Making the most of apprenticeships

UK businesses could gain additional £18bn revenue from apprenticeships

A new report from the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) has revealed that consumers prefer to do business with businesses employing apprentices.

The report, launched to mark the start of National Apprenticeship Week, is part of a national drive to promote the benefits of apprenticeships. Events across the country will celebrate the success of apprenticeships that have been transformed over recent years so they are more responsive to the needs of employers and learners.

The Benefits of Apprenticeships to Businesses study finds that offering apprenticeships were perceived by two-thirds of the public as contributing to society and providing opportunities for young people, with 5 million consumers more likely to make a purchase from an apprentice employer.

One in four consumers say they would go as far as even paying more for goods and services offered by companies that employ apprentices. Aggregated across key sectors in the economy, this price-premium would equate to an additional £18 billion a year in consumer spending.

National Apprenticeship Week will also see the launch of a new mentoring service for small businesses interested in taking on apprentices will be launched by small business champion Jason Holt CBE.

Today’s research also highlights a number of other financial benefits firms employing apprentices can enjoy, such as increased long-term productivity. A typical apprentice delivers productivity gains of over £10,000 per annum, rising to almost double that in the construction and planning, and engineering and manufacturing sectors.

Moreover, the research demonstrates that even before an apprentice is fully qualified, many businesses will see economic benefits of offering apprenticeships. The figures show that while training, each apprentice in England is estimated to deliver an average positive net gain of £1,670 per annum to their employers.

Business Secretary Vince Cable said: “In launching National Apprenticeship Week we are celebrating the 2.1 million apprenticeship starts since 2010 and the positive impact they are having on businesses around the country.

“The benefits of apprenticeships are clear – they make a vital contribution to the economy, boost business productivity and give people the skills they need to get on in the world of work.

“As this research shows, there has been an important shift in the attitudes towards apprenticeships with businesses, consumers, and young people recognising the significant opportunities they can offer.

Skills Minister Nick Boles said: “This research is further proof that apprenticeships deliver for businesses as well as providing life changing opportunities for young people.

“National Apprenticeship Week gives us the opportunity to raise the profile of apprenticeships and traineeships, and to celebrate the important role they play in our economy. I encourage people of all ages and employers of all shapes and sizes to find out more about apprenticeships and how they can deliver for them.”

The CEBR report examines the benefits that apprentices offer businesses both while they are training and long after they have completed their apprenticeships:

A quarter (25%) of consumers said that they would be more likely to pay more for goods and services offered by businesses employing apprentices, with the most popular services to pay a premium on being a plumbers’ visit, a meal or a haircut
Consumers are prepared to pay between 1.2% and 2.0% extra as a price premium –the aggregate gain in consumer spending if these premiums are realised is £18 billion per annum
The benefit to an employer of hiring an apprentice is the value of the economic output produced by an apprentice, plus any subsidies received, less wage and training costs. This equates to an average of £1,670 per annum for the average apprentice in England but can rise as high as £13,824 and £9,721 for team leadership and management, and business administration apprentices respectively
Productivity gains from employing an apprentice long-term average at £214 per week, ranging from £83 in the retail sector and £114 in health, public services and care, up to £401 in construction and planning, and £414 per in engineering and manufacturing

Scott Corfe, co-author of the report The Benefits of Apprenticeships to Businesses, said: “Previous Cebr research has demonstrated the impact of apprenticeships to the economy and the country as a whole, but this report proves that hiring apprentices has a hugely positive impact on employers themselves. Not only do apprentices contribute to the productivity of a company from day one, but consumers are more likely to switch to brands and firms that employ apprentices.”

As part of National Apprenticeship Week, employers are being encouraged to share their reasons for employing apprentices on social media, with #100reasonswhy.

HR and Training Manager, Steve Starling from Suffolk based JEB Engineering Design has already taken part and commented: “We’ve been recruiting apprentices for over 35 years. Many staff members in senior positions here started out as apprentices, including our Managing Director. We believe our future success is dependent on a strong, sustainable apprenticeship programme.”

To find out more about National Apprenticeship Week go to

www.gov.uk/naw2015.

Support your local Fire Fighters!

The national car wash takes place on Saturday 14 March

Firefighters across Scotland are preparing to roll up their sleeves to take part in the National Car Wash this weekend, raising vital funds for The Fire Fighters Charity.

Crewe Toll and McDonald Road are among the dozens of community fire stations where firefighters will be on hand to make your car sparkle – and as you drive away in your gleaming car, your donation to The Fire Fighters Charity will help thousands of serving and retired fire service personnel and their families!

Regional Fundraiser for Scotland Margaret Barnes-Smith said: “Monies raised through national fundraising initiatives provide a real boost to The Fire Fighters Charity and we are delighted that so many of our fire stations are getting involved.

“Firefighting can be dangerous, stressful and traumatic. When fire fighters are injured, they can be in pain and unable to work for months. Dealing with life or death situations every day often takes its toll emotionally too.

“The Fire Fighters Charity is here for every one of the UK’s serving members of fire and rescue staff – and their families. No other organisation provides such a full package of high quality support, exactly tailored to the needs of fire fighters.

“We also give lifetime support to retired fire fighters and their families. They’ve risked so much for us and in return, we provide help and support when they are in real need.

“It costs £9million a year to keep our charity running. With no government funding, we rely completely on donations and goodwill. Please come along to your local fire station and support us.”

Chief Executive of The Fire Fighters Charity, Jill Tolfrey, said: “The National Car Wash provides a vital source of income for the Charity, as well as being a fun and popular event. It costs over £8million a year to keep The Fire Fighters Charity running – and with no regular government funding, we rely completely on your donations and goodwill. You can show your support to our firefighting heroes by visiting your local fire station on Saturday 14 March – and afterwards drive away safely, in a clean car!”

As well as being a fun fundraising event for The Fire Fighters Charity, the firefighters want to share a very serious message about fire safety in the home. Each year fire destroys lives, something firefighters see regularly and by taking some precautions this risk can be minimised.

While your car is being pampered you’ll have the chance book a FREE home fire safety visit with SFRS – as part of the service’s commitment to building a safer Scotland everyone in Scotland can have a free home fire safety visit – smoke alarms can also be fitted free of charge if your home requires them.

You can arrange a free home fire safety visit by calling SFRS on the freephone number 0800 0731 999 or by texting ‘FIRE’ to 80800. You can also fill out a form at www.firescotland.gov.uk or contact your local community fire station.

East area fire stations taking part this Saturday:

Bathgate Fire Station
Crewe Toll Fire Station
Dalkeith Fire Station
Eyemouth Fire Station
Galashiels Fire Station
Hawick Fire Station
Innerleithen Fire Station
Liberton Fire Station
Livingston Fire Station
McDonald Road Fire Station
Newcraighall Fire Station
Peebles Fire Station
Selkirk Fire Station
Sighthill Fire Station
Tollcross Fire Station
West Calder Fire Station
Callander Fire Station
Denny Fire Station
Falkirk Fire Station
Larbert Fire Station
Stirling Fire Station
Auchtermuchty Fire Station
Cupar Fire Station
Dunfermline Fire Station
Glenrothes Fire Station
Kirkcaldy Fire Station
Lochgelly Fire Station
Methil Fire Station
Newburgh Fire Station
St Andrews Fire Station

Not in front of the children: Minister urges ad ban

Ads for alcohol and fatty foods should be adult viewing only

Alcohol and junk food advertising should be prohibited before the 9pm watershed in order to protect children, Public Health Minister Maureen Watt said yesterday.

Ms Watt has written to UK Government ministers arguing that the move would protect children from exposure to powerful marketing messages and branding. Control over broadcast advertising is currently reserved to Westminster.

Adverts for alcohol and high fat, salt and sugar foods are not permitted during children’s programming. But they are allowed during early evening shows that are watched by large numbers of young people.

Stronger restrictions are supported by the British Heart Foundation (BHF), the British Medical Association (BMA) and Alcohol Focus Scotland.

The latest piece of research commissioned by the British Heart Foundation shows that many parents believe that broadcast advertising for high fat, salt and sugar foods remains a significant barrier which makes it more difficult for their children to adopt a healthy diet. According to their research that figure is highest in Scotland at 43 per cent. Extra restrictions on advertising for these types of food are also supported by Which?.

Maureen Watt, Minister for Public Health, said: “In recent years the rate of obesity has been relatively stable, but still unaccepbtably high, and there have been some reductions in alcohol-related harm. But we still, in general, have diets that are far too high in fat, sugar and salt, and levels of alcohol-related harm which are significantly higher than they were just a few decades ago.

“If we are to tackle the significant public health problems we face, we need bold solutions. We need a culture change in the way we think about alcohol and food high in fat, salt and sugar. There is a wealth of research which shows that children seeing these adverts while they are watching their favourite family programmes respond positively towards them and they affect their behaviour. That’s something that needs to be addressed.”

Dr Peter Bennie, Chairman of the BMA Scotland, said: “The regulation of alcohol and junk food advertising in this country is far too weak, largely because these industries have been allowed to regulate themselves. Despite the serious health harms associated with excessive alcohol consumption and obesity in the UK, these industries use marketing to promote consumption of their products.

“The cost of alcohol to our society is significant and inevitably, the NHS picks up the pieces. Obesity rates too are worryingly high, driven by the promotion and availability of unhealthy foods. Obesity brings with it increased risk of a wide range of serious life threatening and chronic diseases. While doctors have a role to play in supporting overweight patients, there is a limit to what they can do.

“The UK Government could take decisive action to change the culture of excess that the junk food and alcohol industry promotes, and tougher regulation of advertising would be a positive first step.”

Barbara O’Donnell, Deputy Chief Executive at Alcohol Focus Scotland, said: “Existing advertising codes fail to prevent under 18s from being exposed to alcohol advertising. Although current rules prohibit alcohol advertising around children’s programmes, alcohol adverts are allowed during early evening family viewing when the largest number of children watch television. As a result, 10 to 15 year olds in the UK see more alcohol adverts on television, per hour of television watched, than adults. Indeed, a survey just published by Alcohol Focus Scotland found that 10 and 11 year olds were more familiar with alcohol brands than leading brands of biscuits, crisps and ice cream.

“The bottom line is that we are failing to protect children and young people from alcohol harm. More effective controls are urgently needed to ensure alcohol marketing messages only reach adult audiences.”

Simon Gillespie, Chief Executive at the BHF, said: “Regulations for TV and online advertising in the UK are too weak, allowing companies to exploit loopholes in the system at the expense of our children’s health. Every day millions of children are being bombarded with sophisticated marketing techniques encouraging unhealthy eating habits.

“Evidence shows that junk food adverts can influence children’s food preferences and consumption hampering parents’ efforts to get their children to eat healthily. In the UK over 30 per cent of children are overweight or obese and dietary surveys show that children are eating too much salt, sugar and saturated fat.

“The Government must act now to ban junk food marketing before the 9pm watershed to help give children a stronger chance of preventing future heart disease.”

Dig out those platform soles for the ultimate 70s Disco!

We are ‘Flare Events’: students attending Edinburgh College studying for an HND in Events Management. As part of our course we will be running a fundraising charity event on Saturday 14 March from 8pm to 11pm and held at The Cav, Edinburgh.

We will be hosting a themed 70’s Disco called ‘Flare – the Ultimate 70’s Disco’ which we hope will be very successful on the night. Our chosen charity is Radio Forth’s ‘Cash for Kids’ which is, I’m sure you will agree, a very worthy cause supporting disadvantaged children in Edinburgh, the Lothian’s and Fife.

Tickets available through Flare Events:

by e-mail:events.flare@gmail.com

or via our Facebook page/FlareEventsEdinburgh

Family matters: extensions for innovative family support projects

An extra £2.5 million in government funding to help charities and other groups support families going through relationship breakdown has been announced today (8 March 2015) by Steve Webb, Minister with responsibility for child maintenance.

Scotland’s Family Decision Making Service partnership is one of sixteen trial Innovation Fund projects to have been providing tailored support across the country helping separated parents work together for the benefit of their children since 2013. The new funding means they will now be extended until September.

Projects include specialist support to teenage parents working with their children’s grandparents, face-to-face services for separated parents caught up in long-term disputes, and tailored help for Muslim families who are experiencing relationship breakdown.

Minister for Child Maintenance Steve Webb said: “Family breakdown can be difficult for everyone involved, but the evidence shows that children stand a much better chance of getting on in life when their parents are working together.

“This funding will allow these projects to continue their excellent work by helping parents to put aside their differences for their children’s sake.

“We are starting to see some very encouraging results from these projects which will be invaluable when it comes to designing future services and are proving priceless for the families being helped.”

Children 1st’s Family Decision Making Service (Scotland) has worked with more than 1500 individuals since it’s launch.

This bespoke service provides support to parents 365 days a year over the telephone or through live webchat. It draws upon the expertise of three organisations: Children 1st, Scottish Child Law Centre and One Parent Families Scotland.

Assistant director Linda Jardine said: “This extra funding is good news for separated and separating families in Scotland.

“Children cope better with family break-up if their parents work together on the decisions which affect them, and through the Family Decision Making service parents are able to draw on the combined expertise of three partners to help them to do this.

“So far the service, which is unique in Scotland, has worked with more than 1,500 individuals to make sure that, whatever difficulties the adults may be experiencing, their children remain the focus.”

Part of the DWP’s work on relationship support, the projects were originally set up to work alongside the new Child Maintenance Service, which is taking a fresh approach to tackling the issue of family breakdown.

More than 6 out of 10 separated parents using the new Child Maintenance Service are now choosing to make their own financial arrangements rather than relying on the state to collect and pay maintenance on their behalf.

At the heart of the reforms lies the principle that children have a much better start in life when both parents work together across a range of issues including contact, schooling and finances – even if they have separated.

The third party organisations delivering the projects were encouraged to come up with new and innovative ways of delivering the support.

Each of the projects is unique in the type of support that they offer, which can be delivered through face-to-face sessions, over the telephone and online.

Some of the projects target specific groups, such as teenage parents, people on low incomes and families with diverse cultural background. Practical guidance is also offered on a range of matters including legal advice.

A total of £10 million was set aside to fund the various projects when they were introduced in 2013. The results from the projects will be used to design future government services.

The Innovation fund projects are:

Howells: Working Together for Children (South Yorkshire)

Family Lives (Leicester, Waltham Forest, Gloucestershire)

Resolution: Family Matters (Doncaster, Wakefield, Scunthorpe, Grimsby, Retford)

Sills and Betteridge: Moving Forward (Lincolnshire)

Mediation Now: Changing Lives (Hampshire and Portsmouth)

Spurgeons: Supporting separated teenagers (West Midlands and Warwickshire)

Changing Futures North East: Moving On (Teeside, Sunderland and County Durham)

Tavistock Centre for Couple Relationships: Parents In Dispute (London)

Children 1st: Family Decision Making Service (Scotland)

Pinnacle People: Families Together (Bristol)

Malachi Family Support Services (Birmingham and West Midlands)

One plus One: Splitting Up? Put Kids First (nationwide)

National Family Mediation: At Court Mediation (Hereford and Worcester, West Yorkshire and Berkshire)

Family Matters Mediate: Listening to Children Matters (Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire)

Goldenacre Fairtrade: helping the third world, helping your neighbours

We make it easy for you to buy fairtrade in north Edinburgh, and we make it easy for you to help low income families in north Edinburgh.

Help the third world, and help your neighbours!

Today (Sunday 8 Mar 2015) marks the end of Fairtrade Fortnight. What can you do, and how can you make a difference year round?

If you live in north Edinburgh, did you know that you have an award-winning fairtrade stall on your doorstep? We won two awards at the Lord Provost awards on Monday.

We’re at 280 Ferry Road, EH5 3NP http://inverleithsaintserfs.org.uk/

We sold £7,000 fairtrade products last year from our stall. We would like to do even more for third world producers, so would love if you visited our stall. We run every second Sunday, year round. Come to the 10.30 church service at Inverleith St Serf’s Church or visit afterwards (11.30-12.30) via the Clark Road entrance.

A major reason that we won the awards however, is that we are more than a fairtrade stall.

We also work with Tenants & Residents In Muirhouse (TRIM), who run a community shop and food bank in a neighbouring community. We accept food donations at every stall, and take these to the shop in Muirhouse. You can bring donations, or buy items from our stall.

So please come along today: stock up, donate, get ready for Easter with eggs and cards. All are welcome!

Edinburgh flies the flag to mark Commonwealth Day

Capital to celebrate Games legacy

The Lord Provost Donald Wilson will convey a message from Her Majesty, The Queen before raising the Commonwealth Flag at the City Chambers on Commonwealth Day tomorrow (Monday).

It is expected that 730 flags will be raised on Monday by 53 Commonwealth countries. In Edinburgh, the flag-raising will also be an opportunity for the City of Edinburgh Council to celebrate the start of Legacy Week (9-15 March).

Legacy Week is a Scotland-wide Government initiative celebrating last summer’s Commonwealth Games. In Edinburgh, events spanning athletics, swimming, paralympics, walking and cycling will take place showcasing the variety of sporting opportunities that take place in the Capital.

Lord Provost Donald Wilson will say: “Organisations from all 53 Commonwealth countries are joining to raise more than 730 Commonwealth Flags in a shared celebration of this remarkable family of nations.

“The Commonwealth is made up of two billion citizens drawn from all faiths, cultures and ethnicities. Commonwealth countries come together voluntarily in a spirit of co-operation, partnership and understanding. It is for that reason we are here today to raise the Commonwealth Flag in unity with those throughout all the participating countries of the world.

“We also welcome the Commonwealth Day theme for 2015 which honours the future generation: A Young Commonwealth and commits to advancing opportunities for the development and growth our youth.”

Events to celebrate benefits of the Glasgow 2014 Games

Events will take place all over the country next week as partners come together to highlight the positive impact of the Commonwealth Games.

The third national Legacy Week (March 9 – 15) will put the spotlight on how the Games has helped to boost communities in Glasgow’s east end and beyond.

On the eve of the Week, a Legacy Cycle Ride takes place in the brand new Aberfoyle Bike Park, Stirlingshire, which has received funding from the Legacy 2014 Active Places Fund. Riders will take on a 40 km course to celebrate the positive influence the Games is having to encourage more people to take up physical activity.

On Monday, Minister for Sport, Health Improvement and Mental Health, Jamie Hepburn will visit the new Dalmarnock Legacy Hub in the east end of Glasgow. Construction of the Hub is now nearing completion and the new modern community centre next to the Emirates Arena will provide health services, a nursery, leisure facilities and training and employment for local people.

Mr Hepburn will also visit Active East, a Glasgow scheme to inspire young people from deprived backgrounds to take advantage of the training opportunities connected to the Games, and on Thursday he will see some of the infrastructure projects being led by Clyde Gateway.

The legacy of the Games covers opportunities across community development, sport, education, culture, business, tourism, and many more areas of life and the Scottish Government will be supporting a number of events, projects and programmes across the Week.

Other events include a Legacy 2014 Equality and Human Rights Conference at Hampden Park; the opening of a national touring exhibition of artefacts showing the history of the Commonwealth Games Hosts and Champions in association with the Commonwealth Games Scotland Archive;, and activities taking place across Scotland involving community groups, local authorities and national partners involved in delivering the legacy of the Games including Young Scot, University of the West of Scotland, Cycling Scotland and Transport Scotland.

Mr Hepburn said: “The thing that made Glasgow 2014 such a success was the people. It was the spectators, volunteers and competitors who truly made them the best Games ever. It’s no surprise to see that the Games’ legacy is being driven by communities across the country, whether that’s through small local projects or big national programmes.

“Legacy Week is a chance to celebrate the contribution that people are making to ensure that the memory of the Commonwealth Games doesn’t fade.

“Whether that’s a bowls player taking a coaching qualification, or a young person working to build the Legacy Hub in Dalmarnock. All of them are just as much a part of the success story of the Games as the Team Scotland stars who did us proud last summer.”

Depute Leader of Glasgow City Council and Executive Member for Commonwealth Games, Councillor Archie Graham, said: “Hosting the Games provided us with an excellent opportunity to make our city healthier, greener and more prosperous; before, during and after the sporting event. For the council and our partners, legacy is a long term commitment and this week is a chance for all of us including individuals, organisations and communities to celebrate and showcase their achievements so far and what they have planned for the future.

“Yes, 2014 was a fantastic year for our city and it cemented our reputation for hosting high profile events and being a great place to live and visit, but now we have to keep the momentum of legacy going. We are continuing to lead on, provide the means for and support a range of projects and organisations that will help us to continue the momentum.”

During Legacy Week people can also enjoy the Games experience by also visiting the two legacy exhibitions currently running in Glasgow’s museums. Launched last week Blood, Sweat and Gears at the Riverside Museum showcases some of the Scottish athletes’ journeys and challenges faced in getting to the Games, while at the People’s Palace the Host City Volunteer exhibition ‘Our Games‘ highlights the experiences of the many different volunteers who delivered the best ever Commonwealth Games.

The show must go on!

Government commits over £2m to Edinburgh’s festivals

Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs, has confirmed £2.25m in funding to support Edinburgh’s festivals.

The latest round of the Scottish Government Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund will support twelve projects and the work of strategic umbrella organisation Festivals Edinburgh in 2015/2016.

The Expo Fund provides Edinburgh Festivals with £2.25 million to promote themselves to overseas audiences and invest in the work of talented Scottish artists and performers. Running since 2008, this year’s allocation brings the total invested close to £16m.

The focus of the 2015/16 Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund is new creative works by Scottish artists, international collaboration and the promotion of Edinburgh as the best festival city in the world.

Ms Hyslop said: “The Scottish Government Expo Fund is direct investment in the future of Edinburgh’s Festivals. The fund has given the festivals scope to deliver world class pieces and performances that have caught the imagination of international audiences. Thanks to the Expo Fund festivals are working more closely together boosting tourism and Scotland’s cultural ambitions.

“The investment in Edinburgh’s Festival is about creating long term benefits for Scottish artists, the economy and our country’s’ international reputation. The Edinburgh festivals contribute more than £250m in additional tourism revenue to Scotland’s economy but just as important is their international profile.

“Edinburgh’s Festivals have been defining and promoting Scotland’s identity as a confident, creative, welcoming nation for over 65 years. We are supporting their work through the Expo Fund to fund innovation, collaboration and artist development, all vital for future success of our festivals.”

Faith Liddell, Director at Festivals Edinburgh, said: ‘The Scottish Government’s Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund provides an incredibly powerful platform for Scotland and its artists, thinkers and companies to be showcased to the world at Edinburgh’s Festivals.

“As a direct result, not only have hundreds of performances and events of the best Scottish work been presented as highlights in our prestigious Festival programmes; many have also been taken to other venues and festivals around the world and new networks and opportunities have been delivered for Scotland’s artists and thinkers.”

All twelve of Festival Edinburgh’s members benefit from the Expo Fund. The funded projects develop the creative industries at home and showcase Scottish talent abroad. The projects included in this round of funding are:

‘A Bollywood Love Story’, a collaboration between the Edinburgh Mela and The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. A forty-minute, full length show in the Bollywood tradition will be created for the Mela Festival. Key aspects of the show will also be presented as part of this year’s Edinburgh Tattoo in August.
The Edinburgh International Film Festival Short Film Challenge will profile new Scottish filmmakers from across the country and the EIFF Talent Lab and Animation Lab will work with emerging feature film writers, directors and producers during the 2015 Festival.
The Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival will use the funding to create new works by Scottish musicians and opportunities for them to perform internationally.
The Edinburgh International Festival will premiere a new stage adaptation of a classic Scottish novel with a leading Scottish theatre in 2015.
Expo Funding supports Edinburgh Art Festival’s commitment to opening up new and unexpected places across the city through its annual, city-wide commissions programme, providing a platform for leading and emerging Scottish artists to make ambitious publicly-sited work.
How a multilingual society influences literature in Scotland and elsewhere and how language and identity shapes the writers that Scotland produces will be examined in a dedicated strand for Edinburgh International Book Festival.
The Mela World Dance Feste continues this year as a platform for diverse arts within Scotland and will work alongside ‘A Bollywood Love Story’
Expo Funding makes the Made in Scotland Showcase, part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, possible.
The fund has already supported Scot_Lands during the 2015 Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations earlier this year.
Expo Funding will support, live and digital works as part of the Scottish International Storytelling Festival will bring some of Scotland’s oldest cultural resource to international audiences with explorations of global issues.
In celebration of Scotland’s year of Innovation, Architecture and Design in 2016, the Edinburgh International Science Festival will launch a major new programme that will combine a cutting-edge technology showcase with an innovative series of associated events for teenagers.
Imaginate Platforms will be a celebration and showcase of Scottish-based artists who consistently create work of a world class standard for children and young people.

Festivals Edinburgh receives £250,000 to continue to promote and position Edinburgh as the world’s leading festival city.

Since 2008 the Scottish Government Expo Fund has provided a legacy of important new work. This includes writing by Don Paterson, Ali Smith and James Robertson to installations by artists Callum Innes and Martin Creed at Regent Bridge and the Scotsman Steps as well as science installations and ambitious new performing arts commissions that have gone on to tour around the world.

That funding in full:

Funding (2015/16)

Edinburgh Art Festival	£150,000
Edinburgh International Book Festival	£110,000
Edinburgh International Film Festival	£115,000
Edinburgh Festival Fringe/Made in Scotland	£590,000
Imaginate	£89,700
Edinburgh International Festival (EIF)	£200,000
Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival	£110,000
Edinburgh Mela	£80,000
Edinburgh International Science Festival	£100,000
Scottish Storytelling Festival	£95,300
Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo & Edinburgh Mela	£160,000
Hogmanay Festival	£200,000
TOTAL	£2,000,000

Money well spent? Is the government right to support arts and culture to this extent when so many public services are under severe pressure? Or do you think our festivals are a key element in Edinburgh’s quality of life and deserve to be supported?

Let us know!

Laing’s jewellery robbery: arrests made

Two in court on Monday – watches still missing

A 24-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the armed robbery which took place at Laing the Jewellers in Frederick Street on Monday morning.

The man is in custody after police carried out a search of a property in Chesser Grove on Thursday.

Officers also recovered a significant quantity of heroin with a street value of about £47,000, two firearms, ammunition and a quantity of cash during the raid.

A second man, 26, who is not believed to have been involved in the armed robbery, was arrested at the property for firearms and drug-related offences.

Both men are now due to appear in Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Monday.

A man and woman from Easter Drylaw were detained by police in connection with the incident on Tuesday but were subsequently released without charge.

Police Scotland’s Detective Inspector Grant Johnston said: “Following an investigation officers have arrested and charged a 24-year-old man in connection with an armed robbery at Laing the Jeweller. As part of our inquiries we also recovered a quantity of drugs and firearms, and a second male has been arrested for these offences.

“I would also add that police are still attempting to trace the Rolex watches that were stolen from the jewellers and I would ask anyone who can provide information on their whereabouts to call us immediately.”

If you have any information call Police Scotland on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111

A sporting chance for Victoria Park?

New basketball court and upgraded tennis courts in Victoria Park could be ready by in time for school summer holidays

Under-used outdoor sports facilities could soon be brought back into play if funding for upgrades to pitch facilities and new courts in Trinity, Sighthill and Queensferry is agreed by councillors next week.

Members will be asked to agree investment of £130,000 into pre-existing rugby and football facilities and new tennis and basketball courts at Tuesday’s Culture & Sport Committee meeting.

The Sport Partnership Projects: capital contributions by Culture and Sport report has outlined a funding package designed to boost participation in outdoor sport in the Capital.

Under the proposals, Councillors will be asked to allocate £50,000 as the Council works in partnership with Scottish Rugby and Edinburgh Napier University to locate the BT Sport Scottish Rugby Academy in Sighthill.

The project will enable a stream of selected young players to follow their performance pathway, alongside hosting rugby skills camps through contacts with local schools. The changing pavilion in Sighthill Park will be upgraded as part of the works being undertaken for the Academy, and Edinburgh Leisure will continue to manage the bookings for the pitches which will remain accessible to local people and clubs.

Councillor Richard Lewis, Culture & Sport Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “We have a range of outdoor courts and pitches in Edinburgh but some sites are being better used than others. By upgrading and adding to the facilities we already have, we will hope to inspire more people to get into outdoor sport and physical activity.

“The BT Sport Scottish Rugby Academy will support young and aspiring rugby players as they develop their skills and aim to reach their full potential, whether at a club or professional level, but we are also conscious of the needs of local pitch users. In Sighthill Park we have five football pitches but they are being under-used. By partnering with the University, we could offer a new home for Napier’s pitch sports teams, while also offering better facilities for local users, schools and community groups.”

The Council will also be asked to provide £10,000 to complete the re-instatement of two tennis courts and creation of a new basketball court in Victoria Park, to be opened in time for the school summer break with free taster sessions. The rest of the cost is being met by the North Edinburgh Partnership and sportscotland.

Under a Section 75 Agreement with developers of the former Agilent site in Queensferry, £70,000 is available to the Council to be reinvested in local sports facilities in the area. Councillors will consider using the funding to convert grass football pitches into all-weather 3G pitches which can accommodate rugby as well as football training.

To find out what Councillors decide, watch the meeting webcast live from 10am on Tuesday (10 March).