Cllr Martha Mattos Coelho is the SNP councillor for Liberton/Gilmerton Ward.

At the moment she is a full-time councillor, but before being elected, she was working as a trust administrator, as part of a team that managed several private grant awarding trusts. 

Cllr Mattos Coelho said: “I really want to dedicate my time to the people that elected me. I feel it is an honour and take it very seriously. I also use that time to learn how to be the most effective representative for my local area – at the City Chambers and also getting to know all the fantastic local organisations we have in Liberton/Gilmerton. 

“Also I am a single mother of two children and I like to have time to do the things I enjoy and have a healthy work-life balance.

“This means that at weekends if I have the children with me, I’ll be out and about with friends that have kids, in the park, visiting a castle, at the beach, and as active as possible.

“If I don’t have the children, I’m also out and about but doing different things. I love the outdoors and especially walking (I am a member of Ramblers Scotland Strategic Committee), cycling, social events, meeting friends for a chat, just exploring, or maybe having a lazy day after a ceilidh or a night out. I also love to organise events for one of the several groups I belong to. If I need to stay home, I will be sewing or doing DYI. Some Sundays, you will find me at the Buddhist centre in Leith.”

The councillor admits to a love of different types of music, depending on her mood, but when we spoke to her she was very much into Grunge and Rock.

As to her taste in books, she reads a lot about independence, but also really enjoys historical romances and really “anything related to history”.

If she was being banished to some far flung place on her own then she would like to take with her any DIY stuff, her sewing machine and fabric, needles, and wool. She added: “I would probably also need my phone with Spotify and my meditation app.” 

• Her challenge as one of the councillors for the Liberton/Gilmerton ward is partly that it is a “really big ward”. Martha said: “We have a bit of everything and that diversity is very interesting. It is where I have been living since I moved to Scotland, so it is my home and I want to do the best I can for it.
• “I really believe that the concept of the 20 minute neighbourhood is the best for everyone, so that is why I stood in the ward I live in and what I will try to achieve, within my powers. 
• “And another reason that I stood is because I am a New Scot (I’m originally from Portugal and I usually introduce myself as a very proud New Scot) and a single mother. Those two groups can be forgotten when policy is being planned and I want to give them a voice.”

As a member of the SNP Group at the City Chambers, Martha sits on the Education, Children and Families committee. She said: “I feel I can bring a very important perspective to the work of the committee. I am also a member of the Regulatory and Licensing Sub-committee and again I bring the important perspective of being a Portuguese immigrant and a single mother but my diverse life experience is, I think, an advantage.”

As a European the thing that made Cllr Mattos Coelho enter politics more than anything else was Brexit. She said: “Brexit made me realise how unbalanced things are between Scotland and the rest of the UK. I wasn’t allowed to vote, even though I live here, pay taxes here, work, pay a mortgage. So that made me search for more and I now understand that the only way forward is independence.

“As a councillor, we cannot achieve independence, but we can make people aware how things will be different, when we have the chance to do things our way. For instance, if we had the powers to borrow, the bin strikes could have been avoided and social housing would be quicker to build 

“I believe that, as a councillor, we see the reality first hand and we are the people who residents contact. People don’t always get the difference between councillors, MSPs and MP but we are the ones closer to them and to their daily services. And these services will be greatly improved with independence, when we are able to create and adapt policies more independently.

• “Everyone knows how passionate I am about independence, and how diligent I can be towards helping everyone around me. In short, I am happy if the people around me are happy.” And the best way to keep her happy is to take her ceilidh dancing – she loves them even if she does not think she dances very well.

December Will Be Magic Again. 

2022 has very much been Kate Bush’s year with the monumental eruption of Running Up That Hill enjoying worldwide success after being included on the soundtrack to series 4 of Strangers Things. It’s no mean feat that an artist who is largely absent from public life spent three weeks at number 1 in the U.K. chart and a host of other countries around the globe. Bush also scored her biggest hit in America with the song reaching No.8 on the Billboard Hot 100. There was something about the song’s eerie, wild and romantic power that spoke to a new generation after the global dread of the pandemic.

San Diego-based band Baby Bushka have brought Kate’s theatrically charged performances to life in a new show that has drawn large crowds in Edinburgh back in 2019 and in 2022. It is hoped they will return to the capital city next year for the 2023 Festival Fringe. Natasha Kozaily is the band’s leader who brought the much-loved show that has toured the world to life.

Known as Boss Bush, the gifted musician and performer explained her thoughts about the current Bush phenomenon. “It’s wonderful, I have a friend whose daughter is ten, she has become a big fan, and why not? I think Kate Bush is a true gift to the world. I understand some fans are concerned, I know that feeling of something you love being distorted by mass media but I don’t think that could ever happen with Kate because she is so eccentric and strange. I think new fans will have fallen in love with this track only to dive in and discover a beautiful world”.  

For vinyl fans, Baby Bushka recorded an album of their favourite Kate Bush songs including Running Up That Hill after taking advice from Del Palmer who enjoyed a long working and personal relationship with the singer. “It was like he gave us licence, after having someone so close to Kate suggest that we should record, we wanted to do it right. I got a friend to record it in analogue so it feels very close to the spirit of Kate’s early work.”

The record also features the late band member Leilani Deering (Dark Bush) who tragically died in a car crash during the pandemic. I was fortunate to be part of the Edinburgh audience when she performed Kate Bush’s classic track This Woman’s Work, it was an intense swirling of emotions with a potent vocal which left the audience left in raptures. We had witnessed something dramatic and divine. Anyone lucky enough to see her raw talent on the stage will have a memory they are unlikely to forget.

“She was like no one I have ever met before” explains Natasha. “She was a beautiful enigma and a fascinating person who lived life so fully, she burned the candle at both ends, I loved her so much. She knew she wasn’t going to live forever and would talk like that often, on her birthday she would say: ‘I can’t believe I’m still here’. She was on her way to my house when she was involved in the crash (that took her life)”. 

It was a difficult decision to make when Natasha considered if Baby Buska should split in the wake of Nina’s death, with a tour cancelled due to the pandemic and the departure of other members Natalie considered this wasn’t the way to end the band’s story.

“We really didn’t want that to be the end of the band, after Nina’s death I processed a lot of grief when helping put together a website in her memory. I helped the family with the funeral and spent a good three months of my life going through her things and collecting Nina’s music and art. She was an amazing songwriter and poet, that all helped me process the grief. It was after that I reached out to the band again”.

Baby Bushka have enjoyed focusing on The Dreaming along with a selection of obscure b-sides and even unreleased bootleg tracks. Hardcore fans of Kate Bush have a deep love for the band and many of those close to Kate have given their seal of approval. “There’s a whole new second act in the show, we have looked more at later work such as Sensual World.”

For fans who can’t wait for Baby Bushka’s return in 2023, a new book by Laura Shelton will keep them going. Kate Bush: A Visual Biography features some well-known and lesser-seen shots of the singer including pictures from The Tour Of Life which reached Edinburgh’s Usher Hall on April 13th 1979.

Among the most fascinating snaps are of Bush signing her now classic Never Forever vinyl sleeve for Glasgow fans in October 1980. The various press cuttings are a fascinating document of the period as are shots of her performing Wuthering Heights for television. A must-have for Kate Bush fans or collectors and a good visual introduction for new fans who have come on board since Stranger Things introduced a new generation to the artist’s work.

Rumours are already circulating that a new Kate Bush album will arrive in 2023 called Hidden Pearls. Whether it’s a new collection or archive tracks remains to be seen. One thing is for sure, the mythology and cult of Kate Bush look set to flourish in 2023. 

For more information on Baby Bushka visit www.babybushka.com

For more information on Kate Bush: A Visual Biography visit wymeruk.co.uk

There are still tickets left for some of the entertainment in Princes Street and the Gardens, but for those looking for something a little quieter and inside here are some suggestions.

If it is Edinburgh’s Hogmanay you are after with the Pet Shop Boys and many other events on the days before and after the final day of 2022 then click here.

Hogmanay Party ft. Special guest DJ Irvine Welsh

Noir (Little White Pig)

Celebrate 2022 and welcome in the new year in style, in one of new town’s best kept secret venues. Soundtrack to your new year, provided by Special guest DJ Irvine Welsh, and local legends Mikey R, Bush, Mungo & David Lee.

Exclusive 4-course Pre-party dinner also available.

Tickets available here from £20.00.  

Hogmanay Ceilidh Dance + Mad Ferret Hogmanay Hoolie

Stramash

Head to Stramash this NYE for a Hogmanay Hoolie like no other. You will be greeted with a glass of Prosecco on arrival and then taught how to Ceilidh Dance like a true Scot. ‘The Jig Show’ – Rockin ceilidh band with a modern twist, will talk you through all the dance moves and even take a short break in the middle for light refreshments.

Includes access to Mad Ferret Hogmanay Hoolie 11pm until 5am.

The Mad Ferret Band are known on the Scottish music scene for their hard hitting blend of traditional and contemporary folk music. Their lively, energetic performances are packed with “blisteringly fast mandolin solos”, tight vocal harmonies, driving Cajon beats and earth-moving guitar sounds.

Tickets available here from £35.00 + BF. 

Edinburgh Hogmanay Snow Ball Ceilidh

Assembly Rooms

The Scottish capital’s biggest and best-loved indoor Hogmanay event is back for a 9th year on December 31st 2022. A cherished Edinburgh night, it’s the big one for glamour and kilts… the Real McCoy! If you’re looking for a truly top Scottish NYE event, you’ve just found it.

Treat yourself to a breathtaking night to end the old year and bring in the new – in the capital’s finest civic venue. There is, quite literally, nowhere else in town to compare. Twin ballrooms await you, sparkling in winter décor.

There’s a top, professional live ceilidh band in each magnificent ballroom: one is traditional, one contemporary. The superb Front Ballroom becomes a glitzy disco later in the night, while the dazzling Music Room Ballroom stays fully trad. Meanwhile, a spectacular drawing room becomes a silent disco – and all guests are welcome in anytime as it’s a new, fun addition.

Pop out to see the midnight fireworks, then rejoin things!

Tickets available here from £54.99 + BF.

Monsters Ball NYE 2022

Frankensteins Edinburgh

Join the monster for his annual Monster Ball this Hogmanay and join the biggest party in the city. Featuring live performers, drag queens, DJs on rotation, themed drinks and decor and much more this is an event not to be missed.

Dress to impress! Fancy dress is encouraged. (But not required).

The monster looks forward to welcoming you…

Tickets available here from £7.00 + BF. 

Casino Royale – NYE 2022

LE MONDE

Le Monde is hosting an event you will not want to miss, Casino Royale – featuring casino, entertainment, themed drinks and more.

The bond themed event will include drinks reception, casino tables, entertainment, live DJs and much more.

Dress to impress, and join for the most glamourous Hogmanay party in the City.

Tickets available here from £7.50 + BF.

To find the biggest range of events in Edinburgh, including music, comedy, food + drink, festivals, attractions, theatre and more, head to the Skiddle website. 

This Christmas, Scottish charity Richmond’s Hope asks people to let bereaved children and their families know they have not been forgotten.

Richmond’s Hope, which has an office in Craigmillar, helps children and young people aged between four to 18 years of age cope with the loss of a loved one and manage the challenges that come with grief.

At a time of year when grief can hit hardest, the charity is asking supporters to share messages of hope. This will be displayed on its tree of remembrance to offer hope and comfort to bereaved children and their families.

Fundraising officer Rebecca Amiel said: “Over the past year, we’ve seen a huge increase in demand for our services. Some of the children we see have experienced extremely challenging situations in their young lives.

“Covid-19 and isolation have really magnified the impact of grief and reduced the access of children and young people to their regular coping strategies – such as friends, family and routine.”

To receive one of Richmond Hope’s dove cards, please email Rebecca.

The other dove can be kept to decorate your home as a thank you from the charity.

To support a bereaved child or young person, please donate online here.

Rebecca added: “With your support, you’ll be helping Richmond’s Hope continue to be there for children and young people when they need it most. Thank you.”

Richmond’s Hope was founded by Church of Scotland minister Rev Liz Henderson of Richmond Craigmillar Church in Edinburgh and local resident Jessie Douglas, whose son Andrew died following a motorcycle accident in 1997. In the year following Andrew’s death, another 15 young people died in the community leaving 34 children bereaved of either a father, mother or sibling, prompting the creation of Richmond’s Hope.

The charity continues to operate from Richmond Craigmillar Church and now provides a service in the west of Scotland from its Glasgow base at Ibrox Parish Church.

An adventurer who had open heart surgery in August is preparing to row one of the world’s most dangerous crossings in Antarctica just after Christmas. 

Jamie Douglas Hamilton has few records left to break. He already has seven Guinness World records and is now joining a crew to undertake a record-breaking row across one of the most dangerous ocean crossings from Drake Passage to South Georgia.

Jamie will be speaking at a fundraising event for the British Heart Foundation at The Royal Scots Club in Edinburgh on Wednesday 14 December from 7 – 9.30pm.

In July of this year after feeling unwell, Jamie had immediate open heart surgery when a leaking aortic valve was discovered. This is the result of a hereditary condition and the news shocked Jamie who was treated at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. He now hopes to raise more than £100,000 for the British Heart Foundation.

The Scot will undertake the journey in honour of Harry McNish the Glaswegian carpenter on Shackleton’s ill-fated Endurance voyage, to bring attention to “Chippy” McNish who was denied a Polar medal. 

Jamie said: “When I was a boy I read Endurance about Shackleton’s rescue voyage when they sailed from Elephant Island to South Georgia in a small lifeboat and I couldn’t believe the hardship they went through. I’m excited to be going on this adventure in memory of Harry McNish. We have named our expedition boat ‘Mrs Chippy’ after his cat who accompanied the Endurance.

“It was a shock to me when I discovered the issue with my heart and that I needed immediate open heart surgery.  I felt as if my life had been turned upside down, however, it turned out to be the biggest blessing of my life. The operation makes you feel like you have been hit by a bus and the recovery takes a long time but I feel so much better now and my fitness levels are increasing.  I’m ready to take on the challenge and am incredibly honoured to be rowing on behalf of Harry McNish, who I believe ultimately saved Shackleton’s crew from disaster.”

Jamie’s surgeon, Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, Vincenzo Giordano said, “Jamie is one of the youngest and fittest patients I’ve operated on.

Extremely ambitious and determined, he has been through an exceedingly challenging clinical journey.

“Just last May it was discovered he had a congenitally abnormal aortic valve with 2 leaflets instead of three (a condition that affects 1 in a hundred people).  Because of this congenital malformation the valve has been malfunctioning with a progressive and substantial degeneration over the last year. This resulted in a severe valve leakage, followed by an enlargement of Jamie’s heart and onset of first signs and symptoms of cardiac failure.

Due to the significant changes of his cardiac function and worsening of his symptoms at the beginning of August I expedited his procedure replacing his aortic valve with a bioprosthesis and the proximal part of his aorta which appeared enlarged.

“As expected, his post operative recovery from this major surgery has been outstanding, partly due to his level of fitness prior to surgery and his determination with the end goal of participating in the expedition. After reviewing him three months down the line, I’m pleasantly confident based on his clinical progress he will succeed.

“I wish Jamie all the best not only in his pending expedition but in all future endeavours.”

John McNish, Harry McNish’s great nephew said, “Our family are incredibly touched that Jamie is rowing the treacherous seas of the Antarctic which my great uncle sailed in the early 1900s and that the journey will be made in honour of him. Our family is incredibly proud of my great uncle, and we have always believed it to be very unjust that Chippy wasn’t given the Polar Medal.  It is very exciting that this expedition, The Harry McNish Row, will highlight just how brave and courageous my great uncle was.”

On 10 January the crew of the Harry McNish row will set off on a 950-mile journey without wind power following the same route the James Caird boat took from Elephant Island to South Georgia. The brave crew ultimately saved Shackleton and the men on the Endurance which had been sunk by pack ice in October 1915. 

The relationship between Shackleton and the outspoken McNish was difficult and Shackleton awarded almost all of the team the Polar Medal excluding McNish.  Believing this to be a great injustice, Jamie is calling out for the Polar Medal to be awarded to Harry McNish’s family posthumously.

Jamie explained, “None of the crew would have made it back if it was not for Harry McNish. Not only did he build the boat that saved the whole crew with the most limited of tools, but he created the crampons for Shackleton, Crean and Worsley to cross the mountains of South Georgia to the whaling station on the other side.  Without McNish speaking up to Shackleton on the pack ice the lifeboat hulls would have been irreparably damaged. He was portrayed as a mutineer but was the real hero.”  

The crew have already rowed from Cape Horn in South America to mainland Antarctica across the Drake Passage. No-one has ever rowed the waters between Antarctica and South Georgia. 

The adventurers will take their turn in 90 minute shifts, rowing 24 hours a day for three weeks in cold to freezing conditions. 

There are three records to be set with this journey: first to row from the Antarctic continent, first to row the Scotia Sea by human power alone and first to row the Southern Ocean from South to North.

Jamie will be leaving the UK on January 2nd 2023 from Edinburgh Airport and will meet his crew in Ushuaia, Argentina.  They will set off from Antarctica on January 12th and aim to arrive in South Georgia 16-20 days later.

The expedition can be followed online with updates on social media @actiphwater.

To donate to Jamie’s British Heart Foundation cause please visit:https://www.justgiving.com/page/jamie-row-challenge

Viaplay Elite League: Fife Flyers 1, Sheffield Steelers 5; Belfast Giants 4, Dundee Stars 3; Coventry Blaze 9, Manchester Storm 0; Nottingham Panthers 5, Cardiff Devils 2.

Injury-hit Fife Flyers lost for the second time in 24-hours. They suffered 6-2 reverse at home to Guildford Flames on Saturday then went down 5-1 to Sheffield Steelers at Kirkcaldy.

The sides were level at 1-1 after the first session but the visitors won the next two periods 2-0 and they also outshot Fife 39-34.

Sheffield opened their account through Matthew Petgrave after 70 seconds but Chris Gerrie (pictured) levelled 14 minutes later with Brayden Sherbinin and newcomer, Scott Henderson, assisting.

Steelers went 2-1 ahead after 28 minutes when Brandon Whistle found the rigging and two minutes later it was 3-1 when Scott Allen scored.

The scoreline stayed the same until the 48th minute when Robert Dowd scored No 4 and Allen netted his second and Sheffield’s fifth with less than four minutes left.

The defeat leaves Flyers, sponsored by Wolseley, in eighth position with 16 points from 24 games with Dundee ninth on 15 points from 23 outings and Glasgow Clan propping up the table with 13 points from 24 fixtures.

Manchester Storm are now seventh with 17 points from 21 starts with Nottingham Panthers climbing to sixth with 18 points from only 21 games. 

Just to get you in the mood for Christmas cooking Chef Mark Greenaway has shared with us his recipe for Fresh Cranberry and Chestnut Stuffing.

For those who would rather leave the Christmas cooking to the pros, Grazing by Mark Greenaway will be offering a five course Christmas Day menu, as well as a festive parties menu throughout December.

The restaurant, which opened in 2019, offers guests a relaxed dining experience, using fresh ingredients from local Scottish suppliers.

Fresh Cranberry and Chestnut Stuffing

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1kg pork mince
• 1 egg, beaten
• 100g fresh cranberries, chopped
• 2 tbsp thyme, chopped 
• 150g peeled chestnuts, chopped
• 2 shallots, finely diced
• 20g fresh white breadcrumbs

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 185C
2. Mix all of the ingredients together
3. Roll the mixture into a sausage shape and wrap in tinfoil 
4. Bake for 20 minutes
5. Garnish at the table with cranberry sauce and chopped hazelnuts

Michael Head could easily have disappeared from view like his Liverpool contemporary Lee Mavers of The La’s. Five years after Adiós Señor Pussycat the Scouse poet returned earlier this year with Dear Scott perhaps the most complete long-player of his long career including much-loved bands The Pale Fountains and Shack.

Fronting also The Strands and now The Red Elastic Band, Dear Scott nods to the golden thread throughout the many well-crafted and memorable songs he has written over four decades. Tonight’s opener Kismet suggests the essence of Shack’s Mood of the Morning while the Red Elastic Band create their blend of alchemy on the jazz groove of Gino and Rico. The bond between the audience and Head is obvious, sharing in jokes about the amount of time it takes for him to make a record creates some good-natured banter.

The Human Race had a solid Liverpudlian rockabilly groove before Pull Together from Shack’s HMS Fable album encourages an audience singalong. Head’s sister Jo performs lead on a stunning Daniella, some members of the audience are emotional by the end of the track, you could hear a pin drop during the performance where not one person left to go to the bar or answer a call of nature.

Freedom tips its cap to Donovan’s Colours with some beautiful fingerpicking and vocals from Head and guitarist Nathaniel Laurence. A double of Byrds Turn To Stone and As Long As I’ve Got You from Here’s Tom With The Weather is a nostalgia-tinged step back in time. During Comedy, we’re reminded that Shack wrote some of the best tunes of the 90s but went largely unnoticed, as Head tops end of year polls in the rock monthlies it’s clear he is in the form of his life having given up booze and fallen in love with songwriting and performing again. As Mick would say “Is Right”. 

In-form Guildford Flames, who have led the Viaplay Elite League league for several weeks, edged Glasgow Clan 3-2 on Friday, and they completed a Scottish double with a 6-2 win at Fife Flyers 24-hours later.

The Surrey-based side were on the scoresheet after 11 minutes when winger Robert Lachowicz netted and it was 2-0 just over a minute later when Peter Crinella scored.

Defenceman Brayden Sherbinin, who has been in scoring form recently, pulled one back after 14 minutes but the home fans joy was short-lived as Crinella scored his second and Flames third in the 16th minute.

Fife, sponsored by Wolseley, kept Flames at bay until Ian McNulty made it 4-1 after 37 minutes before Chris Gerrie pulled one back 33 seconds into the final session to give the home side hope at 4-2.

Six minutes later any chance of pulling off a result was dashed when Daniel Tedesco scored Flames’ fifth and Jordan Klimek popped in No 6 with less than two minutes remaining.

Laim Blackburn, another recent recruit by the injury-ravaged Fife side, and Fife’s Man of the Match, praised Flames who he said: “Hats off to Guildford who are a really good team, you give them a little bit and they take a lot, but we had a moments of really good play (in the game). We had a pretty good effort.”

The Glasgow Clan, sponsored by Aspray Glasgow West, suffered a damaging 7-1 loss to the Sheffield Steelers in a night to forget at the Braehead Arena.
 
Steven McParland and Sam Jones got the action started early as they dropped the gloves just four minutes in after their collision at the boards.
 
Sheffield thought they’d found the opener through a tipped shot by Jonathan Phillips but it was called off for high sticks.
 
The Steelers eventually found their way into the lead as Robert Dowd collected the puck in the crease and fired a shot past Ty Taylor on the spin.
 
McParland then put the Clan back level as he slotted the puck high into the net on a breakaway to claim a powerplay goal in the second period.
 
Sheffield put themselves back in front in the second period as Matthew Petgrave fired a shot into the top left corner before Martin Latal made it three shortly after. 
 
The Clan conceded a fourth while on the penalty kill just before the end of the second as Danny Kristo netted after picking up a loose puck in the crease after a goalmouth scramble, slotting high over Taylor.
 
In the third period, the Clan came close to pulling one back on the Steelers’ lead as Craig Peacock rebounded a John Dunbar shot, but Matthew Greenfield did well to keep it out.
 
The Steelers bagged a fifth goal through a Sebastian Piche ripper from the blue line which flew past Taylor into the Clan net.
 
Then Robert Dowd and Danny Kristo followed suit in the third as they unleashed heavy slapshots which found their way into the net to give the visitors a six-goal lead and confirm the points for the visitors.

The company which already runs Scotts at Port Edgar in South Queensferry has taken over the site which was formerly the Three Bridges at the other end of town.

The restaurant with its menu featuring local produce opens this weekend as Thirty Knots and includes a modern pub and an outdoor terrace with views to the bridges.

Chef Trevor Garden promises that the menu will be exciting. He said: “With a mix of hearty home-comfort classics and dishes inspired from around the world, there is sure to be something to suit all tastes and give customers an exciting and engaging dining experience.

“The impressive menu is set to feature everything from classic Fish and Chips and individual steak and ale pies baked fresh to order, to Karrag Chicken Bao Buns and the most incredible King Rib Supper with skin-on fries and Katsu ketchup.

“We are all about encouraging our chefs to explore their culinary creativity and showcase their skills and we look forward to refreshing our menus regularly – and every ingredient that goes on the customer’s plate has been well thought-out with a twist of reinvention.

“Our Fish and Chips is set to be one of our best dishes on the menu. Not only is it a classic, but we’ve added our very own twist and I think it will fast become a real favourite with our customers.”

The company’s Managing Director Kenny Blair said: “We are very excited to welcome customers to the new Thirty Knots. The venue signifies our ongoing investment and commitment to South Queensferry, having launched our Scotts restaurant in the Port Edgar Marina back in 2018, and we hope this provides the local community with another fantastic venue that they can enjoy and be proud of for years to come

“Our mouth-watering menu promises both modern and classic dishes using some of the best produce and ingredients that Scotland has to offer. But we still have so much more to offer in the coming months that will be well worth the wait for our customers, including a stunning private event space and spectacular outdoor terrace – so watch this space.”

There are jobs available in all areas at Thirty Knots – click here.

Thirty Knots is open now. Book here.

Guns N’ Roses Use Your Illusion I and II. 

The anticipation ahead of Guns N’ Roses double release of Use Your Illusion I and II in September 1991 shouldn’t be underestimated. The band had built an early following in Britain when they visited to play the Marquee in June 1987.

Released in late July their debut Appetite For Destruction found an audience early through word of mouth around the U.K.’s rock and punk scene. I was ten when my uncle first put the record on the turntable of this then-new band he’d read about in Hit Parader magazine. Their look referenced the likes of New York Dolls and Hanoi Rocks but they had a style and sensibility all of their own.

A few months later Terry set off to see the band in Newcastle City Hall. Fast forward a few years and I was on my way to see that band and stay at my Uncle T’s in north London. In four years Guns N’ Roses had gone from the Marquee to selling out Wembley Stadium. Appetite For Destruction, now regarded as a classic album was back then an authentic snap-shot of LA street life telling the story of five ‘live-fast-die-young rock n’ rollers’ who would become known as the most dangerous band in the world.

It’s often been suggested that the Use Your Illusion albums should have been a single long-player. Yes, it could have been leaner but there’s much to feast on this new vinyl release. Vinyl in the early 90s was of poor quality and so a 2LP 180-gram pressing of each album is a welcome improvement. Each release is also housed in an impressive gatefold sleeve. 

The creative alchemy that was a boon to the band’s early years produced an abundance of definitive songs. Not all of them could fit on Appetite, so with bigger production values, some appeared here. Civil War, a song that feels even more relevant in the aftermath of President Trump, was the only track to feature original drummer Steven Adler and with his departure Guns N’ Roses became a different band. Matt Sorum filled a similar role to Alan White in Oasis after Tony McCarroll’s exit but as Tony pointed out, ‘change the drummer, change the band’.

The Illusion albums were also an important last gasp for founder member and guitarist Izzy Stradlin, in many ways the heartbeat of G N’ R. 14 Years, co-written with Axl Rose was said to be about the pair’s working relationship. The likes of this and Dust N’ Bones were Stradlin at his Keef N’ Ronnie best bringing the original ideas of these songs to the band and performing lead vocals. There’s a version of Dust N’ Bones on the CD version from Wembley in 1991 which is a standout. A Lenny Kravitz appearance with GN’R for a version of his track Always On The Run is also worth looking out for, his chemistry with Slash is undeniable. We’re all familiar with the big hits from the albums such as November Rain and a cover of Live And Let Die, the former has the addition of a ‘real orchestra’ but for my money Guns N’ Roses shine brightest on the likes of Don’t Damn Me with Axl doing a bit of a Van Morrison having a pop at the press.

Strangely it’s the only song throughout the two albums not to have been played live by the band. The killer high-speed riff and Stones-sounding bridge are GN’R at their best and it stands up well more than three decades on with a memorable solo from Slash. Duff’s, So Fine from Illusion II nods to Johnny Thunders, Rose and McKagan’s voices sound fantastic together on the track. Duff fronting on The Misfits Attitude is another thrash-punk workout on the extras. The albums still come with a warning Parental Advisory sticker, reminding us that Guns N’ Roses were not for the faint-hearted or thin-skinned. The album has no shortage of epics perhaps the finest is Rose’s Coma.

The best work is where G N’R get into a groove on the likes of Locomotive and You Could Be Mine, the later soundtracking Terminator 2. Both tracks provide some evidence that Illusion 2 is the stronger collection. While we hear a lot about Britpop and Grunge, the 90s began with these two albums dominating the culture. Guns N Roses return to London for a show at Hyde Park, and it is hoped they will honour their Scottish fans with a rescheduled date in Glasgow for a concert they have been waiting on for years. 

Use Your Illusion I and II are out now

ScotRail says that customers have to expect significant disruption during the latest round of strike action by RMT members of Network Rail. 

The dispute does not involve ScotRail staff, but it will have a major impact on the services which Scotrai runs as the RMT planned action involves Network Rail staff in Scotland.  

Network Rail RMT members are currently voting on a pay offer, which is due to close on Monday. Even if strike action is called off after that vote, it will take the rail industry at least 48 hours to restore a normal service. 

The RMT union announced that its members at Network Rail will take strike action over pay this week on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday all over the UK.

For ScotRail customers, this means a limited number of services will operate on a reduced number of routes.    

Many of the Network Rail staff who are due to take part in the planned industrial action occupy safety-critical roles and it will not be possible for ScotRail to run the vast majority of services.    

A limited strike timetable will operate on the non-strike day, Thursday, 15 December as Network Rail is unable to make all infrastructure available on that day. Signal boxes are key pieces of Network Rail infrastructure controlling train movements. Their use is critical to ensure that the railway operates safely.    

The train operator will run services on 12 routes across the central belt, Fife, and the Borders between the hours of 07.30 and 18.30.  

The routes and frequency of service which will be in operation are: 

• Edinburgh Waverley – Glasgow Queen Street via Falkirk High: two trains per hour    
• Edinburgh Waverley – Helensburgh Central: two trains per hour   
• Glasgow Central – Hamilton/Larkhall: two trains per hour    
• Glasgow Central – Lanark: two trains per hour    
• Edinburgh Waverley – Glasgow Central via Shotts: one train per hour  
• Edinburgh Waverley – Cowdenbeath: two trains per hour  
• Edinburgh Waverley – Tweedbank: two trains per hour  
• Edinburgh Waverley – North Berwick: one train per hour  
• Edinburgh Waverley – Larbert: one train per hour 
• Glasgow Queen Street – Larbert: one train per hour  
• Glasgow Queen Street – Falkirk Grahamston: one train per hour  
• Milngavie – Springburn: two trains per hour

The final services will depart well before 6.30pm so customers should plan ahead and ensure they know when their last train will depart.     

There is greater reliance on manual signalling outside the Central Belt, and Network Rail is unable to provide passenger services on any other routes on the strike days. 

The train operator has updated its retail systems to reflect the impact of strike action.  Customers are also advised to visit www.scotrail.co.uk/strike for more information.  

1. There will be no service except on 12 ScotRail routes across the central belt, Fife, and Borders.     
2. For the routes on which will operate a service, customers should only travel if necessary and should consider alternative options where possible. 

Customers who have already purchased a rail ticket can seek a fee-free refund or claim compensation through Delay Repay, up to 28 days after they were due to travel. 

Alternatively, customers can use their ticket to travel the day before, or up to and including Tuesday, 20 December.

Customers are advised to check the ScotRail app or visit scotrail.co.uk for the latest information before travelling.  

The RMT has also announced plans for strike action between 24-27 December, and 3-4 and 6-7 January. 

David Simpson, ScotRail Service Delivery Director, said:    “It’s really disappointing to see more widespread disruption across the whole Great Britain rail network as a result of the dispute between Network Rail and the RMT at a time when we need to be encouraging more people back to the railway. 

“For ScotRail, it’s going to mean that we won’t be able to operate the vast majority of our services between 13 and 17 December, which we know will be really frustrating for our customers.    

 “We’re advising customers to seek alternative means of transport and to only travel if they really need to on the days of strike action.  

“Customers should check their journey in advance to make sure your train is running.” 

Edinburgh Monarchs have confirmed the return of Australian youngster Jacob Hook for a second season after the 20-year-old scored 114 points in his debut campaign.

He joins Josh Pickering and Kyle Bickley and said: “I really enjoyed my first year. I found it a tougher year than I thought it would be. I had expected to do a lot better but I have learnt a lot. I did find Armadale quite tricky at first, but I gradually came to like it more than most of the tracks. It can give you a home track advantage.”

Meanwhile, Chris Harris has signed for a second spell with Glasgow Tigers and is determined to help them take the final step to Championship success. He is their fifth signing and moves from Berwick Bandits where he was an award winner last season (pictured).

He joins Benjamin Basso and Tom Brennan in the heat-leader trio, with Marcin Nowak and Ace Pijper also in the side and Harris said: “I have a point to prove. Last time, in 2018, it just didn’t go to plan. I had a lot of bike issues. Now I’ve got better equipment, it’s time to go back and show the Glasgow fans what I’m all about.

“I’ve been back there with other clubs since and done well. Now I want to do well for the home side.”

Guildford Flames arrive at Kirkcaldy on Saturday night (face-off 19.15) aiming to burn Fife Flyers in the Viaplay Elite League and claim their second Sottish scalp in 24 hours after a 3-2 victory at Glasgow Clan on Friday.

And they could find Flyers’ defenceman Christian Hausinger icing as a winger again as the injury-hit club work their way through a dressing-room crisis.

Hausinger (pictured by Derek Young courtesy of Fife Flyers) last played as a winger when he was 13, before reverting to defence, and the American blue-liner volunteered to play forward during the later stages of Fife Flyers’ 6-1 road demolition of Nottingham Panthers.

He was switched into a wing berth again 24-hours later in the Viaplay Elite League clash with Scottish rivals Glasgow Clan at Kirkcaldy after two forwards were crocked early on. He scored 25 seconds from time.

The 26-year-old from Alaska then became the first recognised Flyers defenceman to net a hat-trick in the Elite League era in the 4-4 result at Dundee Stars on Wednesday in the quarter-final, first-leg of the Viaplay Challenge Cup. Hausinger admitted: “It’s something I’ll never forget.”

And the 6ft 1in defenceman said that playing as a forward was different, particularly at professional level, but he could be on the wing again as there is no word yet on whether forwards Janne Kivilahti and Janne Laakkonen will ice after missing the midweek scrap at Dundee.

Also facing late tests will be Chris Lawrence, Lucas Sandstrom and James Spence.

Saturday’s test will undoubtedly be a tough one against a side who have won all three encounters so far against Fife and have led the ten-strong table for several weeks.

Flames have visited Kirkcaldy already this term, winning 5-3 in October and 2-1 after overtime in November and Fife have also lost 5-3 in Surrey.

Of course, Flyers also host Sheffield Steelers on Sunday and they are third in the table and looking to take points from their trip north after 6-0 and 3-0 wins at The House of Steel earlier in the campaign.

A reminder that Fife host their annual toy appeal this weekend assisted by Babcock staff who will join the team on the ice at the end of the game to collect gifts from fans at the boards.

And supporters who miss Saturday’s game can still hand over donations at the supporters’ club bench outside the cafe after Sunday’s game.

Donations will be sent to The Cottage Family Centre to support local families.

Don’t forget, that the club have a weekend ticket package for adults of £34 and concession rate of £24 with a child weekend ticket of £15. Fans who can’t get to the box office can email tickets@fifeflyers.co.uk for alternative arrangements. 

The New Real, a partnership between the University of Edinburgh, The Alan Turing Institute and Edinburgh’s Festivals, is a unique hub for AI, creativity and futures research which since its creation in 2019 has undertaken internationally leading research, built cutting-edge AI technology and collaborated with world leading artists and presented work at renowned events and festivals.

Today (9th Dec) it was announced that The New Real Director and Principal Investigator, Drew Hemment – an artist, designer and academic researcher – has been awarded a newly-created position of Personal Chair and appointed Professor in Data Arts and Society at the University of Edinburgh.

On this highest academic accolade, Professor Hemment said: “Being awarded a Personal Chair and appointed Professor in Data Arts and Society is the pinnacle of my academic career.

“The significance of this appointment goes beyond me personally as it is about recognising that the field that I have championed for three decades has now come of age. The work I have dedicated my life to is now recognised as mature and important enough to warrant this. It also highlights that the University of Edinburgh is investing in this area, and is leading internationally through the ground-breaking work at The New Real.”

Professor Juan Cruz, Principal at the Edinburgh College of Art said: “Our University holds a great position among the world’s leading research and education organisations and as such, is well-resourced to address some of the most pressing issues the humanity is now facing. We are very lucky to have Professor Hemment among our researchers and I am very pleased his innovative work at The New Real – which aims to answer some of those urgent questions – has been recognised through his appointment to a Personal Chair in Data Arts and Society.”

The exciting news continues with an announcement of the Open Call for The New Real 2023 AI Art Commission in partnership with the Scottish AI Alliance and The Alan Turing Institute. From today, an established creative practitioner (or practitioners) can apply to work with The New Real’s cross-disciplinary team, AI tools and textual data to develop a new AI Artwork, that probes the uncanny interplay of humans and machines, and illuminates the social implications of recent developments in AI.

This work will be presented with a festival, venue or presentation partner in 2023. More on the commission: https://www.newreal.cc/the-new-real-2023-ai-art-commission.

The commission will take place across 2023 beginning in February, presenting concepts and/or work in progress at events in March (Stage 1) and May (Stage 2), and culminating in the launch of the work produced in Edinburgh in Summer/Autumn 2023.

The New Real 2023 AI Art Commission: Uncanny Machines
Total value £20,000: 5 x £1,000 development awards, 1 x £15,000 full commission.
Expressions of Interest Deadline: 5pm, 23rd January 2023
Artists’ Information Session: 4pm, 11th January 2023

The New Real 2023 AI Art Commission is a partnership between The New Real at University of Edinburgh, Scottish AI Alliance, Alan Turing Institute and British Library.

Featured image – The New Real and the Thames Path 2040 by Alex Fefegha. Photo Andrew Perry and Die Photo Frau

It’s one the annoying paradoxes of climate change that, as we talk of the dangers of global warming, we enter a cold snap which has seen temperatures in Scotland fall to minus 6° or 7°C this week. There’s been 5cm of snow across much of the North East and severe travel disruption.

But we know that, inexorably, the planet is getting warmer. Migrants are fleeing the deserts and the floodplains, and here in Europe, we are watching sea levels and rivers rise around us. Like King Canute, we are only standing on a temporary sand bank.

Yet we are doing so little about it. The independent Committee on Climate Change published a report this week saying the Scottish Government was “on a trend to failure” to meet its “world beating” target of net zero carbon emissions by 2045.  It is off track on seven of its eleven specific targets, for example,  car-use reduction, home energy efficiency and peatland restoration. While good progress is being made on renewable energy, it still only accounts for 27 per cent of our total energy requirements for electricity, heating and transport.

The UK Government, on the other hand, is on a totally different course. It is licensing 900 new oil and gas exploration fields in the North Sea. This week it approved a new coal mine in Cumbria, the first in Britain for 30 years. It has scrapped the “green levy” on energy companies and is dishing out huge sums to cut our energy bills this winter, whether we need the money or not. If we were really serious about cutting carbon emissions we would be letting the price of gas rise so that people use less of it.

While the rich three-quarters of the population can cope with the rise in the cost of living, the poorer quarter are in real hardship and those on middle incomes feel the injustice of prices rising at 10 per cent but their wages are not keeping up.  Hence the rolling strikes in our schools. Half the country was affected on Wednesday and the other half on Thursday.  Railway workers have stepped up their strike action, threatening travel chaos before, during and after Christmas and the New Year.  Nurses are still balloting on strike action.

The Scottish interim Finance Secretary John Swinney says his hands are tied by the limits of the block grant he gets from Westminster.  But the Scottish Trades Union Council and a number of anti-poverty charities are urging Mr Swinney to use his budget next week to bring in a series of wealth taxes to raise funds for cost of living wage settlements. The Institute for Public Policy Research says £200 million could be raised each year by putting a penny on the top rate of income tax and a further £350 million could be raised by increasing council tax on higher value properties.

The SNP blame “Westminster austerity” for the troubles in the public services and that certainly has boosted the independence cause. An opinion poll for Scottish Television has put support for independence at 56 per cent. It was carried out just after the Supreme Court ruling last month that the Scottish Parliament did not have the power to hold a referendum on the issue. It was a fact not wasted by the new leader of the SNP at Westminster, Stephen Flynn. He used it to challenge Rishi Sunak to change his mind and allow a referendum next October.

Mr Flynn’s election as leader of the 45 SNP MPs at Westminster was not as uneventful as we all imaged last week.  He was challenged at the last minute by Alison Thewliss, seen as Nicola Sturgeon’s favoured candidate, and she came within 9 votes of winning. Two MPs have since resigned from the SNP’s front-bench team. There are clearly signs of a split opening up between the gradulalists on independence and those like Mr Flynn who want a more insistent approach.       

Meanwhile, the Labour Party has published its latest plan for “devolution all round.” It’s the result of a constitutional commission led by Gordon Brown and he and Sir Kerr Starmer were in Edinburgh to launch what they hope will be a powerful answer to the SNP’s campaign for independence.  The plans includes greater borrowing powers for the Scottish government, a place on a beefed-up Council of the Nations and Regions and proportional representation in an elected upper chamber to replace the House of Lords.

There is also a promise to “level-up” Britain with more funding for regional mayors and the dispersal of 50,000 civil service jobs to the nations and regions. It’s really more of the same from the party which prides itself on being the “party of devolution.” But whether it will be enough to kill the independence movement “stone dead”, as was once promised by Labour, is looking pretty unlikely.

Finally, Scotland’s “other team” in the World Cup, Australia, was beaten by Argentina 2-1 last Saturday.  No fewer than seven members of the Australian team, were either born in Scotland, like Jason Cummings and Martin Boyle, or play, or have played, for Scottish premier division clubs.  One of them Keanu Baccus, currently at St Mirren, was given the task of marking the best player in the world, Lionel Messi, who, of course, scored one of Argentina’s goals. “It’s surreal how good he actually is,” said Baccus when he returned to Paisley.  I wonder who he will be marking this Saturday when St Mirren play Hamilton, and how surreal he will be.   

Edinburgh risks being left behind other global cities if it continues without a shared bike scheme, national shared transport charity Collaborative Mobility UK (CoMoUK) has warned.

CoMoUK said the Scottish capital cannot afford to jeopardise its international reputation as rivals promote communal cycling as a sustainable way for residents and visitors to get around.

It has urged Edinburgh councillors not to abandon efforts to replace the popular Edinburgh Cycle Hire Scheme (ECHS) after city council officials recommended dropping an investigation into options for revival.
Edinburgh is now the only Scottish city, apart from recently inaugurated Dunfermline, without a bike share scheme.
CoMoUK highlighted there are more than 40 operating or planned programmes across the UK with 2.8 million members as of March this year.
These are attracting people back to cycling, delivering mental and physical health benefits, and helping the environment.
There are more than 3,000 bike share systems in cities around the globe, connecting residents and tourists to businesses and attractions.
 
Edinburgh’s scheme ran from 2018 to 2021 and proved successful before coming to an end.

The Edinburgh Reporter understands that the costs of obtaining sponsorship now (as opposed to when the scheme ended) for such a scheme which was run by Serco (and was one of the most successful in the UK would be about tenfold.

It depends very much on the budget agreed in February 2023 whether or not any progress can be made with finding a new partner. Meantime one of the last discussions was on 11 November 2021. Further details can be read here.

Research by CoMoUK found cycling in Edinburgh increased sharply following its introduction with a 70 per cent rise in the number of trips through the scheme in 2019.
The council previously acknowledged the ECHS as the fastest growing scheme in Britain with 234,500 trips made in 2020.
CoMoUK recently issued guidance to councils urging them to treat bike share as a key part of their sustainable transport offer and ensure there is sufficient funding for it to be developed to support all communities.
The charity said potential funding gaps can be plugged through a flexible allocation of capital funding.
It also recommended councils explore using revenue raised from policies such as developer contributions, government funding pots and any clean air zones.
Sponsorship, corporate membership, and advertising can also help raise revenue.
Separate research by CoMoUK found the growing popularity of bike share schemes across the UK has reduced car mileage for each user by an estimated 3.7 miles every week.
Electric bikes (e-bikes) are also soaring in popularity because they reduce journey times and help riders to tackle hills – with the bikes now appealing to all generations.
 
Rachael Murphy, Scotland director of CoMoUK, said: “The ECHS was an extremely welcome addition to Edinburgh, with clear social and environmental benefits for all.
“Bike share supports health and wellbeing, triggers sustainable travel behaviours, cuts car miles and works alongside bike ownership.
“It also plays an important role in the movement of tourists, allowing them to explore attractions in a leisurely and inexpensive way.
“We understand the financial challenges facing local government, particularly during the cost-of-living crisis.
“But simply abandoning bike share cannot be an option if we are to achieve net zero targets and address the issue of private car ownership, which massively contributes to Scotland’s emissions.
“Edinburgh has a well-deserved international reputation for its festivals, arts and culture, and should not be left behind on the world stage when it comes to sustainable transport.
“Shared transport such as bike share schemes, along with car clubs, demand responsive transport and e-scooters, are the key to achieving our goals.”

RENEWED FOUR STAR RATING FOR PETTYCUR BAY HOLIDAY PARK, LEISURE CENTRE and BAY HOTEL

Pettycur Bay Holiday Park is celebrating the news that the entire complex, including the 28 bedroom Bay Hotel, the Leisure Centre, plus the stunning Horizons Restaurant & The Waterfront Bar, has retained its VisitScotland four star rating.

Horizons, which was refurbished in 2019 to reveal a contemporary new look including modern booth seating, new lighting, and an eye catching glass fronted bar, is also the holder of a Taste Our Best award reflecting a strong use of local produce.

Added to the Pettycur Leisure Centre in 2008, The Bay Hotel is notable for its south facing function suites for families of up to six people, offering superb panoramic views of the Forth, along with its split level bedrooms, with balconies and river views. Its eye catching, contemporary architectural design has also made the Hotel a real asset to tourism, and the events sector, in the area.

The four star rating news comes as the business, run by the Wallace family for over thirty years, posts strong annual results for its last financial year, due to the “huge staycation year” the Holiday Park experienced, plus the vibrancy of the local food & drink trade which saw Horizons fully booked on a regular basis.

“We are delighted to have retained the four star rating for the business, which reflects the care and attention we take in presenting all aspects of the operation to our customer base,” said Tommy Wallace, who runs the business with his father Thomas, brother Alan, and nephew, Steven. “We are constantly reinvesting in what we offer here, such as Horizons which now caters for both formal and informal dining. And we make a point of regularly replacing our hire fleet so that we never have a caravan that is older than three years old,” he added.

“Over the past year many of our regular customers returning to stay, or came in to dine at Horizons which has been extremely busy. We have also had new customers who were perhaps choosing not to venture abroad and decided instead to holiday at home. Our hire fleet has seen quite a dramatic increase, as have sales of our holiday homes. People deciding to take the plunge and buy their own holiday home which was very good news for us.”

Tommy explained that Horizons benefits from a great deal of repeat custom.

“Older, more vulnerable customers, remarked to us that they felt safe and comfortable as the country came out of the COVID pandemic, it’s a very big space, and we had all the safety measures in place. So they tended to keep re-booking.”

The park was highlighted on television through the BBC TV series “Life on the Bay.”

“It has had a huge effect by putting us in the spotlight. People realised just what Fife’s Sunshine Coast has to offer,” said Tommy.

Tommy pointed out that, like many businesses, Pettycur expected a downturn in its next financial year due to the current cost of living crisis.

“It will have an effect,” he said, “although we are trying to make sure that our prices reflect real value for money as we always want to be viewed as affordable. Our costs are going up on the food and alcohol side, and we are looking for staff in a few key positions as many hospitality businesses are, but will be keeping a close eye on our pricing to see how things develop, keeping it all as affordable as possible for our customers is very important. You can treat the family here because we offer everything from snacks to full dinners. But overall, we are optimistic that we can hold our market share as we have a very loyal following.”

Plans for this financial year include developing its new self-catering apartments on Pettycur Bay Holiday Park, with an application in planning at the moment.

“We purchased The Old Manor hotel at Lundin Links at the end of last year and we are still refurbishing and developing that to establish its place back in the market as a top wedding venue and great location for golfing short breaks,” commented Tommy.

“So, we have plenty going on here at Pettycur Bay and in Lundin Links,” he finished. “A new second series of Life on the Bay will be announced by the BBC soon, and it’s once again very exciting for our staff and customers to be featured in this.”

www.bayhotel.net
www.pettycur.co.uk
www.theoldmanorhotel.co.uk

ANTIOCH IS VOTED BEST TURKISH RESTAURANT IN SCOTLAND

Antioch Turkish Restaurant in Dunfermline is celebrating having been named Best Turkish Restaurant in Scotland at the 3rd Scottish Asian Food Awards 2022. The glamorous, black-tie awards ceremony was held at the Marriott Hotel in Glasgow.

It’s the second time in a row that Antioch has won the award.

Existing to recognise and reward a variety of Asian restaurants, takeaways and eateries across Scotland, the Scottish Asian Food Awards acknowledge that the Asian food industry is growing and diversifying year on year, with some outstanding businesses going the extra mile to contribute to its success.

Particularly, the event celebrated the achievements of businesses and individuals who connect communities through food and culture.

Owner of Antioch Restaurant, Nihat Oymak, who also owns and operates Amorist Bistro Bar in Dunfermline, a Mediterrean themed eatery & bar soon to have its own hotel above, said:

“We’re absolutely delighted to have picked up another prestigious award for Antioch- to win twice in a row is fantastic, and it’s a real honour to be seen as the very best at what we do in the whole of Scotland. We triumphed over thirty five other restaurants. We look forward to continuing to provide our customers with amazing authentic Turkish cuisine. I’d like to thank my hard working team and also all our customers who took the time to vote for us, we really appreciate it.”

“We’re also very much looking forward to launching the hotel above Amorist in the Spring. We hope that it will really attract many more people to come to Dunfermline and see what we have to offer here.”

The Scottish Asian Food Awards 2022 are organised by Oceanic Consulting – the UK’s leading ethnic awards company. A spokesperson for the Scottish Asian Food Awards said: “We’d like to say a massive congratulations to all winners and finalists from the 3rd Scottish Asian Food Awards 2022. This campaign designed to honour all varieties of Asian cuisine has performed brilliantly across Scotland and it started in 2018.”

“We’re proud to honour and celebrate the individuals who open Scotland’s doors to Asia’s kitchen.”

With 15 years of experience, Oceanic Consulting host annual award ceremonies in major English, Scottish and Irish cities. Campaigns include the Curry Awards, Asian Business, Asian Food, British Muslim, British Indian and Britain’s Asian Wedding Awards.

www.antiochrestaurant.co.uk

KARMA LAKE OF MENTEITH ADDS FLAVOUR TO ESTATE LEARNING DAY

Karma Lake of Menteith helped out at a special educational day at Rednock Estate for primary school children from all over the Trossachs.

The head chef Mike Potts, together with Sous Chef Stefano helped the Royal Highland Education Trust (RHET) to ensure that everyone had a “taste” of what’s involved in the very best farm to fork practices.

Mike and Stefano, who are based just a quarter of a mile away from Rednock at Karma Lake of Menteith, and use Rednock’s quality venison and game in the restaurant at the lakeside Hotel, cooked tasty venison titbits for the 92 primary six and seven school pupils, estate staff, and RHET volunteers who were present on the day.

The food was enjoyed by groups of pupils and parents as they made their way around the estate which had set up a number of different learning stations about relevant topics, including management of land and soil, forestry and harvesting, cattle and sheep farming, and finally deer management, concerned specifically with Rednock’s red deer population.

Rednock venison is supplied to many hospitality businesses throughout the entire Trossachs area, including Karma Lake of Menteith, which, since being acquired earlier this year by Karma Group, which has 44 worldwide resorts, had been reaching out to forge relationships with quality local food suppliers.

Gill Pye, owner of Rednock Estate said: “Our thanks go to Mike and Stefano from Karma Lake of Menteith for coming along today, they have certainly showcased our venison to perfection. Learning is definitely hungry work and all the children were seen tucking in to the venison fingerfood, cooked fresh in front of them, as they experienced the various talks and displays that had been set up.”

Ben Outterside, Rednock Estate’s Deer Manager said: “Local businesses like Karma Lake of Menteith buying our venison is really important to us as its supports the local economy and helps us lower our carbon footprint and achieve low food miles,”

Mike Potts said;” It was our pleasure to get involved in this very important learning day here at Rednock, and I am sure we will come back and get involved in future projects like this with RHET and some of the other organisations that made the day possible.”

“It’s so important that young people fully understand where their food comes from and the hard work and dedication that goes into farming at Estates like Rednock which are certainly leading the way in good practice,” added Mike.

“We are building a solid working relationship with them and are having discussions on how we can work more together,” said Mike. “Such has been the response to the venison and game we get here that we are going to have a free showcase of some dishes on Boxing Day at the Hotel to which anyone is invited. We hope that some local people will come along with their families and do some sampling – it will be a relaxed, casual affair.”

Mike said that he had been delighted to hear that Rednock Estate, which also farms beef cattle, was willing to give any guest at Karma Lake of Menteith a tour of the estate by appointment so they too could find out more about the farm to fork story.

“This area really does have it all if guests want to “taste the area on a plate” so to speak,” he said. “They can enjoy trout from the Lake of Menteith itself, and sample the beef, venison and game from here at Rednock.”

Christian Hausinger wrote his name into Fife Flyers’ history books in the 4-4 draw at arch rivals Dundee Stars in the Viaplay Challenge Cup, quarter-final, first-leg.

He is the first Flyers’ defenceman ever to claim a glory treble in Elite League competitions and the 25-year-old from Anchorage, Alaska, is only the 21st player to record a hat-trick in the Elite League era for the famous club.

His glory treble is only the 32nd treble scored by a Flyers player since the Elite League was formed, according to the club’s historian.

The 6ft 1in blueliner’s goals follow his single strike 25 seconds from time against Glasgow Clan at Kirkcaldy when he was also deployed on the wing and he has also recorded five assists in 22 starts for Flyers, according to Elite League stats.

Hausinger (pictured here by Derek Young courtesy of Fife Flyers) saw service in the tough East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) with three clubs – Wichita Thunder, Florida Everblades and Norfolk Admirals, all on loan – before jetting across the Pond to join the Scots.

He opened his account for the injury-ravaged side, who iced only 13 skaters, after 2min 28sec at Dundee, netted his second after 37min 35sec and and his third after 38min 35sec, that goal put the visitors 4-2 ahead.

Stars hit back, netting two goals in just over six, third-period minutes to level and set up a mouth-watering second-leg at Kirkcaldy next Wednesday (19.30).

Todd Dutiaume, Fife’s head coach, said he was pretty happy with the performance and added: “I was really proud of the guys as they are dropping like flies (because of injuries) right now.

“We are having a hard time staying healthy which is something we have battled against all year.”

Dutiaume said: “If you had offered me a 4-4 draw before the game I would have taken it, but to come into this building, which is very tough, by the way, and put a performance in like that speaks volumes for the guys character.”

Meanwhile, the season ticket holder pre-sale is now open and general sale is available from 10am on Saturday which is also the club’s annual toy appeal.

The team will collect gifts from fans at the boards to load onto a van alongside their associates at Babcock and, on Sunday, the supporters club will accept donations at their booth until the end of the game.

A special weekend ticket deal is in operation Flyers host league pace-setters Guildford Flames on Saturday (face-off 19.15) and entertain one of the league heavyweights, Sheffield Steelers, on Sunday (18.00).

The ‘Power Trio’ of Tom Oakes (Guitars + Flute) and Jon Bews (5 String Fiddle) from Edinburgh and Inverurie man Daniel Thorpe (Fiddle) have been boldly ploughing their own furrow in the hinterlands of traditional music since forming in 2016 and are set to raise the roof of the Traverse Theatre for the home leg of their Winter Tour this Sunday 11th December.

Each of them have a deep passion for the traditions they grew up with (Irish Trad/Classical/Piping/North East Scottish Fiddle/Nordic Traditions) as well as epic record collections covering everything from Country through to Metal and Free Jazz. Their repertoire spans the world.

For ‘The Butcher’ official video – https://vimeo.com/user27430816

All avid tune collectors, travellers and composers Oakes/Bews/Thorpe came together as a kind of music-nerds club to amalgamate the tunes they love with the myriad of influences floating about in the bands’ collective psyche. Add to this an idiosyncratic, warm, witty (and at times slightly ranty) stage presence, think Newsnight meets Monty Python, and you should have a vague idea of what to expect from their live show!

This tour is a special one for the band as it sees the preview of their forthcoming 2023 album ‘Half-Light’ alongside some brand new material written for this tour and who knows, maybe even a nod towards the festive season at some point..?!

TICKETS : www.thisisobt.com

For Traverse gig: www.traverse.co.uk/whats-on/event/oakes-bews-thorpe

Alba English School in Causewayside is celebrating its tenth Anniversary.

Since October 2022 the school has helped thousands of students improve their English, pass exams, and advance their careers. Many Alba ‘graduates’ have subsequently settled in the city, working in fields as varied as finance, dentistry and tourism.

Known for its quality teaching, affordability, and flexibility, the school has built a strong reputation in its first decade. As it reaches this milestone, Alba is going through a period of expansion, and is also seeking to adapt to a much changed business climate in the EFL (English as a Foreign Language) sector. Brexit and the pandemic have impacted this area significantly with many schools closing. There are, however, now some perceptible signs of a recovery. 

Alongside cities such as Oxford, London and Bournemouth, Edinburgh has long been a leading TEFL (teaching English as a foreign language) destination. Students are drawn to Edinburgh by the beauty and historical interest of the city and the high reputation of many of the English language schools. The students only discover the distinctly ‘changeable’ weather once they arrive.

The TEFL sector is a significant part of the UK’s economy. According to English UK, the ELT industry was, prior to Covid, generating around £1.4 billion income for the UK each year and supporting around 35,700 jobs. However, it often goes under the radar as most people in the UK have minimal interaction with it. They might only become aware of the size of the sector when visiting a tourist attraction and finding themselves stuck behind a group of backpacked teenagers from an EU country.

The entire TEFL (teaching English as a foreign language) sector in the UK has been badly affected by the twin blows of the pandemic and Brexit. Many schools have closed for good, while others have limped on, switching to online teaching during the depths of the pandemic. More than 50% of staff in the EFL sector were laid off during that period as student numbers fell by 79%. A substantial number of teachers left the sector for good. 

Operating schools during the pandemic posed many difficulties. Due to the need to maintain social distance, classes had to be limited in size. This severely dented income. Furthermore, it was difficult to maintain a ‘communicative’ classroom atmosphere in such circumstances. When wearing face coverings, it was difficult to practise key aspects of the language, such as pronunciation. This period of uncertainty required schools and teachers to be very adaptable.

Among the Edinburgh schools to have shut in recent years include Mackenzie, Global, and Caledonian, while Berlitz closed its physical premises on Frederick Street. The majority of schools are now looking ahead with greater optimism. Kaplan International Languages hopes to move from their present home in Albyn Place to new premises at 26 St Andrew Square, with capacity for 300 students and employing up to 34 staff. TLI (The Language Institute), previously on Palmerston Place, has had a peripatetic existence over the last few years but is now on the verge of moving into new premises in Leith. 

Alba English School is currently expanding. Having been based in the second floor of the business centre at 86-92 Causewayside, Alba has now taken over use of the ground floor of the building. Originally a police station, the building is an interesting, labyrinthine place. It is still evident where the cells were located, and students might be motivated by them to complete their homework!

Alba English offers a range of classes, from beginner (A1) to proficiency (C2) levels. General English is the focus in the mornings, followed by small afternoon classes tailored to students’ individual needs (for example, business or aviation English).  Evening classes focus on preparation for the major English language exams, such as FCE, CPE and IELTS (International English Language Testing System). Gaining a good IELTS score is a prerequisite for overseas students getting into a UK university. Hence the need for high quality preparation classes which focus on the language aspects of the exams as well as the strategies needed to optimise performance. 

Unlike many other language schools in the city, Alba is an independent and relatively small institution. As a result of the current expansion, there will be seven classrooms and a significantly increased amount of communal space. Over coffee, tea and biscuits, students from a variety of countries (and levels of English) are able to chat and learn about each others’ cultures. English language schools, at their best, can be great meeting points and promoters of cultural understanding. The school organises regular social events to further foster this sense of community, as well as provide additional opportunities for students to use newly acquired language. 

Alba English’s Academic Manager believes the company’s success has been driven by this sense of community. “One thing I think the Alba has always been good at is the focus on employing very good teachers and being student focused”. The school has been able to support students in the classroom and beyond, “whether it’s a shoulder to cry on, CV help, general encouragement and support”. In some cases, students’ stay at Alba may be their first experience living alone and abroad.  Using the third conditional or modal verbs accurately may not be the biggest challenges for students. One former student put it nicely in saying that, at Alba “I found here a second house when I moved to Edinburgh”. Another student said that ‘the friendly environment and the teachers’ preparation made me enjoy studying English!’.

In its second decade, Alba English hopes to continue being a hub for international students interested in improving their English, starting a new career or discovering Scottish culture. They are looking forward to seeing new students enjoy their expanded space and supporting them in their language learning journeys.

Further information about Alba English can be found at albaenglish.co.uk

Childcare work opportunity in the city centre.

Positions are now available with an exciting, unique childcare company.

SALARY: From £10.90 per hour (plus holiday pay).

DATES: Friday 20 – Sunday 22 January 2023 Other dates may also be available.

Successful applicants will have:

• HNC Childhood Practice at SCQF Level 7 or SVQ Social Services (Children and Young People) at SCQF Level 7 or other SSSC accepted childcare qualification
• Current PVG check essential

*Bags of Energy and stamina

*Be able to work as part of a team

*The ability to quickly establish rapport with young children

* Openness to a trauma aware childcare approach

Email Candice on Purplepeople@nipperbout.com

Nipperbout is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, encouraging a culture of ongoing awareness and vigilance throughout the company.

The Scottish Government has just published its second Strategic Transport Projects Review known as STPR2 – and it mentions using Mass Transit between different areas in the Edinburgh area.

The report explains that the diverse region has many different types of public transport some of which offer limited choice. The impact of congestion often detracts so much from the attraction of public transport that people resort to using cars. The answer proposed is a mass transit system for the region which would mean journey times could be lower.

But the report also excitingly refers to possible extensions to the tramline from Edinburgh as another answer.

The report provides: “The STPR2 recommends that Transport Scotland works with Regional partners to develop and enhance the cross-boundary public transport system for the Region, potentially comprising tram and bus-based transit modes including Bus Rapid Transit and bus priority measures. This would complement and integrate with the Region’s current bus, tram and heavy rail networks, to provide improved connectivity between the City of Edinburgh and the surrounding communities in the Region, as well as more direct connections between communities outside Edinburgh.”

Visually this is shown as a possible extension to the tram travelling as far out of the city as Dalkeith. Click on the image below to read the STPR2 report and you will read about the possible tram extension on Page 97.

Cllr Scott Arthur, Transport and Environment Convener, said: “The inclusion of the potential to extend the tram line to neighbouring authorities in the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) is welcome, and signifies the Scottish Government’s willingness to support us to explore these opportunities.

“As part of the City Mobility Plan we have committed to the expansion of the mass rapid transit network to the north and south of the city, providing sustainable, high capacity transport options for people travelling to and around Edinburgh. This development is a vote of confidence and will allow us to move forward with planning for future plans for both tram and bus transit, and following the successful completion of the Trams to Newhaven line.

“We will continue to work closely with Transport Scotland, SESTRAN and neighbouring local authorities to deliver our shared outcomes. I look forward to agreeing funding allocations with Transport Scotland so we can move forward with programmes as soon as possible.”

Trams to Newhaven is moving ahead and is due to be open to passenger in late spring 2023.

Scottish Labour Net Zero, Energy and Transport spokesperson Colin Smyth MSP said: “Given this Government’s track record on transport, few communities will believe that the vague commitments made in a review that is already years late, will ever be delivered.

“The cost of commuting is through the roof and transport emissions remain one of the biggest threats to our climate targets – but the SNP-Green government have kicked all the big questions down the line yet again by failing to publish a delivery plan. 

“We’ve had more than enough hot air from this government – we need a real plan to build a modern, affordable, and green transport system.”

A selection of artists presenting work at this year’s exhibition are being enlisted by The Society of Scottish Artists for a series of talks hosted at Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh. The talks are free to attend for all audiences, who can engage with the artists as they provide new insights and discuss their work in greater depth.

Artists participating in the talks run the full gamut of this year’s exhibitions, from international collaborations building bridges across the art world, to cutting-edge moving image work housed within an eco-sustainable structure.

Saturday 17 December – Exchanges between Scotland and Norway, 12pm – 1pm

David Faithfull and Imi Maufe discuss their ground-breaking new work, EBBE+FLOW, an exchange exhibition between Scotland and Norway which they co-curated.

The exhibition is touring in its own wooden chest filled with artworks and images connecting Norway and Scotland. EBBE+FLOW is a (w)ORD Residency project and captures the essence of the drifting cultural and nautical exchanges between two lands across the North Sea, both historically and today; the ebb and flow of tides, people and objects between Norway and Scotland, following the weather and the tidal streams, back and forth, from east to west and from west to east.

Sunday 18 December – Imbrication: A conversation between Frances Priest, Sam Healy and Mark Daniels, 2pm – 3pm

Chaired by SSA council member Sharon Thomas, artists Frances Priest and Sam Healy with their co-commissioner Mark Daniels of New Media Scotland, will discuss their collaborative processes in the making of the exhibited work: Imbrication, currently exhibited at RSA as part of its 130 Years Annual Exhibition.

Saturday 7 January – Re-imagining Wonderland: An Exercise in Solitude, 12pm – 1pm

CutLog is a group of artists in Scotland who have come together to create new opportunities for moving-image artists. Artists based anywhere in the world were invited to submit moving-image works under 10 minutes long in response to the theme ‘Re-imagining Wonderland’, exploring ideas around issues of change and adaptation in today’s world

Edinburgh based artist and academic, Beverly Hood will be discussing ‘an exercise in solitude’ a short film made on iPhone, about walking with technology as a way to re-think solitude, presented as part of the Cutlog programme at the SSA exhibition, and other recent works.

Introduced by Pernille Spence, from CutLog

Saturday 7 January – Jill Bennett in conversation with Sharon Thomas, 2pm – 3pm

Edinburgh-based Printmaker Jill Bennett will join SSA Council Member Sharon Thomas to discuss her recent SSA awarded artist residency within the Lithography Workshops of Eichstätt, Bavaria.

Established and directed by Stone Lithographer Li Portenlänger, this residency supports experimentation with approaches to Lithography. The event will provide context for the work currently exhibited by both Bennett and Portenlänger, as part of its 130 Years Annual Exhibition

The SSA 130th Anniversary Exhibition is on from 17 December 2022 – 07 January 2023 at the Royal Scottish Academy Edinburgh

2022 Exhibition Information

The Society of Scottish Artists will be presenting the 130th anniversary edition of its renowned Annual Exhibition, beginning 17 December running until 10 January 2023. To celebrate this monumental landmark, this year’s programme runs the full gamut of the art world, both past and present; from classics of Rodin and Paolozzi to a collage of moving images housed within an entirely recyclable structure; from giant installations of inflatable lungs to tapestries and textiles, this year’s edition truly has something to offer everyone.

A plaque has been installed at the Court of Session to commemorate an historic decision which found that slavery was not recognised in Scots Law when it was heard there in 1778.

The case of Joseph Knight v Wedderburn decided that Knight, who was bought as a slave in Jamaica and brought to Scotland, should gain freedom from ‘perpetual servitude’. The Sheriff Court in Perth which first heard the case brought by Wedderburn who wanted a warrant detaining Joseph Knight as a slave in 1773, ruled that “the state of slavery is not recognised by the laws of this kingdom, and is inconsistent with the principles thereof”.

That decision of the lower court was upheld by a majority decision of the full bench of the Court of Session when it was appealed there some five years later.

Professor Sir Geoff Palmer who leads the Edinburgh Slavery and Colonialism Legacy Review Group unveiled the plaque at a ceremony attended by The Lord President, Lord Carloway and invited guests including senior members of the judiciary.

“This historical plaque is an important part of our history,” he said. “Because it states publicly that Joseph Knight, the black servant of Sir John Wedderburn of Ballindean, the 6^th Baronet of Blackness, no longer had to work for Sir John Wedderburn’s household in Perth, Scotland, as a perpetual servant. 

“Therefore, the Court of Session in 1778 gave Knight his freedom in Scotland.”

Sir Geoff added: “This plaque tells the world of a decision that is in keeping with the comment of one of the judges, ‘we sit here to enforce right not to enforce wrong’. Indeed, that ‘right’ was the human right to be free.”

The Lord President said: “Commemorative events such as this one today are important in improving public awareness and wearing away the myth that slavery was never practised or condoned in Scotland. They provide an opportunity for learning through the sharing of experiences and research, as well as being a space for remembrance and reflection. 

“The laws by which Mr Knight had been enslaved may have been Jamaican, but Scotland’s complicity in the slave trade at that time cannot be glossed over. Looking at Jamaica alone, by 1796, almost twenty years after Mr Knight won his freedom on Scottish soil, Scots owned nearly 30 per cent of the estates in Jamaica and by 1817, 32 per cent of the slaves.  Laws made by the Jamaican National Assembly were only passed once sanctioned by the governor on behalf of the British Crown. In other words, slavery was legal in Jamaica because the British government, which was our only government at that time, allowed it to be.

“Some of the comments in Knight are surprising. Commemorative events such as this one today are important in improving public awareness and wearing away the myth that slavery was never practised or condoned in Scotland. They provide an opportunity for learning through the sharing of experiences and research, as well as being a space for remembrance and reflection.

“The public expects the courts to ensure that, fundamentally, justice is done. Whatever else may be said about it, Knight v Wedderburn is a good example of when fair thinking won the day and the right result was reached.”

The case gave the Court of Session the opportunity to declare that slavery was not recognised by Scots law and that fugitives from slavery, or ‘perpetual servants’, could be protected by the courts if they wished to leave domestic service or if attempts were made to forcibly remove them from Scotland and return them to slavery in the colonies.

The plaque marking the decision will be installed in the box corridor at Parliament House which is the row of boxes where papers relating to cases are delivered for advocates to collect.

It states: “On this site, on 15 January 1778, in the case of Joseph Knight v John Wedderburn, the Court of Session upheld the judgment of the Sheriff at Perth that ‘The State of Slavery is not recognised by the Laws of this Kingdom and is inconsistent with the principles thereof’. The Court, by a majority of ten to four, found in favour of Joseph Knight’s freedom.”

Sir Geoff, who told us the story of this decision in a past episode of our Edinburgh Report podcast, took the opportunity of relating the tale – and the way it related to Henry Dundas who is commemorated with a statue in St Andrew Square. You can listen to Sir Geoff telling the story by clicking below:

At the ceremony Sir Geoff said:”John Wedderburn went to Jamaica in 1747. His father was executed after the battle of Culloden in 1745. By 1769 John Wedderburn had become one of the largest and richest slave owners in Jamaica. Wedderburn purchased Knight as a boy. Knight was born in Africa and transported to Jamaica. Wedderburn helped Knight to become literate. In 1769 Wedderburn left Jamaica and returned to Scotland, bringing Knight with him. 

“Knight continued to work as a pocket-money paid servant for Wedderburn at his estate in Bellindean, Perth. In 1774 Knight decided that he would leave Wedderburn’s service. He wanted his own home because he had heard that in 1772, a black person, Somersett, had gained the right to remain in England rather than be transported into slavery in the West Indies. Knight was married to one of Wedderburn’s local female servants. She was expecting a child. Wedderburn effected Knight’s arrest and was supported by the Justice of Peace Court in Perth. Knight appealed to the Sheriff Court in Perth and this Court denied Wedderburn the right to retain him as a perpetual servant without his consent.  

“Wedderburn appealed this decision in the Court of Session from 1774 to 1778. For different reasons, significant numbers of those involved legally in this Knight vs Wedderburn case were distinguished and well known. For example, the Judges include, Lord Arniston (Henry Dundas’ half-brother), Lord Baxfield (who transported the Scottish Martyrs), Lord Auchinleck (James Boswell’s father) and intellectuals such Lord Monboddo, Lord Gardenstone and Lord Kames. 

“During the Knight case, Lord Gardenstone cited a Scottish Judge’s statement of 1687 regarding reference to slavery, “But we have no slaves in Scotland.” Knight was represented by Henry Dundas (Lord Advocate) and John MacLaurin (who became Lord Dreghorn resident of Dreghorn Barracks, Edinburgh). Dundas (1776) agreed that Knight could be freed from his servitude in Scotland (Britain) but he would be “doomed” like “every black man” as a chattel slave in Jamaica. 

“Dundas later (1792) delayed the abolition of the slave trade for a “generation” to benefit slave owners.  After much discussion (1774-1778) of the rights of all people and the “necessity” of legal slavery in the West Indies, in 1778 a majority of the Judges of this Court of Session case in Edinburgh rejected Sir John Wedderburn’s claim for “perpetual service” regarding Joseph Knight. This plaque tells the world of a decision that is in keeping with the comment of one of the Judges, “we sit here to enforce right not to enforce wrong”. Indeed, that “right” was the natural human right to be free.”

Scottish EDGE, the UK’s largest business funding competition, has awarded £100,000 to Edinburgh company S’wheat, the world’s first reusable bottle made from plant-based materials.

S’wheat founders, Jake Elliott-Hook and Amee Ritchie, won the Net Zero category award for their social enterprise to allow them to keep up with the ever-growing demand for their products.

The company makes reusable water bottles from discarded wheat stalks and bamboo. This process eliminates the need for new, unnatural materials and means that more carbon is offset than produced in the creation of their renewable bottles and also with the help of an environmental tree-planting project.

S’wheat is the only reusable bottle that plants trackable native trees with each bottle sold, allowing consumers to view where in the world their tree has been planted.

Co-founder Jake said: “Winning this funding is key to allow us to expand the business so that we can fulfil our current demand, plant more trees, and help companies offset more carbon through our bespoke co-branding offerings”

Amee said: “We are ecstatic about winning this award. To be recognised for something we’ve worked so hard to achieve feels amazing and we can’t thank Scottish EDGE enough for their continued support in our mission.

“We really appreciate all the support we have received from everyone and we’re so excited to be able to grow the business more.”

S’wheat frequently works with larger companies who wish to introduce sustainability into their business operations by offsetting their carbon footprint and minimising plastic waste. They began offering business to business sales in 2020 and there was a 300% increase in profit from this move alone. S’wheat has now worked with a number of these companies including Aston Martin, Google, Meta, and many more. The funding received from this award means that they can successfully assist large companies in their net zero goals and become known as the number one supplier of sustainable bottles.

The company’s next step is to launch all-new reusable products made from the same materials, bamboo and wheat. Thanks to the Scottish EDGE funding, S’wheat can now work to fill the gap in the market for sustainable reusable products that genuinely give back to the earth.

The duo previously won the Young EDGE award for their sustainable business in 2019. This year, Scottish EDGE has chosen to award S’wheat with the top prize. Scottish EDGE has now awarded more than £20 million to businesses in Scotland which show distinct business innovation but require more funding to fill the demand for their products or services. 

The Minister for Further Education, Higher Education, Youth Employment and Training, Jamie Hepburn MSP, visited Wester Hailes Education Centre (WHEC) on Wednesday to find out how an ENABLE programme is helping pupils there.

The ENABLE Works’ Stepping Up Programme was devised by the charity for people with learning disabilities and helps any young people with a learning disability to progress into work or further education.

The minister heard from students who take part in Stepping Up about the variety of interactive workshops and training activities, and the way these have helped to increase their confidence and develop their employability skills.

Mr Hepburn got involved in an interview workshop, aimed at building employability skills, and had the chance to try ENABLE Works’ Virtual Reality (VR) headset, as the programme utilises the latest technologies.

The programme has a 98% positive destination success rate which is higher than the current school leaver statistics in Scotland.

A student, Jay Shanks, said: “I have really enjoyed my time on Stepping Up so far, as I’ve learned a lot about college and work and had the chance to try new things such as the VR headset, while working alongside people in a similar position to me.

“As a pupil in fifth year, I’ve started thinking about what I’d like to do after school. Before Stepping Up I really wasn’t sure what was next for me, I didn’t know much about the world of work, and I wouldn’t have known how to write a CV or how to act in an interview. Thanks to the programme, I now understand how to do these things and I feel much more prepared.

“I’ve been discussing college courses and I’m feeling really excited about what options are out there for me. I’d love to study drama or film and I’m looking forward to visiting different colleges to learn more about the full-time options.”

Director of ENABLE Works, Ashley Ryan said: “Stepping Up is the only programme of its kind in Europe and now operates in over 75 schools across Scotland, making a real difference to the lives of thousands of young people.

“We were very pleased to have welcomed Mr Hepburn to Wester Hailes High School to see first-hand the impact the programme is having on disabled young people, to overcome any barriers that can prevent a positive transition from school into adulthood.

“Helping equip young people with learning disabilities with the confidence and skills they need to positively progress into employment or further education is invaluable, and we hope this early intervention will help to close the disability employment gap that exists in Scotland.”

Jamie Hepburn said: “It has been inspiring to hear about the vital work that ENABLE does to connect disabled young people to fair work, education and productive activities designed to support a successful transition into adult life and work.

“The Scottish Government is committed to supporting organisations, such as ENABLE, to ensure that people with additional support needs are given a wealth of opportunities. I look forward to learning more about the progress of the Stepping Up programme.”

Changes to the plans to change the former Royal High School into a “world-class” music school and performance venue have been approved by councillors.

The £55 million redevelopment of the A-listed building on Calton Hill converting it from a disused empty building into a National Centre for Music was first approved in 2017. Proposals returned to the council this week after alterations to the previously-agreed designs were lodged.

These included revised layout arrangements to the entrance, a new opening within the West Pavilion and the installation of glass panels on the iconic front porch area to introduce a “dramatic beam of sunlight” into the main foyer.

Further changes will allow more natural light into the building with reconfiguration of some classrooms at the east of the site. St Mary’s Music School will relocate to Regent Road from its current home in the city’s West End.

In addition, an ‘entrance pavilion’ has been added to the plans to give pupils attending the school a separate entrance into the building from the public and the number of car parking spaces has been reduced from 25 to 16.

Councillors on the development management sub-committee unanimously approved the alterations at a meeting on Wednesday.

Under the scheme led by the Royal High School Preservation Trust, the Thomas Hamilton-designed building will become the National Centre for Music with three public performance spaces and an auditorium accessed by the original external staircases.

Planning officer Elaine Campbell said: “It’s a great conservation-led scheme that will preserve the iconic listed building in an enduring and sustainable use.

“It will deliver a sustainable and well-designed education and leisure facility that will contribute positively to Edinburgh’s cultural infrastructure and economy.”

Councillor Hal Osler, Convener of the development management sub-committee, added: “This is a really difficult site and anything we can do to bring this forward is a really good thing, because I know there’s been a lot of work done on it.”

Planning documents detailing the proposed changes stated:  “The amendment includes revised layout arrangements, a new opening within the West Pavilion, and a proposed glazed floor light to the external portico.”

And council planners said the development would “preserve an iconic listed building in Edinburgh’s historic core.”

Previous plans to convert the building which has lain empty for more than half a century into a luxury hotel were refused by the council, although the hotel developers had already entered into a lease of the building.

by Donald Turvill

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) is a public service news agency: funded by the BBC, provided by the local news sector, and used by qualifying partners. Local Democracy Reporters cover top-tier local authorities and other public service organisations.