Pick up your free garden tree this week at Inverleith Park!
We will be there from 12pm-3pm on Friday and 10am-2pm on Saturday giving away free trees for Edinburgh residents.
Just drop-in and get your free tree while stocks last!
LIGHT UP JANUARY
Women’s Singing Workshop
Wednesday 18th January 7.30 pm – 9.30 pm at Inverleith St. Serphs.
MONDAY 21st NOVEMBER
online at 6pm via Microsoft Teams
ONLINE MEETING – MONDAY 21 NOVEMBER at 6pm
LOCAL Government Information Unit Scotland and CCLA are delighted to announce that Cllr Max Mitchell of the City of Edinburgh Council has been shortlisted for the 2022 Cllr Awards for Young Councillor.
Conservative Cllr Mitchell is the only Edinburgh councillor to make the shortlists.
Running for the 5th year, the Cllr Awards are the only national ceremony to celebrate the vital contributions of councillors across Scotland. These Awards are a hugely important way to champion what councillors do locally as their work can, all too often, go unrecognised.
Competition was extremely tight again this year, with nearly 100 nominations received across five categories that celebrate the varied work of councillors. The categories up for grabs this year are: Community Champion, Leader of the Year, Lifetime Achievement, Resilience and Recovery and Young Councillor of the Year awards. The full shortlist is included below.
A panel of judges composed of senior councillors and leading stakeholders from across the sector will select the winners who will be revealed at the Cllr Awards ceremony taking place on Wednesday 12 October (from 7:00pm-9:00pm) at Marryat Hall (Caird Hall) with Dundee City Council as this year’s hosts.
The ceremony will also be broadcast live on YouTube.
Sign up to watch the ceremony live or request an invitation to attend the ceremony in-person.
This year’s awards are only made possible thanks to the generous support of founding partners CCLA.
Jonathan Carr-West, Chief Executive, LGIU Scotland said: “In a year like no other, councillors up and down the country have once again been working tirelessly to address the needs of their residents and bring much needed leadership to communities that are struggling day in and day out.
“The 2022 Cllr Awards shortlist is a reflection of the dedication and resilience shown by councillors during some of the most turbulent and worrying years in recent history.
“From supporting communities through flooding emergencies and fires to welcoming refugees from Ukraine into our local communities, these councillors are some of the most committed elected representatives across Scotland. We are incredibly proud to showcase their stories in this year’s shortlist.
“Congratulations to all of the shortlisted councillors. We look forward to unveiling the winners of this 5th annual Cllr Awards in Dundee on the 12th of October.”
Lord Provost of Dundee, Bill Campbell, said: “We are delighted to host the Cllr Awards in Dundee, and look forward to celebrating the tremendous contribution that elected members make to communities across Scotland. Congratulations and good luck to all those who have been shortlisted.”
In a departure from previous years, there will be NO Leader of the Year Award this time round.
Organisers explained: ‘As we mark the 5th anniversary of Cllr Awards, councils across Scotland have delivered in the face of the most turbulent and worrying years in recent history.
‘Councillors have been responding to the pandemic, helping residents through the cost of living crisis, supporting refugees, delivering aid in response to the war in Ukraine and helping communities to come together to mourn the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
‘In this difficult context, we feel it is essential to take this moment in time to celebrate all local leadership across Scotland. As such, the Cllr Awards will be showcasing and recognising the leadership of each Council Leader in Scotland (those currently in post as well as those serving up to the May 2022 elections) for their remarkable contributions to local government over the last two years.’
AYE, right …!
2022 Cllr Awards Shortlist – Scotland
Cllr Stephen Burns – Renfrewshire Council
Cllr Neill Graham – Renfrewshire Council
Cllr David Macdonald – East Renfrewshire Council
Cllr Uisdean Robertson – Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
Cllr Ann Ross – Aberdeenshire Council
See above
Bailie Malcolm Cunning – Glasgow City Council (in memoriam)
Cllr Donald Moffat – Scottish Borders Council
Cllr Maureen Chalmers – South Lanarkshire Council
Cllr Chris Cullen – South Ayrshire Council
Cllr Katie Hagmann – Dumfries and Galloway Council
Cllr Pauline Munro – Highland Council
Cllr Fay Sinclair – Scottish Borders Council
Cllr Max Mitchell – City of Edinburgh Council
Cllr Connor McManus – Midlothian Council
(It’s a two-horse race here … but that’s a Lib Dem headline!)
TORIES LOSE ANOTHER SEAT
LIB DEM TOPS FIRST PREFERENCE VOTE
DRYLAW TELFORD COMMUNITY COUNCILLOR ELECTED FOR SNP
Ward 5 Inverleith : 4 elected
Julie Bandel (Green)
Max Mitchell (Con)
Vicky Nicolson (SNP)
Hal Osler (Lib Dem)
Turnout – 55.0%
The Scottish Youth Parliament election results 2021 were announced on Monday 22 November. Eleven new Members of the SYP will now represent young people in Edinburgh.
Ten of those elected are from state schools in the city, seven are young women and three are from a Black and Minority Ethnic background.
One remaining seat, in Northern and Leith, will be contested in the new year.
Edinburgh registered the highest number of expressions of interest in Scotland from potential candidates and fielded the most candidates (26) of any local authority.
We also achieved the highest voter turnout in Edinburgh since 2015, despite many of the usual campaigning activities being curtailed because of the pandemic.
Councillor Ellie Bird, Young People’s Champion, said: “I want to commend the astonishing achievements and contributions of all 26 candidates that stood across Edinburgh in the Scottish Youth Parliament election, and warmly welcome the eleven new MSYPs into our city’s elected member family.
“The success of this year’s election is a testament to the commitment and passion of everyone involved in prioritising the voice of young people, at a time when it’s never been more important.
“Due to the restricted access to schools, youth clubs and community centres, candidates have had to rely on their own ingenuity, creativity and sheer dogged persistence to get their message, and their vote, out.
“The determination that these young people have demonstrated in standing up for what they believe in by putting themselves forward for election and to be accountable to their electorate, especially during such a challenging period for young people, is nothing short of inspirational.
“I know they all have a lot to offer their communities and the causes they care about most, and I can’t wait to see what they do next and look forward to working with Edinburgh’s newest group of elected representatives to place young people at the heart of policy and decision making.”
For more information about the election and the successful candidates, please see @edinburghMSYPs
Christmas at the Botanics opened today [25 November] unveiling brand new sparkling light installations that will be sure to enhance the festive cheer.
Returning for its fifth year, the shimmering trail is set to be better and brighter than ever, bringing in more stunning installations and surprising us with a new festive finale.
Attendees must book their tickets online in advance of their visit and enter the trail during their allocated time slot. A one-way trail route is in place and tickets are contactless to ensure safety measures are in place.
Showcasing a dazzling display of lights, music and projections, the one mile long after-dark spectacular will also welcome back some of the Garden’s favourite installation, including ‘Christmas Cathedral’ and ‘Fire Garden’.
A new finale for 2021, ready to create a glittering spectacular display, is ‘Sea of Light’ – which is set to impress guests with an enthralling mix of sound and light technology from award-winning company ITHACA.
Used by Coldplay during their Glastonbury 2021 performance, the display cascades across the Garden’s landscape like glittering waves.
Visitors can stroll through an enchanting forest with the brand new installation ‘Fireflies in the Woods’. Produced by Electric Foundry, 100 points of LED lights tangle through the trees above, creating a twinkling hidden wonderland.
Rest assured your umbrella won’t be needed for this display: ‘Digital Rain’ by Bespoke lighting and video is an immersive installation of LED lights that ‘rain’ down on guests below to create a shimmering shower that is bound to dazzle!
Rounding off the new installations of 2021’s Christmas spectacular is ‘Aquastell’ by PITAYA, which has large looping arches with beams of light flashing along, like shooting stars across the sky.
This year, there will continue to be health and safety measures in place to ensure that visitors follow Scottish Government guidance on Covid-19 so everyone can enjoy their experience.
Reduced capacity of attendees, a one-way system, a request to make space for others and the mandatory wearing of face coverings in indoor areas. These measures will be monitored and visitors kept informed of any changes to guidance during the run.
Kari Coghill, Director of Enterprise and Communication at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, said: “This year’s trail is one of the most spectacular yet. We are really looking forward to welcom ing visitors to the Garden over the coming weeks.
“Those who attend directly contribute to our wider work, with profits from ticket sales helping to support our vital research and conservation efforts in Scotland and around the world. At a time when the impact of the climate on biodiversity is high on the agenda globally, our work is more important than ever.”
Jonathan Marks, Chief Development Director at Raymond Gubbay, a division of Sony Music, which promotes the trail, added: “Christmas at the Botanics is a huge draw within the Capital’s festive cal endar.
“We are extremely pleased with the breadth of artists and installations that are part of this year’s trail and I am sure that the experience will be as magical as ever.”
Christmas at the Botanics runs for 32 nights on selected dates from 25 November – 2 January. Tickets are on sale from www.rbge.org.uk/christmas.
Tickets prices range from: Adult £20, Member £17, Child (4-16) £14, Family £66 and carers and children under 4 go free.
See booking website for calendar, prices and all ticket information. All tickets are subject to a single transaction charge.
The winter spectacle, Christmas at the Botanics, has confirmed more installations for this year’s trail when it opens on 25th November, including a new festive finale.
Running for 32 nights at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, friends and family will be able to come together to explore 15 dazzling installations along the one-mile route and experience the outdoor twilight trail.
The latest installations confirmed for this year include Digital Rain, Fireflies in the Wood and the cascading Sea of Light (above) which will feature as the festive finale:
To meet current Scottish Government guidelines, reduced capacities and a one-way system will be in place for the comfort of visitors coming together to celebrate the festive season. Health and safety measures, in place to protect visitors, will be monitored throughout the run.
Simon Milne, Regius Keeper of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, said: “This year’s trail promises the arrival of new, exciting and atmospheric installations enabling visitors to enjoy the Garden landscape in a completely different way.
“As we begin our landmark restoration programme, Edinburgh Biomes, we greatly appreciate the contribution that the trail makes to funding our plant research and conservation projects. By coming to the trail, visitors help to support our important work in Scotland and around the world.
“I look forward to welcoming visitors from within the capital, Scotland, the UK and overseas to the Garden to experience this magical moment in Edinburgh’s festive calendar.”
Jonathan Marks, Chief Development Director at Raymond Gubbay, a division of Sony Music, which promotes the event, added: “This year’s easing of restrictions will allow more people within Edinburgh and beyond to safely visit this enchanting spectacle.
“We are excited to welcome new artists and a brand-new festive finale that is bound to impress. There is so much to look forward to and we can’t wait for people to visit this magical winter experience.”
Tickets for this year’s show are on sale now. For further ticket information, pricing and timings, please visit www.rbge.org.uk/christmas.
A timed entry system will remain for the trail this year with visitors encouraged to book now to avoid disappointment.
Christmas at the Botanics is one of 15 illuminated trails staged across the UK by leading events promoter Raymond Gubbay Limited, a division of Sony Music. Christmas at the Botanics is presented in partnership with the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and the trail is created by Culture Creative.
For more details visit https://mychristmastrails.co.uk/ and follow @mychristmastrails on Facebook and Instagram.
A 31-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with a series of robberies at business premises in Edinburgh.
The man has been charged in connection with 13 incidents in various areas across the city between Friday, 27 August and Wednesday, 8 September.
He is expected to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court tomorrow.
