy Birthday. Roncero celebrated both Christmas and his 40th birthday while he lived on the streets in eight cities over eight weeks.

Hilda sent him the video message on his birthday congratulating him on his success with Steps to Hope. The fundraiser has now reached £215,000.

Hilda then decided to do a walk around Holyrood Park, visiting The Palace of Holyroodhouse, and The Scottish Parliament on the way and then making her way back home to her nearby flat. During the walk her photo was taken at various places to confirm that she had indeed completed what she set out to do, and she sent the photos to Richie to keep him going during his Sleep Rough campaign.

Hilda said: “I had heard about Richie and I have also met him. I wanted to just send him a message of support.”

The main thing you need to know about Hilda is that she will celebrate her 100th birthday on 12 June…so her achievement is all the more remarkable.

Hilda’s neighbour Jacqueline Baillie walked with her round the park for company, and to make sure the energetic pensioner completed the full route – which was much further than she normally walks each day. Jackie said: “Hilda is an inspiration to me. She goes to church on a Sunday, she goes out for a daily walk, and she has some very good friends.” Hilda also lives independently in her own flat which is kept as neat as a pin.

Hilda was born in 1924 at the east end of London Road near Gayfield, and first lived with her mother-in-law for four years before she and her first husband Bob McCoy moved into their own home on Edina Place in Restalrig. This was “handy for Bob” as he worked in Edinburgh Crystal alongside his brothers. The couple then moved round the corner onto Brunton Place.

She married her second husband Alan Miller (“a lovely man”) when she was 84 and he was 87. They had met on holiday, but sadly he died a few years ago. She has now lived at the Viewpoint Housing complex at Croft-an-Righ for 32 years and we are told her nickname is “Queen of the Croft” – something she absolutely denies.

Looking ahead to her own big day this summer Hilda said: “I don’t have any children and only very few relatives but I will be going out for a meal with them to celebrate my 100th. I had a party here last year but this year it will be a private celebration.”

Asked if she had ever worked she exclaimed that yes she worked “all her life”. She started out as a shorthand typist having studied on a commercial course at Bellevue, and during the war she attended night school at The Royal High to increase her typing and shorthand speeds.

Hilda said: “Through the years I moved to a few jobs and stayed a long time in each one as you did in those years. You never left a job until you had another one to go to.

“I finished up going to the council in the housing department. Before I went to work there they would have single typists in each department, but they wanted to set up a typing pool where all correspondence had to be typed. It was in the days at the start of word processing and I had to go to the South of England and be taught on a huge word processor. I came back and taught two of my girls.
“We were in an office on the High Street and at first we sat on dining room chairs before we then we moved into the City Chambers. Of course in the days of Maggie Thatcher we didn’t have lights because of the strikes. We looked out onto one of the sets of stairs that go down to Cockburn Street and we were supposed to be able to type up the handwritten versions which I had already checked for spelling and grammar. We wondered how we would be able to work at that point. They said they could get us candles!”

Hilda congratulated Richie on his efforts to help homeless people. She said: “It’s ridiculous. There should be more places built to take people off the streets. It is amazing that Richie at 40 years of age was sleeping out on the streets and raised that amount of money. He did very well.”

Richie arrived home in Edinburgh at the weekend and he has sent Hilda his thanks for her support.

All photos of Hilda on her walk are courtesy of Jacqueline Bailie

GO OVER THE BRIDGE TO CELEBRATE THE DAY OF LOVE   

Love is in the air at Pettycur Bay Holiday Park & The Bay Hotel at Kinghorn in Fife, and at its sister business, the Old Manor Hotel at Lundin Links near Leven.

A special Valentine’s Day menu is on offer in Horizons, Pettycur’s restaurant, available on Saturday 10th of February 7 till 9 pm, and on Valentine’s Day itself, Wednesday the 14th, 6 to 9 pm.

Should couples wish to make a night of it on the Saturday, the Park has laid on professional entertainment in its Images suite, between 8 and 11 pm.

“With Valentine’s Day being a Wednesday, we thought that we would start the celebrations early, so that if you’re in for a lovely meal on the Saturday, you can then head through to Images if you like, and take in our professional entertainers,” said General Manager, Janet Murray.

“James McKay, our Head Chef at Horizons, has created a delicious, fine dining menu for this year’s Valentine’s celebrations. It has something for everyone, from steamed mussels, and slow braised beef cheeks, to a woodland mushroom risotto, to a Ballotine of chicken.

“For dessert, we are particularly proud of James’ amazing – and very romantic – creations, which include a Terrine of Three Chocolates, a Strawberry & Cream Cheese cheesecake, and a light passionfruit panna cotta – all are delightful ways to end a meal.”

Along at Lundin Links, the Old Manor Hotel is pulling out all the stops with a five course Valentines meal, on Valentines Day, from 5pm. Priced at £64.96 per couple, and kicking off with canapés and a glass of fizz on arrival, couples can then choose three courses from the menu which is full of the best local seasonal produce. To delight the tastebuds, there’s crispy ham hock, roast lemon and thyme chicken, haggis bon bons, flat iron steak and Chocolate Fondant with boozy cherries. The meal ends with tea or coffee and petit fours.

Enjoy the views in the Old Manor’s aptly named Seaview Restaurant. Refurbishment continues at the Hotel which now has a new look bar.

Book for Horizons at Pettycur on https://www.pettycur.co.uk/restaurant.asp

For Old Manor Hotel please call reception on 01333 401000.

www.pettycur.co.uk

www.theoldmanorhotel.co.uk

Edinburgh artist Graeme Clark has won a competition designing medals for athletes competing in the World Indoor Championships at the Emirates Arena, Glasgow, from March 1-3.

The Championships will feature over 700 athletes as they compete across 26 events with up to 108 medals being awarded.

The first time the event has been held in Scotland, this is reflected in the design of the medal, which incorporates the thistle inspired event brand complemented by a selection of well-known Glasgow landmarks around its outer rim, giving athletes a little piece of Glasgow to remember their triumph, long after they leave the city.

Graeme said: “As a man from Edinburgh, I’ve always enjoyed trips through to Glasgow for various exhibitions, gigs, and shopping. It’s a city full of culture and serves as a great creative inspiration for designers like me.
“It’s also a place full of inspiring talent and iconic architecture.

“I’ve worked with many Glaswegian brands over the years and the city always seems to birth amazing things. The city has a lot of iconic monuments and structures that served as the inspiration for the design.”

Bailie Annette Christie, Chair of Glasgow Life who co-ordinated the design competition said:
“When we issued a callout to the Scottish craft and design community we knew the standard of submissions would be high but we were hugely impressed with the quality of the response.

“While we had a tough decision to make Graeme’s design stood out as the clear winner and we are delighted to be able to create a medal that incorporates so much of Glasgow’s iconic skyline and has a distinctly Scottish feel.”

The medals have been produced by specialist manufacturer Toye, Kenning and Spencer who have produced a range of high-quality championship medals including the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham where the company is based in the city’s Jewellery Quarter.

In addition to the gold, silver and bronze editions a pewter coaches medal has been made to recognise the coaches of the winning relay teams.

Amongst the first to set eyes on the medals were young athletes from the team that represented Glasgow at the European City Challenge last October, as well as Shettleston Harriers and Victoria Park Glasgow Athletics Club.

They were given a sneak peek, by event Ambassador, World and Olympic medallist and European champion, Eilidh Doyle, prior to attending the official opening of the Museum of World Athletics (MOWA) exhibition that is being staged at the St Enoch Centre in Glasgow from now until the end of the Championships.

Eilidh Doyle said: “As an athlete it is always exciting when the medals are revealed as you know the championships are getting close, so it creates a real buzz. And when you see them for real, it really makes you want one and spurs you on that little bit more.”

Those joining Eilidh as a MOWA guest of honour included Edinburgh-born Allan Wells and Musselburgh reared Yvonne Murray-Mooney.

Allan won the 1980 Olympic 100m while Yvonne was successful over 3000m at the 1993 World Indoor Championships.

Also on hand was Bellshill’s Tom McKean, a former 800m champion and the latest Museum of World Athletics heritage exhibition helps celebrates over 170 years of indoor track and field athletics history.

Displays contain clothing, shoes, equipment, trophies, and medals donated by more than 30 world champions and/or record breakers.
The exhibits are supported by giant wall graphics, text, photographs, and videos which take the visitor on a journey from the world’s first ‘indoor’ meeting in 1849 to the present day.

Appropriately, given the exhibition’s location, the displays have a distinctly Scottish feel. As well as the competition items which the guests of honour provided at the opening ceremony, running spikes from Scottish world champions Liz McColgan (Tokyo 1991) and Jake Wightman (Oregon 2022) are also being exhibited.

Life-sized photographs of Scotland’s two Olympic 400m champions Wyndham Halswelle (London 1908) and Eric Liddell (Paris 1924) adorn the windows and walls of the exhibition.

Greeting visitors at the entrance is a large photograph of Laura Muir winning the first half of a 3000m / 1500m double at the European Indoor Championships in Glasgow in 2019.

As usual, stunning video material is incorporated into the displays including highlights of past editions of the World Athletics Indoor Championships and a cinematic edit of the Birmingham 2018 edition.

For the first time in a MOWA exhibition is an experimental touch screen via which visitors can select videos from a small initial library of clips from past championships.

Usual MOWA favourites such as giant pole vault and high jump graphics set at their current world indoor record heights, and a colourful display of national athletics singlets, also feature in  the Glasgow exhibit.

The MOWA Indoor Athletics Exhibition Glasgow 24 on the ground floor of the St Enoch Centre, St Enoch Square, Glasgow G1 4BW, is open daily to the public from 11am to 6pm closing on the final day of the World Athletics Indoor Championships Glasgow 24 on Sunday 3 March.

Joining MOWA at St Enoch on the first floor is Commonwealth Games Scotland staging the Team Scotland Exhibition celebrating 10 years on since the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Council denies making cuts to education for children with additional support needs

We have been contacted by several parents all complaining that their applications for children with additional support needs – children with Down Syndrome, autism or physical disabilities have been rejected. The council has denied this is a cut to provision and has said some applications for places in Educational Support Bases have been granted. None of the parents who contacted us knew anyone whose application has been approved.

Read more on this story here.

The Birthlink Bins

When we called to drop off a stock of newspapers the other day at Birthlink on Lower Gilmore Place there was a dreadful mess outside. And it is nothing new. The bins from the whole street appear to have moved to take up a position outside the Birthlink charity shop.

But they were overflowing. And although the bins were emptied at the end of last week, by yesterday they were full again. Hopefully this situation will be rectified soon.

Groundhog Day at Greenside Lane

Another van driver (or two) has followed their GPS and turned into Greenside Lane beside the Playhouse – which is no longer accessible by vehicles. To get to this lane a vehicle has to be driven across two stretches of pavement, kerbs and the cycle lane.

Cllr Scott Arthur, transport and environment convener, said: “The footpath in this area is incredibly busy, so these incidents are really concerning.

“While we would expect drivers to use common sense in a situation like this, we are going to install temporary barriers this week to prevent it happening again.”

The Georgian House is hiring

Our February issue

Our February issue is out now. With more on our exclusive story about Chief Constable Jo Farrell revealed in our centre spread and our new columnist to entertain you with news of all the theatre you must see, we are pleased with this month’s issue. We hope you like it too.

If you would like to make sure that you don’t miss any of our monthly newspapers then sign up here. 

Children from across Scotland have joined the Presiding Officer to sign a joint commitment to increase their involvement in the work of the Scottish Parliament.

The commitment is a working in partnership agreement between the Scottish Parliament and the Children’s Parliament. It will help develop children’s knowledge and understanding of the workings of the Scottish Parliament and support them to build the skills and confidence to inform and influence legislation. 

Members of the Children’s Parliament (MCPs), including Eva and Millar from Fife, Cara, Lewis and Evie from East Lothian, Waldah and Michael from Clackmannanshire, Arden from Edinburgh and Rida from Aberdeen were invited to the Scottish Parliament to sign the agreement and to hear more about the work of the Parliament.

Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament, the Rt Hon. Alison Johnstone MSP, said: 

“This agreement has been written with children, for children. This commitment signals our aim to ensure that children in Scotland know that they have a voice in their Parliament.

“MSPs and Parliament staff work extensively with schools, in Holyrood, in local communities and online to engage with children about the work of the Scottish Parliament. This agreement will help us to do even more. Children in Scotland should be treated as valued and equal citizens with a voice in issues that affect and impact them.” 

Arden, an MCP from Edinburgh who attended the event, said:

“Younger children are just bursting with creative ideas and solutions. They are just waiting to be given an opportunity where they can be listened to. It’s just about giving them the space, time and support.”

Director of the Children’s Parliament, Cathy McCulloch, said:

“Having MCPs sign the partnership agreement with the Presiding Officer sets us on a path to new awareness and understanding of children’s human rights throughout the Parliament. This is another sign that Scotland takes children seriously and is committed to realising their rights to be healthy, happy and safe.”

The agreement will see information provided to help MSPs and Scottish Parliament staff increase their understanding of children’s human rights – in line with the UNCRC – and commit to ensuring Parliamentary processes create a safe and friendly environment for children to participate with dignity and respect.

Mayfield’s Yvonne Weighand Lyle will work with community groups to design and create commemorative Covid benches across Midlothian, as part of the “Remembering Together” project.

The national Scottish Government funded project will see Covid memorials installed in all 32 local authority areas across Scotland. Having been chosen as Lead Artist in Midlothian, Yvonne Weighand Lyle is excited to be representing her home county to deliver the project, as she explains:
“It is a real honour to be commissioned to co-create a Covid memorial for Midlothian. Being from Mayfield, this is very much “ma bit”, so I am very proud to have the opportunity to realise the ideas and ambitions of local people and commemorate the pandemic in a sensitive and accessible way.  

I will be working with community groups to co-create designs for both the commemorative benches and small gardens, with the goal of creating new spaces in public parks and greenways with natural planting, where people can sit, reflect and remember.” 

Yvonne was also the Lead Artist for the first phase of the project, where she conducted research to identify what type of memorial residents wanted to have in their local area. She said: “By engaging people of all ages from primary schoolers to pensioners, I discovered that people in Midlothian wanted our memorial to be accessible, environmentally friendly, outdoors, and sited in several places across the county. 

As a permanent and utilitarian memorial, these accessible installations will provide a long-term resource, featuring solid benches and natural planting. The interventions will be environmentally friendly, in tune with the landscape, and will require minimal ongoing maintenance.”  

Midlothian Council’s Cabinet Member with responsibility for green spaces, Councillor Dianne Alexander said: “It’s lovely to have our local artist Yvonne Weighand Lyle working with our communities to create the memorials for Covid for Midlothian as part of the Scottish Government – funded programme Remembering Together. To have local people take part in the choice of memorial and their design will make them special to residents in Midlothian. 

“These benches will create beautiful memorials, and places where we go to remember those who we lost during Covid. They will be accessible and outdoors, making places where people can pause on their walk and take a rest to enjoy views of Midlothian and beyond. Hopefully they will also be places where friends can meet and friendships made.” 

The Midlothian benches and gardens will be designed following a community co-creation process. A number of workshops and events will be held with community groups in early 2024, allowing people of all ages to contribute design ideas. The benches and gardens will then be installed at multiple sites across Midlothian in Autumn 2024. 

At Edinburgh Zoo Scotland’s youngest chimpanzee has just celebrated her fourth birthday

Masindi, a critically endangered Western chimpanzee, opened presents filled with her favourite treats including peanuts, sunflower seeds and chickpeas.

Born on 3 February 2020, Masindi was only the second chimpanzee born in Scotland in more than 20 years, after her older brother Velu, who will turn ten this year.

She shares her home in the Zoo’s award-winning Budongo Trail enclosure with her mother Heleen, brother Velu and 12 other chimpanzees.

The enclosure is designed to represent chimpanzees’ natural habitat in the rain forests of West and Central Africa.

A Zoo spokesperson said fun-loving Masindi was “adorable” as she celebrated turning four years old.

Masindi’s life at Edinburgh Zoo has not been without drama however. At just one year old it was feared she would die after she sustained a head injury.

Keepers feared the worst after she was found unconscious and suffered seizures. She made a full recovery thanks to the quick reactions of keepers and expert veterinary staff.

The Western chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes verus) is a subspecies of the common chimpanzee — one of the five types of great ape along with gorillas, orangutans, bonobos and humans.

Highly intelligent, they are the closest living primate to humans, sharing 98% of our DNA, and live up to 60 years in captivity.

Masindi was named after the nearest town to the Budongo Conservation Field Station in Uganda, where the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) has funded vital efforts to protect the species since 2005.

One of Scotland’s top housing providers has officially launched an online customer portal which is set to improve access to a range of services and encourage independent living.

As part of an ongoing commitment to digital transformation, Bield Housing and Care worked with a number of tenants to test a new online customer portal, which has launched on Tuesday as part of Safer Internet Day.

The portal gives Bield tenants 24/7 access to make paying bills, reporting repairs and viewing individual information easier and more convenient.

Tenants involved in the trial were tasked with testing the quality and usability of the software using laptops, tablets and smartphones. The group also considered the functionality, design and general use of the portal with their feedback helping to inform the final product.

Following a soft launch at the end of 2023, over 170 tenants have already registered on My Bield.

Zhan McIntyre, Head of Policy and Customer Standards at Bield, said: “Technology is essential to the future of housing services and we need to ensure our interaction with customers meets their needs and expectations as we take our services to the next level.

“Getting tenants involved in the testing of the My Bield portal allowed us to find out exactly what they wanted to get out of the platform while making sure it was accessible and easy to use.”

Staff will continue to be contactable through more traditional methods for tenants who do not want to transfer to the digital option.

Tracey Howatt, Director of Customer Experience at Bield, said: “Developing our digital services is extremely important as we strive to continue improving the quality of housing and ultimately deliver better outcomes.

“The new portal will enable tenants to live more independently and continue to make important decisions regarding their tenancies.”

Everyone who registers for the My Bield portal will be entered into a free prize draw at the end of February for the chance to win one of two £50 shopping vouchers.

The My Bield portal forms part of Bield’s strategy to enhance customer experience and diversify methods of engagement with customers.

My Bield can be accessed via the Bield website by clicking the ‘My Bield’ tab at the top right hand side of the homepage.  From here, Bield tenants, their Powers of Attorney or Guardians can get in touch at a time that is convenient for them in order to view their rent accounts and correspondence, log enquiries and request and track repairs.  This will be particularly useful for customers who don’t have the opportunity or time to call or email.

In November 2023, Bield were awarded the ‘Excellence in Digital Engagement’ award at the 2023 TIS National Excellence Awards, which recognises housing organisations who have demonstrated creativity in developing meaningful digital engagement opportunities.  Bield have also been shortlisted for the Technology Enabled Independent Living Award at the upcoming Digital Health & Care Awards 2024.

Bield is dedicated to providing flexible and high-quality housing solutions and support for older people.

https://www.bield.co.uk/our-services/

Do you have a history of falling, or at risk of falling? A new aquatic exercise research study is looking for participants to get involved.

Aqua Steps, is a new exercise programme, developed by experts in the field from the University of Edinburgh, Glasgow Caledonian University and Edinburgh Leisure. The programmes are delivered as part of a research project, and aims to improve the balance, strength, endurance, confidence, and independence of the participants.

One-third of people aged 65 years or over fall every year with more than 4 million people falling each year in the UK, which is approximately 11,000 people daily. Falls reduce quality of life, lead to nursing home admissions, cause about 90% of hip fractures and half of deaths due to injury. The annual NHS and social care cost for fall-related injuries is more than £3.3 billion.

Older adults who have some of the following: feel unstable/unsteady; have poor gait or balance, have a history of falling or are at risk of falling, have low bone density or previous fracture are encouraged to get in touch to take part.

Dr Stelios Psycharakis, Senior Lecturer in Biomechanics at the University of Edinburgh said: “Aquatic exercise can improve many of these factors and has many benefits. For example, the buoyancy of the water reduces spine and joint loads and allows exercising without having to support one’s weight, while the pressure of the water on the body assists with balance and mobility which may be preferable for people who find land exercise challenging or have high risk/fear of falling.

Amy Fastier, Health Development Officer (Falls Prevention) at Edinburgh Leisure said: “We’re delighted to be working in partnership with the University of Edinburgh. The study is looking to see if water-based classes have similar benefits as land based as there is no current research on water based activity in preventing falls.

“Participants don’t need to be strong swimmers as the exercises take place in shallow water and everyone will be encouraged to work at their own pace during the class, guided by our expert instructors. People who may have difficulty getting in and out of the pool without some help, are welcome to bring along a family member, carer, or friend. Pools hoists (for safe entry/exit from the water) are available at swimming pools and will be used when necessary.”

High-quality research on aquatic exercise in fall prevention is scarce. This programme will deliver an aquatic intervention for people with high risk of falls. The data we get will be used to look at the programme’s effects on falls risk and compare it with an established land-based programme, Steady Steps, which is delivered by Edinburgh Leisure to see whether there are similar benefits to the existing research on land-based classes.

The classes are free, with the cost covered by funding provided by the Chief Scientist Office for Scotland. The exercise sessions will take place in the shallow water only in one of five swimming pools in Edinburgh and Midlothian*. The pools are Warrender Swim Centre (Marchmont), Dalry Swim Centre (Dalry), Ainslie Park Leisure Centre (Inverleith/Pilton), Glenogle Swim Centre (Stockbridge) and Penicuik Leisure Centre (Penicuik).

Participants would be required to attend for two sessions per week (30 minutes in the water for each session) over a course of 16 weeks. Different time slots will be available.

The programme will start in the first week of March 2024 (last week of March for Penicuik).

Interested parties willing to take part should contact the Aqua Steps administrator, Diane Chirnside on [email protected] and will be assessed for their willingness/ability to participate and complete the intervention. Spaces are limited so people are encouraged to get in touch as soon as possible, and ideally by early to mid-February.

 Pop culture figures partner with charity to support Scottish youth.

Two prominent Scottish celebrities are rallying support for a charity fundraising initiative aimed at raising LGBTQ+ youth awareness in Scotland, with a goal to bathe the nation in purple.

Taking place on 23 February Purple Friday encourages people to celebrate the spirit of the LGBTQ+ community and allies by donning the colour purple and taking part in the Miles for Money Challenge.

Celebrating its ninth year, the LGBT Youth Scotland awareness day, with the support of Alan Cumming and Lauren Mayberry from CHVRCHES, is on a mission to raise £20,000 for LGBTQ+ youth.

Bafta-winning actor, Alan Cumming said: “I’m delighted to be supporting LGBT Youth Scotland in building a more inclusive Scotland this #LGBTHistoryMonth.

“Young people are our future and it’s so important that queer young people all over Scotland know that they are loved and valued for who they are.”

This Purple Friday, Scotland’s communities across the nation are encouraged to cover as many miles as possible in various activities, turning their efforts into funds for Scotland’s national LGBTQ+ charity.

The initiative will visually manifest on LGBT Youth Scotland Scotland’s website with a map of Scotland lights being lit up in purple. Additionally, historic sites such as Lerwick Town Hall and Perth Theatre and Concert Hall will light up in purple this year.

CHVRCHES’ singer Lauren said: “Myself and CHVRCHES are longtime supporters of LGBT Youth Scotland and the important work they do.

“As someone who seeks to be a visible and vocal ally to the LGBTQ+ community, I hope that initiatives like Purple Friday can help encourage young people to live proudly as their authentic selves and be seen, accepted and celebrated for who they are.

LGBT Youth Scotland is Scotland’s national charity for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer & Questioning and Intersex (LGBTQ+) young people aged 13-25.

LGBTQ+ young people face unique and additional barriers to realising their potential, and LGBT Youth Scotland collaborates with young people to remove those barriers, working with them individually and amplifying their collective voices to influence change.

Speaking about this year’s event, Dr Mhairi Crawford, Chief Executive of LGBT Youth Scotland said: “Visibility is so important for LGBTQ+ young people. When they see allies publicly supporting them, it builds self-esteem and creates safer, more inclusive communities.

“That’s why this year we’re asking people to be high-viz allies – to get active, have fun, and visually demonstrate that Scotland stands with its LGBTQ+ young people.

“The miles you move and money you raise through sponsorship will help us continue providing life-saving services and campaigning for equality. We want to ensure LGBTQ+ young people in Scotland grow up in a country where they are loved, included and free to be themselves.”

“It’s fantastic to have high-profile allies like Alan Cumming and Lauren Mayberry backing our campaign. It’s incredibly important for those with large platforms to use them as a force for good and Alan and Lauren are a big boost to us and I’m sure to many young people.”

The charity recently received the Participation and Youth Voice award at the National Youth Work Awards for its work with the Trans Rights Youth Commission, and a judge’s commendation at the Proud Scotland Awards for the Charity Initiative award.

For more information, and to sign up to support Purple Friday, visit: https://lgbtyouth.org.uk/purplefriday/

For more information on LGBT Youth Scotland, visit: https://www.lgbtyouth.org.uk/

Out on the pitch it was a case of the missing (Lionel) Messi.

Argentina’s 2022 world cup winning captain nursed an injury keeping him out of his Inter Miami team’s glamour friendly with a Hong Kong X1 featuring Calum Hall, former Hutchison Vale, Hibs Youth, Edinburgh City and Gala Fairydean defender.

But Spanish pair Sergio Busquets (143 caps over 15 international seasons) and Jordi Alba (93 caps) were sent on, even if Uruguayan superstar Luis Suarez was another non-starter through injury. Calum was thrilled to be rubbing shoulders with such talent – and learning along the way.

Here, in his own words, is how Calum, now a full-time player, summed up his journey from Scotland’s Lowland League with Fairydean in just over six months.

“The whole experience was unbelievable. From the coach journey from the hotel where we had a pre-game meal to the stadium was something I’ll never experience again.

“People were chasing after the bus through our police escort waving and taking pictures. Thousands of them. That’s where the excitement was really starting to kick in (and) as we were getting closer to the stadium you could tell this was something massive.

“The Hong Kong stadium was full as well when we arrived almost two hours before kick-off you could feel the atmosphere already. Coming out to warm up was something I’ll never forget. The roar of the crowd was deafening.

“The stadium is massive and with 40,000 people there everyone just blended in in a strange way but I could hardly hear myself speak with the noise of the fans.

“I knew prior to the game I’d be coming on second half as we had two teams pretty much similar (with) one playing first half the other the second and when I noticed none of the bigger names were starting it made me feel a bit more excited that surely a couple of them had to make an appearance in the second half.

“Only Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets came on, but even if none of the bigger names had come on the experience was just unbelievable. The game itself was very enjoyable. I didn’t want it to end.

“When Jordi Alba came on, he was on my side and straight away you could tell this guy had played at a much higher level. The touch and composure was first class.

“So, just to see that in the flesh while being on the pitch at the same time as him was an amazing feeling and lesson if you like. Busquets the same. Different gravy.

“Arguably two of the best ever in their positions so a dream come true to share a pitch with them.

“Everyone was a bit disappointed to not see Lionel Messi or Luis Suarez play but injuries happen and that’s just football.

“Afterwards I was only a couple feet away from Messi but trying to get a photo was impossible with all the security around him –  even in the tunnel.

“I managed to get a picture with Jordi Alba, Busquets and Suarez as well as (Inter Miami co-owner) David Beckham which is probably my favourite!

“I managed to exchange shirts with Jordi Alba and he signed it for me which was a nice touch. Something so special to remind me of that day that isn’t a photo so I’ll definitely be getting that framed and up on the wall!

“Overall, just a dream day. I think I’ll struggle to experience something like that again involving some of the best players to ever play football along with David Beckham. Something I’ll cherish for the rest of my life!”

The owner of Edinburgh Park, Parabola, has struck a deal with local housebuilder, S1 Developments, to create housing for sale on the multi-use site.

The builders won Housebuilder of the Year and also House of the Year in 2023 and will help create the next stage of the Parabola masterplan.

The first part of the “new urban quarter” comprises office space, padel courts and a multi-storey car park along with public sculptures and public realm. The 42 acre site extends between the Edinburgh Park and Edinburgh Park Central tram stops, and it is envisaged that up to 1,000,000 square feet of commercial space will be created with around 1,800 new homes which will include homes both for sale and for rent, and also affordable homes.

On the southern part of the site a new 8,500 capacity concert venue is planned by AEG Europe, which owns The O2 in London, in the area which the owners say will be “an exciting place to live and work and a cultural destination and creative campus” for the city.

Peter Millican, OBE, owner and Chairman of Parabola, said: “Parabola is delighted to announce that S1 Developments will be building and marketing the apartments for sale at Edinburgh Park. We have been struck by S1 Developments’ bespoke approach, exceptional knowledge of the Edinburgh market and real attention to quality which has been recognised by their unparalleled recognition through so many national awards.  

“The start of the residential element of Edinburgh’s newest quarter is a significant milestone in the delivery of Parabola’s vision. We are so pleased that S1 Developments share our passion and commitment to realising an exceptional community.”

Dan Teague, one of the two brothers who run S1 Developments, said: “S1 Developments has a reputation for successful new build and conversion projects in Edinburgh’s most exclusive and challenging locations. We are looking forward to delivering another exceptional scheme at Edinburgh Park which will feature the hallmarks of S1 Developments approach. We are hugely excited to be a part of such a visionary masterplan and to add to the momentum of the exciting announcements coming out of Edinburgh Park. Parabola have had the vision to masterplan a new quarter where the focus is on design and quality the likes of which is so often lacking in new build offerings in our city.”

Tony Hordon, Managing Director of Parabola said: “With the support of our advisors Savills and Justin Lamb Associates, we embarked on a considerable exercise last year to identify a partner to help deliver the residential piece of our masterplan. Through this exercise we had a number of expressions of interest, however it was clear, S1 were just perfectly aligned to our group, our passions and ambition for EP. It was just comforting and energising to deal with the S1 group, who we have no doubt, will deliver something quite special, as their track record supports.”

Ben Brough, Savills Head of Scotland Development said:  “It is exciting to witness Parabola’s vision for a new urban quarter come to life, with the announcement that cutting edge residential homes will be delivered by S1 Developments.  With its emphasis on blending business with art, culture, community and wellness in a sustainable living environment, Edinburgh Park will further the capital’s global reputation for exceptional quality of life. We are excited to be part of a truly spectacular project and anticipate high levels of interest from homebuyers when these properties come to market.”

The City of Edinburgh Council denies that it is making changes or cuts to places in schools for children with additional support needs (ASN).

The Edinburgh Reporter has been told that many applications for Enhanced Support Base (ESB) placements have simply been rejected by the council – so many that parents have now formed a WhatsApp group to share information and find a way to resolve the problem themselves. One parent has said that almost all parents she has spoken to plan to appeal to the council against the decisions. The council says this is not correct and that some applications have been granted.

A spokesperson for the council said that it is “not the case that all applications for placements in ESBs in schools had been rejected nor that all the places have been suspended”.

The ESB programme was introduced by Edinburgh Council over the last five years. There are ESB facilities in nine schools in the capital, whereas prior to this there were either mainstream schools or special schools. As the provision was rolled out gradually they have only been in operation for a few years and have not had their first cohort of pupils transition all the way through primary school as yet.

One parent explained: “If you had a child with additional support needs, they were either in a special school or they were in the mainstream and nowhere in between, which was obviously quite difficult.”

The set up is slightly different in each school but it can be a classroom or a few classrooms in a kind of unit where children with ASN may begin school by spending the majority of their time there. Gradually learners may then spend some time in the mainstream classrooms as well.

The parent continued: “Here is how it has worked for my child. At first my child spent most of the time in the ESB being supported by the specialist staff and now spends more time in mainstream with a pretty full timetable. It depends on each child and what is appropriate for them, but it is a fantastic, really inclusive, model.”

UNCERTAINTY

There is now a great deal of uncertainty and rumour about what the recent decisions mean among a group of parents whose applications have been refused. Every parent of a child with ASN has to make a placing request which they all did in October last year for children moving to secondary schools this year. The process is supported by school staff and educational psychologists who advise on the best course of action for each child. The results of those applications have just been announced and this is where the problem lies.

Some parents and carers in the city say they are now confused about the provision of ESB places for their children, which appear to have been rejected wholesale, and have contacted us with their individual stories. All want to remain anonymous because it is their children who are involved, but all say their applications, and at least 20 others, have been refused.

The first explained that their child has autism and while it is not yet time to make an application many other parents known to them have had applications rejected. From that first conversation many others followed.

Another parent has two children with an intellectual disability, one of whom is currently in an ESB. Both children require support as “neither can read or write and they have other behavioural issues as well”. The application for the younger child to join the same ESB as their sibling has been refused. The parent explained: “Instead a mainstream place in a catchment high school has been offered ‘with enhanced support provision’, but I just don’t know what that means. Whatever this new model is that they’re bringing in, there’s no information about it, and it’s been done in a massive hurry.” The parent has also established from speaking to the council that the previous arrangement of referring placement applications to an Educational Resource Group (ERG) appears to have been abandoned. Instead they were advised that to cut down bureaucracy any child with ASN will just transition to mainstream and each individual school will determine what support each child receives.

Another parent who has a child moving to senior school has made an “out of catchment” application for an ESB place as their catchment school did not have an ESB unit. That application has also been refused.

The parent said: “The intention is to mainstream educate my child with “enhanced support provision”. That’s what they’re calling, it but that’s a very newly coined term that nobody’s ever heard of before. And it means precisely nothing.

“What is really frustrating is that they asked us to apply. We have been preparing for years for this transition. Our child needs a lot of preparation. In mainstream primary they have done brilliantly, and the school has been incredibly supportive. There is a full time one to one support at the moment, but now the goalposts have been moved and none of these ESB places are available. If I had known that was what was happening I would have applied for a place at a special school. That is not open to me any more as they are all over subscribed for the people who applied at the right time. All the bells, the open classrooms and walking around the school building would be too much for my child who is mentally and physically disabled. It would be totally impossible.

“If they were going to change the provision then they should have told us about that before we made our application. At the very least they should have explained what “enhanced support provision” means before sending out the letter. It doesn’t mean anything to us. We’re all very protective of our children and appreciate and understand that it takes a lot of work to look after them. I just don’t feel that I don’t feel that my child would be safe in a mainstream school.”

The council has a policy called GIRFEC – getting it right for every child – and The Scottish Government has a presumption of placing a child in a mainstream school. These do not in this parent’s view match up. They continued: “Not only is this presumption of mainstream unfair on my child it is also unfair on the rest of the pupils. If there are say, three families in one class with children with ASN then it would be hugely disruptive. It would also be really unfair to teachers. Our child’s place was also rejected on the basis that the school we applied to would have to employ another teacher.”

An Education Consultant explained to The Edinburgh Reporter that “people at management level in schools, departmental heads and those who support learning have been told that the ESBs will not exist any more. The presumption is that these children with quite significant and complex needs are going to be in mainstream”. They continued to explain that the children affected need a physical environment which is “quiet and stable, and predictable”. In mainstream schools the sensory overwhelm can just be too much for some children. The suggestion is also that “they’re essentially removing Pathway Four provision for some fairly complex kids”.” with all the legal obligations that this entails. (Pathway Four is an obligation imposed by the Curriculum for Excellence on local authorities.)

The consultant helped several parents with the applications last autumn but does not know of anyone who has an ESB place. Speculating about the reasons behind the move by the council they said: “I think what the council will do is give a pot of money to the schools and say, you design your support based on the cohort of pupils you have.

“Beforehand each child would have what was called audited hours – a sum of money attached to each child. But when inclusion started to bite councils realised there were a lot of children who would qualify, and they didn’t have enough money. So what they did at that stage was give each school a pot of money. Looking at it fiscally perhaps that is the only way to do it, but the school management is then forced into a situation where they gatekeep support because they don’t have enough. There is of course no official confirmation. My primary concern for this cohort of kids who are leaving P7 is that they are the people who really need an enhanced transition to high school.”

Comment from Edinburgh EIS

Alison Murphy, Local Association Secretary Edinburgh of the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) said: “Edinburgh EIS has not been consulted on any plans, nor had any communication from Edinburgh Council, about what it is intending for its Enhanced Support Bases, bases that are designed to support pupils with additional needs in mainstream settings – though we do understand that the provision is, indeed, under review, and that some changes are in the offing.  

“This failure to consult is something we have already raised with senior officers, as the swirl of rumours is obviously very concerning for staff, as well as for pupils and their families.  Given the history of cuts to provision, it is hardly surprising if people are reluctant to take reassurances at face value.  We certainly hope that the council is not planning any cuts to this vital service.  There is a mass of evidence about the rise in additional needs, and teachers need more specialist support if they are going to be able to meet the needs of all pupils.  We hope that, going forward, there will be constructive engagement with us, and with all stakeholders, in order to ensure effective support.”

Education, Children and Families Convener, Councillor Joan Griffiths said: “We’re fully committed to ensuring that learners have their needs met in the school that provides them with the best possible support. This includes our 10 special schools and the range of Enhanced Support, Wellbeing and Nurture bases across the rest of our schools and early years centres. There is no planned reduction in resource for these services, in fact we’ve actively increased this.

“To be clear, Enhanced Support Base placements have not been suspended and the Education Resources Group continues to meet and assess decisions on the best outcomes for learners. In common with the rest of the country, additional support needs are rising across Edinburgh. We keep these levels of need and models of provision under review, to ensure we can continue to provide quality support for all.

“We will always strive to educate children with additional needs with the resources that are most appropriate, whilst adhering to the national ‘presumption of mainstream’ requirement from The Scottish Government.”

SNP Group leader Cllr Adam McVey said: “SNP councillors have been speaking to a number of parents who have been denied an ASN placement for their child and we’re extremely concerned.

“This looks like it could be another major cut to support for kids with additional support needs that has been imposed, behind closed doors, and completely ignoring the needs of the children and young people.

“We’ve been asking questions about whether this is a cut to this provision and how many children are impacted. Parents need answers urgently, and we’ll keep asking until they get them.”

Police in Edinburgh are appealing for help to trace Alison Campbell, 50, who has been reported missing.

Alison was last seen leaving a property in Murrayfield Avenue around 3.10am on Tuesday, 6 February, and drove away in her red Toyota Aygo.

She is described as 5ft 3, of very slim build, with straight shoulder length brown hair.

She is believed to be wearing a navy blue puffer jacket, a bright pink knitted scarf and black leather ankle boots. She normally wears a gold ring with a black onyx stone on her right hand.

Officers have traced Alison’s car in the Cramond beach area and a search is ongoing there.

Inspector Dougal Begg said: “Alison’s family are extremely concerned about her wellbeing and we are asking members of the public to keep a look out and report any sightings to police.

“Officers and the Coastguard are carrying out searches in the Cramond beach area and would urge anyone who has been there today to consider whether they may have seen a woman matching Alison’s description.

“Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 0535 of Tuesday, 6 February, 2024.”

Police in Edinburgh are appealing for witnesses after an armed robbery which took place in Wester Hailes yesterday evening Monday, 5 February, 2024.

Around 10.55pm a male delivery driver on a moped was dropping off an order at a property in Murrayburn Gardens.

When he approached the delivery address he noticed a male youth had got onto his moped.

He asked the youth to get off, and another male youth appeared and threatened him with what appeared to be a firearm.

The youths took the victim’s phone and moped keys and made off on the vehicle heading along Murrayburn Gardens towards Westside Plaza.

Police were contacted, and the moped was recovered two hours later in Morvenside in the Wester Hailes area.

The first suspect is described as a white male, aged 15 to 16 years old, of skinny build and wearing a black balaclava, a black jacket, black joggers, black shoes and black gloves. He had Scottish accent and was softly spoken. 

The second suspect is described as a white male, aged 15 to 16 years old, 5ft 9, of skinny build and wearing a black balaclava, a black jacket, black joggers, black shoes and black gloves. He also had a Scottish accent and was softly spoken.

Detective Inspector Kevin Tait said: “This was a terrifying experience for the victim and it is vital that we trace the two individuals responsible.

“We are appealing for anyone who was in Murrayburn Gardens or the surrounding area on Monday evening who may have noticed anything suspicious to please get in touch.

“We would also urge anyone with private CCTV or dash-cam footage of two males riding on a moped in the Wester Hailes area to pass this on to officers.

“Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 3790 of Monday, 5 February, 2024. Alternatively you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”

The Red House Hotel in Coupar Angus is celebrating being nominated once again in the annual Scottish Golf Tourism Awards.

The Hotel, which enjoys close links with a number of leading golf courses in the Blairgowrie and Vale of Strathmore area, including Rosemount and Lansdowne in Blairgowrie, along with Alyth and Strathmore, is nominated in the Best Budget Friendly Golf Hotel category.

Red House won the title in 2016, and was nominated again for the past three years.

Other courses within an easy travel time of The Red House, family run by the Bannerman family for the past forty years, are Forfar, Edzell, Kirriemuir and Downfield, amongst others.

All of these courses are listed on the hotel’s website, and offer preferential rates for guests.

The Scottish Golf Tourism Awards, which is partnered with publisher DC Thomson, exists to celebrate the very best of the Scottish Golf Tourism Industry, from clubs, to courses, to accommodation providers.

The latest award categories are designed to better represent Scotland’s brilliant and diverse golf product.

The Red House team are now looking forward to the awards ceremony which is always held in March as part of Scottish Golf Tourism Week. It brings together the cream of Scottish Golf, from suppliers, to golf course representatives, to golf hospitality.

“It’s brilliant news to have been nominated in Scotland’s leading golf tourism awards again,” said Alan Bannerman, owner of the Red House Hotel. “We endeavour to put golfing in the beautiful Vale of Strathmore on the map whenever we can try. We hosted over 2000 golfers last year, from all parts of Scotland, the UK and overseas too, it was an incredibly busy year and we are hoping that 2024 will be just as good if not better.”

“We offer the best value for money that we can in our Golf and Stay packages, as we know that getting away to play golf is so important to lovers of the game,” added Alan. “We have many regulars who return to us year after year. Times have been tough due to the cost of living crisis, but hopefully conditions will improve this year.”

Alan finished by thanking all his customers who have voted for The Red House Hotel: “We always appreciate it and simply could not achieve this level of recognition without you. We will represent the area at the Awards night, and keep our fingers crossed.”

https://www.scottishgolftourismweek.co.uk/sgta.html

www.red-house-hotel.co.uk

The 14th annual silent film festival takes place at the Hippodrome Bo’ness next month with a programme full of the best old movies around.

The programme for this year’s HippFest has just been announced along with details of the live music which accompanies the films. Talks, workshops, and an exhibition also form part of the programme. Details are here.

The programme will feature some of the biggest names from the silent era such as Mary Pickford, Lillian Gish, Clara Bow, and Joan Crawford; with live appearances from musicians and silent film aficionados, including Neil Brand, Jenny Hammerton, Maud Nelissen, and John Sweeney.

The festival opens with Peggy (1916) on 20 March with accompaniment from Stephen Horne. This was a debut role for Billie Burke who then appeared in The Wizard of Oz as the Good Witch. The story follows New York socialite Peggy Cameron (Burke) as she moves to Scotland to live with her new guardian, “a man as stern and unyielding as the rocky hills of his native land”. Will she succumb to the charms of the ‘hot’ Reverend? Once thought lost, the film has been reconstructed with the final missing scenes being filled in with stills and text from the 1916 copyright registration to ensure that today’s audiences are not left in suspense at the film’s conclusion. 

In The Rugged Island : A Shetland Lyric (1933) Glasgow born film maker Jenny Gilbertson directs a story documentary about Shetland crofters. Presented with a new music commission by award-winning multi-instrumentalist and composer from Fair Isle: Inge Thomson, with Shetland-born Catriona MacDonald (commission funded by Creative Scotland National Lottery Open Fund for Organisations), this tender and beautiful dramatisation of Shetland life will be a must see.

Silent comedy will be provided by Laurel and Hardy and Buster Keaton. HippFest’s Saturday morning’s Jeely Jar Screening of Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1928). Buster Keaton’s inspired energy and inventive physical comedy dazzle in this hilarious, heart-warming comedy, featuring possibly the most celebrated comedy set piece in cinema history. Plus a double bill from history’s favourite comedy duo: Laurel and Hardy in The Second Hundred Years (1927) and The Finishing Touch (1928) with Stephen Horne and Frank Bockius performing live. 

Rounding off the Festival line-up is an entertaining and informative programme of talks and an exhibition including Behind the Scenes Tours of Scotland’s oldest purpose built cinema; a Bo’ness Witch Trials Walking Tour with local historian Ian Scott, a deeper dive into the The Flying Scotsman and Britain’s part-talkies delivered by writer and self-declared “film nerd” Marc David Jacobs; and How to Be a Flapper, an insight into the joyful women’s cinemagazine Eve’s Film Review from author and film archivist Jenny Hammerton. The Pen to Picture Exhibition at Bo’ness library (17 February – 15 April 2024, free) curated by Richard Weeks will showcase the colourful artwork that graced the eye-catching covers of ‘Film-tie-in’ books published by the Readers Library during the early years of cinema.

HippFest Director, Alison Strauss said: “HippFest is proud to have grown a real community of people who share an adventurous appetite for extraordinary cinema and live music. I am particularly thrilled that this year we have been chosen as the festival to host the world premiere of the prestigious new restoration of ‘The Wind’ from New York’s Museum of Modern Art, and I am over the moon that we have secured the means to commission a new accompaniment for Jenny Gilbertson’s rarely screened Scottish masterpiece ‘The Rugged Island’ for the exceptionally talented Inge Thomson and Catriona MacDonald. We can’t wait to welcome everyone to discover these and the many other brilliant films and musicians that we have lined up. Come one come all, and be part of the unique atmosphere of the Festival, of Bo’ness and of the Hippodrome itself, where you’ll be sure to find great films, great fun, and great music.”

Councillor Cecil Meiklejohn, Leader of Falkirk Council added: “Visitors come from across the country and beyond to attend this great festival of silent film. It has always attracted an enthusiastic audience, including some well-known personalities and it’s great to see it return again for its 14th year.”

Katharine Simpson from Screen Scotland said: “HippFest, held at Scotland’s first-ever cinema The Hippodrome in Bo’ness, is an unparalleled experience that stands out in both Scotland and the UK. This festival offers a one-of-a-kind blend of historic films from our cinematic legacy, complemented by live music, all curated and presented for today’s audience in engaging, fun, and meaningful ways.”

The Hippodrome Silent Film Festival will run Wednesday 20 to Sunday 24 March 2024 at the Hippodrome Cinema in Bo’ness, Falkirk. Selected events and screenings will be livestreamed from the cinema, plus pre-festival talks on Frances Marion, Jenny Gilbertson, and the story of Victorian film by British Film Institute Curator of Silent Film, Bryony Dixon as part of HippFest At Home.

Full HippFest 2024 programme and to purchase tickets, please visit www.hippfest.co.uk

Council budget meetings

Today the council meets in the next of a series of meetings to discuss the revenue and capital budgets and how to allocate the spending in the next year.

Both the Educational Institute for Scotland and public service trade union UNISON will send deputations to speak to councillors before the meeting.

The SNP Group are complaining about the lateness of any information from which to draft a budget and are appalled that there appears to have been no consultation with residents, stakeholders or trade unions. The group also wants to have a meeting in June with all political groups to find a way to improve the budget process.

The Green group have noted that Integrated Impact Assessments are missing from any proposals for this year’s budget – and that there are no plans to do any.

The committee will discuss the Revenue Budget Framework and the Medium Term Financial Plan

Tuesday 10.00am Special Meeting of the Finance and Resources Committee

Amid spending plans for education and other important services, the council also proposes to spend £500,000 on marking the 900th anniversary of the introduction of the Royal Burghs into Scotland by King David I. Edinburgh was the first and a “community events strand” is proposed to celebrate the fact. The Edinburgh 900 group is chaired by the Lord Provost.

Next week at Open Eye Gallery – David Martin

One of the founders of Hidden Door, David Martin, is staging an exhibition of his work Silk Roads: New work from travels in Central Asia at Open Eye Gallery on Abercromby Place next week, opening on 9 February.

You can see the beautifully colourful work on the Open Eye website where David explains the story behind his art. He said: “Every painting in the exhibition tells a story for me; even a simple chance encounter or a glimpsed view contains a world as I see it, and some paintings are just this. However, there are other narratives at play too, such as my trip to the environmental devastation of the area that used to be the Aral Sea; formerly the world’s third-largest inland sea now almost entirely dried up and gone, as a result of Soviet and post-Soviet environmental mismanagement.” 

Care home planned for St John’s Road

The first of two public consultation events relating to the proposed £15 million development of a new 60-bed care complex on the corner of St John’s Road at Manse Road has already taken place. But there is still time (until 14 February) for anyone to add their comments to the proposal to replace the former supermarket and shops with a mixed use development. And a second public event will take place on 28 February at Corstorphine Community Centre, 5 Kirk Loan between 2pm and 7pm It will include five assisted living apartments and ground floor commercial units facing on to St John’s Road. One third of the care home will be devoted to dementia care. The developer hopes to lodge the planning application with the council in April.

Read more here.

Playhouse teams up with Edinburgh Street Food

The Edinburgh Playhouse has teamed up with Edinburgh Street Food to offer casual dining to their patrons until 11pm seven days a week.

ESF marked by the neon sign has ten independent traders and three bars in a location just close to the theatre on the other side of the Omni Centre.

Location information here.

Our February issue

Our February issue is out now. With more on our exclusive story about Chief Constable Jo Farrell revealed in our centre spread and our new columnist to entertain you with news of all the theatre you must see, we are pleased with this month’s issue. We hope you like it too.

If you would like to make sure that you don’t miss any of our monthly newspapers then sign up here. 

A wedding venue has been given to the end of the year to carry out a survey of resident bats, after getting the green light to put up a marquee and play music outdoors.

Midlothian councillors agreed to allow Rosebery Steadings, near Gorebridge, to add the marquee and play outdoor music to its venue despite being told they had been ‘repeatedly’ asked to carry out the survey, but refused.Planning officers had originally refused permission for outdoor music because historic evidence had suggested bats – which are a protected species – roosted in a building across from the site.
However a meeting of the council’s Local Review Body this week heard an appeal by the applicants who argued they were asked to carry out the survey too late in the season for it to be worth doing and would have to delay wedding events for another year if they had to wait until the time was right to do it again.
Councillor Colin Cassidy supported the need for the venue to operate as quickly as possible, urging fellow review body members to uphold the appeal.
He said: “This is a commercial enterprise they are trying to get up and running and from the looks of it they have spent a lot of money on the project.
“Now I am not one for displacing bats or killing wildlife, by any means, but I think that we have to be pragmatic here. 
“This business needs to be up and running to make money and we need to be aware of the pressures businesses are under these days.”
Councillor Cassidy questioned whether there were any spaces for bats to roost on the site pointing out the roofs seemed sealed up during a visit but was told bats can find ways in through very small spaces.
And Councillor Peter Smaill pointed out there is a belfry at the venue, adding: “If we are going to find bats it is going to be in places like this.”
Councillor Smaill sympathised with both sides of the debate saying it was important to recognise the commercial benefits the success of the venue brings to rural Midlothian.
He said: “I would hate to have to say no because there was doubt about the number of bats.”
Councillors were told that bat surveys carried out in the past for projects always came back with a solution if they were found to be there, which could include putting up bat boxes for them to move to if disturbed.
The council’s planning chief Peter Arnsdorf told councillors: “Bats are a protected species by law and that is why the planning officers have done what they have done. Every time we have dealt with this in the past there has always been a solution to it.”
Councillor Russell Imrie, chair of the review body, said he understood concerns raised by colleagues that waiting for a survey would delay the venue from taking wedding bookings for this year.
However he told the meeting: “They knew these were the conditions and they decided not to carry out the bat survey
“I don’t want to stop any business from making money but if they had just done it when they were asked we wouldn’t have this application before us today.”
Councillor Imrie put forward a motion to uphold the appeal and allow a change of conditions but only once a bat survey had been carried out.
An amendment was put forward by Councillor Connor McManus, as a compromise, asking that the venue be allowed to operate under the conditions immediately on the understanding a bat survey would be carried out before November this year.
He said: “I wouldn’t want us to be setting a precedent for future businesses to think that a bat survey is something that is casual and doesn’t matter too much.
“It is more about the legal obligations we have and we don’t want people thinking this is something they can opt in.”
 The review body agreed by majority to allow outdoor music and the marquee to operate with a November deadline for a bat survey’s results to be provided to the council.

Tennis legend Billie Jean King has had a tartan designed in her honour, to mark the former world number one’s Scottish heritage.

The “Billie Jean King Tartan” includes purple, red, black and the “Billie blue” hue she wore throughout her career.

It was designed by experts at Berwickshire-based ScotlandShop, after they were contacted ahead of King’s recent 80th birthday, in November.

The design is inspired by the Moffat Clan tartan in honour of King’s maiden name Moffitt and also incorporates the colours of the BJK Enterprises logo, which features her favourite purple.

Emily Redman, international brand manager and tartan designer with ScotlandShop, said she was initially contacted by a close family friend of the tennis legend in Scotland.

She then worked with King and her wife, former tennis doubles ace Ilana Kloss, 67, to create the unique pattern, which has now been lodged in the official Scottish Register of Tartans in Edinburgh.

Ms Redman said: “Billie has Scottish heritage and her maiden name is Moffitt so it made sense to take reference from the Moffatt Clan tartan.

“We looked at Billie Jean King Enterprises and its logo, which is purple and red, and also incorporated ‘Billie blue’, so we were working with a great colour palette.

“I worked on the initial designs and then Billie chose her favourite. It’s been a great honour.”

Billie Jean King is one of the greatest champions in tennis history, winning 39 Grand Slam titles in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles during her career.

A founder of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) and Women’s Sports Foundation, she has also long been a pioneer for equal rights in sport.

She famously won the Battle of the Sexes match in 1973, against 55 year old former Wimbledon men’s champion Bobby Riggs, which helped challenge societal perceptions of women’s abilities in sports.

She said later: “I thought it would set us back 50 years if I didn’t win that match. It would ruin the women’s tour and affect all women’s self-esteem. To beat a 55-year-old guy was no thrill for me. The thrill was exposing a lot of new people to tennis.”

Although born in Long Beach, California, on a visit to Glasgow in 2022 she spoke of her Scottish ancestry.

The Head of the Scottish Prison Service has revealed crowded jails are reaching a “tipping point” and emergency powers could be needed to release inmates early from their sentences to create space.

Teresa Medhurst told BBC One Scotland’s Disclosure: Prisons on the Brink, to be screened on Monday evening that the jails are too full.

The chief executive of the SPS added she may soon have to say “enough is enough, we cannot take any more”.

She warned that if numbers continued to rise it would only be a couple of months before drastic measures were needed.

The prison boss said, “all options would need to be on the table”.

There are currently around 8000 people behind bars in Scotland but the number is projected to rise to 8700 this year.

Ms Medhurst told the hour-long programme that if the numbers go above 8500 then the Scottish government would have to consider releasing hundreds of prisoners with no restrictions placed on them like it did during Covid.

She said: “If I have to say enough is enough then it is because we are at a tipping point.

“We cannot take any more. Prisons become very unsafe. The atmosphere, the tension, the volatility increases. Levels of violence increase, levels of self-harm increase.”

The prison chief said that Police Scotland was looking at how it could divert people away from court and that efforts were being made to tackle the backlog in prisoners on remand.

She said the prisons are also looking to double the number of inmates released early on electronic tags to reduce numbers.

They are also considering prefab housing blocks to increase capacity.

The number of people in prison awaiting trial in Scotland has increased to record levels and almost a quarter of inmates have not been convicted. This is one of the reasons the overall population is rising.

Ms Medhurst told Disclosure: “At the moment I’m confident that we can manage between now and the springtime.”

But she said projections for March-April made her “less comfortable” that the service could cope.

Disclosure was given unprecedented access to film in HMP Perth for five days in order to see the impact of overcrowding.

Prison officer Craig Stewart escorted BBC reporter Lucy Adams around the jail, Scotland’s oldest, which still uses halls built by French prisoners during the Napoleonic Wars.

The ratio of staff to prisoners in the halls is about one officer to 23 prisoners.

Officers and inmates said hyper-vigilance is a necessary part of everyday survival.

Many of the inmates speak of remorse and wanting to make amends.

Chris Martin told Disclosure he started doing heroin when he was 15 years old and has been in prison more than 30 times.

He has gone through recovery in HMP Perth and is getting out soon. He wants to leave his mistakes behind him.

He said: “I’m getting a job. I want to start a family. That is living to me. What I’m on about. That is life.

“I want to just be able to live a normal lifestyle.”

Brian Kinloch, who is in HMP Perth on remand, awaiting trial, was one of the 662 prisoners in Perth when Disclosure went in. The prison capacity is 630.

Brian, who grew up in care, told the BBC: “Since I’ve been in, I’ve been trying to access mental health which has been very difficult. It’ll be a seven-months waiting list.

“It’s difficult for most people. There was a suicide just there. A young boy, 24-year old. This is more like a mental health facility than a prison.  Like I said, the boy down there didn’t have seven months in him.”

Perth & Kinross Health & Kinross Health & Social Care Partnership said Brian was offered mental health input, but he disengaged with services.

It said the current waiting times for routine mental health appointments can be up to seven months. Urgent patients are seen within 24 hours.

Sarah Armstrong, Professor of Criminology at the University of Glasgow, published figures at the end of 2022 showing Scotland has a significantly higher rate of suicides and drug deaths in jail than England and Wales.

New figures from Glasgow University show that last year there were 41 deaths in Scottish prisons.

Professor Armstrong said: “I do feel like the state of the prison system right now at this moment is not safe.

“Over the last three years there have been suicides in every single prison within Scotland, every single one. That’s unusual. I mean, that is not something to be proud of.”

Figures obtained by BBC Disclosure through Freedom of Information show self-harm in Scottish prisons is up by almost 40% in the past year — from 587 incidents to 818.

Ms Medhurst said that was because of growing tensions as a result of overcrowding.

Inside Perth prison, Disclosure met Kieran Wallace, who is on remand and awaiting trial, in a cell that was built in the early 1800s. It was meant for one prisoner not two.

He said: “It would be hard enough for one person, never mind two.”

The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture says that cells shared by prisoners need to be above 8m² so as not to be inhuman and degrading.

Kieran’s cell is less than 7m² and he spends 19 hours a day locked inside it.

Andy Hodge, the governor at Perth, said: “The pressure of population is forcing us to put more people into one room. That’s a real stretch.

“Two adult men into a room where you’ve got one TV, one kettle, tensions start to build, people start to fall out. Violence amongst the residents starts to go up.”

He said there is contingency planning which could see the Scottish Government beginning an early release scheme if the numbers get too high.

Kate Wallace, the head of Victim Support Scotland, said inmates are going out and re-offending because many of them are not managing to get onto rehabilitation programmes.

BBC Disclosure found through a Freedom of Information request that there are 698 prisoners currently on a waiting list.

Justice Secretary Angela Constance said ministers were looking at new legislation, contingency measures and investing in community sentences to try to reduce the prison population.

She said: “I would very much accept that as a consequence of a rising prison population, that that has an impact on progression, it has an impact on rehabilitation. And that is why addressing a rising prison population is also a matter of community safety.”

Disclosure: Prisons on the Brink, is on BBC One Scotland, on Monday night at 8pm.

Hearts head for St Johnstone on Wednesday looking to extend their unbeaten run against a much-improved Perth side.

Former Jambos boss, Craig Levein, has made a significant impact since taking over struggling Saints in November last year and St Johnstone go into the game boosted by their 1-0 win at Ross County on Saturday, courtesy of a goal from Swedish-born Benjamin Kimpioka in the cinch Premiership.

That strike helped lift the McDiarmid Park squad into ninth position in the 12-strong table. Earlier in the season they were propping up the rest, but they now have 23 points from 24 games, having scored 16 goals. They have, however, let in 29.

Hearts are third with 45 points from 24 games and their confidence is on a high having won their last five including a come-from-behind success at Dens Park against Dundee on Saturday. 

The Gorgie-based combine also have a vastly superior goal difference, 32 for and only 22 against.

The statistics say that the Men in Maroon have also won the last five meetings between the clubs. So far this term, Hearts have won 2-0 at Perth, Yutaro Oda and Lawrence Shankland netting, and also 1-0 at Tynecastle, Shankland on the mark albeit via a slight deflection from a Liam Boyce shot which followed a cross from the left from lively Alex Cochrane.

Hearts proudly displayed their recent numbers on the X – formerly Twitter – site last weekend. Nine games unbeaten in all competitions, eight wins from nine, four away wins in a row, the first time since season 2010/11, the most top flight away wins, to date, in 13 seasons – the number is eight – and 12 points clear in third.

Undoubtedly, Heartys’ head coach Steven Naismith (pictured) will want to extend that run when the whistle sounds at the 10,696-capacity stadium in Perth (kick-off 19.45).

He was buoyed by the character of the men on the park at Dundee and believed they controlled the game, however, Naismith was disappointed at the goals lost and post-game emphasised the importance of correct decision making by his men in the final third.

The head coach told BBC Scotland Sport: “We don’t panic and we continue to play and we continue to do the right things to give us the opportunity to win the game.” He will obviously look for the same again under the McDiarmid Park floodlights.