July 2019
THE DELL DIRECTORY
LOCAL HISTORY: THE
BAKER’S BOY
WHO CHANGED THE WORLD
NEW
!
HEALTH: SCIENCE COLUMN:
PLUS: health, food & drink, CLUBS & CLASSES, Puzzles, and much more inside! The monthly community magazine for Colinton, Craiglockhart and Kingsknowe
P17 TO OUR JULY EDITION
W
hether you’re going away, or staying locally over the holidays, I hope all our readers manage to get a break and a refresh over the next few weeks. This month’s Dell Directory looks at the story behind the why the name Simpson is synonymous with maternity care in Edinburgh. It’s not strictly related to the Colinton area, but a very interesting Edinburgh story that I had researched a while ago. And I’m pleased with a new column from Heriot-Watt University about scientific research on our doorstep; this will be a regular column called “Local Lab” covering a range of scientific fields which they plan to share with a view to engaging people with research in various ways. Our regular columns are here, I hope you enjoy all the contributions. Thanks for reading!
THIS ISSUE Feature: The Baker’s Boy who changed the world.......................................................... 8 Notes from a Small Village.........................15 Health: Anyone for tennis?.........................17 Puzzles..........................................................18 Local Lab......................................................25 Recipe............................................................32 Lynne’s Column...........................................34 What’s On......................................................36 Clubs & Classes..........................................37
COVER IMAGE: July: the perfect time for Strawberries and Cream. See P36 for What’s On this month.
The Dell Directory is distributed to 5,500 homes in the Colinton, Craiglockhart and Kingsknowe areas. There are 11 copies a year with a joint issue in Dec/Jan.
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THE BAKER’S BOY WHO CHANGED THE WORLD You may have seen the First buses painted with the face of Dr James Young Simpson. What is not painted there is a patient strapped into a surgery chair, or held down screaming while the surgeon cut, because Simpson made all that obsolete with his discovery of an effective anaesthetic. Namesake of Edinburgh’s Simpson Centre for Reproductive Health, the full story is extraordinary. Before anaesthetic the quicker a surgeon (“a savage armed with a knife”) worked the better the patient’s chance survival. One doctor wrote to Simpson “a patient preparing for an operation was like a condemned criminal preparing for execution.” Many died from the shock of pain, and exploratory surgery was out of the question. Patients’ desperate attempts to anaesthetise themselves with drugs and alcohol were fraught with danger. Surgeons were often traumatised themselves, and like many aspiring doctors James Simpson almost abandoned medicine altogether after witnessing his first operation. But he was so deeply affected by the suffering he saw that his driving motivation became “Can nothing be done to prevent this suffering?” James was the youngest child of Mary Jarvey of Balbardie Mains near Bathgate, descended from refugees who fled to Scotland during the French Huguenot persecution; and of David Simpson, who ran a struggling bakery Bathgate. A few days after baby James was born on 7th June 1811, Mary found out how bad things were in the business and took it in hand. She must have been a remarkable woman - having just given birth to her eighth child, she took on the failing business and turned it into a success, so James’ early days were spent helping out with the bakery. Simpson’s daughter writes in her biography, “His mother gave him freely of the treasures of her mind, and her earnestness, her contentment, her firm God-fearing faith, ever lived in his memory.” She had a huge impact on his formative years, but died when he was just nine. Mary’s dream was for her youngest 8 | THE DELL
to get a university education – an ambition that her husband and all their older children shared, realising that he had the best prospects of all his siblings. His eldest brother Sandy once warned him against the temptation to drink like most boys in Bathgate which was a village of hard-drinkers, “Others may do this, Jamie, but it would break all our hearts and blast all your prospects were you to do it.” Parish school education concluded at the age of 14. Whereas most left for work or an apprenticeship locally, it was a foregone conclusion that James would go to university. He described later in life his bewilderment at finding himself in Edinburgh “very, very young and very solitary, very poor and almost friendless.” He lived frugally, sharing lodgings with two Bathgate men who were also studying medicine. Sometimes as a treat one would take him to one of Dr Knox’s (of Burke and Hare fame) lectures in the evening. He spent all his holidays back home helping out with the business. And despite the stress of nursing then losing his beloved father just before his final exams, James passed and became a member of the Royal College of Surgeons before he was out of his teens. Too young to become a medical doctor immediately, he lodged with his brother in Stockbridge and took a couple of jobs including assistant to a Professor Thomson, who was the first person to suggest the field of obstetrics to him. It was at that time the lowest of medical arts, still somewhat shrouded in mystery, but James took it up with his customary thoroughness and obstetrics went on to became his professional speciality. Finally, before settling down to open his own medical practice, his brothers funded him for a three-month tour of Europe. He opened his first practice in Edinburgh, living frugally, conscious as always of the burden he placed on his family in Bathgate. When he wasn’t seeing patients his insatiably curious mind was reading, learning, and writing papers on medical and other topics. His early patients were too poor to pay him, @KonectMagazines
but in time, better-heeled, paying patients were attracted by his growing reputation. He never discriminated – he treated the paying and non-paying patients alike. His career flourished as his reputation grew, and he became a popular lecturer in archaeology, religion, medicine, geology and more. A Professor at the shockingly young age of 29, he was appointed to the Midwifery Chair at Edinburgh University (first getting married, apparently an essential requirement!) Papers from his prolific output include a history of leprosy in Scotland; ideas on hospital reform; an improved design of forceps – still called the Simpson Forceps today – and other things. With nobility and aristocracy among his patients he often travelled to London, but preferred being near his beloved family in Bathgate, taking refuge there from his hectic professional life. But Simpson always believed it was his duty as a physician to alleviate pain. On hearing about ether trials in America he enthusiastically adopted it, delivering the first baby with ether for the mother on January 19th 1847. At the same time he was appointed Queen Victoria’s physician – and he wrote to his brother that he was less flattered by the queen’s appointment than by the fact he had delivered a woman without pain. But ether was not a viable solution for various reasons. Throughout 1847 Simpson and his friends Dr George Keith and Dr Matthew Duncan would settle down after work every evening at Simpson’s house at 52 Queen Street, Edinburgh, to sample various narcotic drugs. A neighbour came in every morning to “see if the experimenters had survived!”
First Bus Chloroform: Simpson, Keith and Duncan try chloroform for the first time
PASS-OUT PARTY!
Statue of James Simpson in West Princes Street Gardens
Continued on Page 36
On 4th November 1847 they were trying various drugs at Queen Street in the usual manner. Simpson pulled out a phial of chloroform he had ordered some time previously but not been inclined to try. The three took it simultaneously, and were “all under the table in a minute or two.” Simpson’s wife and three other family members who were in the room at the time were pretty used to these experiments, but were alarmed by this – the speed they passed out and how thoroughly unconscious they were. When Simpson came to on the floor he noted that Dr Keith was under the table, kicking confusedly as he came to; and Dr Duncan @KonectMagazines
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HEALTH
Vision: How do we see? Light hits the cornea on the front of the eye and bends. It passes through the fluid of the anterior chamber, through the pupil to the natural crystalline lens. The lens focuses the light on the retina at the back of the eye. The photoreceptor cells stimulated include around 140 million ‘rods’ and 7 million ‘cones’. Light along the visual axis hits the cones at the foveola (0.35mm in diameter) in the centre of the macula. The three types of cones sensitive to different colours, use a photochemical to turn the light into an electrical impulse. This passes up through the retina to retinal ganglion cells, then along one of approximately 1-1.5 million neurons. These converge to form the optic nerve, around 1-1.5mm in diameter. On leaving the eye, an acquired myelin sheath
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greatly speeds up the impulse. Around 5cm later the optic nerve and contralateral optic nerve reach the optic chiasm. Here, after half the nerves cross over from each side, the signal continues along the optic tract, layering in the lateral geniculate nucleus. They finally travel via the optic radiations to the visual cortex, in the occipital lobe of the brain. Here the collected information from the eye is processed and the brain provides an image and you ‘see’. Of the 3 billion firings of electrical activity in the brain per second, our vision accounts for an estimated 2 billion (Sells, S.B. & Fixott, R. S. (1957)). This is the complexity of vision. This article was contributed by Jonathan Jennett of Clearvue Opticians, 60 Bryce Road, Currie, EH14 5LD.
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I’ve lived in Balerno since 1991. It’s home. But Illinois, the American state where I grew up, is also home. I think of myself as a transplant – uprooted from the rich, dark farmland in the Midwest, and replanted in harder, rockier UK soil. Though I feel quite at home here, growing up in a place with different customs means that I don’t always see things in the same way as my neighbour. On being polite
I’d been told that British people considered Americans to be “loud, rude and obnoxious”. And, though I didn’t think any of these adjectives applied to me (generally speaking), when I crossed the pond I endeavoured to take great care not to reinforce this particular stereotype.
So I made sure to say “sorry” when I didn’t hear someone properly, or when I tried to go through a door when someone was exiting, or when I wanted to “just squeeze past” a person. I even learned to say sorry that I preferred black coffee (as if not putting milk in it would trouble them!) I said “sorry” when I disagreed with someone and wished to express my own opinion: “Sorry, but…”. Before long I said “sorry” constantly and I began to wonder what British people said when they’d done something wrong and wanted to apologise. Surely not “sorry”? (Sorry, I did go on a bit there!)
I tried to avoid complaining when customer service was poor, but wasn’t always successful. Once I was out to lunch with some friends and three of them ordered an “Apple Walnut Salad”. When the food arrived, those who’d ordered the special salad moaned that there were no walnuts, just diced apples in a mayonnaise sauce. Considering the price, I thought they had good reason to complain. Yet, when the @KonectMagazines
waiter inquired whether everything was OK, they all said “Yes, thanks.” All that complaining a few minutes earlier and then they said everything was fine? I couldn’t stand it. I called the waiter back over to the table. “Excuse me,” I said, “but these ladies ordered the Apple Walnut Salad, and there are no walnuts in it.” Looking embarrassed, he replied, “Umm, yes. We didn’t get a delivery.” Honestly! Was this a scene from Fawlty Towers?! “OK,” I said. “I expect you will be reducing the price of their salads.” He agreed, and the women all looked delighted with me. These days I think many people in the UK are better at standing up for themselves. The most extreme example of politeness I’ve seen so far has to be the note in the shop window that says, “No cash held in these premises overnight”. (In fact, I think one can be found on Balerno’s Main Street.) What a considerate way to treat a burglar and to properly inform them! But wouldn’t it be even more helpful to add: “However, if you go a couple of doors down to the bakery …” To be continued next issue … Notes from a small village is contributed by Suzanne Green. Suzanne is a freelance writer/editor and writes regularly for The Dell Directory. She is married to Andy and they have two adult daughters. THE DELL | 15
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HEALTH
Anyone for Tennis?
June, in Edinburgh, seemed to be a washout this year. There were tales from tennis clubs across the city about the number of matches postponed or cancelled in June due to the weather. Let’s hope July will be a better month for tennis, and not just because we have Wimbeldon to watch. As Physiotherapists, we get asked lots of questions about sports injuries and recently were asked about injuries suffered by professional tennis players at Wimbeldon compared to recreational players and keen amateurs. The Championships, Wimbeldon, is the oldest of the 4 Grand Slam tournaments, starting in 1877. This year matches will be played from 1st – 14th July. There will be the usual mixture of matches – men’s singles and doubles, women’s singles and doubles, and the mixed doubles. The medical team at Wimbeldon includes a GP, who will manage the majority of the non-traumatic conditions players may present with such as colds and ‘flu or Stomach bugs. The Sports Physicians and Physios will deal with any musculoskeletal problems that the players may have. The British Journal of Sports Medicine published research by I McCurdie in 2016 reviewing 10 years of injury statistics from 2003 – 2012. During this period there were 12,212 sets of tennis played at Wimbeldon, resulting in 700 injuries. This gives an injury rate in Professional tennis played on grass of 20.7 injuries per 1000 sets of tennis played. These injuries can be further categorised at 48% due to trauma, such as a fall on court, and 52% as overuse – the repetitive microtrauma to soft tissues due to the demands of the game. Shoulder, knee and back injuries were @KonectMagazines
common in both male and female tennis players at Wimbeldon. Male players had more groin, hip, ankle and heel injuries with wrist and foot problems more common in female players. However, it is fair to say that most tennis players are not at a professional level. There are 71 tennis clubs in Scotland, with 15 of them in the Edinburgh and Midlothian area. We do not know the injury statistics in relation to Scottish tennis but in looking at studies done in America and the Netherlands, the injury rate for student or recreational tennis has been quoted as 1.1 or 1.2 acute injuries per 1000 hours of tennis. This means that tennis is a safe and low-risk sport. Nevertheless, it is associated with its own unique set of acute and chronic injuries. Recreational tennis injury patterns do mirror professional injury patterns, in that acute injuries tend to occur in the lower limbs, such as knee or ankle sprains, a pulled calf muscle or a groin strain. Overuse injuries tend to present as back pain, shoulder or elbow tendon problems or a wrist sprain. Continued research into injury statistics will lead to a better understanding of the types of injuries sustained by players of differing age groups and abilities. This will help in the development of prevention strategies for all levels of play. We all want to enjoy our tennis injury free– when the weather lets us play! The health column is contributed by McNaughton Physiogrange, Edinburgh www.physiogrange.co.uk
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PUZZLES
Constipation
CROSSWORD
Solution in the August edition ACROSS: 1. Unable to hear (4), 3. Previously (8), 9. A lawn game (7), 10. Tease (5), 11. Produced (12), 14. Period of time (3), 16. Stop (5), 17. Feminine pronoun (3), 18. In spite of (12), 21. Shoreline (5), 22. Placing (7), 23. Daily (8), 24. Requests (4) DOWN: 1. Twelfth month (8), 2. Embellish (5), 4. Not in (3), 5. Dimensions (12), 6. Entrants in a race (7), 7. A toy (2-2), 8. Adequately (12), 12. Map or diagram (5), 13. Communications (8), 15 Mean (7), 19. Departs (5), 20. Land measurement (4), 22. Small vegetable (3)
Constipation is common and it affects people of all ages. There are many possible causes including: • not eating enough fibre – such as fruit, vegetables and cereals • not drinking enough fluids • not exercising or being less active • often ignoring the urge to go to the toilet • changing your diet or daily routine • stress, anxiety or depression • a side effect of medication Simple changes to your diet and lifestyle can help treat constipation • drink plenty of fluids • increase the fibre in your diet • add some wheat bran, oats or linseed to your diet • A daily walk can help • Keep to a regular time and place and give yourself plenty of time to use the toilet Speak to a pharmacist or your GP if diet and lifestyle changes aren’t helping. As a Registered Nurse I can give confidential advice and treatment - contact me for a consultation. Contributed by Judith Mclean of Colinton Homecare
Solution on Page 38
SUDOKU
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LOCAL LAB
Can taking up new activities improve the health and wellbeing of older people?
Alan Gow
How do our thinking skills change as we age? Do our lifestyles affect those changes? These are the key questions directing research being undertaken by Dr Alan Gow and his team in The Ageing Lab at Heriot-Watt University. What goes on inside the Ageing Lab? The Ageing Lab explores how being active and engaged in later life might help to reduce or delay age-related mental decline. Our current project is ‘The Intervention Factory’ which considers community-based activities as potential interventions for cognitive ageing. We are gathering clearer evidence on which real life activities might deliver brain health benefits. How do you gather the evidence? We are asking people aged 65 and over to take up a new activity in real community based settings and looking at how the mental, physical and social challenges associated with those activities might lead to improvements in their thinking skills. What’s important is that the activity must be novel to the person involved, so our volunteers are trying activities such as learning a new language, joining a social group or undertaking a different physical activity. Can anyone over the age of 65 take part in your study? We’re into the final stages of this study, but we’re always delighted to hear from people who might want to know what we find out, or to get involved in new study opportunities. The best way to get in touch is by emailing HealthyAgeing@hw.ac.uk, and you can find more information about our work at www.healthyageing.hw.ac.uk @KonectMagazines
Have you seen any results yet? ‘The Intervention Factory’ study is due to finish this summer, however, one of our previous studies ‘The Tablet for Healthy Ageing’ produced some interesting results. The project explored how learning to use a tablet computer might benefit the thinking skills of people aged 65 and over and the results showed those individuals in the tablet training group improved the speed of their thinking skills. In what way do you expect the results of your studies to improve lives? We’re aiming to understand how different combinations of social, mental and physical engagement might be beneficial, and to clearly identify the lifestyle and behavioural factors that contribute to the health of our thinking skills as we age. Ultimately our goal is to use that knowledge in order to develop new interventions. The Local Lab column is contributed by HeriotWatt University to engage the public in a range of their research projects. Alan is one of six researchers from Heriot-Watt University taking part in this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe as part of the Cabaret of Dangerous Ideas. Alan will appear in “This Show Will Make You Sharper!” on 10th and 14th August. Tickets are available at www.tickets.edfringe.com THE DELL | 25
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Although I’ve been writing a regular column since the start of last year, my first published piece in the Dell Directory was actually five years ago in July 2014 when I wrote a piece called “Summer Special”. At the time I was both excited and delighted to see my name in print and was full of enthusiasm for following it up with some other pieces but, true to form, the time ticked by and it took me three and a half years to get around to any follow up…
Much as I love writing my column I did briefly toy with the idea of asking HelenJane to re-print the July 2014 article as a ‘throwback’ piece then smugly sit in my back garden reading a book when I would normally be furiously trying to get something sent off to her at the eleventh hour! In the 2014 piece I wrote nostalgically about the holidays of my childhood and the simple pleasure of getting a ‘Summer Special’ to read en route – a bumper edition of my usual comic that was guaranteed to keep me occupied for the entire journey. I wistfully hoped to be able to occupy my own children on our travels with Eye Spy rather than resort 34 | THE DELL
to video games and DVDs and I believe that we did achieve that back then.
Fast forward five years and any fanciful notions I may have of going ‘retro’ with delightful family games of Eye Spy and The Minister’s Cat during our travels are most likely to be mere dreams playing out in my head whilst my teen and pre-teen plug in their headphones, switch their devices to airplane mode and give me a small, apologetic smile before reclining their seats and blithely ignoring me for the rest of the journey (or at least until the trolley service arrives). I don’t completely loathe current technology - it is amazing, it does offer many activities we can all enjoy and is a great means of keeping in touch with people. But I often yearn for the simplicity of games that need little or no equipment, just an active mind and
(shock, horror!) the ability to talk to each other. So, whilst my kids are busy packing their phones, cables and chargers I’ll be sneaking into my luggage a deck of cards, maybe the odd puzzle book and travel game. And I’ll be hopeful of using them at least once during our summer break, even if it’s just a game of cards on the balcony with my husband and a glass of wine whilst the kids do their best to check that the hotel Wi-Fi is fully functional. Wherever you go and however you plan to while away the hours this summer be sure to make it special in your own way because the years really do whizz past. Happy holidays! Lynne lives in Colinton with her husband and two children. She dreams of being a freelance writer when she grows up but mostly just avoids growing up! @KonectMagazines
BUSTER THE DOG
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...Continued from page 9 was still out to it. He realised straightaway that he had found something “far stronger and better than ether.” The night turned into quite a party as they took chloroform to knock themselves again and again until 3am! Many people welcomed the discovery, but it was also met, incredibly, with opposition and prejudice. While abhorring the pain of surgery, people were suspicious of pain relief, believing that to avoid pain was in some way unnatural and wrong. And pain-relief for childbirth was definitely contrary to the God-ordained course of nature! But Simpson battled on, spending hours answering his detractors with thorough and educated responses over many years. He collected extensive statistics to prove the reduced mortality rates, and chloroform gradually won over. Friends in high places helped - Queen Victoria used it for delivery of her eighth child in 1853, and again for her ninth. It revolutionised the operating theatre where it reigned for nearly 100 years. By the time it was eventually replaced by safer anaesthetics, massive advances had been made in surgery as a result and many lives saved. Simpson never forgot his Bathgate roots, or how much he owed to the help of his loving family. Bathgate’s public library is called the “Simpson Library.” With his ceaseless reading and love of learning, I think James would approve.
CHLOROFORM - not a good choice for criminals...
The chloroform-soaked rag is the weapon of choice of vintage crime fiction anti-heroes. But in reality.. it takes around five minutes of inhalation before it knocks you out. Do not try this at home! Chloroform is dangerous. Its use was eventually discontinued when it was proven to cause respiratory and cardiac failure. This article was written by Helen-Jane Shearer. Helen-Jane is the editor of The Dell Directory. 36 | THE DELL
SATURDAY 13TH JULY Balerno Farmers Market - Main Street, Balerno, 9.00am - 1.00pm FRIDAY 19TH JULY Hillend Wildflower Meadow Survey - The Pentland Hills Regional Park service has managed the meadow at Hillend Country Park for eleven years. Come and see how many wildflower species we can find this year. Bring sturdy footwear and waterproofs/sun protection. Booking essential for this free event as places are limited. 1.30pm – 3.30pm. Hillend Country Park upper car park. To book please call 0131 5292401 or email pentlandhills@edinburgh.gov.uk SATURDAY 20TH JULY Redhall Annual Razzmatazz Open Day - 12.00-5.00pm. Live Music, Quiz Trails, Traditional Games (Arborantics), Pond Dipping, Face Painting, Plant Sales, Free Hand/Arm massages by Jo Malone, Historic Garden, Food, Cream Teas. Redhall Walled Garden, 97 Lanark Road, Edinburgh EH14 2LZ, 0131 443 0946. The garden is open to the public Monday- Friday 9am – 4pm. Scottish Association for Mental Health. SATURDAY 27TH JULY Woodland Games Day - Explore Bonaly woods and get creative with a variety of fun woodland activities. We’ll find out about the wildlife that lives in our local woods. Get crafty with woodland materials! Bring sturdy footwear and waterproofs. Suitable for 5-8 year olds. Cost: £3 per child. Location: Bonaly Country Park - upper car park, EH13 0PB. Time: 10.30am – 12.30pm. To book please call 0131 5292401 or email pentlandhills@edinburgh.gov.uk WANT TO INCLUDE YOUR EVENT HERE? COMMUNITY AND NOT-FOR-PROFIT LISTINGS ARE FREE OF CHARGE. EMAIL EDITOR@KONECT.SCOT BY 15TH OF THE MONTH FOR FOLLOWING MONTH’S ISSUE.
CHILDREN’S SUMMER HOLIDAY EVENTS AT WATER OF LEITH CONSERVATION TRUST Booking essential for all activities, please call the Trust on 0131 455 7367 or email admin@waterofleith.org. uk. £5 per child, 2.00pm - 4.00pm. Suitable for 4 to 12 year olds, Accompanying adult free. • Tue 9th July: BUGS - Track down the mini creatures and create your own ‘extreme’ bug • Thu 18th July: STICK - 101 things to do with a stick, they are awesome • Tue 23th July: FAIRIES - Join the ‘wee folk’ in the Dells as we discover the history of fairies & do some magical crafts – wings optional • Thu 1st August: SURVIVE - Build a shelter, forage for food and learn to create fire • Tue 6th August: WILD ART - Get creative with natural material & take inspiration from wild • Every week: RIVER DIPPING - Put on your wellies and join us IN the river for this fun event. Thursdays 4th, 11th, 25th, and 8th August, and Tuesdays 16th and 30th July
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CLUBS & CLASSES
SPORTS, HOBBIES, LEARNING, SUPPORT GROUPS & MORE... NEW MORNINGSIDE & NEWINGTON FLORAL ART CLUB Come along & enjoy relaxing evenings watching a floral demonstration with lively & interesting chat. You might even win one of the arrangements. We meet in Boroughmuir Rugby Club, Meggatland, off Colinton Road EH14 1AS from 7.30pm to 9.30pm approx on the 1st Monday of each month. Wine/tea/coffee available. New Members Only – come as a visitor for £7 on the 2nd September or 7th October which will be deducted from your annual subscription making it only another £28 if you decide to join us. We look forward to meeting you. For information please contact Joyce Rutherford 0131 443 2536 or joyce. rutherford@btinternet.com NEW EDINBURGH CITY KORFBALL CLUB Korfball is a mixed-sex sport similar to netball. The club has teams at all levels, so whether you’re super competitive or looking for a recreational sport, we have a place for everyone. We train twice a week and have regular social events, so it’s a great way to meet new people and try something new. Meet Wester Hailes Education Centre, Mon 19:30-21:30 & Wed 20:00-21:30. First 3 sessions free for new members, various membership options available after that. Please contact Daniel Pratt (Coach & Development) eckc.development@ gmail.com or 07471894650. www.edinburghcitykorfball.com LITTLE STEPS Baby and Toddler Group, Weds 10am – 11.30am (term times). Play, Bible stories, crafts, singing, snacks for kids, coffee and homebaking. St John’s Colinton Mains Church, 223 Oxgangs Road North. See facebook: St John’s Colinton Mains EDINBURGH LINUS GROUP We are a small group who meet every second Tuesday afternoon in the Pentland Community centre and make quilts and incubator covers for the Sick Kid’s Hospital. New members are always welcome. More information from alisonjdunlop@yahoo.co.uk COLINTON & MERCHISTON CHOIR Amateur choral society, performing two concerts per year. We meet in the Music Department at Merchiston Castle School, Mondays 7.30pm to 9pm. All ages welcome, no audition required. Annual membership subscription of £35.00, which includes the hire of music. For more information, please visit www.colintonchoir.org HATHA YOGA Colinton Parish Church - Redford Room, Dell Road on Wednesdays 7pm - 8.30pm. For more details please email june4yoga@btinternet.com or call 07730 130435 FRIENDLY BRIDGE Colinton Cottage Homes - 15 Thorburn Road, Colinton. Every Tues 2-4pm. Contact Ken McLeod, tel 0131 466 0888.
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COLINTON BADMINTON CLUB St. Cuthberts Church Hall, Westgarth Ave - Monday 8pm-10pm from Sept to March. Contact: Archie Clark on 0131 449 4703 STABLE ROOM PLAYGROUPS Colinton Parish Church, Dell Road Happy and stimulating playgroups from 2-5 years old. Mon, Weds & Fri 9.15am to 12.00pm. (term time). E: stableroomcolinton@gmail.com M: 07740 334967. STABLE ROOM & TODDLER GROUPS Colinton Parish Church, Dell Road - Thurs 9.30am - 11.30am (term time). M: 07740 334967. E: stableroomcolinton@gmail.com Please phone before coming as we operate a waiting list. PROGRESS FITNESS Fitness classes in Colinton and Juniper Green. Zumba, Zumba Step, Zumba Gold, Floor Barre, Yoga, Fitness Yoga and Total Body Conditioning. £5 per class or 10 classes for £45. For full details go to www.progressfitness.co.uk COMPLEMENTARY FITNESS CLASSES All level classes - Tues: Fitness Pilates 7.30pm in Craiglockhart Church Hall & Classes in Dreghorn Loan Church Hall, Colinton, on Weds: Fitness Toning 9.30am Thurs: Fitness Pilates/Yoga 7pm. Fri: Fitness Yoga 9.30am info & details www.complementaryfitness.co.uk COLINTON GARDEN CLUB Dreghorn Loan Hall - Meets 4th Monday of every month at 8.00pm. September to April. E: membership@colintongardens.org.uk W: www.colintongardens.org.uk BIDE & BLETHER LUNCH CLUB Oxgangs Neighbourhood Centre, 71 Firrhill Drive, Edinburgh EH13 9EU Every Wednesday from 1.30pm to 3pm, starting from 7th June. Call us today to book your place on 0131 466 0678. CRAIGLOCKHART CHURCH GUILD Craiglockhart Church, Craiglockhart Drive North, EH14 1HS. We meet in Centenary Hall at 7.30 pm on 1st & 3rd Tuesdays from October to March to encourage men and women in their faith while hearing interesting talks, having fun and finishing with a chat over tea and coffee. Everyone most welcome. COLINTON LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY Dreghorn Loan Hall - Want to know about local history! We meet every other Monday evening in the Hall with Speakers starting at 8pm prompt. Visit www.colintonhistory.org.uk or contact enquiries@colintonhistory.org.uk EDINBURGH GUILD OF WEAVERS, SPINNERS AND DYERS Craiglockhart Church, Craiglockhart Drive North - Meet at monthly usually the third Saturday of the month. Our aims are to further the crafts of weaving, spinning and dyeing, to learn from each other as well as from experienced craft
tutors, and to create opportunities to display and pass on our skills. See www.ewsd.org.uk WEDNESDAY WALKING GROUP Meet every Wednesday for walks in the Lothians, Fife, the Borders and further afield. Transport from Currie Library car park, walks of various grades and distances (usually 6 to 8 miles). Just turn up and go. Contact: M. Timmins T: 0131 449 4525 or A Blythe T:0131 629 3644 (Balerno and District Ramblers) for details and a programme. SISTERS WITH SPIRIT Swing Café at Colinton Parish Church A new women’s group that meet on the first Thursday every month at 7.30pm. For more details on the themes for our meetings, and to book tickets, please visit facebook.com/sisterswithspirit or call 0131 441 2232. GO GET FITNESS Insanity Live classes - Max Interval Training for all fitness levels. Mon 8pm Spylaw Park, Colinton. Tues 8.15pm Pentland Community Centre. Thurs 1pm, Fri 9.40am North Merchiston Club (parents welcome to bring children to watch!) £5 per class or block of 10 classes for £40 For bookings and further details: emma@go-get.co.uk Visit: www.go-get.co.uk or facebook.com/gogetinsanitylive 7th EDINBURGH BOYS BRIGADE Co. We welcome boys of all school ages, from Primary 1 to S6 - For a real variety of fun, games, activities, outings & competitions. Most Friday evenings during school term at Dreghorn Loan Hall, Dreghorn Loan. Alastair Merrill (Company Captain); ajsmerrill@gmail.com; 0131 477 3982; 07766 246880. Martin Shand (P1 – P6); martinshand74@gmail.com; 0131 441 9149; 07860 368285. COLINTON LITERARY SOCIETY Dreghorn Loan Hall - Meets every Wednesday at 8pm from 11 October. Keep up to date with latest news about the Lit, on Church website www. colinton-parish.com CRAIGLOCKHART LADIES GROUP Craiglockhart Parish Church - We meet at 8pm on the second and fourth Mondays, September to March, to hear a variety of speakers on diverse subjects and to meet up for tea/coffee and a chat. £25 membership. All welcome.
TO INCLUDE YOUR CLUB OR CLASS, PLEASE EMAIL DETAILS TO EDITOR@KONECT.SCOT CHARITY AND NOT-FOR-PROFIT GROUPS ARE FREE. THERE IS A SMALL CHARGE FOR OTHER LISTINGS. SEE OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION. WWW.KONECT.SCOT
THE DELL | 37
INDEX OF ADVERTISERS
AERIALS & SATELLITE HANDYMAN Douglas Mackay Aerial and Satellite 27 Mr Handyman Edinburgh 28 APPLIANCE REPAIRS HEALTH SUPPORT GROUP / ACTIVITY Appliances of Edinburgh 31 Cheyne Gang 19 BATHROOMS & KITCHENS HOME CARE Ian Merriman 22 Colinton Homecare 18 Paragon Bathroom Solutions 2 JOINERY Splash Bathrooms 7 SMC Joinery 26 BEAUTICIAN Beauty Therapy by Rhona 16 LANDLORD SERVICES Zone Letting 40 BOILER SERVICES The Gas Engineer 4 LANDSCAPING SUPPLIES Beatson’s Building Supplies 10 BUILDING SUPPLIES Thornbridge Timber Merchants 39 LAWNS CAR SERVICING, MOT & REPAIR Green Thumb Lawn Service 10 D & G Autocare 4 LOCKSMITH CARE HOME CVC Locksmiths and Security 27 Care UK 19 MEMBER OF SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT CARPET & UPHOLSTERY CLEANING Gordon Macdonald MSP 35 CW Services 27 James Burnett Carpet Cleaning 26 MORTGAGE SERVICES Malleny Mortgage Solutions 23 CHILDREN’S NURSERY Colinton Private Nursery 35 OPTICIAN Stablerooms Playgroup 35 Clearvue Opticians 14 CHIROPODY / PODIATRY / FOOTCARE PAINTING & DECORATING Colinton Chiropody / Podiatry Clinic 19 Gerry Aitken 30 CLEANING: HOUSE / OFFICE Heritage Decorators 4 Fiona’s House Cleaning 27 Ian Hodgson Decorators 29 Lane Decor 6 COMPUTER / PHONE REPAIRS Robert Paul 7 Worx24 6 PHYSIOTHERAPY CURTAINS & BLINDS Blind Design 26 Physio Grange 16 DENTIST PLUMBING & HEATING SERVICES Seven Hills Dental Practice 5 Bill Reid & Son 26 Currievale Plumbing & Drainage 29 DRAINAGE SERVICES Geoff Lennie Plumbing & Heating 24 Currievale Drainage Services 6 McLellan Plumbing 6 DRIVEWAYS AND PAVING Owen Gibb Plumbing & Heating 30 Alpine Paving 13 Scott Findlay Plumbing & ELECTRICIAN Heating Engineers 31 Bry-Ter Electrical 22 Shandon Plumbing 30 Morningside Electrical 28 Smart Heating Edinburgh 28 MT Electrical 7 Weir Plumbing Heating and Spark Electrical Solutions 30 Gas Services 4 ESTATE AGENT RESTAURANT Blair Cadell Solicitors 23 Carlyles Bar & Kitchen 33 EXTERIOR CLEANING Cleaning & Maintenance 13 ROOFING Dell Roofing 22 FENCING, RAILINGS, GATES Edinburgh Roofing Services 21 John Gillan Fencing and Fairmile Roofing 24 Landscaping 11 Worlds End Roofing and Building 12 FIREPLACES / WOODBURNERS SOFT FURNISHINGS Fireplaces, Stoves and Flues 27 Absolute Upholstery 26 GARDEN DESIGN / MAINTENANCE Evergreen Balerno 12 TAXI & PRIVATE HIRE John Gillan Fencing and Capital Cars 33 Landscaping 11 TREE CARE SERVICES Ladybug Lady Gardener 13 Blaikie Tree Services 11 Premier Soft Landscapes 11 Delisle Tree Solutions 13 GARDEN FURNITURE AND BUILDINGS WINDOW & GUTTER CLEANING Champfleurie Estate 20 Keith Wales Window Cleaner 7 GLAZING REPAIRS DGR Double Glazing Repairs 29 HAIR SALON THE DELL DIRECTORY Colinton Hair Design 16
38 | THE DELL
SOLUTIONS
SOLUTION TO JUNE CROSSWORD
ACROSS: 7. Govern, 8. Tailor, 9. Data, 10. Launched, 11. Easiest, 13. Empty, 15. Stunt, 16. Defence, 18. Emphasis, 19. Else, 21. Stupid, 22. Nickel. DOWN: 1. Sofa, 2. Relationships, 3. Analyse, 4. Stout, 5. Circumference, 6. Domestic, 12. Attempts, 14. Teasing, 17. Aside, 20. Stem.
SOLUTION TO SUDOKU ON PAGE 18
Disclaimer: The publisher cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage caused by error in the printing of an advertisement. We do not endorse any advertisers in this publication. All material is accepted for publication on the understanding it is copyright free. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior consent of the publisher. Publisher: Lothian Publications Ltd. Geddes House, Kirkton North, Livingston, West Lothian EH54 6GU. Magazine Design: Universal Appeal Ltd. M: 07729 911858 W: www.universal-appeal.com E: info@universal-appeal.com
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