Honours of Scotland

More than 700 members of the Armed Forces led the ceremony of the National Service of Thanksgiving as the Honours of Scotland were presented to The King and Queen, at St Giles’ Cathedral. Hundreds lined the Royal Mile although the crowds were thickest around the cathedral with a slimmer gathering nearer Holyrood.

The cars bearing the royal procession progressed up the street at a fair pace, and we are sure there could be many among the crowds who missed what they had stood (in the sunshine) for a few hours to see,

General Officer Scotland and Military Secretary, Major General Bill Wright, CBE, said:  “This is a wonderful day for Scotland and an absolute honour for the British Army in Scotland to play its part alongside the people of this nation. 

“The pride the soldiers all feel today, particularly those from Scotland, is clear for all to see. We are inextricably linked to the people of Scotland, the communities from which we recruit and this country’s proud history. To pay our respects to our new sovereign in the heart of Edinburgh is a memory we will never forget.”

Military personnel led a procession along Edinburgh’s Royal Mile which featured 100 members of the public representing all aspects of Scottish life – photographed below. 

This part of the procession included four mounted elements of the SCOTS Dragoon Guards, the Pipes & Drums of Robert Gordon’s Combined Cadet Force (CCF), 51 Brigade Cadet Military Band and the mascot of The Royal Regiment of Scotland (SCOTS), Cpl Cruachan IV a Shetland pony. Also, on parade was Edinburgh Garrison Sergeant Major, Warrant Officer Class 1 (WO1) Ruaridh Tuach SCOTS.

The Scottish and North Irish Yeomanry (SNIY) provided a Quarter Guard in Crown Square as the Honours began their journey to St Giles’ Cathedral, receiving a fanfare from Royal Marine Band (Scotland) as they reached the Drawbridge.

The Tri-Service Guard of Honour (GoH) escorting the Honours was accompanied by The Band of The Royal Regiment of Scotland (Band SCOTS) and included Balaklava Company, 5^th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland (BKA Coy, 5 SCOTS). 

A bit of baking

Peter Sawkins, winner of the Great British Bake Off 2020 has partnered up with Heritage Portfolio to create a bespoke bakery range to be sold at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE).

Peter was the youngest winner in Bake Off history and had been a huge fan of the show since the age of 12. It was the reason for his interest and love for baking.

Heritage Portfolio has teamed up with Peter to create three exclusive cakes and tarts to be sold at RBGE. The range consists of carrot patch cupcakes, rhubarb and orange cake and apple tart. Peter is local to Edinburgh and enjoys using seasonal ingredients in his bakes, the bespoke range uses ingredients inspired by the Garden’s seasonal produce. 

On the radio

Probably the most famous voice to have aired on Edinburgh based radio, Jay Crawford, is taking to the airwaves once more in a new venture called Edge 2. This station will air from Stockbridge where there has been “huge” investment in studios and equipment. There will be “timeless classic hits and local news”. Jay will be on air every Monday to Friday from 10am to 2pm. Edge 2  will go live on Monday 10th July playing music from the last 5 decades broadcasting online, on mobile, smart speakers and DAB+ 

Jay said; “This was a golden opportunity to build on the success of Edge Radio and an exciting development for the local radio scene. I saw a gap in the market and felt that Edge 2 could be it. I cannot wait to return to the airwaves to play classic tracks every Monday to Friday.”

At the new Stockbridge home for Edge Radio, Jay continued; “Dedicating an entire station to the best music of the last 50 years offers immense appeal. We will be showcasing hits from the rock ‘n’ roll era of the 1950s to vibrant disco in the ‘70s, pop hits of the ’80s, through to the alternative and grunge movements of the ’90s. With such a vast and eclectic pool of music to draw from, the new station is poised to cater to a wide range of listeners, ensuring there is something for everyone.”

Fishing news

The fishing news is all about the mackerel this week.

Read Nigel Duncan’s article here.

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The Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) will run from 18 to 23 August with 24 new films, five retrospectives and outdoor films in University of Edinburgh quad with seven more feature films keeping the EIFF light burning bright.

As previously announced the festival opens with Silent Roar and will close with Fremont.

Scotland is well represented with five features and 19 shorts including the world premiere of six newly commissioned documentaries in the Bridging the Gap Documentary Short Films programme.

America the home of film is also represented with four films from the eighties and nineties, as well as the retrospective with Shane Meadows Dead Man’s Shoes which was first shown in Edinburgh in 2004.

There will be five world premieres and the programme includes The Lynda Myles Project and a preview of a new documentary – The Lynda Myles Project: A Manifesto.

The full programme will be live from 10am on the Edinburgh International Festival which is providing a temporary home for the film festival.

Kate Taylor, Programme Director, Edinburgh International Film Festival, said: “With this year’s vivid film selection the EIFF programme team has favoured the bold, drawn to filmmakers with searching perspectives and style to burn. Designed for an eclectic spectrum of film fans, and defined by a love of independent cinema, this compact programme shines a light on new talent, and offers a smashing six-day journey for the EIFF’s passionate audiences.”

Culture Secretary Angus Robertson said: “I’m delighted to see so much Scottish and international film talent represented in this year’s Edinburgh International Film Festival programme. The Scottish Government is proud to support the festival with £155,000 from the PLaCE Fund – run jointly with the City of Edinburgh Council – and £59,000 from our Expo Fund. They both support Scottish talent development particularly emerging film programmers and mid-career writers in the case of our Expo Fund.” 

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Evergreen Boroughmuir hockey player Janet Hall has been chosen to represent Scotland in the World Masters Hockey European Championships this summer.

After running out for Scotland 45s age group in the GB&I Four Nations Masters tournament in Swansea earlier this month Janet will travel to Nottingham and the Euros, one of a handful of men and women from across the Capital picked by Scotland for a tournament starting on 29 July.

Head of Delivery for law firm Ashurst LLP, Janet, 46, said: “It’s an honour and a privilege to be part of the Scottish Masters Hockey set-up. It is great to feel part of a team and to be challenged to improve my game/skills even though I have been playing for years.”

Friday fixtures: Cab Direct Championship: Scunthorpe Scorpions v Edinburgh Stellar Monarchs (7.30pm); Glasgow Allied Vehicles Tigers v Redcar Bears (7.30pm)

Edinburgh Stellar Monarchs will look to reverse the memory of a 54-36 home defeat to Scunthorpe Scorpions when the pair clash in the Cab Direct Championship in England on Friday night.

Richie Worrall top scored with 13 points and Kye Thomson was next best with ten points for the Armadale outfit with Ryan Douglas, Jake Allen and Connor Mountain all scoring 11 points for the visitors on May 26.

Glagsow Allied Vehicles Tigers need to re-group for the visit of Redcar Bears in the Championship on Friday after they were mugged 62-28 on the South Coast by Poole Pirates in midweek in the BSN Final, first-leg, a performance team manager Cami Brown described as “disappointing”.

Meanwhile, Berwick bosses felt the 53-37 defeat at Championship leaders Oxford in midweek did not do justice to Bandits’ efforts. Oxford turned the screws, scoring 5-1s in each of the last three heats, and the late flurry provided, they said, was a lopsided look to the final scoreline.

Until that point, inspired by the outstanding Rory Schlein (pictured) with back-up from Thomas Jorgensen, Bandits kept within striking distance of their high-flying hosts and even harboured hopes of repeating last year’s victory at Oxford.

Sam Masters received back-up from Lewis Kerr, Scott Nicholls and reserve Cameron Heeps but the support from the visiting middle order was more sporadic.

Earlier, Bandits enjoyed a stroke of luck in heat two as, having trailed the visitors into the first bend, Heeps picked off Jacob Hook and had Connor Coles in his sights when his engine gave up the ghost.

But the 5-1 was cancelled out immediately as Kerr passed Leon Flint and Jonas Knudsen to join Jordan Jenkins at the head of heat three.

Berwick were quick from the gate in the early stages with Jorgensen and Coles leading only for first Nicholls and then Heeps found a way past the reserve.

Jenkins spoiled a shared heat by passing Jye Etheridge in five as Oxford led for the first time, Henry Atkins inflicting an almost mirror-image manoeuvre on Hook in the following heat.

Flint and Knudsen looked to have the measure of Nicholls in seven, pushing him out to the fence but the veteran used all his trackcraft to dive up the kerb and win easily in the end.

Etheridge split the home pairing in eight as Oxford extended their lead to six points allowing team manager Scott Courtney to pair his two big guns in what turned out to be a superb heat nine.

Jorgensen made the gate and took off but tactical substitute Schlein – whose previous visit to Cowley had been in 2007 – rounded both Cheetahs on the bottom bends and then fought off a series of attacks from Kerr as the gap was trimmed to a couple of points.

Masters flew from the gate in ten but the action behind him was tight, referee Mick Bates studying the electronic data before awarding Atkins third place behind Flint, Knudsen missing out on a point by a tyre knobble.

Another brilliant ride saw Schlein drive through the middle of team-riding Cheetahs Nicholls and Heeps, Knudsen and Hook then securing a share of the spoils as Berwick reached the interval four points adrift.

Any hopes they had of a road victory disappeared after heat 13. Schlein hit the front and looked to be controlling the race only for Masters and Nichols to pass him inside and out simultaneously. Even then, the visiting No 1 refused to give up, the trio crossing the line in a blanket finish.

Jenkins picked off Flint to follow Heeps home in the penultimate heat while Schlein battled all the way to the flag in 15 but just couldn’t quite find his way past Kerr on the race to the line.

Berwick’s team manager, Scott Courtney, said: “We’re on the wrong end of a much heavier defeat than our efforts on the night deserved.

“Rory, in particular, could have ended up with another five or six points, and he wasn’t the only one. In many cases the difference was barely the width of a tyre after the four laps.”

He added: “If you weren’t here, the scoreline will have been pretty much as a lot of people predicted before tapes-up, but it doesn’t reflect the quality of racing and the amount of effort put in, often for little or no return. Now we must regroup.”

Cheetahs: Sam Masters 14+1, Henry Atkins 3, Lewi Kerr 12+1, Jordan Jenkins 5+2, Scott Nicholls 9+1, Cameron Heeps 9+1, Ryan Kinsley 1

Bandits: Rory Schlein 11+1, Jye Etheridge 3+1, Jonas Knudsen 4, Leon Flint 5+1, Thomas Jorgensen 8, Jacob Hook 3+2, Connor Coles 3

BSN Final, first-leg: Poole Pirates 62, Glasgow Tigers 28; Cab Direct Championship: Oxford Cheetas 53, Berwick Bandits 37

Rory Schlein top scored with 11 points as Berwick Bandits suffered a 53-37 defeat in the Cab Direct Championship at pace-setting Oxford Cheetas. Their top man was Sam Masters with 14 points.

Elsewhere, Glasgow Tigers’ boss Cami Brown admitted it was a very “disappointing performance” after a heavy defeat at Poole when the Allied Vehicles Tigers crashed to a 62-28 defeat in the BSN Final first-leg.

It was a night when nothing went right for the visitors with Tom Brennan suffering a frightening crash in Heat 7 and Lee Complin enduring mechanical issues. 

But Poole were far too quick out of the starts and Brown said: “It’s another very disappointing performance. Poole have outridden us out of the starts and that’s what it takes to win matches here. It’s going to be extremely difficult in the second-leg.

“Poole were electric out of the gates. It sounds like sour grapes, and I don’t mean it to be, but there’s not much passing after that. If you don’t get out of gate after half a lap the race is over.

“We are racers and come up to Glasgow and you’ll see lots of passing. It’s a track if you miss the gate, you still get a chance. If you miss the gate here, you’re lost. We need to try and re-group. It wasn’t for the lack of trying.”

Brown said that 16-year-old Ace Pijper’s five-point return was the only highlight of the night and he added: “Tom hit a rut in the middle of the corner and it spat him off. He’s been shaken up but he’s OK. Tom’s a tough lad. Ace did really well, but there were too many failures as well.”

Poole 62: Steve Worrall 14+1, Richard Lawson 13+1, Ben Cook 11, Zach Cook 8+3, Anders Rowe 7+2, Kyle Newman 5, Adam Roynon 4+1.

Glasgow 28: Chris Harris 7, Ben Basso 7, Ace Pijper 5, Claus Vissing 5, Tom Brennan 4, Marcin Nowak 0, Lee Complin 0.

PICTURE: Chris Harris by Taylor Lanning and courtesy of Allied Vehicles Glasgow Tigers.  

The Orange Works, a Kent based theatre company, are returning to the Fringe with Locusts, a timely play about conversion practices and the belief that you can pray the gay away.

Spoiler warning – you can’t.  The UK Government have made vague moves to introduce a very weak ban on the conversion therapies, allowing them on grounds of “consent.”  Quite often people give their consent after being convinced by their community or family that their sexuality is sinful and wrong and that their god can heal them.  The Scottish Greens are now bringing their own legislation forward at Holyrood due to Whitehall’s inaction on the issue.  Given that, this seems the perfect time to explore the subject and the production team were happy to discuss the play and its relevance today.

The Orange Works have previously performed in Edinburgh over the last five years with their plays From Today Everything Changes, Trans Pennine, Being Frank and Hobnobs & Fruitcake.  Locusts is partially drawn on the experiences of Ian Tucker-Bell, who co-wrote the play with Garth McLean. 

As a teenager in the Eighties Ian was part of the Methodist Church and a local Evangelical Church and it was through them that he underwent conversion therapy.  He’s processed the experiences over recent years but recently felt the need and determination to explore the issue artistically after avoiding writing about it.  “I had the idea of writing about it going round my head for three years but it was quite a painful experience.  I also found other things more fun to write about but the impetus hit me to start the play last year.

The play is rooted in his own experience, although fictionalised, as well as made more dramatic.  The timeline of what happened was compressed and adapted to also include Garth’s experiences of growing up in North America in the Seventies while coming to terms with his sexuality. 

Ian found writing with Garth incredibly helpful, saying it was a much safer process for him, but also brought a different perspective and voice to the story.  Garth explained to me that he met Ian in 2018 while both were at the Fringe and became friends.  “While I never experienced conversion therapy the idea of acceptance while growing up rang true.  We both felt it was a topical subject that needed exploring, not just specifically about the process but also how people deal with social pressures to conform and be somebody they are not.”  Ian agrees with that and explained that while his own experience was not as dramatic as what happens in Locusts these actions are insidious, coercive behaviour that damages vulnerable teens and adults.

Phil Holden, the play’s director, joins in with this theme, saying that exploring these issues is a real opportunity to take audiences on an interesting journey.  He adds that the play is not just about conversion therapy and the experiences around it but also how people react and deal with their feelings, suppressing who they are to please others.  Phil makes it clear that the play does not seek to demonise Christians and he can, in some ways, understand that their actions come from a position of love.  “However, the play shows us a character who is in a conundrum over their feelings and their place in the world.  That’s a very universal experience and I think most people will see something of themselves in the play and the characters.  I know I’m biased but this is a very powerful and moving piece and more people need awareness of what is happening around the subject – it is an important topic for this time.”

For those unaware of the background, church groups are lobbying the UK Government, arguing that conversion treatments are voluntary and not harmful to the person going through the process.  The morning we spoke the Guardian had published an article covering LGBTQ+ campaigners urging for a ban on conversion practices without loopholes now after the UK Government had failed to follow through on pledges during the last five years to end the practices.  Theresa May, as Prime Minister, vowed to ban conversion practices in July 2018, describing the process as abhorrent and having no place in a modern Britain.  Since then the draft legislation has failed to appear, although in January this year Whitehall promised to publish a draft Bill “shortly.”

Recent research by Galop, an LGBTQ+ anti-abuse charity, found that one in five LGBTQ+ people and more than a third of trans people in the UK were subjected to attempted conversion, approximately 400,000 people.  Proposed limitations would still allow the abuse to continue through the back door by arguing that vulnerable people can ‘consent’ to it and giving exemptions for medical settings.  Ian said, “I find it interesting that the topic is suddenly becoming a bit of a national issue, with the Government looking to introduce a very weak ban on the practice.  I consented because I’d been convinced as a 16-year-old that being gay was sinful and God would heal me.  Of course, God never did.”

Garth adds that growing up he could not fully express who he was or his feelings, all of which made him feel less than others and not fully part of society.  “I developed guilt and shame about who I was and how I felt.  I was made to feel that because I didn’t fit into the right box then there was something wrong with me.  That damages a person and we should ban these practices as soon as possible.”

Moving away from the play’s subject, I asked how Ian and Garth found writing the play, given one was in Kent and the other lives in Los Angeles.  They laugh at this and admit that it involved lots of Zoom meetings at odd times of the day due to living in different time zones.  They found that Sunday was the best day for their respective schedules, with Garth joining in at five-thirty while Ian was enjoyed the evening in the UK.  “We both found it a lot of fun,” Ian explained; “We weren’t sure it would work but since we both act we recorded the meetings, which involved improvising around the subjects and bullet points we had put up on the White Board tool.”  Garth agrees, adding, “I found it very creative and a rewarding experience.  The process was very collaborative, although we benefited from Ian’s nimble fingers letting him edit dialogue in real time.  Throughout it all we explored the characters’ depth and backgrounds, it was a wonderful experience and very rewarding.  The only downside is that I’m going to miss seeing the play in Edinburgh due to other commitments but I’m looking forward to seeing the rehearsals this afternoon.  I trust Phil and Ian, they are both very good at what they do.”

All agree that the Edinburgh experience is more direct and intimate, with the performers having a closer relationship with the action that in other theatre spaces.  Garth feels that it benefits the play’s emotional material, the physical intimacy will add to the experience.  Phil agrees, adding that you communicate more authentically in a small space.  “You don’t need to shout at the audience in these situations, you benefit from the closeness and getting to see the body language at play.  As you watch it you can connect with real and complicated people and their relationships.”

So why people should come and see Locusts? Phil is quite clear that it offers more than people might think on the surface.  “This isn’t a play just about conversion therapy, it’s really about people, their place in the world and their feelings.  Ian and Garth are giving audience an opportunity to go on an interesting journey while learning about something that is happening everyday and affects people’s lives.  People will see a character in a conundrum in their own life and hopefully see a connection to something of themselves in the characters.”  Garth agrees, describing the material as very timely, “This is about people exploring who they are and their feelings, as well as learning how to feel comfortable with who they are rather than who others want them to be.”

The last word goes to Ian.  “I wrote about what I know, which is a cliché but this is something I lived through and then spent years coming to terms with it.  I agree that there are universal themes in it while also being very relevant to what happens to some people today.  I’m also really glad to have the opportunity to write older gay characters, who are not often seen in dramas. Being inclusive means hearing all voices, not just those of a younger generation.”

Locusts is on at Theatre 1 in Surgeons’ Hall from 14-26 August.

HRH The Princess Royal officially opened the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People (RHCYP) and Department of Clinical Neurosciences (DCN) on Wednesday.

The building has been open since March 2021, but delayed by the pandemic the opening ceremony only took place now.

The hospital allows paediatric care, specialist neonatal care, neurosciences and Emergency departments to be housed on one site reducing the need for emergency transfers.

Calum Campbell, Chief Executive of NHS Lothian said, “We are delighted to have welcomed HRH The Princess Royal to officially open the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People and Department of Clinical Neurosciences. 

“These healthcare facilities combine excellent architectural design, one of the UK’s largest Art and Therapeutic Design programmes and the latest clinical thinking and technology. Added to this are our amazing, dedicated and expert staff who deliver exceptional patient care day in, day out.

“The COVID pandemic may have delayed our official opening event, however we are delighted that on the 75^th anniversary of the NHS, HRH The Princess Royal could join us, as together we celebrate.”

During the visit, HRH The Princess Royal enjoyed a tour of some of the building, meeting with staff and patients. Within the Dalhousie Ward at RHCYP, she heard about the important role our Play Teams have, in enabling children to be children even when in hospital and enjoyed some magic tricks performed by Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity funded magician Tricky Ricky. 6-year-old patient Harper presented Her Royal Highness with a posy of flowers to thank her for visiting.

Two young musicians who are due to appear at Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival this month have won big in the annual awards given to students on the jazz course at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

Bassist Ewan Hastie receives the Mark McKergow Prize for Jazz Improvisation and shares the Alan McAulay Award for group work with three other students, including drummer Chun-Wei Kang. Kang also won the George Duncan Prize for Jazz Composition.

Hastie and Kang both play in Edinburgh-born pianist Ben Shankland’s trio, which appears at the Jazz Bar on Monday 17^th July, and Kang leads his own project, with Hastie on bass, at the Chambers Street venue the following evening.

Hastie, who was born in Leith and grew up in Kirkcaldy, has already enjoyed success in the past year, winning the BBC Young Jazz Musician title in a UK-wide competition in November. He is also due to appear with drummer Richard Glassby’s group, again at the Jazz Bar, on Friday 21 July.

“Ewan and Chun-Wei are deserving winners of these awards,” says saxophonist Tommy Smith, who founded the jazz course at the RCS in 2009.

“The prizes, which come with some money to help with their careers, are recognition for the hard work they have put into their studies, and as they prepare to go out into the professional world of jazz, their dedication will stand them in good stead.”

Hibernian FC have signed Wales international Dylan Levitt from Dundee United today.

The 22-year-old midfielder has joined the Club for an undisclosed fee and has signed a three-year deal.

Levitt, a creative midfielder, came through the youth ranks at Manchester United and made his debut in the UEFA Europa League, before gaining further senior experience on loan at Charlton Athletic and Croatian side Istra 1961.

It was during his initial loan spell at Dundee United where he flourished being named the Club’s Player of the Year and helping them finish in a European spot. Over his two seasons with the Terrors, he made 62 appearances, scored 11 goals and set up four. 

He has also earned 13 caps for Wales and was selected in their 2022 World Cup squad. 

Hibernian FC Manager Lee Johnson commented: “Dylan adds real quality to our midfield. We have strong competition for places in there now and have a lovely blend of qualities.

“He joins us with good pedigree, has a great passing range, and will fit seamlessly into our evolving squad.

“We are delighted to have secured his services and look forward to working with him.”

This is the news that many sea anglers have been waiting for, the mackerel are in and Derek Anderson, boss of Eyemouth-based charter boat company, Aquamarine, confirmed that anglers on his boat were into the much-prized fish this week.

Social media in the area has also mentioned that mackerel, a fish that is consumed world-wide and is a rich source of Omega-3, have been landed fishing from the shore.

Aquamarine anglers have also hooked into sizeable pollock, caught, incidentally with the aid of mackerel strips as bait, and the company, who have three boats and also do diving charters, host regular fishing trips during the summer months. See their social media or web page for details or ring 07860 804316 to check on availability.

Meanwhile, the Bass Rock Shore Angling League are taking a short break from their summer series because of the holiday period. Round seven will be fished on Wednesday, August 2 at a venue to be decided nearer the day.

On to coarse fishing and Drumtassie near Blackridge is currently closed after a burst water pipe. Scottish Water are working to resolve the matter but fishery bosses say they don’t know when the popular one-year-old water will re-open. 

PICTURE: Two of the charter boats run by Aquamarine out of Eyemouth. Picture Aquamarine Charters

Royal Week continued with The King and Queen zipping up the Royal Mile in a Rolls-Royce to attend a thanksgiving ceremony with beautiful music in St Giles and then dashing back down the hill again to the palace to watch the Red Arrows passing overhead.

700 members of the Armed Forces led the ceremonial elements of the National Service of Thanksgiving on the occasion of the Presentation of the Honours of Scotland to The King and Queen, at St Giles’ Cathedral.

General Officer Scotland and Military Secretary, Major General Bill Wright CBE said:  “This is a wonderful day for Scotland and an absolute honour for the British Army in Scotland to play its part alongside the people of this nation. 

“The pride the soldiers all feel today, particularly those from Scotland, is clear for all to see. We are inextricably linked to the people of Scotland, the communities from which we recruit and this country’s proud history. To pay our respects to our new sovereign in the heart of Edinburgh is a memory we will never forget.”

Military personnel led a procession along Edinburgh’s Royal Mile that featured 100 members of the public representing all aspects of Scottish life.  This was closely followed by personnel from across the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force who escorted the Crown, the sword and sceptre through the Scottish capital.

This part of the procession included four mounted elements of the SCOTS Dragoon Guards, the Pipes & Drums of Robert Gordon’s Combined Cadet Force (CCF), 51 Brigade Cadet Military Band and the mascot of The Royal Regiment of Scotland (SCOTS), Cpl Cruachan IV a Shetland pony. Also, on parade was Edinburgh Garrison Sergeant Major, Warrant Officer Class 1 (WO1) Ruaridh Tuach SCOTS.

The Scottish and North Irish Yeomanry (SNIY) provided a Quarter Guard in Crown Square as the Honours began their journey to St Giles’ Cathedral, receiving a fanfare from Royal Marine Band (Scotland) as they reached the Drawbridge.

The Tri-Service Guard of Honour (GoH) escorting the Honours was accompanied by The Band of The Royal Regiment of Scotland (Band SCOTS) and included Balaklava Company, 5^th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland (BKA Coy, 5 SCOTS). 

On the day when Their Royal Highnesses King Charles and Queen Camilla receive the Honours of Scotland at a Thanksgiving Service in St Giles’ there are dissenting voices to be heard.

Anti monarchy protesters dressed in yellow have taken up position outside the High Court where unless the royal procession crane their necks they will not be seen by any except those in the People’s Procession coming from Edinburgh Castle.

Along with the protesters are some royalists sitting side by side – and further down the Mile there was some anti monarchy graffiti being washed off.

Zakia Moulaoui, founder and CEO of Invisible Cities, a social enterprise which helps those who have experienced homelessness to train as tour guides, has been named as one of the winners of The Cambridge Social Innovation Prize.

The prize is awarded to social entrepreneurs who have created social change through business. Invisible Cities began in Edinburgh and has expanded to York, Manchester, Cardiff and Glasgow. It has certainly made a difference to the many people who have become guides some of whom have progressed to a career after Invisible Cities.

Zakia said: “Winning the prize is such a great recognition of all the work that has gone into building Invisible Cities for the last 7 years. It is also the perfect opportunity for me to reflect on what is next not only for the social enterprise but for myself personally. I think I will only believe it once I am in Cambridge, and I can’t wait for this next chapter in my life!”

These awards are made annually to extraordinary founder-CEOs of scale-up social enterprises to support their growth as leaders. Uniquely, the Cambridge Social Innovation Prize recognises mid-career social innovators. The prize includes a £10,000 cash award for personal and professional development. Additionally, mentoring from experts at Cambridge Judge Business School and support from an expanding community of social innovators at Trinity Hall will help them to develop the skills, resources, and networks they need to create more impact from their work.
Nicole Helwig, Executive Director for the Cambridge Centre for Social Innovation said: “On this the fifth anniversary of the Cambridge Social Innovation Prize, we are thrilled to celebrate five outstanding individuals. They come from diverse backgrounds with expertise and skills channelled towards creating social impact. They represent their ventures, but also the many people who work alongside them, behind the scenes and who are empowered through their efforts”.

Zakia’s achievement will be celebrated at Trinity Hall, Cambridge on 5 July 2023.

Today in Edinburgh

Today Their Majesties may be hoping for a less soggy day than at the Garden Party on Tuesday when it rained heavily in typical garden party weather.

The Honours of Scotland – the crown, sceptre orb and a new sword will be presented to King Charles at a thanksgiving service in St Giles’. There will be a People’s procession from the Castle involving 100 people from all over Scotland as well as the Royal Procession making its way from Holyrood.

Most roads in the city centre will be a no go for cars – and barriers block the full length of the Royal Mile in anticipation of crowds wanting to see the King. Even the Hostile Vehicle Mitigation barriers in the city centre have had a lick of black paint.

The full running order is as follows:

1315: People’s Procession leaves Edinburgh Castle Esplanade

1330: People’s Procession arrives at West Parliament Square

1340: The Honours of Scotland (Crown Jewels) leave the Castle Esplanade under military and police escort

1340: Military bands and Household Cavalry Mounted Regiments depart from Palace of Holyroodhouse to West Parliament Square 

1350: The Honours arrive at West Parliament Square

1405: Royal Procession leaves the Palace of Holyroodhouse 

1410: Royal Procession arrives at St Giles’ Cathedral

1415: National Service of Thanksgiving and Dedication begins – order of service attached

1515: Service ends

1520: King and Queen exit St Giles. Royal Gun Salute from Edinburgh Castle

1540: RAF flypast

NHS is 75 years old

Health Secretary Michael Matheson has paid tribute to the staff who have helped deliver the NHS throughout its 75 year existence.

Mr Matheson praised the extraordinary efforts of those involved with the service, particularly in the recent years of the pandemic. He also expressed his gratitude to those whose spirit of innovation has helped the NHS adapt over the years.

He said: “We are fortunate beyond words to have a National Health Service free at the point of need for every single one of us. Looking around the globe, it is clear that what we accept as a basic human right is not enjoyed by the majority of the world’s population.

“On this day, the 75^th anniversary of our NHS, I cannot express enough how grateful I am to the people who have delivered this extraordinary service through all these years.

“Working in the NHS has not always been easy – particularly during the covid pandemic, but along with their colleagues in social care, NHS staff worked in tremendously difficult circumstances to care for those who needed them. Together they saved countless lives and their contribution will never be forgotten.

“From the world’s first ‘test tube baby’, through to robotic surgery, and then vaccinations and treatments for Covid-19 being rolled out at incredible pace – our health service has always been ready to adapt to new technologies and scientific developments.

“That spirit of innovation will be ever more crucial in the years to come, as the NHS and social care face new and different challenges, and it’s something we are determined to harness here in Scotland.

“With the continued support of people across the country, and the unwavering dedication of NHS staff, I have no doubt the NHS will be celebrating many more anniversaries in the years to come.”

Scottish Greens

The co-leaders of the Scottish Greens, Lorna Slater and Patrick Harvie, have declined invitations to a special ceremony taking place in Edinburgh on Wednesday.

The ceremony takes place in St Giles’ when King Charles will be presented with ‘the honours of Scotland’. The day is also to include a Royal Procession, a 21-gun salute, and a flypast by the Red Arrows.

While the formal ceremonies are taking place, Mr Harvie will be speaking at a rally held by anti-Monarchy campaign group Our Republic, which will take place outside the Scottish Parliament from 1.00pm

Ms Slater said: “In 21st Century Scotland, the Monarchy is nothing to celebrate. It is an out of date and undemocratic institution. How can we justify a system that allows one family to enjoy so much unearned wealth and privilege at a time when millions of people have so little?

“Scotland can be a modern and democratic republic with an elected and accountable head of state. I want every child in Scotland to know they live in a genuine democracy and that they can achieve the highest office, regardless of which family they come from.”

Mr Harvie said: “There are many people in Scotland who regard the monarchy as a tiresome spectacle and a symbol of values we don’t hold.

“I will be proud to speak at the Our Republic rally and to stand with others who want to build a more democratic society where power and wealth belongs to the people rather than being passed down as an inheritance.

“That is just one reason why I support Scottish independence. It will give us the opportunity to ask the big questions about how we are ruled and to build a fairer and more equal society.”

Former Edinburgh councillor Maggie Chapman is now a Green MSP. Here she asserts that the Head of State should be elected.

Corstorphine Connections

The talk of the steamie in Corstorphine is the introduction of a Low Traffic Neighbourhood.

We met Transport Convener Scott Arthur to talk about the measures and find out if they can be changed – spoiler alert they can.

Read more here.

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As well as being one of East Scotland’s biggest clubs running five teams, Drummond Trinity cricket club are still finding time to organise a twice yearly charity game against medics from Lothian NHS.

A club spokesman said: “We have been doing this for the last seven to eight years as a thanks for their hard work throughout the year especially during the peak of pandemic.”

The first instalment has taken place and resulted in a narrow win for the host club. The spokesman added: “It was a fun-filled evening with food and drink provided at cost by our social event sponsors Spice Lounge Kitchen and covered by the club. “

The second instalment again backed by club sponsor CARS4YOU and the Spice Lounge will take place in August.

RYANAIR’s popular route between Edinburgh and Tuscan hotspot Pisa has been blighted with delays and cancellations which have left hundreds of passengers stranded.

Regular delays on the Monday evening flights have been capped with cancelled flights which left more than 400 passengers high and dry and scrambling to find late night accommodation.

On 12 June Scots and Italian fliers were boarded late on the outgoing 6.15pm flight from Edinburgh but after sitting on the runway for about 40 minutes they were told the flight had been cancelled and had to return to the terminal building.

The incoming flight from Pisa, due to depart at 10.25pm, was also cancelled with hundreds of unhappy fliers left to sort out accommodation as it approached midnight, and many having to wait a further three days for the next direct flight to Edinburgh.

Ryanair blamed the cancellation of both flights on “thunderstorms at Edinburgh Airport” but eyewitness passengers on the ground confirmed there was no weather issues on the evening of Monday 12 June.

One furious flyer heading to Pisa, Ruth McGivern of Cumbernauld, said: “When we were queuing in the priority line of one of the Ryanair staff said, “I don’t know why you are bothering to stand here because the plane has not even left Bournemouth yet’.”

As the 6.15pm departure time approached, passengers were informed the flight was delayed until 7.25pm, eventually boarding at 8.35pm, but after a 30-40 minute wait on the tarmac they were informed the flight had been cancelled because Pisa Airport was “closed”.

The previous Monday – 5 June – the same 10.20pm flight from Pisa to Edinburgh was approximately three hours late arriving in the Scottish capital, with passengers given no explanation for the delay.

Ruth McGivern added: “Customer service was non-existent, they pretty much didn’t give a damn and there no hint of an apology from anyone about the cancellation. I know storms were forecast down south but there was certainly no heavy rain or thunder in Edinburgh.”

At Pisa, passengers were left in the lurch and had to find hotel accommodation, including one women and her exhausted 60-year-old mother who had recently finished treatment for cancer.

The 33-year-old executive, who asked not to be named, said: “It was very stressful and Ryanair ruined a short break which was to celebrate my mother completing a bruising round of chemo and radiotherapy.

“We managed to find a hotel near the airport and then returned to Lucca for two days where we could get the support of family who are there, but there were a number of elderly people at Pisa Airport who were clearly distressed on learning of the cancelled flight and I have no idea how they coped with making alternative arrangements at such a late hour.”

Delayed departures have continued to plague the service. On Monday 19 June the outgoing flight from Edinburgh to Pisa arrived 1 hour 19 minutes late, while the return flight to Scotland was more than one hour late touching down.

A spokeswoman for Ryanair said: “This flight from Pisa to Edinburgh (12 Jun) was regrettably cancelled due to thunderstorms at Edinburgh Airport. Ryanair apologises for any inconvenience caused as a result of this weather-related cancellation which was entirely beyond our control.”

Ryanair failed to explain the three hour delay on the Pisa to Edinburgh flight on 5 June.

A nurse who is a clinical lead at NHS Lothian, Fiona Shanks from Edinburgh, met with Their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales at a tea party in London to mark the NHS 75th anniversary.

Fiona was clinical lead for the Test and Protect service in NHS Lothian during the pandemic, setting it up from scratch to try and contain the virus.

The tea party held in the wellbeing garden at St Thomas Hospital in London was hosted by NHS Charities Together of which the royal couple are patrons, and Fiona was the sole Scottish guest.

Fiona said: “I didn’t quite know what to expect but it really has been a fantastic day. I saw the cake first and thought, ‘ooh that’s a nice cake’, and then I realised who was carrying the cake and I thought ‘ooh ok!’, and then ‘I’m going to have to speak to royalty’ and when I actually did they were absolutely lovely. We don’t always feel special in the NHS, but this has been a very special day, it’s been incredible.  

“I’ve been a nurse for 37 years and it’s all I ever wanted to do, so I’ve never contemplated working anywhere else but the NHS. Being recognised by the Prince and Princess of Wales, who clearly have an understanding of what we do, was just remarkable. I spoke to Prince William, who was very interested in how we look after our wellbeing and each other. He hit the nail on the head saying that we are so wrapped up in helping others that we don’t often seek help for ourselves. And he understood the importance of protecting staff mental health and the support NHS charities provide in this.”   

Ellie Orton OBE, Chief Executive of NHS Charities Together, said: “We want to say a huge thank you to our Royal Patrons, and everyone who’s helped celebrate the 75^th anniversary of our beloved NHS this year. As the national charity caring for the NHS, NHS Charities Together is here for anyone who wants to give something back to its people, who all give so much to us, and that extra support has never been so important. It includes providing staff psychologists, counselling, peer support training and so much more.  

“It’s not too late to arrange your own NHS Big Tea party and raise vital funds to support NHS charities – find out how you can get involved at nhscharitiestogether.co.uk.”  

Scotland women ramp-up their preparation for the EuroHockey Championships in Germany next month (August) with a double-header against England at Bisham Abbey next Sunday and Monday.

The Tartan Hearts, ranked No 17 in the world, go in against a side rated No 6 on the planet, but head coach, Chris Duncan, is relishing the opportunity of playing quality opposition in their Euro build-up.

The game follows recent jousts with Australia, ranked No 2, and China, rated No 11, and Duncan wants to play top ranked side as they face fierce competition in the Euros in Monchengladbach from August 18 to 25.

There they face Germany, ranked No 5, Ireland rated No 13 and England in Pool A with The Netherlands, ranked No 1, Belgium, rated No 4, Italy rated No 18 and Spain, ranked No 7 in Pool B.

Duncan (pictured at Peffermill) said England telephoned the Scots requesting the games, an indication that the standing of the Tartan Hearts is rising on the world stage, and the Scots travel on the back of two 4-0 wins over the Czech Republic at Peffermill in Edinburgh last weekend, internationals in which defender Katie Birch (Durham University) and Sophie Hinds (The University of Edinburgh) both gained their first Test caps for Scotland. Hinds scored on her Test debut to complete a red letter day.

The Edinburgh-based coach said: “Both Sophie and Katie played really well and it was a satisfying weekend. Yes, it is nice to win two games in two days with 4-0 scorelines, and that is something to be pleased about.

“It was also pleasing to re-introduce players who have been missing through injury and have our Great Britain squad players back into the set-up. It was also good to see that our defensive set-up was working.

“Also, it is nice to score goals, but we must make sure that we are efficient in defense and it was good to note that we had lots of penetrations into the circle and we were clinical when chances came.

“Remember, top ten teams drive and create tempt in games and this is something we must get used to.”
Duncan looked forward to the Euros and added: “Every game there (in Germany) is a catchweight contest for us as we’re dealing with players at world-level, who are professionals, and our girls have to fit hockey in around their careers, but there can be no excuses and we want to be competitive in Germany. We are going out there to compete and win games.”      

Hearts play Plymouth on Thursday and new head coach, Frankie McAvoy, and the backroom team have been working the players hard to get them up to speed and to get them into the best shape they can be in what he described as “a short space of time” since they returned from their holiday break.

The weather has been extremely sunny and lovely but the sessions have been tough and McAvoy told Hearts TV that it was important to build camaraderie among the players.

The 55-year-old stressed: “People might think they (the trip to Spain) are holidays but they are anything but. The players will tell you how tiring and exhausting it can be but it is trying to build the core capability that we want within the team.

“We have a good strong group, they know each other well and there are areas we need to work on and I can start to see that coming to fruition.

“We had seven games at the end of last season, Naisey (Steven Naismith), Gordon (Forrest) and myself, and we can see that is is looking good. It is early stages but hopefully we can get them kicking on.”

Bellshill-born McAvoy added: “This is not a sprint, this is a marathon in terms of the campaign they are going to be facing but it is important they start well and get in a good pre-season behind everybody puts us in good stead moving forward and that is the aim.”

McAvoy believes Naismith, Forrest (pictured in training) and himself work really well together as a team and there is good camaraderie between the trio. McAvoy admitted that he is a little older than Naismith and Forrest but he believes they have a fantastic future ahead of them in the game.

The former Preston North End head coach – he won 14 and drew nine of 33 games there between March 2021 and December of the same year – said: “I really love coming into to work every day and I think the players enjoy the environment we are trying to create, and that is really important for everybody going forward.”

The six month long trial of road changes in Corstorphine has become the talk of the steamie, with many people vocally against the introduction of the Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTN).

There are two main parts to what is already installed – the imposition of a bus gate at certain times of the day on Manse Road which runs past Iceland to join St John’s Road, and the closure of Featherhall Crescent from the B701 which runs north south to the roundabout at the southern end of Drum Brae with a pocket park. This use of modal filters or planters is fairly usual for an LTN which does not stop anyone driving to their front door, it simply stops up some routes which are otherwise used by drivers cutting through a street which can otherwise become quite quiet.

Here, in a long read article, we talked to Cllr Arthur the Transport Convener about the Manse Road bus gate, chatted with him about the pocket park on Featherhall Crescent and the public meeting which he did not attend, and we have added the comments from those who were at the public meeting last week in video form – although their comments were also added to the article we wrote about the meeting which you will find here. We didn’t really even discuss the Spaces for People measures introduced outside the local primary school where the pavement has been widened with black and white bollards, but the mere fact that the measures are still in place may speak for itself.

Manse Road

We met Transport Convener Cllr Scott Arthur on Manse Road around 9.30am on Tuesday to have a look at the bus gate there. There were literally dozens of vehicle drivers progressing through the signalled junction despite the green painted area at the traffic lights clearly showing it is a bus gate. This means that only buses, cycles and taxis are allowed access all the time and cars are prohibited between 8am and 10am and 2.45pm and 6.30pm on weekdays.

Cllr Arthur explained that local discussions about these measures go back before he was elected in 2017, and the community council have for a while discussed traffic issues in this area coupled to air quality problems on St John’s Road.

He said: “One or two years ago, a survey was done with local people that showed that 66% of people thought there were issues with traffic in the area. More people were more likely to have those concerns if they had a disability or mobility problems. So it’s really based on that, that these plans have come forward.”

But he admitted after watching the traffic for just a few minutes that there may be a problem here and that it would be possible for council officers to look again at the signage. He explained he had taken part in a two hour long Q&A with Corstorphine Community Council during which some had mentioned there was too much signage, others that there was too little, and these views have to be balanced.

There is an arrow painted north to south on a short two way section of Manse Road for access to a block of flats which the Transport Convener said might be in the wrong place but he confirmed he will go back and check with his team.

An accusation from some at the public meeting arranged in St Margaret’s Park last week by campaign group Accessible Corstorphine for All was that the council just is not listening. But Cllr Arthur said that is not the case. He said: “The consultation is still ongoing. So we are in the six months’ phase where people can submit open comments to the council about how it’s working. And what we’re really wanting people to say is what they think is working, or what they think’s not working, what we can do more of what we can do less of.

“Remember, we’ve got this overall aim of addressing this issue that two thirds of people living in the area that was an issue with too much traffic.

“This is the first try if you like in trying to resolve that problem. And if it doesn’t work, we can fine tune it. And we can we can look at other issues. But I think it’s really important that we address this issue that so many people in the area think there’s an issue with traffic.”

[vimeo 842221464 w=640 h=360]

Corstorphine- chatting to the Transport Convener at the bus gate from The Edinburgh Reporter On Vimeo on Vimeo.

The new measures in Corstorphine to create a “safer and more comfortable environment’ for people living there who walk, cycle, wheel or spend time in the streets and outdoor spaces commenced on 24 May 2023. The road closures and other means of stopping through traffic will be in place for six months, running alongside an open public consultation where everyone can have their say on the Experimental Traffic Regulation Orders (ETROs) affecting roads in the area.

There is more information on the Corstorphine Connections page on the council website here.

Pocket park and public meeting

The other main measure which has been introduced is the installation of a pocket park on Featherhall Crescent. This has the effect of stopping up the roads to the east of it meaning that no vehicles can exit here onto the B701. While we moved from Manse Road to the park we chatted with Cllr Arthur about the measures in Corstorphine some more.

Here he addresses some of the criticism he received for not attending the public meeting in St Margaret’s Park last week attended by around 400 people.

Alex Cole Hamilton MSP for Edinburgh Western addressed the hundreds assembled saying that it was shameful that Cllr Scott Arthur was not there. Mr Cole Hamilton said: “He should be here to hear what you think.”

Cllr Arthur replied explaining that it was his misgivings about the group Accessible Corstorphine for Everyone who convened the meeting that prevented him going. He said: “I did raise concerns with the campaign group, which is running here about the verbal attacks on named members of council staff. And also there were some screenshots I’ve seen about people promoting illegal activity, removing signage, etc. And so I felt under those circumstances I couldn’t take part.” He also said that Mr Cole Hamilton was fully aware of his reasons for not being there before the meeting last Tuesday.

He said he would be happy to meet and talk to anyone about the design and the measures themselves, and that there is to be a meeting in August at the City Chambers. In addition he has replied to the chairperson of ACE to arrange a one to one meeting with her sometime soon.

The Transport Convener said: “I want to address that statistic about two thirds of the people living within the Connections area feeling that too much traffic in the area was a problem. You know, that really has to be addressed, and I’m open to working with the community to talk about it talk about different ways of doing that – that offer’s on the table.”

Public comments from the meeting on 27 June 2023.

The Edinburgh Reporter interviewed some of those who attended the public meeting in St Margaret’s Park on 27 June.

Here is what they had to say. Read more about the meeting here.

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Corstorphine voices from The Edinburgh Reporter On Vimeo on Vimeo.

The speeches at St Margaret’s Park were outlined here in a previous article. and in case you have a spare hour they are also saved on Vimeo as a reference for anyone who was not there.

Boy band frontman to DJ at after party.

Marvin Humes will spin the decks at Scotland’s prestigious Ladies Day event at Musselburgh this summer.

Best known as a member of the pop group JLS Marvin will headline the Stobo Castle Ladies Day after-party with an electrifying DJ set at Musselburgh Racecourse.

Renowned as Scotland’s biggest Ladies Day, gates at Musselburgh Racecourse will open from 11.30am where entertainment includes an action-packed schedule of racing before the DJ takes the stage from 5.00pm on 11 August.

In what will be Stobo Castle’s tenth and final event sponsorship, Marvin shared his excitement about performing at the five-star after-party.

He said: “Stobo Castle Ladies Day promises to be an electrifying atmosphere with the excitement of horse racing and the energy of the music.

“I know that everyone will be dressed to impress, and I promise to bring the beats that will keep them dancing. It will be a fantastic celebration of style, music, and fun.

“It’s my mission to keep the energy high and the vibes infectious. I’ll be playing a mix of chart-toppers, classics, and some surprises to keep the crowd entertained from start to finish.”

Racegoers are encouraged to come dressed to impress with more than £4,000 worth of prizes to win for the best-dressed and best hat competitions. It comes as part of a new partnership with Powder Design UK for The Style Awards.

Aisling Johnston, Commercial Manager at Musselburgh Racecourse, said: “We’re expecting an exhilarating atmosphere on the day which will no doubt be guaranteed with Marvin’s presence on stage.

“Guests can expect a vibrant day jam-packed with thrilling racing, best dressed competitions and luxurious hospitality, which will make this the racing event of the season.

“This event is usually a sell out so we urge racing fans and party goers alike to grab their tickets as fast as they can.”

The racecourse is located six miles from Edinburgh city centre, and less than two miles from the A720 Edinburgh City Bypass. There are direct transport links and a courtesy bus from Wallyford (connecting to Edinburgh) and Newcraighall (connecting to Galashiels) train stations. For those travelling by car, there is free parking available at the venue.

Guests can purchase adult tickets now for general admission at £55 per person. 

Luxury race day packages, ranging from Picnic experience to Hamper Domes are available for those that wish to treat themselves.

With the sought-after hospitality tickets already sold out for the Ladies Day racegoers, visitors are being urged to book tickets now for the Luxury Picnic Pavilion Marquee to make their experience extra special.

Gates open at 11.30, with the first race starting at 2.20pm, the last race at 4.50pm, the after-racing party (open to all Stobo Castle Ladies Day racegoers) starts at 5.00pm. All race times are provisional and may be subject to change.

Musselburgh is one of Scotland’s most admirable horse racing venues with a history of delivering exceptional race day experiences with stunning surroundings.

For further information on Musselburgh Ladies Day or to purchase tickets, here:

https://www.musselburgh-racecourse.co.uk/view-fixture/stobo-castle-ladies-day-2023

Orocco, experts in high-end builds and renovations, marked the official opening of their new Edinburgh headquarters with an exclusive concert by Scottish music star Callum Beattie.

Founded in 2012 by businessmen Jonny Blurton and Mark Ivinson, continued growth has seen the firm relocate from their original premises on Old Dalkeith Road to nearby West Church on Old Edinburgh Road, the stunning 19^th Century building which formerly housed bespoke furniture maker Charles Taylor Woodwork.

The expansion is a significant development for the company, which is preparing to increase its service offering having quadrupled the size of its joinery workshop.

To mark the occasion clients and colleagues from across the industry were treated to an intimate performance from the Musselburgh chart sensation, who belted out a string of favourites including Salamander Street, Let Me Fall, Daddy’s Eyes and Heart Stop Beating to an appreciative audience.

Guests were also given guided tours of the state-of-the-art offices, boardroom and workshop which are all housed in around 10,000 sq. ft. of space inside the impressive building which is located on an acre of land on the outskirts of the city.

With wine and oyster tasting available for the adults, and youngsters enjoying the pizza van, ice cream stall and bouncy castles, there was something for everyone on a special day for the construction firm.

Callum Beattie said: “I have a long-standing history with the family, who helped me very early in my career, so I was delighted to have been asked to play at the launch of Orocco’s new HQ.

“It’s great to see such a beautiful local building being used to help the community in this way.”

Managing director Mark Ivinson added: “We’re so grateful Callum Beattie joined us for an exclusive performance for our guests. It was a special moment to celebrate with our family, friends, staff and clients.

“Our expansion will allow us to better serve our clients, as well as provide more opportunities for our team.”

Co-founder Jonny Blurton said: “A big thank you to everyone who joined us to celebrate our new bespoke joinery workshop and offices at West Church in Dalkeith. It was brilliant to mark our achievements, and showcase our next steps. Our new space expands the services we can deliver.”

The East of Scotland tennis leagues, sponsored by VMH Solicitors, are over for another season.

Here is a gallery of some of the winning teams.

David Lloyd Corstorphine won Division 3b of the VMH Solicitors East ladies tennis leagues.

Pictured, left to right:  Jill Greig Gladwin, Susan Arbuckle, Amanda Liddell, Lorna Lettice, Louise Lloyd and Shizuka McDougall

(Missing from photo – Caroline Claydon, Janet Henderson, Jane Cameron, Laurie Smith, Shirley Campbell and Julia Campbell)

The combined 1st and 2nd Longniddry/ Gullane teams who won division 4b and 7b in the ladies East of Scotland league this year were captained by Carol Mackenzie (2nds) and Caroline Freeman (1sts). 

Murrayfield 1sts won the men’s Division 6a of the VMH Solicitors East tennis leagues.

Left to right: Ross Watson, Jack Tregellas, Fraser Laing, Jamie Crampton (C), Niall Hall, Padraic Bruell and Andrei Dobrescu.

Lomond Park Women’s 1st team won Division 3a of the VMH Solicitors East tennis leagues.

Back row, left to right: Hannah Milne, Jane McCauley, Clare Hamilton.

 Front, left to right –  Victoria Webber, Harriet Balloch, Charlotte Kershaw and Abbe Le Pelley. 

Contact Bill Lothian with any local sports news. billlothian1008@gmail.com 

The UK Minister for Levelling Up Rachel Maclean has joined Lothians MSP Sue Webber in calling for a new railway station at Winchburgh.

The new homes being built in the village mean that better public transport is now required.

Ms Maclean said: “I know Sue is determined to help deliver the promised new train station for Winchburgh, and as major housing development around the town was agreed as part of the City Region Deal, efficient public transport is essential.

“Sue is a strong champion for her residents, and I hope both The Scottish Government and Network Rail listen and deliver quickly.”

Under the Edinburgh City Region Deal, £140 million of transport infrastructure investment was expected from the Scottish Government, including £20 million for West Edinburgh, which would help deliver housing projects including up to 5,000 new homes around Winchburgh. Housing developers funded the construction of a new junction on the M9 which opened earlier this year.

But a new railway station on the main Edinburgh-Glasgow to serve the booming population was not made a condition of the planning consent because of issues with timetabling.

Sue Webber MSP said: “Winchburgh was promised a new station and the Scottish Government needs to deliver on that pledge because the roads in West Edinburgh are already congested and it’s not good enough simply to add to the queues of traffic in and out of the city.

“Public transport is The Scottish Government’s responsibility and it’s unreasonable to expect a small town like Winchburgh to expand to this extent without proper modern facilities.

“The Lothians are absorbing the vast majority of Scotland’s population growth and the region needs infrastructure investment to match.

“I’m very grateful that Rachel took the time out of her packed schedule to visit the town and see for herself what the UK Government-backed City Region deal is delivering, but The Scottish Government must meet its side of the bargain.”

A 21-year-old male pedestrian has died after being struck by the driver of a car on Calder Road early on Tuesday morning.

The incident happened around 7am and the man was pronounced dead at the scene.

The male driver of the silver Toyota Auris involved in the collision was uninjured.

The road was closed until around noon to allow for investigation at the scene.

Sergeant Barry Sommerville said: “Our thoughts are with the man’s family and friends at this difficult time.

“We are working to establish the full circumstances and I would urge anyone who may have information which has not yet been passed to police to get in touch.

“We would also be keen to speak to anyone who may have dashcam footage from the area.

“Anyone with information can call 101, quoting reference 0497 of 4 July, 2023.”

Free school uniform exchange opens at Fort Kinnaird

The Leith Collective at Fort Kinnaird has launched a free school uniform exchange that will run throughout the summer holidays to give parents good quality, pre-loved options for back to school and encourage more sustainable shopping habits.

The independent store, located between Trespass and WHSmith, is inviting locals to donate good quality school uniform items in exchange for something they need.

Everything from polo shirts and jumpers to school bags and shoes will be accepted and available for collection to help get little ones ready for the new term.

Sara Thomson, founder of The Leith Collective, said: “Parents often have to buy a whole new uniform at the start of the school year only to find their child has already outgrown it by the Christmas break. The clothing is often still in perfectly good condition and could easily do another child a turn.

“The uniform exchange is not only a practical response to the cost-of-living crisis, but it also promotes sustainable choices – a cause which lies at the heart of The Leith Collective. Anyone can use the exchange service, whether your budget is squeezed this year or you want to be more sustainable – our only ask is that the uniform or other school items are still in a good quality condition.”

Liam Smith, centre director at Fort Kinnaird, said: “This is a fantastic initiative which we know will go a long way to support our local community, while also helping our visitors to choose more sustainable options where they can.

“We’re proud to support an independent store like The Leith Collective, and it’s brilliant to see the new and different shopping opportunities Sara and the team are bringing to the centre.”

The school uniform exchange follows The Leith Collective’s successful winter coat exchange which had an overwhelming response and saw 7,000 donations at its stores, including Fort Kinnaird.

The Leith Collective showcases the work of more than 300 artists and makers from all over Scotland, brought together by a common aim to reuse, recycle, and reclaim, and resells items that may otherwise have been destined for landfill.

It has three stores located across Edinburgh and Glasgow, including Fort Kinnaird. All of its stores also host a range of creative workshops focused on sustainability.

Throughout the summer, The Leith Collective is also inviting school holiday clubs and community groups to take part in free one-hour sessions with tips and advice on how to live more sustainably, alongside the opportunity to learn about the running of the stores. For more information on this, email: Info@theleithcollective.com.

For more information about Fort Kinnaird: https://www.fortkinnaird.com/

Snappy Shopper, the Scottish online delivery service app, has an offer for one day only on Wednesday – some stock cupboard items are on sale for just a penny.

As a way of responding to the rising cost of living Snappy Shopper has an assortment of essential cupboard filler products on offer including:

• Batchelors Super Noodles
• Pasta ‘N’ Sauce
• McVities Chocolate Digestives
• Branston Beans
• Batchelors Garden Peas
• Heinz Spaghetti Hoops
• McVities Club Biscuits
• 6 Pack of Crisps
• Macaroni or Pasta

Mike Callachan, CEO, at Snappy Shopper said: “We understand the challenges faced by our communities, and we want to do our part to alleviate some of the burden. The 1p Cupboard Filler Bundle is our way of giving back and ensuring that everyone has the ability to stock up on staples, especially during the summer holiday months.”

Visit the website or download the app to get the offers – and yes stocks are limited.

Download the Snappy Shopper app on the Google Play or Apple App store to order: https://snappyshopper.onelink.me/m44I/mawo9kb3 

Scotland’s first-ever free, book recycling vending machine is unveiled at The Centre, Livingston – ‘Read. Swap. Repeat.’ giving shoppers the chance to swap their old books for a reused one, for free, to help keep them in circulation and prevent them from going to landfill.

The ‘swapping’ vending machine stocks 200 books for adults and children.

Shoppers simply hand in old books, which are in a good condition, to the Customer Service Desk, near New Look, and collect a token to use in the machine, which is full of pre-loved books from all genres, and simply choose another one for free! Books are regularly restocked to ensure shoppers find something different every time they visit.   

Shoppers have the chance to swap up to three books at a time and also donate books to help keep the stock up without swapping. Any books which can’t be used will be donated to charity.

Katie Gallacher, Marketing Manager at The Centre, Livingston said: “Our Read. Swap. Repeat. free book vending machine is a great way for book lovers to share their favourite reads and help the environment at the same time.

“We’re delighted to be the first in Scotland to launch it and are confident it will be a big hit with visitors to the shopping centre.”

George Gellatly from Balerno, who regularly visits The Centre, Livingston with his wife Sandra, said: “I think the book vending machine is a great idea.

“I’ve seen lots of vending machines like this but never one with recycled books in it.

“Being big readers, my wife and I will definitely be using it – it is such a great way to reuse books and may be even pick one up that we wouldn’t normally go for.”

The book vending machine is situated next to Gregg’s and the Post Office.

Grab your Day-Glo shell suit, shoulder pads and Rubik’s Cube and strap in for a high-octane, laughter-packed show with comedy hypnotist Matt Hale’s TOP FUN: 80s Hypnosis Spectacular.

After sensational critical and audience reviews at the Adelaide Fringe and Perth’s Fringe World, the hit show will be performed for audiences outside Australia for the first time – and it’s heading straight for the Edinburgh Fringe.

Multiple award-winning Matt creates a fantastically joyful party-vibe for what Hi-Fi Way describes as “an 80s hypnotic extravaganza!” which, according to Urban List, is “sure to blow your mind”.

There’s loads of audience participation – for those who want to join in – and Matt takes part in the fun himself.

Leave your troubles at the door and revel in the craziness as he bounces round the stage for an hour of “…spectacular silliness” (Xpress Mag) where the audience are left “laughing until they cried, with actual tears streaming down multiple faces in the crowd!”

TOP FUN is suitable for families, all ages (though only over 18s go on stage) and tastes. No two shows are ever the same, but they will all leave you feeling absolutely fantastic.

A regular on Australian TV Matt is renowned for his modern brand of hypno-laughs that turns the traditional hypnosis show on its head.    

Based in Perth, but originally from the UK, Matt has never before performed at the Edinburgh Fringe as is looking forward to it hugely.

When volunteers join him on stage he uses their focussed imagination to unlock the incredible ability of their mind. 

With the power of suggestion, audience members will find themselves on a wildly fun 80s ride, featuring air guitars, bizarre walks, unusual jet fighter skills, strange animal noises, and the best dance moves you’ll see this side of 1985!  

And all set to an upbeat soundtrack of your favourite 80s hits that has the whole audience singing along.

Matt said: “It’s been a crazy few years and I think we all just want to get out and have some fun. And there’s not much more fun than an 80s party – so that’s what we’ll be having up there on stage.

“I’m a cliché buster … no shows feature swinging watches and all come with my ‘100% chicken free guarantee!’. And I like to take the mystery out of hypnosis and show people how and why it works, and even let them experience it themselves.” 

• Venue: Gilded Balloon, Patter Hoose, Big Yin (Venue 24)
• Time: 17:00
• Dates: 2-27 August (except 14^th).
• Duration: 60 minutes 
• Ticket prices: £10 to £14   
• Advisory: Age 8+ (only over 18s allowed on stage)
• Tickets: https://tickets.edfringe.com 

Hollywood stars Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn influenced the names of Scottish babies in decades gone by, according to new analysis by National Records of Scotland.

For the first time statisticians have looked back through all the names used since 1935 and charted the top 100 names in each year.

NRS Statistician Maria Kaye-Bardgett said:  “Over time we see an increase in the variety of names being used, with stars from the silver screen having an impact.

“For example, Marilyn rose to popularity in 1946 and peaked in 1953 when Monroe starred in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and How to Marry a Millionaire.

“The name Audrey appeared to get a boost from Audrey Hepburn’s career, rising to reach a peak of 36^th  in 1963 before dropping out of the top hundred in 1976.

“This shows pop culture was already influential 70 years ago and continues to have an impact on what parents decide to name their children today.” 

Another key finding from this report is the relative stability among boys names.

A dozen names have stayed in the top 100 for babies born in Scotland over the last 88 years and all of them are for boys.

The names include Adam, Alexander, Daniel, David, James, Joseph, Matthew, Michael, Robert, Samuel, Thomas, William.

Maria Kaye-Bardgett said:  “These twelve names are long-term favourites that have stood the test of time, interestingly none of them are for girls.

“The only girls name that came close to this sustained popularity was Elizabeth which was in the top 100 every year except 2018 and 2021, perhaps reflecting the long reign of Elizabeth II.”

Many parents seem to choose comeback names, something which was popular in decades gone by. Names like Louis, Finlay and Emily are all popular again having fallen out of the top 100 in previous decades.

Maria Kaye-Bardgett added:  “One name which has bounced back recently is Flora which returned to the top 100 after a 78 year absence. It was previously in the top 100 from 1935 to 1943. It’s return could be a result of the renewed interest in the Jacobite era with the hugely successful Outlander TV series including the character Flora Macdonald, famous in history for having helped Bonnie Prince Charlie escape after defeat at Culloden.”

The latest statistics also found some one-offs – names that made it into the top 100 for one year only.

This category included the name Jan for boys in 1946. The vast majority of baby boys called Jan had a father who was in the Polish military.

Up to 200,000 Polish soldiers, sailors and airmen trained in Scotland between 1940 and 1947. Many Polish people were interned, imprisoned or conscripted during the war but thousands escaped and were sent to Scotland to train

Another one-off was Kylie in 1988, when there were 104 baby girls given the name in the year Kyle Minogue left Neighbours to launch her music career.

You can track the popularity of names in Scotland at bit.ly/NRSBabyNames