There will be biscuits, cakes and tea by the pot this August as Cats Protection’s Pawsome Afternoon Tea returns to raise cash for needy kitties near you.
The popular fundraising celebration provides cat-lovers with the opportunity to host an afternoon tea in a style of their choosing to raise money for the Cats Protection centre or volunteer-run branch of their choice.
This year’s tea will take place throughout August to enable people to meet outdoors or indoors if they wish, while following the latest government guidelines.
Abi Young, organiser of Cats Protection’s Pawsome Afternoon Tea, explains: “You could hold a tea party at home, a bake sale for your office, or enjoy a picnic outdoors – the choice is yours.
“We have some great tutorials online if you’d like to bake your own cat-shaped treats but whether you bake or buy your delicious goodies to share, every slice you sell helps give down-on-their-luck moggies a second chance.
“Each penny donated makes a big difference, for example £20 raised will feed four cats in care for 25 days, £50 will provide eight tiny kittens with milk for 14 days or £110 will pay for an x-ray for an injured cat. Our branches and centres couldn’t help unwanted cats and kittens without the kindness of our wonderful supporters baking and brewing to keep them on their paws.”
Videos showing how to make a variety of kitty bakes can be found here:
To find more information about your nearest Cats Protection branch or centre visit www.cats.org.uk/find-us and to take part in this year’s Pawsome Afternoon Tea you can register your tea at www.pawsometea.org and receive top-tips as well as a party pack filled with everything you need to ensure your sale is a great success.
Safety advice to prevent avoidable fires in the Scottish countryside is being pitched at campers this summer.
Warmer weather and the increased numbers of people visiting the countryside as pandemic restrictions ease create a greater risk of fire.
Not using candles in tents or never leaving camp fires unattended are just some of the tips being highlighted for a safer summer.
The advice comes as new data shows the number of grass fires more than doubled in some parts of Scotland last summer, such as Aberdeenshire & Moray and Highland – see table below.
A nationwide increase of nine percent was recorded, with incidents going up across Argyll & Bute, East and West Dunbartonshire, East Lothian, Midlothian and Scottish Borders, Edinburgh City, Stirling, Clackmannanshire and Fife, as well as Aberdeen City.
Between June 22 and August 24, 2020, fires affecting grassland, woodland and crops went up from 656 total incidents in 2019 to 712 in 2020.
Many outdoor fires are started deliberately or are due to careless or irresponsible behaviour.
Deputy Assistant Chief Officer Alasdair Perry, SFRS Head of Prevention and Protection, said: “We want people to enjoy spending time outdoors, but it’s important to create a safe environment for you, your loved-ones and the surrounding environment because even small fires have the potential to turn into a wildfire.
“Before lighting any outdoor fires, check for any restrictions or permissions required by the landowner and make sure you use a fire safe pit or container that can be properly extinguished before you leave.
“The vast majority of us wish to keep our country beautiful, but litter can seriously injure wildlife and items such as glass bottles in strong sunlight have the potential to start a fire. Remember to keep your area tidy and always clear up when done.”
There are also other dangers associated with camping as DACO Perry continued:
“Be aware that fire destroys tents very quickly, so use torches instead of candles.
“Never take a portable or disposable barbeque inside a tent to cook or to use as a heat source because Carbon Monoxide is also a potential risk.
“And gas barbeques should also be used in a well-ventilated area.”
Those choosing to go away in caravans for a staycation are also being reminded to have a working smoke alarm fitted.
A fire in a caravan or mobile home spreads much more quickly than it would in a house or flat and there are on average almost 100 caravan fires in Scotland every year.
Summer also brings with it the temptation to swim outdoors, but lochs, rivers and reservoirs also pose a risk to those enjoying nature.
Cold water shock can leave people gasping for breath and it’s potentially fatal. Therefore, the advice is to avoid unsupervised waterways.
Don’t forget – if you’re leaving your home for an extended period of time this summer, remember to switch off electrical appliances before you set off.
All grassland, woodland and crop fires:
LSO Area
24/06/2019 to 26/08/2019
22/06/2020 to 24/08/2020
Aberdeen City
23
27
Aberdeenshire, Moray
27
65
Angus,Dundee City, Perth & Kinross
55
55
Argyll & Bute, East Dunbartonshire, West Dunbartonshire
13
22
Dumfries & Galloway
15
8
East Ayrshire, North Ayrshire, South Ayrshire
77
56
East Lothian,Midlothian, Scottish Borders
42
46
East Renfrewshire, Inverclyde, Renfrewshire
38
30
Edinburgh City
59
82
Falkirk, West Lothian
81
74
Glasgow City
54
52
Highland
32
65
Na h-Eileanan Siar, Orkney Islands, Shetland Islands
Over a decade of inspiring community climate action is being celebrated by environmental charity, Keep Scotland Beautiful, as it launches a report and film to celebrate the people, the projects, and the impact of the Climate Challenge Fund across Scotland.
In 2008, Keep Scotland Beautiful opened the Scottish Government’s Climate Challenge Fund (CCF) to applicants for the first time and since then over 1,150 diverse projects spanning every single local authority area in Scotland have been awarded CCF grants to take action on climate change locally. Total CCF funding exceeds £111 million.
Since then, Keep Scotland Beautiful has been at the forefront of community climate action, supporting CCF funded groups, and working with communities across Scotland to build capacity to tackle climate change.
Although focusing on projects funded over the last four years, the report also shares learning from 12 years of Keep Scotland Beautiful managing the CCF.
The report is complemented by a newly launched film which celebrates the impact of the CCF – capturing the thoughts and feelings of community members working on grassroots CCF projects and a variety of partners from the wider CCF community.
Stories of success feature prominently in the report and demonstrate how CCF projects have provided valuable support to help communities cut carbon emissions through reducing their reliance on car travel, tackling waste, growing local food and using energy more efficiently in homes and community buildings.
It also explains how, in addition to the carbon benefits, the CCF has driven community cohesion, knowledge sharing and fostered a Scotland wide peer-led movement where people have introduced their fellow citizens to more sustainable, healthy and often more economical ways of living – building broad public support for ambitious national action on climate change.
The contribution volunteers have made to successful CCF projects cannot be underestimated and the report shares inspiring personal stories of how these local volunteers have helped tackle carbon, strengthen their communities and play an invaluable part in the response to the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.
From 1 July 2021 communities and groups in receipt of a CCF grant will receive support directly from the Scottish Government.
As we hand over the baton, KSB CEO Barry Fisher said: “We’ve been privileged to have managed and developed the CCF on behalf of the Scottish Government for over a decade.
“We’d like to thank all those who have been integral to the success of this ground-breaking fund – the CCF Grant Panel members over the years, our partners, our employees, and most importantly, the CCF communities and people who make them. Without these passionate, inspiring and committed people working tirelessly across Scotland to reduce their impact on the climate CCF would never have been able to generate the legacy that it has.
“We will continue to facilitate and support communities to take climate action, in particular working to realise our ambition of a climate literate country. And as COP26 comes to Glasgow this year, we look forward with hope and ambition.”
Net Zero Secretary Michael Matheson said:“The Climate Challenge Fund has supported many hundreds of communities across the country to take climate action, providing the tools, guidance and resources to inspire thousands of people to learn more about climate change, help reduce emissions and become more climate resilient.
“I am grateful to Keep Scotland Beautiful for the pivotal role it has played in making the Fund such a success. I have no doubt that KSB will continue to drive positive change and help us all achieve a greener, more sustainable future with COP26 as a catalyst for further action.
“The Scottish Government will continue to empower communities to play a leading role in our just transition to net zero, including through new networks of community climate action hubs and Climate Action Towns.
“If we all play our part, Scotland can show the rest of the world how it’s done – and ensure our people and communities are at the forefront of the transition.“
View the full report and film on the CCF website at:
SP Energy Networks sets out plans to invest £1.58 billion in Central and Southern Scotland between 2023 and 2028
Investment is critical to the UK hitting its Net Zero targets, with the UK set to see circa 30 million EVs hit the streets and 22 million heat pumps installed in homes by 2050.
Critical upgrades will be required to connect an additional 3GW of renewable generation as Scotland revolutionises transport and heating infrastructure at speed.
Proposals include £30m Net Zero Fund to support innovative, low carbon community projects across SP Energy Network’s licence areas.
SP Energy Networks has today launched its draft RIIO-ED2 Business Plan, detailing the £3.2 billion of investment required to ready the UK for an electric future, of which £1.58bn would be in Central and Southern Scotland’s distribution network.
The work will kick-start the much-needed growth in low carbon technologies required to reach the Scotland’s climate ambitions. Across Central and Southern Scotland, the investment would enable the connection of over 370,000 electric vehicles, 210,000 domestic heat pumps and an additional 3GW of low carbon electricity generation connected during the five-year period.
To help deliver this mammoth task, SP Energy Networks plans to recruit more than 1,100 green jobs across its licence areas (Central and Southern Scotland and Merseyside, Cheshire, North & Mid-Wales and North Shropshire), with thousands more indirect jobs supported over the five years.
Frank Mitchell, CEO of SP Energy Networks, said:“The scale of the task at hand cannot be underestimated. If the Scotland is to hit its Net Zero targets, we must deliver one of the largest, fastest upgrades of our critical infrastructure this country has ever seen.
“In RIIO-ED2, we need to respond to our customers’ changing needs as we move towards Net Zero. We’ve set out our plans to continue delivering exceptional service, supporting our most vulnerable customers, and taking on a more proactive role in our communities.
“Our customers already rate us at over 9 out of 10 for satisfaction and we plan on going even further. We will be a partner that supports their journey to Net Zero, bridging the gap from ambition to action to make sure that we leave no-one behind in the energy transition.”
At the heart of SP Energy Networks planned investment across its licence area is:
developing a network that’s ready for Net Zero by continuing to adapt the world-class network to be more resilient and more reliable, using innovative, flexible, and efficient solutions. Innovation and efficiency embedded in the plan will save £173m for customers.
being the trusted partner for customers, communities, and stakeholders by engaging more with customers and communities, supporting them by offering enhanced and tailored services, and going further for vulnerable customers. A proposed £30 million Distribution Net Zero fund will support innovative, low-carbon project proposals to enable communities to realise their ambitions, and £62.5 million of social benefits will be delivered through the provision of support services to more customers than ever before.
readying the business for a digital and sustainable future by embedding new digital approaches, innovation, and process redesign to save customers more than £60 million and by putting sustainability first in order to reduce our carbon footprint by 38% by 2028.
Frank Mitchell explains:“When the current infrastructure was built, homes used gas or solid fuel for heating with only twenty appliances running on electricity – compared to more than fifty now.
“Over the next two decades, we expect to see that demand rise significantly, as millions more electric vehicles and heating systems come online.
“Our network has served us well over the last fifty years. Now is the time to invest so it stands ready to continue that service in a truly decarbonised future.”
SP Energy Networks has engaged with over 15,000 customers and stakeholders on the Business Plan and will continue to engage and consult ahead of the submission of the final plan in December 2021.
A renewed appeal has been made to trace the movements of a vehicle believed to be linked to an attempted murder in West Pilton.
Detectives in Edinburgh have renewed an appeal for information as enquiries continue into the attempted murder of a man in North Edinburgh.
The 34-year-old man was found seriously injured in a common stairwell at West Pilton Grove around 5pm on Friday, 18 June.
He was taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh for treatment.
Extensive enquiries are ongoing and officers are particularly keen to identify the movements of a dark blue Volkswagen Golf GTI which is believed to be linked to the incident and was later found on fire in the city later on the Friday evening.
Detective Inspector Alison MacDonald said: “We would be particularly keen to speak to anyone who may have seen the vehicle in the Granton, Newhaven or Drylaw areas leading up to Friday, 18 June.
“Enquiries have established the car was driven in those areas leading up to that date, as well as in Gorgie and Sheriffhall, before it was later found burnt out near Shawfair Railway Station.
A dark blue Volkswagen Golf GTI was seen driving at speed in the Drylaw area before the incident and a similar vehicle was then seen being driven erratically Sheriffhall Roundabout around 5.30pm on Friday 18 June.
“It is possible that the vehicle may have been parked up in one of those areas prior to the incident. If you believe you may have seen the car in the lead-up to Friday, 18 June but have not seen it since then please get in touch.
“Extensive enquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding this incident and anyone with any information can call 101, quoting incident 2690 of 18 June or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”
NHBC, the UK’s leading new homes warranty and insurance provider, has announced a number of site managers from Edinburgh as winners in the first round of its flagship competition to determine the very best site managers in the UK.
The competition recognises site managers who have achieved the very highest standards in house building with the awards being the most prestigious of their kind in the sector.
The winners in Edinburgh are:
Ewan MacLean of Barratt and David Wilson Homes East Scotland for Cammo Meadows in Edinburgh (above)
Barrie Mitchell of Barratt and David Wilson Homes East Scotland for Heritage Grange in Edinburgh.
Colin Scott of Barratt and David Wilson Homes East Scotland for The Strand @ Portobello in Edinburgh.
Mark Foley of CALA Evans Restoration Limited for The Crescent in Edinburgh.
Ian Welsh of CALA Homes East Ltd for Waterfront Plaza in Edinburgh.
Jim Martin of Miller Homes Scotland East for Edgelaw in Edinburgh.
From a field of more than 10,000, 450 site managers have won a Quality Award in the first round of NHBC’s Pride in the Job Awards 2021. This represents the top 5% of those who entered and is testament to their commitment to deliver quality homes for their customers.
Pride in the Job, first launched over forty years ago, is the most highly regarded competition in the house-building industry. Judging for the Awards is rigorous, with the current competition beginning in July 2020 and each site manager assessed across six key areas: consistency, attention to detail, leadership, interpretation of drawings and specifications, technical expertise, and health and safety.
Pride in the Job is at the heart of NHBC’s core purpose to support the delivery of high-quality new homes. By recognising the very best site managers across the UK, the competition celebrates the vital role that site managers play in ensuring new homes are delivered on time, on safe sites and to exacting construction quality standards.
The competition is fully inclusive and representative of the UK house-building industry with three categories for different sized businesses: small, medium and large, with a separate multi-storey category.
The Quality Award winners will go on to compete for Seal of Excellence and Regional Awards in the autumn, with the national, Supreme Award winners unveiled in January 2022.
Commenting on the Awards, NHBC Chief Executive Steve Wood said:“Pride in the Job has been pivotal in improving the quality of new homes for more than 40 years. Despite the numerous challenges the industry has faced, the very best site managers of 2021 have remained focused on delivering high quality new homes for their customers.
“At NHBC we are very proud of Pride in the Job, what it stands for and the impact it has across the sector. Pride in the Job winning sites have higher levels of homeowner satisfaction as these homes are among the very best in the country.
“Congratulations to all our 2021 Pride in the Job Quality Award winners in Edinburgh – be proud of what you are building and the standards you are setting.”
Barratt East Scotland site managers named as best in the country for quality
– Five David Wilson Homes and Barratt Homes site managers in the region win awards
– Barratt Developments wins more ‘Pride in the Job’ Quality awards than any other housebuilder, with 14 awards in Scotland alone
Five site managers from Barratt East Scotland have won a top national award for the quality of the homes they are building.
Known as the “Oscars of the housebuilding industry”, the National House Building Council (NHBC) Pride in The Job Quality awards recognise the finest site managers from around the country.
In total, site managers from Barratt Developments won 93 ‘Pride in the Job’ Quality awards this year. In Scotland, the housebuilder scooped 14 awards. This is the 17th year in a row that Barratt has won more Pride in the Job Quality awards than any other housebuilder, showing its long-term commitment to building high quality homes.
These awards, now in their 41st year, rate site managers against key criteria such as technical expertise, health and safety, consistency, leadership and attention to detail. The awards celebrate the vital role site managers play in ensuring new homes are delivered on-time, on safe sites, and to the highest quality standards.
Every site manager that is registered with the NHBC is automatically entered into the awards, with just 450 winners being selected from 11,000 entrants, showing how difficult they are to win.
These awards come off the back of a Barratt site manager being crowned the overall winner in last year’s awards. Kirk Raine, senior site manager, won the supreme award, the fifth time in the last six years that a Barratt site manager has won the top prize.
Alison Condie, managing director for Barratt East Scotland, said:“These awards showcase only the best new homes and well-run sites.
“By winning so many awards, it demonstrates that we are building some of the highest quality homes in the country. It also shows the long-term commitment we have to looking after our customers and making them happy. No other housebuilder can match our record at the NHBC Pride in the Job Quality awards.”
These awards closely follow Barratt Developments being awarded 5 stars by its customers for satisfaction in the annual Home Builders Federation (HBF) new homes survey.
To be rated five star means that more than 90% of its customers would recommend one of its homes to a friend, with Barratt being the only major national housebuilder to be rated five star for 12 years in a row.
CALA HOMES: BUILDING WITH PRIDE
SITE MANAGERS RECOGNISED AS TWO OF THE COUNTRY’S BEST FOR 2021
TWO CALA Edinburgh site managers have received UK-wide recognition for their excellent professional standards and positive contributions to the construction industry.
Mark Foley, site manager for CALA Homes at The Crescent at Donaldson’s and Ian Welsh, site manager for CALA Homes Waterfront Plaza, are celebrating after receiving a prestigious industry award from the National Home Building Council (NHBC).
Mark and Ian have been recognised in the 2021 Pride in the Job Quality Awards for their contribution to creating homes of the highest quality and showcasing best practice, joining an impressive 16 site managers from across the CALA Group to receive the coveted accolade.
The Pride in the Job Awards has been running for more than four decades and is one of the highest industry accolades a site manager can receive.
More than 11,000 site managers across the UK were assessed this year, with only 450 winners selected, putting those awarded in the industry’s top four per cent who demonstrate the passion, commitment and leadership to deliver new homes to the highest possible standards.
Mark and Ian will now go through to the next stage of the competition, the Seal of Excellence, which will be announced later this year.
Craig Lynes, Managing Director with CALA Homes (East) comments: “The Pride in the Job Awards recognise site managers who, along with their teams and sub-contractors deliver excellence for our customers every day.
“It is our teams on the ground who bring our homes to life, ensuring the vision for each development is delivered on time, safely and to the highest quality standards.
“Over the past year, more than any other, site managers have had to overcome unprecedented challenges, but the commitment from Mark, Ian and their teams to deliver the highest quality standards have been unwavering. We wish teams at The Crescent and Waterfront Plaza all the best of luck as the awards progress on to the next stage.”
As well as undergoing spot checks of the day-to-day running of their site, each site manager is assessed across 37 different areas of site management, including technical knowledge, quality and consistency.
Mark, who is CALA’s most decorated project manager with 15 Pride in the Job awards, alongside 10 Seal of Excellences, three regional awards and one supreme award, said: “To secure the Pride in the Job accolade is a real honour.
“Knowing that our team at The Crescent has achieved this following stringent site inspections is testament to their hard work and professionalism.”
Ian added: “Knowing how diligently the team at Waterfront Plaza have worked from the outset of the project, it’s great to see our efforts rewarded in such a fitting way. We are all very proud.”
A cutting-edge interpretation of Georgian architecture, with 18 acres of landscaped gardens and grounds, prices at The Crescent range from £595,000 to £1,750,000, with a range of one, two and three-bedroom apartments, duplexes and penthouses available.
Launched in summer 2019, Waterfront Plaza is CALA’s latest brownfield regeneration project.
After the sell-out success of the first release colony apartments, Waterfront Plaza currently features 2 & 3 bedroom apartments & 4 bedroom townhouses ranging from £295,000 to £520,000.
Nine Edinburgh-based projects are sharing over £145,000 Scottish Government and National Lottery funds through Creative Scotland in the latest round of Open Fund awards.
A digital drag show from Edinburgh drag queen, Mystika Glamoor; an exciting wave of music making focused on the arrival of COP26 on our shores from Oi Musica; a new writer mentoring programme from Wildfire Theatre;and new music from traditional music ensemble, The Whistlebinkies are among 45 projects across the country to be awarded over £732,000 last month.
These funds are supporting a diverse range creative people, projects and organisations across Scotland to adapt and respond to the current changing circumstances brought about by Covid-19 and helping to sustain creative development at this challenging time.
Featuring a variety of experimental local drag performers and LGBT+ performance art, GLAMOOR, THE KWEER KABARET which originated at Edinburgh’s The Street bar is moving online.
Oskar Kirk Hansen, who will be hosting as his alter ego Mystika Glamoor, said: “This funding from Creative Scotland allows me to support myself as a full-time artist, and most importantly to give back to the wider community of LGBT artists in the line-ups of my shows throughout the rest of the year.
“I truly hope this is part of a turning point in Scottish drag that will make our community stand up for what it’s worth, so we can truly start to see ourselves as professionals.”
Building on work in 2020 with musicians including Karine Polwart and Heather Macleod, Let it Grow is a new musical response to COP26 from Edinburgh-based artist-led music organisation Oi Musica.
Oli Furness, Co-Director of Oi Musica said: “We are particularly excited about supporting youth creativity, about building connections across communities and creating a focus for grassroots and lifelong learning projects as they emerge from lockdowns and COVID restrictions.”
New Voices from Wildfire Theatre is a digital project that will see the professional performance of up to ten pieces of new writing from new writers who will receive professional mentoring.
Director Pauline Lockhart says: “This project will encourage untapped creativity and provide an exciting outlet for that talent.
“It’s imperative that we give opportunity to these new voices and I’m really excited about the talent this project might uncover!”
Unlocking John Cage’s Scottish Circus will see the world-premiere release in audio and video of American composer John Cage’s 1990 work Scottish Circus featuring the musicians of The Whistlebinkies for whom it was written.
Whistlebinkies’ fiddle and concertina player Stuart Eydmann says: “It was an honour for the Whistlebinkies, and for Scottish music, when the distinguished 20th-century American composer John Cage created the work featured in this world-premiere DVD recording.”
Iain Munro, CEO, Creative Scotlandsaid: “We are committed to supporting a diverse mix of artists and creative groups through the Open Fund, in communities throughout Scotland.
“Many of the projects supported will spark a timely discussion over issues such as climate change, as well as a commitment to greater inclusion of underrepresented groups in the arts.
“Thanks to the generosity of National Lottery players, who raise £30 million for good causes across the UK every week, and funding from the Scottish Government, these awards play an important part in enriching the lives of people throughout Scotland.”
New TUC analysis shows employment in hard-hit sectors is struggling to recover from the pandemic
Government should delay hiking up business contributions while Covid restrictions are in place – and extend furlough for as long as necessary
Many employers are using furlough flexibly to support a gradual return to business as usual, says TUC
The TUC has warned ministers not to “pull the plug” on the UK’s economic recovery by cutting off support for businesses and workers too soon.
The warning comes as new TUC analysis reveals that employment in hard-hit sectors is struggling to recover from the pandemic.
The analysis shows that just 1 in 8 (110,000) of the 790,000 jobs lost across manufacturing, retail, hospitality and the arts during Covid have been recovered.
By contrast, nearly all the jobs lost in business services and administration – which saw a 220,000 fall in employment – have been recovered.
The union body says ministers must provide ongoing, targeted support for at-risk industries and halt plans to increase furlough contributions for employers while Covid restrictions remain in place.
The analysis also reveals that 6 in 10 workers currently on furlough are working in manufacturing, retail, hospitality and the arts – sectors hit hard by the continuing restrictions.
The TUC fears that if the job retention scheme is ended too abruptly tens of thousands of additional jobs could be lost from these industries.
TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Furlough has played a vital role in protecting jobs and keeping businesses running during this pandemic.
“Ministers must not pull the plug on our recovery by cutting off support too soon.
“The government should hold off hiking up employer contributions until all restrictions have been lifted.
“And we need a cast-iron commitment from the chancellor that he will extend furlough for as long as is needed, rather than ending it abruptly in three months’ time.
“Working families need this certainty now – not a rollercoaster approach to protecting livelihoods.”
The TUC highlighted that workers can only be furloughed if their employers decides to use the scheme, meaning that the scheme is well-targeted only to those businesses that need it.
They also note that around two-fifths of furloughed staff (41.6%) are now only furloughed for part of the working week and are working for the rest of it, enabling businesses to use furlough to manage their gradual return to full operations.
FULL PROGRAMME REVEALED FOR‘FILM FEST ON THE FORTH 2021’
The programme for Film Fest on the Forth, Edinburgh International Film Festival’s weekend of free outdoor screenings at Port Edgar Marina on Saturday 31 July and Sunday 1 August 2021, has been unveiled – and it includes everything from aquatic-themed family favourites and classic Scottish movies to exciting blockbusters.
Film Fest on the Forth will run at the Marina, which is located at South Queensferry on the banks of the Firth of Forth overlooking the three iconic bridges, from 10.00am to 10.00pm each day.
The weekend is supported by EventScotland as part of the Year of Coasts and Waters 20/21, in which Scotland celebrates its coasts and waters with a programme of events and activities, shining a spotlight on these vital elements of the landscape.
The fantastic themed line-up is comprised of 8 well-loved feature films with a maritime link, all well suited to family audiences with U, PG or 12A ratings. The selected films are as follows:
SATURDAY 31 JULY
MOANA (PG, 113 mins, 2016) Disney’s beloved musical animation of an adventurous teenager and her inherited love for the seas
THE WATER HORSE: LEGEND OF THE DEEP (PG, 111 mins, 2007) Family adventure set and shot in Scotland based on the Celtic legend of Kelpies (Water Horses)
WHISKY GALORE! (U, 81 mins, 1949) Classic anti-authoritarian comedy set on a Hebridean Island based on Compton Mackenzie’s novel.
JAWS (12A, 124 mins, 1975, 45th anniversary) Directed by Steven Spielberg and widely heralded as the original summer blockbuster
SUNDAY 1 AUGUST
BRAVE (PG, 93 mins, 2012) Pixar’s stunning animation set in the rugged and mysterious Highlands of Scotland centred around a Scottish princess confronting tradition
THE ILLUSIONIST (PG, 77 mins, 2010) Charming, Oscar nominated animated adventure set across Scotland and specifically Edinburgh, based on an unproduced script by legendary French Director Jacques Tati
WHALE RIDER (PG, 105 mins, 2002) Oscar nominated drama centred on a young Maori girl and her special connection to the magnificent seas creatures who has to fight to fulfil a destiny her grandfather refuses to recognize.
TITANIC (12, 186 mins, 1997) James Cameron’s box office record-breaker and winner of 11 Oscars. An epic romance set on the seas which made global stars of Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet
Tickets, which are free, are now available for Film Fest on the Forth at www.edfilmfest.org.uk
Film Fest on the Forth screenings will be staged in an outdoor area which can accommodate up to 260 film fans. You can get to Port Edgar Marina by train, bus, car, foot or boat. If you’re coming by boat contact the Marina office by phone or VHF before arrival to be allocated a berth.
Food and drink will be available from Marina tenants Scott’s restaurant and Down the Hatch as well as additional food and drink vendors coming in especially for the weekend, including EIFF’s Official Beer Partner Innis & Gunn, and Pizza Geeks and Poco Prosecco.
Between films audiences can visit other attractions on site such as activities on the water from Port Edgar Watersports and shopping at the Marina’s store, Beacon.
Russell Aitken, Managing Director of Port Edgar Marina said:“We are thrilled to be collaborating with EIFF in hosting this special open-air screening as part of Scotland’s Year of Coasts & Waters 2021.
“It’s an incredible initiative to be involved with and we look forward to welcoming families from across Scotland to showcase the stunning location of the marina.”
Ken Hay, CEO of Edinburgh International Film Festival said: “We are delighted to be celebrating the return to the communal cinema experience with a brilliant programme of aquatically themed classics, all set against the backdrop of the iconic Forth Bridges.
“Huge thanks to our friends at Port Edgar Marina in staging the films and to EventScotland for their support as part of the Year of Coasts and Waters. We look forward to seeing everyone there.”
” Scotland offers the perfect stage for audiences to enjoy unique experiences and this special cinematic event will showcase classic films in a memorable outdoor setting.”
Film Fest on the Forth, Port Edgar Marina, Shore Road, South Queensferry EH30 9SQ. Saturday 31 July and Sunday 1 August, 2021
The 74th edition of EIFF runs from 18 – 25 August 2021. The full programme will be announced on 28 July 2021.
