Applications now open to be part of Hidden Door 2022
Our festivals showcase theatre, spoken word, visual art, dance and music by local and international artists, and aims to create a platform to bring the arts to a wider audience.
Hidden Door is a volunteer-run charity, with our work funded through ticket sales, sponsorship and fundraising. All money goes straight back into the festival and paying our creative contributors and artists.
This year we’re bringing the old Royal High School on Calton Hill to life for a ten day festival of live music, visual art, dance, theatre and spoken word. The festival will completely transform the entire complex from 9 – 18 June 2022.
We’re looking for friendly faces to help us with a range of duties before, during and after the festival and to help make this the most exciting Hidden Door Festival yet.
We’re looking for self-motivated team members for a range of duties before, during and after the festival such as:
Clearing and preparing the site before the festival
Venue building and set up
Event stewarding, greeting visitors and crowd control
Invigilating artwork installations across the sites
Box office support
Stage management and artist support
Checking wristbands and tickets
Queue management and monitoring noise levels
Cleaning up after the festival
Supervising gates and access points to the festival
Why volunteer?
FREE access to the festival (dependent upon hours volunteered)
The chance to work with an experienced team and learn new skills
An opportunity to get involved in the local arts scene and work with a great line-up of artists and contributors
Be a part of the festival team, make friends and meet new people
If you aren’t sure if volunteering is for you, or would like to understand a bit more about what’s involved, please email hello@hiddendoorarts.org and we’ll be happy to help.
To start off this month, we are pleased to be able to welcome yet another partner, with whom we will be working in the future.
Art in Healthcare is a charity that has been working in Edinburgh and Scotland since 1991. They have a large collection of Scottish art that is placed in community, healthcare and social care settings and they also work with professional artists to provide creative workshops in a wide range of communities.
A spokesperson said: “We are really excited to have the opportunity to work at Heart of Newhaven to consider how art can become an integrated part of the organisation and building as it moves forward.
“We are planning a programme of art workshops for all ages and levels of experience, visits to other interesting venues in Edinburgh and the opportunity to visit our stores and help to select works that could be exhibited at the Heart from September 2022 onwards.”
Of course Art in Healthcare is only the latest organisation to approach the Heart. Visit our Partners page on the website to find out about others.
If anyone knows of any individual, organisation or charity that would like to contribute to our three themes of culture and heritage, learning and enterprise and well-being, and take space at The Heart to do so, do get in touch.
While we are currently negotiating with various groups over use of space, nothing is yet set in stone. We want to maximise the use of space and the benefits to the community that working in partnership can bring.
We have heard of one local artist who mistakenly thought the place was totally full!
While there is certainly lots of interest, it is also a large site and we will do our best to accommodate you.
Our next collaborative event will be taking place in June, so make a note in your diaries for The Big Picnic on 19th June. This will happen at Victoria Park and is a joint venture with Friends of Victoria Park.
There will be fun for all in a family-orientated event with loads of activities and loads of fun. Look out your picnic baskets, air your picnic blankets and watch this space for more details in the next newsletter.
Now you must know that local elections are taking place on 5th May and those of you who live in the immediate area may have been used to voting at Victoria Primary School.
Do take a close look at your polling card though. If you live in Western Harbour, you will be voting at The Heart, another confirmation that the City of Edinburgh Council is on board with our plans!
If you live along Main Street or other parts of Newhaven, however, you will be voting at Newhaven Church. Make sure you go to the correct place. You can also check here
Finally, you can’t have helped but notice that we’ve launched another Crowdfunder campaign.
As we get ready to accept the keys to the site (date still not confirmed, but hopefully soon) we are also getting ready to hit the ground running.
For this we need funds to clean, paint, repair, plant and generally get the site up to standard. We’re pleased to report that we have already reached the halfway point for the target sum, and have applied for match-funding from other donors, so please do contribute to the campaign, no matter what the amount. It all adds up!
Make sure you spread the word as well and tell all your friends and social media platforms.
Thank you in advance.
Thank you too to all who have helped so far during our site visits and if you haven’t signed up to help (via our Volunteering page on the website) then do so now.
Veterans and their families will take part in an international remembrance service at dawn on Monday (25th April) to mark the 107th anniversary of the Gallipoli campaign in the First World War.
Legion Scotland and Poppyscotland will join members of the Australian and New Zealand community for the service and wreath-laying ceremony at Comely Bank Cemetery at 5.30am. Led by Rev Dr Karen Campbell, it will feature Scots Guards piper Lance Sergeant Mark Macrae and bugler Iona McFarlane.
Later that morning, Edinburgh’s Lord Provost Frank Ross and Government representatives from Scotland, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, France, and Turkey will take part in Legion Scotland’s annual ANZAC and Gallipoli Day Service at the Scottish National War Memorial inside Edinburgh Castle at 11am.
ANZAC Day marks the service and sacrifices made by the Australian and New Zealand Armed Forces, as well as those from Scotland and the rest of the world who served alongside them. It is the national day of remembrance in the two countries.
Both services are open to the public, with a limited number of tickets for the memorial available from 9:30-10:15am in front of the Castle on the Esplanade.
At dawn on April 25th, 1915, the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC), together with British, French, and Russian forces landed on the Dardanelles Peninsula (now part of Turkey) at the start of the Gallipoli campaign.
This ended in a stalemate, with troops withdrawing in January 1916. A total of more than 100,000 soldiers were killed.
Dr Claire Armstrong, Chief Executive of Legion Scotland, said: “This is an opportunity to come together to remember the service and sacrifices of ANZAC servicemen and women through the years, as well as our own soldiers who fell during the Gallipoli campaign.
“It is a chance to reflect on the extraordinary courage of our Armed Forces community, both past and present, as well as the enduring friendship between our countries.”
We are undertaking this survey because we want to understand carer’s experiences of adult social work and social care services and how they are supported in the following areas:
Knowing and understanding their rights;
Maintaining or improving their health and wellbeing and quality of life; and
Being supported to continue in their caring role, or to move on from their caring role where this is the best option.
From this we aim to learn how the future support of carers can be developed and improved. The findings from this inquiry will be a key resource for organisations both locally and nationally in doing this work.
We would like to hear from you if you are an adult currently caring for a spouse/partner, relative over the age of 18 years, a neighbour, friend, or someone else. We would be grateful if you could take some time to tell us about your experience by completing this survey. This survey closes on 3rd June 2022.
It should take about 10-15 minutes to complete.
You will be able to save it and go back to it at a later time, so you do not have to complete it in one go.
Tickets for the 2022 Forth Awards have been released for sale, giving Radio Forth listeners the chance to join in the annual celebration of community champions across Edinburgh and the east.
A renowned and hugely popular event in the city’s social calendar, Radio Forth will hold its 16th annual awards ceremony at the Usher Hall on Thursday, 14 November and has today announced the release of the highly sought-after VIP balcony tickets for public sale.
Saint James Quarter is this year’s main sponsor, following the move of Forth 1 into the shopping centre where it will broadcast from 7 days a week.
The return of the awards, following a three year absence due to the pandemic, aims to celebrate those people across Lothian and the East who have went above and beyond for their community.
Radio Forth Awards recognise those who go above and beyond in their community, whether it be in education, volunteering or entertainment. There are ten categories which include Best Teacher, Best Artist, the Community Venture Award and the much-loved Local Hero Award.
This years categories celebrate the best of Scotland with Best Teacher, Community Venture Award, Local Hero as well as Best Artist, Contribution to Music Award and Forth Fringe Award, all up for grabs this year.
Richie Jeffrey, Events and Marketing Manager at Radio Forth said: “The Radio Forth Awards are something that we have been passionate about since they first launched back in 2003. They offer an opportunity for communities to come together and celebrate the outstanding efforts of some truly remarkable people from our small corner of the world.
“The awards have quickly become a favourite on the event calendar and we are delighted to be able to offer our listeners the chance to attend the event. With some of the best names in music and entertainment appearing at the ceremony in previous years, I’d recommend listeners get their tickets fast!
“The Usher Hall is one of Edinburgh’s great venues, and the fact we have already sold out of the grand circle seats shows just how much the city has been deseperate for the event to return.”
The Forth Awards also celebrate some of the biggest names in music and entertainment, with Scotland’s very own Lewis Capaldi being amongst those who have been recognised at the awards in previous years.
As usual, this year’s live acts is a closely guarded secret until the day itself and the countdown is on to find out who will follow in the footsteps of previous performers including Stereophonics, Paolo Nutini and Olly Murs.
Two motorcyclists have died this month and five seriously injured in collisions over the Easter weekend. The latest figures are being highlighted as a reminder to all road users to keep themselves and others safe while travelling on Scotland’s roads.
Road policing officers are focusing on their annual motorcycle campaign over the spring and summer months when riders tend to make use of the better weather.
Fellow biker and deputy head of road policing, Superintendent Stewart Mackie, said: “We speak to bikers and other road users all year round but as the better weather arrives, there is a real focus on motorbike safety and educating all drivers.
“Motorcyclists are more vulnerable than other road users. My plea to other riders is a straightforward one – get home safe.
“I have bitter experience of attending fatal collisions over the years and we must all be cautious on bends, especially left hand bends and think twice before every single overtake.
“I understand the pleasure of being on a bike and exploring Scotland but there’s nothing more important than returning home to your loved ones safe and well.
“Every road user needs to play their part.”
More than 85 per cent of all motorcycle collisions happen in rural areas, during the daytime and in good weather. Over 500 motorcyclists are seriously injured or killed across the country each year.
see you there as we launch our updated Wild Places & Open Spaces directory of fantastic outdoor spaces #NorthEdinburgh and the local Hidden Gems walking maps for everyone to enjoy our neighbourhood!
Materials barred from high-risk buildings over 11 metres
Legislation to improve fire safety and boost Scotland’s Net Zero ambitions has been laid before the Scottish Parliament.
Under the legislation, developers will be banned from using combustible cladding on high-rise buildings. Since 2005, new cladding systems on high rise blocks of flats have either had to use non-combustible materials or pass a large-scale fire test.
The building standards legislation removes the option of a fire test, completely prohibiting such materials from use on domestic and other high-risk buildings, such as care homes and hospitals, above 11m.
The highest risk metal composite cladding material will be banned from any new building of any height, with replacement cladding also required to meet the new standards.
The legislation also includes improvements to energy performance standards, aiming to make buildings easier to heat while ensuring they are well ventilated and comfortable to live in.
Building Standards Minister Patrick Harvie said: “This is the third set of changes made to fire safety standards for cladding in Scotland since the tragic Grenfell Tower Fire, requiring any cladding on domestic or other high risk buildings above 11m to be strictly non-combustible.
“Taken together with our new fire alarms regulations, covering all homes in Scotland regardless of ownership, this is yet another step on the Scottish Government’s mission to minimise the risk of deaths and injuries from fire.
“The energy improvements will deliver another important step toward improved energy and emission performance of our buildings, and we’ll be going further on this in 2024 with regulations requiring new buildings to use zero-emissions heating systems.”
Changes to requirements on fire safety of cladding systems will be introduced on 1 June 2022, while improvements to energy and environmental standards will apply from 1 October 2022.
The changes have been brought in following public consultations in 2021 on the fire safety of cladding systems and on energy and environmental standards.
Supporting Technical Handbooks, which set out the full detail of changes, will be published from the start of May.
The combustible cladding ban will apply to all buildings with a storey 11m or more above the ground, and which contain:
a dwelling
a building used as a place of assembly
or as a place of entertainment or recreation
a hospital
a residential care building or sheltered housing complex or a shared multi-occupancy residential building.
MPs back TUC’s calls for asbestos removal from public buildings
On Thursday, MPs backed calls from the TUC for all asbestos to be removed from public and commercial buildings.
Westminster’s Work and Pensions Select Committee published a report from its inquiry into asbestos management in which it cites TUC calls for stronger asbestos removal.
Asbestos remains the biggest cause of work-related deaths in the UK according to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), with 5,000 deaths recorded in 2019. And Britain has the highest rates of mesothelioma cases in the world.
Asbestos is classed as carcinogenic, which means it can cause cancer and other serious lung conditions when fibres are inhaled.
According to figures from the HSE asbestos is still found in around 300,000 non-domestic buildings despite a ban on the use of the substance in new buildings in 1999.
Committee report
The new report by MPs cites concerns that the likely dramatic increase in retrofitting of buildings in response to net zero ambitions means that more asbestos-containing material will be disturbed in the coming decades.
The TUC says current asbestos management is not fit for purpose and has long called for new legislation requiring removal of all asbestos from public buildings.
Today MPs have called for a 40-year deadline to remove all asbestos from public and commercial buildings. The TUC welcomes the news but says a 40-year deadline is not ambitious enough.
The report also calls for more funding for the HSE to support this increased programme of work.
Asbestos dangers
There is no safe threshold of exposure to asbestos fibres – inhalation even of small quantities can lead to mesothelioma decades after exposure.
This means that where asbestos is still present, it is not safe to assume there will be no disturbances that put working people in danger.
The only way we will eradicate mesothelioma in Britain is with a legal duty to safely remove asbestos, and a clear timetable for its eradication. Only then can we ensure that future generations will not have to experience the same deadly epidemic from asbestos-related diseases that we suffer today.
TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Everyone should be safe at work. Asbestos exposure at work continues to cause thousands of deaths every year. Asbestos is still with us in workplaces and public buildings across the country. As a result, more than 22 years after the use of asbestos was banned, hundreds of thousands of workers are still put at risk of exposure every day.
“The only way to protect today’s workers and future generations is through the safe removal of asbestos from all workplaces and public buildings.
“Today’s report by MPs is welcome, but a 40-year deadline isn’t ambitious enough: hundreds of thousands of workers risk dangerous exposure in that time. Ministers must commit to removing all asbestos to keep future generations safe.”
Don’t miss the online launch of our documentary which tells the story of NHS Lothian’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic through interviews, videos and pictures of our staff.
Please join us to reflect and watch the premiere on our YouTube Channel on Thursday 28 April, 6pm. #pandemic#covid-19
Police are asking for help to trace a 17-year-old teenager last seen in Leith. Aaron Strachan was last seen around 5pm in Leith Walk on Thursday (21 April). He is described as around 5ft 11, of average build, with short brown hair.
When last seen he was wearing a green/blue puffer style jacket, grey jogging bottoms and black Nike trainers.
Anyone who has seen Aaron or knows where he might be is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting reference number 0696 of Thursday, 21 April, 2022.
