Boutique will offer luxury jewellery piercings, pieces, and bespoke ear styling service
Edinburgh-born jewellery brand, Laura Bond, is set to open its flagship store, located on Thistle Street in Edinburgh on Saturday (9 September). Previously available online only, the new home of Laura Bond will allow customers to receive the full brand experience in person for the first time.
The new headquarters, in Scotland’s capital, will showcase Laura’s full luxury jewellery collection, provide bespoke ear styling consultations, and will soon be offering piercing services.
Designed by Laura herself, every piece of jewellery is ethically produced and made with responsibly sourced gold. The brand has attracted a strong customer and celebrity fan base including Florence Pugh, Michelle Visage, and Nathalie Emmanuelle, who wore Laura Bond to the 2022 Oscars.
Speaking of the launch, Laura Bond said: “This is a huge opportunity for us and I’m so excited to be opening our first store in Edinburgh. To say it’s a dream come true is an understatement. I can’t wait to welcome customers – old and new, from near or far – to experience our bespoke ear styling service and to get pierced in our stunning piercing parlour.
“I really believe Laura Bond offers a unique experience in the world of luxury piercings and jewellery and I can’t wait to meet everyone in store.”
The new store was previously occupied by the award-winning and much-loved Edinburgh women’s boutique, Jane Davidson. After 53 years of business in the capital, the luxury brand carefully chose Laura Bond to be its successor.
Sarah Murray, Proprietor of Jane Davidson said: “The boutique had been a constant presence in my life; our customers were not only incredibly loyal, but many became dear friends.
“As difficult as the decision was to close our doors last year, I was always determined that if we did, then we would have to find the perfect brand to take on our property. Laura Bond is just that; we can’t wait to watch Laura and her brand grow at 52 Thistle Street.”
With each collection, Laura Bond continues to push the boundaries of delicate and decorative pieces, leaving an indelible mark on the world of conscious luxury jewellery.
Laura said: “I really believe jewellery should be an expression of the person wearing it, and each piece I design is crafted with that in mind.
“We are committed to creating jewellery that isn’t just saved for special occasions but tells a unique story and invites people to express themselves and mark relationships, milestones, or memories with others.”
Laura Bond is available to buy online and in their new flagship store on Thistle Street in Edinburgh from Saturday the 9th of September.
Environmentally conscious SMEs are being offered the chance to reduce their carbon footprint and lower energy bills thanks to a new partnership between Royal Bank of Scotland, the Edinburgh Climate Change Institute (ECCI) and the University of Edinburgh.
The free course allows businesses to identify the simple, cost-effective steps they can take to reduce emissions and save on outgoings while also helping the planet at the same time.
Successful applicants will take part in three 2-hour workshops that begin by helping SMEs to understand their own energy and carbon usage data and how they can build their own tailored ‘Carbon Reduction Plan’.
The free workshops also explain how taking positive environmental action can result in lower energy usage and therefore lower bills. Organisations can become more cost efficient by making positive changes such as changing boiler settings, installing smart lighting systems, swapping to sustainable suppliers and upgrading insulation.
The scheme is currently accepting applications from all sectors, having already supported over 60 participants from industries such as manufacturing, charity and education.
Applications for the next cohort close on 3rd October, with a later session set to launch at the start of November also welcoming candidates.
Code Hostels completed the course earlier this year and has used the learnings from the programme to make sustainable improvements across the business, including buying more produce from local suppliers and switching to eco-friendly cleaning products.
Talking of his experience, Jamie Greig, Operations and Design Consultant at Code Hostels, said:“The programme was a game changer for us. As a business, when you start looking at reducing emissions it can seem like an incredibly daunting process, and net zero targets can seem a long way off.
“We found it really valuable to chat to the other groups on the cohort, and we quickly realised we weren’t alone in the challenges we were facing.
“Sustainability in the hospitality industry is a personal passion of mine and we know that many other SMEs across the hospitality sector are experiencing the same challenges as we had at Code. I now run my own separate business, Our Property Bear, using energy monitors to help hotels and hostels monitor and reduce their energy consumption.”
Judith Cruickshank, Chair, One Bank Scotland said:“Royal Bank of Scotland is delighted to work with the University of Edinburgh’s Edinburgh Climate Change Institute to deliver a programme which can make a real difference to SMEs across all sectors.
“It offers the insight, learnings and access to experts to help businesses see the opportunities it can offer them – and see the potential tackling climate change could make.”
Prof Dave Raey, Executive Director of ECCI, University of Edinburgh said:“The Climate Springboard programme is inspiring. The great engagement and responses from participating businesses is a testament to the fantastic work of the team here at Edinburgh Climate Change Institute and our partners at the Royal Bank of Scotland.
“In simultaneously helping to cut energy costs and carbon emissions for such a wide array of businesses, they are delivering exactly the kinds of cost-effective climate action so desperately needed in every sector.”
The scheme is currently accepting applications from all sectors, having already supported over 60 participants from industries such as manufacturing, charity and education.
Applications for the next cohort close on 3rd October, with a later session set to launch at the start of November also welcoming candidates.
SMEs looking to learn more about their emissions and how they can start reducing them are invited to register their interest here. More information about the programme is available here.
People and businesses are invited to share their views on how to make non-surgical cosmetic procedures safer as thousands complain of ‘botched’ procedures
UK Government to seek views on how to make non-surgical cosmetic procedures safer for consumers
Calls for views from industry and people who have undergone these procedures will be used to shape regulations
Proposals considered include restrictions on who can perform certain high-risk procedures and age limits for those undergoing cosmetic procedures
People and businesses are being invited to share their views on how to make non-surgical cosmetic procedures – including Botox, laser hair removal and dermal fillers – safer as thousands complain of ‘botched’ procedures.
The UK Government’s first-ever consultation on treatments – also known as aesthetic procedures – will be used to shape a new licensing scheme for practitioners and cosmetic businesses which operate in England. This could include age limits and restrictions for high-risk procedures, including those involving injecting fillers into intimate parts of the body – including the breasts and buttocks.
Any new licensing scheme would protect patients from potential harm associated with poorly performed procedures. This will provide reassurance to people that wherever they go to get their treatments, they will receive the same high standards of practice.
The beauty industry is hugely important for the UK economy and is largely made up of female-owned small and medium sized businesses, with the non-surgical cosmetic industry previously being valued at an estimated £3.6 billion in the UK.
New regulations will support businesses by introducing high standards across the sector, raising the reputation and professionalism of the industry.
Minister for the Women’s Health Strategy, Maria Caulfield said: “Whether it’s Botox, dermal fillers or even a chemical peel, we have heard too many stories of people who’ve had bad experiences from getting a cosmetic procedure from someone who is inexperienced or underqualified.
“There’s no doubt that the popularity of cosmetic procedures is increasing, so it’s our role to ensure consistent standards for consumers and a level playing field for businesses and practitioners.
“We want to make sure we get this right for everyone, which is why we want to hear your opinions and experiences through our new consultation.”
An estimated 900,000 Botox injections are carried out in the UK each year. Save Face – a government approved register of accredited practitioners – received almost 3,000 complaints in 2022, with over two-thirds of those complaints relating to dermal fillers and almost a quarter relating to Botox.
Ashton Collins, director, Save Face said: “Whilst we appreciate that we are still at very early stages of any potential licensing scheme being implemented in England, we are delighted to have been invited by the government to contribute our thoughts and ideas ahead of the release of this public consultation.
“Being involved in the process has enabled Save Face to actively contribute to roundtable discussions with ministers, policy makers and key stakeholders.
“As the largest and longest established Professional Standards Authority accredited register, we are able to provide a unique level of insight based on ten years of gathering data from practitioner and clinic audits as well as patient reported complaints, adverse reactions, and complications.
“This will enable us to help develop a fit for purpose scheme that has public safety as its primary focus. We look forward to continuing to work closely with the government and key stakeholders during the next stages of the process.”
Professor David Sines CBE, Chair of the Joint Council for Cosmetic Practitioners, said: “I warmly welcome the government’s decision to consult on this new, proposed licensing scheme.
“It will help to ensure that people who undergo non-surgical cosmetic procedures receive treatment from practitioners who are properly trained and qualified, have the necessary insurance cover and operate from premises that are safe and hygienic.
“I would urge everybody to seize the opportunity provided by this consultation and support the move towards sensible and proportionate regulation in this important sector.”
Victoria Brownlie, Chief Policy Officer at the British Beauty Council: “Since its inception, the British Beauty Council has been working to raise the reputation of the beauty industry and we see greater checks and balances around aesthetic procedures as a key part of this.
“Having worked with the government to achieve the ban on injectables for under 18s in 2021, we are delighted that they have continued this momentum with the commitment to introduce a licensing scheme covering a raft of higher-risk aesthetic treatments, many of which are largely unregulated.
“Those seeking treatments deserve to do so with confidence that their practitioner is properly qualified in the service they’re offering, to the appropriate level of government approved educational standards.
“The Council has worked closely with the Department of Health and Social Care to get to this point, so we look forward to seeing the outcome of the consultation and helping to shape the regulatory framework as it progresses.”
The consultation will run for 8 weeks and will close on Saturday 28 October.
It follows the passing of the Health and Care Act in April 2022, which gave the Health and Social Care Secretary the power to introduce a licensing regime.
Under the proposed scheme, which will be operated by local authorities in England, practitioners will need to be licensed to perform specific procedures, and the premises from which they operate will also need to be licensed.
The government has already made it illegal for under-18s to access Botox and filler treatments for cosmetic purposes and banned TV and social media adverts targeting under-18s with cosmetic procedures.
Anyone considering a cosmetic procedure should reflect fully on the possible impact of the procedure on both their physical and mental health and, if they decide to go ahead, take the time to find a reputable, insured and qualified practitioner.
The SPFL Trust, in partnership with Prostate Scotland, are continuing their exercise programme for men living with prostate cancer following a hugely successful 12-week pilot programme.
The initial phase of this project took place in the capital at Tynecastle, delivered by Heart of Midlothian FC and at Ibrox, with Rangers Charity Foundation.
The programme is a tailored version of Football Fans in Training (FFIT), the SPFL Trust’s flagship health and wellbeing programme which takes place at football clubs across the country, helping people to get active and feel fitter, healthier and happier.
The next cohort kicks off on September 19 in Kilmarnock, with The Killie Community, and in the capital, with Heart of Midlothian FC at Tynecastle on September 20.
Working together with experts from Prostate Scotland, the University of Glasgow Health and Wellbeing Institute and The Exercise Clinic, the programme has been developed based on clinical guidelines for men living with prostate cancer, which recommend a structured 12-week exercise programme.
Prostate FFIT is open to all men living with prostate cancer, who can self-refer online, or be referred by a clinician.
As well as having the opportunity to take part in exercise supported by trained coaches, participants will learn more about nutrition. They will also receive a personal workbook to help them follow the course and have access to specifically developed videos to continue exercise at home.
Crucially, Prostate FFIT will create space for men affected by prostate cancer to meet others in a similar situation, offering informal peer support.
David Plaintook part in the pilot programme with Heart of Midlothian FC. “It was really good on a number of levels,” he said.“You immediately have something in common with every single person in the room. We’re all at different stages of our journey, but we all have prostate cancer.
David (fourth from left) and his Prostate FFIT group during a session at Tynecastle
“There was someone else on the course who had the same treatment as me. It was just good to know that what I was experiencing wasn’t out of the ordinary.
“I’ve continued with exercise after the course. Three of us meet up once a week to go to a fitness class and have a coffee.
“You don’t feel the need to hide the fact that you have Prostate Cancer. Prostate FFIT is a safe place to go and everyone there is going through a similar journey.”
Adam Gaines, Director of Prostate Scotland, said: “We are delighted to be offering these new courses with our partners at the SPFL Trust, The Killie Community and Heart of Midlothian FC.
“Prostate FFIT is aimed at helping tackle the impact prostate cancer can have on the lives of men living with it, especially for those on hormone therapy.
“The benefit of Prostate FFIT courses, offered in professional football clubs, is in providing engaging and helpful exercise and healthy lifestyle sessions, in line with clinical guidelines. Recent research by the University of Glasgow has shown many benefits that Prostate FFIT courses can have on men living with prostate cancer.”
POLICE are appealing for information to trace two stolen vehicles from Dundee.They believe the vehicles may be in Edinburgh.
In the early hours of Thursday, 24 August, 2023, a silver Mercedes with registration plate R50 DTT was taken from outside a premises on Westerton Avenue, Broughty Ferry. A second vehicle, a black Volkswagen Golf with registration plate RO70 RVP, was also taken.
Officers believe these vehicles may be in Edinburgh and are appealing for anyone with information which may assist them to get in touch.A Police Scotland Spokesperson said: “We are appealing to anyone who has seen these vehicles to get in touch.
“Anyone with any information is asked to contact 101 quoting incident 0570 of 24 August, 2023.”
We’re so pleased to welcome our lovely ladies back for another term of Knit and Natter!
If you’re interested in learning a new skill or want to work on your own craft project in a relaxed space and enjoy chatting with other women, why not drop-in and give it a go?
Society’s most depraved killers will face life behind bars with no chance of being released, under tough plans announced by the Prime Minister.
Making sure that life means life, judges will be required to hand down mandatory whole life orders to the monsters who commit the most horrific types of murder.
In the latest move to protect the public from the most dangerous offenders, this will place a legal expectation on judges to hand down whole life orders, except in extremely limited circumstances.
By putting this on a legal footing, judges will have greater confidence to hand out whole life orders without a risk of challenge in the Courts of Appeal.
This will mean the depraved killers who carry out vile crimes will be in no doubt that they will be in prison for the rest of their lives.
For the first time, whole life orders will also be the default sentence for any sexually motivated murders. This could have been applied in the recent tragic cases of Zara Aleena and Sabina Nessa, putting their horrific killers in prison for their whole lives.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: I have shared the public’s horror at the cruelty of crimes we have seen recently. People rightly expect that in the most serious cases, there should be a guarantee that life will mean life. They expect honesty in sentencing.
“By bringing in mandatory whole life orders for the heinous criminals who commit the most horrific types of murder, we will make sure they never walk free.”
Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, Alex Chalk KC, said: “A whole life order will now be the expectation for murderers where the killing involves sexual or sadistic conduct.
“This important law change will ensure that the worst of the worst can now expect to spend the rest of their lives in prison.”
The announcement builds on the UK Government’s work to cut crime and build stronger communities, with violent crime down by 46 percent since 2010 and neighbourhood crime by 51 percent.
Since 2019, over 20,000 new police officers have been recruited and 100,000 knives taken off our streets. The Government has also launched a new Anti-Social Behaviour Plan to clamp down on crimes that can terrorise communities for good.
The Westminster Government is also making sure the worst offenders face the toughest possible punishment for their crimes.
Serious violent and sexual offenders now serve at least two-thirds of their sentence behind bars, ending halfway release, and the average custodial sentence length is longer across the board meaning that criminals are spending more time in prison.
The Government has also ended the automatic early release of terrorists through the Terrorist Offenders Act 2020 and introduced a 14-year minimum jail term for the most dangerous terrorist offenders through the Counter Terrorism and Sentencing Act 2021.
The Government is also committed to looking at changing the law to make sure that people who commit the most horrific crimes face their victims in court and hear first-hand the impact that their crimes have had on them and their families and loved ones.
The Government will legislate for the changes announced today in due course.
No comment yet from the Scottish legal establishment.
Three businessmen each claimed the maximum £50k Bounce Back Loan and one dissolved his company to avoid repayment
Ivan Hristov Fratev, 57 and Bradley Malone, 57, both from London, and Ryan William Moir, 34, from East Sussex, have been banned from running businesses for a total of 26 years, after each separately claimed £50,000 for their companies in breach of the loan scheme’s rules.
Fratev was also given a 2-year suspended sentence with 4 months’ electronically tagged curfew, at Snaresbrook Crown Court on 23 June 2023, in addition to a 6-year ban, for dissolving his business after taking out the loan. The judge also included 15 days rehabilitation activity requirement (RAR) as part of his suspended sentence.
Fratev was the sole director of Chingford-based BI&F Ltd, which traded as a construction, security and extermination business from premises in Alpha Road. In May 2020 he applied for the maximum £50,000 Bounce Back Loan, designed to help businesses keep afloat through the pandemic.
But within two weeks of the money arriving in the company bank account, Fratev applied to dissolve BI&F Ltd, without informing the bank that had loaned him the money. Failure to notify creditors of plans to strike off a company is a criminal offence.
He was caught through powers granted to the Insolvency Service in December 2021, which allow it to investigate directors of dissolved companies who are suspected of closing their business to avoid repaying Covid-19 support loans.
Peter Fulham, Chief Investigator of the Criminal Investigation Team at the Insolvency Service said: “Covid-19 financial support schemes were funded from the public purse to support genuine businesses during the pandemic. Directors who abused the scheme have exploited taxpayers.
“This two-year suspended prison sentence, along with a curfew order and a 6-year disqualification, reflects the thoroughly dishonest conduct of Ivan Fratev and should serve as a warning to others who engaged in such behaviour.
“The Insolvency Service will act to remove directors who abused Bounce Back Loans from the business arena.”
In another case in London, Bradley Malone, the sole director of ONENETPRINT Ltd, a print business trading from Palmers Road in East London, applied for the maximum £50,000 Bounce Back Loan in June 2020, stating that his company’s previous year’s turnover was £200,000.
The Bounce Back Loan scheme allowed a business to borrow between £2,000 and up to 25% of the company turnover in calendar year 2019, with a maximum loan of £50,000.
The company went into liquidation in February 2022 owing the full amount of the loan, which triggered an investigation by the Insolvency Service.
Malone told investigators that, during the application process, he had merely clicked ‘next’ on his phone, and the money arrived within the hour. But investigators discovered that Malone had in fact overstated the company’s turnover for 2019 in the application, to claim the maximum £50,000 loan.
They found that the company’s actual turnover for that year had been around £90,200, meaning ONENETPRINT Ltd had received around £27,400 more than it was entitled to, under the rules of the scheme.
In a third case, Ryan Moir, sole director of East Sussex-based Croxton Group Ltd, which traded as a builder from Green Street industrial estate in Eastbourne, applied for the maximum £50,000 Bounce Back Loan on behalf of his company in May 2020. He stated on the application that Croxton Group Ltd’s turnover the previous year had been £250,000.
When the company went into liquidation in May 2022, it owed around £184,500, including more than £49,400 towards the Bounce Back Loan. An investigation by the Insolvency Service showed that the company’s 2019 turnover had in fact been less than £21,000, meaning that Croxton Group Ltd had received almost 10 times more than it had been entitled to under the rules of the scheme.
The company’s liquidators are taking action to recover the money.
Malone and Moir were both banned from being company directors for 10 years, after the Secretary of State for Business and Trade accepted disqualification undertakings from each director. Malone’s ban began on 17 July 2023, and Moir’s began on 19 July 2023. Fratev’s court-ordered 6-year disqualification started on 23 June 2023.
The bans prevent the former directors from becoming involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company, without the permission of the court. In addition to his ban and two-year suspended sentence, Fratev is also subject to 4 months’ electronically monitored curfew between 7pm and 7am, and was ordered to pay court costs of £500.
National Museum of Scotland Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF Open 10:00–17:00 daily
Beyond the Little Black Dress Until 29 Oct 2023 Special Exhibition Gallery, Level 3 Ticketed (concessions available)
From design classics to cutting-edge catwalk creations, this exhibition deconstructs the little black dress and examines the radical power of the colour black in fashion. The exhibition will chart a century of fashion in a series of themed, immersive displays. Iconic early pieces by Yves Saint Laurent, Dior and Jean Muir will be juxtaposed with recent looks by ground-breaking contemporary designers and brands like Gareth Pugh, Simone Rocha and Off-White.
Rising Tide: Art and Environment in Oceania Until 14 Apr 2024 Exhibition Gallery 2, Level 3 Free
Delve into the most important and pressing issue of our time, humanity’s damaging relationship with planet Earth. This urgent issue is felt especially deeply in Australia and the Pacific Islands where sea levels are rising due to climate change and the oceans are filling with plastic. Rising Tide considers our relationship to the natural environment through contemporary artistic responses to climate change and plastic waste by Indigenous Australian and Pacific Islander artists.
Uniquely Scottish Silver Until 26 May 2024 Grand Gallery Free
Uniquely Scottish Silver brings together five distinct Scottish silver object designs: mazers, quaichs, thistle cups, ovoid urns and heart brooches. Discover some of the earliest and rarest survivals within the Scottish silver smiths’ craft.
National Museum of Scotland Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF Open 10:00–17:00 daily
Audio-Described Access Evening: Beyond the Little Black Dress 12 Sep 17:30 – 19:00 Special Exhibition Gallery 1, Level 3 Age 8+
Explore the Beyond the Little Black Dress exhibition supported by an audio-described tour of key objects, for those who are blind, partially sighted or visually impaired.
Film Screening: Fashion Reimagined 16 Sep 14:00 – 16:30 Auditorium, Level 1 Tickets £6 – £10 Age 14+
Join us for a screening of this 2022 documentary film following fashion designer Amy Powney of cult label Mother of Pearl, a rising star in the London fashion scene. Documentary Fashion Reimagined follows designer Amy Powney as she embarks on a three-year journey to create a sustainable clothing collection and transform the way we engage with fashion.
Medieval to Modern: Animal Illustration Workshop 16 Sep 10:15 – 16:00 Studio 2, Level 4 Tickets £5 – £6 Age 16+
Join natural history artists Rebecca Jewell and Sandy Ross Sykes to create your own artwork in the style of a Medieval Book of Beasts, inspired by our Library Archives and Natural History collections.
Magic Carpet: Maths in Motion Special 27 Sep 10:30 – 11:00 and 14:00 – 14:30 Grand Gallery, Level 1 Free with booking required
Bring your little ones for a fun session on the Magic Carpet exploring maths in motion. Discover shapes, numbers, time and more through songs, action rhymes, objects and sensory play. Suitable for children ages 2–4 and their adult helper.
In Conversation: Black British Design 27 Sep 19:00 – 20:30 Auditorium, Level 1 Tickets £6 – £10 Age 14+
Join Maria Casely-Hayford and Sequoia Barnes in a conversation exploring Black British fashion. Discover the trailblazing career of fashion designer Joe Casely-Hayford OBE in this conversation with Sequoia Barnes and Maria Casely-Hayford.
Fashionably Late 06 Oct 19:30 – 22:30 £16 – £22 including exhibition entry Strictly 18+
Our legendary Museum Lates return in October restyled for one night only as Fashionably Late. Join us for an evening of fun, frolics and fashion in the beautiful setting of the National Museum of Scotland at night.
National Museum of Flight East Fortune Airfield, East Lothian, EH39 5LF Open daily 10:00 – 16:00
Brick Sundays 03 – 17 Sep 12:00 – 16:00 Free with museum admission
Inspired by our current Brick History display, each Sunday we will have a different build theme. Choose to make something inspired by the theme or build your own creation. For something a bit more energetic, take part in our speed build challenge and see if you can make it to the top of the champions’ board.
Doors Open Day 2023 23 & 24 Sep 10:00 – 17:00 Free
Visit the museum for free over Doors Open Days East Lothian weekend and learn about the history of aviation from the First World War to the present day. Immerse yourself in interactive galleries, supersonic experiences and our historic hangars and airfield.
Conservation Hangar Tours Until 31 Mar 2024 Free with museum admission Booking required
See behind the scenes of the work carried out in the museum’s Conservation hangar with a guided tour and find out more about objects from the collection that aren’t normally on display.
National Museum of Rural Life Philipshill Road, East Kilbride, G76 9HR Open 10:00–17:00 daily
MooFest 16 & 17 Sep 10:20 – 15:30 Free with museum admission and Annual Pass
Join us for a celebration of all things cattle at the National Museum of Rural Life.New for 2023, this weekend of cattle-inspired activities, talks and tastings for young and old alike.
As the theatre production’s 2023 run heads towards a conclusion, it has won the Scottish Theatre Awards Leading Light Prize, awarded to the best Scottish theatre production at the Fringe.
The show also collected a Scotsman Fringe First Award, an accolade marking its 50th anniversary which is designed to encourage performers to bring new work to Edinburgh in the spirit of adventure and experiment.
In addition, the show’s writer and director, Jack MacGregor, was shortlisted for the Bright Spark prize, for Scottish theatre artists embarking on their career.
Presented by Harry’s production company O’Neill/Ross, Everything Under the Sun tells the story of an interpreter attached to the UN’s peacekeeping mission in Mali, following an insurgency in the country in 2012.
Harry is now hoping to use the experience of this year’s production to inform his research at ENU, which examines the work of Army at the Fringe through a critical events lens. The organisation was set up in 2017 to spark conversations about the role of the armed forces in Scottish society.
Reacting to the awards, Harry said: “It’s really pleasing. It’s been good to take stories from the army and connect with very good young artists to tell them.
“Putting on these productions is pretty much a joint effort, so it’s satisfying to see them come together. The Army delivers the venue, and being a reservist myself has given it that extra personal connection.
“Working with Edinburgh Napier, it has been really helpful to lean upon expertise from across the University. For example, with the knowledge of festivals at the University, or even when it comes to acting.”
Harry’s Director of Studies, Professor Gerri Matthews-Smith, and second supervisor, Dr Gary Kerr, attended Army at the Fringe to see some of Harry’s creative works.
Professor Gerri Matthews-Smith said: “We are delighted to have Harry join us as a PhD student here at the Centre for Military Research, Education & Public Engagement.
“Harry is part of a vibrant Gold Covenant University research centre with multidisciplinary at the heart of our research.
“Army at the Fringe was thought provoking and I encourage people from all walks of life to go along to challenge their views on the role of the Army in Scotland. I am delighted that Harry has won these awards.”
Dr Gary Kerr said:“The Edinburgh Festival Fringe provides the opportunity for us all to share moments with each other, and the power of the arts allows us to challenge our thinking.
“Army at the Fringe is diverse, creative and hugely inspiring – the performances are a must-see!”
Army at the Fringe performances take place at Venue 358 – Drill Hall, Hepburn House, until 28 August 2023.
