The Ivy on the Square has joined forces with Letters of Note to give diners a gift to treasure forever this Valentine’s Day. Love is an exclusive book compiled by Shaun Usher, featuring a collection of the most passionate love letters written in history, reimagined by The Ivy Collection with a bespoke cover and foreword. The book will be offered to all guests who book a table in the restaurant on Monday, 14 February.
Inspired by love, a limited-edition cocktail menu designed to make even the cold-hearted blush will also be available for guests from Friday, 11 to Monday, 14 February, alongside Pillow Talk (£17.95), an indulgent sharing dessert featuring peach and raspberry parfait, white chocolate mousse, popping candy and a raspberry sauce.
Celebrating love in all its many forms, the trio of cocktails honour some of the world’s most iconic love letters from days gone by. From Napoleon to Joséphine (£9.75), a sparkling serve featuring Altos Tequila Blanco, passion fruit and a splash of prosecco, to Oscar Wilde’s Secret Affair (£9.50), incorporating Beefeater Gin, lemon juice and agave syrup, and His Immortal Beloved, inspired by Beethoven and consisting of coffee liqueur, double cream and Amaretto; guests will be sure to fall for these limited edition-delights.
Agata Lubera, General Manager at The Ivy on the Square, comments: “Couples are invited to celebrate the most romantic night of the year in the heart of Edinburgh. Join us at The Ivy on the Square to indulge in our menu that perfectly pairs love and food.”
The Valentine’s Day specials are available from Friday, 11February to Monday, 14 February, while guests will revel in the restaurant’s romantic setting with its beautiful furnishings and friendly service.
To book a table and enjoy a complimentary copy of Love on Monday, 14 February, please visit TheIvyEdinburgh.com
National Museums Scotland’s exhibition Audubon’s Birds of Americaopens this month, please see details of the exhibition and related events below, followed by all other National Museums Scotland listings to 12 March 2022.
OPENING SOON Audubon’s Birds of America 12 Feb – 8 May 2022 National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF Member Preview Day, 11 Feb Exhibition Gallery 1, Level 3 Ticketed, £0-£10
This new exhibition at the National Museum of Scotland will examine the artistry and legacy of one of the world’s rarest, most coveted and biggest books.
Published as a series between 1827 and 1838, Birds of America by John James Audubon (1785-1851) was a landmark work which achieved international renown due to the epic scale of the project and the book’s spectacular, life-sized ornithological illustrations.
Audubon’s Birds of America (12 February – 8 May 2022) will showcase 46 unbound prints from National Museums Scotland’s collection, most of which have never been on display before, as well as a rare bound volume of the book, on loan from the Mitchell Library. This exhibition is a unique opportunity to see so much of Audubon’s work in one place.
Supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.
14 Feb – 17 Feb 2022 10:00 – 12:00 & 14:00 – 16:00 Grand Gallery, National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF Free, drop-in
Swoop into the National Museum of Scotland for some feathery February half term fun or download a hands-on activity to try at home.
Join our Learning Enabler team at their drop-in Learning Trolleys to find out the basics of birdwatching – what to take, where to look and what to look for. Or have a go at a bird chatter challenge and see if you can match the bird to its call.
Next, imagine the Grand Gallery is a garden and look up to spy six beautiful birds perched around the balcony. Can you identify all six and complete the answers on our bird watching challenge sheet?
You can also fold your own paper origami dove with the team from Burns & Beyond. These doves will later be flown alongside 2,500 others in artist Michael Pendry’s creation, to debut at St Giles’ Cathedral in March 2022.
Event supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery
Spotlight On: Audubon’s Birds of America 8 Mar 2022 14:00-15:00 Auditorium, Level 1, National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF Free, advance booking required. Suitable for those aged 12 and over.
Join exhibition Curator Mark Glancy and Paper Conservator Lisa Cumming as they discuss how our upcoming exhibition Audubon’s Birds of America took flight. Discover how Birds of America, one of the world’s rarest and most coveted books, was made, and learn about the ongoing conservation work to preserve these life-size, hand-coloured prints for future generations.
6 March 2022 17:30-19:00 National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF £15, £13 Members and Concessions
A rare chance to explore our special exhibition after hours, hosted by museum mindfulness teacher Laura Baxter. Taking time to savour pleasant experiences, such as looking at art, can increase our mental wellbeing.
This session will invite visitors to first freely browse the exhibition, then as a group focus on a single work of art within the exhibition, discovering how to enjoy the artwork and experience how to engage with it mindfully, moment by moment. Through guided mindfulness practices, participants will discover how to slow down, connect with the artwork and each other.
Part of the National Museum of Scotland’s Wellbeing Weekend.
31 Mar 2022 19:30-20:30 Online Free, with optional donation
Join David Lindo and Paul Walton for an online discussion celebrating the joy that birds bring us, the urgent threats they face, and the science and conservation work protecting them.
David Lindo, also known as The Urban Birder, is a wildlife broadcaster, nature writer and urban wildlife educationalist. He is Vice-President of the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, Honorary President of the Colombia Bird Fair, and was voted 7th most influential person in Wildlife by BBC Wildlife Magazine.
Paul Walton is Head of Habitats and Species for RSPB Scotland.
Supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.
National Museum of Scotland Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF Open 10:00–17:00 daily
Anatomy: A Matter of Death and Life 1 Jul – 13 Nov 2022 Exhibition Gallery 1, Level 3 Ticketed
Explore the history of anatomical study, from artistic explorations by Leonardo da Vinci to the Burke and Hare murders. This exhibition will look at the social and medical history surrounding the practice of dissection. It will trace the relationship between anatomy, its teaching and cultural context and the bodies that were dissected. Looking at Edinburgh’s role as an international centre for medical study, the exhibition will offer insight into the links between science and crime in the early 19th century.
The Typewriter Revolution Until 17 Apr 2022 10:00–16:30 Exhibition Gallery 2, Level 3 Free entry
The typewriter’s social and technological influence is revealed in this new exhibition and looks at its role in society, arts, and popular culture. It traces the effect and evolution of typewriters across more than 100 years, from weighty early machines to modern style icons.
The impact of the typewriter has been much wider than simply speeding up the way we write. It helped revolutionise the world of work and change the lives of working women in particular. Typewriters helped them launch their own businesses at a time when female employers were rare and became a vital weapon in the fight for the vote.
Until 8 Jan 2023 Exhibition Gallery 4, Level 1 Free entry
On the 250th anniversary of Sir Walter Scott’s birth, experience his novels through objects that inspired him. In this small exhibition we show how Scott drew upon real historical objects for inspiration, placing objects alongside Scott’s words, and the stories in which they feature. While you view these fascinating objects, you can listen to an actor reading extracts from these tales.
In association with Walter Scott 250: Celebrating 250 Years of Scotland’s Greatest Storyteller.
Until 27 Mar 2022 Exhibition Gallery 3, Level 1 Free entry
This small exhibition highlights the exciting work being carried out in Scotland to fight against climate change.
It brings together just some of the technological responses that have been developed in Scotland or that are being used here in the effort to cut carbon dioxide emissions. On show are a range of leading-edge equipment, much of it newly collected, alongside samples of natural material.
Supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.
National Museum of Flight East Fortune Airfield, East Lothian, EH39 5LF Saturdays and Sundays 10:00 – 16:00
LAST CHANCE TO SEE LEGO® Concorde Model Until 6 February 2022 Saturdays and Sundays 10:00 – 16:00 Free with pre-booked museum entry
Master builder Warren Elsmore and his team have created a LEGO® Big Build of the National Museum of Flight’s Concorde.
Six metres long and made of over 60,000 bricks, you can see the model on display alongside the real thing. The model is made purely from standard 2×4 LEGO bricks and took five days to build as part of our Brick Wonders exhibition in Spring 2021.
National Museum of Scotland Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF Open 10:00–17:00 daily
Discovering Decorative Arts at the National Museum of Scotland
20 Jan – 24 Mar 2022 11:00 – 13:00 Dunfermline Room £175 for 10 sessions (concessions available)
Join this short course from National Museums Scotland and the University of Edinburgh, a great way to explore our collections and their wider history with experts.
This course will introduce the magnificent decorative arts collections within the National Museum of Scotland. We will explore the historical developments of decorative arts and how they have influenced the modern methods and techniques used to create many of the beautiful objects on display in the National Museum of Scotland.
This course will be led by Karen A Clulow BA MA FSA Scot. The University of Edinburgh Short Courses are presented by the Centre for Open Learning.
NEW Wellbeing Weekend: Yoga, sketching and mindfulness
4 Mar – 6 Mar 2022
A weekend of resetting, relaxing and reflection within the inspiring architecture and galleries of the National Museum of Scotland.
As we emerge from the darkest months of the year, join us for a series of events to reset your body and uplift your mind. From relaxing yoga to mindful sketching, make the most of our unique spaces and inspiring galleries to improve and enhance your wellbeing.
The times, dates, prices and booking info for individual events across the weekend are below.
Yin Yang Flow Yoga
Friday 4 March 18:00-19:15 £15, £13 Members and Concessions
Morning Ashtanga Yoga
Saturday 5 March 08:15-09:15 £15, £13 Members and Concessions
Mindful Sunday Sketch
Sunday 6 March, 13:00-14:30 and 15:00-16:30 £10, £8 Members and Concessions
Wellbeing Trail
4-6 March Free See the museum in a new light using our Wellbeing Audio Trail, or pick up a paper copy in the Grand Gallery.
Millions driven to harmful desperation borrowing as financial pressure on households deepens
The number of people finding it hard to keep up with bills and credit commitments has doubled since the start of the pandemic according to new research from StepChange Debt Charity.
The charity has found the proportion of people struggling is now nearly one in three (30%) GB adults – 15 million people – compared to 15% (7.5m people) who say they were struggling in March 2020.
The report finds 8.6 million people in financial difficulty in Britain borrowed £26 billion to cover their basic needs in the last year. This includes 3.5 million people who have used credit to pay essential bills.
The number of people resorting to credit is expected to increase as the cost-of-living crisis pushes up the price of basic household essentials.
StepChange’s research reveals a credit market that does not always work for people in financial difficulty, with two-thirds (65%) of those in difficulty having kept up with credit repayments by missing bills, borrowing from family and friends or being forced to cut back to the point of hardship.
Despite rules designed to ensure those in financial difficulty access support, fewer than one in four of those struggling with credit repayments are in contact with their bank or credit firm.
Strikingly, half of GB adults (53%) say that they would be reluctant to seek help with financial difficulty from a bank or credit firm due to concerns about credit reporting and the anxiety and stigma of talking about financial difficulty.
The report finds that rather than access help, people struggling with debt can instead experience steps that make their situation worse. Among Stepchange clients who responded to an online survey, 26% were offered further credit after they were in financial difficulty, 35% had a payment taken they could not afford and 51% had interest added to a debt.
The lack of effective early intervention to identify and provide those in financial difficulty with a safe, fair way out of unaffordable debt is causing social harms, with 6.4 million struggling GB adults saying credit has had a negative impact on their health, relationships or ability to work in the last 12 months.
The research, based on a national survey of GB adults and an online survey of StepChange clients, highlights poor practice in the credit market such as ineffective affordability checks and automatic credit limit increases that draw financially vulnerable households into unmanageable debt.
With the cost-of-living crisis now further squeezing budgets StepChange is warning that many more people are likely to use credit to pay for essentials in the coming months. Urgent action is needed to support households to meet essential costs without resorting to credit.
The Financial Conduct Authority recently announced proposals to implement a new Consumer Duty that will require firms to focus on delivering good outcomes for consumers. StepChange is calling for the FCA to ensure the Duty changes practices that are failing consumers, including:
Raising standards of lending and addressing unaffordable credit limit increases so that fewer stretched households build unaffordable credit card debt
Requiring firms to intervene proactively and provide a widely available and safe offer to customers unable to keep up with repayments, building on learning from payment deferrals offered during the pandemic.
StepChange is also calling on the Government and the FCA to do more to provide alternatives to borrowing for households that are struggling to meet unexpected expenses, through grants via the social security system and a government-supported no interest loan scheme.
StepChange Chief Executive Phil Andrew said:“The sharp rise in the number of people struggling to meet their financial commitments should raise alarm bells across Government, banks and regulators.
“We are two years into a financially damaging pandemic and going through the sharpest cost of living increase in a generation. While consumer credit can potentially play some part in helping people navigate short-term pinch points, this must not be at the cost of their long-term financial and personal wellbeing.
“For our clients, a cost-of-living crisis is not new – for years we have been seeing a steady rise in the number of households who experience debt simply through a prolonged period of not having enough income to meet their basic needs.
“However, the number of such households looks set to grow, and in the absence of public policy intervention the risk is that such households will have no other option but to turn to borrowing in the short term, which will only exacerbate and prolong their financial difficulties.
“Those responsible for the steering us through these choppy financial waters need to be attuned to the harm many credit products, made available to people on the cusp of financial difficulty, can cause.
“The new Consumer Duty is a crucial opportunity for firms to redesign products and change practices to ensure credit does not exploit financial difficulty and those in difficulty get effective help fast.
“To resist acting is to risk a rapidly escalating debt crisis, particularly among lower income households.”
On Monday (7th February), work starts on a major new cycling and walking route linking the east and west of the city (including other improvements to the area) – from Roseburn to Leith via Haymarket and West End.
On 7 Feb, we start work on a major new cycling and walking route linking the east and west of the city (incl other improvements to the area) – from Roseburn to Leith via Haymarket and West End. All project and roadworks information is on our website. https://t.co/mqI8oJd8YXpic.twitter.com/nkkOLRsKln
— The City of Edinburgh Council (@Edinburgh_CC) February 3, 2022
More than 15 million COVID-19 PCR tests have now been carried out in Scotland since testing began, nearly two years ago.
The tests, which include those carried out by NHS Scotland at the three NHS regional hubs set up around Scotland and the network of Health Board diagnostic labs, have now reached 15,092,074.
They also include the four-nations network of Lighthouse laboratories, partner laboratories and testing sites.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “Reaching fifteen million tests is a major milestone and recognition of the hard work and dedication of our testing teams across the country.
“Testing has a vital role to play as restrictions are phased out and we learn to with the virus.
“It may be tempting to think as vaccinations increase and cases drop, that testing will become less important. In fact, this will only make it more important to spot and prevent new outbreaks as cases emerge. We know from our experience just how quickly one outbreak can lead to another.
“The recent changes to testing requirements and self-isolation guidance are helping to maximise testing capacity and ensure a speedier start to the process of contact tracing.
“It is crucial that individuals report their LFD test results online to enable us to understand the prevalence of COVID-19 and allows contacts of those with positive results, to rapidly receive the correct advice to prevent onward spread.
“The ability to quickly identify new outbreaks and put appropriate measures in place will remain at the heart of our strategy to help break chains of transmission.”
Three regional hubs were established last year by National Services Scotland (NSS) in Glasgow (west) at Gartnavel hospital, Foresterhill in Aberdeen (North) and Lauriston Place in Edinburgh (East) to increase capacity.
These facilities complement the testing capacity provided by the UK Government lighthouse lab network in Scotland.
