Foysol Choudhury MSP pursues support for children with additional support needs
ASN Reform Scotland recently attended the Scottish Parliament to hold a drop-in session for MSPs. Their mission was to raise awareness amongst MSPs about the issues that children with ASN and their parents are facing, how to improve ASN education in Scotland, and to help raise awareness of children with ASN ‘s educational needs.
Training for people who work with children and young people with complex additional support needs emerged as a key theme from the Scottish Government’s recent 2023 report, ‘Pupils with complex additional support needs: research into provision’. These findings about challenges in accessing training were echoed by parents in the ASN Reform Scotland Group, who raised concerns that the environment provided by mainstream schools is often not appropriate for children with additional support needs due to, for example, a lack of appropriate training for teachers.
Foysol Choudhury MSP hosted the ASN Reform Scotland Group’s drop-in session for MSPs at the Scottish Parliament, after meeting the group outside the Scottish Parliament before the Parliament’s summer recess and offering his assistance to the group. Mr Choudhury says it was saddening to hear about the lack of appropriate support some children are getting at school, with some parents reporting having to take on the burden of teaching their own children.
Foysol Choudhury MSP said: “It was made clear at the drop-in session that parents feel unsupported.
“The group are calling to increase ASN provisions in Scotland and ensure all teachers get specific ASN training to bring the best for all our children.
“There should be support for children with ASN in school along with school staff members getting provided with the correct training in all types of schools, so parents can feel they are sending their children to a safe and beneficial environment”.
Parents from the ASN Reform Scotland group also raised with Mr Choudhury their concerns over stretched funding and called for accountability over how funds are spent to support a child with ASN.
The group says this will not just benefit the children’s development but will also help their families, as parents will be assured are that their children are getting the right support and care when they are at school.
A rolling presentation was played at the meeting, to convey the concerns of parents of children with ASN across Scotland. One parent noted they want “All teachers to have ASN training in mainstream schools”. Another noted: “My child deserves to thrive, not just survive in school”.
Mr Choudhury says he will continue to support the ASN Reform Group and other parents wherever he can.
Campaigners staged a protest outside Edinburgh City Chambers on Friday (24 November) to call on the Lothian Pension Fund to divest from fossil fuels. The protest marked one year since Edinburgh City Council voted in favour of divestment, but the fund has still not enacted the request.
Lothian Pension Fund has at least £350 million invested in the fossil fuel industry, according to new analysis by Platform and Friends of the Earth Scotland. This is a significant increase from the £229 million investment it held when the research was last conducted in October 2021.
Lothian Pension Fund is the second biggest fossil fuel investor of all the council pension funds in Scotland. It invests in some of the world’s biggest climate polluters, including Exxon Mobil, Shell, Equinor, TotalEnergies and BP.
With virtually all oil and gas companies set to expand their operations, campaigners are calling on the Lothian Pension Fund to listen to councillors and stop funding fossil fuels.
The protest highlighted the role French oil giant TotalEnergies – that Lothian Pensions have investments worth £19 million in – is playing in worsening the climate crisis and threatening human rights.
TotalEnergies is currently developing the East African Crude Oil Pipeline, stretching 1444 km across Uganda and Tanzania. Building this pipeline is displacing communities and destroying livelihoods in Africa in order to pump oil out of the continent to be consumed by people living in the global north.
John Hardy from Divest Lothian said: “It’s extremely disappointing that as the climate crisis worsens, the Lothian Pension Fund has failed to follow the democratic will of the council to divest from the fossil fuel companies that are driving climate breakdown.
“In particular, their investments in TotalEnergies and the East African Crude Oil Pipeline harms our climate and puts local communities and important ecosystems at risk.
“The Lothian Pension Fund needs to listen to the people of Edinburgh and the Lothians and divest from all fossil fuel companies immediately. Our future is at stake, and we cannot afford to wait any longer.”
Sophie Burgess from Global Justice Edinburgh Youth Collective said: “We need to Stop EACOP for my future, the future of people in Uganda and Tanzania and the future of people globally.
“We cannot allow pensions to continue to fund fossil fuel giants like TotalEnergy, who are continuing to threaten all our futures with devastating projects like the East African Crude Oil Pipeline.”
The Lothian Pension Fund administers the pension funds of almost 90,000 members from the four councils in the Lothians and 59 other employers, including Scottish Water, Edinburgh Napier University, VisitScotland and Heriot-Watt University.
The Scottish Ambulance Service is bringing in a range of extra initiatives this winter, including new frontline staff, ambulances and enhancements to 999 call centre operations.
The initiatives will come into place in the coming weeks to help SAS meet the increased demands on their services at a time which is traditionally the busiest for the NHS.
Recruitment is already well underway to support SAS’s dedicated frontline workforce with 317 new paramedics, technicians and advanced practice practitioners joining the Service by the end of March 2024.
Additional clinicians are also being introduced in the Service’s Integrated Clinical Hub. The Hub triages less seriously ill patients who don’t need to go to A&E to receive care and provides alternative routes for treatment, freeing up ambulances and reducing pressure on A&Es.
Michael Dickson OBE, Chief Executive of the Scottish Ambulance Service said: “We know that winter will be an extremely challenging period for the NHS which is why we’ve introduced a range of initiatives to help our patients and support our staff this winter.
“Our patients are our priority, we will do everything we can to ensure patients are cared for and get the service they need quickly and efficiently.
“Not every call to 999 needs an ambulance or a trip to A&E and we are completely focussed on supporting patients to get care at home or close to home where it is safe to do so, ensuring patients get the right care, in the right place, at the right time.
“The SAS workforce is essential as they carry out their roles often in extremely difficult circumstances and we will continue to support them during this high-pressure time.
“We urge the public to help our staff by remembering that 999 and A&E is for emergencies, if you need urgent care, but it’s not life-threatening, you can call NHS 24 on 111, day or night, or your GP during opening hours.”
Extra initiatives being brought in this winter include:
• New staff, including Advanced Practitioners into each region and 52 new vehicles such as Rapid Response Vehicles to help respond in a more flexible manner throughout the winter period.
• Maximising the use of trained volunteers such as Community First Responders, Cardiac Responders and BASICS, where appropriate.
• Utilising dedicated Patient Transport Service (PTS) resources for low acuity patients, freeing up ambulances to get help to very seriously unwell patients as quickly as possible.
• Connecting patients with local services and communicating pathway information to SAS clinicians.
• Daily meetings with health boards to respond to the challenges relating to hospital handover delays so that our highly-trained ambulance crews can be back out responding to the next patient in the community who needs our help.
• Hospital Ambulance Liaison Officers (HALOs) will work with senior hospital site managers and the Service, improving the hospital admission and discharge process.
• Ensuring the wellbeing of our crews, working with Health Board partners to provide refreshments for crews at hospitals in periods of high pressure and demand
• Piloting new processes to help staff finish on time to protect their wellbeing and having a wide range of health and wellbeing services available for them to access should they need them.
To mark the 60th anniversary of Doctor Who, music royalty organisation PRS for Music has revealed a chart of the UK’s top 20 Most Played Sci-Fi TV Theme Tunes. With its distinctive electronic composition, exploring sound art, the iconic Doctor Who theme tune tops the chart.
Based on data provided by PRS for Music, the organisation which represents the rights of over 165,000 songwriters, composers and music publishers, the chart showcases the most popular sci-fi theme tunes that have been streamed, broadcast and publicly performed.
First broadcast on 23 November 1963, the Doctor Who theme has become one of the world’s most recognisable and enduring TV theme tunes.
Originally composed by Ron Grainer and arranged by Delia Derbyshire (both PRS members) at the world-famous BBC Radiophonic Workshop, the work is characterised by its eerie and otherworldly sound. Created using cutting-edge electronic music techniques, the composition was groundbreaking for its time.
The Doctor Who theme has been rearranged and reinterpreted numerous times over the years. Notable composers who have put their own spin on the theme include Dominic Glynn, Peter Howell and Keff McCulloch.
In 2005,award-winning composer Murray Gold captivated audiences with his interpretation by reimagining both the theme and TV series score. Gold became the show’s resident composer for over 12 years, and even filmed a cameo in the 2007 Christmas special, Voyage of the Damned, as a guitarist aboard the Max Capricorn Cruiseliners spaceship, the Titanic.
In 2018, Segun Akinola’s work brought a fresh and modern approach to the show’s musical landscape. Three special anniversary episodes, that are set to be broadcast from Saturday 25 November, see Gold return to score the show alongside the BBC National Orchestra of Wales.
PRS for Music’s Most Played Sci-Fi TV Theme Tunes chart includes 20 of the most recognisable and spine-tingling scores on our screens today, from modern cult classics like The Last of Us to animated favourites Rick and Morty, as well as the vintage sounds of Red Dwarfand Star Trek.
PRS for Music: Most Played Sci-Fi TV Theme Tunes
1. Doctor Who
2. Red Dwarf
3. Star Trek
4. Stargate Atlantis
5. Rick And Morty
6. The 100
7. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
8. Heroes
9. Last Of Us
10. Fringe
11. Battlestar Galactica
12. The Expanse
13. Smallville
14. Torchwood
15. Better Off Ted
16. Star Wars Rebels
17. Manifest
18. Person Of Interest
19. Killjoys
20. The Twilight Zone
NB: Chart rank based on UK streams, broadcasts and public performance data provided by PRS for Music for the period 1 January 2023 – 14 November 2023.
Move over, Santa! There’s a new festive sensation in town, and she’s not coming down the chimney. Meet Nala the Station Cat, the four-legged feline viral phenomenon earning millions of views that’s unleashed the catchiest Christmas single for years!
Nala’s Musical Journey
This ginger tabby, whose adventures at Stevenage station have made her a viral sensation, is now gracing our ears with her debut single, “Check Meowt.” Move aside, Mariah, because Nala’s vocal prowess is set to give even the most seasoned divas a run for their money. Co-written and produced by industry heavyweights Danny Kirsch and Joe Killington, this purr-fect melody is guaranteed to get you in the holiday spirit.
Exclusive First Play on BBC Three Counties Radio!
The cat’s out of the bag! BBC Three Counties Radio’s Justin Dealey gave Nala’s single an exclusive first play, leaving both the presenter and Nala’s owner, Natasha Ambler, momentarily tongue-tied. Forget speechless, they were “slightly lost for words.” Can Nala claw her way to the top of the charts? We’re all on the edge of our scratching posts!
All Aboard the Nala Express!
Nala, the station’s unofficial mascot, has been winning hearts and breaking down barriers faster than a speeding locomotive. She’s not just a cat; she’s a community builder, creating a purr-fectly cheerful atmosphere at Stevenage station. Station manager Shaun Smith says Nala is creating a “paw-sitive” vibe, making staff and customers alike feel part of a purr-fect local community.
Paws for a Cause: Charity at the Heart of Nala’s Mission
LadBaby just announced they’re not doing a number one this year, so there’s a new charity contender for the Christmas number one spot. All proceeds from “Check Meowt” will be generously donated to the RSPCA and Stevenage homelessness charity Feed Up Warm Up. Nala isn’t just winning our hearts; she’s making a difference in the lives of animals and humans alike.
Nala the Station Cat’s music video: Coming Soon to TikTok
Prepare to have your heart melted, one paw at a time. Nala’s viral adventures continue on TikTok, @nala_station_cat. The video is set to drop this week, and we predict it will be more viral than catnip. Get ready for the furriest, funniest, and most festive content of the season!
Join the Christmas Rescue with Nala and the RSPCA!
As we dance to the catchy beats of “Check Meowt” let’s not forget the bigger picture. Nala’s single comes at a time when the RSPCA needs our support more than ever.
An RSPCA spokesperson said: “It’s always lovely to see animals we have rescued thriving in their new homes so to see Nala doing so well and touching so many people’s hearts with his train station adventures is amazing to see.
“We’re incredibly grateful to Nala and his owners for releasing their purr-fect single Meow to raise funds for the RSPCA and a homeless charity – and give it our full backing for the Christmas number one spot!
“The launch of Nala’s song comes at a time when animal and neglect calls to the RSPCA have reached a three-year high and our rescue teams are set to be busier than ever this Christmas. That’s why we need people to Join the Christmas Rescue – and support our dedicated frontline teams.
“With the help of Nala, his owners, and other kind animal lovers who raise funds and donate to the RSPCA, we can help transform countless animals’ lives this Christmas.”
Festive campaign run by Make 2nds Count aims to raise £15,000 for Transformative Retreats to support Patients with Secondary Breast Cancer
Make 2nds Count, a leading non-profit organisation dedicated to supporting individuals living with secondary breast cancer, has today announced the launch of its annual Christmas campaign, “Make Christmas Count” which aims to raise £15,000 for transformative retreats.
The heart-warming initiative invites individuals to join hands in adorning the Tree of Hope with special baubles, symbolising support and solidarity for families and patients facing the challenges of secondary breast cancer.
Every year, Make 2nds Count strives to make a significant impact on the lives of individuals battling secondary breast cancer. This year, the organisation is introducing a new initiative to extend its support, with the sale of specially designed Christmas baubles. All proceeds from these sales will directly contribute towards funding the organisation’s dedicated retreats for patients in 2024.
Make 2nds Count Retreats serve as invaluable sanctuaries for members of the community affected by secondary breast cancer. They offer a respite from the demanding routine of constant treatment, providing a nurturing environment for relaxation and emotional rejuvenation.
In 2023, Make 2nds Count was able to host Retreats for 106 guests in various locations across the UK. The goal for 2024 is to increase this offering, enabling even more individuals to benefit from these transformative experiences.
Recent feedback from the Castle Bromwich retreat, held in September 2023, highlights the importance of these Retreats:
“The Castle Bromwich retreat has been such a wonderful relaxing experience. We’ve met so many women just like us, at all stages of the ‘living with’ journey. We feel lifted and listened to, encouraged and most of all relaxed and happy.
“We’ve had led sessions and time to get to know each other. We are all leaving with a new family and friendships to support us.”
“This has been a wonderful time to relax and take time out. The care and cosseting we have had will not be forgotten and will keep me going for a long time. Thank you so much.”
Make 2nds Count is also proud to collaborate with Spark, a charitable organisation dedicated to combating social isolation within communities to create bespoke baubles.
These Christmas decorations will be crafted by the skilled hands at Spark, further illustrating the power of community-driven initiatives.
For more information on Make 2nds Count and their work, please visit:
A site at the corner of Hanover Street and Princes Street is potentially set for a new lease of life following the submission of a planning application to City of Edinburgh Council for an exciting mixed-use development.
Undertaken by innovative property developers, RRH Hanover A Limited, the series of five under-used buildings in Hanover Street and Rose Street will be carefully repurposed into a luxury hotel, with associated guest amenities and ancillary accommodation.
The hotel is designed to operate as a bespoke apartment style destination, with each room and suite unique and individually styled. The 60 bedrooms have been designed to be accommodated within the existing and proposed buildings which carefully knit together the fabric of the site, respecting the historical context.
The development will serve to consolidate the unused space above several commercial units into a series of interlinked properties, with ground floor units reorganised to make the most of their central location, giving opportunities to businesses leasing the ground floor retail units.
The key concept of adaptive re-use of existing properties is to be reinforced by new build additions at Rose Street and Rose Street Lane. These elements knit together the five blocks of accommodation while improving neglected rear portions of the site and improving the overall universal value of the site.
Development comprises 60 premium bespoke hotel rooms and will be operated by RÌGH Properties. The development also includes the reintroduction of a tearoom on Hanover Street, of benefit to both the local community and visitors. These were once occupied by Crawford’s Tearooms, and development returns these to their former glory, reviving the building’s historical charm.
The founder of the tearooms in the 1920s, William Crawford, wanted them to be an ‘oasis of calm’ in the city centre, and the rooms were decorated and furnished by the artist Robert Burns, a key figure in the Scottish Art Nouveau scene in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Other offers include rooftop terraces, providing dramatic skyline views, a fitness studio and guest lounge overlooking the Mound and Princes Street Gardens.
The development will complement the 27 luxury serviced apartments units which are currently being developed by RRH in a refurbished category-A listed at 71 George Street and will be operated under the RÌGH Properties brand. The company also plans to refurbish 73-75 George Street into luxury managed serviced apartments.
David Grieve from RRH commented: “We are incredibly excited to be submitting a planning application for this development, which includes the delivery of 60 unique and individually styled flexible stay hotel suites and luxury bedrooms, as well as returning the fabulous Crawford’s Tea Rooms to their former glory.
“It is anticipated that guests will be discerning and experienced travellers, looking for a boutique stay in a prime location, but without the fuss of a busy city centre hotel. Offering a calm, flexible and luxurious stay, they will have the opportunity to enjoy unique views across the New and Old Towns of Edinburgh and the Firth of Forth beyond the capital’s skyline.
“Delivering a highly sustainable development, this will consolidate unused space above the retail units into a series of linked properties, and conscious of its location, we have been highly sensitive to retaining all buildings and features considered to be of architectural and historic merit.”
Push the Boat Out (PTBO), Edinburgh’s International Poetry Festival, is due to set sail this weekend (24-26 Nov) with a vibrant line-up of over 80 performers, artists and speakers and 50 events taking place across Edinburgh’s iconic Summerhall.
The 2023 Push the Boat Out programme, supported by Creative Scotland, continues to expand the festival’s mission to change perceptions of what poetry can be.
From poetry readings and discussions, to new commissions, singer-songwriter circles, music hybrid events, dance and hip hop, poetic cocktail-making classes, film screenings, beach walks, panels, workshops and development opportunities – the polyphonic line-up is a true fiesta of the vernacular, promising something for everyone.
This year, the programme celebrates the poetry of songwriting with multiple events championing the poetic power of lyrics, hip hop and the songwriting process. Singer-songwriter, Hamish Hawk offers an evening of lyrical enchantment in a solo show with support from Iona Zajac whilst Conscious Route, Queen of Harps and Dave Hook share the back stories of their songs in an in-depth Song Exploder event.
The Songwriters Circle welcomes Hamish Hawk back to the stage alongside legendary Scottish folk musician, Karine Polwart and poet and performer Inua Ellams, as the three break down their songwriting process and share some of their poetic influences, whilst British rapper, Dizraeli takes an honest look at human creation with sharp lyricism and a sense of the absurd in his event Animal Noises.
The programme this year also finds drama at the heart of poetic form, with a series of new commissions from Imogen Stirling, Alycia Pirmohamed and Ross McCleary in partnership with the National Theatre of Scotland. Developed on the theme of ‘seed’ and explicitly exploring poetry in conversation with other artistic disciplines, these new pieces promise to break new ground and plant some future discussions.
Audiences can also expect newly commissioned work that takes inspiration from the festival’s home base, Summerhall. Writer Ever Dundas and poets Harry Josephine Giles and Iona Lee celebrate the building’s history with a darkly gothic night of poetry and original music composed by David Paul Jones that offers a ‘cinema for the ears’.
Politics and poetry have platform too as Jeremy Corbyn and Len McCluskey posit that poetry is for the many in an event that sees the pair share their favourite poems from their newly co-edited anthology and discuss why poetry is for everyone. Yvonne Reddick’s urgent climate poetry will share words and exchanges on nature’s defiance and audiences can enjoy the pulsing poem-stories of William Letford as he speaks of the resilience of ordinary people as they adapt to strange and uncertain times.
Audiences are encouraged to embrace the cat life in an extra special event at Maison de Moggy cat cafe with The Cat Prince himself, prize-winning poet Michael Pedersen who will share work from his new collection and Scottish Makar, Kathleen Jamie aims to remind audiences that poetry is made for the ear, in an evening celebrating tradition, mentoring and passing on the baton
For the food lovers and cocktail connoisseurs, Joelle Taylor and Kate Fox will help shake up a poetic cocktail or two in events that mix your drinks as well as your words and poet and culinary enthusiast, Sean Wai Keung adds some flavour in a dumpling and poetry workshop.
Emma Collins, Director of Push the Boat Out, said: ‘In this third year, Push the Boat Out is definitely poetry placed firmly in a current tide. This year’s programme is a true showcasing of contemporary excellence. Modern, charged, alive, joyful and celebratory with events that are also vehicles for important and vital discussions.
“We’ve brought together over eighty of the most exciting poets from Scotland, the UK and beyond and we’ve continued to expand our notion of what poetry is, with eclectic events that celebrate words and language in their many glorious forms and in conversation with other artistic disciplines.
“Poetry is everywhere, it’s the lyrics in songs, our conversations and dialogues, the rhythm of spoken word, scripts and sonnets, proclamations and points of view, the stories we tell and the history around us.
“That’s what Push the Boat Out is primarily about… words, how we use them, a celebration of them and what they mean to us. We’ve endeavoured to capture that in this year’s programming.
“We also strive to make Push the Boat Out as accessible for audiences as possible. BSL interpreted events are indicated within the programme and once again, in addition to our in person and online programme, we will have a programme of events free to listen to at home via our partners EHFM Radio as well as a selected live stream event that showcases newly commissioned work.
“We’ve been overjoyed by the response from the incredible artists and poets who’ve agreed to come on board the boat this year and cannot wait to bring them all together for audiences this November.”
Harriet MacMillan, Literature Officer at Creative Scotland, said: ‘In its third year, the Push the Boat Out programme is brighter and more dynamic than ever, capturing the many dimensions of Scotland’s rich poetry scene.
“Thanks to National Lottery players, this unique and varied international suite of events is testament to the vital role poetry plays in all of our lives. Their increasing range of collaborations and activities continues to show us how words can connect us with each other and ourselves – the power of poetry will be felt by all who take part in this brilliant celebration.’
KEY EVENTS
Poetry that’s on your wavelength
Push the Boat Out, Edinburgh’s annual poetry festival launches on National Poetry Day. The festival will run 24-26 November. Tickets now on sale via Summerhall box office.
Neil Hanna
The full programme and artist line-up can be viewed: Here
Tickets can be purchased via pushtheboatout.org or from Summerhall Box Office. Prices range from 0-£20 with concessions available and free tickets for carers.
Push The Boat Out also offers a Pay What You Can Can option with tiered pricing selections. The Festival Pass (£40), gives access to the majority of the programme free of charge plus reduced price tickets for the higher priced and more intimate events.
The Cat Prince
Fri 24 Nov | 3pm & 4.15pm | Maison de Moggy (17 West Port, EH1 2JA)
Meow! Two extra-special off-site performances from The Cat Prince himself, poet and performer Michael Pedersen, celebrating his Forward Prize-nominated poem in a properly feline setting: Maison de Moggy Cat Cafe!
Cocktail Hour with Kate Fox
Fri 24 Nov | 5.30pm | Summerhall
Join us for our first Cocktail Hour of the festival, a heady mix of rum and rhyme. Mixologists from Ruma take you through the history and mixing of each cocktail, while poet, author and comedian Kate Fox creates a poem to accompany each drink. Ticket price covers the cocktails (and poetry).
A Summerhall Triptych: Tales From The Dissection Room
Fri 24 Nov | 8pm | Summerhall
A sublimely dark and gothic evening’s entertainment, as some of Scotland’s most exciting, fearless writers, including Ever Dundas, Harry Josephine Giles and Iona Lee, perform newly-commissioned works inspired by the history of Summerhall, each set to original music composed and performed by David Paul Jones in a ‘cinema for the ears’.
Double Bill: Majorie Lotfi & K Patrick
Sat 25 Nov | 11am | Summerhall
Two stunning debut collections meditating on beginnings and rebirths. K Patrick’s (Granta Best of Young British Novelists 2023) Three Births culminates in the powerful message that we should be able to inhabit the body we want to. Marjorie Lotfi’s The Wrong Person to Ask reflects on an Iranian childhood disrupted and uprooted by revolution and migration.
Songwriters Circle
Sat 25 Nov | 12pm | Summerhall
Three hugely talented lyricists – rising indie star Hamish Hawk, Scottish folk legend Karine Polwart and celebrated cross-disciplinary artist Inua Ellams – come together to offer rare insight into the processes behind creating a song. How do they make the language of words and music meet to tell stories, set moods and paint sonic landscapes?
Your Local Arena: Hair – Film screening and panel talk
Sat 25 Nov | 12.15pm | Summerhall
Delve into the BBC archives in this screening of pioneering film Hair. After the screening Hannah McGill, Nadine Aisha Jassat, Khadijah Ibrahiim and Joanna Bourke will discuss all things follicle, and poet Francesca Beard will read a new poem inspired by the film.
Double Bill: Kim Moore & Iona Lee
Sat 25 Nov | 1pm | Summerhall
A double bill of poems and lyrical essays written defiantly through the female gaze. In All The Men I Never Married, Kim Moore reckons with the harms and coercions of being female in a male-dominant world. Iona Lee’s debut collection Anamnesis charts a descent into adulthood, exploring truth and tale-telling, art and artifice. BSL Interpreted.
Poetry for the Many with Jeremy Corbyn and Len McCluskey
Sat 25 Nov | 2.15pm | Summerhall
As well as a shared belief in a fairer, more equal Britain, former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and trade unionist Len McCluskey share a love of poetry. In this special event, they share poems from their new co-edited anthology Poetry for the Many and talk about why poetry is for everyone. BSL Interpreted.
Dizraeli: Animal Noises
Sat 25 Nov | 5pm | Summerhall
Rapper, songwriter and raconteur Dizraeli brings his new book Animal Noises to the Push the Boat Out stage. A searingly honest look at human creation, he confronts the messiness of fatherhood, sex and the end of the world. Expect ferociously sharp lyricism and a sense of the absurd. BSL Interpreted.
Cocktail Hour with Joelle Taylor
Sat 25 Nov | 6pm | Summerhall
We can’t think of better company for a cocktail than the legendary Joelle Taylor. As our Ruma mixologists shake a heady mix of delectable drinks, Joelle will offer up some stirring words to accompany each sip. Ticket price covers the cocktails (and poetry) at this workshop.
Poetry Jam with Leyla Josephine and band
Sat 25 Nov | 7pm | Summerhall
Want to try out your poetry in conversation with music? This event – part open mic, part jam session – gives you the opportunity to do just that. Bring a poem to share, liaise with the band about mood, rhythm and tempo, and then give it a go. Come to listen or perform.
Hamish Hawk Solo Show
Sat 25 Nov | 7.30pm | Summerhall
Hamish Hawk’s rich, poetic imagery, storytelling songs and velvety vocals have invited comparisons to Scott Walker, Jarvis Cocker and Ivor Cutler, so we’re thrilled to welcome this rising start of the UK music scene to close our Saturday night with a solo evening of lyrical enchantment. Support from Iona Zajac.
Rishi Dastidar: Walking with Neptune
Sun 26 Nov | 10am | Meet at Portobello Bookshop, 46 Portobello High Street EH15 1DAP
Poet Rishi Dastidar has spent a lot of time with Neptune, the Roman god of the sea. Join them for a Sunday morning stroll along the beach, where they will try and answer questions about waves, the apocalypse, and much, much more.
Song Exploder
Sun 26 Nov | 4pm | Summerhall
Understand the craft behind the bars in this panel with some of Scotland’s foremost rap and hip hop artists. Bemz, Queen of Harps and Dave Hook lift the lid on their lyrics, telling the backstory to their songs and explaining their process. Chaired by Arusa Qureshi. In association The Skinny
Seeds: New Poetic Performances
Sun 26 Nov | 5pm |Summerhall
Three new poetry-led performance pieces, commissioned by Push The Boat Out in association with National Theatre of Scotland. Featuring Imogen Stirling and Susan Bear’s drum & bass/ spoken word piece inspired by the myth of Persephone; Ross McCleary’s AI-era reinvention of the Biblical tale of Legion; and an ecopoetic collaboration between poet Alycia Pirmohamed & choreographer Gwynne Bilski, these pieces are all breaking new ground. BSL interpreted. This event will be live-streamed free of charge.
BELONGING: A Quines Cast Special
Sun 26 Nov | 6.15pm | Summerhall
Hannah Lavery and Caitlin Skinner host a one-off, live special of Quines Cast, the hugely successful Stellar Quines podcast. The theme is BELONGING, with poetry from RJ Hunter and an extract from a new work in progress by Hannah Lavery. Live music from a special guest. Come and find your place.
Inua Ellams: Search Party
Sun 26 Nov | 7.30pm | Summerhall
Inua Ellams – playwright, performer, poet, MBE, Nigerian-British wunderkind and polymathic award-winner – wants you to throw words at him. No, really. Welcome to Search Party, a magical, anarchic evening of reactive poetry created from his archive around whatever the audience suggests. Fresh from uproarious successes in London and NYC, Search Party is chaotic, exciting and always completely unique.
Join us for the NHS Facilities Information Event, where you can meet some of the hiring managers from various departments.
The event will be held on Wednesday 6 December 2023 and is your chance to discover a range of roles available within NHS Facilities.
We look forward to seeing you there. Please note you must have tickets for the event as we are limited to how many people we can accommodate at each session.
Members of the Scottish Parliament’s Net Zero, Energy & Transport Committee have visited Leith based businesses and social enterprises to learn more about the different ways in which businesses are evolving and adapting to help accelerate Scotland’s transition to a circular economy.
The visits form part of the Committee’s scrutiny of the Scottish Government’s Circular Economy Bill, as Parliament seeks to make sure the Bill encourages a new approach to the use and consumption of materials in a way that will ultimately help Scotland achieve it net zero goals.
Committee Members, Deputy Convener Ben Macpherson MSP (delegation lead) and Douglas Lumsden MSP began the visit at local refill shop WeighToGo, where Members looked back to a time before single use plastics and saw a simple and convenient solution to sustainable living.
Members then continued their research at the Edinburgh Remakery – a social enterprise which encourages regenerative practises linked to upcycling and the reuse of products. The visit ended at the Edinburgh Tool Library which offers the public access to all sorts of tools by promoting a ‘why buy when you can share’ ethos.
Following the visit Deputy Convener Ben Macpherson MSP, said: “Throughout our scrutiny of this Bill, we’re keen to understand each stage of the waste hierarchy – and what’s preventing reusing, recycling and recovering products and materials.
“It was great to hear more about the environmental benefits these organisations in Leith have generated, by offering more sustainable products and services for consumers. They’ve also helped social cohesion by bringing people together to share ideas and lived experiences, as well as learn new skills.”
“We want this Bill to support and drive change to reduce waste. Our thanks to all the hosting organisations for the invaluable insights they have shared.”
