Adventure, fun and lots of cake is key to a long and happy life, says 102-year-old Christine

Christine Miller is celebrating her 102nd birthday in style this week at Mathieson House Care Home in Edinburgh.  

All the stops have been pulled out to ensure Christine and all her friends in the home can enjoy her special day, including balloons, music, singing and, at Christine’s request, lots of cake!  

A special guest is also on the invite list, as Christine’s only son Robin flies in from America to mark the special occasion with her. 

Christine celebrated her Centurian birthday in 2020, receiving a treasured letter from the late Queen Elizabeth to mark the occasion. 

When asked about what receiving her letter meant to her, Christine said: “It was a great honour to receive a letter from our late, great Queen. She worked tirelessly to serve our country over her rein and was someone I admired greatly. I treasure my letter from her dearly.  

“I know there are others out there keenly awaiting their letters from our new King. For me it was very exciting to receive the letter, especially as COVID restrictions had put a rain check on my party plans. ” 

Christine, originally from Windygates and Methil, Fyfe, was born on the 12th of October 1920. Her 102 years have been packed with adventure, moving to Malaysia in 1956 and living within the Sarawak for the next sixteen years 

One of Christine’s great loves in her life has been travel, extensively exploring America and Asia in her youth. 

When asked the secret to a long and happy life, Christine responded: “Travel the world with people you love and see as much as you can – while you can. I have had many adventures across Malaysia and the USA in my time.

“Experiencing new cultures keeps you young at heart. I have made so many happy memories to look back on now. 

“Thank you to all the staff at Renaissance Care for ensuring that I can spend this day having fun with my loved ones. It has been a birthday party to be remember!” 

St Giles Service today: plan ahead

TODAY – Monday 12 September at 3pm – there will be a Service to celebrate the life of The Queen and her connection to Scotland at St Giles Cathedral. 

Those represented at the service include members of the public, friends, family members and representatives of the charities and organisations The Queen was affiliated to in Scotland.

The service will be led by the Reverend Calum MacLeod.

There will be limited space along the Royal Mile. Those wishing to attend are advised to allow plenty of time. Access may be restricted for safety reasons.

Her Majesty The Queen will then lie at rest at St Giles’ Cathedral following the service.  Members of the public are anticipated to begin arriving to pay their respects from 5pm until tomorrow afternoon (Tuesday 13 September).

This is expected to cause further delays and road closures and Lothian advises customers to plan ahead.

Travellers should check Lothian’s service alerts page here or  the app for the latest information. 

Guidance has also been issued for how public can attend Her Majesty The Queen’s Lying-in-State at Westminster Hall:

  • Lying-in-State will take place from Wednesday 14 September until Monday 19 September
  • Public will be able to walk past The Queen’s coffin to pay respects
  • A ceremonial procession which precedes the Lying-in State will convey Her Majesty The Queen from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall

Members of the public will be able to pay their respects to Her Majesty The Queen at the Lying-in-State at The Palace of Westminster in London from Wednesday evening.

Ahead of that a ceremonial procession will take place on Wednesday afternoon that will see The Queen’s coffin travel from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster for the Lying-in-State.

Members of the public can watch the procession in person at the ceremonial viewing areas along the processional route, or at a screening site in Hyde Park.

At the Lying-in-State, The Queen’s closed coffin will rest on a raised platform, called a catafalque, in Westminster Hall and will be draped in the Royal Standard with the Orb and Sceptre placed on top.

Each corner of the platform will be guarded around the clock by a vigil of units from the Sovereign’s Bodyguard, the Household Division, or Yeoman Warders of the Tower of London.

The public will be able to file past the coffin 24 hours a day from 5pm on Wednesday 14 September until 6.30am on the day of the funeral – Monday 19 September.

Those wishing to attend will be required to queue for many hours, possibly overnight. Large crowds are expected and people are encouraged to check ahead, plan accordingly and be prepared for long wait times.

All those attending the Lying-in-State will go through airport-style security and there are tight restrictions on what you can take in, with only small bags permitted. Step-free access will be available for those who need it.

For those unable to travel, key moments of the ceremonial procession and the Lying-in-State will be broadcast on the BBC, Sky News and ITV.

Edinburgh Women’s Aid launches art competition to mark 50th anniversary

Edinburgh Women’s Aid, which opened its first refuge in 1973 has unveiled plans for a series of year-long events in 2023 to mark 50 years of providing support for tens of thousands of women and their children who have experienced domestic abuse, which includes a competition to design a commemorative artwork to be unveiled at an exhibition in January.

Events planned throughout the year will highlight and pay tribute to those who have provided support for women and their families over the past five decades, with everything from giving them a safe place to stay in a refuge, specialist housing support, legal advice and help securing employment.

The aim of the commemorative artwork is to showcase how the charity has evolved over the years, the ongoing support available to help keep victims of domestic abuse safe and forthcoming plans.

In addition to being launched at the 50th anniversary exhibition, the artwork will also feature on the cover of the charity’s printed and digital Impact Report and various other marketing materials, including pull-up banners, leaflets, website and social media. The winning artist will also receive a prize of £500.

Entries can be created in any medium and should be submitted with the entry form available on EWA’s website, www.edinwomensaid.co.uk, by the 1st of November 2022.

Linda Rodgers, Chief Executive of Edinburgh Women’s Aid, said: “2023 is such an important milestone for us, it gives us pause to remember the amazing women who came before us – who fought against the odds to get our first refuge in 1973, who provided support and sanctuary to countless women over the many years and those survivors who went on to their full potential after escaping abuse. 

“We’ll also be taking the time to think about ‘what next’ so that we continue to provide innovative and necessary services to women and children in Edinburgh.”

Women and children’s rights campaigner Lydia Okroj, who has worked with Edinburgh Women’s Aid and Scottish Women’s Aid for over 40 years and recently received an honorary doctorate from Stirling University in recognition of her outstanding work, said: “EWA, which has been at forefront of shaping support services, policy responses and legislation in the city, which has been informed by the women they have supported, have so much to be proud of as they reach their 50th anniversary.

“Although awareness of domestic abuse has come a long way since 1973, when EWA began to provide refuge and support to ‘battered wives’, the need for the charity to continue supporting women, children and young people remains the same today as it did then, which is why it is important to highlight this milestone.

“It’s been a privilege to work alongside so many committed women over the past four decades and to have played a part in supporting survivors of domestic abuse and also to be involved in so many significant changes in legislation over the years, which will be showcased in some of the events planned throughout 2023.”

The best of Edinburgh celebrated as the Forth Awards return

The Forth Awards, a night of celebrating the great and the good of Edinburgh and the East, came back with a bang, with the sold-out Usher Hall playing host to a night to remember.

Wet Wet Wet were on hand to surprise guests after the Forth Awards, alongside performances from award winners Tony Hadley and Heather Small.

The Forth Awards, which celebrate the best of Edinburgh and the East, returned on Thursday (23 June) after last year’s noticeable absence due to the lockdown measures.

In total, ten awards were handed out with local heroes and celebrities all part of the celebrations.

Local heroes, Keith Armour and Steven Carr were awarded Volunteer of the Year and Local Hero respectively, with both raising huge sums of money over the past two years for good causes.

Emma St. Clair won the coveted Teacher of the Year award, with Edinburgh Zoo picking up the Visitor Attraction of the Year award, following the first full year of allowing visitors into the park.

Elsewhere, Tony Hadley won the Forth Icon award after decades of working across the music industry, and Heather Small won The Forth Music Recognition award, with both performing to the crowd.

Joining the already star-studded line-up, The Eves and Vula took to the stage to perform their biggest hits.

The Forth Awards were, once again, a celebration of the best music and entertainment around, with the opportunity to hear inspiring stories from Forth’s local heroes. Whether simple acts of kindness by local teachers, or staggering amounts of money raised for life-altering charities, everyone had an afternoon to remember.

Richie Jeffrey, Head of Events said: “The Forth Awards are always a truly incredible and inspiring afternoon, with our return from a two-year hiatus made it extra special.

“From the unrivalled Usher Hall atmosphere, to our non-stop entertainment and moving stories from very worthy winners, it is with real pride that Radio Forth is able to support and reward people in our community in this way.”

Full list of winners on the night:

THE FORTH FRINGE AWARD WITH MULTREES WALK

Winner: DANIEL SLOSS

THE FORTH BEST ARTIST AWARD WITH VICTOR PARIS

Winner: CALLUM BEATTIE

THE FORTH ICON AWARD WITH THE EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE

Winner: TONY HADLEY

THE FORTH MUSIC RECOGNITION AWARD WITH THE LIQUID ROOMS

WinnerHEATHER SMALL

THE FORTH BEST RESTAURANT AWARD WITH HERITAGE PORTFOLIO

Winner: PRANA INDIAN GRILL

THE FORTH CHARITY VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR WITH NEWTOWN REFURBISHMENTS

Winner:  KEITH ARMOUR

THE FORTH CASH FOR KIDS AWARD WITH NEWTOWN DECOR

Winner:  PAUL HUNTER

THE FORTH VISTOR ATTRACTION AWARD WITH MEDIA WORKS

Winner: EDINBURGH ZOO

LOCAL HERO AWARD WITH EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS

STEVEN CARR

As the founder and chairman of Dnipro Kids, Steven has put his business and family life on hold to help evacuate 50 orphans and their house parents from the war in Ukraine, and found them a safe haven in Scotland.

Steven has been chairperson and founder of Dnipro kids charity since 2005 when he and a group of Hibs supporters visited local orphanages in the city of Dnipropetrovesk at the time Hibs played a UEFA cup tie in the city. Steven built a strong relationship with the orphanages, and this was the founding of Dnipro kids.

Since then, he has visited 25-30 times once or twice a year to take donations over and to help out in any way he can. Since the outbreak of war in Ukraine Steven has taken it upon himself to travel to the country in order to help evacuate orphans from a number of Dnipro orphanages to the safety of Poland and in due course hopefully to settle in the UK.

THE FORTH BEST TEACHER AWARD WITH FUSE

EMMA ST CLAIR 

Emma is the teacher all the children at Colinton Primary School want . At 62 years of age, she has worked at the school since graduation. She encourages by example, has an incredible way of building confidence and always makes learning fun.

Throughout her career, Emma has been the ‘soil’ to the children she teaches where she has nourished, nurtured and protected them as well as feeding them with the knowledge and skills they need to survive in life. She is well-thought of by the whole-school community

One of the entries said ‘She is a phenomenal person who loves the job she does and the kids love her in return.’

Aegon supports Pride events

  • Aegon UK and Aegon Asset Management are pleased to announce that they will be supporting this year’s Pride Edinburgh on 25th June and Fife Pride later on this year.

After two full years away due to the pandemic, both Prides are back for 2022 for a celebration of diversity and LGBTQIA+ life in Edinburgh, Fife and beyond. 

This year marks the 25th annual Pride Edinburgh, being titled Pride Edinburgh 25: Let it Be! The day will be filled with fun, inclusive events, including a march from the Scottish Parliament that ends with a music festival.

To make sure that everyone who wants to take part can, Aegon is sponsoring a Ride with Pride bus to help those more vulnerable the opportunity to join in with the march and the festivities.

As sponsors, and a major employer in Edinburgh, Aegon will also have a presence at the event to engage with attendees about Aegon, how the company celebrates inclusivity and diversity, as well as it’s sustainability initiatives.

When Fife Pride returns later this year, it will take place in the centre of Kirkcaldy, with activities from the likes of Surge theatre company, who, sponsored by Aegon, are running free street theatre workshops for the local community in the lead up, with participants being part of a performance on the day itself. Aegon employees will be supporting the workshop and will be there on the day.

Andy Manson, Chief Marketing Officer at Aegon UK, said: “After two years of having many big events cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s really exciting that our communities can return to celebrating Pride in person again.

“At Aegon, we’re passionate about creating an inclusive working environment that celebrates all forms of diversity and individuality. We’re really excited to be supporting Pride events again this year: it’s just one of the ways we demonstrate our dedication to being an inclusive employer where everyone can be fully themselves and feel that they belong by celebrating our differences.

“After two years of virtual celebrations, it’s bound to be a fun, lively experience. We wish everyone who attends a wonderful time.”

Platinum Jubilee book to arrive in English primary schools from mid-May – but it’s September for Scotland

Primary school children across the UK will begin to receive ‘Queen Elizabeth: A Platinum Jubilee Celebration’

Children in state-funded primary schools across the United Kingdom will, from mid-May, begin to receive a free commemorative book to mark Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee.

Designed as an official once-in-a-lifetime commemoration of the Platinum Jubilee and written in collaboration with royal experts and historians, the book will tell the story of a young girl, Isabella, visiting her Great Granny Joyce who tells her about the Queen and this year’s Jubilee.

In the story, Isabella sifts through Great Granny Joyce’s treasure box of souvenirs, which act as introductions to the contents of the book. These include recent and historical events across the United Kingdom and Commonwealth, inspirational people, landmark innovations and inventions, and a selection of the best art, design, and culture.

The book will also include famous quotes from the Queen, facts on the coronation ceremony, content on the lives of famous Commonwealth figures such as Nelson Mandela, notable kings and queens and a timeline of Queen Elizabeth’s life.

Children will be invited to personalise their individual copies of the illustrated reference book, by signing a ‘this book belongs to’ section at the beginning of the book. The page reads: ‘During [the Queen’s] reign, the world has changed in so many ways… [This book] will help you understand the amazing life and times of our Queen and the magic of the unique, unshakable bond she shares with the people she serves.’

The book will also help children understand how the four nations came together as one United Kingdom, including details such as Owain Glyndwr’s rebellion against the English in 1400 to take the title of ‘Prince of Wales’, on the journey to the Queen’s reign which continues to this day.

Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi said: “Queen Elizabeth II is the first British Monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee and Her Majesty’s dignity, commitment and grace continues to inspire people all over the world.

“Millions of children will soon receive their own commemorative Jubilee book, celebrating and showcasing the Queen’s incredible living legacy. I hope all our pupils are as excited as I am to read about Her Majesty’s amazing life and the people and events that have shaped history during the last 70 years.”

On the request of the Scottish and Welsh Governments, schools in Scotland and Wales will be asked to opt-in to receive copies of the book, which will then be delivered in late September.

‘Brilliant bookmarks’ from the Reading Agency are to be distributed with every book, to support and encourage reading for pleasure amongst children at school and over the summer. The book is also featured within the National Literacy Trust’s Platinum Jubilee Royal Reading Challenge.

The book goes on private sale from 23 June.

Schools can expect to hear from the Department for Education (in England) or DK Books (in Northern Ireland) in the coming days about delivery details, and those in Scotland and Wales should already have had information on how to place their book orders.

The book was commissioned by the UK Government and is being published by DK Books. It has been designed for a reading age of nine to 10 years, but will be accessible to all primary school age children, for example if parents, carers or teachers read with them.

It forms part of the wider programme of events and activities planned for The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, including a concert, street parties, and an extra bank holiday for the Jubilee weekend itself from Thursday 2 to Sunday 5 June 2022.

Tesco reveals 42% of hosts will be serving low or no alcohol drinks during Christmas celebrations

The nation’s biggest supermarket launches fourth annual Tesco Christmas Report, offering a unique look into how Britain plans to celebrate Christmas 2021

Tesco has lifted the lid on how the nation plans to spend the festive season in its fourth annual Christmas Report.

Key trends for this year’s festive season include; a growing preference for Christmas brunches and ‘Instagrammable’ spreads, a continued thirst for no and low alcohol, increasingly ‘conscious’ celebrations, a surge in popularity for turkey, and a bleak outlook for traditional Brussels sprouts as younger generations abandon them.

With the supermarket’s data revealing that 86 percent of UK adults claim that nothing will stand in the way of them having a joyful Christmas this year, one thing is for sure – Christmas is officially back, and the nation will be celebrating in style.

Going big and celebrating early

With a desire to return to pre-pandemic celebrations, it’s no surprise that the nation is keen to embrace the festive season like never before. Nearly half (47 percent) of the people surveyed want to spend more time with family than in previous Christmases, while 20 percent want to spend more time with friends. Additionally, a third (33 percent) plan on socialising more, and one in six (15 percent) plan on hosting more parties than in previous years.

However, when it comes to celebrations on December 31st, 18 percent of 18–34-year-olds claim to have started a new New Year’s Eve tradition last year that they’ll be continuing this year – the ‘big night in’. So instead of going out this year, they will be staying at home for when the clock strikes midnight.

With so many people more excited for the festivities than usual, the celebrations are set to begin early with over one in 10 (12 percent) families putting the tree and decorations up by the end of November.

The rise of Christmas brunch

While we’re looking for a return to normality overall, there are new trending occasions that Tesco predicts could become traditions in the not-too-distant future, such as Christmas brunch.

The supermarket’s data revealed an interesting trend for an earlier celebratory meal come Christmas Day, with the festive brunch gaining in popularity particularly among younger adults (18–34-year-olds), a fifth (19 percent) of whom said they would replace their traditional Christmas lunch in favour of a brunch affair.

Insta-perfect centrepieces

When it comes to Christmas dinner, it can’t just be any roast dinner, it’s also got to look great – almost a third (31 percent) of younger adults (18-34-year-olds) plan to put in extra effort to make their festive offerings more Instagrammable this year.

However, it’s not just the youngsters – one in six (16 percent) UK adults of all ages claim they’ll be going all out to make this year’s spread look picture perfect, with men slightly leading the charge (18 percent versus 16 percent).

Popular tactics used to ensure festive offerings are looking good for the ‘gram this year include serving food on platters as opposed to everyday dinner plates (31 percent) and using festive plants and flowers as additional decoration (31 percent).

Food innovation is a key trend for Christmas 2021, with over a third (38 percent) of UK adults seeking out innovative dishes and products. This is especially true of 18-34-year-olds, with 62 percent planning to be innovative with their food and drink choices this year.

Ways in which they plan to do this include buying new, talkable products (20 percent), opting for twists on classics (20 percent), and looking to social media trends for inspiration (15 percent). With this in mind, Tesco has launched a showstopping range of treats such as Tesco Finest Black Forest Christmas Pudding and the Tesco Speculoos Profiterole Gateau.

Turkey reclaims its crown

Despite an increased focus on ‘talkable’ and innovative festive food, when it comes to the centrepiece, turkey is still king. In fact, 68 percent of UK adults plan to tuck into a turkey roast on the 25th, suggesting that many are craving the return of a traditional family Christmas.

Whether it is a full bird, such as a Tesco Finest British Free Range Narragansett Turkey, or smaller crowns, the Christmas bird is more popular than ever.

Plant based Christmas

While traditional turkey is very much in vogue, a quarter (27 percent) of UK adults will be catering for vegan, vegetarian or plant based guests this Christmas.

That said, a quarter (26 percent) of vegans and vegetarians are actually considering pausing their usual diets on the big day so they can enjoy the many meat and dairy dishes on the Christmas table. For those keeping temptation at bay, Tesco is making it easy to enjoy a meat-free celebration with mouth-watering alternatives, like the Tesco Plant Chef Meat-Free Festive Vegan Roast and the Wicked Kitchen No-Turkey Roast Crown.

Popularity of pigs in blankets soars and younger generations ditch the traditional Brussels sprout

The popularity of pigs in blankets continues to soar, with just under two thirds of UK adults claiming them to be their favourite trimming (63 percent) – a 24 percent increase on last year.

A quarter (24 percent) of 25-34-year-olds will eat more than 10 over the Christmas season.

To offer an innovative spin on the side-dish favourite, this year Tesco has launched inventive varieties such as Tesco Finest Pigs in Blankets Candy Canes with Orange & Maple Glaze, and plant based options such as Plant Chef Meat Free Bangers in Blankets and Wicked Kitchen Choriz-NO Pigless Duvets.

Meanwhile, the good old roast potato was named the most essential veg on the Christmas lunch plate for 87 percent of people, replacing carrots, which took the top spot last year but has fallen to third place this year.

Taking the second spot is the divisive Brussels sprout (61 percent), with a 22 percent uplift from 2020 in people citing it as the most essential vegetable on the Christmas dinner plate.

However, the sprout’s position as a festive staple might be at risk, with a clear pattern emerging that shows the vegetable’s popularity waning with each generation. Those aged 75+ are the biggest advocates, with 65 percent declaring their love for them, but this drastically drops to just 26 percent when it comes to 18-24-year-olds.

But even though the vegetable continues to split the nation, more of us still love them than hate them, with 49 percent claiming to ‘love’ them, while only 21 percent claim to ‘hate’ them.

Cheese please

Over two thirds (71 percent) of the nation will tuck into a cheese board on Christmas Day, with Cheddar (52 percent), Brie (36 percent) and Stilton (24 percent) set to be the top cheeses chosen.

However, younger adults (18–34-year-olds) were four times as likely to opt for adventurous cheese like Halloumi (12 percent) compared to the over 60s (3 percent). Its new position as a festive staple saw sales of Halloumi soar by 33 percent in the five weeks leading up to Christmas last year.

A not so merry Christmas

For the big day itself, red wine was named the top tipple of choice by 29 percent of UK adults, overtaking white (27 percent), which took the top spot in 2020.

The nation is also partial to a glass of the finer things, as nearly a fifth (19 percent) say they’ll have Champagne on Christmas day.

However, the recent growth in mindful drinking seems set to continue with a quarter (24 percent) of UK adults set to opt for no and low alcohol tipples only on the big day itself – a 10 percent increase on last year (15 percent). Brighton (40 percent), Norwich (40 percent) and Cardiff (35 percent) are the capitals of this growing trend.

Conscious Christmas celebrations

Last year was a year like no other – but there are signs that the events have made more people aware of social issues and become more active in their communities.

This Christmas 34 percent of Brits will donate to a food bank, with one in five (20 percent) gifting via an in-store collection point, whilst one in 10 (9 percent) will give warm clothes to the homeless or to a shelter, and a further 9 percent will help a neighbour in need.

Giving to charity will also prove to be important to many, particularly amongst the older generation (55-74-year-olds) with just under a third (33 percent) of this age group donating money to a charity.

The younger generation are also being thoughtful in innovative ways, with over one in 10 (11 percent) 18-34-year-olds asking for charity donations in lieu of Christmas gifts.

As well as charitable acts, this Christmas is also set to be an environmentally aware one. Over 36 percent of the nation plans on being more sustainable over the festive period and 49 percent claim that thinking about the environment will impact their purchasing decisions this Christmas.

Ways in which the nation plans to be more sustainable this Christmas include reusing old Christmas decorations (49 percent), recycling wrapping and packaging (43 percent), buying loose fruit and veg (42 percent), being more precise with quantities to ensure minimal food waste (36 percent) and cooking with leftovers (33 percent).

Alessandra Bellini, Tesco Chief Customer Officer said: “As we enjoy the freedom to extend the dinner table and make wonderful memories, it’s perhaps no surprise that 86 percent of the nation say nothing will stop them from having a joyful Christmas in 2021. 

“In our fourth annual Tesco Christmas Report, we’ve lifted the lid on what the seasonal comeback will look like – from reviving family traditions to finding new food occasions and being sustainably savvy throughout celebrations.

“However you choose to spend this Christmas,  Tesco is here to help you mark the moments that matter, with innovative, quality products at excellent value for money. On behalf of Tesco, we wish you a Merry Christmas.”

Cop26-themed ‘Eco-Diwali’ celebrated at Edinburgh’s Queen Elizabeth House

The third Diwali in the series of Diwalis started by the Scotland Chapter of Hindu Forum Britain was celebrated in the UK Government Hub in Edinburgh on 1st November 2021 (writes Ms RICHA SINHA).

The first Diwali was celebrated by the Hindu Forum Britain in the Scottish Parliament in 2019 and the second one was a Virtual Diwali Hosted Online due to Covid-19.

With a view to supporting COP26, , which started on the same day on 1st Nov 2021, HFB Scotland Chapter celebrated Eco-Diwali, highlighting through Diwali event, the salience that Hindu ethos places on respecting and protecting the environment.

The Eco-Diwali was celebrated at Queen Elizabeth house, sponsored by Ministers of the Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland.

As the UK secretary of state for Scotland was busy with Cop26 conference the event was hosted by Hon Lord Offord of Garvel, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State.

The event was attended by numerous faith Leaders and Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture Mr Angus Robertson and MSPs including Alex Cole-Hamilton and Pam Gosal.

The programme commenced with the Ceremonial Eco Lamp Lighting ceremony by the Guests

Mr Puneet Dwivedi, Vice president HFB with the help of his Team of Volunteers organized the most colourful celebrations and with sacred chants, traditional Indian dances, followed by speeches by dignitaries.

There were slide shows highlight community works by the temples in Scotland, spotlighting the environmental action being undertaken by the Hindu temples and organisations. 

Puneet Dwivedi welcomed guests byhighlighting the contribution of Scottish Hindu Community during COVID crisis be it amazing frontline workers like doctors and nurses to the temples who opened the kitchen to feed the vulnerable and support the key workers.

He explained how Hindu philosophy consists of eco-friendly principles and practices and has been passed down through generations.

Puneet also highlighted small and sustainable steps taken by Hindu community to protect mother earth e.g. HFB officially launched its Hindu Environmental Task Force (HETF) on 18th September to raise awareness and to support its member organisations to become increasingly more environmental; ISKCON Scotland launched the Cow care project, where Cows and Bulls will be cared for till their natural death.

This project serve as an example of sustainable agriculture by working with bulls, and most temples in Scotland signed the Environmental Charter.

Lord Offord gave the beautiful message of hope with the vaccine of light driving away the disease of darkness.

He was happy to greet his colleagues from Holyrood and pledged towards one common goal which was betterment of people of every political stride and every religion.

He had visited Mumbai recently and recollected his time when tattoo met Bollywood with dancers mixing up and  thanked Hindu Forum Britain for bringing the event to Queen Elizabeth House and wished them well in future endeavours.

Cabinet Secretary Mr Angus Robertson started by passing his best wishes from Nicola sturgeon and mentioned how he attended every single Diwali Reception when in Westminster.

He added that the Hindu traditions have deep reverence to the natural world and reminds us our actions have consequences. He Congratulated Hindu Forum Britain’s Hindu environmental task forces and said that the government was indebted for the work done by the Hindu community who have so many in the vital front line services.

Sister Jayanti From BrahmaKumari made reference to Goddess of wealth Lakshmi, and said the word comes from ‘Lakshan’ which means virtues and reminded us of the wealth of virtues.

As much as we clean home we should clean our Inner beings and environment of pollution so wealth of virtues can come to our lives to create a better world. She ended her speech with ‘Om Shanti’ which means lets there be world peace.

Lord Wallace, moderator of the Church of Scotland spoke of the Vigil that took place in George Square and common hope and congratulated all faith organisations to come together to spread the message of hope.

Maulana Imam Syed Razazvi thanked HFB president Mrs Trupti Patel and Hindu community and reiterated that we are friends and we can always rely on each other.

The program was interspersed by elegant and graceful Indian classical Dance performances by Theiya Arts, where the performers (Ms Himadri Madan, Ms Nandini Manjunath, Ms Karen Watts & Ms Tharanga Wickramsinghe) presented an Indian and Sri Lankan classical forms dedicated to mother earth and our environment: this dance form has evolved from the natural world around us, as a way to embody nature and our environment and incorporate it into our being and storytelling.

HFB president Ms Trupti Patel,  sent video message as she couldn’t attend the event. In her video message she highlighted the connection between celtic people and vedic people and how Scottish Hindu Community can work together by taking steps to preserve our environment.

Mr Mithilesh Vaddiparthi, who holds a guinness world records in singing sung the beautiful devotional song   “Vaishnav Jan To..” and ended his singing with traditional rendition and the foot tapping “Jai ho “

MSP Alex-Cole Hamilton, who has become quite the favourite of the Hindu Diaspora in Edinburgh, with his past heartfelt speeches lured the audience with his Indian greeting of ‘Namaste’ ‘Om Shanti ‘ and Jai Shri Ram. He highlighted that Diwali is also time to triumph of light over ignorance over climate change.

Pam Gosal in her speech mentioned how the first 2 Indian Scottish Ministers joining the Scottish Parliament and the First Hindu Minister in Sandesh Gulhane has added to the Diversity in Parliament.

Finally  HFB Scotland Chapter Diwali brochures were launched by the Minsiters, Cabinet Secreteary, MSP & Armed forces officials

The vote of Thanks was given by Richa Sinha who spoke about what it means for her to be a Scottish Hindu and thanked the leadership in creating an atmosphere where she could take pride in her Scottish Hindu Identity and contribute to the diversity of this great nation.

Hindu Forum Britain are proud to carry out the 3rd consecutive Diwali Celebration and hope the tradition will continue in the years to come and bring the Diverse Scottish Hindu community together with all faiths working together for the betterment of the nation.

This Diwali reception by Hindus in Scotland hosted by HFB Scotland is the only event that encompasses and invites members and peers from all political parties to share the colourful and wondrous Diwali celebration with Hindu community leaders, religious leaders and leading figures from businesses across Britain.

The spirit of hope, friendship, religious tolerance peace and harmony that Deepavali embodies is really quite profound and resonates with people of all faiths.