A raft of leading Scottish charities have joined forces to urge the Westminster government to rethink plans for the full rollout of Universal Credit from October. They argue that the introduction of the new benefit has already caused real hardship for thousands of claimants and say problems must be addressed before many more vulnerable people are thrown into poverty when the full roll-out takes place. Continue reading Charities urge Westminster: call a halt to Universal Credit
A whirlwind tour of advances in science and engineering is to highlight just how far we have come since John Napier devised his calculating bones and changed mathematics forever. Professor Jim Al-Khalili (above) is heading north to take an Edinburgh audience on a journey through the cutting-edge developments which will change the way we live. Continue reading The shape of things to come: from Napier’s bones to future science
Saturday 2 September, 10.30am
Granton Youth Centre, West Granton Road
With Edinburgh and the Borders set to host Stage One of the OVO Energy Tour of Britain, which takes place from the 3rd-10th September, take the time plan your vantage point. Tomorrow, riders will head from Edinburgh’s Royal Mile through East Lothian and into the Scottish Borders with the finish in Kelso.
Continue reading Pick your vantage point for tomorrow’s Grand Depart
Residents and business-people from across Edinburgh and beyond are invited to come together for a special evening of food, drink and live music to raise money and awareness for local charities Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity, Kindred, and the Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH). Pop-up venue Festival Village: Waverley, located on the roof of Waverley Mall, is hosting the charity event supported by AIB (GB) on Tuesday 5thSeptember from 5pm. Continue reading Charity fundraising event at Festival Village
Continue reading Western General Macmillan nurse receives British Empire Medal
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe closed its doors on Saturday having had the most popular run in the event’s 70-year history. Today, new research has revealed the power of the Fringe’s laughter levels. The analysis, carried out by Scottish Gas, discovered that the energy generated from laughter at this year’s festival would power the average home in Edinburgh for nearly six days!
Statistically, the average person burns 100 calories if they laugh for an hour, and this year the Fringe featured 21,292 performances focused solely on comedy. Using data from smart meters, Scottish Gas has also worked out that 2017 Fringe laughter would produce enough energy to power:
Scottish Gas also calculated that the laughter would power:
A lifetime of LOLs
With the Fringe marking its 70th birthday this year, Scottish Gas analysed the power of a Lifetime of LOL (Laughing out Loud). They found that if the current population of Edinburgh laughed for an hour a day for 70 years, it would produce enough energy to power a home in Edinburgh for nearly two years.
Scottish Smart Energy Expert, Stephen Cosgrove, who installs smart meters across Edinburgh for Scottish Gas, said: “Everyone enjoys a good laugh, but it’s interesting to imagine how our chuckles and chortles could power a home!
“I’m sure monitoring your energy use will be the last thing on your mind when you’re out having fun. But simple steps – such as switching appliances off at the wall rather leaving them on stand-by before you go out – can help keep energy use in check.
“Having smart meters installed for free can help too. They automatically send meter readings to your energy supplier so you don’t have to. And they come with a smart energy monitor that shows you how much energy is being used and how much is being spent, in pounds and pence, in near real time.”
Scottish Gas has installed more than 30,000 smart meters in homes across Edinburgh. To find out more visit www.scottishgas.co.uk/smart
Brock welcomes rethink on Registry Office closure – but says the fight isn’t over yet
Deidre Brock MP has hailed “victory for the Leithers” over news that Edinburgh Council has backed down over its plans to close Leith Registrars Office, putting them on hold until a public consultation has been held. A petition to save the Registrar gathered 4000 signatures in just a couple of days, showing the massive support from Leithers for the service. Continue reading Persevere: Victory for Leithers as Registrar’s stays open!
Continue reading September’s garden plant of the month: cushion chrysanthemum
Police are appealing for help to trace four males involved in the theft of a grey bicycle in Corstorphine. The incident took place on Monday at around 3.40pm in the Glasgow Road/Gyle Park area. Continue reading Police appeal following Corstorphine assault and robbery
