Elizabeth Price, the 2012 Turner Prize winning artist, is to create a new work in partnership with The Hungarian, Panel, Fiona Jardine of Glasgow School of Art and Edinburgh-based Dovecot Studios.

The work is called UNDERFOOT and is a moving image installation alongside a bespoke textile work which is a first for Price. Both of these pieces of art will be acquired by The Hunterian.

The work is created following Price’s Research Fellowship with The University of Glasgow Library which gave her access to the archives of carpet manufacturers Stoddard and Templeton based in Renfrewshire and in Glasgow. The archive includes thousands of design sketches, photos, books, journals and carpet pieces.

Elizabeth Price said: “I’m delighted to be working with The Hunterian, Panel, Dovecot, Glasgow University Archives and Fiona Jardine of The Glasgow School of Art on this project. It is a great pleasure to spend time getting to know the extraordinary Stoddard Templeton archives, and to be entrusted to respond to them.

“I am not quite sure yet where this project will take me, but I know I will reflect upon the carpet as an image of terrain, and the looms that wove them as vast systems of data storage. 

“The work I usually make is described as video, but it is always a composition in sound as much as image, and this emphasis has a special significance for me in this commission. I first visited Glasgow and Edinburgh in the early eighties to perform in a band and I came to know these cities through their post-punk music. That experience will inflect both the moving image work and the textile commission. In respect of that, It is a profound pleasure and challenge to have the opportunity to create a textile for this project, along with the expert weavers at Dovecot. I am fascinated to work with a medium so technically related, and sensually estranged from video.”

Celia Joicey, Director of Dovecot, said: “The exhibition is an outstanding opportunity for Dovecot Studios to explore Elizabeth Price’s thoughtful approach to creating art, craft and design with hand and machine processes. Price is a world-class contemporary artist and this commission will showcase art made in Scotland to an international audience” 

Elizabeth Price is an artist who creates powerful, accessible and innovative works that address social history. Her 2012 Turner-Prize-winning film The Woolworths Choir of 1979 stitched together news footage of a fatal fire in a Manchester branch of Woolworth’s with a TV performance by the Shangri-Las and digital animations analysing the cultural and political relationships between the two, to profoundly moving effect.

Price creates narrative works that feature historic artefacts and documents, often of marginal significance or derogated value. Her selection and treatment of them is shaped by a politics of gender and social class and she often uses historical material to consider and give expression to the adjacent blind spots, oversights and erasures of particular archives and museum collections. She was born in Bradford, Yorkshire in 1966 and grew up in Luton, Bedfordshire. She attended Putteridge Comprehensive High School and studied at the Royal College of Art, London and Leeds University. Throughout her career as an artist, Price has continued to work in academia, and is presently Professor of Film and Photography in the School of Art, Kingston University.

The exhibition at The Hunterian – the oldest museum in Scotland – will run from 11 November 2022 – 16 April 2023.

The leading tech conference in Europe, Turing Fest, will return to Edinburgh this July with more than a thousand people expected to attend the event at Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC).

Turing Fest on 27 and 28 July will include interviews, networking and parties with presentations from more than 40 speakers. Founders and leaders of startups and more established organisations will be brought together to help make connections which improve their businesses.

During the pandemic, Turing Fest Founder and CEO Brian Corcoran spearheaded an open letter to the Scottish Government signed by 50 Scottish tech company CEOs. This open letter was followed by the Scottish Government commissioning the Logan Report signalling a renewed focus on the industry. 

This year’s top tier speaker line-up includes Paul Adams, CPO of Intercom, Maria Gutierrez, VP of Engineering at Twitter, Jonny Brooks-Bartlett, Senior Engineer at Spotify, Shane Curran, CEO of Evervault, April Dunford, Founder of Ambient Strategy, and Rob Walling, Co-Founder of TinySeed, with more speakers still to be announced. 

Brian Corcoran said: “We’re extremely excited to be bringing some of the best minds in the global technology industry back under one roof fully in person in Edinburgh.”

The purpose of Turing Fest is to bring people together from across the tech industry with diverse skills, from different geographies and backgrounds, to learn together to help people get better at what they do professionally so they can build better startups and scaleups. 

“The conference typically has a great atmosphere: the attendees are keen to learn, the speakers are keen to teach, everyone is open to sharing – and they all want to have fun together. It makes for a wonderful community, a genuinely fun and enlightening few days, and gives many startups a better chance of success. 

“The future of Scotland’s economy is going to be built on the tech industry, and on startups and scaleups. We’ve worked closely to support Mark Logan’s work over the past two years in highlighting this and are delighted to see the commitment from Kate Forbes and the Scottish Government in driving the agenda forward.”      

Economy Secretary Kate Forbes said: “It’s great to see Turing Fest coming back to Edinburgh to promote the exchange of knowledge and ideas within our tech sector. 

“Turing Fest has been supported by the Scottish Government’s £1 million Tech Ecosystem Fund, which will open for applications again later this summer, helping to create spaces to incubate, accelerate and educate Scottish start-ups, as well as improving networking, through meet-ups and international conferences.” 

Mark Logan added: “To thrive, a tech ecosystem needs a vibrant ‘market-square’ that connects people, propagates best-practice, and builds a shared sense of belief and confidence.  Turing Fest consistently over-delivers in all these areas and is an essential cornerstone of the Scottish tech industry.” 

Tickets for Turing Fest 2022 are available on this website.

Edinburgh based Eden Scott which helps tech and renewable energy companies with recruitment has posted a return to profits after reporting their first ever financial loss in 2019/20.

The firm recorded a pre-tax profit of £900,000 to end March 2022 from a turnover of £10.3 million last year. The company was involved in several major projects supporting growth in Crown Estate Scotland’s (CES) Energy and Infrastructure team. This is the team which leases the seabed in relation to offshore activities and plays a role in Scotland’s ambition to become net zero carbon. In addition Eden Scott worked with Edrington to fill the roles required to help the drinks business expand its e-commerce platforms.

Michelle Lownie, CEO of Eden Scott, said: “The pandemic hit recruitment harder than almost any other industry and I am proud of the way we have absorbed everything the last two years has thrown at us and bounced back stronger. These results are testament to the resilience, adaptability and agility required to weather the storm and emerge stronger on the other side. 

“The jobs market in Scotland has recovered to levels we haven’t seen since the oil and gas boom of 2011-2014 – with recent figures showing the number of open positions out-stripping the people out of work – but this time it is the rapid growth of the tech and renewables sectors that are driving the search for new talent.

“Despite the likelihood of recession, the tech industry continues largely unaffected by major global issues affecting other industries, and Scotland’s NetZero commitments mean renewables will continue to grow. The future is bright. 

“Eden Scott’s growing strength in these areas and other sectors including Life Sciences and eCommerce, means the time is right to reinvest the profits in our team and bring in new talent to help propel the business into the next post-pandemic chapter. 

“Eden Scott has always been about great people, and with the level of success we’ve enjoyed, we are in a solid position to reinvest in our team. We’re hiring right across the business. We’ve launched a new training programme for our consultants, doubled investment in our recruitment tools and we’ll be refreshing our office space in Glasgow.

“We have enjoyed a fantastic year, and I am incredibly proud of the achievements of everyone at Eden Scott.” 

Eden Scott will reinvest the profits made in growing its team and expanding to the US.

In a glamorous deal Musselburgh Racecourse is saddling up with Harvey Nichols Edinburgh and Bonnie & Wild at St James Quarter.

When you have your tickets for Stobo Castle Ladies Day the beautiful raceday package includes an appointment at Harvey Nichols on the Saturday morning for a full makeover. Once that is complete Bonnie & Wild will welcome racegoers to a brunch in the St James Quarter Food Hall, followed by transport to Musselburgh for the races.

Additional fragrance consultations, skincare treatments and hand and arm massages will also be available on the day. Prestigious beauty brands including Armani Beauty, Estée Lauder, Dior, Fenty Beauty, Hourglass, Laura Mercier, Maison Francis Kurkdjian, Pixi Beauty, Tom Ford and Yves Saint Laurent will be present and on hand to pamper guests at the event.

Aisling Johnston, Commercial Manager at Musselburgh Racecourse, said: “It’s great to be working with two renowned Edinburgh-based businesses to create this unique package for this year’s Ladies Day. It’s going to be a big occasion for people and so we felt it was nice to offer something that will make people feel their best ahead of a great day at the races.”

Tickets cost £132 and will include a 45-minute beauty appointment with a makeup artist from Harvey Nichols Edinburgh, the Prosecco brunch from Bonnie & Wild, transport to and from Musselburgh Racecourse, and a Raceday ticket to Stobo Castle Ladies Day. 

Richard Morris, General Manager at Harvey Nichols Edinburgh, said: “Our beauty experts will be primed and ready with an amazing range of brands we carry in store to help people get ready for the exciting day ahead.” 

Kate Russell, General Manager at Bonnie & Wild, added “Ladies Day is an important day in the Edinburgh calendar and all of us at Bonnie & Wild are delighted to be welcoming racegoers along before the festivities begin. I’m sure they’ll love the bespoke mocktails and beautiful brunch dishes we’ll have available for them, and all topped off by a glass of beautiful bubbly. A perfect start for a day at the races.”

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/stobo-castle-ladies-day-harvey-nichols-and-bonnie-wild-raceday-package-tickets-355103342657

This year’s book festival calls people to Edinburgh with the rallying call, All Together Now, ticking so many boxes in the first proper literary fest since the pandemic, asking people to convene in person to enjoy the many aspects of books and reading.

This is the festival which leaned heavily, and most successfully, on ‘by appointment’ broadcast events during the pandemic, many of which can still be viewed on the Book Festival website. But moving from Charlotte Square the festival then took up residence at Edinburgh College of Art with a smattering of in person events for limited numbers last year. In 2022 the festival team are finally all based in Edinburgh and raring to go.

The Book Festival will not return to its former home Charlotte Square, mainly due to a commitment to reducing its carbon footprint. Instead from 2024 the festival will move to the new space at the Edinburgh Futures Institute currently under construction. This is the £100 million reincarnation of the old Royal Infirmary designed by architects, Bennetts Associates, which will have a cavernous underground space for indoor events, and “the football pitch” above ground. It is there that there will be power outlets meaning that the festival no longer needs to rely on noisy diesel generators as it did previously.

The programme is all-encompassing with children’s stories in the first half hour of each morning in the Storytime Yurt and everyone from Brian Cox, CBE, who is being released from filming Season Four of Succession, to The Gruffalo and Stick Man author, Julia Donaldson, food activist Jack Monroe and literally hundreds of others in between. Some, such as Noam Chomsky, will join virtually from New York where he lives, and we hope that others such as Martha Wainwright who is meeting Karine Polwart might just include a little bit of music during the hour long event which takes place on the opening night.

Nick Barley, Director of the Edinburgh International Book Festival, said:“We’ve learned a great deal in the last two years, so that alongside the return of our full-scale in-person festival we can also offer the accessibility and international reach of live-streamed events. The world has changed immeasurably since 2019: we’re learning to live with the effects of the pandemic and war in Europe – but we’re also beginning to imagine what a better future should look like. Exploring these issues in inspiring conversations with scientists, historians, poets and novelists is exactly where the Book Festival comes into its own. I’m thrilled that thanks to Baillie Gifford, every young person coming to a Schools event gets a free ticket and a free book this year. With all online events and a selection of our in-person theatre tickets also available on a Pay What You Can basis, we’re doing everything we can to make the festival accessible to everyone.”

There will be appearances by Nobel Peace Prize winner, Maria Ressa, and the winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, Abdulrazak Gurney, who will talk about his novel Afterlives, and no fewer than six Booker Prize winners including one of the most recent successful authors, Scotland’s own Douglas Stuart. 

Maggie Farrell will launch her new book during the festival. The next book after her supremely successful Hamnet, The Marriage Portrait, is a portrayal of the battle for survival by a captivating young duchess in 16th century Florence. Stockbridge local Val McDermid will follow last year’s bestseller 1979 with 1989, the latest in the series chronicling modern Scotland. Irvine Welsh will discuss for the first time his new crime novel, The Long Knives.

The creator of The Thick of It, Glaswegian writer, producer and performer, Armando Ianucci, will appear at Central Hall on 19 August along with Jenny Niven talking about Pandemonium, an epic poem written in mock-heroic style with all his usual wit and anger. One of the main characters is Queen Dido and she does battle with a “wet and withered bat” from Wuhan. Expect some laughs.

With war continuing in Ukraine there is a session on 16 August with Allan Little who will speak with Ukrainian historian, Serhii Plokhy, who is Professor of Ukrainian History at Harvard about Ukraine and its position at the Crossroads of Europe and Russia. Little is the BBC’s former Moscow correspondent.

In a nod to the real world and problems which have to be addressed by everyone such as the cost of living crisis, Jack Monroe will speak about her activism around food, creating austerity recipes to help people bringing up families on a strict budget. Monroe has written for many publications, published many books and writes a blog entitled Cooking on a Bootstrap.

School pupils will be invited back to the festival with Bailie Gifford sponsoring free tickets for all and a free book for every child or young person attending an event. There is also a bus fund available for schools to make applications for help with travel. This approach is all about making it as easy as possible for people to join in person or virtually.

This is but a very small selection of the 600 events featuring 550 authors, performers, musicians and thinkers who come from 50 countries. The programme is now online, and booking opens on 23 June 2022 at 10am for Friends of the Book Festival. Friends will be restricted in how many tickets they can buy, ensuring that there will be some left for everyone else. But this is the hot ticket event of the summer, and anyone who wants to book would be well-advised to book early.

Based at the Book Festival Village at the Edinburgh College of Art (ECA) Hub on Lauriston Place the largest events for audiences of around 750 will take place at Central Hall and many of these will be live streamed or available to watch later on demand. Other venues at ECA range from The Wee Red Bar to the 400 seater Sculpture Hall.

The 2022 festival will continue its hybrid format with all online events available for free, but incorporating a Pay What You Want element to try and ensure the sustainability of the Book Festival for the future. 

This format also allows continued accessibility for those who are unable to come to Edinburgh for any reason and, according to Director, Nick Barley, was greatly welcomed last year when the hybrid model was first trialled. 

Edinburgh International Book Festival 2022 – 13 – 29 August 2022 at Edinburgh College of Art.

https://www.edbookfest.co.uk

Further adaptations needed for sector to continue to attract top talent

Scottish legal firms are behind the curve in the transition to cloud-based and mobile technologies and have some way to go before achieving paperless status.

While the sector adapted well to working from home during Covid lockdowns and embraced digital technology in deal-making and transactions, more needs done to embrace customer relationship management systems and end a dependency on paper.

The other main challenge for all legal firms and in-house legal teams for 2022 will be identifying and retaining the best talent whilst progressing diversity agendas, in an exceptionally limited and tight candidate pool.

A result of the shortage of talent has seen significant salary uplifts, with even newly qualified candidates being offered significantly higher basic salaries, exemplified by Pinsent Mason’s recent 35% increase in entry level salaries. In turn this is making it increasingly challenging to fill in-house legal vacancies.

These trends have been highlighted in the sixth Annual Salary Guide into Scotland’s crucial legal and financial service sectors from Core-Asset Consulting. The report is a forensic review of current salary levels and a guide to the major issues that professionals need to be aware of.

Kim Bower, specialist in legal recruitment at Core-Asset, said: “Firms must be aware of how to attract the best talent over and above their competitors, differentiating themselves by offering flexibility, access to cutting edge technology and clear outlines on progression.

“Job availability now outstrips candidate availability and the legal sector is now in the midst of a ‘buyers’ market’, a situation in which changes according to the underlying economic conditions that shape supply and demand.

“Scottish legal firms still have ground to make up before they can claim to have fully revolutionised case load management and workflow through the use of technology which can offer new opportunities and greater efficiency.

“With greater automation, everyone — secretaries, paralegals, lawyers and partners — will be able to work at the higher level of productivity, removing the need for the repetitive tasks that still permeate the profession.”

The report also cited a November 2021 survey by the Law Society of Scotland which highlighted gender, diversity and ethnicity imbalance in the legal profession.

While annually around two-thirds of newly admitted lawyers are woman, progression to more senior roles remain a challenge, with females under-represented in senior committee and managing partner positions.

There appears to be difficulties in attracting male Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) background lawyers into the profession with only 28% of BAME solicitors under 30 being male. It was significant that in a profession where 88% of members are white, less than 4% of members came from a BAME background.

Kim Bower added: “Despite encouraging strides taken by the industry on gender, there appears to be ample room for diversity programmes to be expanded and improved in 2022 and further industry work is required to address issues of disability, gender, LGBTQI+, race and social mobility.”

The report said that against a backdrop of challenging economic conditions, rising cost of living, and greater burdens on businesses engaged in international trade, the demand for legal services and representation will rise.

The COVID pandemic had accelerated changing attitudes in the legal sector regarding the importance of mental health and wellbeing. Creating an effective work-life balance will become increasingly important for legal firm and their employees.

“Flexible and remote working is likely to become the norm rather than the exception,” said Kim Bower.

“The way that advice is given, clients are advised and cases are managed will need to continue to adapt. Shifts in both working practice and the operation of the justice sector means legal firms need to be realistic about the scale of the challenges faced and the speed of technological change required.

“The shift to a candidate-driven market directly correlates with increased operating confidence in the sector, growth and expansion agendas being progressed, and internal projects which were placed on hold as the sector readjusted, moving forward at pace.

“Other markers include increased salary levels to secure applicants and a rise in counter offers from current employers to ‘stop’ individuals changing roles.”

The search for lawyers to work in niche areas may be assisted by remote working and the ability to recruit dual-qualified practitioners based elsewhere in the UK.

Kim Bower added: “Remote working means a London-based candidate pool is now a more feasible option for Scottish-based firms to hire.

“However, the economic disparities on salary levels and the cost-of-operation/living differences between Scotland and cities such as London, will result in significant commercial impacts to Scottish firms.

“This may also result in difficult internal discussions on the equal treatment of employees, with those lawyers at the same level, doing the same work, on different salaries, in different locations.”

Core-Asset Consulting was formed in 2005. Based in Edinburgh, it is now an £14m business employing 22 people and works across the entire financial services sector, from the smallest boutiques to the biggest global players.

Initially the firm carved its reputation in Scotland’s globally-renowned asset management sector. However, the success of its model allowed it to expand across the wider financial services market. It now boasts dedicated accounting, investment operations and finance teams and also works in Scotland’s thriving legal sector.

To register to receive a copy of the full 2022/23 Industry Trends and Salary Guide report, please visit: https://core-asset.co.uk/news-and-insight/resources/employer-resources/salary-guide-2022-2023/

Inspired by the success of its Concerts by Candlelight winter tour series, Scottish Ensemble has announced its inaugural summer edition, ‘Concerts for a Summer’s Night‘. The programme will tour across Scotland and visit Edinburgh on 21 June, marking the longest day of the year and the beginning of summer.

The 12-piece ensemble will perform in unique venues, specially chosen to make the most of the natural light on offer during summer evenings. In the expansive National Museum of Scotland, audiences are sure to be immersed in radiant light and spellbinding music as the sun begins to set.

In true Scottish Ensemble style, the programme features an eclectic repertoire, taking the audience on an atmospheric journey across styles and centuries. The programme opens with a strings rendition of Mozart’s energetic Magic Flute Overture, followed later by the famous and spectacular Queen of the Night aria. Ranging from Dvořák’s folk-infused American Quartet to Purcell’s hypnotic Fantasia, to Schubert’s pioneering Gretchen at the Spinning Wheel, there is lots of beautiful and familiar music for everyone to enjoy.

Weaved between renowned works, the ensemble will introduce audiences to less widely known pieces, including Dobrinka Tabakova’s hypnotising and melancholy ‘Spinning a Yarn’, which features the unusual combination of violin and hurdy-gurdy, and Jessie Montgomery’s ‘Strum’, a vibrant, rhythmic piece, inspired by the spirit of dance and movement.

Audiences will also be treated to William Grant Still’s ‘Summerland’, a wistful, serene evocation of a heat-stilled summer’s afternoon, and a true musical realisation of the light-infused theme of ‘Concerts for a Summer’s Night’.

The programme will be directed by Artistic Director Jonathan Morton, who said: “We wanted to create an experience for the lighter summer evenings which complements the popular winter candlelit performances. I am very much looking forward to working with the whole team on this new addition to our musical calendar, where audiences can enjoy Scottish Ensemble’s beautifully adventurous programming at this light-filled time of year.”

‘Concerts for a Summer’s Night’ Tour Details

20 June – Rossie Byre, Perthshire
21 June – National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh
22 June – Aberdeen Art Gallery, Aberdeen
23 June – Barras Art and Design, Glasgow

Tickets include a welcome drink and are on sale now at https://scottishensemble.co.uk/programme/2021-22/concerts-for-a-summers-night/

Due to a significant increase in business, Webster Honey has recruited an additional beekeeper to join its team.

Kevin Friel, from Strathmiglo, who has been a beekeeper for nearly six years, will join Beekeeper Meik Molitor in tending more than 250 Webster Honey hives all across Scotland.

Under its hive sponsorship scheme, the sustainable honey business now has hives situated at hotels, at schools and nurseries, nature reserves, country estates, fruit farms, and, most recently, at a distillery in Fife.     

With its schools & nursery educational programme having experienced a particular surge in demand, due to many more educational establishments coming on board since pandemic restrictions ended, Webster Honey felt that the time was right to recruit an additional beekeeper. 

Along with looking after hives at various locations, Webster Honey beekeepers are very “hands on” during the school educational programmes, engaging directly with the children and letting them lift out bee trays whilst wearing protective child sized bee suits.

Meik Molitor said: “We’d like to welcome Kevin to the Webster Honey team. He’s come on board at just the right time as approach a very busy summer season with more hives than ever before having been sponsored by businesses, individuals, groups and schools.”

“We’re hoping for a bumper honey crop as we had last year which was a very good year for bees,” added Meik.

“Our beekeepers have to be very good with people as well as good with bees – it’s not just schoolchildren that we engage with, many of the hotels and shopping centre we are now partnering are offering their customers the chance to take part in honeybee workshops which we host. Kevin has just the skills we need to put this across well, and most of all, he has a passion for bees,” finished Meik.

Kevin said: “I’m delighted to join Webster Honey officially,  as I had helped Meik out with a few tasks during the pandemic when he had so many hives to tend all by himself.  I was impressed with Webster Honey’s ethos, especially the fact that they feed all profits back into buying more hives. It‘s so important that we all try to save bees. I’m really enjoying it all, especially going into schools as children find learning about endlessly fascinating.”

Kevin first got into bees when he was a fly fisherman. 

“I started studying aquatic flies, which I found amazing,” he said. “Then I got into bees and was hooked. It all went from there and I became a beekeeper. I’ve certainly always been into wildlife and wated to do a job connected with the outdoors.”

With plans underway to breed their own bees now, rather than buying in “packets” of bees from abroad, Meik and Kevin have been busy performing splits which is when existing colonies are separated to make new ones.

“We’ve only purchased a few packets this season”, said Meik, “most of our new colonies have been as a result of our own splits which is good.”

“We’ve been on a Queen Rearing Course, which is quite complex, but now we are a team we can certainly devote the time to it all.”

Further details on Webster Honey’s Hive sponsorship https://www.websterhoney.com/bees-and-your-business/

School Classes https://www.websterhoney.com/school-classes/

Bee Adoption https://www.websterhoney.com/adopt-a-bee/

A packed three day programme has been announced for LeithLate 2022 running from 24 to 26 June in Venuses all over Leith. All events are either free or pay what you can.

One of the highlights will be a community dance project which will take place on the streets. Another includes the live music event at the Hibs Club and social enterprise Punjabi Junction will be back with a free family style Sunday lunch.

Camilla Crosta, LeithLate producer, said: “It is the first time I have collaborated with LeithLate, and I feel very fortunate to be in this position and to have had the opportunity to get to know, connect and learn more about Leith, the creative projects, the ideas, the people and the changes that are happening in the neighbourhood. Leith is unique in how people, groups and places are open to collaborations and projects.  I enjoyed every conversation I had in the past months with the people I met. It was interesting to learn and understand how things have changed and adapted and how much the pandemic and the current tram work affect the work and the practice of organisations, businesses and creative people. I hope the programme will reflect and acknowledge this moment of passage, a gentle return to cultural events and projects, to meet again and encounter.”

PROGRAMME OF EVENTS

Friday 24 June ‘Moving’

• You Belong Here, an exhibition of artwork created by young people from  LGBT Youth Scotland, in collaboration with The Fruitmarket Gallery and their associated artists Louise K Fraser, Eden Bø Dower, Heather Marshall and Bea Makan. (Exhibition opening 4pm – 5pm, Griffin Fitness; then running until 26 June)

Free

• Common Ground, live dance performance from Leith choreographer and performer Andrea Torres Viedma. Fusing elements of contemporary and Afro-Latin American dances with a feminist and decolonial approach, Andrea will explore how we move together as a community in both private and public spaces. The performance is open to members of the community to participate in, with free evening workshops on the 9, 16 and 23 June leading up to the performance. (Constitution St, specific location to be confirmed, 6pm, free and non-ticketed) 

• DIY record label OK Pals curating a night of live music from Blue Tiger, Hailey Beavis & Hank Tree  (Hibs Club, 8.30pm – 11pm, sliding scale tickets/by donation, tickets released soon)

• The Summer Solstice celebrated at Out Of The Blue with group installation Marseille Morning. A group of mystically-minded artists will take possession of the Drill Hall, springing from worn wooden dance floor to soaring glass roof, showcasing work from Abi Lewis, Aimée McCallum, Anupa Gardner, Bethany Thompson, Cecile Simonis, Cristiana Messina, Eugenia Barbisan, Gemma Valentine, Jessica Crisp, Lyndsay Fairley, Page Hardie, Robert Powell, Samantha Dick, Suzi Cunningham and Veronica Merlo. (Exhibition opens Tuesday 21st June 6 – 9pm. Then open 22 June – 2 July 10am – 5pm and open until 9pm Fri 24 June, Out of the Blue, free and non-ticketed)

• A summer showcase of work from little living room collective, a social enterprise dedicated to supporting creative career growth and skills development in the arts. This exhibition has been designed to showcase the original works of the collective’s members and facilitate fun creative volunteer opportunities for CAMHS service users.  Works by Gabi Gikyte, Emma Johnson, Shannon ell Dean Johnson, Katy Lawrence, Mullein Green, Ozge Spike, Amy Liston, Chelsea Bunyan, Cassandra Harrison, Anna Ferrara, Lajeen Wasim, Josh Clark, Rebecca Sumina and Rebecca Gallacher. (18 June – 2 July open late Fri 24 June, Out of the Blue, free and non-ticketed)

• Creative Electric artist Heather Marshall embarking on a mini-residency from 20 -23 June exploring transformations around Leith over the past two years. The results of her research will be a series of posters installed outdoors and in shop windows around Leith Walk.  (24 – 26 June, free and non-ticketed). 

• Studio Lenca aka Jose Campos (photo below) presents The Invisibles, a series of new portraits confronting the complex cultural history of his native El Salvador. The paintings explore the layered erasure of his culture through enforced Spanish and US cultural dominance, now seen through the lens of his UK citizenship, where his identity is officially listed as ‘Other’.  (Preview 24 June 6pm – 8pm then 25 June – 28 August 10am – 2pm, free and non-ticketed) 

Saturday 25 June ‘Imagining’

• Rotterdam-based artist Honey Jones-Hughes leading Metropolis Master, both a workshop on urban planning and an interactive game (photos above) imagining the future needs of a changing city. As the games master throws in funding cuts, privatisation and other changes in social and economic policy, participants must collaborate to collectively build a sculpture (Leith Arches, 4pm – 6pm, free but ticketed)

• An evening of music and conversations curated by EH-FM, Leith’s online radio and digital platform for local creative souls to express themselves. Featuring Edinburgh-based collective Main Ingredient. (Settlement Projects, 7pm – 9pm, free) 

Sunday 26 June ‘Sharing’ 

• An informal community conversation around around food, memories and changes in Leith, (Custom Lane, 11am – 12.30pm, free but ticketed)

• A free lunch of home-cooking courtesy of Leith social enterprise cafe Punjabi Junction (Custom Lane, 12.30pm-1.30pm, free)

• Poet and writer Tawona Sithole leads a storytelling session for children about imagining stories. Children whose first language isn’t English or who speak more than one language are invited to attend. (Custom Lane, 1.30pm – 3.30 pm, free and non-ticketed)

• An exploration of food across the generations led by Scottish charity Generations Working Together (Custom Lane, 1.30pm – 3 pm, free and non-ticketed
• For ticketed events please visit www.leithlate.co.uk

Moredun Library is looking for local people involved in the 2000 “Tumbledown Terrace” incident to take part in an oral history project.

33 households at Ferniehill Terrace in the Gilmerton area of Edinburgh were evacuated in November 2000 after the street, which was built above old limestone workings, started to sink. It was said to be one of the worst cases of subsidence ever recorded in Scotland, causing a street to collapse and spelling misery for local residents. 

• Were you involved? 
• Were you or a relative of yours evacuated? 
• Are you a local who remembers the affect on the area and community? 
• Or maybe you were part of the housing or emergency team who dealt with the emergency?

If so, the library would love to interview you, record your recollections and make copies of any photos you might have for a local oral history project.

Moredun Library are organising an oral history project dedicated to local people effected by the incident. Please contact Robert Carroll at Moredun and Gilmerton Libraries if you would like to contribute.

Robert Carroll Lifelong Learning Advisor

robert.carroll@edinburgh.gov.uk

Moredun Library Phone: 0131 529 5652

East Lothian based artist, Andrew Brooks will be exhibiting art focussing on telling the stories of those diagnosed with neurological condition Functional Neurological Disorder, FND, often referred to as the most common condition you’ve never heard of. 

Brooks makes art that concentrates on small details of information to tell stories, using the particular to find the universal. The multidisciplinary exhibition, FND Stories is based on in-person interviews with 6 people from around the UK who live with FND along with contributions from over 90 of those diagnosed from around the world.

The interviews gave first-hand accounts of living with FND and include a beauty queen finalist from Croydon who only began competing since her diagnosis in July 2020. The artwork was created using techniques of data analysis from the interviews and contributions in a range of media including silent video, text-based art, and large-scale ink and gold leaf pieces.

The exhibition seeks to raise awareness of the condition and highlights the lived experiences of those diagnosed. It will be on show through the 20m long windows of InSpace Gallery for the full period to engage as many people as possible, as well as a shorter internal show with an opening event.

Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) is a common and disabling cause of neurological symptoms. The symptoms are not caused by a structural disease of the nervous system but it is a problem with the “functioning” of the nervous system. It is a problem with how the brain and body send and receive signals. The symptoms can cause impairment in quality of life that is similar to and in some aspects worse than other neurological conditions. Symptoms are highly varied and can include weakness and abnormal patterns of movement, attacks of abnormal movement / change in awareness that resemble epileptic seizures, sensory problems, cognitive problems, and visual and speech problems.

Brooks began making work involving the condition while studying a Fine Art MA in Bristol: “FND is a constant part of my life as my wife was diagnosed with it in 2015 following a bicycle crash involving a car. I began to make and exhibit work about our experiences living with FND reflecting on our married life, subsequently broadening the project making further work with members of Southwest England based charity ‘FND Friends’.

“Having moved to Scotland I secured funding from Creative Informatics. The ‘Connected Innovators’ funding stream has given me the time and resources to continue making work with those diagnosed with FND developing new skills to represent people’s stories and raise awareness about the condition”.

With support from FND Hope UK (whom he is independent from) Brooks has been able to broaden the project and had responses from around the globe, including America, Canada and Gibraltar, with over 90 participants answering the question what three words would you use to describe your FND – the top three responses being frustrating, debilitating and misunderstood.

Six in-person interviews with participants from around the UK were filmed and transcribed, these stories are the basis for much of the artwork. Those interviewed are from a range of ages, backgrounds, types and severity of condition and were asked the same set of questions about life with FND. In response to “what is a good day with FND?” one interviewee answered, “a good day is having a shower and not having to sleep after it (laughing)…good days are when I can do the things I used to take for granted”.

Inspace Gallery, 1 Crichton Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9AB
Inspace City Screen, window display on Potterrow – Tuesday 7th – Sunday 26th June;
Opening Event Wednesday 22nd June, 5-7pm;
Internal Exhibition Thursday 23rd – Sunday 26th June.

A local housebuilder has hosted a site safety discussion at Frogston Primary School to remind children and young people of the dangers of its nearby building sites at Heritage Grange in Edinburgh.

Barratt Developments PLC, which includes Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes, held a site safety session during a school assembly taking the pupils through the dangers of construction sites, how to stay safe near them, the developments themselves and site worker safety.

Lorraine Lawrie, Head Teacher at Frogston Primary School said: “Pupils at Frogston Primary School had a great time during their visit from Stewart at Barratt Developments.

“They enjoyed the site safety presentation, which was both fun and interactive but also emphasised the importance of being safe near building sites. A highlight for the children was dressing up in Barratt’s PPE equipment.

“This was a great educational experience to have ahead of the summer holidays.”

Stewart Ponton, Safety, Health and Environment Operations Manager for Barratt Developments PLC said: “Our site managers are very aware of the attractiveness of construction sites to children. While they might look like fun obstacle courses or play parks, the fact of the matter is that they are extremely dangerous.

“It is our duty of care to the people of Edinburgh, among the many other communities in which we operate, to provide local schools like Frogston Primary School with the proper information on how the pupils can stay safe.”

Barratt Developments have a range of three bed homes at DWH Heritage Grange. Situated next to the Pentland Hills in the south of Edinburgh and surrounded by beautiful countryside views and lots of open space, this development makes the perfect location to enjoy a combination of country and city living. Additionally, it is a 20-minute drive to Edinburgh city centre and on the doorstep to the City Bypass.

https://www.dwh.co.uk/new-homes/dev000330-dwh-@-heritage-grange/

Two members of staff from luxury store Louis Vuitton in Multrees Walk helped out at the Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland store in Davidson’s Mains by dressing the shop’s window with items which they picked out from stock. Showing their expertise in retailing, some of these items sold before the end of the day.

The two assistants, Claire Kelly, Senior Client Adviser at Louis Vuitton and Lesley Forbes, Client Adviser, learned how the charity shop processes and prices the donations and offered their help in creating the window displays. The brand encourages their staff through their Skills Sponsorship Programme to volunteer and support local causes.

Brian Smith, Shop Manager at Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland’s store, said: “It was brilliant having Claire and Lesley volunteering with us in the store. They were a huge help and the shop really benefited from their expertise and enthusiasm – it was a joy to work with them.

“They created two fantastic window displays featuring bright, dressy clothing and many of the items they included had sold before the end of the day.

“They shared their expertise on seasonality, trends and the use of themes which was really helpful for our shop team going forward when planning displays and highlighting products in store.

“Every purchase made in our store helps people living with chest, heart and stroke conditions to do more than survive and really live. It was great to have Claire and Lesley’s support to increase sales and help more people in our community.”

Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland’s boutiques pride themselves on giving customers a truly unique shopping experience with their quirky interiors but more importantly their selection of high-quality, pre-loved clothes and accessories at great prices.

Funds raised through the charity’s shops are vital in helping fund their essential services across Scotland which support people with chest, heart and stroke conditions to live their lives to the full.

In one of his first outings as Lord Provost wearing a hard hat, Cllr Robert Aldridge has attended the topping out ceremony at the Usher Building at Edinburgh Bioquarter.

He met with representatives of University of Edinburgh and Edinburgh BioQuarter and the principal contractor McLaughlin and Harvey to celebrate a key moment in the development of the building which is due to open in 2024.

The Usher Institute is part of the Data-Driven Innovation initiative and is supported by £48.5million from the UK Government and £0.7million from the Scottish Government through the £1.4 billion Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal – a 15 year investment programme jointly funded by both governments and regional partners. When it opens it will be a base for more than 900 researchers and those working in the delivery of health and social care, using data driven solutions and collaboration to improve the work.

The Lord Provost said: “It’s fantastic that the next milestone has been reached on what will be a world class research and teaching facility in the region. The Usher Institute was and continues to be central to Scotland’s understanding of, and response to, Covid-19.

“The importance of using data science to improve and save lives has never been more obvious and I very much look forward to the work that will be undertaken in the finished Usher building. The Usher Institute enhances Scotland’s world-leading health data assets and is central to our future ambitions for developing an international network of healthcare innovation at Edinburgh BioQuarter to understand and advance global health.”

Professor Sir Aziz Sheikh, Director, Usher Institute said: “Collaboration is at the core of our data-driven vision for the new building, bringing together outstanding academic and clinical expertise within the Usher Institute, alongside companies and health and social care providers. Working together, we hope to find solutions to some of the biggest health challenges facing our country, delivering better health and care for those in the region and across Scotland.”

Anna Stamp, Interim Programme Director, Edinburgh BioQuarter said: “The Usher Institute will deliver unrivalled health and social care data opportunities, and is designed to reflect the collaborative nature of the institute and our community of world-leading health and life sciences innovators.

“This groundbreaking development will support the wider ambitions to make Edinburgh the data capital of Europe, and supports our vision to create a Health Innovation District that will ensure Edinburgh is a leading global destination for pioneering health innovation and enterprise. Delivering many benefits for people and patients, locally, nationally and internationally.”

Alongside Celtic and Rangers, Hearts have been granted permission to pay the £40,000 fee and admit a B team to compete in the Lowland League next season as ‘guest clubs’.

Last season, the two Glasgow sides paid £25,000 to enter teams, but this season that fee has risen. Once again, the guest clubs will not be eligible for promotion should they win the league.

The arrival of the three guest clubs, who need to field a minimum of seven players that are eligible for the Scotland national team, will mean 19 sides will make up the Lowland League next season.

Hearts manager, Robbie Neilson previously explained why Hearts were so keen to enter the league. He said: “I support a platform for the young players to go and play.

“We have not had a reserve league for a number of years and it has really hindered the development of these players.

“We have had to find loan deals to put them out but we have no control over what happens there – how they play, how they train, the environment they are in.”

The inclusion of the guest clubs last season infuriated many Scottish football fans and matters have intensified this time around as Lowland League clubs have performed a U-turn to admit the guest clubs to the league, when the deal previously looked to be dead.

Chairman of the Lowland League, Thomas Brown, said: “We were always open to the inclusion of guest clubs for a further season given the successful player development outcomes from last year’s pilot. We want to be a modern and progressive league and we are excited to be playing our part in the eco system that develops Scotland’s talent.

“Importantly, we now look forward to working with the Scottish FA, the SPFL and our friends in the pyramid to create some new solutions to some existing challenges which will provide a bright future at all levels of our game.”

Dr Adrian Davis Professor of Transport and Health at Edinburgh Napier University has co-authored a report for the World Health Organization explaining that cycling for just one day a week rather than driving saves the equivalent emissions of a flight from London to New York.

In the report he provides evidence on the benefits and the risks of active travel, showing that promoting active travel is “good for population health and the environment”. He expands on the benefits of e-bikes which have meant that more people take up cycling – including older people who find there is a positive impact on health and wellbeing.

As an example the report states that if just one in five residents can be convinced to permanently swap the driving seat for the saddle one day a week, it would cut emissions from all car travel in Europe by about 8%.

The health benefits of active travel are also laid bare with the report showing that active travellers have as much as a 40% lower risk of dying from cancer and a 52% lower risk of dying from heart disease compared to those commuting by car or public transport. They also have a 46% lower risk of developing heart disease and a 45% lower risk of developing cancer at all. This means a poorer quality of life.

Minister for Active Travel, Patrick Harvie, said: “I’m pleased to welcome this new report from the World Health Organisation on the many benefits of active travel.

“This peer-reviewed publication – co-authored by Dr Davis from Edinburgh Napier University – provides the latest evidence base for policy makers across the globe on why investment in walking, wheeling and cycling is so important for our health, our cities and our environment.

“The vital role active travel can play in building healthier and happier lives is well recognised in Scotland. That’s why I’m proud the Scottish Government has committed to spend at least 10% of the transport budget on active travel by 2024/25, enabling a transformational investment in communities across the country. This report sets out all the benefits that we will see as we make that shift.”

Co-author Dr Adrian Davis said: “This report clearly shows that for individuals and societies active travel is good for health and that we can all play our part in tackling climate change. As Individuals, we can take actions which benefits our own health and that of others.

“People who walk or cycle as well as use cars have lower carbon footprints from all daily travel. More people switching some of their journeys to active travel would lower carbon emissions from transport on a daily basis.

“The report provides timely evidence to support policy makers and practitioners, coming as it does shortly after the Scottish local government elections.”

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If you have never heard of Pianodrome then imagine an amphitheatre type of structure made entirely from old upright pianos, some of which are still playable. (Also, where have you been?) This summer a new Pianodrome is being created and installed at the former Royal High School with financial help from an anonymous donor.

From this Thursday all the way through to September members of the public will have the opportunity of experiencing the former school building in its new role as a cultural hub, when The Old Royal Pianodrome comes to town firstly as part of Hidden Door Festival.

Plans to convert the building into the new home for St Mary’s Music School in the form of a national music centre have already been approved, although papers showing some cosmetic amendments have just been lodged with the council.

The 10 metre diameter circular amphitheatre created from more than 40 pianos will be unveiled at Hidden Door Festival which runs from this Thursday, 9 to 18 June 2022, but Pianodrome will remain in place after the festival for four months, hosting performances there during the Fringe in August.

We visited the Granton warehouse where lead Artist Tim Vincent-Smith was creating the new amphitheatre to find out more. We spoke to him sitting on the old Pianodrome which has been sited in several places in town including the Royal Botanic Garden and at The Pitt in Leith.

Tim explained that while the Pianodrome looks as though it is only two pianos high, there are actually three pianos embedded in it. The bottom ones are called the anchor pianos, some of which are playable, and then each anchor piano has seating units in front of them which are also made out of formerly loved instruments.

In our podcast below Tim, who is a founding member of the band S!nk, also played some Beethoven and Brahms on one of the pianos in the first version which is called the Grand Pianodrome, warning it was just a little bit of tune.

No doubt the new Old Royal Pianodrome will be in tip top working order when it is unveiled on Thursday at Hidden Door Festival.

As well as the installation of Pianodrome at the former Royal High there will be drop in events, workshops and performances creating a Summer Resonancy. More details here.

Ten piano sculptures were created for the Leeds Piano Trail in September last year, some of which you can now see at Ocean Terminal in the former Debenhams store. In addition The Elephant in the Room sculpture (again made from pianos) is standing six metres tall in the stairwell at that end of the shopping centre.

Pianodrome Producer and Director Matthew Wright, said:“Since we first invited audiences to play with and sit on our upcycled piano sculptures we’ve been delighted to find ourselves part of an enthusiastic, growing culture of do-it-yourself creative expression in the city. The new Pianodrome Amphitheatre is a chance for us to work with this community, and a growing list of partner organisations, to create a welcoming, sustainable, playful and magical musical space where new sounds and ideas can be shared and celebrated by all.”

Pianodrome Director and Lead Artist Tim Vincent-Smith, said:”In the same way that we, at Pianodrome, take beautiful old pianos and give them new lives as interactive sculptures, the new National Centre for Music will take the iconic Old Royal High and make it really sing. It is a great privilege and a pleasure to be given this opportunity to play a small part in the commencement of this wonderful transformation.” 

David Martin, Hidden Door’s Creative Director, said:”We are honoured to be hosting the world premiere of a new Pianodrome at this year’s Hidden Door Festival in June. While our event breathes new life into Edinburgh’s forgotten spaces, Pianodrome gives new life to abandoned instruments, and through their inspirational creativity they generate new space for performers and audiences to experience in a completely unique and often interactive way.

“Their imaginative vision epitomises the spirit of the festival, so it is fantastic to be working in partnership together to put on a programme of theatre, music and spoken word performances that will provide unforgettable experiences for anyone lucky enough to find a seat at the Pianodrome during Hidden Door.”

The images below show the Pianodrome installations in Leeds last year and you can see these sculptures in Ocean Terminal where they are displayed in the former Debenhams store.

Photos below of the Leeds Piano Trail by Anthony Ravelo

Scottish Conservative Leader Douglas Ross said ahead of this evening’s vote of no confidence in the Prime Minister that he will be voting for the motion of no confidence against Boris Johnson. 

Whenever we met him during the council elections campaign he confirmed that although he had initially lodged a letter with the chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee, he had withdrawn it as he felt it was not the time for a leadership contest in the Conservative party. He said that he would prefer to wait until the war in Ukraine was over.

But Mr Ross said on Monday : “While war in Europe continues and the UK Government is providing such strong support to President Zelenskyy and the people of Ukraine, the timing of this vote is far from ideal.

“However, while I’ve not sought to bring this vote about at this time, it is now going ahead tonight, and I’ve had to consider how to vote on behalf of my constituents and the country.

“I do so knowing there are vocal opinions on both sides of this argument, an argument that has dominated much of the political discussion for many months. 

“The Prime Minister can be proud of many of the successes his government have led on, particularly the Covid vaccine and the furlough scheme.

“However, I have heard loud and clear the anger at the breaking of Covid rules that we all did our best to follow, and even more so at the statements to Parliament from the Prime Minister on this topic.

“Having listened closely to people in Moray who re-elected me to represent them, and from many people across Scotland, now that this confidence vote is upon us, I cannot in good faith support Boris Johnson. My vote tonight will support the motion of no confidence.”

Motorola Solutions has opened a new hub in Caledonian Exchange on Canning Street in the West End on Monday with a ministerial visit.

The new office will become a place for innovation in the company’s mobile video, video security and access control businesses. There will be jobs on offer and the opportunity for fresh commercial deals.

Angus Robertson MSP, Minister for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture, performed the opening ceremony and said: ““The opening of Motorola Solutions’ new Edinburgh facility is a real vote of confidence and again highlights the attractiveness of investing in Scotland.

“Innovation is key to ensuring that Scotland is able to develop smart digital solutions to meet the needs of the future. The Motorola Solutions Innovation Hub will contribute to this work by creating video security and evidence management solutions for emergency services, not just in Scotland but internationally as well.”

Jack Molloy, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Motorola Solutions, said: “Video security and access control are playing a more powerful role in helping our customers understand and respond to rapidly evolving safety and security challenges now more than ever.

“This is the fastest growing part of our business, and our Edinburgh team will be instrumental in continuing to design advanced technologies that enhance safety, security and operational efficiency, reaffirming our leadership in this space.”   

Richie McBride, senior director of international mobile video at the company said: “Edinburgh has a proven track record for some of the most exciting advancements in video innovation. Our growing local presence reinforces Motorola Solutions’ commitment to investing in diverse talent to create next-generation, mission-critical technologies that are depended on by frontline workers all over the world.”

Motorola Solutions’ video security innovations from Scotland are trusted by thousands of organisations worldwide, including U.K.-based NHS England ambulance trusts, National Highways and the Co-op, as well as international organisations, such as the French Ministry of the Interior, Malta Police, MetrôRio and Romanian Border Police.

The latest group of items to come under the hammer is an intriguing and important fossil and mineral collection belonging to the late Professor Gordon Walkden, Emeritus Professor of Geology at Aberdeen University. The items currently reside in Bonham’s Edinburgh branch, but the sale will take place at Bonhams’ annual Collections’ Sale at Bonhams Knightsbridge on 28-29 June.

Affectionally known as Aberdeen’s answer to Indiana Jones, Professor Walkden contributed enormously to research through his papers and talks, and his fascinating collection reflects the passion he felt for his subject.

Highlights include:

THE GLADSTONE TABLE: A VICTORIAN SPECIMEN MARBLE PEDESTAL TABLE. This fascinating ‘Patriotic’ specimen marble table stands apart from two others from the original set of three at Fasque, (the Gladstone family’s Scottish seat) because it is distinctly likely the central specimen was excavated by the future Prime Minister William Gladstone himself in 1832. Estimate: £5,000-8,000.

AN EARLY 19TH CENTURY DERBYSHIRE FLOURSPAR ‘BLUE JOHN’ ASHFORD AND WHITE MARBLE SPECIMEN TABLETOP, POSSIBLY BY WHITE WATSON (1760-1835). Estimate: £1,000-1,500.

A RARE 19TH CENTURY ITALIAN MARBLE TRADER’S SPECIMEN SET. Comprised of one hundred and fifty individual marble specimens, each on numbered grey stone bevelled mounts accompanied by the ledger, titled ‘Catalogo della qui Serie si Pietre Silicie e Calcarie in No.150’, inscribed in ink, with marble paper covers (torn), housed in a pine case with sliding cover. Estimate: £2,000-3,000.

A FINE BARONIAL ARRANGEMENT OF FOSSILIZED SHARKS TEETH. Eocene period, Hampshire, England. Estimate: £1,000-1,500.

A MASSIVE RED IRIDESCENT AMMONITE. Placenticeras. Late Cretaceous era. Estimate: £800-1,200.

The collection will be offered for sale at Bonhams’ annual Collections Sale at Bonhams Knightsbridge on 28-29 June.

Although the all day restaurant at Gleneagles Townhouse is not opening to non-residents until 27 June, bookings can be made from Monday.

The Spence promises a “progressive culinary offering” from morning until night under the direction of Scottish Chef, Jonny Wright who is coming back home after spending 16 years gathering experience as Head Chef in Jason Atherton’s Berner’s Tavern, where he was the recipient of an Acorn top 30-under-30 award, Sous Chef at Evelyn’s Table and Senior Sous Chef at the award-winning Palomar restaurant in Soho.

Signature dishes, which Jonny describes as “rooted in classics with a modern twist” will include Wild Mushroom Tart with Goats Curd and Hazelnuts, Whole Roasted Turbot with Fennel & Chilli, Sunday lunch of Scottish Sirloin, Yorkshire Pudding and all the trimmings, and Glenturret Scotch Baba with Praline Sauce and Mascarpone for two to share.

Weekend brunch will be a leisurely affair, as it should be, with seasonal highlights including West Coast Crab Omelette, Grilled Asparagus with Burnt Butter Hollandaise, as well as breakfast favourites served daily, like Marbury Smoked Salmon with Scrambled Eggs and Toasted Company Bakery Sourdough, alongside a delicious selection of pastries and breads, juices, shots, and smoothies. 

Underlining his ethos to put produce first to create exceptional dining experiences, Head Chef Jonny and his team have sought out some of Scotland’s most innovative suppliers, including Gilmour Butchers, George Campbell & Sons, Mara Seaweed and Blackthorn Salt, all playing a unique role in bringing the offering of The Spence to life.

The Townhouse is open for members and hotel residents from Monday and in the restaurant on 27 June for non-residents.

Reservations for The Spence can now be made here: gleneaglestownhouse.com

We Make Music Instrument Libraries is a new way of having musical instruments available to the public in libraries across Scotland.

Borrowers could take these instruments home for free, just like taking out a book.

The programme is launching with nine libraries including some in Edinburgh with the intention that it spreads further across the country.

The first instrument libraries include Craigmillar, Drumbrae, Muirhouse, Wester Hailes, Moredun, and the music library in Central Library. The libraries will stock a wide variety of instruments from guitars, keyboards and ukuleles, to violins, trombones and orchestral instruments, as well as music software and midi keyboards so people can make music on library computers.

Each library is paired with a local music project or the local authority’s instrumental music service, and all of the libraries are keen to build links with other local music groups, schools, community projects and venues. 

The project has just launched a crowdfunding campaign, with a call-out for donations of both money and musical instruments,to help fill the libraries with as many musical instruments and learning resources as possible. All money will be used for buying, repairing and servicing donated instruments so they are in good condition for the libraries, as well as music software and midi keyboards. It is also planned to offer music workshops and introductory lessons, develop online resources, and organise live music events in and around the libraries.

The more money that is raised, the more instruments people donate, then the more new music libraries will open up around Scotland!

The campaign is hosted by We Make Music Scotland and the Music Education Partnership Group – a charity advocating for accessible and high quality music education in all its forms, who recently campaigned successfully for free instrumental tuition in all local authority schools in Scotland.

Director and composer/musician, John Wallace CBE, said: “Looked after properly, musical instruments can last for ever. Just think Stradivarius! With such an incredible demand out there for musical instruments from people of all ages and abilities who want to learn, recycling musical instruments for future generations to enjoy is a zero-carbon idea whose time has come.” 

Partners in Edinburgh include Tinderbox Collective and North Edinburgh Arts.  

Several upcoming events will help to launch the instrument libraries and promote the crowdfunding campaign. 

A series of live music performances in will take place in several libraries on Make Music Day on Tuesday 21 June, and there will also be a Street Band Takeover at Hidden Door festival on Sunday 12 June in support of the libraries, which anyone can sign up to.

How to Support:

You can contribute in 2 ways:

1 – Donate some money or sponsor an instrument through the Crowdfunder Campaign.  Any contribution will be hugely appreciated: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/music-instrument-libraries

2 – Donate a musical instrument – if you have a musical instrument lying around that you’d like to donate to the libraries, We Make Music Instrument Libraries would love to hear from you!

https://wemakemusicscotland.org/instrument-libraries/

A new look at tourism is being supported by a university research centre which has just opened for business.

Edinburgh Napier University has opened The Tourism Research Centre which will allow a number of academics from Napier along with visiting academics and industry personnel to collaborate on researching a recovery model for Scotland’s tourism sector. The research will cover aspects of environmental and social impact relating to tourism.

Edinburgh Napier’s Professor Anna Leask said: “In tourism and events, successful recovery from the past two years involves not only attracting enough visitors but equally tackling pre-pandemic concerns around environmental and social impacts. Scotland has set ambitious goals to meet both aspects in the coming years and become a world-leading example for others. 

“The aim of the Tourism Research Centre is to support the sector in this aim by producing research for the country’s recovery and development as a top tourist destination.”

Members of the industry have already expressed their excitement about the Centre. 

Mr Marc Crothall, CEO of the Scottish Tourism Alliance (STA) said: “The intelligence gathered via the TRC, and the industry having access to it, will contribute significantly to helping Scotland achieving our collective ambition, as set out in Scotland Outlook 2030, of becoming a world leader in 21^st century tourism.”

Mr David Cochrane, MBE, Chief Executive of the Hospitality Industry Trust (HIT) Scotland emphasised the TRC’s crucial role in supporting the sector. 

He said: “The industry thrives on data and having the new Tourism Research Centre will add great value to the decision-making of this dynamic industry post-Covid.” 

Executive director of UKHospitality Scotland, Mr Leon Thompson, equally shared his enthusiasm about the Centre. 

He said: “As we seek to address the challenges hospitality faces right now, it has never been more important for business and academia to work together. Edinburgh Napier University’s Tourism Research Centre is an excellent resource which will ensure even greater collaboration as we support our sector towards recovery. The TRC also enables us to highlight the great achievements of our dynamic sector and, through partnership, build a very bright future for hospitality in Scotland.”

Visitors can engage with the Centre: learn more about the researchers and research themes; keep up with the news; and read publications – including the latest output entitled, Covid and Innovation within Edinburgh’s Festivals [Festivals and Events (napier.ac.uk)] by Prof. Jane Ali-Knight, Prof. Kristen Holmes, Dr Gary Kerr and Ms Hannah Stewart. 

Reverend Moira McDonald, minister at Old Corstorphine Parish Church, has been appointed chaplain to Her Majesty The Queen.

She will join her Majesty’s Household as a Chaplain-in-Ordinary on Monday. This is largely a ceremonial honour as chaplains, who are members of the Chapel Royal, join in services at national events or take part in formal state occasions.

Rev McDonald said that she is both shocked and surprised – and was caught unaware when Rev Professor David Fergusson who is Dean of the Chapel Royal in Scotland, asked her to consider the role.

“When he phoned me and began talking to me about his role as Dean of the Chapel Royal and the duties of chaplains to the Royal Household, I assumed he was phoning to put a few names before me and to ask if I could recommend one or another,” she explained.

“So, when he then asked me if I would allow my name to go forward, I was shocked and surprised to say the least.

“My thought was that if someone had felt confident enough in me to put my name forward then I should say yes.”

Ms McDonald grew up in Renfrew in the west of Scotland and was called to ministry when she was 22, first serving in East Lothian before taking up her current role in Edinburgh.

“The things of life where I thought I would be out of my depth have been the happiest and most fulfilling times I could have asked for,” she said.

“So here is another call – or a nudge – to do something that feels daunting.

“But that the few people whose counsel I’ve sought have all said ‘go for it’ says to me that I should stop worrying about being out of my comfort zone, and enjoy the adventure.”

There are 10 chaplains to the Queen in Scotland and each normally holds office until the age of 70.

The chaplains, along with a physician, a surgeon, an apothecary, a sculptor, an astronomer, an historiographer and some others form part of Her Majesty’s household.

The Queen is also served by her two domestic Royal Chaplains, the ministers of Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh and Crathie Kirk near Balmoral Castle.

All chaplains are all personally chosen by the Queen and are people in whom she has placed her trust.

Professor Fergusson said: “I’m very pleased indeed to receive the announcement of the Queen’s appointment of Rev Moira McDonald to the Chapel Royal.

“As a parish minister in west Edinburgh for many years, she has served her congregation and presbytery with distinction.

“Moira will have much to contribute to the work of the Chapel Royal with her proven skills as a pastor and communicator, and I look forward to working with her.

“I am sure that her congregation at Corstorphine Old will be equally delighted by this news.”

Ms McDonald studied English Literature at the University of Dundee then worked at the University of London for two years as an ecumenical assistant chaplain.

She met her husband Ian there and they conducted a long-distance romance for three years while she studied divinity at New College in Edinburgh before getting married in 1995.

The minister did her probation at Cramond Kirk in Edinburgh under the supervision of Very Rev Dr Russell Barr, who later asked her to become one of his chaplains during his year as Moderator of the General Assembly in 2016-17.

Ms McDonald said: “Ian and I moved to the East Lothian mining village of Wallyford on the same day Tony and Cherie Blair moved into 10 Downing Street and I was ordained and inducted into St Clement’s and St Ninian’s Parish Church.

“Our son Ben was born in 2001 and in 2005 we moved to Corstorphine Old Parish in Edinburgh, the city where our daughter Sophie was born in 2009.

“The Old Parish has a mixed and busy life, involving two primary schools and one secondary school, it is a place with lots of history and a strong community and it is a pleasure to serve the people here.

“The Old Parish church itself, founded in 1429, is a special place to gather and share and worship and support one another as we muddle through life and celebrate God in our midst.”

When not being kept busy with parish ministry Ms McDonald enjoys gardening and learning to play the piano, and as her daughter is about to take Spanish at school she has also started learning the language thanks to Duolingo.

She confesses that so far she is only able to say ‘Juan eats apples’.

The minister added: “As a family we enjoy travel and walking, going to the cinema and theatre and when I start fussing around people, my family simply gives me a good book and I’ll be quiet for hours.”

UK military veterans, along with friends and family members, were joined by staff of the charity Scottish Veterans Residences (SVR) and other guests to celebrate The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee over the weekend with the help of a generous grant from the National Lottery Community Fund.  

Held at the SVR-run Whitefoord House in Edinburgh, veterans and guests enjoyed live music and a barbeque which featured the official Jubilee pudding prepared by one of the charity’s chefs, Nigel Richards-Clark. The event was the first major community gathering at the residence since the Covid pandemic. 

Joining the celebrations were members of the Association of Wrens and Royal Naval Association Edinburgh Branches, which also sponsored a Queen’s Jubilee tree-planting ceremony held in the residence’s garden last month. 

The event at Whitefoord coincided with other Jubilee celebrations at SVR’s residences in Dundee and Glasgow, supported by a £9,900 grant from the National Lottery Community Fund. 

A roadshow touring Scotland will visit Edinburgh on 15 June when cohousing projects will be explored and explained.

The event is part of a series organised by Cohousing Scotland called Places Called Home, which is funded by IKEA and The National Lottery Community Fund.

This type of housing is run by members, where residents care for each other, enjoy common space, but have their own self-contained homes. There is often an emphasis on environmental sustainability and ecological design.

Cohousing Scotland convener, Andrew Prendergast said: “We want more people in Scotland to know about Cohousing and all it has to offer.

“Currently, housing provision centres on the commercial developer-led private sector, on the one hand, and state-led social provision on the other. We believe it is time to look to new and innovative ways to solve our country’s housing crisis.”

“Cohousing Scotland sees a future where Cohousing is part of a thriving, community-led housing movement in Scotland – now is the time for change.”

The event will include an afternoon drop-in session, when information about wider housing issues will be available, followed by an evening panel discussion featuring expert panellists.

During the afternoon, a team of young architects from the ‘Imagine If’ collective will host an interactive game session, exploring what ‘home’ means and what our living spaces could look like in the future.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/community-led-cooperative-housing-roadshow-15-june-41-geo-iv-br-edinburgh-tickets-348916547787

The Prime Minister will face a vote of confidence tonight when Conservative MPs will vote in a secret ballot between 6pm and 8pm.

Sir Graham Brady is chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee to whom all letters of no confidence must be sent. If the required number of letters are received – 15% of 54- then he must hold a vote.

The chairman said on Monday morning: “The threshold of 15% of the parliamentary party seeking a vote of confidence in the leader of the Conservative Party has been exceeded.

“In accordance with the rules, a ballot will be held between 1800 and 2000 TODAY MONDAY 6th JUNE – details to be confirmed.

“The votes will be counted immediately afterwards. An announcement will be made at a time to be advised. Arrangements for the announcement will be released later today.”

When the votes are cast this evening many more than 54 will be required to oust the Prime Minister from the leadership position. The magic number is around 180. If Mr Johnson survives the ballot on Monday evening then he will be immune from any similar leadership challenges for a year, although it is not beyond the realms of possibility that his role could be challenged in other ways.

His recent involvement in Partygate where he claimed he thought a party held at Number 10 during lockdown was a work event has been criticised by many, and he was given a Fixed Penalty Notice by the Met Police.

Leader of the Scottish Conservatives Douglas Ross did initially lodge a letter with Sir Graham but later withdrew it, saying that it would not be time for any leadership challenges until after the war in Ukraine was over.

A small housing development in Portobello – Havenfield Mews – has been named by the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) as one of Scotland’s best new buildings.

The RIAS Awards are recognised as Scotland’s national architecture awards.

Havenfield Mews, designed by Sonia Browse Architects, is a development of three family townhouses in a new mews street in Portobello, on the site of a former church hall. The small-scale project is sympathetic to the existing style and character of the neighbourhood, and has been carefully designed as a place for people rather than for vehicles. The project prioritises a fabric first approach with careful consideration given to maximising passive heat gains. Despite the relatively constrained site, the houses are generously sized, characterful and filled with light. 

Havenfield Mews is one of eight buildings in Scotland to win a RIAS Award for 2022. It now forms part of the ‘longlist’ for the RIAS Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland Award – one of the most significant architecture prizes in the world – which will be announced in November. The RIAS Awards demonstrate the quality and breadth of architectural endeavour in Scotland. All types and sizes of architectural projects can win a RIAS Award, as the list of 2022 awards winners demonstrates. Buildings are assessed by an expert jury who look at each project’s architectural integrity, usability and context, delivery and execution, and sustainability.  

RIAS President Christina Gaiger PRIAS said: “Once more I have been impressed and inspired by the breadth of exceptional projects to be recognised by the RIAS Awards. This year’s awards demonstrate that you can find outstanding Scottish architecture pretty much anywhere – from city centres to some of the most remote spots in the country. The awards also demonstrate the resilience of our profession – whether that is a house built by hand over many years or projects delivered during the tough times of the pandemic. This year’s awards show how Scottish architects are rising up to today’s challenges – from the climate emergency to the nation’s mental health – and prove the fundamental role that architecture plays in society.”

The jury for the 2022 RIAS Awards were Murray Kerr (founder, Denizen Works), Christina Gaiger PRIAS (President, RIAS), Audrey Carlin (CEO, Wasps Studios) and Tony Chapman (former head of awards, RIBA).

Berwick FTS Bandits, powered by Keenwood Karpets 41, Leicester Lions 49

Berwick suffered a third successive home Championship defeat after being given a gating lesson by a top of the table side, this time Leicester Lions. 

Despite that, Bandits went into the final heat knowing that a 5-1 would earn them a draw but those hopes evaporated when Chris Harris (pictured by Keith Hamblin) was excluded after tangling with his opposite number Nick Morris as they battled for second place behind Kyle Howarth, Leon Flint a distant fourth when the race was stopped.

Referee Michael Breckon chose to exclude the home captain after the former Bandit was sent tumbling over the start line running out of space as he tried to squeeze down the outside of Harris. 

In contrast to Berwick’s low-scoring reserves, Redcar’s Jason Edwards racked up 11 points as guest for the retired Anders Rowe including victory over Flint, Berwick’s only other consistent threat on the night, in the penultimate heat which ended any hopes of a victory. 

Bandits team manager Gary Flint said: “It’s hard not to be frustrated by another performance when we just didn’t have that extra bit of magic to see us home.

“I cannot agree with the referee’s decision to exclude Bomber (Chris Harris) in Heat 15. He was in front and it wasn’t really up to him to ensure that Nick Morris had room to come through.

“Even so we left ourselves too much to do from the starting gate again and against a team with three strong heat leaders that was always going to be a huge ask.”

Berwick Bandits: Chris Harris 12+1, Theo Pijper 5+2, Leon Flint 13, Ricky Wells 6, Lee Complin 4+1, Kyle Bickley 1

Lions: Nick Morris 11+1, Richie Worrall 6+1, Joe Thompson 5, Kyle Howarth 13+1, Jason Edwards 11+2, Dan Thompson 6. 

Grant Henderson Tankers Berwick Bullets 49, Leicester Lion Cubs 41

Bullets cemented their spot at the top of the National Development League denied the visitors a bonus point, albeit Dan Thompson was half a wheel away from clinching it as he tried desperately to overhaul Kyle Bickley in a thrilling Heat 15 chase.

The home side, however, enjoyed good fortune as Connor Coles shed a chain on the back straight of Heat three and then the following race was stopped and awarded after Vinnie Foord’s silencer fell off and left debris on the track, the exhaust extension coming adrift again in Heat 14.

Bullets coach Kevin Little said: “That was as tough a match as we have had all season and Leicester asked a lot of questions of the Bullets.

“As has been the case all year, everyone stuck to their task and the reward is another good win. I think we saw two sides likely to feature very strongly in the end of season play-offs.”

Bullets: Kyle Bickley 14, Mason Watson 5+1, Ace Pijper 6+2, Greg Blair 8+1, Luke Crang 7, Kieran Douglas 6+1, Ben Rathbone 3+2

Lion Cubs: Dan Thompson 12+1, Mickie Simpson 2, Connor Coles 7, Tom Spencer 6+1, Joe Thompson 11+1, Kyran Lyden 0, Vinnie Foord 3+1 

EuroHockey Club Challenge II (women): Pool A: TSOP Kolos Boryspol (Ukraine) 0, Clydesdale Western (Glasgow) 3; Pool B: Navax AHTC Wien (Austria) 0, The University of Edinburgh 2 (both in Alanya, Turkey). EuroHockey Club Trophy II (men): Western Wildcats (Glasgow) 3, OSHVSM HC Phoenix Zytomyr Region 0 (Ukraine) (in Geneva, Switzerland).

Holly Steiger claimed a double as Clydesdale Western maintained their promotion push in the EuroHockey Club Challenge II with a 3-0 victory over Ukraine side TSOP Kilos Boryspol in Turkey.

She struck after 15 minutes and from a penalty corner after 50 minutes with Karin Belch claiming the Scottish side’s second from a penalty corner after 45 minutes.

Coach Derek Forsyth has guided his squad to three straight wins and they play Turkish side Gaziantep Polisgucu SK on Monday.

Great Britain and Scotland international Amy Costello (pictured with green big by Nigel Duncan) claimed two goals from penalty corners after 45 and 47 minutes to secure a 2-0 win for the student side.

Coach Sam Judge has also claimed three straight wins in the tournament and they square-up to SV Arminen from Austria in their final game with promotion their target.

In Switzerland, Western Wildcats from Glasgow will play Cardiff & Met from Wales in Monday’s final of the EuroHockey Club Trophy II after a 3-0 success over OSHVSM HC Phoenix Zytomyr Region of Ukraine.

The Scots killed off the Ukraine side with two goals five minutes apart in the later stages.

Andrew McConnell fired the Auchenhowie men ahead after four minutes from a penalty corner but it took until the 45th minute for Hamish Galt to add No 2 and Fraser Calder completed the scoring five minutes later.

They meet an in-form Welsh side fresh from a 5-1 thrashing of SK Slavia Prague from the Czech Republic.

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