The Edinburgh Reporter September 2019

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September 2019

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Out with a bang!

WHAT'S ON

After a busy August there’s lots to do in September.

Read more on pages 15 - 19

PHOTOS

What we saw in and around the city in August. Read more on pages 20, 21 and 22

FOOD

Juliet likes an oyster or two Read more on pages 24 and 25

August began and ended with classical music in open air venues.

At the beginning of the month, the LA Philharmonic Orchestra played at Tynecastle at the Aberdeen Standard Investments Opening Event.

Organisers believe that over 70% of the audience of around 15,000

were attending a classical concert for the first time.

At the end of the month The 2019 Virgin Money Fireworks Concert came from Princes Street Gardens as usual with an audience of 250,000 watching from the city centre. The Scottish Chamber Orchestra played Berlioz’s

Symphonie fantastique and Dukas’ The Sorcerer’s Apprentice while Pyrovision synchronised 400,000 fireworks overhead from the Castle ramparts. The concert ended with white strobing Chrysanthemum fireworks bursting 225 metres above the castle.

How rich the cultural scene is

Heidi Talbot presents Duke Special, James Yorkston & Brìghde Chaimbeul Sun 22 Sep, The Queen's Hall

here in the capital during August.

With books, classical music, comedy, cabaret, circus and tumbling troupes in the mix you could never weary.

Look at the photos we took around Edinburgh in August on Pages 20 and 21.

PHOTO Martin P McAdam

NEWS

Oor Wullie says Cheerio!

Read more on page 4

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NEWS

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Phyllis Stephen Editor

Scan here!

Take a look at Edinburgh Collected Edinburgh Collected is an online community photo archive managed by Edinburgh Libraries.

You can add your own photos to help preserve the city’s history for the future.

It is also a good way for organisations to preserve their archives in scrapbooks online. www.edinburghcollected.org Morningside Heritage

Recycling wait too long

by David Bol Local Democracy Reporter The council has been accused of “making it as difficult as possible to recycle” in the capital – with delays to bulky item collections raising fears of increased fly-tipping.

Following recent questions by Liberal Democrat councillors, figures revealed that more than half of bookings this year, which cost residents £5, have led to waiting times of longer than four weeks.

More than 10,000 bookings have been made so far this year for uplifts but only 1,093 of these have been carried out within two weeks. A total of 5,683 requests this year have taken more than four weeks – 55 per cent of the overall applications.

Edinburgh Council offers a service where residents can pay £5 to have large items,

such as old fridges, televisions and furniture, taken away to be recycled or they can be reused free of charged.

Liberal Democrat Cllr Kevin Lang said: “It does feel as though SNP councillors in Edinburgh are making it as difficult as possible to recycle.

“First we had the garden tax.

Then we had a cut it the opening hours of recycling centres. Now we learn that most people are having to wait up to two months, just to get their bulky items taken away. I’ve spoken to people in my own ward who made bookings, paid their money and were left astonished at having to wait so long to have their items picked up.

“I am pleased that new performance targets are now going to be introduced. However, it is even more important that action is taken to reduce these average waiting times.”

Association have recently had a donation of the archives of the 55th Edinburgh Boys Brigade Company, based in Morningside Parish Church ( formally St Mathew's ) Is anyone you

know in the photo? Among the photographs in the collection are many taken by Bill Smith who was Company Captain throughout the 1950s.

Concerns have also been raised that the delays could be resulting in unwanted items clogging up tenement stairwells.

Green Cllr Gavin Corbett said: “A wait of more than four weeks for bulky uplifts is far too long, particularly for people in tenements or flats, where storage options are limited.

“Sadly, it can simply lead to items being dumped in stairwells, streets or in green spaces, where the council will have to deal with it as fly-tipping but lose the income at the same time. So there has to be a sweet spot where more responsive pick-up can help encourage greater use of the service and increase income.

“I would also strongly encourage residents to look at some brilliant re-use options like Freegle or the various Facebook share sites. In my area, the “Slateford Share” is awash with people making good use of items other people no longer want or need and so avoiding having to use bulk uplift at all.”

Environment chiefs have told officials to draw up performance targets in an attempt to improve the situation and have moved to reassure residents that problems with the service have been identified and measures put in place.

Transport and environment convener, Cllr Lesley Macinnes, said: “The problem had already been recognised and indeed some quite swift action has been taking place in recent weeks.

“We have already seen he figures drop dramatically in terms of waiting times. There were two reasons for this – systems issues and capacity to meet demand.”

David Bol is the Local Democracy Reporter covering Edinburgh.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) is a public service news agency : funded by the BBC, provided by the local news sector, and used by qualifying partners.

Local Democracy Reporters cover top-tier local authorities and other public service organisations.

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NEWS

Over a million visitors

Oor Wullie’s BIG Bucket Trail has attracted over a million visitors since the 200 sculptures were installed across Scotland in June.

The trail app, which has been downloaded over 40,000 times

by Wullie fans, lets users digitally collect sculptures, with some great prizes up for grabs for app users too. So far users have racked up an incredible 13,000,000 steps, equating to 24,000 miles, with the average person walking 11 miles while doing the trail. More than

Walled garden restored

13,500 selfies have been uploaded to the app.

Wullie fans can see the sculptures for one final cheerio at Oor Wullie’s BIG Bucket Trail Farewell Weekend (13 – 15 Sep).

The free event will run from 9am-8pm on Friday and Saturday and 9am-5pm on Sunday. All Edinburgh sculptures will be gathered in the Square, Plenty of fun activities to keep wee ones entertained and exclusive Wullie merchandise will also be on offer.

A leading Scottish chef and a TV gardener have teamed up to restore one of Scotland’s most historic walled gardens.

Derek Johnstone, Head Chef at Borthwick Castle, has announced a collaboration with garden designer and horticulturalist Pete Jackson to redevelop the Midlothian private-hire venue’s original walled garden.

Expected to open in spring 2020, Borthwick Castle’s four-acre walled garden will also be home to Scotland’s first kitchen garden to specialise in growing historic herbs, vegetables and fruits.

The Borthwick Castle kitchen garden will cultivate culinary herbs dating back to the 16th century, alongside heritage vegetables which will be supplied directly to the kitchen.

Funding for community cinema

Funding for biodiversity in the city Almost half a million pounds will be shared among three nature projects in Edinburgh which are all trying to create better places for wildlife to thrive within the city boundaries.

Edinburgh Shoreline’s project willtry to improve breeding areas for puffins by removing invasive non-native species, such as tree mallow,. They will also create eight new coastal wildflower meadows linking up with other existing sites and help pollinators to travel around.

Buglife's Central Scotland B-Lines will create 100 hectares of wildflower habitat across 50 urban sites, connecting East Dunbartonshire, South Lanarkshire, Falkirk and Edinburgh, helping pollinators to move freely through towns and cities. Local community groups will take on ownership of each site. The project includes training in areas such as managing and monitoring of local sites, and how to increase habitat connectivity across the Central Belt.

Little France Park will be brought to life by the Edinburgh and Lothians Greenspace Trust’s project. It will transform the site and create a corridor for nature from the centre of Edinburgh to Midlothian.

As well as improving the 46 hectare park’s existing habitats, such as hedges, scrub and grassland, a network of new habitats will be created, targeted at butterflies, including the northern brown argus, common blue and small copper.

Painted Lady butterfly in Leith © Mike Shepherd

Rotary – what is it all about?

Have you ever seen this wheel, on a poster or a hotel plaque, and wondered what a Rotary Club is?

Well, a Rotary Club is a group of people who enjoy friendship and fellowship, but whose main raison d'être is “Service above Self” meaning that they work to help those who may be less fortunate than themselves, both within their local community and further afield.

Rotary Clubs meet regularly so that members can enjoy each other’s company and discuss projects. Edinburgh Rotarians have made a difference locally and globally, from organising an annual Forth Bridge Abseil to building a school in Sierra Leone.

There are 11 Rotary Clubs that meet within 10 miles of Edinburgh City Centre, about 190 clubs in Scotland, and 33,000 clubs worldwide, with over 1.2 million members. New adult members are always welcome, regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation, race, colour, religion or politics. All we ask is that you share our desire to put something back into our community.

In the next few issues we’ll tell you about our local clubs and what they are doing to enhance our city and our world. Maybe you’ll find one that suits you.

For more information please email secretary@rotary1020.org

by Nigel Duncan CENTRE for the Moving Image (Edinburgh Filmhouse) and Africa in Motion Film Festival are among 12 community cinema projects across Scotland to receive funding.

The Centre for the Moving Image will upgrade cinema screens at the Edinburgh Filmhouse.

Rod White, head of programming, Filmhouse, Edinburgh: “Having had the necessary equipment to run audio-described screenings in Edinburgh for quite some time, we’re acutely aware of how much the service means to those who use it.

“This award will also help us maintain the highest standards of film presentation.”

Africa in Motion (AiM) from 25 October to 3 November 2019 brings together the best of African cinema to Scottish audiences.

They will use their funding to update their mobile cinema equipment.

Justine Atkinson, their festival producer, said: “Our mobile cinema has been an invaluable asset over the last four years.

“We have ventured into community centres, integration networks, bars, churches and more and it has allowed us to create accessible cinema for a variety of different audiences.”

Jennifer Armitage of Screen Scotland, said: “From community cinemas to touring operators, to multi arts venues and full-time cinemas, these awards are helping to improve and expand cinema provision in every context, increasing its reach, depth and inclusivity across Scotland.”

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Who is in charge at the City Chambers?

After an announcement by Council Leader Adam McVey that he was about to take six weeks adoption leave, a spat over who would actually be leader may have been resolved.

We spoke with Labour Group Leader Cammy Day who is Depute Leader of the council. Edinburgh is run by a coalition administration between the SNP and Labour groups.

Cllr Day was absolutely clear on the matter.

He said : "I am quite clear as Deputy Leader that it will be my role to deputise for the Council Leader, during any period of absence. I hugely congratulate Adam and his partner on adopting two boys. I have known about their plans for about a year now.

Adam has had some challenges as there is no policy on adoption leave for elected members, so it is up to Edinburgh to lead on that.

Previously you would probably have been expected to resign from your position to allow the council to pay someone else to do your job. That has never been considered here.

“In England and Wales they already have a policy for elected members, but Edinburgh has a limit of 24 senior positions and a monetary limit of around £600,000. We cannot breach that,

and it is only because there are a few Senior Responsible Allowance (SRA) vacancies that it can be afforded in this instance.

"I think the council is progressive in supporting adoption leave and now we need COSLA and The Scottish Government to make changes as to how this can be promoted and encouraged across Scotland.

"But I am quite clear that it will be my job to lead the council for the next six weeks.”

Although Cllr Day will not be paid any increase in salary in the next six weeks, council approved a motion by which Cllr Ellie Bird (temporary leader of the SNP Group) will receive a pro rata payment of £39,310 on top of her basic councillor salary.

The Labour Group leader told The Edinburgh Reporter that he did not believe it entirely necessary. He was already in place to do the job.

But he continued : "It is for the SNP group to decide who they want to be the link between the coalition partners. The easy way to describe it is that I am 'acting up' for Adam and Ellie is acting up for me in my role. I believe there were some challenges in the SNP Group but that is for them too.”

We also spoke to Cllr Bird just as it had been announced that she would get an increased salary.

News in Brief AIRPORT SECURITY You may be able to keep your liquids and electrical equipment in your bags when going through airport security in future. The Prime Minister announced that all major UK airports will introduce new 3D cabin baggage screening equipment by 1 December 2022, claiming it will keep people safer by providing security personnel with better images of cabin baggage.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “The new screening equipment will improve security and make the experience smoother and less stressful for passengers. It could also mean an end to passengers having to use plastic bags or rationing what they take away with them.

“As an outward looking global nation, our transport hubs are more important than ever, and investing in our security

infrastructure means we are investing in our nation’s future.”

LIFE IN THE FAST LANE First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has unveiled a new plan that will put Scotland at the forefront of the 5G technological revolution.5G is the next generation of mobile internet, offering faster speeds and enhanced connectivity that could transform transport, education, healthcare and agriculture among other sectors.

The plan, Forging our Digital Future with 5G, sets out how the Scottish Government will work with industry, the regulator and other public sector bodies to make sure all of Scotland – including rural areas – benefits from the technology.

COMMUNITY COUNCIL Leith Harbour & Newhaven Community Council meets in the Shore room of Leith Community

She told us : "My understanding and the understanding of my group is that I will 'act up' over the next six weeks in Adam's absence as senior group member or leader of the group, and, alongside Cammy will perform the role of Council Leader. The council cannot appoint another Council Leader, and clearly Cammy is Depute Leader of the Council."

Cllr Macinnes is the Depute Leader of the SNP Group but

chose not to step into the role apparently claiming her workload prevented her from doing so.

Cllr Bird was elected two and a half years ago when she was working in Tommy Sheppard MP's office. She now works with Ben Macpherson MSP two days each week.

Cllr Bird concluded : "Something important to me is the voice of young people, and bringing young people into politics. We

are not a diverse council and I think am at the middle of a little storm here. "We still seem to be having the debate about bringing young 'inexperienced' women into the council as well as other underrepresented groups. I have been called confident and I will be using that for this role. I think we need a representative democracy, and I think we need young women - although I wouldn’t necessarily class myself as that at 31.”

Centre on 24 September 2019 between 7.00pm and 9.00pm. At their August meeting they were considering planning applications in Industry Lane (which has been withdrawn) and the new application for a major housing development on the gap site at Bath Street and Tower Street.

WEE SLEEP OUT On 7 December 2019 10,000 young people across Scotland may organise their own sleep outs. This is a programme which involves under 18s in the charity Social Bite’s project to end homelessness. Get involved here www.weesleepout.co.uk ON THE BUTTON is a huge sale of vintage and collectable buttons. It is on at St Andrew’s and St George’s West Church, 13 George Street on 6 and 7 September raising funds for Marie Curie. There are buttons from every decade from 1850s to 1990s, which will attract serious collectors, vintage and costume enthusiasts and craft workers. Every colour imaginable

and buttons made from everything from tortoiseshell to glass, from horn to early plastic, metal, wood and pearl will be on display.

10.00am until 4.00pm each day.

It follows the success of the first ON THE BUTTON in 2017, when £4,500 was raised for Marie Curie.

SHOW RACISM THE RED CARD Tens of thousands of people across workplaces, schools, sports clubs and individually are expected take part in Show Racism the Red Card’s initiative, Wear Red Day this year on 4 October 2019. Iconic buildings will be lit up red in an initiative to raise awareness of racism and there will be funds raised for more anti-racism education.

SEAFIELD STENCH If you are affected by the odour from the Seafield Waste Water Treatment Plant then you should know that there is a handy form on the Leith Links Community Council website which allows you to report it to all relevant authorities at once. Leith Links Residents Association has a crowdfunded

on their Facebook page raising money to pay a solicitor to act for them in dealing with the matter.

ROYAL INFIRMARY Lothian Health Services Archive is collecting oral histories from anyone familiar with the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh building at Lauriston Place. The project has been funded by the Edinburgh Futures Institute, University of Edinburgh, and it aims to capture memories from a range of people who used the building when it was a hospital.The interviews will be relaxed and can be conducted individually or in groups. If you are interested in taking part, or know somebody who might be, contact lhsa@ed.ac.uk or 0131 650 3392 AWARDS ScotRail may win a top environmental award in recognition for its work to improve biodiversity across Scotland’s Railway.The train operator has been nominated for Partnership Scotland Award at the VIBES Scottish Environment Business Awards 2019.

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NEWS

Summertime Streets revisited At the August full council meeting when the street outside was full of the sounds of the Festival, it is not surprising that councillors wanted to discuss traffic arrangements made in the new set up called Summertime Streets.

The October meeting of the Transport and Environment Committee will now consider any necessary changes for next year, as well as reviewing the format of Festival advertising.

Cllr Miller said some city centre drivers have displayed 'pretty ingenious driving and parking', and queried in writing the number of contraventions of street closures in Old Town. She was told that notwithstanding there have been cameras in place these were only used for short periods to monitor pedestrian numbers and behaviours both before and during the programme.

Transport & Environment Convener Lesley Macinnes replied that she shared some frustration but explained that

: "We have tweaked one or two of the aspects as we have gone through the operation, hopefully to help discourage some of that behaviour.

"It has been a major learning exercise for us. Let's not forget the prime purpose of the Summertime Streets operation which is to protect pedestrian safety.”

More discussion ensued about the summer street closures when city centre Conservative councillor Joanna Mowat demanded a suite of reviews about the programme including consultation with residents and businesses. She explained that while closures were intended to deal with road safety at Lawnmarket, Cockburn Street and Victoria Street, it also meant that the 35 bus had been lost to residents and that businesses reported a drop in sales. She asked about street clutter during the festival, the use of Princes Street Gardens for concerts and late consents for hot food traders.

Cllr Mowat explained that she wanted more feedback on the traffic operation. She said : "As with any big change this is probably the biggest experiment we have done to reduce traffic and through traffic on the streets in the last 12 years. I had anticipated certain responses, but what I had not anticipated was the scale of these from businesses about how

much this impacted their trade.

"I convened a meeting with businesses from the top of the Royal Mile to Canongate with the Director of Place and it was not the same message from all." She explained that businesses should be part of the future conversation as some of them are council tenants and all are rates payers, making it the council’s concern.

Her demands were not all agreed and she told The Edinburgh Reporter afterwards that she was bitterly disappointed that the most important part of her motion calling for consultation with those most directly affected by the programme was not simply agreed.

She said :“Changing the routing of traffic and closing streets throws up all sorts of challenges and it is a dereliction of duty not to commit to consulting with those directly affected. This is a complicated eco system and we need to understand what impact the changes had so that we can improve both safety for pedestrians and ensure that we don’t damage businesses or make life worse for residents in the process.”

Cllr Nick Cook supported his colleague saying that the city 'looks awful', the barriers on the Royal Mile looked as though they came from a war zone and they

Fast and Furious to be filmed in Edinburgh

Fast and Furious will be filming on the city streets during the day throughout September. There are a number of pedestrian closures but residents’ access will be maintained, diversions put in place and those with mobility issues will be assisted through when safe to do so.

This will be the ninth chapter in Universal Pictures’ franchise and the 800 crew members will be all over both the Old Town and the New Town.

Film Edinburgh and the council have been working together with the production team for almost a year to work out the details of the production schedule for what will be one of the most complex shoots filmed in Edinburgh.

The production team are keen to point out that they will keep any impact on residents to a minimum and that public safety is a high priority.

Director Justin Lin said: “Edinburgh is such a unique and iconic location and we are

incredibly excited about the opportunity to celebrate it in the Fast & Furious saga. The support from all local agencies, businesses and the community has been invaluable in helping to coordinate this shoot. We appreciate the entire city’s help and are excited to have such a beautiful and historic city in the film.”

Councillor Cammy Day, Depute Leader of City of Edinburgh Council, said: “Edinburgh has provided a backdrop for some exciting and high-profile film and TV productions over recent years. This promotes the city to audiences around the world, boosts the local economy and is great for us to see our home town on the big screen!

“Productions are extremely exciting for film fans in the city and the Council will continue to work closely with the production team to ensure there is limited impact on the everyday lives of our citizens while filming takes place.”

Rosie Ellison, head of Film

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Edinburgh, said: “Following our involvement with Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, we could demonstrate that the city has the ability to host such a large-scale production but were nonetheless thrilled when the Fast & Furious filmmakers confirmed that Edinburgh had been chosen as a filming location for the next outing of this hugely popular franchise.

We will continue to work closely with the production to ensure its smooth-running of the location shoot across the city.”

Filming in Edinburgh is now commonplace - some at a more leisurely pace. PHOTO ©2019 The Edinburgh Reporter

just do not fit in with a World Heritage Site.

Cllr Macinnes reminded councillors why the measures were necessary : "Let's remember exactly the reason why we put these measures in place - it is about serious concerns for public safety at one of the busiest times in the Scottish capital.

"This is an initial implementation of something we knew would have to be monitored and changed.

"The only purpose of Summertime Streets is not focused on the impact on businesses, important though these are. We do intend to listen to the businesses and traders.

"There is absolutely no intention that this administration has just imposed these measures for the sheer hell of it. It is absolutely necessary and is about responding to changes needed in this city in order to keep people safe, secure

and happy."

She continued : "I think Cllr Mowat's motion was a bit of a dog's breakfast and we will be supporting the Green amendment to it which will help us review and make changes for next year."

Cllr Iain Whyte the Conservative Group Leader said : "Summertime Streets is awful.

"It is poorly thought out and badly delivered. Everything I have seen about this is that pedestrian safety at the Tron has not improved, and in the Cowgate cars appear when people don't expect them. There is no strategic thought or joined up policy. They want to encourage tourism but with no regard to the consequences.

"The impression is that the city is run by an administration who don't care about businesses and just want to create a Disneyland for tourists."

Centenary Cavalcade on Doors Open Day

Lothian is ready for a super weekend in September with plans for a double centenary celebration.

On 28 September 2019, the bus company will host Doors Open Day at its Central Garage in Annandale Street from 12noon until 4.00pm.

This will include a line-up of Lothian’s fleet throughout the decades, a bus-themed kid’s zone, bus wash trips and garage tours on open top vehicles. It will also be the annual Vintage Running Day on the number 26.

On 29 September 2019, Lothian’s Centenary Cavalcade will take place through the city centre.

Beginning at 12noon from Wester Coates the procession finishes on Regent Road. The vehicles will then be displayed on George Street between 1.00pm and 3.00pm for close up viewing.

Gaynor Marshall, Lothian’s Communications Director said: “This is a huge weekend for the Lothian family and an opportunity to celebrate 100 years of public ownership with both our

We write about news relating to Edinburgh and the immediate area.

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customers and our staff. The weekend’s events will highlight the fantastic service our teams have delivered for the residents and visitors to Edinburgh across the last century.

“Our Doors Open Day event is always very successful and well-attended and this year we are anticipating our biggest and best yet. Sunday’s Cavalcade will be a great opportunity to see vehicles from throughout Lothian’s history and showcase the city’s transport evolution. We hope the city will join with us in this celebration and enjoy taking a look back through our history books.” www.lothianbuses. co.uk/100years

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7

£1000 offered for breakfast clubs University letting service has good year

by Nigel Duncan Entering Kellogg’s Breakfast Club Awards, which celebrate inspiring volunteers to themed breakfast days, could mean £1,000 for your school.

Entries close on Friday 4 October and shortlisted schools will be announced on Monday 14 October 2019.

The winners will be confirmed on Monday 28 October 2019 and they will be invited to attend

a ceremony at the Houses of Parliament.

Kate Prince, corporate social responsibility manager for the cereal company, said: “The awards are a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the inspiring work that goes on in schools. “Kellogg’s has supported breakfast clubs for 21 years because we believe that every child deserves the best start to their day.

“Clubs offer many benefits for

the school such as improved attendance and behaviour in the classroom.

“The children love them too as they get a chance to wake up in a fun way before lessons begin.”

Since 1998, the Kellogg’s Breakfast Clubs programme has supported over 3,000 breakfast clubs by providing training, grants and more than 70 million bowls of cereal. www.breakfastclubawards.co.uk

Get your kilt on for the Kiltwalk Elizabeth O’Hara is urging people to join her for the Edinburgh Kiltwalk on Sunday 15 September to help her raise money for sight loss charity RNIB. "RNIB helped me a great deal when I lost my sight," said Elizabeth (50), who has already done the Aberdeen, Glasgow and Dundee Kiltwalks this year.

"I literally woke up blind one morning due to diabetic retinopathy and other health conditions. Right now, I can't see anything with my left eye and have a little residual vision in my right."

The annual Kiltwalks allow people to raise funds for the causes they care about and receive a 40 per cent top-up from Sir Tom Hunter’s Foundation.

Those taking part can choose to

walk six, 15 or 23 miles on the day.

Elizabeth, and those she hopes will join her for the Edinburgh

walk, will do six miles - 'the Wee Wander’.

Register on the Kiltwalk website.

A university service which allocates second and subsequent year students, on a first come first serve basis, with private sector and university-owned homes in Edinburgh has delivered its best ever year.

Relaunched in summer 2018, after more than 20 years of student letting, the most recent academic year has seen “Domus” reach a key milestone – housing students across more than 300 properties in the city and providing accommodation for 860 students.

Operated by The University

of Edinburgh’s Domus team, landlords can receive a rental income without having to manage tenancies.

The university takes care of all aspects of letting.

While the team attracted a record number of landlords to its portfolio in the last year, they are calling on more property owners to join the scheme for the new academic year, with demand from students still far exceeding supply.

If you are interested in this telphone 0131 651 2130 or email domus.enquiries@ed.ac.uk

UNISON rejects universities' pay deal

UNISON, the union for higher education staff, has criticised the Scottish universities imposing this year’s disputed pay offer of 1.8%.

This has been directed by the UK-wide Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA), just as UNISON and the academic union UCU prepare to ballot for industrial action. UNISON says this is the second consecutive year that a poor, disputed pay offer has been imposed on university workers, over the heads of their representatives.

Lorcan Mullen, UNISON Scotland’s lead officer for higher education, said:“This employer behaviour is completely contrary to the Scottish Government’s Fair Work agenda, and is far removed from the relatively progressive collective bargaining norms in Scottish public services. It’s also not a good look when every University principal in Scotland earns more than the Prime Minister and First Minister, and at least four earn more than both put together.”

First Minister at TED Summit When TED came to Edinburgh they invited the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to talk at one of their sessions. She spoke to delegates who had paid several thousands of pounds each to be there, about her vision for making collective wellbeing the main aim of public policy and the economy.

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The Edinburgh Reporter

POLITICS

Calm down

by Christine Jardine MP The summer recess is meant to be a calmer time for MPs. It gives us chance to spend more time meeting constituents without being distracted by the rough and tumble of Westminster politics.

But with a hard-line Brexiteer cabinet in charge, hell bent on bypassing parliament to take us out of the EU without a deal, this summer has felt somewhat more unsettled than usual.

I continue to believe passionately that the best deal for the UK is the deal we have right now as a full member of the EU, and that’s why I’ve been fighting to stop Brexit for

more than three years.

In this moment of national emergency, the Liberal Democrats stand ready to work with anyone to stop no-deal, and to put the question back to the people.

To do this we desperately need to remove Boris as PM and install a government of national unity, led by an MP who is respected on both sides of House of Commons and can command a majority without seeking to lead a government in the long-term.

This autumn will be turbulent, but if we want to weather the storm, now is truly the time for working together.

Festivalling in Leith and North Edinburgh

by Ben Macpherson MSP Edinburgh is a world-famous artistic centre, and I am very glad to say the arts and creative industries are increasingly finding ways to promote and showcase their work within Leith and North Edinburgh.

Leith Theatre continues its transformation, following a Scottish Government grant of £190,000, and has showcased several high-profile acts as part of this year’s Festival including Neneh Cherry and Kate Tempest.

North Edinburgh Arts is a hub for community members to gather and use the space for various activities including music, art and even knitting.

At Custom Lane in Leith, events are lined up throughout the autumn including one called Trading Post which is a marketplace that will include food, drink art, and design. Excitingly, we also have the prospect of a film studio opening near the Shore, bringing even more television and filmmaking talent to the area.

Local Politicians have their say

Public finances mean we must stay in the UK

By Ian Murray MP In August, the official figures for Scotland's public finances were published.

The SNP’s own data has demonstrated one of the most positive arguments for Scotland remaining in the UK as they show that we enjoy a large public service spending dividend.

The pooling and sharing of

resources means that Scotland contributes 8% to the entire UK pot but receives a share close to 9.3%.

That’s a lot of extra money into our schools, hospitals and cherished public services to the tune of an extra £1,661 for every person in Scotland.

If Scotland left the UK, the only options to plug that gap are massive cuts to public

expenditure, eye watering borrowing, and/or significantly higher taxes.

The wrong-headed arguments for Brexit are the same as for independence. It's time we rejected the divisive nationalism of Boris Johnson and Nicola Sturgeon and started to concentrate on what really matters to the people of Edinburgh.

Support for the Real Living Wage

by Ash Denham MSP This summer I have made a special effort to meet with a number of employers in my Edinburgh Eastern constituency who are paying their staff the real living wage.

The real living wage is an initiative from the Poverty Alliance and the Living Wage Foundation, and supported by the Scottish Government, to encourage employers to pay their employees and any third-party contractors a wage independently calculated each year based on what employees and their families need to live on.

The wage is calculated to be £9 per hour - significantly higher than the UK Government's minimum wage of £7.70 for under-25s and £8.21 for over-25s.

In August I visited Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home, who only recently became accredited living wage employers, to hear their Director

of Operations, Lindsay FyffeJardine, speak so passionately about how proud they are to be the first animal welfare organisation

in Scotland to be real living wage employers, saying "we value our staff as much as we value our animals".

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Sickening tale

by Gordon Lindhurst MSP The saga surrounding the new sick children’s hospital in Edinburgh shows no signs of abating.

We now have no guarantees from the SNP’s Health Secretary Jeane Freeman when it will open at all, leaving families and staff completely in the dark.

While it is absolutely right that issues surrounding the site and building are investigated, the buck has to stop with the Health Secretary and NHS Lothian who appear to have taken their eye off the ball regarding the planned new hospital.

With costs threatening to spiral

out of control, including NHS Lothian paying £1.4m every month for use of the building, the Government and the Health Board have not been anywhere nearly as transparent as they should be regarding a facility which should have been providing so many benefits to youngsters and families across the city.

With years already spent on this project, people will rightly be asking why issues were not spotted well before it was due to open.

The need for a full Scottish Parliament inquiry is evident to get the answers for families and staff that are long overdue.

News from Strasbourg

by Sheila Ritchie MEP July was a big month. I, and 16 other pro EU Members of the liberal family took our seats in Parliament on the 2nd. My opening day had that first day at school feel. I had got into Strasbourg about 11pm.

Strasbourg is beautiful and my colleagues, Lucy and Jane and I had rented a student flat right in the centre of the old town. My bag, however, decided a week in Amsterdam would be more fun, which left me at the formal opening in the clothes I stood up in (and a bright yellow Stop Brexit t-shirt).

I’m now on two key committees, Agriculture and Rural Development, and Budgetary

Control. But the highlight was securing a Human Rights emergency debate in the full Parliament about children in US refugee camps. I was asked to raise it by Jody Rae, from Edinburgh.

In my speech I said: “The US taught the world that life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are inalienable rights. These camps fall far short of those lofty ideals.

The US Government should end these cruel policies and begin to unite families once more.”

I was delighted that the emergency resolution passed.

The big job now, is to stop Brexit - leaving the EU would be disastrous for Scotland and the UK.

Miles Briggs MSP 0131 348 5946 Miles.Briggs.msp@parliament.scot Milesbriggsedinburgh MilesBriggsMSP www.milesbriggs.scot M2.15, The Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh, EH99 1SP

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9

Westminster must address pensioner poverty

by Gordon Macdonald MSP Recently, a Tory-affiliated think tank - the Centre for Social Justice - chaired by close Boris Johnson ally, Iain Duncan Smith - proposed that the state pension age be raised to 75.

The consequences of this would be dire and disproportionate across parts of Edinburgh and Scotland.

According to NHS Health Scotland, in parts of my constituency, life expectancy for men is 68 and 74 for women.

Whilst life expectancy is improving in Edinburgh, this change would result in many never enjoying a retirement.

And this is yet another blow to older people across the country.

The Tory Government’s approach to the UK’s elderly population and state pension policy has been cruel and callous.

From the burning injustices facing the WASPI women who have been denied the right to their state pension, to the stripping away of free TV licences and the clawing back of pension credit for the over 75s. This government’s attitude towards its older people is shameful.

There are currently 170,000 older people in Scotland already living in poverty. Recent OECD research found that the UK state pension was the worst pension scheme in

Dealing with drugs

by Miles Briggs MSP Readers will be sadly aware of the shocking drug death statistics which were published last month which revealed that last year 1,187 people in Scotland died from drug related death, an increase of 27% from the year before. 152 of those drug related deaths were here in NHS Lothian, where the number of drug related deaths has increased by over 50%, compared to 2015.

Last week a report from the National Records of Scotland showed that Life expectancy in Scotland has stalled in part due to the rise in drug deaths, with the report stating that “The largest causes of the stall in life expectancy are the slowing of improvements seen in the reduction of deaths from heart disease and increases in drug related deaths”.

Alcohol and Drug Partnership staff across Lothian work incredibly hard to provide treatments for patients with alcohol and drug addictions, however Scottish Government cuts to funding along with poor workforce planning has made what is a difficult job even harder.

Last month it was reported that the Edinburgh Integrated Joint Board had also failed to utilise £1.4m of funding for alcohol and drug treatments. It is inexcusable

that funds that were meant for drug and alcohol services have been withheld and unutilised for over a year. Waiting times for Alcohol and Drug Partnerships in Lothian are higher than anywhere else in Scotland and these were funds that they badly needed over the last year.

There needs to be a major redesign of alcohol and drugs services in Lothian and across Scotland, with a redirection of funding into rehabilitation, recovery and wrap around support services. As we mark 20 years since the Scottish Parliament was reconvened perhaps it’s time to ask ourselves how we have managed to reach a point where as a nation we have the highest drug deaths in the world.

That is why for our part Scottish Conservatives have called for a cross-party summit on Scotland’s drug emergency and for the First Minister to show personal leadership on this tragic and pressing issue. We have called on SNP Ministers to set a clear target to halve the number of drug deaths in Scotland over the next five years and increase the number of drug users accessing treatment to 60 per cent. In November last year I launched the Scottish Conservatives drug strategy, at the centre of which is a call for a

the developed world. And, a new report that found the proportion of elderly people living in severe poverty in the UK is five times what it was in 1986 - the largest increase among western European countries.

This is shocking and the UK government needs to heed these warnings.

Instead of rolling out policies written up by the architects of Tory austerity, the new Prime Minister should take action to address the dire levels of pensioner poverty in the UK. The Tory government must take a step back and tackle these injustices - rather than ramping up the threats. personalised “Life Plan” for every drug user so that, rather than simply managing addiction, all policy and intervention is designed to support users into rehabilitation and services. The strategy also includes a “second chance” plan that would mean that drug users caught for the first time could choose to avoid having a criminal record, so long as they agree to attend Local Commissions and receive treatment if necessary.

Above all we need to get serious about taking action to stop the creation of a new generation of addicts and problematic drug users.

I have personally spent the parliamentary summer recess traveling around Scotland meeting with and listening to those at the front line of drug and addiction services in order to develop new Scottish Conservative thinking and proposals and I will be constructively engaging with the Scottish Governments new drugs deaths taskforce. It is clear that the approach taken to date in Scotland simply is not working and has led to the public health emergency we see today. I hope all political parties returning to Holyrood will make taking forward a new national approach the priority it so desperately needs to be. Because for many of our fellow Scots it is literally a matter of life and death.

10 POLITICS

The Edinburgh Reporter

Stop No Deal

GERS reveal hyper austerity

by Tommy Sheppard MP Under the new Prime Minister, the UK’s headlong dash towards the No Deal Brexit cliff edge has accelerated.

Johnson makes demands he knows the European Union cannot accept. He demands the removal of the backstop. The backstop was designed to protect the Good Friday Agreement and thus peace in Northern Ireland and is, let’s not forget, an international treaty which is overwhelmingly supported by the people of both Northern Ireland and the Republic.

The EU has repeatedly ruled out changes to the backstop so it is

clear that Johnson is deliberately asking for the impossible while gearing up to blame No Deal on Merkel and Macron. I n doing so, he is gambling with all our futures. The warnings of the economic and social effects of No Deal are clear.

The SNP has been open that we will work with all interested parties and do whatever it takes to stop No Deal. Scotland overwhelmingly rejected Brexit and we will not be left at the whim of Boris Johnson.

People in Scotland deserve the choice of a better future than the Brexit Britain being imposed on us.

Engineering the future

by Lorna Slater Co-Leader of Scottish Green Party I am very grateful to the members of the Scottish Green party for electing me as one of the new Co-leaders of the party.

As Co-leader my role is to be a spokesperson for the party, to communicate party policy to the public and be the external face of the party. Unlike other political parties, our policies are developed at the grassroots by our members, neither Patrick nor I take a lead in this process. Our party members tell us what to do, not the other way around.

This position gives me the platform to work on things that

I am passionate about: getting more women into politics, implementing a Scottish Green New Deal and developing a vision for Scotland as an independent country.

We’ve got our eyes on the Holyrood 2021 elections where we intend to get more Scottish Green women into parliament than ever before.

My day job is working as an engineer in renewable energy and I’m hoping that by being an ordinary person in politics that I can inspire other ordinary people to get active in politics. Parliament should represent the people and be as diverse as we are.

Stopping Brexit

by Joanna Cherry QC MP I was at the Church House declaration in Westminster in late August.

The legal moves to prevent the suspension of Parliament have already been commenced in the Scottish courts. I am proud to be the lead petitioner in the case which will be heard at the Court of Session in Edinburgh on Friday 6 September.

The Church House meeting was

all about advancing the cross party parliamentary strategy to stop a No Deal Brexit, and it was a huge success.

A No Deal Brexit would cost jobs and lower living standards badly. While the SNP Scottish Government put in place the means to hold a second independence referendum it is right for SNP MPs to work cross-party to protect Scotland’s economy and society from the hit that would be caused by No Deal.

Local Politicians have their say

by Daniel Johnson MSP The latest Gers figures released in August clearly show the shocking reality that many people still refuse to accept, mainly that Scotland would be forced to endure hyper austerity if it became independent.

The vote that took place in 2014, was as clear as these latest official figures.

People in Scotland, and especially my constituents in South Edinburgh, do not want an independent Scotland.

Scotland’s notional deficit stands at £12.6bn which equates to 7% of GDP. That is over seven times higher than the UK. But this is only half the picture.

Given the commitment to setting up a new currency, with the need

On the right track

by Deidre Brock MP New railways please me. There hadn’t been any in recent years until the Borders line and the Airdrie-Bathgate line got started but they’ve whetted the appetite and more are planned.

The recent announcement of the new line to Leven is lovely (apart

from the jokes about Leven on a jet train) and I hope there will be many more to come.

It isn’t quite reversing Beeching or returning to a golden age of trains but it might help change or view of train travel to chime more with our continental friends that with our memories of British

to build currency reserves to back it up, this will only add pressure to this deficit figure.

The reality is that in an independent Scotland, the only way you can introduce a new currency is if you either cut public expenditure or borrow.

Borrowing would be extremely expensive for a new country with a new currency.

Rail. Clean and comfortable trains on well laid and well maintained tracks taking people to work, study or leisure. Let’s be ambitious I can’t help contrasting the beauty of opening these normal lines, lines to serve people, with the utter mess of HS2 and I think there’s a wee politics lesson in there – do what’s needed, not what’s flash. All aboard!

Editorial - Our Festival City I know the council is on it, with the City Centre Transformation Project, but that will take a while. Meantime, I have a few suggestions for them on how to improve things during the Festival period, and also at other times of the year. These comments are not just intended to improve things for visitors (important though they are) but also for those of us who live in the city. And I would love to hear from you with yours!

Congestion causes frustration and as anyone who has driven on a motorway knows 'Frustration causes accidents'. Police need to curtail the speed of all traffic using our city streets. One black cab driver told us that he knew he was driving us home at 35 mph but the 20mph speed limit really did not apply to taxis.... It is not all about taxis of course, there are large vehicles and small speeding along our streets putting everyone in danger.

Leith Theatre was used for Edinburgh International Festival again with fabulous entertainers like Jarvis Cocker and Neneh Cherry. But there were nights during August when this great venue was empty and unused.

Get it booked up on other nights for Fringe acts so that people are encouraged to go to Leith rather

than everyone cramming into Bristo Square. And while we are at it, St Bride's Community Centre which has a terrific adaptable theatre space did not appear to booked during August. The council own it - they are supposed to be 'maximising their assets'. Make sure that all the schools and buildings owned by the council are publicised as Fringe venues first.

They have the infrastructure to make them accessible too.

Give us more places to sit down. Put out moveable tables and chairs wherever we can in our parks and open spaces. In Paris parks they have beautiful metal chairs (some of them with reclining backs to encourage you to have a wee snooze at lunchtime perhaps). These get moved around to the places people really want to use them, making their own configurations to suit the moment.

Take the wooden benches away from the south side of Princes Street. This is a busy pedestrian area at the best of times and it is now too narrow for anyone to sit there as well as allowing people to pass by. When Summer Sessions were on in Princes Street Gardens, the benches were corralled behind ugly barriers (more of them in a minute) and unusable anyway. So put them somewhere else - either

during the Festival or all year round - for people to actually sit on and enjoy a view. We could replace them with flip up or down seats attached to the railings in case someone really does need to take a seat there. Take them to Portobello Prom or George Street, Craigmillar outside the Library, Westside Plaza in Wester Hailes or anywhere that we should be encouraging people to sit awhile.

Get the rubbish and street cleaning sorted out. All too often I passed bins overflowing with rubbish. Either encourage people to take their rubbish home or the council needs to give the areas which are heavily used a deep clean in the early morning hours Oh and please take the companies behind Silent Discos aside and suggest that they use less well-populated areas. It would be best for everyone's safety and sanity, even if for some obscure reason we cannot licence them.

It would be as well to remove these ugly metal barriers used to move people off the streets but also to keep people off the War Memorial outside the City Chambers. These have no place here in our beautiful city, so who has a better idea to guide people away from places they should not either walk or drive?

The Edinburgh Reporter

12 BUSINESS

Meeting the new CEO at the Scottish Our business is formed from retail deposits from our members and we lend on residential property here within Scotland.

"Put simply, people deposit funds and we lend out for the purchase of homes.We are in profit and throughout the course of the last 10 years - which have been difficult for a lot of financial services - we've had sustained growth throughout that period.

We've benefited from a prudent approach to lending - a very Scottish prudent approach to lending over the course of recent years. That has stood us well through some difficult times for financial services.

"But inevitably we have come out of the financial crisis far better and far stronger. For myself coming in as a new CEO I feel very blessed that our balance sheet is actually in a very healthy position, and we have strong reserves that we can grow from.

"We don't pretend to be the scale and size of Lloyds or RBS. We are a small player within the market.

We are well funded on our balance sheet and we are well controlled from a credit position.

"And we are blessed that our members trust us with their deposits and we therefore have money to lend out to potential new borrowers.”

Paul Denton is the CEO of the Scottish Building Society. He is recently appointed to the post, travelling in to his still relatively new office from Fife each day.

He explained : "This is week five and along the way I have spent a lot of time out with our key stakeholders so I have met our internal colleagues as well as a lot of members at our recent AGM which was just prior to me starting. I've been out visiting a number of Edinburgh agencies which is a key part of our overall proposition.

"I have also met with a large number of our mortgage intermediaries which is also important to us. Getting to understand the business and meeting our key stakeholders in the first few weeks has been incredibly important for me."

The Scottish Building Society is a members owned building society, owned by its 33,000 members.

The organisation has 80 people working directly for SBS. The HQ is in Dalry Road and has a branch attached to it. They welcome anybody to the branch who wants to visit.

Mr Denton said : "We are a very traditional building society.

Of all the building societies left across the UK we are the oldest remaining, established in 1848.

New face at Hamilton & Inches Jonathan Payne is the new managing director of jewellers Hamilton & Inches.

The company, who are Royal Warrant holders, plan to invest in the training and development and make significant infrastructure updates.Victoria Houghton, the company's CEO, said: “His understanding of Scotland as a retail destination will add credence to our global development strategy."

The firm aim to double turnover over the next five years and say that renovations to the George Street showroom will deliver a fresh retail approach which has not been seen before in Scotland.

Payne said: “Hamilton & Inches represents everything a luxury jeweller should be. This includes the talented team in the workshop handcrafting exceptional silverware and jewellery, the vastly knowledgeable and experienced retail team and the longstanding relationships the team has developed over many years with clients and brands."

Jonathan was involved in the growth of a £35m turnover in four locations including Edinburgh, when he worked at Laings. He was also sales and operations director at Holland & Barrett.

First supermarket Listing for Chain Edinburgh Trams kick Pier Distillery off new rugby season

Edinburgh based, Chain Pier Distillery signed a contract with Asda to produce an exclusive Extra Special Scottish gin, available in 50 Scottish stores. It draws inspiration from the Scottish landscape and is infused with the flavours of nettle and gorse.

It’s the first gin listing for the distillery which is owned by spirits and wine producer Halewood Wines & Spirits who are also Scotland’s largest independent drinks manufacturer and distributor. Chain Pier opened earlier this year, marking the first in a series of investments into the Scottish artisanal sprits industry.

John Foster, National Account Manager at Halewood International, explained : “It’s a very exciting time for craft spirits as we’re experiencing a period of sustained growth, which has allowed us to invest £50m back

into the artisanal spirits business.

We are extremely proud to produce Asda’s Extra Special Scottish Gin using the finest local ingredients to give Asda customers a real taste of Scotland.”

Heather Turnbull, Regional Buying Manager at Asda, added : “We know just how much our

customers value locally soured produce, so we’re delighted to be working with Chain Pier Distillery to capture traditional Scottish flavours and bring it to market as an Extra Special Gin. We’re proud to support Halewood International and its new distillery as the gin market continues to grow.”

in Nice.

The squad travelled on a uniquely branded Scottish Rugby Tram, which features fan favourites Stuart Hogg and John Barclay in the new Scottish Rugby kit for the forthcoming season.

Louise Marshall piped the players into the airport wearing a kilt in Edinburgh Trams tartan.

Photo by Ian Georgeson

Leith Walk Police Box Pop up space Thursdays 12noon to 7pm - En Elladi - Greek artisan produce - Greek honey, olive oil & mountain herbs Saturdays - Edinburgh Tool Library 10:30am - 1pm 7th September - 1pm-5pm Edinburgh Northern and Leith Labour Party on the Walk www.leithwalkpolicebox.com

Edinburgh Trams and Scottish Rugby will be ‘As One’ this season.

In a new partnership there will be advertising panels inside the trams to reflect the Scottish rugby calendar.

To mark the new deal the Scottish Rugby squad travelled by tram to Edinburgh Airport ahead of their opening 2019 summer test

11th and 13th September 11am to 6pm - Tipico quality nuts plus delicious Sicilian confectionery 20th September - 11am - 6pm - Tarot card readings with AmberLee Alchemy 27th September 11am - 5pm - Veez Vegan pies 28th September 2pm - 4pm - Invisible Edinburgh Street Barber 29th September 11am - 6pm - Wild Maremma artisan handmade pasta and tiramasu

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Spotlight on Cramond Residence Cramond Residence in north west Edinburgh provides the highest quality care for older people, including nursing, respite and dementia care.

Designed to an exceptional standard, it has a selection of luxury ensuite bedrooms, first class-facilities and latest care home technology to meet all care needs.

The thought of recovering at home without medical and nursing assistance may feel daunting for anyone who has recently spent time in hospital, due to surgery or debilitating illness.

A temporary stay at Cramond Residence can help, with shortterm care packages available from one week up to three months for people over the age of 50.

Care and support complements a doctor’s recovery strategy. It aims to help people return home as strong and independent as possible.

Staff are available 24 hours to assist with post-operative procedures and to oversee medication. Cramond also has a visiting GP ensuring guests are comfortable and taking part in their rehabilitation programme.

The Residence provides a comfortable home-from-home with spacious bedrooms, assisted bathrooms and wheelchair access throughout.

Cramond Residence has a partnership with physiotherapists Balanced offering optional health and wellbeing support.

An in-house physiotherapy gym allows people to exercise safely under the supervision of a specially trained rehabilitation physiotherapist. Regular body balance classes, clinically proven to reduce the likelihood of falls, are also available.

The Residence has something to suit everyone with a private cinema for watching the latest

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blockbusters or classic movies, a hairdressing and beauty salon for a spot of pampering and a café to share a cup of tea with friends.

There are musical performances, history talks, arts and crafts and visits from the local nursery and primary school and their therapy dog, Toffee.

Good quality food and nutrition is essential for wellbeing and happiness. Cramond’s chefs work in partnership with nutritionists to create healthy and delicious menus from the very best ingredients.

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14 NEWS

More teacher training at Napier Edinburgh Napier University is addressing teacher shortages in areas of science and technology by training more people on the Professional Graduate Diploma in Education programme.

The first batch of students enrolled for the year long course at Sighthill will study a secondary teacher education curriculum in Biology, Maths, Physics and Chemistry. They will use new

teaching tools like video analysis of body language as well as studying verbal communication and practical skills.

Andrew Gallacher, Head of Teacher Education, said: “We are hugely excited about getting this postgraduate programme under way, and look forward to producing people who will be a real asset to Scotland’s local authorities.

“We will help students

Andrew Gallacher greets the new trainees

Rachel wins top award

develop their confidence and communication skills so that in time they will be ready to embrace the diverse demands of the job and inspire children to thrive in the classroom.”

The university plans to expand the General Teaching Council for Scotland-accredited programme by offering courses in Computing, English and Modern Languages over the next three years.

Rachel Gateley from Balerno won a top award for her final degree project at Scotland’s Rural College. She graduated last month with a degree in Applied Animal Science.

22 year-old Rachel was awarded the Texel Sheep Society Educational Award for Best Honours Dissertation. She studied the use of new technology to investigate differences in feeding behaviour between Lleyn and Scottish Blackface sheep.

She said: “I was honestly so shocked and grateful to receive the Texel Sheep Society award for my dissertation.

“Throughout my project I didn’t once consider the award – I was too busy sorting data – so to be recognised for my work on a subject which could hopefully benefit the industry was great.

“It also made all the difficulties and disasters – including smashing my memory stick – faced during those months worth it.

“I’d like to thank my supervisors Dr Nicola Lambe and Dr Ann McLaren for all their support and input.”

Dr McLaren said: “I’m delighted that Rachel’s hard work throughout her project has been recognised through this award from the Texel Sheep Society.

“The study was one of the first

to assess individual sheep feeding behaviour using newly available technology and a number of findings from Rachel’s dissertation will hopefully go on to be extremely useful in future research projects.

“Rachel was a pleasure to work with and I wish her all the best for the future.”

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WHAT’S ON IN SEPTEMBER Theatre Art Music Shows Festivals

The Scottish Arts Club entertains Doyenne Duo brings a programme by lyrical masters to the Scottish Arts Club on 13 September 2019.

French flute favourites Cécile Chaminade, Philippe Gaubert and Michel Blavet, American Daniel Dorff’s spiritual odyssey Three Lakes, dreamy improvisations of English composer Ian Clarke and François Borne’s Fantasy on Bizet’s tragic heroine Carmen.

The programme begins with the majesty and fireworks of the Concertino for flute and piano by the first lady of French flute repertoire, Cécile Chaminade.

The wistful elegance of French Baroque virtuoso Michel Blavet’s Sonata “La Lumagne” will be followed by American composer Daniel Dorff’s programmatic suite Three Lakes depicting the lakes of his childhood in the Northeast of America. Lyrical, charming and Debussy-esque, Gaubert’s 3rd Sonata will be followed by Ian Clarke’s popular Hypnosis based on improvisations with Clarke, David Hicks and Simon Painter during their studio sessions and time performing together as a rock group. Bringing the programme to a close, will be the tour-de-force, showstopper by François Borne, in his take on well-known melodies from Bizet’s opera Carmen.

Equal parts fiery and melodious -a programme not to be missed.

Tickets from the club 0131 229 8157.

As part of Doors Open Day on 23 September 2019 there is a talk about The Bauhaus –a moment in the story of man and machine by Dr James Lawson.

The Modern can seem a destructive force, visiting obsolescence on the long-practiced and cherished.

With the headlong development of industrialised processes of organisation and production, in the nineteenth century, the craftsman was seen by many as the victim.

A sanctuary was required for the preservation of the arts and crafts.

The art school and the guild were given the role.

Walter Gropius and his

colleagues at the Bauhaus, founded in Weimar a century ago in the immediate aftermath of the Great War, chose not to lament, but to put to use the tools of modern industry, exploit the economies of which they were capable, and supply the practical and aesthetic needs of the many.

In developing the educational programme suited to those ends, art, craft and modern modes of production would collaborate.

There is an ancient history of dialogue and difference between art and craft, and the economics of production had long been problematical for supply. Quality of product had usually been in an inverse relation to quantity.

The Bauhaus boldly resolved the opposition.

At Museum of Edinburgh this month

Past Lives of Leith Exhibition.

This coincides with the publication of the results from the archaeological excavations undertaken by The City of Edinburgh Council and Headland Archaeology in 2009.

These excavations were done before any work was carried out in preparation for the Edinburgh Tram project in Constitution Street in Leith.

They unearthed an unknown section of the graveyard associated with South Leith Parish Church.

The exhibition explores the results of the detailed forensic analysis undertaken of the nearly 400 burials uncovered, which have shed new details on the life and death of the ordinary inhabitants of Leith.

It also showcases forensic art reconstructions undertaken for

Tumbling Lassie Ball The Tumbling Lassie Ball takes place on 5 October 2019 at Prestonfield House Hotel.

This is the largest anti-trafficking fundraiser in Scotland.

Tickets are £90 each or £850 for

At the Royal Lyceum The Royal Lyceum Theatre, Malthouse Theatre and Lyric Hammersmith Theatre have just announced that the actor playing Kris Kelvin in the UK run of David Greig’s adaptation of Stanisław Lem’s Solaris is to be Polly Frame.

David Greig said: “Writing the adaptation for Solaris was as fascinating as exploring a newly discovered planet.

"I had no idea Stanisław Lem’s book was so funny, so moving, and such a fascinating philosophical disquisition on the eternal human problem of our relationship with ‘the other’ – whether that other is a person, a planet, a lover or a

the project by students working as part of an internship developed between CEC Archaeology Service and the University of Dundee Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification.

A publication Past Lives of Leith: Archaeological Work for Edinburgh Trams accompanies this exhibition priced at £35.

And next month join in a drop in family art session when the Royal Mile is closed during Open Streets in October, with artist Rachael Forbes. Make beautiful collages inspired by your favourite buildings in old Edinburgh. Bring some photos along of your favourite places. Free - no need to book.

Open Streets opens up streets to people by closing them to vehicles. The idea behind it is to help people explore, use and become aware of the connected areas in the Old Town.

Rings trilogy, Cloud Atlas, The Matrix trilogy, V for Vendetta, The Adventures of Pricilla, Queen of the Desert), who features via video as Gibarian, the ill-fated doctor whose love and fascination for the mysterious planet Solaris causes his mysterious demise just before Kelvin arrives on board the space station.

The original footage accompanies performances from an international cast.

Solaris will open The Lyceum’s 2019/20 season on 12 September 2019, running until 5 October 2019.

It will transfer to Lyric Hammersmith Theatre on 10 October 2019, running until 2 November 2019.

monster. The premise is simple: there are three scientists on a space station orbiting a great planet, a psychologist arrives to check on their wellbeing, and strange things start to happen – is the planet communicating with them? Or are they imagining it? Is it a god? Or a demon? Or a child?

"It’s a huge pleasure to be teaming up with the bold and brilliant Malthouse and Lyric Hammersmith theatres, and I’m delighted to be working with Matthew Lutton again."

The cast also includes internationally celebrated actor, Hugo Weaving (Lord of the

JOIN IN SEPTEMBER GET OCTOBER FREE

a table.

Have a look at their website where you can learn about the court case that spawned a charity. www.tumblinglassie.com

GET MORE FOR YOUR MEMBERSHIP at the biggest club in town this summer.

Join online today at edinburghleisure.co.uk Terms and conditions apply. Offer ends 30th September.

Registered Scottish Charity No: SC027450

16 WHAT'S ON

Theatre Art Music Shows Festivals

At Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop As part of the Edinburgh Art Festival 2019 , the Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop (ESW) ran a series of exhibitions of work from three contemporary sculptors displayed for, at least, the duration of the Festival (some of them are still there).

Lucy Wayman was commissioned to create a new public sculpture for the cycle path close to Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop which connects Newhaven to Edinburgh City Centre. Her practice makes use of craft techniques, such as weaving, knotting and macramé,

but at a dramatic scale. The work, created from marine rope, follows Wayman’s interest in the industrial and historic uses of rope, connecting ideas of system, control and release with skills recognisable from the domestic realm.

ESW also commissioned Adam Benmakhlouf to make a new sound work for its beacon tower.

His practice mixes painting, writing, print, sculpture, sound and video. The works he produces reveal hints of autobiography, friendship and intimacy, which can be tender, honest and candid.

‘The Noise of Making Spills Over’ is a looping sound collage of the noises of ‘working it out’ and informal education.

It is played through four speakers set high in the tower.

As a response to the radical ESW Schools Programme, recordings of the primary 5s describing their own and each other’s artworks are mixed into noises of inclusive and community music groups’ warm-ups and reheasals, putting the listener in a rich soundscape of practice and the steady progress of collaborative learning.

Photo by John Preece

Photo by John Preece ESW invited Caroline Achaintre to make new work for the central courtyard space. She is known for her sculptures in ceramic and metal as well as her drawings, prints, watercolours and fabric pieces in the form of tufted

rugs.For this project Achaintre’s outdoor sculptures, made from constructed and cast metal as well as elements of ceramic, will be an extension of her drawings of multipersonalities. The imaginative co-existence within one object-body, and a deftness

in use of materials creates a perception of fluidity despite the rigid constituent parts. Achaintre often integrates small sculptures within larger support structures, called ‘display furniture’, and within whole exhibition schemes.

Mach 1 is Go at Edinburgh Park

Photo by John Preece

Planning permission has been granted by The City of Edinburgh Council for a new kind of space at Edinburgh Park.

This is not just another boxy style building however, but a multi-purpose building and art installation to be built by Parabola.. It is designed by well-known Scottish artist David Mach and will be made from shipping containers. This is a joint project between architectural studio Dixon Jones and David Mach. The end result is a dynamic blend of architecture and sculpture.

Parabola will also commission a Scotland-based poet to write and

perform a poem about Mach 1 in the new building. Working with the Scottish Poetry Library (SPL), the poet chosen will be expected to produce a long poem, for which they will be paid £3,000 and will be expected to perform the piece at Mach 1next year In addition to securing planning permission for Mach 1, Parabola received

planning permission to site its sculpture collection at Edinburgh Park. The collection includes work

by Geoffrey Clarke (Past, Present, Future); Brian Kneale (Pendulum); Kenneth Armitage (Reach for the Stars) and Sir Eduard Paolozzi’s Vulcan, one of the last works of the Edinburgh-based artist.

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WHAT'S ON 17

Our suggestions for Doors Open Days 28-29 September 2019

Colony of Artists 2019 Colony of Artists at Abbeyhill takes place on 21 and 22 September 2019.

From 12 noon to 6.00pm each day there will be art on display, music to listen to and food and drink to enjoy in this creative corner of the city.

With 66 artists and 40 venues (which are the artists' own homes in many cases) there is a lot to see and enjoy.

The artists who live in the colony houses at Abbeyhill have held the community exhibition for 14 years. It was artist Gill Smith and her partner Bob Giulianotti who organised the first few years and since then artists Bill Mazur and Kat Chisholm have led the way.

There are paintings and artwork of all kinds including photography, textiles, ceramics, paintings, handblown glass, woodcraft, socks, knitwear and upcycled plastic bags, jewellery to see and buy.

Narcissus Flower School will show off their contemporary floristry design and McBarkers will sell homemade dog treats. Nick Gardner will do tarot readings.

Venues include the colony houses just off London Road to The Hive (a music stage set up on Rossie Place), Abbeyhill Primary School with a whole programme of children’s events, The Artisan Bar and The Safari Lounge, Citadel Books and Century General Store on Montrose Terrace

Doors Open Day in Edinburgh on 28 and 29 September 2019 is a great opportunity for you to get into buildings that you may have admired for a long time from the outside and wondered what treasures they hold inside. And it is all free.

There are behind the scenes tours, talks and exhibitions which will tell you more about the history of each one. It is organised by the Cockburn Association, Edinburgh's Civic Trust. The Scottish Civic Trust act as the umbrella organisation to bring all the regional programmes across the country together.

Here are our top suggestions for buildings you may never have been inside : Leith Town Hall and Sheriff Court at 29-35 Queen Charlotte Street EH6 7EY are both within Leith Police Station. Built in 1828 there is also (who knew?) a debating chamber inside referred to as Leith Town Hall. The building is unaltered since 1864.

Town HQ 603 Squadron RAAF 25 Learmonth Terrace EH4 1NZ Booking Cpl Alex Mills 0131 332 2333 This is a Victorian mansion designed in 1891 for whisky distiller, Arthur Sanderson. Since 1925 it has been the home of 603 Squadron. The interiors were decorated by William Scott Morton with each room individually designed.The Drawing Room is inspired by Robert Adam. Tours at 1.00pm and 3.00pm

Arthur Conan Doyle Centre 25 Palmerston Place EH12 5AP This is another Victorian Townhouse built in 1881 and was the home of William McEwan of The Fountain Brewery who gifted The McEwan Hall to Edinburgh University. Have a cuppa at the Sherlock Holmes tearoom.

Queen Street Gardens Central and East Districts. It was a private Act of Parliament in 1822 which safeguards the private gardens along one side of Queen Street.

Anyone living in the area can pay to get a key and enjoy the pleasure gardens.

Another garden is Grove Community Garden which is a mobile community garden - or part of a 'meanwhile' project in Fountainbridge. The project has brought some life to brownfield sites not currently being used for development and it moves on when they are. It is to be found on Drysdale Road EH11 1FA and you will be offered refreshments.

Queensferry Parish Church The Loan EH30 9HY (there is a personal reason for including this one here! You will have to ask me when you see me.) This church was opened in 1894 during the reign of Queen Victoria and there are some nice stained glass windows.

Sir Patrick Geddes Apartment Ramsay Garden EH1 2NA Although you may have visited the Patrick Geddes Centre at Riddle's Court this is an apartment in the iconic

Arts and Crafts building at one end of the Castle Esplanade. It was designed by Geddes and retains many original features. Advance booking required Harlaw House Visitor Centre is at Harlaw Road Balerno EH14 7AS and if you visit here you will be able to see the Harlaw Hydro project and meet representatives from Malleny Angling Association.

It was built as a waterkeeper's cottage and is now an information centre.

The Institut Francais d'Écosse is the former Lothian Chambers, taken over in recent years as a little piece of France in the city centre. The building upstairs has some beautiful architectural features and downstairs there is a fabulous bistro where they serve the best soup.

JM Architects invite you to their office at 64 Queen Street EH2 4NA on Saturday only. This is a 17th century A-listed townhouse built for the 7th Earl of Wemyss.

For children one of the most popular events is getting on a bus and going through the bus wash at Lothian's garage on Annandale Street. You have to book early.

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18 WHAT'S ON

Theatre Art Music Shows Festivals

At the Queen’s Hall in September

7 September doors 7.00pm Last Podcast on the Left Hosts Ben Kissel, Marcus Parks and Henry Zebrowski talk about all sorts of dark subjects like Jeffrey Dahmer, werewolves and iconic hauntings. A look at the dark side of humanity. Don't be scared to book!

9 September 8.00pm An Evening with Richard Jobson of The Skids with special guests Bruce and Jamie Watson.The legendary Richard Jobson who launched the punk rock band in 1977 with partner Stuart Adamson. Now revived presumably with the aid of some oxygen they toured in 2018 to mark the release of their new album. He has also written his memoirs. Get a ticket if you can.

15 September doors 7.00pm Femi Kuti is the son of Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti. He is Grammy nominated and began his career by playing in his father's band the legendary Egypt 80 in 1979.

19 September doors 7.00pm Peter Hook & The Light The background is Joy Division and New Order. You know what to expect. More than just the greatest hits they will also play lesser known material during the set.

20 September 7.30pm Duncan Chisholm The Gathering. The award-winning fiddler comes back to the hall with his music rooted

in highland music. His latest album, 'Sandwood', explores the specific area of Sandwood Bay and chronicled his own personal journey through the Highlands to this place of beauty, which became his muse.

22 September 7.30pm QH@40: Folk singer Heidi Talbot presents Duke Special, Brìghde Chaimbeul Heidi has shared the stage and recorded with Mark Knopfler, Graham Coxon (Blur), Eddi Reader, Idlewild, Matt Rollings, King Creosote, Kris Drever, Tim O'Brien and Jerry Douglas and has performed globally in the world’s finest concert halls.

27 September 7.30pm Scottish National Jazz Orchestra and Bill Evans. An American Journey Here is Evans reunited with the SNJO to perform a new programme of wild-at-heart, cross-genre music in the true spirit of the west and the music and performance are guaranteed to raise the bar again for jazz music in Scotland.

28 September 7.30pm Phil Cunningham & Aly Bain.

Traditional music. Traditional musicians par excellence.What else do you need to know?

29 September 7.30pm Penguin Café with their beautiful, haunting and memorable music. They have released three albums of music much to the delight of their band of devoted followers.

Bach Choir Stages Its First “Come And Sing”

by John Knox

The Edinburgh Bach Choir has been performing in the “city of song” for over a hundred years.

It’s now to open its doors to anyone who wants to sing for a day and enjoy two classic works – Vivaldi’s Gloria and Handel’s Coronation Anthems which include the famous Zadok the Priest.

Conductor Stephen Doughty said: “These are wonderful, joyous works and I’m sure anyone who comes along – whether they have sung them before or not – will have fun and be inspired.”

The Bach Choir wants to take advantage of the current popularity of “come and sing” events to encourage more people to take part in the musical life of the city and experience for themselves the thrill and challenges of the classical repertoire.

It also wants to swell its own ranks and it’s hoped the day will give potential recruits a taste of what the choir has to offer.

As you would expect, the 70-strong choir performs a lot of Bach – most recently the B Minor Mass and the St John Passion.

And Bach’s Magnificat will be part of its Christmas concert this year.

But its recent programmes have also included Beethoven’s 9th , Rossini’s Petite Masse Solennelle and Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms.

Future plans include Kodaly’s Missa Brevis and Seiber’s Hungarian Songs.

The “Come and Sing” will be held at the Methodist Church, Nicholson Square, EH8 9BX on Saturday 7 September 2019.

The rehearsal will run from 10am (with breaks) and a performance will begin at 3.00pm.

Scores will be provided. Tickets for singers cost £15 and audience tickets for the performance cost £5.

Book on Eventbrite. www.edinburghbachchoir.org.uk

Tapestry evolving at Dovecot All summer at Dovecot Studios they have been weaving a magnificent new tapestry to a design created by artist Victoria Crowe. Titled Richer Twilight, Venice the tapestry can be seen from the public Tapestry Studio Viewing Balcony. It is available for sale and will be completed by the end of September 2019.

It is a meditation on the city’s Byzantine palette and distinctive skyline which excites artistic comparison with Edinburgh. In Venice two Scottish artists are taking part in the 2019 Biennale.

This is Crowe’s fourth collaboration with Dovecot, marking a celebration of her 50 year career. Dovecot Studios and City Art Centre are offering a special ticket offer to current exhibitions Victoria Crowe: 50 Years of Painting, and Julie Cope’s Grand Tour: The Story of a Life

by Grayson Perry. Valid until 13 October. The offer allows half price entry to the exhibitions upon presentation of full price ticket from the partner venue.

At Soundhouse in September

Two of the many events organised this month.

Drummer Alyn Cosker leads a powerful, exciting group presenting exhilarating virtuosity and accessible melodies on a deep, funky groove.

With the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra Cosker has featured alongside luminaries including Randy Brecker, John Scofield, Mike Stern, Joe Lovano and Dave Liebman and as a freelance musician he has worked with Larry Carlton, Frank Gambale and Jim Mullen, Hue and Cry, Eddi Reeder and Capercaillie.

His group features keyboardist Steve Hamilton and guitarist Davie Dunsmuir (both currently touring with Billy

Cobham) and bass guitarist Colin Cunningham (Larry Carlton).

Along with award winning special guest Konrad Wisznieski on tenor saxophone – the group will perform material from Cosker’s albums Lyn’s Une and KPF as well as new material.30 September 2019 The Traverse Bar 7.30pm £12 The Budapest Café Orchestra take the stage on 16 September 2019 to celebrate their 10th birthday year. This concert is part of their tour of Scotlandia to some of the most midge-ridden parts of the Highlands and now Edinburgh.16 September 2019 The Traverse Bar 7.30pm £12 www.traverse.co.uk

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Art Walk Porty 2019

At the National Museum Microscopes: Nature Revealed Until Sun 15 Sep 2019 Exhibition Gallery, Level 1 Free This display will tell the stories of the makers and users of an instrument that has been fundamental in improving our understanding of the natural world. Using examples from this significant collection, you will see how optical improvements saw a change in the public perception of the microscope from being a simple optical toy to a reliable instrument of science. nms.ac.uk/exhibitions-events Body Beautiful: Diversity on the Catwalk Until Sun 20 Oct 2019 Exhibition Gallery 2, Level 3 Free Discover how today’s fashion industry is challenging perceptions and championing alternative ideals of beauty on the catwalk, in advertising, editorial and behind the camera. nms.ac.uk/bodybeautiful Wild and Majestic: Romantic Visions of Scotland Until Sun 10 Nov 2019

There is lots on in Portobello from 7 September. You will have to get the Art Newspaper from a local stockist as there is too much for us to tell you about here - but we have a couple of walking suggestions : A Sunday stroll led by Deirdre Macleod called ‘Cul-de-sac' Walks on 8 and 29 Sept and 20 October Three Sunday strolls around the suburbs of Gilberstoun, Newcraighall, and Musselburgh.

These suburban walks will explore and appreciate the particular character of the different residential estates and

the changing edges of the city.

Residents from each area are particularly invited to join.

Suzanne Parry 'In my shoes' Sound Walk 9 September, 6.00-8.00pm When we walk from A to B, the places and people in between are so often left a mystery, an irrelevance, an obstacle.This circular sound walk invites participants to experience their environment through a series of intimate sound portraits with QR codes to scan at a number of waypoints. Bring mobile phone and head/ear phones with you. artwalkporty.co.uk

Adult £10, Over 60s £8.50, Student, Unemployed, Disabled* £7.50, Child (5–15) £7.50, Under 5s free Exhibition Gallery 1, Level 3 Dramatic highland landscapes, heroic histories, tartan and bagpipes are among the defining images of Scotland for many people around the world today.

This exhibition considers the

origins of these ideas and explores how they were used to represent Scotland around the world. nms.ac.uk/wildandmajestic Early Doors for Autism Saturday 7 Sept 2019 9:00 -10:00 Free, booking required (contact Communities.L&P@nms. ac.uk) Join in the pre-public opening sessions for autistic children and their families. In the September event explore the exhibition Body Beautiful: Diversity on the Catwalk, investigate costumes and create your own fashion piece. nms.ac.uk/earlydoors

Photo by Neil Hanna

WHAT'S ON 19

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At the City Art Centre this winter

At the City Art Centre there will be a group exhibition featuring work by nine contemporary artists based in Scotland - Sara Brennan, Michael Craik, Eric Cruikshank, Kenneth Dingwall, Callum Innes, Alan Johnston, James Lumsden, Karlyn Sutherland and Andrea Walsh.

Beneath the Surface features the artists displaying a minimalist and abstract approach to their work, which ranges from drawings, paintings and constructions to ceramics, glass and tapestry.

All of their artworks have an economy of gesture in common - a limited tonal palette or a monochrome colour plane.

The surface of any artwork is often the most readily accessible component.

However, what lies behind or beneath the surface often deserves a closer look.

With most of the artworks in the exhibition, the process of making is not hidden.

Making constitutes the very subject of some of them, as is the case with the works by Callum Innes, Michael Craik and James Lumsden. The layering and reduction of materials are processes that feature repeatedly

in their work, used to create effects of translucency or depth, as well as to portray the passage of time.

Whereas for Kenneth Dingwall the thought and reaction produced in the act of making seeks a form that carries analogies to aspects of human nature and emotion.

For artists Sara Brennan and Eric Cruikshank, their inspiration derives from something more tangible such as nature or landscape. They use these elements as starting points, but without the intention of creating literal representations. While artists Alan Johnston, Karlyn Sutherland and Andrea Walsh are concerned with the interaction of light and shadow on surfaces and the definition of space or memory of a place.

Beneath the Surface Sara Brennan | Michael Craik | Eric Cruikshank | Kenneth Dingwall | Callum Innes | Alan Johnston | James Lumsden | Karlyn Sutherland | Andrea Walsh 16 November 2019 to 1 March 2020, City Art Centre, 2 Market Street, Edinburgh EH1 1DE Admission Free

speakers coffee mornings 2019-2020 at the royal scots club

F Everreye to att one w end & elcom e!

Join us on the first Saturday of every month for a tea, coffee and biscuits from 10.30am followed by an interesting speaker. Non-members welcome.

Free to attend but please book in advance at www.royalscotsclub.com/coffee-mornings

Sat 5th Oct 2019, 10.30am

The Hydropathics in Scotland

How we got to the moon...

The First New Town of James Craig

The Scientific History of Musical Instruments

Edinburgh’s Three Cathedrals

Free

Sat 2nd Nov 2019, 10.30am

Sat 7th Dec 2019, 10.30am

Sat 4th Jan 2020, 10.30am

Sat 1st Feb 2020, 10.30am

Sat 4th Apr 2020, 10.30am

The Story and Development of Print, Press and Publishing.

From early beginnings during the Han Dynasty, via the invention of the printing press, to the world of magazine publishing today.

Kathy Crawford Hay has worked within the publishing industry for more than 40 years, with books, periodicals and newspaper publishers in Edinburgh, London and Melbourne. She became Head of PPA Scotland, the organisation which supports magazine publishers for more than 12 years, before becoming a Consultant.

Free

Free

Free

Free

Free

In the late nineteenth century there were over 20 'Hydropathic' institutions in Scotland. This talk will look at where they were, what took place there and what happened to these interesting establishments.

After Dr Jane NeilMacLachlan retired from the NHS, she forged another career as writer and novelist under the pen name of Jane Tulloch. A keen forager into local social history, her interest has led her into many interesting nooks and crannies of Scottish life which she enjoys presenting to others.

Only 24 humans have ever been to the Moon and back. One of them brought some tartan along for the ride. Journey with a space-race geek who never got to see a Saturn V fly and still won't forgive himself for missing a Space Shuttle launch. Alastair Bruce completed his PhD in astronomy in 2018 and currently works at the Royal Observatory Edinburgh. He splits his time between researching active galaxies and working for the James Webb Space Telescope UK Public Engagement Campaign.

We're going to the Moon. Alastair will bring the Lego...

In the space of a generation, Edinburgh experience a profound physical - and social change. This talk will examine the background to the construction of Edinburgh's famous New Town and learn something about the buildings and the early residents. Eric Melvin is a retired history teacher and headmaster and has published many books on Scottish history, this is sure to be a fascinating morning that anyone who has spent time in Edinburghs New Town is sure to enjoy.

Murray Campbell will be joining

The Story and Development of Print, Press and Publishing.

From early beginnings during the Han Dynasty, via the invention of the printing press, to the world of magazine publishing today.

Kathy Crawford Hay has worked within the publishing industry for more than 40 years, with books, periodicals and newspaper publishers in Edinburgh, London and Melbourne. She became Head of PPA Scotland, the organisation which supports magazine publishers for more than 12 years, before becoming a Consultant.

The Magic of Makhazhin

Book

online,

call

0131

556

4270

or

email

us to explain how Western musical instruments work, how they developed historically, how they are manufactured, and how they are used to make music. An incredibly fascinating talk which will delighted anyone with an interest in music.

events@royalscotsclub.com

to

reserve

your

tickets

The Edinburgh Reporter

20 PHOTOS

Out and about in Edinburgh It has been a visual feast over the last month in Edinburgh with our streets full of Fringe performers and we have done our best to take as many photos as we could.

Our first photograph taken by Martin P McAdam shows the scene at Tynecastle where the LA Philharmonic played some classics from the movies. It was a gorgeous evening! Actor Brian Cox was spotted among the audience of 15,000 who attended the Aberdeen Standard Investments Opening Event.

We met Fringe act Diane Chorley at the bespoke nightclub that Assembly had created for her. She was a hoot!

John Preece was at the Edinburgh International Book Festival and he snapped local Val McDermid there in the press area. He also went to many of the Edinburgh International Festival’s photo calls too.

Sitting atop the old car below is one of the members of Leith-based Creative Electric who put on their shows each weekend at Army at the Fringe.

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PHOTOS 21

22 PHOTOS

The Edinburgh Reporter

Colourful Edinburgh The Virgin Money Festival Fireworks are a sight to behold.

We took up positions on Calton Hill where it seemed there was a bigger audience than usual. The woman in blue above is Catherine Cohen who won the Dave’s Comedy Awards Best Newcomer category. And she is as her show title said GORGEOUS! While we were out and about at the Fringe Ian Georgeson was taking photos at the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

Performers of The Tattoo Dance Company align in glorious colour and symmetry at Camera Obscura representing the seven hues of the kaleidoscope - this year’s theme at The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo against the backdrop of The Tattoo’s official tartan.

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FEATURE 23

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ESPC announce charity partnership ESPC has announced their charity partner for the upcoming year. Fresh Start an Edinburghbased organisation helps people who have been homeless get established in their new home.

Working with local volunteers and organisations they deliver services to provide practical and social support to help people resettle successfully. They help thousands of new tenants like this each year.

Paul Hilton, CEO of ESPC, said: “We are really excited to be working with Fresh Start over the next year. The service they provide to the local community is fantastic. The team will get involved with volunteering and fundraising to help Fresh Start provide support to the thousands of new tenants they help settle into homes every year.”

Jen McQuistan from Fresh Start said : "We are absolutely delighted to be selected as ESPC's chosen charity for 2019/20. As a small local charity, the fundraising they'll be doing throughout the year and the awareness raised will make a big difference to the people Fresh Start support.

“The ESPC team have already started planning some exciting fundraising events and we also hope to get them involved in Starter Pack collections and

possibly some volunteering days throughout the year, so it is already set to be a successful partnership.

“All of this support will allow us to raise awareness of the issues surrounding homelessness and help fund direct service costs that

help some of the most vulnerable people across Edinburgh. Through ESPC's help we can make a real difference to those affected by

homelessness and provide them with the social and practical support they need to move forward with their lives."

Climate change advice for property owners

A new guide has been published advising property owners on the impact of climate change on traditional buildings in the capital.

It provides practical advice on how to protect such buildings against damage and decay.

The Guide to Building Maintenance in a Changing Climate reports on the effect of fluctuating weather patterns on the condition of Edinburgh’s buildings, and provides step-bystep advice and guidance on how to identify damage and carry out repairs to keep properties wind and watertight.

New guidance suggests that Edinburgh will face unprecedented weather events, and homes will be disproportionately affected by changing rainfall patterns and an increase in extreme weather events. It also cautions that damage such as blocked drains, ineffective gutters, inappropriate

vegetation growth, and stone erosion can adversely affect the ability of Edinburgh’s buildings to keep out wind and water.

Recommendations to property owners include taking simple actions that can mitigate the risk of having to pay for greater repairs further down the line, especially following major weather events. Research quoted in the new guidance states that “every £1 ‘saved’ by not carrying out preventative maintenance could cost £20 in repairs within 5 years”.

This guide, a joint Edinburgh Adapts project between Edinburgh World Heritage and Historic Environment Scotland (HES), contains practical and effective solutions designed for property owners to help them ensure that their historic homes and businesses are climate ready, including:

What to expect from climate change in Edinburgh How both daily and extreme weather events affect historic homes Why maintenance is important and who is responsible for it Step-by-step guides and checklists for roofing, windows, gutters, stonework, paintwork, walls, chimneys and more.

Adam Wilkinson, Director of Edinburgh World Heritage said: “Although efforts to prevent climate change are necessary and urgent, there is no question that we must now confront the already substantial and unavoidable impact of climate change on our historic homes.

“The resilience of the historic buildings in our World Heritage Site is dependant on our ability to act now to maintain them.

Systematic and proactive

measures taken today to prevent decay and damage is one of the most important things we can do to prevent damage and loss in the future.”

Mairi Davies, Climate Change Manager at HES, said: “Edinburgh’s climate is changing at an unprecedented rate, making it more urgent than ever that we deal with the impact on the historic environment. We are moving towards warmer, wetter winters and an increase in the frequency and intensity of extremes.

“This guide provides a practical toolkit which will empower owners of historic buildings across the capital to adapt their properties and enhance resilience to the effects of climate change, protecting these irreplacable heritage assets for the future.”

Download The Guide to Building Maintenance in a Changing

Climate here, or pick up a copy from one of the following locations: The Tron Kirk, High Street Citizen Advice, 58 Dundas St City Archive, Edinburgh City Archives, Level 1, City Chambers, Edinburgh, EH1 1YJ Planning Department at City of Edinburgh Council, Waverly Court Edinburgh Central Library, Edinburgh and Scottish Collections, George IV Bridge Hanover Scotland Housing Association, 95 McDonald Road.

The Edinburgh Reporter

24 FOOD

Recipe of the month Ballotine of Corn Fed Chicken with Truffle Mash, Sweet Carrot puree, Braised Gem Lettuce, Shaved Truffle, Baby Onions, Pickled Grapes This tasty recipe is written for The Edinburgh Reproter by Glenn Roach, Regional Executive Chef of the Surf & Turf restaurants situated in Macdonald Rusacks Hotel, St Andrews & Macdonald Holyrood Hotel, Edinburgh.

For the mashed potato recipe you will have to read the online version of this article. This looks complex - but it is pretty easy.

Here's what you have to do : Carrot Puree - Peel 1 kg of carrot and grate. In a pan of boiling water, add the carrot and cook for 5 minutes. In a food processor blend until smooth and pass through a fine chinois.

Braised Gem Lettuce Take 1 Head gem lettuce, an orange, 250ml chicken stock, 1 clove and1 bay leaf In a pan add chicken stock, orange, clove and bay leaf and bring to the boil. Add the gem lettuce to the boiling stock for 2 minutes remove and cool.

Ballotine Chicken Take 1 chicken breast and wrap it in cling film to make the shape of a long cylinder.

Steam for 20 mins. Remove chicken from the cling film and slowly crisp the skin until golden brown in a frying pan with 10ml of vegetable oil.

Braised Baby Carrots Take 2-3 baby carrots, trim and peel them and boil in salted water until soft. Melt butter in a pan a brush the carrots and add Malden salt to taste.

Make it Edinburgh!

Hotel investment from global brands is reinforcing Edinburgh’s appeal as a worldleading conference, incentive meeting and events destination.

The city currently ranked 27thin the International Congress Association (ICCA) World Rankings and second in the UK, only to London, is also the number one ‘hot spot’ for hotel investment and development in the UK*.

YOTEL Edinburgh’s arrival as the brand’s first city centre hotel in Europe,follows InterContinental Hotel Group’s takeover of the Principal Edinburgh George

Street, making the newlynamed InterContinental Edinburgh - The George, the first hotel in the group outside of London in the UK. This comes after last year’s announcement that Sir Richard Branson will open the first Virgin Hotel outside the USA, in Edinburgh’s historic India Buildings on Victoria Street.

Coupled with its reputation as a unique centre of excellence, innovation and heritage, as celebrated in the city’s current Make it Edinburgh campaign, these developments further

Pickled Red Grapes 50g red seedless grapes, 10ml white wine vinegar, 10ml water and10g sugar.

Put vinegar, sugar and water to a pan and bring to the boil until sugar dissolves. Halve the grapes and add the pickling liquor. Leave for 20 mins Baby Onions Peel baby onions and roast in the oven at 120 degrees until golden.

Shaved Truffle Shave truffles on a mandolin slicer and use a 25ml pastry cutter to cut in to circles Assembling the dish! On the bottom of the plate place carrot puree and drag across the plate.

Slice the chicken and place at the side of the puree. Add gem lettuce to the plate and scatter onions and grapes around the plate. In a piping bag add mashed potato and place black truffle circles on top and baby carrots in the middle of the plate.

boost confidence in the Scottish capital as the perfect place to host conferences and events.

Amanda Ferguson, Head of Convention Edinburgh commented: “Continued hotel investment from global brands gives conference and event organisers just one more reason to choose Edinburgh as a host city. Accessible, compact and beautiful, Edinburgh is renowned for its thriving knowledge economy and worldclass academic credentials in sectors such as Technology, Life Sciences, Creative Industries, Food and Drink, Renewable Energy and Financial Services. These are huge drivers of business tourism.

A guide to Edinburgh’s oyster howffs

by Juliet Lawrence Wilson Now deemed the height of luxury oysters weren’t always the treat of the rich. Once an abundant food, oysters were usually served in drinking dens, otherwise known as Howffs, sometimes in a steak and oyster pie but more often eaten raw with their shells scattered on the floor. Up until the 19th century they were cheap and plentiful.

Sadly you’d struggle to get an oyster in a working man’s boozer these days and whilst I hate to be a gentrifier, I prefer my oysters with champagne rather than stout.

Luckily for me there are plenty of great places to indulge.

The Cafe Royal Circle Bar on West Register Street has to be one of Edinburgh's most beautiful pubs. I recently had three oysters with a glass of Veuve for £15. This bar has a terrific atmosphere and is a true unspoilt gem.

At Le Di-Vin Oysterman Events is back, shucking his oysters for

the customers. Expect to see the Oysterman there on 20th September, 25th October and 29th November. Le Di-Vin has plenty of fantastic wines by the glass and the fresh Loch Fyne oysters are on the house.

Ondine continue to offer their oyster happy hour and at only £1 for any raw oyster it’s a great way to try not only various species but one of Edinburgh’s top seafood restaurants. Great for an after work treat, from 5.30pm to 6.30pm.

Of course if you’d rather shuck your own my current favourite oyster purveyor is Something Fishy on Broughton St. Owned by the charming Daniel, I’ve always been really pleased with the quality of all his produce but his oysters are some of the best I've tasted. Just remember to buy a good shucking knife and a chain mail glove unless you fancy your evening ending in A&E rather than shellfish Viagra.

“For the past 18 months, the Make it Edinburgh campaign, a collaboration of private and public organisations operating in the conference and meetings industry, has been striving to showcase these strengths to the business events market.

"So, it’s great to see Edinburgh gaining recognition globally as a

place to invest.

"The more conferences we bring in to the city, the greater the opportunity for collaboration, innovation and lasting impact within these sectors, whether that’s through knowledge share, developing new technology or raising Edinburgh’s profile within these fields.”

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FOOD 25

Juliet's Food Diary

Well thank goodness that’s over.

Whilst I enjoyed a few Fringe shows I found the plethora of catering trucks utterly depressing.

Having enjoyed a pleasant and pretty low budget lunch at Civerinos on Hunter Square: a stunning sandwich, fries and a soft drink for £10, it surprised me to see a pop-up stall selling the same thing. The former was delivered to me while I sat in an albeit hipster, but comfortable, environment, the latter to be eaten on the pavement.

The Festival used to take us to parts of the city we rarely frequented and resulted in restaurants, cafés and bars earning extra income having had the decency to open all year round.

I know, it’s uncool to be an ‘it was better in my day’ bore, but it’s true.

The Festival, and its catering in particular is beyond redemption.

Hopefully the establishments of Leith fared well in August. While

there are a few great venues in the north of the city they’re yet to be ruined with an artisan venison burger stall or pop up Prosecco camper van.

I’d be pushed to name my favourite establishment in Leith, as there are so many but La Riva Pizzeria on Assembly Street is now my ‘go to’ when I want something great value for money, cooked brilliantly.

On a recent family outing I had a Hellboy: tomato sauce, fiordilatte, pepperoni, nduja, chorizo and fresh chilli. It was a triumph, as was my daughter’s kids' margherita in the shape of a bunny rabbit.

All their pizzas are made with traditional stone ground flour and the other ingredients are also top quality. However, an Italian restaurant without atmosphere is like David Hasselhoff minus speedos. Fortunately La Riva has the wonderful Andrew Byatt as manager and front of house who really made the evening special for us. If you recognise Andrew it might be because he’s also an actor who has appeared in not one, but three episodes of Taggart, as well as numerous forays onto stage and screen. He certainly plays a starring role here so if you’re booking, make sure he’s in.

I was delighted to attend the packed launch of Noto, Stuart Ralston's second Edinburgh

restaurant on Thistle Street. The canapés served were utterly stunning and the front of house staff beyond welcoming. The décor was, save for some plants, minimalist in the extreme and very bright. If your eyesight isn’t what it once was this is the restaurant for you. However judging by the canapés the food here will be beautiful so why not show it off?

However if sumptuous décor and flattering lighting are more your thing, and my goodness it’s mine these days, dinner at The Bonham in the West End is a must. I took the Silver Fox boyfriend to their Bluesy Snoozy evening, where they have a couple of supremely talented acoustic musicians and an incredible offer of three courses from their

Market Menu with half a bottle of wine for £25 a head. There’s not a better bargain to be had in Edinburgh. Bluesy Snoozy is on the first Thursday of every month.

The SF was so relaxed he even

managed to shrug off his recent poor golfing performance whilst stroking my knee under the table: it’s restaurant valium! See my full review at www.edinburghreporter. co.uk

The Edinburgh Reporter

26 FEATURE

The secret is out and it’s tartan!

Vixy Rae is one of the owners and the creative director of Stewart Christie, an old established outfitter in Edinburgh which mainly works in tweed.

Recently she invited some of her friends down to Custom Quay in Leith for a photo shoot - and asked them all to don some tartan.

She has just completed writing a book and these photos were being taken to complete the final pages of it. The Secret Life of Tartan will be published next month by Black and White Publishing.

Tartan's status means we all have a relationship with Scotland's famous fabric, but how much

tartan, exploring colour and craft, texture and cloth, viewing aspects of sustainability, from the handing down of kilts to the lost art of vegetable-dying yarn.

It features the people behind the cloth: families, weavers and designers, mixing tradition and heritage with the contemporary.

From the shortbread tin to the catwalk, regal palaces to highland bothies, The Secret Life of Tartan showcases tartan's dramatic diversity and outstanding heritage.

Publisher: Black and White Publishing ISBN: 9781785302596 Watch Vixy and some of her friends telling us the story of their relationship with tartan on our video on YouTube Scan the QR code below

do we really know? The Secret Life of Tartan goes behind the scenes - and beyond the kilt - to stitch together never-before-heard stories, fascinating anecdotes and historical gems.

From supermodels to clan patriarchs, from New York's Tartan March to classic wedding finery, tartan transcends boundaries.

Stunning images show a different side to tartan, celebrating the romance and style of a cloth that shaped a nation. This landmark book is a visual guide to the poetry of tartan, looking at the dark past of the most majestic of cloths.

It covers the types and styles of

Susan’s shortlisted

The Callum MacDonald Memorial Award 2019 Entries are encouraged for an award now promoted by the Scottish Poetry Library (SPL).

The Callum MacDonald Memorial Award was established in 2001 in memory of the Scottish publisher to encourage and reward the publication of poetry in pamphlet form.The award was founded by Callum Macdonald's widow, Tessa

Across 7. How dumb ! Hats are spoiled by watery earth mixture (8) 9. Covering of frozen water in a nice capital (6) 10. Thin sort of clue (4) 11. One lacking seamanship might blunder round lab (10) 12. Members of Royal College of Art fib about the material (6) 14. Giant snake from Canada ? No (8) 15. Set Tam against the least wild creatures (6) 17. Some people often donate a piece of strong tissue (6) 20. Carts her off to this French city (8) 22. Debt is compounded for small room (6) 23. Sequence of cards makes Queen turn red (5, 5) 24. Rip out old rate and replace it (4) 25. Some ideal errands for one distributing cards (6) 26. Coil silk round slippery film on surface of water (8)

second print of the winning pamphlet, the print of a new one, or travel to book festivals.

The SPL manage the administration of the award along with the Saltire Society, and it will be presented in November 2019 at the Saltire Literary Awards.

Submissions must be made to the SPL by 4 October 2019 at 5.00pm.

Ransford OBE, who died in 2015.

She was a poet ,founder of SPL and an energetic supporter and campaigner for poetry in Scotland.

The publisher will receive £500, and the poet will receive an additional award of an Inspiring Scotland Bursary (up to £1500) from the Saltire Society. The bursary is intended to fund a

August Crossword Down 1. Smoke-producing source covers gum in fat (8) 2. Help in placing a wager (4) 3. In hospital I created a new print form (6) 4. All crime swept away in this torrent of water (8) 5. Odd, old beer restores one's feeling of vitality (3-7) 6. How horrible ! Fed nag on cigarette butt (3-3) 8. Used an unusual method to create this ice-cream concoction (6) 13. Manage to make barrel

distinguished (10) 16. I refer us to a dead-cert winner ! (8) 18. Ices a nun drops are a source of annoyance (8) 19. US code for foreign currency (6) 21. Shove out initially using horse's feet (6) 22. Contemplate how bold he appears (6) 24. In the toilet I let others lay a floor covering (4) Crossword by David Albury Answers on page 29

Just as we were going to press we heard that Susan Harkins who is Head of Business Gateway Edinburgh was shortlisted for the Women of Influence Award at the Scottish Women’s Awards.

Susan said: “I am absolutely delighted to be shortlisted for this fantastic Women of Influence Award and really looking forward to celebrating the achievements of everyone who has been shortlisted at the Awards ceremony at the end

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“To be recognised for something I’m incredibly passionate about and really enjoy is wonderful, and very unexpected.

"The entrepreneurs I work with are truly inspirational and it’s always an honour to be part of their journey and help in any way I can whether it’s 1-2-1 support, funding advice, helping them to build their network or business planning.”

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Drop-ins on first Thursday of the month at the City of Edinburgh Council, 4 East Market St, EH8 8BG.

3 OC T, 5-7PM 7 NOV 5-7PM 5 DEC 5-7PM

28 READER'S PHOTO

The Edinburgh Reporter

Reader's Photo

Walter McGillivray is a keen photographer and we like his photos. He told us about this shot taken in Holyrood Park. “I was walking down from Salisbury Crags on an autumn afternoon and took this view which shows the diversity of historic buildings in the city.” Who can spot all the spires in this photo? If you have a great photo then please feel free to share it with us. Email to editor@theedinburghreporter.co.uk

Crossword Answers Across: 7 Mudbaths, 9 Icecap, 10 Hint, 11 Landlubber, 12 Fabric, 14 Anaconda, 15 Tamest, 17 Tendon, 20 Chartres, 22 Bedsit, 23 Royal flush, 24 Tear, 25 Dealer, 26 Oilslick.

Down: 1 Fumigant, 2 Abet, 3 Italic, 4 Millrace, 5 Red-blooded, 6 Fag-end, 8 Sundae, 13 Remarkable, 16 Surefire, 18 Nuisance, 19 Escudo, 21 Hooves, 22 Behold, 24 Tile.

Get in touch today!

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The Edinburgh Sketcher can teach you to sketch Go out for the day with The Edinburgh Sketcher Mark Kirkham and learn how to sketch in beautiful surroundings.

Mark explains : “No prior knowledge is needed to sign up for my relaxed and friendly workshop.

I provide all the materials and you will create a number of sketches out on location before adding detail and watercolour whilst discussing your pieces over refreshments, before leaving with a unique piece of art and souvenir you created yourself.”

As well as the West End there is a tour in the new Town on 4 October 2019 for just half a day.

He says he will give you gentle encouragement to fill those sketch books! If the weather is cold the session will be in the Portrait Gallery. https://edinburghsketcher.com/ sketching-workshops/

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FEATURE 29

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NEW - Bloc Gallery There is a bright new art space on Ferry Road. It is more than an art gallery, it is a space for any creatives whether artists, designers or makers to display their work.

Situated where it is the space is just around the corner from Leith School of Art so is this going to be the next art q,uarter in the city?

It is also just up the street from Coburg House and the owners have good links with some of the artists who work there.

The idea is to stage exhibitions, classes or host small events in the light, bright space with its doublefronted windows to the street.

Keith Paton, one of the owners, has a plan for putting up a projector... he has lots of ideas!

We met Keith with co-owner, Lisa Arnott, at the new space where they hosted their second exhibition in August. 'adfectus' included some of Lisa's own

jewellery designs.

The other exhibitors were her fellow jewellery makers from the Abbeymount studios at the top of Easter Road.

The jewellery was shown hanging on the walls - showing it off more like paintings or fine art than the way that jewellery is traditionally exhibited.

Both owners live locally and coincidentally they had both walked past the then empty space, and both had the same idea about turning it into an artist run space.

Their first exhibition 2020 vision was a collective staged earlier this year involving 30 artists looking at clear sight, hindsight and related themes.

Keith is a visual artist working in paintings, but branching out into sculpture now too.

He explained : "Having a space like this is obviously an

opportunity for us to show our own work too."

Lisa said : "I think the exciting thing about this space is that when artists put on exhibitions the public will get to meet them as they will be here. They also get to take ownership over that. In a commercial gallery you can be a bit detached from the people who buy work or see your work.

Here, we are creating a space that artists can actually talk to the public who can ask more about their work and inspiration. The world of arts can often seem quite an aloof, detached world whereas we have created this space right in the middle of our local community, right next door to Artroom32 where young people go to make their own art.

"People can find out more about the next stages of art and perhaps have their own exhibition in this space.

"We hope that with some of the other independent arts businesses in Leith that we can collaborate and support each other's businesses. I think that is a really important thing. We are not just doing this for ourselves, we are part of an artistic community."

Keith added : "We are not trying to transform the area we just wanted to open the space because we think it is great. It will be run by artists for artists and it looks like a gallery but we want everyone

to come in and have a look. We would love to hear from any artists who are interested in having a show in our space or working with us in any way.�

There are some new exhibitions in the pipeline including art exhibitions, printmaking, contemporary crafts and pop up shops.

At the end of October painter and graphic designer, Alan Lennon, will

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ARTIST

FIND US AT THE TOP OF LONDON ROAD & EASTER ROAD

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WHERE ARTISTS WILL EXHIBIT IN THEIR OWN HOMES & OTHER VENUES THROUGHOUT THE ABBEYHILL AREA. SAMPLE A WEALTH OF ARTS, CRAFTS, MUSIC & MORE!

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be exhibiting his work there.

The 25 square metre space is available for hire at ÂŁ350 per week. bloc.gallery/ hello@bloc.gallery Address 40 Ferry Road Edinburgh EH6 4AE

Join us on Facebook/Twitter for updates:@colonyofartists

The Edinburgh Reporter

30 SPORT

Reilly’s medals to stay at Easter Road

by John Hislop The Hibernian Historic Trust is planning to host an open evening at Easter Road Stadium to thank the Hibs’ fans who donated money to enable the charity to purchase medals won by the late Lawrie Reilly.

The medals which date from the club’s last top-flight title wins in 1951 and 1952, will be displayed alongside other artefacts from Reilly’s decorated career including match worn Hibernian and Scotland strips and his boots.

The nine carat gold medals, originally valued at between £1,000 and £2,000, eventually sold for £12,000 after a flurry of offers from anonymous bidders at the Thomson Roddick auction in Edinburgh on Thursday 22 August.

Club historian and trust curator Tom Wright said : “The final price

was more than we were expecting, but it was worth it in the end.

“We knew going in that the valuation was always likely to be much lower than the actual price, but we never expected it to go that high. " I am delighted that the medals

will return ‘home’ to Easter Road and I’d like to thank everyone who donated to the cause.”

The centre forward, who died in 2013 aged 84, scored 238 goals in 333 games for Hibs.

He won 38 caps for his country, netting 22 times.

Fishing bulletin

by Nigel Duncan The Almond was fishing steadily according to West Lothian Angling Association chairman, Bruce Hope.

He added : “There has been a welcome spate in the river around the right time of year for salmon and sea trout to run.”

The Cramond section from Newbridge to the estuary has also been fishing well with a number of brown trout being caught upstream going into the two pound mark.

Chairman Adam Cross said dry files have worked well and he reported that a number of sea trout been taken on wet and dry flies on the bottom stretch of the beat. A few salmon been also been hooked and all the fish have been in great condition.

The Edinburgh and Lothians coarse angling club have confirmed their match dates for the rest of the season. They are 8,

14, 21 and 28 September 2019.

Meanwhile, 48 pegs are already taken for Iain Reid’s two-day Memorial Match on Saturday, November 9 and Sunday, November 10.

Registration is at the Caravan Site at Leven Promenade Car Park and it is a measure and return event counting for PENN Sea League points.

Entry is £30 and fishing times are from 12.30pm to 4.30pm (registration 11.30am) and contact David Dobbie on 07940 111729 or Alan Combe on 07872 899791 On shore, the Whiteadder is in good condition with the river holding grilse. Prospects look good but the river needs rain to keep the level up.

Thomas Slow from Edinburgh’s Portobello area won the ninth round of the Bass Rock Sea Angling League summer series title which was a roving match based near Torness Power Station.

man helping him a lot.

“Roddy Grant was a huge help to me, he was still playing when I was coming through at Edinburgh and he was always passing on advice and tips,” Ritchie said of the former Edinburgh skipper who then went on to become forwards coach before a move to Ulster this summer.

“The main thing I learnt from Roddy was being loud out there on the pitch.

“When you were out there playing he would literally talk to you constantly in attack and defence and make sure everyone knew their roles and I realised that for me to become a better player it is something I had to bring into my game.

“I took that on board and am given it my all to make the World Cup at the moment.”

Scotland’s World Cup squad is named on 3 September 2019.

Meeting Jamie Ritchie

by Gary Heatly Edinburgh Rugby’s Jamie Ritchie has just turned 23, but the exciting back-row player has packed a lot into his life so far and one of the pinnacles of his rugby career could be just around the corner.

The former Madrascals [St Andrews}, Howe of Fife and Strathallan School player joined Edinburgh straight from the latter in the summer of 2014 and since then has gone on to be a star player for the national under-20s side, the pro outfit and Scotland.

He is now in the mix to make Scotland’s 31-man squad for the World Cup in Japan which starts next month.

Since he joined the pro ranks he has been seen as one of Scotland’s most promising talents and he has handled that pressure well.

Indeed, when you realise that he and partner Millie have also been bringing up a son and daughter - three-and-a-half-year-old Oscar and 18-month-old Ava - while his career has been on an upward curve then you have even more admiration for this measured character.

“Family life 100 percent makes things like this summer camp with the national team better,” Ritchie said.

“You can go home after a tough day and be exhausted, but the kids always have smiles on their face and that is great to see.

“I have been quite lucky in that becoming a dad has run almost alongside my rugby career, Oscar was born the same day as I made my first Edinburgh start against London Irish [in December 2015] for example and Ava has been around while I have been making my Scotland breakthrough.

“They keep me grounded and busy and while balancing rugby and family life can be tough, Millie has been brilliant and she puts in a lot of hard work with the kids to allow me to live out my rugby dream.

“Taking the kids out on the pitch after big games like Scotland internationals is an amazing feeling - it is great that I get to share it with them all.

“I was fortunate to sign for Edinburgh straight from school, but then I had to get used to get a professional game and get used to that environment, every player has to take their own, different path to get to where they want to be.

“Sometimes you need luck, but if you put the hard work in you will get there.

“In the first year at Edinburgh we weren’t getting great results and

there were a lot of injuries so I was kind of saying to the coaches ‘chuck me in’, but I learnt about being patient and just getting the head down.”

Ritchie made his Edinburgh debut in October 2014 just a few months after his 18th birthday, but had to wait until December 2015 to make his first start.

During the intervening 14 months he did a lot of growing up, Oscar was born and he remembers one

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Edinburgh baseball umpire on visit to China Thomas Haywood is an Edinburgh based international baseball umpire. Recently he was invited to officiate at the U18 International Rubber Baseball Organisation (IRBO) in Xi'an (pronounced "See-Aan), China. In 2018 Thomas told The Edinburgh Reporter he also took charge in Taipei, Taiwan.

He found that the hosts had built two full sized baseball fields side by side using astro turn on a concrete base in just two months.

Thomas told The Edinburgh Reporter : "The weather is always a very British talking point.

During the day it was generally a constant 33C and 23C at night, however, on the second day of the

tournament, the whole day was lost to rain. Under normal western standards, you would shunt the games around to make up time and everyone would be happy. The Chinese answer was to disqualify one of the Chinese teams.

"To say that that team was annoyed, was putting it mildly! It's a cultural thing. In China, often

things are dictated to you, you don't have an option. The shame was the second Chinese team was actually quite good. As a consolation they were allowed to play against the Chinese Taipei team which turned out to be a very good exhibition game.

"Rubber baseballs are hollow like a tennis ball. They do not give a crack when hit by a bat. It is more like a dull "boof" sound and they do not fly as far. Often when they are hit by the bat, they can really spin so the umpires have to trust the players' reactions (hit by pitch etc) and have to wait until the ball has spun in the direction it wants to go. In all other aspects the tournament was played to OBR

rules.

"The tournament was won by Chinese Taipei in a close fought game against China 1st team.

Korea came third.”

The strong teams in the tournament turned out to be Korea, Taipei and China (1st team). Singapore and Hong Kong sadly did not have the pitching or the quality of fielding needed.

Games against these last two teams tended to be lop-sided.

The Chinese did not waste time using the new facility after the IRBO tournament. They then hosted the National U18 national Championships there two days later for a 10 day tournament.

Morton reflects on an emotional day at Meikleriggs

by Gary Heatly When Heriot’s captain Keith Morton lifted the silverware after his club’s Citylets Scottish Cup final victory over Carlton on August 25 it was extra special to him for a number of reasons.

For one it means that Keith, 29, has now led Heriot’s to a clean sweep of trophies during his five years at the helm of the first XI, this Cup triumph following in the footsteps of previous CSL Eastern Premier Division glory and wins in the National T20 event and the Murgitroyd Masterton Trophy.

And secondly it was a fitting way to end what has been a tough time personally for him and the Goldenacre club who have had to deal with the passing of Morton’s own father Willie and the passing of fellow first XI player Joe Kinghorn-Gray’s father Mark during the last few weeks.

Willie was a former Scotland

internationalist and one of Keith’s first coaches while they played in a Cup final together for Penicuik against Ferguslie back in 2008.

It was a lovely moment therefore when Keith lifted the trophy to the sky after their four wicket win to show his dad what he had achieved and then was able to share the moment with his mother Donna and his wife Hannah in the late sunshine at Ferguslie’s Meikleriggs ground.

“This Cup win is dedicated to the people who should have been at the match but sadly weren’t - we did it for them,” Keith, who has now played in four Cup finals and won two, said poignantly after the match.

“It has been a tough time, but focusing on cricket has helped and I put a lot of pressure on myself leading into the final because I wanted this so much.”

Heriot's win the Cup by Donald MacLeod

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