Edinburgh Climate Festival next Saturday

After two successful events, the third Edinburgh Climate Festival aims to be even bigger and better. Community-led organisations from across Edinburgh and surrounding areas invite the public to join them on Saturday 17th March (11am – 4pm) in Out of the Blue for the Climate Festival as part of Zero Waste Scotland’s #PassItOnWeek. Continue reading Edinburgh Climate Festival next Saturday

From South Africa to Scotland: Stowaway frog clocks up the air miles!

The Scottish SPCA is caring for a suspected tree frog who bag-hopped his way over to Scotland from South Africa in a suitcase earlier in the week. Continue reading From South Africa to Scotland: Stowaway frog clocks up the air miles!

A poem for Mother’s Day

LUCOZADE

My mum is on a high bed next to sad chrysanthemums.
‘Don’t bring flowers, they only wilt and die.’
I am scared my mum is going to die
on the bed next to the sad chrysanthemums.

She nods off and her eyes go back in her head.
Next to her bed is a bottle of Lucozade.
‘Orange nostalgia, that’s what that is,’ she says.
‘Don’t bring Lucozade either,’ then fades.

‘The whole day was a blur, a swarm of eyes.
Those doctors with their white lies.
Did you think you could cheer me up with a Woman’s Own?
Don’t bring magazines, too much about size.’

My mum wakes up, groggy and low.
‘What I want to know,’ she says,’ is this:
where’s the big brandy, the generous gin, the Bloody Mary,
the biscuit tin, the chocolate gingers, the dirty big meringue?’

I am sixteen; I’ve never tasted a Bloody Mary.
‘Tell your father to bring a luxury,’ says she.
‘Grapes have no imagination, they’re just green.
Tell him: stop the neighbours coming.’

I clear her cupboard in Ward 10B, Stobhill Hospital.
I leave, bags full, Lucozade, grapes, oranges,
sad chrysanthemums under my arms,
weighted down. I turn round, wave with her flowers.

My mother, on her high hospital bed, waves back.
Her face is light and radiant, dandelion hours.
Her sheets billow and whirl. She is beautiful. 
Next to her the empty table is divine.

I carry the orange nostalgia home singing an old song.

Jackie Kay

Ama-zing Anniversary!

MONDAY 26th MARCH, 6pm

West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre

Clock Ticking to Decode Scotland’s Digital Will Timebomb

SCOTS are leaving their loved ones open to distress and hassle by overlooking their online lives in their will, according to both legal and cyber security experts. Continue reading Clock Ticking to Decode Scotland’s Digital Will Timebomb

Strengthening cyber resilience

New action plan puts cyber-skills at the heart of learning and development

Widening awareness of cyber resilience and developing a strong pool of talent skilled in cyber security will be at heart of improving resilience to online and digital threats.

The Cyber Resilience Learning and Skills Action Plan includes key actions for education, business and the public sector to strengthen and further embed understanding of the need for cyber-security.

The aims of the action plan are to:

Increase cyber resilience through awareness raising and engagement
Explicitly embed cyber resilience throughout education and lifelong learning system
Increase cyber resilience at work
Develop the cyber security workforce to ensure that skills supply meets demand and professionals can find rewarding employment in Scotland.

The action plan was launched by Economy Secretary Keith Brown while meeting BT apprentices in Edinburgh as part of Scottish Apprenticeship Week 2018. He said: “This plan is a blueprint for the Scottish Government and all its partners across the public and private sectors to work together to enhance our wider understanding of cyber security.

“We want to see people across Scotland, whether in early years, school, college or the workplace, get greater opportunities to develop the skills needed to be safe and resilient in their online lives.

“The plan also sets out how we can ensure we have a strong pool of professionals able to secure our businesses, charities and public services against current and future threats, and who can develop innovative goods and services for the rest of the world.

“Supporting the development of these specialist skills will be vital to the success of other activity on cyber resilience as well as our forthcoming plan to help us to take advantage of the economic opportunities presented by our work on cyber security.”

Brendan Dick, BT Scotland director, said: “As one of the biggest dedicated cyber security practices in the world we’re pleased to host the launch of this action plan which will help to bolster the cyber security profession in Scotland. We’re proud to be one of the first employers of cyber security apprentices in Scotland, with around 20 in Edinburgh, and more broadly we have 320 apprentices across Scotland.

“Apprentices are important to our business in providing new talent and fresh ideas. Last year we became the first-ever employer in Scotland to be awarded the highest possible marks in a review of our Modern Apprenticeship scheme by HM Inspectors.

“We’re supporting the development of digital skills for young people through our partnerships with Young Engineers and Science Clubs and Digital Xtra Fund, as well as the Barefoot Computing initiative to boost tech literacy. We urge young people to consider careers in the fast growing cyber security sector.”

SDS Director of Industry and Enterprise Networks, Gordon McGuinness, said: “We welcome the launch of the Cyber Resilience Learning and Skills Action Plan and fully support raising the awareness of cyber resilience in our schools, workplaces and beyond.

“Cyber skills are a key focus for Skills Development Scotland. We launched our Cyber Skills Programme in 2017 which is an initiative encouraging school pupils to choose fighting cybercrime as a career choice.

“Through a series of collaborative events with industry, school pupils have been able to learn more about cyber security and the many exciting career opportunities that are available in this industry.”

cyber plan

Full speed ahead for Martina’s low-carbon dream!

Edinburgh Napier graduate on fast track to success after funding boost

An Edinburgh Napier graduate is paving the way for low-carbon innovation after being accepted into a prestigious Europe-wide programme. Martina Zupan, who studied product design at the University before setting up her own business aimed at reducing plastic pollution, was delighted to discover her start-up made it on to the Climate-KIC Accelerator scheme. Continue reading Full speed ahead for Martina’s low-carbon dream!

Early engagement: GRAHAM Construction builds rapport with primary students

GRAHAM Construction has teamed up with St John’s Primary School in a bid to encourage more children to consider construction as a future career option, as part of Scottish Apprenticeship Week. Continue reading Early engagement: GRAHAM Construction builds rapport with primary students