The Edinburgh and Midlothian 2021 Carer Survey is now open!
This survey will ask you about your current or past caring role, and taking a break from caring, work, money, and your health and wellbeing. It will also cover the support and services you have accessed. You don’t need to be registered with VOCAL to take part.
As a thank you for your time, you can enter a prize draw. There are two prizes up for grabs:
a one-week free holiday to VOCAL’s new carer cottage in Blair Atholl, plus £150 to spend
a £50 eVoucher for a retailer of your choice
All responses are anonymous and you can provide as much information as you feel comfortable with. Your support will help develop the future of carer support in Edinburgh and Midlothian and we would really appreciate your time.
The survey will take approximately 20 minutes to complete and you can save your progress and come back at a later time. VOCAL’s Carer Support Teams in Edinburgh (0131 622 6666) and Midlothian (0131 663 6869) can also support you in completing the survey, simply call them for advice.
SEPA is leading Scotland’s efforts to tackle new waste crime trend as seven lorries of waste found in North Lanarkshire in recent months
Research estimates £53 million is taken from the public purse every year in Scotland removing illegal waste
Scotland’s enforcement agencies are working together, alongside UK counterparts, to find and stop illegal activity
SEPA is warning waste criminals that compliance with Scotland’s environmental laws is non-negotiable and those caught risk a criminal conviction and a fine of up to £40,000 and/or imprisonment
Everyone is asked to remain vigilant and report suspicious vehicles and activity so action can be taken swiftly
Now more than ever, everyone needs to play their part in correctly managing Scotland’s waste and help stop waste crime
Public are warned – do not give your waste to potential criminals. Take steps to protect yourself, your community and the environment
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is warning that a new trend appears to be establishing in Scotland as a total of seven abandoned trailers full of waste have been discovered in the central belt in recent months. Investigations to establish the source of the trailers are ongoing – which could lead to the prosecution of those responsible.
Similar instances of waste being placed into trailers and being abandoned at roadsides and industrial locations had been seen in England over recent months. Working alongside partners through the Serious Organised Crime Taskforce and the Joint Unit for Waste Crime, SEPA had been tracking this growing trend across the UK since last year, but seven trailers in eight months indicates this may now be a new disposal route for waste criminals in Scotland.
Jennifer Shearer, SEPA Head of Enforcement, said: “This type of crime has a real impact on local communities, legitimate business and the public agencies who are working to tackle it.
“A high proportion of individuals or companies that are involved in waste crime are also associated with other criminality and sadly this activity has continued during the pandemic.
“Waste crime can cause serious pollution. It puts communities at risk and places further stress on legitimate operators. It also impacts investment and economic growth – serious and organised waste crime is estimated to cost the UK economy at least £600 million a year.*
“We know that criminals are inventive and will find new ways to break the law and make money – but Scotland’s enforcement agencies are inventive too and we are working together, alongside others across the UK, to make sure we find them and we stop them.
“We will continue to work closely with partners, often through joint initiatives such as the Joint Unit for Waste Crime, to ensure we can maximise our collaborative efforts to have the greatest impact, and ultimately stop this type of highly adaptive and lucrative waste crime.”
Clearing up after criminals
The distinctive form of illegal waste disposal saves criminals thousands of pounds in waste disposal costs, but the costs to others may be high. Money often ends up coming out of the public purse – according to 2013 Zero Waste Scotland research at least £53 million of public money is spent cleaning up litter and fly-tipping every year. That is money that could be spent on other public services.
Robert Steenson, DETER Strand Lead with Scotland’s Serious Organised Crime Taskforce and Executive Director of North Lanarkshire Council said: “This type of illegal dumping not only costs the taxpayers’ huge sums of money to clear up, but poses a serious hazard to the environment and our communities.
“These poorly maintained trailers are also being driven on public roads before being dumped and therefore create a dangerous risk to other road users.
“Those responsible have absolutely no respect for people living in the areas these trailers are being dumped and I would urge anyone with any information to contact SEPA or Police Scotland immediately. This type of waste crime has unfortunately became more widespread across the country and is often linked to organised crime groups who use it as a means to make money to fund their other criminal activities. It undermines legitimate disposal businesses and poses a very serious risk to public safety.
“We are working with our partners to safely clear this dumped waste and we will use all the powers at our disposal to identify those responsible.”
Vehicle or landowners may also end up incurring the cost of having waste removed and disposed of legally, which can be considerable.
Tackling waste criminals
SEPA has developed a more targeted approach to tackling environmental crime that directly impacts local communities and the environment. In recent weeks we have been able to confirm that 25 illegal sites or activities have ceased since the turn of the year, with partnership working across agencies being a key success factor.
Keith Brown, Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Veterans and Chair of the SOC Taskforce said: “Those involved in fly tipping and other waste crimes will exploit any opportunity to maximise their wealth at the expense of everyone else.
“This is not a victimless crime and causes significant problems to the public, legitimate businesses and the landowners where the waste is abandoned.
“Partners on the Serious Organised Crime Taskforce will use every means at their disposal to disrupt this crime, but we need the help of the public.
“Everyone needs to ensure their waste is properly and legally disposed of and we are also urging members of the public who see evidence of these crimes to report it. If you see something say something.”
Help stop waste criminals operating
Investigations into the source of the trailers and waste are ongoing and SEPA is urging anyone who recognises the vehicles, or the waste within them, to get in touch.
Communities are asked to be vigilant and report any suspicious trailers left by the roadside or in isolated areas as soon as possible. If alerted to it early SEPA has a better opportunity to step in and take action, along with partners like Police Scotland and local authorities. The longer it takes to identify trailers the more chance there is agencies will lose access to essential evidence to help track the perpetrators.
Anyone who may have any information about these lorry trailers, no matter how significant it may seem, is encouraged to get in touch with SEPA as soon as possible. Similarly, if they see any suspicious trailers left by the roadside or in isolated areas they should report it to SEPA’s 24 hour pollution line using the online form at sepa.org.uk/report or by calling 0800 80 70 60.
Landowners are also reminded to be alert to the risk of their land or premises being used for illegal waste deposits. Trailer or vehicle owners should be aware of the risk of theft.
SEPA is also warning the criminals involved that their activities are firmly in the spotlight and compliance with Scotland’s environmental laws is non-negotiable. Illegal waste disposal and fly tipping is a serious offence with significant consequences and those caught risk a criminal conviction and a fine of up to £40,000 and/or imprisonment.
The distinctive form of illegal waste disposal saves criminals thousands of pounds in waste disposal costs, but the costs to others may be high. Vehicle or landowners are likely to incur the costs of having waste removed and disposed of legally, which can be considerable.
Do not give your waste to potential criminals
As well as reporting suspicious activity, members of the public can help tackle waste crime by refusing to engage the services of people who are not authorised.
Jennifer Shearer explained: “Now more than ever, we all need to play our part in correctly managing our waste. You have the responsibility to take care of your waste and if we trace it back to you, we can take enforcement action against you too.
“We don’t want people to be put in that situation so make sure that anyone who takes your waste for disposal is properly accredited. Take steps to protect yourself, your community and the environment.
“Remember, disposing of waste legally costs money. Services that sound too good to be true often are and could lead to your waste being illegally fly-tipped or disposed of by other illegitimate means.
“Anyone offering to take your waste away should be able to provide a SEPA waste carrier registration number and give you the name of the facility they will take the waste to – if they can’t provide this information, do not allow them to take your waste.”
331 cultural organisations and performing arts venues across Scotland have received a total of £17million in the latest round of emergency Covid-19 funds from the Scottish Government through Creative Scotland.
From comedy clubs and theatres to galleries and production companies, the second round of the Culture Organisations and Venues Recovery Fund is designed to help prevent insolvency and/or significant job losses due to the impact of COVID-19, and the Performing Arts Venues Relief Fund (PAVR) is helping venues to remain solvent, return staff from furlough, and enable new artistic commissions from freelance artists.
In Edinburgh, the Usher Hall receives £182,445 from the PAVR 2 fund, DanceBase Scotland £223,887 and there’s £500,000 for Capital Theatres. There’s also £342,000 for Leith Theatre, £150,000 for the Traverse and £97,500 for The Queen’s Hall.
Organisations receiving COVR Round 2 support in the capital include North Edinburgh Arts, Hidden Door and Edinburgh Printmakers.
Culture Minister Jenny Gilruth said: “I am delighted that this vital funding is reaching the culture sector, which has endured some of the most challenging restrictions over the past 18 months.
“It’s exciting that the sector can now plan for full reopening. The communal experience of being part of an audience cannot be replicated, and it has been sorely missed since the start of the pandemic.
“The move beyond level 0 will allow the sector to reopen fully, but I know that it will take some time to rebuild. This funding will play a key role in stabilising many venues and businesses as the sector begins to recover.
“The Scottish Government has provided almost £175million of emergency support to the culture, heritage and events sector since the start of the pandemic, and I look forward now to working with the sectors to build for the future.”
Caroline Morgan, Managing Director atAberdeen’s Tivoli Theatre commented: “This money will mean we can retain our current staff, recruit part time staff, bring our freelance technicians back to work and undertake all necessary requirements to reopen in a safe way at the end of August.
“We’re full steam ahead now with testing equipment, organising staff training, first aid training, implementing a new app for ordering and setting up hand-held scanners for ticketing and deep cleaning the building. We’ll also be able to support local youth groups who perform with us who have also had a really tough time of it. This funding is a life-line having been closed with no income for 17 months.”
Joan Parr, Interim Director of Arts and Engagement said: “Our first priority continues to be supporting the recovery and renewal of Scotland’s art and creative sector as Covid-19 restrictions are eased and the sector can open up again more fully.
“Nevertheless, we remain acutely aware of the critical challenges faced by so many cultural organisations, and we know how vital this funding is in continuing to help protect jobs and support the sustainability of a sector that has felt the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic so significantly.”
A full list of organisations and venues receiving funding in this round of the Culture Organisations and Venues Recovery Fund and the Performing Arts Venues Relief Fund can be downloaded below:
Edinburgh Western MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton has commented on the waiting times “crisis” that is emerging across Lothian A&E units.
Mr Cole-Hamilton, the Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Health since 2016, made his comments following reports yesterday that the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary is on the brink of having to declare a major incident.
Mr Cole-Hamilton said:“Reports of Edinburgh patients waiting up to twelve hours for treatments are not just concerning, but they are potentially catastrophic for our healthcare service.
“The escalation of this so-called “ping-demic” is having devastating effects across our health services, and many of our hospitals are working at minimum staff capacity because of it. Of course, we must be vigilant, but our NHS simply cannot cope when faced with such reduced staffing measures.
“The Scottish Government need to come forward with concrete actions and urgent changes on isolation policies. That means a test and release system, as recommended by the Royal College of Surgeons and others.”
Police are appealing for witnesses following an assault with intent to rob which occurred in the city yesterday (Thursday, 5 August, 2021).
Around 12.05 am a 23-year-old woman was walking on Melville Terrace near to the junction with Moncrieff Terrace when she was approached from behind by a man who pulled her to the ground and demanded money from her.
The woman managed to fight the man off before contacting police.
The man ran off northwards in the Meadows towards the tennis courts.
The suspect is described as being in his late 30s, 5ft 9in tall, of slim build, with dark brown/grey hair and spoke with a local accent. He was wearing a grey camouflage face mask, a black short-sleeved shirt, dark joggers and was carrying a messenger bag.
Detective Sergeant Keith Taylor, of Gayfield CID, said: “Thankfully the woman was not injured during this incident, but it was nonetheless a very distressing experience.
“I am appealing to anyone who was in the area around the time of the incident who may have witnessed what happened, or noticed a man matching the above description, to please come forward.
“Anyone with information is asked to contact Gayfield CID via 101, quoting incident number 0047 of 5 August. Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”
Edinburgh Festival Fringe gets underway with dynamic programme of over 700 in-person and online shows
Today, Friday 06 August, the world-renowned Edinburgh Festival Fringe officially comes to life with an exciting hybrid programme of over 700 in-person and online shows.
From 06 – 30 August, Edinburgh will once again be host to a diverse and exciting selection of work from the worlds of theatre, dance, circus, comedy, music, musicals and opera, cabaret and variety, children’s shows, spoken word, exhibitions, events and more.
This year’s Fringe also features a scaled-back programme of street events in managed locations; a range of community engagement work, including the return of Fringe Days Out; and a programme of activity for artists and arts industry professionals via Fringe Connect and Fringe Marketplace.
All work is being delivered in strict accordance with Scottish Government covid-19 guidance, to ensure a safe, secure and enjoyable festival for artists, audiences and residents. More information can be found below.
Commenting on the launch of the festival, Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive, Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: “The Fringe is always a remarkable feat, but this year, it’s nothing short of extraordinary.
“In the face of complex restrictions and enormous challenges, the Fringe community has created a diverse and engaging programme of over 700 shows to entertain us, bring us joy, and ultimately, do what culture does best: tell stories that help us understand where we are, what we’ve been through, and where we need to go.
“I’m enormously proud of the artists, venues, creatives and workers that have made this festival not only possible, but safe, engaging and entertaining. It’s so good to be celebrating the Fringe again this August, and I’d like to thank every artist, producer, worker, audience member, funder, sponsor and supporter that has got us here today.”
Phoebe Waller-Bridge, President, Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: “The Edinburgh Fringe is BACK! In an act of pure artistic heroism, the Fringe Society and thousands of artists, writers, dancers, actors, designers, comedians, musicians and creatives have fought to bring this festival back to the streets of glorious, glittering Edinburgh. We have a lot of time to make up for and this festival is more than ready for you.
“With hundreds of live and online events you can see as many shows in a week than you would have in the whole of last year and we are finally able to reconnect, inspire, surprise, and entertain each other like we used to. I have never wanted to have a leaflet thrusted at me more. We’re being offered a giant cultural sprinkler after a year of drought and I can’t wait to jump through it, shrieking, with you all.”
Benny Higgins, Chair, Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: “The Edinburgh Fringe is a remarkable arts festival that has created an unparalleled legacy for the city and the country, and it will have an important part to play in how we move forward after such a difficult period.
“The cultural value that the Fringe holds is enormous, and its launch today is the first step on a long road to recovery – for the festival and for Scotland. We must all play our part in ensuring an inclusive, diverse, and accessible festival for the future, with wellbeing at its heart.”
Angus Robertson, Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Scottish Government, said: “A huge amount of work has gone on behind the scenes to support the return of these globally significant cultural events and the benefits they bring to Scotland in terms of tourism, trade and our place on the world stage.
“Edinburgh’s festivals were sorely missed last summer and their return is another step in the right direction and testament to the determination of festival organisers, along with the artists, venues and businesses involved. I’m delighted that the Fringe will be able to welcome back audiences and give festival goers something to cheer this year.”
Councillor Amy McNeese-Mechan, the City of Edinburgh Council’s Culture and Communities Vice Convener, said:“The return of live August festivals events and performances truly reflects our city’s on-going recovery and, of course, our cultural DNA, and we’re delighted to see an exciting Edinburgh Festival Fringe programme.
“There’s no doubt it was greatly missed last year and it’s so lovely for our city to be welcoming audiences again to the Festivals this August. To everyone taking part, we ask you to continue to follow the safety guidance and to enjoy this year’s fantastic festival experiences safely.”
Barbara Smith, Managing Director of Johnnie Walker Princes Street, said:“As Johnnie Walker moves closer to opening the doors to our new venue on Princes Street, it’s fantastic to see Edinburgh continue to open up for cultural events, and for locals and visitors alike to enjoy the best that the city has to offer.
“The Fringe Festival will always be an important part of the city’s cultural calendar and the team at Johnnie Walker are delighted to once again support the Fringe Society in bringing the festival to life through our Fringe Club whisky bar on The Mound. We can’t wait to welcome visitors from home and away as they enjoy the best of what this world famous festival has to offer.”
In-person, online and on-demand shows
In 2021, audiences will be able to access a wide range of amazing Fringe shows through socially distanced in-person events, scheduled online performances and on-demand digital shows. Tickets and information for all kinds of registered Fringe shows – live, online, paid and free – can be found at edfringe.com.
Around 440 shows are taking place in person. Many shows are taking place in new, creative outdoor locations across Edinburgh, including a football ground, a car park and a racecourse.
Familiar Fringe operators such as Acoustic Music Centre, Assembly, Dance Base, French Institute, Gilded Balloon, Laughing Horse Free Festival, Monkey Barrel, PBH’s Free Fringe, Pleasance, Scottish Storytelling Centre, the Stand, theSpaceUK, Summerhall and Zoo are all taking part in this year’s festival with physical spaces in the city.
All in-person performances will be fully Covid compliant, following the latest guidelines on social distancing, mask wearing, ventilation and hygiene.
Currently, live events must operate at one-metre distancing. On 09 August, Scotland moves to level zero and restrictions on distancing will be dropped.
Every Fringe venue operates individually. For up to date information on capacity and distancing at individual Fringe shows, please check with the relevant venue.
In an exciting move for the festival, more than 260 shows are taking place online, providing a global platform for artists, while enhancing the Fringe’s commitment to accessibility and sustainability.
There will be two kinds of online events available this year: scheduled and on demand.
With scheduled shows, audiences can buy tickets as they would to a traditional in-person event. Shows will have a dedicated start and end time and are treated as an ‘appointment to view’ event. For on-demand shows, audiences can buy tickets to watch at their leisure.
Audiences can view Fringe shows on online platforms including the new Fringe Player streamed by Brightcove (NASDAQ: BCOV), the global leader in video for business.
Available via edfringe.com, this bespoke digital platform offers an easy-to-use viewing experience for audiences whilst giving artists a platform to present and showcase their work digitally. The player will be accessible to audiences from 06 Aug, with auto-subtitling built in. Both on-demand and scheduled online shows are available on this platform.
Where other platforms (such as Zoom, YouTube and Vimeo) are being used to host online work, information on how to access these is clearly provided at the point of purchase.
Online shows will be available to watch from August but can be pre-booked from today.
Street events
The city’s world-famous street events are returning this year, with a scaled-back programme of live performances.
A fantastic starting point for any Fringe-goer, events will run daily from 11.30am until 8.30pm in the High Street’s designated Fringe safe street performance area, West Parliament Square.
There will also be a programme of activity on the Mound, as well as additional opportunities for buskers and other street artists well known in the Fringe landscape.
All performances will be delivered in accordance with current and relevant Covid guidelines. Limits on audience numbers will be introduced in line with social distancing, and event details will be published online to audiences in advance to allow them to plan.
Strict hygiene measures will also be in place, including masks and sanitisation, to help everyone enjoy the events safely.
Community, access and learning
We are continuing to work alongside communities, venues and artists to ensure the Fringe is as inclusive as possible.
Our Fringe Days Out scheme is a long-term commitment by the Fringe Society to reach out to communities that have not traditionally engaged with the Fringe. Through this programme in 2021, we have delivered Fringe vouchers, Lothian bus tickets and access support through our 30+ community partners, including The Welcoming, The Citadel Youth Centre, Lothian Autistic Society, Vintage Vibes and Capability Scotland.
In response to some groups being unable to visit the festival in person, or being hesitant about attending, we are also continuing our Fringe in Communities programme. This will see street performers going out to locations across the city to perform during July and August.
The Fringe’s commitment to improving disabled access remains a priority. Customers with access requirements can use our Access Bookings system and search specific shows which are accessible such as relaxed, audio described, captioned and signed performances. Plus, a free personal assistant ticket is available for anyone who needs assistance to attend the Fringe. Customers can also search for shows in performance spaces with wheelchair access.
This year, we are once again providing sensory bags for children and adults on the autism spectrum. Each bag contain a fidget toy, earplugs, water bottle and a stress reliever. These items are designed to help users relax and overcome stressful or intense situations and are distributed to select partners across the city.
Our street events offering will see BSL interpretation on the West Parliament Square Stage on Saturday 21 August, and there will be a wheelchair accessible viewing area on the High Street throughout the festival.
We are also continuing Teachers’ Theatre Club, our partnership with Imaginate, which brings Edinburgh teachers to the Fringe. Each show seen will be followed by a group discussion with some of the artists and creative teams who made and/or presented the work, covering both the content of the show and how it could enhance and inform teaching practice.
And we’re making sure that Edinburgh’s schoolchildren can also take part in the Fringe fun by working with Gracemount High and selected Edinburgh primary schools to make sure they see Fringe shows too. .
Support for artists and arts industry
This year, the Fringe Society is hosting two digital platforms for artists and industry professionals: Fringe Connect and Fringe Marketplace.
Launched last month, Fringe Connect is an exciting new year-round platform, designed to bring Fringe artists together with peers and members of the arts community.
Described as ‘part social network, part events space’, Fringe Connect gives users the opportunity to populate their own profile with information about their professional experiences and interests (both Fringe-related and otherwise).
Registered users will have access to exciting industry news and opportunities, alongside access to year-round digital events aimed at supporting and facilitating professional development.
Guests and speakers during the Fringe include Lyn Gardner, Andrew Miller, Amy Conachan, Tarek Iskander, Jo Clifford and Richard Jordan, plus many more.
And after a successful pilot year in 2020, Fringe Marketplace has returned for2021. This dedicated showcase platform aims to connect arts industry delegates all over the world with professional and tour-ready artists.
The work that will appear on the platform has been selected by Fringe venue programmers and assessed by Fringe associates: an independent cross-genre industry experts who have experience and understanding of the Fringe.
Work with strategic partners
The Fringe Society is delighted to be working with three strategic partners this year: Something to Aim For, Parents and Carers in Performing Arts and Somewhere EDI. All three partnerships help us to better support and engage with significant groups of participants and understand the barriers they might be facing at the Fringe.
Something to Aim For is the charity devoted to supporting public health and (re)building social fabric through the creative industries.
Parents and Carers in Performing Arts work to promote best practice employment and support for parents and carers in the performing arts sector.
Somewhere EDI is a platform for positive LGBTQ+ culture, learning and activism, championing and empowering LGBTQ+ people to be out and visible in business, culture and in wider society.
Johnnie Walker
The Fringe Society is delighted to be working with Johnnie Walker for a third year. 2021 sees the return of the popular Fringe Club, a dedicated bar space for visitors to the festivities for the entire duration of the festival. Located on the Mound, an exciting spot with live street performances, the bar will once again serve a number of delicious highballs, cocktails and drams for guests in the dedicated whisky lounge.
Festival-goers will also have the chance to win exclusive prizes through the Johnnie Walker Ticket prize giveaway. Prizes include complimentary highballs at the Fringe Club, bottles of Johnnie Walker Blue Label, £20 vouchers for shows at the Fringe and tour tickets to Johnnie Walker Princes Street. With each ticket bought via the Fringe, customers can click on the ticket banner in their booking confirmations to be entered into the prize draw.
Edinburgh Gin
2021 is the first year of our exciting new partnership with Edinburgh Gin, who are working to support Fringe artists affected by the pandemic.
The team have collaborated with Fringe Society president Phoebe Waller-Bridge to create a special limited-edition bottle, which captures the wonder of Edinburgh through the lens of Fleabag.
Every penny of profit will go towards a new fund, being run in partnership with the Fringe Society, which will support artists to create and bring work to the Fringe. More than £150,000 is hoped to be raised.
Sponsors and supporters
As a charity, the work of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society would not be possible without the valuable support of our partners, sponsors and funders. We are delighted to be working with Johnnie Walker for the third year running as our official whisky partner.
We are proud to be partnering with the newly opened St James Quarter and are excited to be working with them this year and beyond.
We are excited to be partnering with Crowdfunder again through our FringeMakers fundraising platform, supporting Fringe artists and venues with vital fundraising efforts.
We have teamed up with Rare Birds Books to a create a limited-edition book bundle with books selected by the women behind three of the Fringe’s most iconic venues; Rowan Campbell, the General Manager of Summerhall, Dani Rae, the General Manager of Assembly and Katy Koren, who co-runs Gilded Balloon. Proceeds of the sale of this bundle will support go directly to supporting Fringe artists bring work to the Fringe.
We would also like to thank Lothian Buses for their continued support of our Fringe Days Out programme.
We’re thrilled to welcome Edinburgh Gin on board as Official Gin of the Fringe and look forward to working with them.
We are grateful for funding through the PLACE Programme, a partnership between the Scottish Government -through Creative Scotland -the City of Edinburgh Council and Festivals Edinburgh; Scottish Government for Made in Scotland through the Festivals Expo Fund -managed through Creative Scotland -and the continued support of the City of Edinburgh Council. Thanks also to Scottish Government for funds from their Get into Summer campaign.
We are grateful for funding from the Pivotal Event Business Fund, the SCVO Adapt and Thrive programme, the Foyle Foundation and the UK Government to enhance our digital capabilities.
Our thanks also to the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, the Pump House Trust and the Turtleton Charitable Trust.
With thanks to EventScotland and City of Edinburgh Council for supporting Street Events.
Thank you to Brightcove, our streaming partners, for their support in delivering the Fringe Player.
Our thanks also to our Fringe Angels, Patrons, Friends and supporters whose passion and generosity made a real difference this year.
World leading festivals begin bounce back from impact of COVID-19
Edinburgh’s world-leading summer festivals are back, with their recovery from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic supported by more than £5.4 million from the Scottish Government.
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe opens today, followed by the Edinburgh International Festival (EIF), with the Edinburgh Art Festival already open.
The Edinburgh International Book Festival will open a new chapter in a new venue on August 14, and the Edinburgh International Film Festival will welcome audiences from August 18.
The Scottish Government’s Gateway process has also allowed a small number of flagship events with national significance to take place in 2021, with limited numbers of spectators and subject to health advice, and both the EIF and the Fringe will stage events as part of the process.
Cabinet Secretary for Culture Angus Robertson said: “Edinburgh’s festivals are back – a significant moment for these landmark, world-leading events, and for our nation’s capital.
“The festivals were sorely missed last summer, and their return is a major step in the right direction as well as testament to the determination of festival organisers, along with the artists, venues and businesses involved.
“Already a huge amount of work has gone on behind the scenes to support the return of these globally significant cultural events and the benefits they bring to Scotland for our culture, for tourism, for trade and our place on the world stage.
“I’m delighted to welcome the Edinburgh Festivals’ return and see the world’s leading festival city come back to life in 2021.”
Chair of Festivals Edinburgh Sorcha Carey said: “The support of the Scottish Government and its agencies has been crucial to the very survival of our world-famous festivals, and we’re deeply grateful.
“All those who’ve worked tirelessly and are now able to manage a careful restart will be delighted to reconnect the people of Scotland with the live culture they’ve so badly missed.
“We want to support the vision of the First Minister and her team that culture will be at the heart of recovery, and we look forward with hope that Edinburgh’s peak festivals season can mark a turning point for Scotland’s culture sector.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson was briefed on the policing operation for COP26 during a visit to Police Scotland yesterday.
Mr Johnson met officers and staff working at Police Scotland Headquarters, Tulliallan, and at the Scottish Crime Campus, Gartcosh, and thanked them for their public service during the pandemic.
Scottish Secretary Alister Jack also participated in the visit and both met with officers and staff from Police Scotland’s newly formed International Academy, and spoke with probationary Constables.
The Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “Police forces across the U.K. have played a crucial role in keeping us safe throughout the pandemic.
“I was delighted to visit Tulliallan and give my thanks to the officers and recruits of Police Scotland.
“I congratulate them on the launch of their International Academy and I look forward to working together to deliver the COP26 conference this November in Glasgow.”
During the visit to Police Scotland Headquarters, hosted by Chief Constable Iain Livingstone, the Prime Minister was briefed on the policing operation for the COP26 summit due to be held in Glasgow over two weeks in November.
The United Nations climate conference will require one of the largest policing operations undertaken in the history of the United Kingdom with over 100 world leaders expected to attend.
Around 10,000 officers will be deployed on some days of the event with a significant number coming from police services across the UK, via mutual aid arrangements.
Chief Constable Livingstone said: “The officers and staff of Police Scotland have performed vital duties to support the collective efforts against coronavirus.
“They have done so in line with the values that underpin all we do – integrity, fairness, respect and commitment to upholding human rights and working with the consent of our fellow citizens to improve the lives of our communities.
“Those principles will be at the heart of our operation to police COP26, a major international event for Glasgow, Scotland and the whole of the United Kingdom. As a service committed to fundamental human rights, we will help people to make their voices heard on the crucial subject of climate change, while minimising disruption and ensuring all our communities continue to get the policing service they need and deserve.”
The Prime Minister also met with officers and staff based at the Scottish Crime Campus (SCC) at Gartcosh which houses staff from key agencies operating in Scotland, as well as state-of-the-art forensics laboratories, to combat the threat from serious crime and terrorism.
The Scottish Government funded SCC was opened in 2014.
A new scheme to provide pre-treatment support to cancer patients is launching across Scotland. The project will give tailored help and advice on exercise, nutrition and mental health, to improve outcomes for those preparing for cancer treatment.
Prehabilitation – pre-treatment rehabilitation – will be offered at all eight Maggie’s centres across the country, thanks to Scottish Government investment of £270,000.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf visited the charity’s Dundee centre where he learned more about the project. He said: “Prehabilitation enables people with cancer to physically and mentally prepare for treatment by adopting healthy behaviours – with the ultimate aim of improving outcomes for them.
“It can reduce the length of stay in hospital and post-treatment complications, and improve recovery, fitness, nutritional status, neuro-cognitive function and quality of life.
“This pilot scheme will help us understand how the NHS and Third Sector can work together to help people ahead of their cancer treatment.
“With eight centres across Scotland, working with Maggie’s allows us to meet the needs of cancer patients close to home. We want to empower them to get the best possible results from their treatment, and improve their long-term health.
“Cancer treatment has remained a top priority for the Scottish Government and NHS Scotland throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Maggie’s Chief Executive Dame Laura Lee said: “We are delighted to be working with the Scottish Government to support people with new cancer diagnoses to understand the benefits of making changes before treatment begins.
“Gentle exercise, eating well and emotional and psychological support are already aspects of the Maggie’s core programme of support – but this usually comes after the patient has started treatment. This new project will ensure newly diagnosed people find support sooner, and will be delivered while working with the NHS as part of their overall care package.”
Prehabilitation is a flagship action in the Scottish Government’s Cancer Plan. As a component of rehabilitation, it should underpin the whole cancer pathway and be integral to the care of all people with a cancer diagnosis.
The Scottish Government has established a Cancer Prehabilitation Steering Group, to ensure lessons from the Maggie’s pilot and other approaches are shared across Scotland and inform future ways of working.
Scottish artisan ice cream maker, Equi’s, has created a bespoke Sicilian lemon and elderflower flavour for Gladstone’s Land to celebrate ice cream season.
Inspired by ingredients found in a 17th-century cookbook that was published around the time that Gladstone’s first opened, the irresistible sweet treat will transport you straight to a long hot summer’s day in Sorrento.
Following the launch of the historic National Trust for Scotland (NTS) venue last month, the exclusive flavour is now available from the new Gladstone’s Land ice cream parlour on the ground floor of the 500-year-old tenement house on the Royal Mile.
Blending Scots with Italian heritage like Equi’s roots, deliciously creamy lemon ripple – made with vanilla, egg yolks and Sicilian lemons are churned with delicious whole milk and double cream from local Scottish dairy farms and finished with a hint of elderflower. The result is a smooth summer-fresh flavour that is impossible to resist.
Equi’s, the current UK ice cream champions, are known for creating irresistible artisan ice cream using high-quality ingredients from local Scottish dairy farms, and secret family recipes that have been passed down through four generations.
This exciting new flavour marks the start of a new journey for the ice cream manufacturer as they look to move into new factory premises later in the year. Future plans include more experimentation and flavours for fans of the brand to enjoy.
David Equi, director at Equi’s Ice Cream, explains:“We toiled and tinkered making this new indulgent ice cream. Nothing beats Sorrento in the summer, and after finding an old 17-century cookbook, we have created a fresh explosion of Scots-Italian aroma and flavour, exclusively for Gladstone’s Land.
“Ice cream tastes best in the sunshine, and our partnership with Gladstone’s will let you enjoy an Equi’s ice cream looking out towards Edinburgh castle. It doesn’t get more perfect than that.”
Claire Grant, National Trust for Scotland’s Operations Manager for Gladstone’s Landsaid: “We’re delighted to have partnered up with Equi’s on making this truly unique ice cream. This special flavour reflects a recipe found in a 17-century cookbook, and it has been fantastic to see this flavour brought back to life.
“Our new ice cream parlour is located on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile in Gladstone’s Land and is a perfect place for locals and tourists to stop and refuel this summer.”
The exclusive Equi’s flavour is now available daily between 9am and 6pm from Gladstone’s Land ice cream parlour, 477B Lawnmarket, Royal Mile.
Climate change heritage to take centre-stage in stunning transformation of Discovery Point
Dundee’s Discovery Point, home to one of the world’s most famous scientific research ships – the RRS Discovery – is set to be completely transformed after securing substantial financial backing from the Scottish Government and the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The news is the latest seismic shift in Dundee’s fortunes as it’s transformed from the industrial city of jute, jam and journalism into a global tourism destination.
Scotland’s fourth largest city is the winner of multiple tourism and staycation awards, home to the remarkable V&A Dundee, soon to be the home of the Eden Project in Scotland and now set to be an important centre of climate change heritage, science and learning.
The £12m Discovery Point Transformed project has been awarded £900k of Scottish Government funding through the Tay Cities Culture and Tourism Investment Programme, with another £1.6m approved subject to a successful match-funding drive.
A further £316k initial investment has been awarded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, with another £2.55m expected if plans progress as anticipated.
This £5 million of funding adds to over £1m already raised from a combination of Dundee Heritage Trust’s own funds, grants and donations from a range of trusts and foundations, high net worth individuals and corporate sponsors. This puts the project over the halfway mark to being fully funded, with two years to raise the balance.
The project, run by the Dundee Heritage Trust, will transform one of Dundee’s most popular and highly rated visitor attractions, Discovery Point, from a traditional heritage museum into a new multi-element visitor attraction with a strong emphasis on climate change and environmental sustainability.
An artist’s impression of exterior looking west from V&A Dundee. Credit AIM Design
Discovery Point will have five new or substantially revamped major attractions:
‘Think Global, Act Local’ climate change gallery – a major, completely new, world-class visitor attraction, highlighting the international significance of the RRS Discovery and its expeditions, and their connections to the major global issues of climate change and the ocean environment.
The Dundee Dome Experience – a stunning, brand new visitor centre in this previously inaccessible roof space at the top of the Discovery Point Dome, offering 360°panoramic views of the city, waterfront and River Tay and featuring Gaia, the impressive artwork by world famous environmental artist, Luke Jerram. Now fully funded and due to open in 2022.
RRS Discovery – conservation and preservation of this world heritage asset, the ship that took Scott and Shackleton to the Antarctic in the days when that was as unthinkable as space travel. A recent specialist survey has identified several critical areas for conservation.
A new permanent gallery – using the site of the current café, the gallery will focus on polar exploration, including the infamous ‘Race to the Pole’ which dominated Captain Scott’s ill-fated second expedition to the Antarctic, and the amazing and inspiring life story of Sir Ernest Shackleton, who sailed first to the Antarctic on board Discovery in 1901.
A new gallery for temporary and special exhibitions – this will allow Discovery Point to host a greater range of temporary exhibitions – either developed in-house or touring exhibitions – and the potential to host larger scale ‘blockbusters’ exhibitions.
In addition, the transformation will include refurbishment of existing galleries; the development of a new river-facing café/restaurant and events space; expanded and enhanced conference and event facilities; a redesigned entrance and reception area; environmental improvements to meet low carbon targets; and a comprehensive programme of learning for schools and the wider community, with exciting new themes of Antarctic exploration, science and climate change.
The resulting world-class tourism centre will bring significant benefits to the local, regional and national economy, forge partnerships with other regional attractions and ensure the financial sustainability of an established museum with an international audience.
Economy Secretary Kate Forbes said: “I’m pleased to see the latest step in the delivery of the Regional Culture and Tourism Investment Programme, supported through the Tay Cities Region Deal. We are investing £37 million in projects across the region to ensure it continues to excel in its offer to residents and visitors alike.
“I’m delighted that our funding will help Discovery Point enhance their offering and, in particular, emphasise the importance of climate change as Scotland prepares to host COP26 in November.”
Think Global: Act Local gallery
The news of the redevelopment comes as the world prepares for COP26, the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, hosted just 80 miles away in Glasgow from 31 October to 12 November 2021.
Discovery Point and its new ‘Think Global: Act Local’ Climate Change gallery will celebrate and exploreDundee’s authentic links to climate change – the RRS Discovery undertook the world’s first scientific research in the Antarctic, producing critical benchmark data and technological innovations which are still used to this day by climate scientists.
It will also highlight how individuals can reduce their environmental impact.
Linking historic objects from the Discovery collection with cutting-edge research from world-leading partners in polar and environmental science, the gallery will use objects, audio-visual, interactive and immersive content to engage visitors with the theme of climate change.
It will also explore the less comfortable elements of Dundee’s environmental impact, such as the pollution from factories during the industrial revolution and the city’s whaling heritage. This will link to the more inspiring story of Discovery’s second Antarctic mission in the 1920s, from which the whale conservation movement was born.
Jim Pettigrew, Chair of Dundee Heritage Trust, said: “The transformation of Discovery Point will have a huge impact on the city, bringing visitors, jobs and investment to Dundee and helping to put the city on the map as a global destination for green tourism.
“We are delighted to have secured this financial support – a huge vote of confidence in our plans. There now begins a major public funding drive to raise a further £6m, which is necessary to unlock a significant proportion of the money committed so far.”
Phase one of Discovery Point Transformed – the fully funded Dundee Dome Experience – will open for the 2022 tourist season. The remainder of the capital works – phase two – is expected to take place between 2023 and 2025, with both of Dundee Heritage Trust’s five star rated venues, Discovery Point and Dundee’s Social History Museum and Scotland’s Jute Museum at Verdant Works staying open throughout.
