Blair Drummond Safari Park is gearing up for a spectacular Christmas season with the launch of their festive extravaganza on Friday 19th November.
Running until 23rd December, the family-friendly central Scotland destination is going ‘all out’ to make sure this year’s Christmas event delivers an unforgettable festive experience filled with animal magic, a German-style Christmas market, Scotland’s biggest Christmas tree, a twinkly fairy garden, Festive fairground rides… and, of course, dinosaur illuminations.
Food and drink will feature in abundance with firepits for roasting marshmallows, wood-fired pizza ovens and, for the adults, a gin bar from local Stirling Gin.
And of course, no festive attraction would be complete without the main attraction, Santa Claus! The main man will be travelling through the Safari Park in his sleigh to add to the excitement.
Blair Drummond Safari Park’s animals will also be part of the festive day-out with majestic lions, leggy giraffes, zippy zebras, and mischievous lemurs among the many two and four-legged friends adding to a truly special Christmas experience.
Head of Marketing, Liz Gunn of Blair Drummond Safari Park said:“This year we set out to create something truly special and we cannot wait to throw open our gates and watch the excitement unfold as little ones marvel at our festive dinosaurs, toast marshmallows on the fire pits, squeal with delight at the Christmas lights and watch with wonder as Santa glides past Scotland’s biggest Christmas tree on his sleigh.
“It is our favourite time of the year, and this year is even more special.”
Kiltwalk Heroes invited to ‘save the date’ for physical events
Kiltwalkers will have the chance to put their best foot forward for the charities of their choice next year as the event makes its full physical return across the country.
Scotland’s favourite mass participation charity event will take place in Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh in 2022, with a virtual version also going ahead to ensure the Kiltwalk is as accessible as possible.
In 2021 the Kiltwalk raised a record £8.4m for 1,270 Scottish charities at a time when many have been struggling to fundraise as a result of the pandemic. Every penny raised by Kiltwalkers is topped up 50% by The Hunter Foundation.
Paul Cooney, CEO, Kiltwalk, said: “After a challenging 18 months, we are incredibly excited to confirm the Kiltwalk will be a physical event all across Scotland once again. There is nothing like gathering together as a community, so we want our Kiltwalk Heroes to get a wee bit of tartan on and stride out for the charities closest to their hearts.
“This is more great news after a record fundraising year and we’d like to thank all of our participants, volunteers, supporters and sponsors for continuing to raise funds for those most in need at a time when they need our help most.”
The 2022 Kiltwalk will take place in Glasgow on 24 April, Aberdeen on 29 May, Dundee on 21 August and Edinburgh on 18 September.
They will be followed by Scotland’s Virtual Kiltwalk on the weekend of 7 – 9 October.
Full details regarding the walks will be published at a later date, with registration set to open in the coming weeks.
Heart Research UK has raised over £70,000 with the fourth instalment of their ‘anonymous heART project’, auctioning mystery pieces of A5 art produced by a host of internationally acclaimed artists, musicians and celebrities.
Heart Research UK Patrons Robert Smith (The Cure), Paul Insect and Christopher Kane have joined the likes of Chvrches, Jamie Hewlett, Annina Roescheisen, Anna Tsvell, Ralph Steadman and hundreds of international artists to create over 450 pieces of unique artwork, that were auctioned on eBay between the 22nd – 31st October.
The online auction, sponsored by international law firm Walker Morris included 471 pieces which were all sold anonymously. Prior to the auction, a full list of contributors was available, however the artist of each piece has been kept a secret, only being revealed to winning bidders now that the auction is over.
When the virtual hammer came down on Sunday evening at 8:00pm, the auction had proved to be an enormous success, raising a record amount and bringing the total amount raised for the ‘anonymous heART project’ across the 4 years to over £200,000, which will be helping to fund Heart Research UK’s life-saving work.
Following on from previous auctions, iconic rockstar and frontman of The Cure; Robert Smith contributed four beautiful pieces with the best-selling artwork fetching a stunning £5,900 in the online auction.
The piece, entitled “IT’S JUST THE WAY I SMILE…YOU SAID…” was highly sought after and all four pieces were included in the top 10 best-selling artworks.
Heart Research UK Patron Robert Smith commented:“The anonymous heART auction is a great idea and a great event, a wonderful opportunity to own a unique piece of art whilst supporting one of the UK’s best charities.
“The generosity of the bidding this year was overwhelming and I am very proud of everyone who got involved. I can’t wait for next year’s auction!”
Ahead of its fifth anniversary in 2022, the ‘anonymous heART project’ has seen over 1,800 artworks sold, raising over £200,000 for Heart Research UK’s pioneering research into the prevention, treatment and cure of heart disease.
Kate Bratt-Farrar, Chief Executive of Heart Research UK, said:“Everyone at Heart Research UK has been truly overwhelmed with the generosity of both the artists and people bidding on this year’s ‘anonymous heART project’.
“We knew that it would be tough to beat the previous year’s total but we managed to exceed all our expectations and could not be more grateful to everyone involved. We are indebted to all the contributors and would particularly like to thank our Patrons Robert Smith, Paul Insect and Christopher Kane, who all picked up their paintbrushes and donated their time, effort and support to the campaign.
“At Heart Research UK we like to use fun and innovative ways to raise funds and the beauty of the ‘anonymous heART project’ is that it allows people to support ground-breaking medical research, while at the same time obtaining a beautiful piece of art in return. It really is making high-class art available to all and we’re thrilled with the success of this years’ campaign.
“Each and every year, we try and make the ‘anonymous heART project’ even more special and we are already working on some exciting plans for the big five-year anniversary in 2022.”
To find out more and to register your interest for the fifth-year anniversary of the anonymous heART project, please visit heartresearch.org.uk/anonymous-heart/
Or follow the @he.art_project on Instagram for more updates.
After the success of the first season which saw guests such as Sam Heughan, Ian Rankin, Elaine C Smith, Liz Lochhead and more chatting to actress Nicola Roy about Scottish arts and culture, The Cultural Coven podcast is returning for series two.
The fortnightly series will kick off with a scintillating interview with superstar Alan Cumming on 10 November, followed by episodes starring Maureen Beattie (24 November), Grant Stott (8 December), Karen Dunbar (22 December), Sanjeev Kohli (5 January), Jackie Kay (19 January) and Len Pennie (2 February), before the season finishes with an extra special guest.
The Cultural Coven is a fortnightly podcast series that explores the lives of some of Scotland’s leading arts and cultural figures through conversation (and a bit of banter) with podcast host, actress Nicola Roy.
It delves into the creative and life journeys of guests from backgrounds in music, theatre, TV and literature. With conversations covering life journeys, politics, arts and culture in Scotland, and fun green-room gossip and creative challenges along the way, the podcast connects the public with the artists, most of whom Nicola Roy has either worked with as an actress or has crossed paths with in the industry.
This season is produced by Li Kennedy, with music by kind permission of Cameron Barnes of The Red Hot Chilli Pipers. It is presented in association with the Stephen Dunn Theatre Fund and the Lyceum Theatre, and is based on an idea by Stephen Dunn and Nicola Roy. With strong ties to the Lyceum herself, many of Nicola’s guests will all have an association with Scotland’s leading producing theatre.
As the podcast grew out of the pandemic, it aims to keep artists and the public connected. From hard-hitting subjects to custom creative challenges, the podcast is an accessible celebration of arts and culture in Scotland and a window into the lives of the fascinating folk who feature on it.
Episodes will be released every two weeks and will again be freely available on all major podcast platforms. Season one is currently available in its entirety on Apple Podcasts, Amazon,Google,and Spotify.
Listeners can subscribe now to be notified when new episodes are released fortnightly beginning with Alan Cumming’s episode on 10 November, where Nicola and Alan discuss topics such as safety on film sets, bullying in the industry, and Alan’s friendship with Monica Lewinsky.
Nicola Roysaid: “I am delighted to build on the lovely success of the first series and give listeners more top chat from fascinating folk for series two. It’s fantastic to celebrate our rich cultural landscape and our much-loved Arts and Cultural figures, many whom amplify Scotland’s creativity across the world, at a time when Scotland is questioning her identity.
“I have been very lucky to work and cross-paths with the type of people my 12 year old-self daydreamed about meeting. People with brilliant stories, humour and insight. Who wouldn’t want to know more about them? This project was born out of lockdown with the aim of keeping the public and artists connected. I love bringing people together, and this podcast is another way of doing that”
David Greig, Artistic Director of Lyceum Theatre, said:“Cultural Coven is a chance to celebrate and hear another, backstage, side of the people who make Scottish Culture.
“Nicola’s a warm, funny interviewer who brings out the best in her guests. The conversations are recorded in The Lyceum and I’m really proud that Nicola’s producing this work in association with us. Her wide ranging conversations make a piquant, illuminating pairing with the work we do on stage.”
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon in a tweet about the first series on 30.04.21, said:“If you like podcasts I highly recommend @CulturalCoven – brilliant interviews of really interesting people by @NicolaMRoy”
Alan Cumming said: “I had a lovely, lovely chat with Nicola, and I’ve never wanted to be a witch before but I really enjoyed being a part of The Cultural Coven.”
Maureen Beattie said: “We laughed a lot when we were recording my contribution to The Cultural Coven, but Nicola isn’t afraid to ask the deeper, more serious questions as well. She’s a brilliant interviewer – we could have gone on for hours!”
Karen Dunbar said: “The Cultural Coven was really enjoyable to record. Nicola’s chat, insights and questions helped take the interview in a refreshing direction. Give it a listen (or I’ll come round to your house and put a bat up your nightdress)“
Foysol Choudhury MSP has called on the Scottish Government to be ambitious in its approach to Social Security.
During a Holyrood debate ‘’Accessing Scottish Social Security Benefits’’, he called for the rise of the Scottish Child Payment to £40 a week in 2022/23, given that over a quarter of Scottish children now live in poverty in Scotland. He also called for a raise to the 20-metre rule. Currently, if you can walk one step over 20 metres you cannot access the enhanced rate of mobility support.
MS Society Scotland has also called for the extension of the rule say that it has acted as a barrier to people with MS accessing social security benefits.
Mr Choudhury asked if the Government was prepared to change the eligibility criteria.
Commenting after the debate, Foysol Choudhury MSP said: “Scotland needs to be ambitious. The devolution of welfare powers gives us the chance to shape what kind of society do we want to be.
‘’The chance to restore dignity and respect to the heart of the social security system, yet now we know that the delay of the SNP has only halted the progress and affects the potential benefit takeup for Scotland.’’
Foysol Choudhury’s speech in full:
Thank you Presiding Officer and it gives me great pleasure to speak in today’s debate.
Presiding Officer, the devolution of welfare powers gives us the chance to shape what kind of society do we want to be. The chance to restore dignity and respect to the heart of the social security system, yet now we know that the delay of the SNP has only halted the progress and affects the potential benefit takeup for Scotland.
There can be no doubt that Covid-19 has hit low-income families and the most vulnerable disproportionately hard, deepening poverty and dragging more families into financial insecurity. Today half of the families in poverty have a member who is a disabled person and even before the pandemic, child poverty rates were high and projected to rise further.
The over next decade, Scotland must be bold, must be willing to use the full levers of powers to transform if we are to meet our targets on child poverty and live up to our ambitions of being a nation that respects, protects and fulfils human rights and where we can all achieve our potential.
We can start of course with the Scottish Child payment, something that has continued to be on the minds of the chamber thanks to the efforts of my friend and colleague, Pam Duncan Glancy.
Just over a quarter of Scottish children live in poverty in Scotland. 260,000 children, right now in 2021. That’s something that should shame us all. We talk a lot, but this Parliament needs to seriously get ambitious for Scotland’s children.
Let’s raise the Scottish Child Payment to £40 a week in 2022/23. Let’s ensure that every kid in Scotland have a good quality of life, without the people that love them having to worry about where the money is coming from.
Even with the full rollout, the Scottish Government is likely to miss their interim child poverty target by six percentage points – leaving an extra 50,000 children in poverty. From the end of the furlough, the cruel cut to Universal Credit thanks to the Tories, and the Scottish Government delays to rolling out and increasing the Child Payment have squeezed Scottish family incomes when they are already having to deal with the economic shocks dealt by the pandemic. We can and must do better.
Presiding Officer, for those with lifelong conditions, they look to this chamber and ask, ‘how are you going to defend me’?
Those with MS for example are looking for hope. The MS Society, Labour and many organisations are all calling for the removal of the 20-metre rule from the proposed Adult Disability Payment. The Scottish Government are replacing PIP with ADP and as part of this new benefit, the Government has largely replicated the PIP eligibility criteria, including retaining the 20-metre rule as part of the assessment criteria for ADP.
A Citizens Advice Scotland Survey in 2021 found that a majority of Bureaux advisers working to help people with disabilities navigate the social security system agree that the 20 metre rule should be extended to 50 metres.
Presiding Officer, for those who don’t know that the 20-metre rule is, it was introduced as part of the eligibility criteria to access Personal Independence Payment. Under the rule, if you can walk one step over 20 metres you cannot access the enhanced rate of mobility support.
Fatigue, both physical and mental is one of the most debilitating symptoms of MS and other neurological conditions. The rule does not consider the severity of fatigue many will experience after walking 20 metres.
So, I would be grateful if the Government can respond to concerns raised by those who have MS. Is the Government prepared to change the eligibility criteria. Because those claiming disability payments deserve dignity and respect.
Presiding Officer, the social security system we shape in this Parliament must ensure no one is held back by poverty and inequality. Scottish Labour would use all the powers we have here in Scotland to make sure that people have the support they need to participate fully in society.
The social security system Labour would build to secure the wellbeing and human rights of everyone and seek to guarantee a Minimum Income Standard that no one would fall below. Having a strong, adequate and automated SSS will lead to higher levels of takeup.
Scottish Labour will build a social security system based on the principles of Adequacy, Respect and Simplicity. Those are the principles that will guide me as we come together to shape our Social security for Scotland to ensure it works for all.
This week, as Bonfire Night celebrations take place, HELP for HEROES are calling on the British public to practice ‘The Firework Heroes Code’. We want people to be more mindful of the negative impact that fireworks can have on veterans and others.
Professor Colin Preece, Wellbeing Manager for our Hidden Wounds team, says, “The vast majority of the veterans that we support for mental health issues tell us that they don’t like fireworks.
“It can be the bangs and the flashes, but also the smell of fireworks can be a massive trigger for them. These stimuli can remind veterans of bad moments they experienced in combat and make them relive traumatic events in their lives. It can be particularly problematic for those with PTSD.”
The Firework Heroes Code
Be mindful – think about the impact fireworks can have on people (and animals) nearby
Go to planned public fireworks displays – rather than set off fireworks at home
Give neighbours advance warning – it can be as simple as a message on a local WhatsApp or Facebook groups. If you are having fireworks at home this gives those near you the chance to create a coping strategy
Go silent – consider using the new generation of ‘silent’ fireworks
Give support – if you think someone has been affected by fireworks, make them as relaxed and as comfortable as possible and encourage them to reach out for professional help.
Former Senior Aircraftsman in the RAF, Matt Neve, explains why this code is so important: “The planned public events aren’t so bad, and the new silent fireworks are a good idea. It’s the unexpected bangs of fireworks in people’s homes or in the street that take me right back to where my trauma began and triggers my PTSD.
“Hearing them makes me fearful and angry but I also have a physical reaction as I shake and my heart races. I have to take myself out of the situation and sit somewhere quietly, take deep breaths and compose myself to bring myself back to the ‘now’.”
Many people look forward Bonfire Night and it is a big event in the calendar, but not everyone enjoys them, and that goes for pets too. ‘The Firework Heroes Code’ is a really simple way to ensure that you minimise the impact of your own event on others – so we can all feel comfortable at this time of year.
We understand that reaching out for support can be difficult. If you are a veteran or loved one and need support, we are here for you.
Spectacular lighting trail’s glowing tribute to cancer support charity’s birthday
Scotland’s spectacular lighting trail Wondrous Woods – now extended to Sunday, November 21 – has honoured its charity partner with a glowing tribute to celebrate the cancer support organisation’s 25th anniversary.
Maggie’s is currently celebrating 25 years and last night (November 4) the spotlight shone on the charity with a special evening of illuminations at the Wondrous Woods event at Hopetoun House.
The magnificent stately home radiated with an amber glow as the charity’s orange logo was projected onto the mansion which was also lit up in the same hue. And along the woodland trail orange lasers punctuated the magical forest journey through the grounds in tribute to Maggie’s 25 years of providing expert support to people with cancer, their friends and family.
Visitors to this year’s Wondrous Woods, which runs until November 14th, are also being invited to help raise vital funds for Maggie’s by opting to donate to the charity, which relies almost entirely on voluntary donations, when they buy tickets for the trail.
Designed and produced by the team at 21CC Group, this year’s celebratory trail includes several sound and special effects installations and has been showcasing a host of new and exciting festival-themed features including Kaleidoscope, Rubik’s Cube, Loo Lane and UV Madness.
Geoff Crow, Director of 21CC Group says: “We’re just delighted to be associated with Maggie’s and wanted to pay tribute, in our own way, to the fantastic job they do – and have been doing for the past quarter of a century.
“Their support centres, empathy and advice are so important for people coping with a cancer diagnosis which is such shattering news for patients, family and friends.
“The fact that Maggie’s services are free is fantastic but that cannot happen without constant support and funding. We hope that by highlighting their amazing work we might prompt some additional contributions.”
Andrew Anderson, Centre Head at Maggie’s Edinburgh said: “Maggie’s Edinburgh was the first centre to open in 1996 so to have a light shone, literally, on our work locally is wonderful.
“It was a fantastic tribute to everyone who has enabled us to do so much over the last 25 years and a beacon of light for the years to come. Thanks to everyone who is supporting us through Wondrous Woods.”
For further information about Wondrous Woods and to purchase tickets, visit www.wondrouswoods.com
Following confirmation of avian influenza (H5N1) among a flock of kept birds in the Angus constituency, laboratory results have identified the strain as highly pathogenic in poultry.
In order to limit the further spread of disease, a Protection Zone (PZ) of three kilometres and a Surveillance Zone (SZ) of 10 kilometres have now been put in place around the infected premises.
Within these zones, a range of different controls are now in place, including restrictions on the movement of poultry, carcasses, eggs, used poultry litter and manure.
Animal and Plant Health Agency inspectors will conduct visits in the local area to support compliance among bird keepers.
Public health advice is that the risk to human health from the virus is very low and food standards bodies advise that avian influenzas pose a very low food safety risk for UK consumers, and that cooked poultry products including eggs are safe to eat.
Rural Affairs Secretary Marie Gougeon said: “Following this confirmation I have put in place measures to help control any further spread of the disease in the surrounding area.
“We ask that the public remain vigilant and report any findings of dead wild birds.”
Scotland’s Chief Veterinary Officer Sheila Voas said: “This highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza (H5N1) has been confirmed and all remaining birds are being humanely culled.
“All bird keepers – whether major businesses or small keepers with just a few birds – must ensure that their biosecurity is up to scratch to protect their birds from disease.
“Keepers who are concerned about the health or welfare of their flock should seek veterinary advice immediately.
“Private vets, or the local Animal and Plant Health Agency office, will also be able to provide practical advice on keeping birds safe from infection.”
39 Scottish schools start I Can’t to I Can mental wellbeing challenge on 8th November to build self-confidence, resilience and self-esteem mental ahead of Anti-Bullying Week
The 5-day Challenge was created as a response to anxiety pandemic amongst young people during these uncertain times
Half of all mental health conditions present themselves by the time a child reaches 14 but most cases remain undetected and untreated
I Can’t to I Can provides teachers with resources to teach simple brain hacks that can last a lifetime and turn around a child’s negative thinking within a week
The ongoing pandemic, concerns about climate change along with the endless horrific news headlines are enough for any young person to deal with. Add into the mix the normal issues of growing up magnified through the lens of social media and it’s no wonder that young people are 50% more likely to have a mental health problem than they were three years ago.
From 8th November, 39 schools in Scotland will be taking part in the RTT 5-Day ‘I Can’t to I Can’ mental wellbeing challenge.
The aim is to provide children aged 7 – 10 with a series of mind hacks to help build confidence, self-esteem and resilience. This will give them the mental stamina to cope with these challenging times and skills to support them throughout their life if they learn to practice them daily.
Available online, the free resource is based around the RTT concept of the inner cheerleader. Everyone is born with an inner cheerleader as without that driving force encouraging us, babies would give up after taking their first, unsuccessful attempt at anything.
Sadly, the inner critic can kick in as young as 5 which is why the skills taught in ‘I Can’t to I Can’ are so key and it takes just a week to instil positive new approaches in children aged 7 to 10.
Commenting on the challenge, Dr Sian Peer, therapist and Director of the RTT School said: ‘As a parent myself, I know how crippling anxiety can be for a young child. We wanted to share some of the incredible mental wellbeing tools that are the cornerstones of RTT to help primary school children understand and manage their emotions.
“The 5 Day Challenge provides teachers with a daily lesson plan over a week, each building on the learning from the previous day. There are videos, fun exercises and ideas to do at home making the whole experience interactive and memorable.’
Although most schools will participate in the challenge during the week of 8th November, the resources are going to be accessible to schools on an ongoing basis.
During November we are running one-to-one digital help sessions on Tuesday afternoons in the Central Library.
You must book in advance by emailing informationdigital@edinburgh.gov.uk with your name and phone number. We will phone you back to arrange a session time.
Covid-19 arrangements for this session
A few things will be different about this session in order to keep our staff and customers safe
· Booking is essential
· Please attend the session on your own if possible (if someone needs to come with you, they must be from the same household)
· You will be required to wear a mask throughout the session, unless exempt
· On arrival you will be requested to complete the Test & Protect process via the QR Code scan or on paper. The information you provide will be stored in accordance with GDPR requirements and to be disposed of after 21 days
· Hand sanitiser is available throughout Central Library including the location of the session
· You will be asked to remain 1m socially distant throughout the session
· While at the session please follow good hygiene practices (avoid touching your nose, eyes and mouth. Cough or sneeze into your elbow or a tissue and dispose of it safely)
· Please do not attend the session if you display symptoms of coronavirus
