Looking for something fun to do with the wee ones during the school summer holiday?
Why not pop along to a Fun Family Drop-in at the McDonald Library, Edinburgh, on Saturday, July 23, for some arts and crafts, balloon modelling, face painting and loads more.
The event has been organised as part of a campaign that was launched two years ago by the city’s Child Protection Committee and NSPCC Scotland.
All of Us was set up to help people find out where to get support and advice with parenting or other worries about family life and where to turn if they have concerns about a child.
The partnership wants to help parents and carers, who may be struggling, and signpost them to where they can get advice and support before reaching crisis point.
Stalls at the event, which runs from 1pm to 3pm, will include NSPCC Scotland, Home Start, Children’s Health Scotland, Venture Scotland, Edinburgh and Lothians Regional Equality Council (ELREC) and The Junction.
There will also be arts and crafts from Polymorphics, a Bookbug session, snacks and drinks, a face painter, balloon animals, and the Institute of Physics, a professional body which strives to make physics accessible to people from all backgrounds.
Gail Sayles, NSPCC Scotland local campaigns manager, said: “Looking after a child can be challenging for all parents and carers at times, and it is so important that people feel they can seek support and know where to turn for help.
“Everyone is welcome to come along to this event to find out what support and activities are available where you live.
“Don’t forget the NSPCC Helpline is also there for anyone who wants advice or knows a family that needs support.”
The campaign has also been raising awareness among communities and professionals about the early signs of child neglect and how to help families who are struggling.
Jackie Irvine, Chair of the Edinburgh Child Protection Committee, said: “Many organisations will be on hand to offer advice and provide practical support to parents and carers at this fun free drop-in at McDonald Road Library.
“This campaign was first launched just weeks before the pandemic struck and highlights the very real issues around child neglect. The past couple of years have really driven home the importance of raising awareness among communities and professionals so they are alert to the signs of child neglect.
“I would encourage as many people as possible to come along to find out more information about what is available.”
The Family Fun Drop-In is being held at the McDonald Library, McDonald Road, Edinburgh, from 1pm to 3pm.
The campaign has also been raising awareness among communities and professionals about the early signs of child neglect and how to help families who are struggling with online workshops and seminars.
For parenting advice and support visit NSPCC helpline or call 0808 800 5000, weekdays 8am to 10pm and weekends 9am to 6pm. People can also contact Social Care Direct on 0131 200 2324, their health visitor, GP or child’s school.
Police have released images of a man they wish to speak to as they believe he may be able to assist with an investigation into an assault in the city centre.
The incident took place around 8pm on Friday, 6 August, 2021, on South St Andrew Street. A 36-year-old man was assaulted and sustained a facial injury but did not require hospital treatment.
The man pictured is described as white, aged 25-30 and had facial hair.
Detective Constable Moran, of Gayfield CID, said: “The victim was subjected to an attack which left him with a facial injury. I would urge anyone with information relating to the man in the CCTV images to contact police as soon as possible.”
Members of the public can contact Police Scotland via 101, quoting reference number 3319 of 6 August, 2021, or if they wish to remain anonymous, they can call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
This year Edinburgh International Book Festival is hosting several Communities Programme events as part of the August Book Festival, as well as organising several off site visits and screenings.
Read on to find out more about how you can get involved …
With Edinburgh International Book Festival starting in just a month, we are looking forward to returning to Edinburgh College of Art for a summer packed with events, performances, interviews and workshops.
We will be welcoming authors from all over the world to the Festival, with over 600 events planned, many of which are hybrid and can be watched online for free. There is going to be something for everyone!
Our full programme is now available to browse online, but in this post, we wanted to focus on how the Communities Programme is shaping up over the month of August. As always, we are planning to do a series of events inspired by the themes of our Citizen project, which explore community, place, identity, belonging and what citizenship can look like in today’s world.
Through our Story Nation programme, we are taking the joy of the Book Festival to those who otherwise cannot access it, through a weekend of events at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People as well as author visits to six Scottish Prisons, a local high school and the Streetreads Library, a dedicated place for readers who are experiencing homelessness.
The Birks Cinema in Aberfeldy will be screening five of our events for free to their local audiences, as a way of counteracting digital exclusion in rural areas.
We are also delighted to present our Scotland’s Stories Now project each and every day at the Festival, and we are so grateful to EventScotland for funding this project as part of their Year of Stories 2022.
We are really looking forward to welcoming many of our Communities Programme participants from across Scotland to celebrate their creativity with us the Book Festival.
Monday 15 August, 7.30 -8.30pm
Stories and Scran
We are delighted to announce the return of Stories and Scran for its third year. The Scran Academy will be catering a meal for our community participants before they take to the stage for a special showcase of the creative and thought-provoking writing they have created over the past year.
Event attendees will also get to sample some delicious sweet treats while they enjoy a diverse showcase of readings, poetry and song from communities in North Edinburgh and Musselburgh.
While sitting on a train, bus or tube, have you ever wondered about all of the complicated stories of your fellow passengers’ lives unfolding around you?
One Day Ticket takes this idea and elaborates it, creating a series of narrative snapshots as seen from a train carriage with an unknown destination. This collaborative work for the stage is written by Citizen participants with our Communities Writer in Residence, Eleanor Thom.
The cast of this collection of poignant and humorous human stories will perform with scripts in hand.
Everyone has a story to tell; through stories we can make sense of our world. Earlier this year writers Andrew O’Hagan, Eleanor Thom, Ryan Van Winkle, Mae Diansangu, Roseanne Watt, Bea Webster and Siân Bevan collaborated with community groups across the country to collect Scotland’s Stories Now.
At the Festival, we are sharing the tales, poems, conversations and words from the people who took part, as well as several of the stories submitted to our Open Call, inspired by the prompt ‘On This Day’.
Following two years of disruption in schools, we’re bringing together education pioneers to imagine the creative, bespoke settings needed to support young people.
Our panellists include founder of The Black Curriculum campaign, Lavinya Stennett; Emma Easton, school manager at The Spartans Alternative School, Ian Midwinter, CEO of Scran Academy, and Alexander Boys, a former member of The Citizen Collective, our writing group for 16-18 year olds.
What would the planet look like if you designed it? This is the question Ryan Van Winkle, our Schools Writer in Residence, has been exploring with local pupils at St. Thomas of Aquin’s RC High School as part of Citizen.
Drop in anytime between 11am at 5pm to explore the world they created in a multi-media installation, or come and join our free 30-minute tours at 11am, 2pm or 4pm. Featuring work from Natalie Doyle, Faith Eliott, Lotte Fisher, Caitlin Hynes, Seamus Killick, Emily Randall and Natasha Russell.
This year, we asked people across Scotland – of any age, background or ability – to submit their own stories responding to the prompt ‘On This Day’.
What resulted was a fascinating portrait of Scotland in the here and now. Throughout the Festival, different contributors from around the country will be sharing their snapshots of life through the power of words. Join us to hear their illuminating stories in a free daily session at 5pm in our Storytime Yurt.
We hope you enjoy the Book Festival this year and look forward to welcoming you at Edinburgh College of Art, 74 Lauriston Place, Edinburgh, EH3 9DF, or chatting to you online in the event chat and Q&A sections, if you are planning to join us virtually.
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Citizen is our long-term creative programme working in partnership with organisations across Edinburgh and Musselburgh, offering local people a platform to explore identity, connection and place. It is supported by the players of People’s Postcode Lottery and the PLACE Programme administered by Creative Scotland.
Our Story Nation project aims to bring the spirit of the Book Festival to audiences who, for various reasons, cannot access our physical events. It aims to combat isolation and create rich opportunities for engagement with the written word among vulnerable or unheard communities, enthusing and empowering readers across Scotland.
Scotland’s Stories Now is supported by EventScotland, as part of the Year of Stories 2022.
100 BILLION piecesof plastic packaging are estimated to be thrown away by UK households every year
81,272 pieces of plastic were thrown away in one week by 1240 households in Edinburgh, according to the UK’s largest ever survey of household plastic waste.
For one week in May, just under 100,000 households across the UK – nearly a quarter of a million people – counted their plastic packaging waste and sent their results to Greenpeace and Everyday Plastic as part of The Big Plastic Count.
On average, each UK household threw away 66 pieces of plastic packaging in one week, with Edinburgh households being in line with this average. UK-wide, this amounts to an estimated 3,432 pieces per household when applied over a year.
Therefore, nearly 100 billion pieces of plastic packaging are estimated to be thrown away by UK households every year, with just 12% likely to be recycled in the UK. More of the UK’s household plastic waste (17%) is being shipped overseas than being recycled at home.
Almost half (46%) of the UK’s household plastic waste is being incinerated whilst the remaining 25% is buried in landfill.
83% of the plastic recorded was from food and drink packaging waste, with the most common item being fruit and vegetable packaging.
Marlena from Leith said: “I’m horrified to learn that just 12% of the plastic we produce is likely to be recycled, and that the rest ends up as pollution.
“I sort my plastic waste and recycle what I can, but it’s clear that this system can’t cope with all our waste, and that it’s up to Government and big brands to reduce the amount of plastic being produced in the first place.
“According to my plastic footprint, I use around 50 bits of plastic a week. 89% of that is for food and drink alone. Most of this plastic is designed to be used once and then thrown away. If supermarkets reduced the amount of fruit and vegetable wrapping, we could really cut down on plastic waste.”
This year, the government is starting to decide on legal targets to reduce waste. Greenpeace Edinburgh is calling on the Government to set legally binding targets to almost entirely eliminate single-use plastic, starting with a target of a 50% cut in single-use plastic by 2025.
Alternatives should be affordable, reusable and accessible, including to those with disabilities. Greenpeace Edinburgh volunteers are also calling for a ban on the dumping of our waste onto other countries, and for a UK-wide moratorium on new incineration capacity.
Graphics to illustrate the findings of the Big Plastic Count. The country’s largest ever survey of household plastic waste can reveal that nearly 100 billion pieces of plastic are binned in the UK every year, with just 12% likely to be recycled.
Marlena continued: “When we were out and about in the Meadows and Portobello talking to local residents about The Big Plastic Count, people were really keen to take part, and to find out what really happens to the plastic they put into the bin or to the recycling bag.
“So I’m pleased that Edinburgh North and Leith MP Deidre Brock spoke at the results event in Parliament this week, and urge all of our local MPs to call on the Westminster Government for the ambitious plastic reduction targets that we urgently need”.
Edinburgh-based space company gears up for launch, with production commencing on three rockets at Cumbernauld facility
UK rocket company Skyrora has taken another important stride towards achieving a sovereign orbital launch from British soil by opening a new manufacturing and production facility, the largest of its kind in the UK.
After recently opening its engine test facility in Midlothian, this new facility in Cumbernauld allows the company to concentrate its launch development practices in custom-built domestic facilities, further strengthening Skyrora’s status as the leader in the UK space race.
The production of two Skyrora vehicles has already commenced at the Cumbernauld site, which will increase up to 16 per year once mass production begins. The site boasts unique capabilities for space infrastructure in the UK, as certain tests that would typically be outsourced to facilities in other countries can now be conducted domestically.
For the very first time, the UK has an asset capable of conducting full-stage structural and pressure testing and full-stage functional and cold flow testing. Conducting these tests domestically saves significant time and costs and represents a key advantage for UK space efforts.
As such, the maiden testing of the second stage of the Skyrora XL rocket can now be performed from UK soil, having been fully manufactured and assembled in-house. This includes the assembly of the 70kN engine, the most powerful commercially produced liquid engine in the UK, which has been built using 3D-printed engine components.
A critical milestone for the development of the Skyrora XL, the hot fire testing will see the second stage attached to a stand at the newly opened Midlothian test facility as the engine simulates a real launch. This enables important telemetry data to be collected and analysed on-site. As a three-stage launch vehicle, the second stage of Skyrora XL will start its engines at approximately 62km before releasing the third stage at around 190km for orbital launch.
The Skyrora Vehicle Assembly Building in Cumbernauld consists of 55,000 sq ft of factory floor and office space, along with a 67,000 sq ft yard large enough to contain the entire Skylark L launch complex and future Skyrora XL launch facilities, for rehearsals, integration works, and launch preparation. Altogether, the facility roughly equates to the size of two standard football pitches and can accommodate up to 16 Skyrora XL vehicles for assembly, integration, and launch per annum.
The manufacturing and production site will generate new employment opportunities both in the North Lanarkshire area and in the rest of Scotland, boosting local economic prospects by accommodating up to 100 high-skilled technical and business roles.
Skyrora’s Head of Engineering, Dr Jack James Marlow, said: “This purpose-built manufacturing and assembly site, combined with the Midlothian testing facility, allows Skyrora to take direct charge of the development cycle in-house.
“As a business, we now have a full set of domestic facilities to allow for close control of the quality and rapid development and testing of Skyrora XL ahead of its demo launch.
“The site will also allow us to further optimise manufacturing processes developed by our colleagues in Ukraine and scale-up launch vehicle production in the long term, enabling further expansion and growth in the future.”
Skyrora’s readiness to enter mass production comes at a pivotal time in the UK space race, as the company endeavours to become the first British company to launch a rocket from UK soil with its orbital vehicle, Skyrora XL. By 2030, Skyrora aims to conduct 16 launches per year from Saxavord launch complex in the Shetland Islands alone.
Skyrora founder and CEO Volodymyr Levykinsaid:“To play a significant role in the emerging global space economy, the UK has to develop sovereign launch capabilities. This isn’t just about offering different locations for launch, but everything that precedes that moment.
“Being able to offer end-to-end domestic capabilities from development, manufacturing, testing, and launch provides the UK with a crucial advantage as it looks to unlock its capabilities and deliver on its potential on the global stage. This crucial asset would not have been possible without the dedication and talent of the entire Skyrora team, both here in Scotland and in Ukraine.”
Levykincontinued: “We’re proud to be leading the way for the UK space sector, promoting further STEM job creation that will be vital to the UK Government’s Levelling Up agenda. As outlined in the National Space Strategy, SMEs will be central to the Government’s wider plans for the space sector, and this new site is a prime example of this.
“There is an enormous commercial opportunity to be seized here, and a chance for the UK to play a key strategic role in the new space economy. However, in order to do this, investment is needed at the highest level of Government to support the efforts of private companies, otherwise we risk missing the chance to future-proof the British economy and letting talent slip through our fingers.”
Pamela Humphries, Head of Planning and Regeneration at North Lanarkshire Council, said: “North Lanarkshire is an ideal location for businesses to set up and grow, with excellent transport links, support, and a skilled workforce, and we are very pleased to welcome Skyrora to the area.
“The company operates in a very exciting and dynamic industry and is ambitious for its development, offering many opportunities for other local businesses to provide support services which can only be positive for our local economy.”
The Cumbernauld manufacturing and production facility has been made possible in part by the support and collaboration with the UK Space Agency (UKSA) and the European Space Agency (ESA), who both share in Skyrora’s vision for the future of launch capabilities and assured access to space from these shores.
Ian Annett, Deputy CEO, UK Space Agency said:“As we approach the UK’s first commercial space launch this Summer, Skyrora’s new manufacturing and production facility in Cumbernauld will further enhance the UK’s reputation as Europe’s most attractive destination for launch activities.
“Scotland is home to around one-fifth of all space jobs in the UK and, by harnessing the opportunities provided by commercial spaceflight, we are creating highly skilled jobs and local opportunities in Scotland and across the country.”
Wednesday 3 August – Monday 29 August, 12:20pm (not 15th)
From Breakthrough Memoir award winner Sophie Bentinck comes Pauline, a new dark comedy about finding your nan’s suicide note. Written and performed by Bentinck, directed by Fred Wienand (Twelfth Night, Yvonne Arnaud Theatre), with sound design by Anna Short (Folk, Hampstead Theatre), lighting design by Ali Hunter (Orlando, Jermyn Street Theatre), and presented together with producer Emma Blackman (Bobby & Amy, Fringe First Award 2019), this powerful autobiographical piece explores learning to dance with the skeletons in your family closet.
Pauline is the story of three generations of women in one family – and the story of the writer who went digging in the secrets file in order to bring them all on stage. Witness a brutally honest and joyfully hilarious glimpse into what it has meant to be a woman in the Bentinck family as far back as 1921.
Runner up at the prestigious Screenshot 2020 competition, the judging panel which included Olivia Colman and Lolly Adefope, said of Pauline “it is important this story gets told” and Phoebe Waller-Bridge praised the play as “captivating.” Sophie was also selected by acclaimed writer Cathy Rentzenbrink as Curtis Brown’s Breakthrough Memoir Scholar for the adaptation she is writing of the play.
In 1967 Pauline prematurely died from an overdose, and fifty years later Sophie found and read her diaries. This led to a journey of self-discovery, exploring mental health, loneliness and half a century of female voices, with no holds barred.
Actress and writer Sophie Bentinck said: “I’m the thirty-four year old daughter of Anna, who is the seventy-four-year-old daughter of Pauline. Pauline is dead, Anna has Alzheimer’s; I am writing our story.
Sophie continues: “Covid struck the night before I was due to perform my one woman show for the very first time. A show in which I tried to deal with the inherited trauma of losing my eccentric, guinness and champagne-loving grandmother to suicide.
“However, as I tried to keep the memory of Pauline intact during the pandemic, my mum’s memory faded fast, following a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease. The show has now become, through interwoven conversations with mum and my nan’s diary extracts ranging from 1944-1967, an endeavour to give a sense of the interlapping of memory: my own, my mother’s and my grandmother’s, before she decided she had nothing left to say.”
“Over the pandemic many families were forced to bury their dead without proper funerals or goodbyes. Loss does not always mean physical absence, it can be psychological too. As we begin to take stock of the impacts of Covid, Sophie attempts to combat them and shine a light on some of the darker times.
“From the postponement of this show in 2020, to the ambiguous grief of losing someone to Alzhiemer’s as well as to suicide, Pauline charts Sophie’s journey, against all odds, to get on that stage at the Fringe and tell the story of all of the women whose shoulders she stands on.
From reinterpreting autism to reimagining single-use products – how one artist is changing perspectives in Edinburgh this summer
Leith’s Image Collective Gallery launches thought-provoking new exhibition ‘From Waste to Wall’ with an opportunity to meet the artist
Diagnosed with autism at the age of three, art has played an important role throughout James Owen Thomas’ life as a means of communication and expression. Now aged 21, the multi award-winning artist views his autism not as a disability, but as a different kind of ability. And it is because of James’ unique ability to change perspectives that his latest exhibition, From Waste to Wall, is sure to attract attention.
Debuting at Edinburgh’s Image Collective Gallery, From Waste to Wall features a range of thought-provoking collages, each one created using unwanted single-use products such as discarded lottery tickets. The artworks are intricately detailed – embodying James’ ethos that something genuinely beautiful can be created from items that others may deem as useless.
Speaking ahead of the exhibition opening, the North Yorkshire artist commented; “By creating collages from thousands of tiny pieces of discarded materials, I aim to make a positive statement about recycling.
“I have been exhibiting my unique style of environmental art since the age of 15 and I’m delighted to be displaying my art for the first time in Scotland this summer.”
The exhibition is being brought to Edinburgh thanks to the Image Collective Gallery owner, Sara Thomson, who first met James when they were both selected by PM Boris Johnson to become a COP26 One Step Greener Ambassador in 2021.
Explaining her appreciation of James’ work, Sara said; “When I saw James’ work displayed at COP26 I was immediately struck by how intricate and beautiful each collage is.
“I was also moved by the powerful message he is putting out there – the idea that we need to change our attitudes, behaviour, perceptions, and perspectives if we’re going to save the planet.”
The From Waste to Wall exhibitionopens to the public on Tuesday 2nd August at The Image Collective Gallery and runs until Friday 30th September. The exhibition is free to view.
James Owen Thomas will be working on a live piece of art at The Image Collective Gallery on Tuesday 2nd August, 10am – 3pm, during which all are welcome to come and meet the artist.
Edinburgh Napier has announced the recipients of its 2022 Alumnus of the Year and Young Alumnus of the Year awards.
The University has awarded its Alumnus of the Year award to Nathalie Agnew.
Nathalie graduated from the University in 2005 with a BA in Communication Arts. She is the founder and managing director of award-winning PR agency, Muckle Media.
Since its launch in the Highlands in 2012, Muckle Media has grown to a team of more than twenty staff across offices in Edinburgh, Inverness, Glasgow and Aberdeen. Much of the agency’s growth has been organic, but two competitive agencies have also been acquired – community engagement agency Platform PR in 2015 and food and drink specialist agency Taste Communications in 2022.
Nathalie was praised by the award panel for embodying a number of the University’s values and was described as an inspiration and a role model for Edinburgh Napier students and alumni alike.
The University’s 2022 Young Alumnus of the Year award recipient is Bjørn Hanson.
Bjørn is a double Edinburgh Napier alumnus having graduated in 2020 with a Kino Eyes International Film Masters and again in 2021 with MFA in Advanced Film Practice.
He is a producer and has worked in production in the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Portugal and Estonia. He recently produced the queer drama FLOAT for BBC Scotland, which won the award for Best Series in the Short Format competition at Series Mania 2022.
Bjørn was recognised by the judging panel for being a talented, ambitious and entrepreneurial young film producer.
Professor Andrea Nolan, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Edinburgh Napier University, said: “I am delighted to announce this year’s alumnus and young alumnus of the year award recipients.
“These awards recognise and celebrate the outstanding achievements of our alumni around the world and showcases the value and impact of their Edinburgh Napier education.
“Through peer, student and staff nominations, we identify an individual, or a group of alumni who have shown excellence and distinction in their personal and or professional lives and made a positive contribution to the University, their community and profession.
“A massive congratulations to both Nathalie and Bjørn – two individuals making a real difference in their chosen careers.”
The annual alumnus awards celebrate the outstanding achievements of the University’s global community and showcase the value and impact of their Edinburgh Napier education.
The Edinburgh Napier community was asked to nominate alumni who have shown excellence and distinction in their personal or professional lives and who have made a positive contribution to the University, their community and profession.
The winners were selected by an award panel chaired by Geoffrey H. Day, Director of Marketing and External Relations, Edinburgh Napier University.
Local children were treated to a special storytelling session at in from loveable Road Safety Scotland* character Ziggy, as part of a nationwide Ziggy’s Big Day Out tour of country parks in Scotland.
The tour will help equip children and parents with the skills, knowledge and attitudes that will keep children safe on our roads now and in later life.
After a fun, interactive storytelling session with their favourite alien, and lots of goodies up for grabs, children put their new skills into practice on a walk around the park with Ziggy, helping to bring real road safety situations to life in a safe, fun and memorable way.
Michael McDonnell, Road Safety Scotland Director, said: “Children should be immersed in positive road safety attitudes from a young age and it has been widely recognised amongst behavioural psychologists that early experiences shape children’s future behaviour, reiterating the importance of practising and teaching safe road habits from the very beginning.
“Ziggy is a fun character with an important role and the Ziggy’s Big Day Out tour of country parks will help put these invaluable skills into practice and create lasting memories for children and parents alike.”
Written by children’s author Lynda Kennedy and illustrated by Lynn Taylor, the Go Safe with Ziggy books are freely available to all Early Learning and Childcare centres and Primary 1 classes in Scotland, and parents and teachers have access to online resources and activity ideas. The Ziggy series is also available in Scots and Gaelic.
Books can be ordered on roadsafety.scot/ziggy-order.
This summer, Ziggy will be visiting country parks across Scotland, including in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dumfries, Hawick, Perth, Dundee and Aberdeen. Details are available on Road Safety Scotland’s social media channels: Facebook @roadsafetyscotland and Twitter @RoadSafetyScot.
For more information about Go Safe with Ziggy, visitroadsafety.scot/ziggy-online.
