Month: May 2022

Funding to support Edinburgh Festival Fringe producers

£1.275m Fringe 2022 Resilience Fund developed, thanks to support from the Scottish Government’s Platforms for Creative Excellence (PLACE programme)

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society is pleased to announce that 13 Edinburgh Festival Fringe producers have been awarded a share of £1.275 million through the Fringe 2022 Resilience Fund, developed thanks to support from the Scottish Government’s Platforms for Creative Excellence (PLACE) programme.

The fund, designed to support resilience, recovery and creativity across the festival in its 75th anniversary year, is part of a £1.58m award to the Fringe through PLACE. The remaining £305k has been allocated to support the ongoing resilience of the Fringe Society and includes £55k to support the delivery of Street Events during August.

Venues in receipt of the Resilience Fund are Assembly, BlundaBus, Gilded Balloon, Greenside, Just The Tonic, Laughing Horse, Monkey Barrell Comedy, Pleasance, Scottish Comedy Festival, Summerhall, theSpaceUK, Underbelly and ZOO.

The awarding panel was chaired by the Fringe Society, and included the expert advice of Creative Scotland, City of Edinburgh Council and EventScotland.

Commenting on the fund, Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive, Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: “It’s fair to say that the last few years have been the most challenging in our festival’s history. Now, as we prepare to enter our 75th anniversary year, creatives across the Fringe landscape are working hard to ensure that this incredible festival not only survives, but continues to work hard to be the best version of itself.

“This support from Scottish Government is absolutely vital in helping us to achieve that goal: allowing producers and creatives across the landscape to not only recover from the devastating effects of the pandemic, but to offer enhanced support to artists, workers and volunteers; to continue to programme creative and innovative work; to improve accessibility; to tackle affordability and to ensure that this festival remains true to its founding principles of openness and inclusivity.”

Scottish Government Culture Minister Neil Gray said: “As we celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Edinburgh Fringe this summer, I’m pleased that £305,000 from our Platforms for Creative Excellence (PLACE) Fund will support the activities of the Festival Fringe Society and their street events this year.

 “In particular I want to congratulate the 13 producers who will share the Fringe 2022 Resilience Fund. The last few years have been difficult for the venues putting on events so this support will help to ensure the continued success of this flagship summer festival.”

How the funding will support creativity and resilience across the Fringe: 

To address recovery and resilience challenges for the Fringe, funding was considered across four key pillars: Creative Programming; Risk Management; Fair Work and Sustainability.

With this funding, Summerhall are planning a range of creative work at the festival, including supporting two under-represented artists to make new work in response to 75 years of the Edinburgh Festivals.

To address sustainability, they aim to lead the way as a flyer free venue and will implement e-ticketing. Within their workforce, they are looking to create a brand-new Fringe Learning Management System, which will help onboard workers through online learning.

BlundaBus’ funding will support their return to the Fringe after the pandemic. They actively work to programme and support alternative and experimental artists, as well as artists for whom cost is a barrier to participation, offering both performance and ‘green room’ spaces to support artists.

Since 2019 they have been working to develop a programme of work centred around women and LGBTQ+ performers. They are champions of the Pay What You Want ticketing model to support affordability at the festival, and embed sustainability across their practice by reducing single use items and prioritising sustainable materials in their infrastructure.

Greenside’s funding will allow them to continue operating as an open programming venue, giving artists from non-professional backgrounds a route to access the festival.

It will also support them to increase staff pay further, from Living Wage to paying every team member above the Real Living Wage; facilitating the creation of an additional 24 Festival jobs paid above the Real Living Wage.

To address sustainability, they will move to e-ticketing, transition their programme from print to digital, and look to reduce omissions across their technical operation.

Just The Tonic will use the funding to support their programming of high-quality comedy and to support and underwrite costs for artists who are still recovering from the pandemic.

In 2022, their venue The Tron will be programmed with female performers only, with the aim of addressing gender imbalance in the comedy sector. They will continue their Pay What You Want ticketing model to help with affordability, and as part of their commitment to fair work, all staff will be paid Living Wage.

Support for theSpaceUK will allow them to mitigate costs for artists who have been impacted by the pandemic, whilst keeping access to the festival affordable for creatives.

As a champion of both emerging and established artists, they will continue their commitment to open access programming and supporting new and original writing. They will continue to operate as a Living Wage employer and to offer a programme of staff training.

With their funding, Gilded Balloon will continue to support emerging artists and their development. In consolidating their programme, they plan to reduce the number of overall shows to allow for increased turnaround times between shows (allowing for a better experience for artists, staff and audiences alike).

While all staff are already paid the National Living Wage and above, this fund’s support will enable them to increase the number of staff on site and reduce staff hours. They are also investing in e-ticketing to support sustainability and are reducing the number of flyers produced by investing in digital marketing.

Laughing Horse have received support for the delivery of a range of activities associated with the Free Festival. To address sustainability, they are looking to fully replace their printed programme with an app and improved mobile website.

They will run mental health support sessions for performers and staff before and during the Fringe, and they have committed to a BSL interpreter for several performances to improve access to deaf audiences.

Funding will also support them with equipment costs and with the hiring of paid ticketing staff.

Underbelly’s funding will allow them to increase their minimum pay offer for temporary festival staff from the National Living wage (which they already pay) to the Real Living Wage.

They will also use the funds to hire additional short-term staff to support their existing team during the busy Fringe period, thereby improving working conditions and reducing working hours.

To address sustainability, the support will allow them to invest in e-ticketing. They plan to enhance their accessibility programme with extra captioned shows and a range of shows with BSL interpreters.

Support will also help with the build and maintenance of their temporary venues, and accommodation for their staff during the Fringe.

Monkey Barrell are looking to use their funding to continue to programme diverse and inclusive line-ups, whilst creating greater opportunities for local acts, unrepresented performers and those from non-privileged backgrounds.

They are looking to create a community focused artistic hub to enable creatives to come together at the festival. As of 2022, all year-round staff previously on Living Wage are now paid the Real Living Wage.

This fund will allow them to extend this to all temporary staff during the Fringe, and to create a staff development programme to upskill and develop their wider team.

ZOO’s programming in 2022 is aimed at better reflecting the lives of under-represented or minority audiences, and support from this fund will allow them to subsidise core costs for creatives.

Work by disabled artists is already central to their programming, and this funding will allow them to improve access to their audiences with enhanced BSL, audio description and captioned performances.

They will continue their commitments to paying staff Living Wage and above and to paying freelancers above the recommended rates. They will also continue to support their volunteer programme – which includes budget to address areas such as transport, access needs and childcare.

Funding will allow for Covid mitigations – such as enhanced cleaning, and provision of masks and hand sanitiser.

Pleasance will use the funding to reduce the financial risk to artists attending the Fringe – with targeted interventions which will support debut and early career creatives.

They plan to increase the number of employees in their workforce, reduce working hours during the festival, reduce the ratio of volunteers to paid staff, and provide increased opportunities for staff training. Some funding will also be used to invest in key infrastructure to improve their offering to artists and audiences, such as a reinforced Wi-Fi network to be able to facilitate e-ticketing.

Funding for The Scottish Comedy Festival will enable them to continue their work in programming local acts at the Fringe. Their model is centred around affordability and mitigating financial risk for the artists, and they are especially keen to support working class performers.

To further support affordability, their programme will continue to feature a mixture of Pay What You Want and Pay What You Can shows.

Assembly’s funding will be used to support artists’ attendance at the festival, by assisting with core costs such as accommodation, marketing and underwriting risk. Their programme, which celebrates 40 years at the Fringe this year, includes emerging artists and those from diverse backgrounds, as well as established performers.

Assembly Festival is a Living Wage employer and will use this fund to support increased training for staff and will also use it to mitigate against rising costs. They also aim to undertake research into post-pandemic audience behaviours and will continue their work as a sustainability champion.

Pilrig Nursery sold to ICP Education

Specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co, has announced the sale of Pilrig Children’s Nursery.

Established in 2014, Pilrig Children’s Nursery provides care for up 69 children aged six months to five years. It is ideally located in the heart of Edinburgh City Centre and, over the years, has established an exceptional local reputation for providing high-quality childcare.

Owned and operated by Jen and Eamon Hegarty since 2014, the nursery boasts a strong overall performance and impressive occupancy levels post-pandemic which have since exceeded that of late 2019/early 2020 as the setting continues to go from strength to strength. Jen and Eamon have now taken the decision to retire from the sector and allow a new owner the opportunity to take the nursery to the next level.

Following a confidential sales process, the setting has been sold to ICP Education, the biggest new entrant to the Scottish market.

Speaking on behalf of ICP Education, Mergers and Acquisitions Director, Kirsty Ibbott, comments, “We are thrilled to be welcoming Pilrig Children’s Nursery to ICP Education.

“Jen and Eamon have built a wonderful nursery and a high calibre team over the last eight years. Their commitment to delivering excellent childcare was immediately obvious as soon as we walked through the doors. We are pleased to have added such a well-established nursery to our Scottish region.”

The sale was handled by Director, Rosie Adlem, and Senior Director, Martin Daw, from Christie & Co who work with childcare operators across the Scottish region.

Rosie Adlem comments, “The nursery market across Scotland is particularly active at the moment, and we are delighted to have assisted another client with their retirement plans and to introduce an excellent childcare provider who will continue to nurture the business.

“With demand currently so high, we are finding that quality nursery businesses are receiving exceptional levels of interest within a very short timeframe despite a highly confidential process.”

Pilrig Children’s Nursery was sold for an undisclosed price.

Edinburgh care home launches dementia awareness series

Dementia series kick starts with industry expert event at Edinburgh home

A SCOTTISH care home is bringing together some of the country’s leading dementia care experts to launch its bumper calendar of activities to raise awareness of the disease.

With an estimated 90,000 people living with Dementia in Scotland1, Cramond Residence is launching ‘Let’s talk about…Dementia’ to build support and connections within the community while sharing important knowledge.

The home will open its doors to members of the public on 18 June to host the informal event with experts from Alzheimer’s Scotland and Home Help Me Care in attendance, alongside the Dementia care team from Cramond Residence.

Informative stalls will be set up in the garden for the duration of the afternoon event with three expert presentations covering what the world looks like for those with dementia, how to care for someone living with Dementia at home and when it’s the right time to consider residential care.

Rickie Tank, Registered Manager with local support service, Home Help Me Care which specialises in at-home care, said: “We believe that bringing dementia support services that support people in the community enables them a greater chance of experiencing quality care in later years.

“Every day we hear the stressful experiences of people trying to secure the right support for loved ones but no one really guides them through the process or explains the timescales involved and this often means people have to get to a crisis stage before they secure care. 

“By coming together with like-minded community support groups and companies like Cramond Residence we want to share our knowledge to make the journey easier.”

The event hopes to raise awareness through educational sessions and discussions for those living or caring for someone with the condition or generally worried about dementia.

Ross Bijak, General Manager at Cramond Residence with more than 10 years of expertise in the healthcare sector and recently completed a master’s degree in Dementia studies, said: “I have lived with a passion for making tiny changes to people’s lives since I started my career in care and in particular for people living with Dementia.

“I aspire to support and educate people who are affected by the condition and have provided 97% of the 123 members of staff at Cramond with some level of dementia training.

“Being part of such an event as the General Manager at the home is a privilege to which I hope to lead by example in explaining how Cramond Residence helps people living with the condition to enjoy a fulfilling and dignified life.”

Alzheimer’s Scotland will also be in attended to provide information and support to make sure nobody faces dementia alone with the charity hosting an interactive session on its isolation prevention initiative, Dementia Friends.

The event starts at 12:30 and refreshments will be provided. To book a seat for the expert presentations, please contact enquiries@cramondresidence.co.uk (please note spaces are limited).

Cramond Residence strives to ensure that those living with dementia live a fulfilled life. The home offers a dedicated dementia floor, specially designed for those living with dementia to allowing them to live a richer and more satisfying life with specialist facilities and trained staff on hand to provide support and relief.

Dementia training sits at the top of the care home’s agenda with 90% of their staff being provided with vital dementia training.

Campaigners to hold protest against war-profiteers in Edinburgh tomorrow

At 12pm tomorrow (Saturday 28 May), Edinburgh Campaign Against Arms Trade (Edinburgh CAAT), alongside several other groups, will be holding a demonstration outside the Leonardo offices on 2 Crewe Rd North. 

Leonardo is one of the world’s biggest arms companies and has a long and shameful history of arming and supporting human rights abusing regimes across the world. In 2021 it posted revenues of €14.1bn, which included a year-on-year net profit increase over 142%. 

It is one of the main manufacturers of the Typhoon jet that has been used by Saudi Arabian forces in the bombardment of Yemen. 

Likewise, the T-129 attack helicopter – which was jointly developed by Leonardo and Turkish Aerospace Industries – has been extensively used by Turkish forces in its military operations against Kurdish groups. 

Leonardo has provided arms and support for the Israeli government, despite the decades of abuses that it has inflicted on Palestinians. Only last month the company secured a $29 million contract to provide military helicopters to Israel. 

Protesters will gather for speeches and performances by the San-Ghanny choir, which has been to Palestine, and the ZarifAtToul dance troupe who will be teaching Palestinian dances. 

Melanie Scott, a spokesperson for Edinburgh CAAT, said: “Leonardo is one of the biggest arms companies in the world and has armed, supported and profited from human rights abuses around the world.

“It has backed dictatorships like the one in Saudi Arabia and fuelled repression against people in Palestine and beyond. 

“Despite its devastating global impact, a lot of people in Edinburgh pass Leonardo’s arms factory every day and are totally unaware of the weapons that are being made inside or who those weapons are being sold to.

“That is why we are bringing people together in unity to shine a light on Leonardo’s complicity in these abuses.”

LEITHEATRE needs your support

⭐ WE NEED YOUR HELP ⭐

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/leitheatre

For over 76 years, we have been at the heart of theatre in the city, with several notable (and now famous) names working with us.

As a registered charity, we work hard to not only put on shows that our members and patrons love, but to safeguard the future of our club. This has been tricky over the years, with increasing maintenance of our club premises and higher production costs.

For the last two years, however, things became even more difficult as COVID-19 removed our main source of funding – the ability to put on shows and make a profit. Now, in May 2022, our latest production of The Odd Couple has been cancelled at the last minute due to COVID within the cast.

We love theatre and we love our club. We want, more than anything, to be around for the next 76 years to do what we do best.

Please please support us in protecting our future. Every small donation will help. Please help us spread the word.

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/leitheatre

Most vulnerable households will get over £1000 of help with cost of living

MORE SUPPORT NEEDED, SAYS SCOTTISH FINANCE SECRETARY

  • The most vulnerable households across Scotland will receive support of over £1,000 this year, including a new one-off £650 cost of living payment
  • Universal support increases to £400 across Great Britain, as the October discount on energy bills is doubled and the requirement to repay it over 5 years scrapped
  • This new £15 billion support package is targeted towards millions of low-income households and brings the total cost of living support to £37 billion.
  • New temporary Energy Profits Levy on oil and gas firms will raise around £5 billion over the next year to help with cost of living, with a new investment allowance to encourage firms to invest in oil and gas extraction in the UK.

Millions of households across the UK will benefit from a new £15 billion package of targeted UK government support to help with the rising cost of living, the Chancellor announced yesterday.

The significant intervention includes a new, one-off £650 payment to more than 8 million low-income households on Universal Credit, Tax Credits and legacy benefits to be made in two tranches starting in the summer, with separate one-off payments of £300 to pensioner households and £150 to individuals receiving disability benefits – groups who are most vulnerable to rising prices.

Rishi Sunak also announced that the energy bills discount due to come in from October is being doubled from £200 to £400, while the requirement to pay it back will be scrapped. This means the vast majority of households will receive a £400 discount on their energy bills from October.

The new Cost of Living Support package will mean that the most vulnerable households in Scotland will receive over £1,000 of extra support this year.

To ensure there is support for everyone who needs it, Mr Sunak also announced a £500 million increase for the Household Support Fund. This brings the total Household Support Fund to £1.5 billion.

To help pay for the extra support – which takes the total direct government cost of living support to £37 billion – Mr Sunak said a new temporary 25% Energy Profits Levy would be introduced for oil and gas companies, reflecting their extraordinary profits. At the same time, in order to increase the incentive to invest the new levy will include a generous new 80% investment allowance. This balanced approach allows the government to deliver support to families, while encouraging investment and growth.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak said: ““I know that people in Scotland are anxious about keeping up with rising energy bills, which is why today we have introduced measures which will take the support for millions of the lowest income households over £1,000.

“As a nation we have a responsibility to help the most vulnerable, which is why this support is mostly targeted at people on low incomes, pensioners and disabled people. But we understand that all households in Scotland will be concerned about the rise in energy costs this Autumn, so every household is set to get £400 off their energy bills from October, with no repayments necessary.

“It is right that companies making extraordinary windfall profits from rising energy prices should contribute, and I’m introducing a temporary energy profits levy to help pay for this support, while still encouraging the investment that generates jobs in Scotland.”

Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said: “Global issues are causing real pressures in the cost of living for UK families. We understand how tough it is at the moment for many households, which is why the Chancellor has today announced a further £15 billion support package.

“A total of £400 per household towards fuel bills will help protect families from rising energy costs. Cash payments of £650 for low-income households on means tested benefits will target support at the most vulnerable in our society at this difficult time. This comes on top of our existing £22bn support package.

“Some of these measures will be paid for by a temporary levy on oil and gas companies – one which incentivises investment in the UK’s energy security.”

There is now more certainty that households will need further support, with inflation having risen faster than forecast and Ofgem expecting a further rise in the energy price cap in October.

So as part of the UK government’s targeted support, the Chancellor announced that around eight million of the lowest income households on Universal Credit, Tax Credits, and legacy benefits will receive an automatic £650 cost of living payment in two instalments via the welfare system this year.

Yesterday’s announcement is on top of the government’s existing £22 billion cost of living support which includes February’s energy bills intervention and action taken at this year’s Spring Statement including a £330 tax cut for millions of workers through the NICs threshold increase in July and 5p cut to fuel duty.

Energy Profits Levy

Surging commodity prices, driven in part by Russia’s war on Ukraine, has meant that the oil and gas sector have been making extraordinary profits. Ministers have been clear that they want to see the sector reinvest these profits in oil and gas extraction in the UK.

In order both to fairly tax the extraordinary profits and encourage investment, the Chancellor announced a temporary new Energy Profits Levy with a generous investment allowance built in. This nearly doubles the tax relief available and means the more investment a firm makes, the less tax it will pay.

The new Levy will be charged on oil and gas company profits at a rate of 25% and is expected to raise around £5 billion in its first 12 months, which will go towards easing the burden on families. It will be temporary, and if oil and gas prices return to historically more normal levels, will be phased out.

The new Investment Allowance, similar in style to the super-deduction, incentivises companies to invest through saving them 91p for every £1 they invest. This nearly doubles the tax relief available and means the more a company invests, the less tax they will pay.

The government expects the combination of the Levy and the new investment allowance to lead to an overall increase in investment, and the OBR will take account of this policy in their next forecast.

The Levy does not apply to the electricity generation sector – where extraordinary profits are also being made due to the impact that rising gas prices have on the price paid for electricity in the UK market, which has also been making extraordinary profits partly due to record gas prices but also due to how the market works.

As set out in the Energy Security Strategy the government is consulting with the power generation sector and investors to drive forward energy market reforms and ensure that the price paid for electricity is more reflective of the costs of production.

The Chancellor announced yesterday that the Treasury will urgently evaluate the scale of these extraordinary profits and the appropriate steps to take.

During the announcement, the Chancellor also set out the government’s strategy to control inflation through independent monetary policy, fiscal responsibility, and supply side activism – a plan he said that should see inflation come down and returning to its target over time.

Finance Secretary Kate Forbes has welcomed the short term action announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, but warned more support is needed for households and businesses as the cost of living crisis worsens.

Following calls from the Scottish Government, the UK Government has taken steps to ensure that cash grants, rather than loans, are provided to those on lowest incomes. Ms Forbes has also cautiously welcomed the decision to introduce a Windfall Tax on energy companies benefiting from significant profits but commented that it means Scottish industry is disproportionately funding interventions across the UK.    

Responding to the Chancellor’s statement, Ms Forbes has said UK Ministers should have acted earlier and gone further to provide more support that would make a real long term impact, including following the Scottish Government’s lead by doubling the Scottish Child Payment to £20 per week – which is due to increase to £25 from late 2022 helping lift an estimated 50,000 children out of poverty in 2023-24.

Ms Forbes said: “Many households will be relieved to see the support belatedly announced today, but we still need a long term solution to the cost of living crisis and reassurance that the UK Government is going to tackle long term inequalities rather than provide one-off bursts of crisis support.

“Rather than listen to our plea for a comprehensive funding package that fully addresses the unprecedented rise in the cost of living and uses the full £30 billion of fiscal headroom, this piecemeal approach makes it highly likely that more support will be needed later when energy prices rise significantly in the autumn.

“There is also a severe lack of support for businesses – many of them are still struggling to recover from the pandemic and now face crippling increases in energy costs and the damaging impacts of Brexit on supply chains and the labour market. Without urgent economic support there is a real risk that the UK economy is heading for a recession.

“Inflation is at its highest levels in 40 years and the UK Government’s failure to fully invest in increasing incomes, tackling inequality and boosting economic competitiveness will only risk pushing households into further debt and poverty

“The UK Government has almost £30 billion of fiscal headroom, spending only half of this during a cost of living crisis does not go far enough, especially when a further £5 billion from the Windfall Tax will be raised.

“The introduction of a windfall tax is a start, but as a stand-alone measure this means Scottish industry is carrying the weight of UK-wide interventions.  

“The removal of the £20 Universal Credit uplift last year was a hammer blow to hard pressed families and the Chancellor’s failure to restore it and increase it to £25 only places a disproportionate burden on the shoulders of those who need help most. The statement was also worryingly silent on public-sector pay with no related consequential funding, when the lowest paid need urgent assurance in the face of rising inflation.

“The refusal to reverse the National Insurance increase implemented in April and temporarily suspend VAT on household energy bills will also cost families hundreds of pounds annually at a time when their budgets have never been more squeezed.

“The Scottish Government has already taken action to support people, communities and businesses as much as possible, with almost £770 million per year invested in cost of living support. We have increased eight Scottish benefits by 6%, closer to the rate of inflation, and introduced a range of family benefits not available elsewhere in the UK.”

Commenting on the government’s cost of living support package announced today (Thursday), TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Unions have repeatedly called for an Emergency Budget to help families, and a windfall tax on energy companies.  

“The Chancellor should have acted far sooner after his inadequate Spring Statement. His dither and delay has caused unnecessary hardship and worry for millions.  

“While today’s intervention is badly needed, we should have never been here in the first place. 

“Years of attacks on wages and universal credit have left many households on the brink.  

“The government still doesn’t have a plan for giving families long-term financial security. 

“With energy bills rising 23 times faster than wages we urgently need to get pay packets rising and to pay universal credit at a permanently higher rate – not just a one-off boost. 

“That’s the best way to protect livelihoods and to support the economy.” 

Deal done: Tories welcomed aboard as part of capital’s new administration

SNP VOWS TO HOLD ‘RIGHT WING COALITION’ TO ACCOUNT

Edinburgh’s Labour Group has formed an administration to lead the City of Edinburgh Council following a controversial deal with the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats.

Detailed discussions have been ongoing across political groups since the Local Government Elections on 5 May and, following a vote at today’s Council meeting, Labour councillors will convene the Council’s six executive committees.

Cllr Cammy Day has become Leader of the Council with Cllr Mandy Watt appointed as Depute Leader. 

Cllr Robert Aldridge had earlier been appointed as Lord Provost, taking the chair for the first time, with members of the Liberal Democrat and Conservative groups appointed as Conveners and Vice Conveners of quasi-judicial committees, including the Licensing and Development Management Sub-Committees.

The full list of appointments is below. 

The convener of the Governance, Risk and Best Value committee will be decided at the next Council meeting on 30 June.

Council Leader Cammy Day said: I’m delighted and extremely honoured that we’ve reached agreement to lead the City of Edinburgh Council today.

“We’re committed to addressing the issues that matter the most to the people of Edinburgh, making the case for the funding we deserve as a Capital City and protecting our front-line services; taking forward the work of the Poverty Commission to tackle the cost of living crisis, promoting fair work and ensuring our children and young people get the best possible start in life.

“We’ll continue to focus on the fight against climate change and our ambitious target of being net zero by 2030, boosting our affordable house-building programme, taking Trams to Newhaven and delivering the pioneering regeneration of the Granton Waterfront and north Edinburgh.

“I’m confident our collaborative approach will lead to far more consensual and co-operative decision-making and I look forward to working closely across all parties, delivering positive changes and policies for the good of our great Capital City and its residents.”

The Lib-Dems, who doubled their number of councillors at this month’s election, justified their reasons for voting as they did:

Chief Executive, Andrew Kerr, said: I would like to congratulate Councillor Day and the Labour Group on forming an administration today.

“I look forward to working with all councillors over the next five years to deliver the best possible services for the people of Edinburgh.”

The full list of appointments is

Leader of the Council – Cllr Cammy Day (Lab)
Depute Leader of the Council – Cllr Mandy Watt (Lab)
Lord Provost – Cllr Robert Aldridge (Lib Dem)
Depute Lord Provost – Cllr Lezley Marion Cameron (Lab)
Convener of Culture and Communities – Cllr Val Walker (Lab)
Convener of Transport and Environment – Cllr Scott Arthur (Lab)
Convener of Housing and Economy – Cllr Jane Meagher (Lab)
Convener of Education, Children and Families – Cllr Joan Griffiths (Lab)
Convener of Finance and Resources – Cllr Mandy Watt (Lab)
Licensing Board Convener – Cllr Louise Young (Lib Dem)
Licensing Board Vice Convener – Cllr Jason Rust (Cons)
Convener of Government, Risk and Best Value – to be decided 30 June 
Planning Committee Convener – Cllr James Dalgleish (Lab)
Regulatory Committee Convener – Cllr Neil Ross (Lib Dem)
Convener or Vice-Convener of Integration Joint Board – Cllr Tim Pogson (Lab)
Development Sub Committee Convenor – Cllr Hal Osler (Lib Dem)
Licensing Sub Committee Convenor – Cllr Joanna Mowat (Cons)

The SNP has run the city with Labour as a ‘Capital Coalition’ for ten years, and the SNP was the biggest party once again following this month’s election.

Capital Coalition III was very much on the cards until Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar announced that there would be no coalition deals with the SNP or the … em, Tories!

Former council leader Adam McVey said: “The Lab/Tory/Lib coalition is held together by nothing more a burning hatred of the SNP & a carve up of jobs.

“We will keep our focus on delivering the change needed for Edinburgh & will hold this right-wing coalition to account.”

Green Group Co-convener Cllr Claire Miller said: “We are disappointed not to have passed our proposal for a council which would have delivered on the climate emergency and the cost of living crisis.

“However Greens will continue to work constructively in the council, as we have always done.”

SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITY PAYMENTS

Lord Provost – Robert Aldridge (Liberal) – £44.039.

Deputy Provost – Lezley Cameron (Labour) – £29,360

Council Leader – Cammy Day (Labour) – £58,719

Deputy Leader – Mandy Watt (Labour) – £44,039 *

Transport and Environment – Scott Arthur (Labour) – £36,669 *

Education. Children and Families – Joan Griffiths (Labour) – £36,669

Housing and Economy – Jane Meagher (Labour) – £36,699 *

Culture and Communities – Val Walker (Labour) – £36,699 *

Planning – James Dalgliesh (Labour) – £36,699 *

Integration Joint Board – Tim Podgson (Labour) – £36,699 *

Licensing Board – Louise Young (Liberal) – £36,699

Regulatory Committee – Neil Ross (Liberal) – £36,699 *

Development Sub Cttee – Hal Osler (Liberal) – £36,699

Licensing Sub Cttee – Jo Mowat (Conservative) – £36,699

Licensing Sub Convenor – Jason Rust (Conservative) – £26,360

(*) denotes new councillor

Five foods you didn’t know could ease menopause symptoms

From hot flushes to bloating, sleep disturbance to night sweats, it’s estimated that 8 in 10 peri-menopausal, menopausal and post-menopausal women experience symptoms that significantly impact their daily lives.

But with increasing shortages of hormone replacement therapies across the UK, with many women having to move away from their usual treatments to ones that are available,  attention is shifting to find ways to manage difficult symptoms at home that can work in synergy with prescribed treatments.

Nutritionist and 44 Foods partner Emma Ellice-Flint specialises in helping women through the menopause through their diet, creating recipes that nourish, heal and help to balance hormones, which can help to ease some of the most common symptoms. We caught up with Emma to find out more about some of her top menopause friendly foods that could not only help to make you feel happier and healthier but they’re delicious too!

Vitamin C

“There’s a reason that the humble vitamin C is known to be great for everything from skin health to hormone health. That’s because it benefits so many different actions in our bodies.

“But importantly it doesn’t work in isolation. In nature Vitamin C is found in all plant based foods that also contain phytonutrients, which can help to boost your immune system –  something that can take a bit of a knock once we start menopause. Some of the best sources are red peppers, pomegranate, plum, brussels sprouts, kiwi fruit, blackcurrants/blueberries, cabbage, broccoli and oranges.”

Fermented foods

“Regularly eating live fermented foods such as kefir and sauerkraut, can help to improve your gut health and its microbiota. From my experience in the clinic, adding fermented foods into your diet can help to reduce bloating and improve your digestion which can both be impacted when we hit the menopause.

“Every fermented food has its own set of healthy bacteria so it’s all about finding ones that suit you. For me, I love mixing a couple of heaped tablespoons of kefir into my breakfast or adding a dollop of sauerkraut to my evening meal to make it easy to integrate it into my diet. However, fermented foods aren’t for everyone, and should be avoided by those with an intolerance to histamines”

Magnesium rich foods

“Magnesium plays a part in over 300 biochemical reactions in the body contributing to everything from bone health to energy. It is an important mineral to maintain at healthy levels since it can affect mood, sleep and vitality. Plus it is used more in the body during times of stress.

“It is naturally found in foods such as whole grains, green leafy vegetables like spinach and kale as well as muesli, nuts, nuts, legumes and pulses. The NHS recommends an adult woman have 270mg of elemental magnesium per day but it can be tricky to get this amount from food alone so I’d also recommend investing in a high quality magnesium supplement to make sure you’re getting all the nutrients you need.” 

Oily fish

“Omega 3, found in oily fish like sardines, salmon and mackerel, is a type of fat that is essential to our bodies. In perimenopause and menopause, these benefits are especially important  – supporting gut health, reducing inflammation, and helping with mood and anxiety. 

“And, since the body cannot produce its own Omega 3 fats, it has to get them from what we eat so adding some form of oily fish, nuts, seeds or soy into your diet is a great way to keep your Omega 3 levels up.”
Pre-biotics“Pre-biotics are a fermentable fibre found in plants. While our digestive system struggles to digest them, our intestinal microbiota thrives, making them a vital to maintain a healthy gut.

“Examples of my favourite prebiotic-rich foods include: Jerusalem artichokes, rocket, garlic, onion, leek, spring onion, asparagus, beetroot, green peas, mange tout, sweetcorn, cabbage, pulses, nuts, seeds, whole grains, apples and dark berries. Even if you’re not looking to fully overhaul your diet, many common ingredients like onions and garlic can still contribute to your overall gut health which is particularly important during the menopause.”

Emma has recently launched her own range of recipe bundles with ethical online food retailer 44 Foods to make it simpler than ever to recreate some of her most popular recipes. From her zingy ginger stir fry with prawns to a nutrient packed avocado, basil and borlotti beans, each bundle gives you all of the ingredients you need, plus a recipe card.

For more information on Emma or to view her full 44 Foods range, visit www.44foods.com

Open All Hours at Drumbrae Leisure Centre

Open all hours at Drumbrae Leisure Centre is also open to P7s this term.

You can sign using our new bookings form in advance or you can sign up your child on the night.

Session are free , and now its a one time sign up each term. There are 5 weeks left – (they will be off on the 3rd June.)

Local indie bookshops set to celebrate Independent Bookshop Week

·       Authors Rebecca Solnit, Richard Coles, Dorothy Koomson, Patrick Gale, Emma Stonex, Leroy Logan, Tessa Hadley, Eilidh Muldoon, Stephen Payne and more to join celebrations in indies across the UK

·       Bookshop-curated literary festivals, special podcast recordings, poetry showcases, indie offers and exclusives, literary quizzes, bookshops turning into “gnome man’s land” and much more

·       Indie twinning with Andersen Press, And Other Stories, Head of Zeus, Manchester University Press, Guppy Books, Louise Walters Books

The Booksellers Association (BA) has revealed the line-up for this year’s Independent Bookshop Week, the annual celebration of independent bookshops across the UK and Ireland, taking place between 18 – 25 June 2022 and with Hachette as the headline sponsor.

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Top L-R: The Portobello Bookshop’s mural by Eilidh Muldoon (Edinburgh); Brighton Book Festival logo; The Ginger’s Cat Children’s Bookshop (Kilmacolm). Bottom L-R: indie exclusive edition of The Whalebone Theatre by Joanna Quinn (Fig Tree); author Tessa Daly; The Big Malarkey Festival logo

With nearly 700 independent bookshops confirmed to take part, celebrations taking place up and down the country include: literary festivals organised by independent bookshops, including the inaugural Brighton Book Festival; special podcast recordings taking place inside the bookshops; poetry showcases; nation-wide bookshop crawls; exclusive early releases for indies; beautiful window displays; local school events, and much more.

Returning with lots of exciting activities, Independent Bookshop Week is encouraging book-lovers of all ages to visit their local independent bookshop and join the celebrations this June.

The line-up for IBW 2022 includes:

BOOKSHOP EVENTS

·     Rev Richard Coles will be doing a tour of independent bookshops during IBW, signing stock of his crime debut Murder Before Evensong (Orion). The tour will stop at Chorleywood Bookshop (Hertfordshire) on Monday 20 June and City Books (Hove) on Wednesday 22 June, among others.

·     Marcus Leaver, Welbeck co-founder and author of A Little Book About Books, will visit 60 independent bookshops throughout Independent Bookshop Week, with the book available exclusively from independent bookshops until September. Confirmed indies include Not Just Books Limited (Thetford), The Book Lounge (Carnforth, Cumbria), The Mainstreet Trading Company (St Boswells), The Edinburgh Bookshop, Booka Bookshop (Oswestry), The Poetry Pharmacy (Shropshire), The Book House (Thame), The Aldeburgh Bookshop, The Holt Bookshop (Norfolk) and The Book Case (Lowdham).

·     The Summer Bookshop Crawl will be setting up nation-wide bookshop crawls, taking place between 17-19 June and covering 10 different locations, including Belfast, Bristol, Edinburgh, Falmouth, Hastings, Leicester, Newcastle, Norwich, Sheffield and Stratford upon Avon.

As well as indie bookshops, their tours will also include second hand and charity bookshops. Participants interested in doing a self-guided bookshop crawl will be able to download a welcome pack from the website including the map, downloadable routes, and a bookshop crawl ID that they can use to claim any discounts and perks from the local bookshops they visit. More info here.

·     Authors and avid bookshop lovers Liz Fenwick and Brigid Coady will be setting up in their annual bookshop crawl with the Romantic Novelists Association, visiting indie bookshops across the country and meeting local booksellers.

·     Afrori Books and The Feminist Bookshop (Brighton) will be launching the first Brighton Book Festival on 24-26 June, with headline names including Guvna’B, Yvonne Bailey Smith, Dorothy Koomson, Leroy Logan, Sabba Khan and Alison Rumfitttaking in discussions covering the myth of the mainstream, masculinities, feminist futures, queer books in Brighton and British culture in books. There will also be a variety of workshops focussing on adapting books to film, pitching your novel, and developing soundtracks for books. More info here.

·     Drake The Bookshop (Stockton-on-Tees) are bringing back their Great North Author Tour (GNAT) on Friday 24 and Saturday 25 June. The tour will see ten authors deliver 20-minute performances and creative writing workshops in local schools on Friday, before going on a whistle stop tour of Stockton, Saltburn, Guisborough, Loftus, Thirsk and Ripon on Saturday, stopping in local bookshops to sign copies of their books. More info here.

·     Portobello Bookshop (Edinburgh) will be doing an event with children’s author and illustrator Eilidh Muldoon, who will be visiting the bookshop on the afternoon of Monday 20 June, to do a reading and a colouring session aimed at young children. On Friday 24 June, Rebecca Solnit will be coming to Edinburgh for a special evening event at the Assembly Rooms on George Street, to discuss her two latest books Orwell’s Rosesand Recollections of My Non-Existence, in conversation with award-winning journalist and author Chitra Ramaswamy. More info here.

·     The Rabbit Hole (Brigg) will be collaborating with Hull City Council at The Big Malarkey Festival, as well as putting together a series of author events and children’s activities to mark IBW. More info here.

·     The Ginger Cat Children’s Bookshop (Kilmacolm) will be doing an event with Amy B Moreno on Monday 20 June at St Columba’s Junior School in Kilmacolm, to celebrate Amy’s book A Billion Balloons of Questions. 

·     Griffin Books (Penarth) is organising lots of events as part of the Penarth Literature Festival to coincide with IBW, with daily events featuring Caryl Lewis, Pamela Petro, Peter Finch, Tessa Hadley, Lauren Ace; a crime writing workshop with Katherine Stansfield; a poetry showcase hosted by Penarth-based poet Stephen Payne; literary quizzes and more. More info here.

·     The Bookery (Crediton) will hold a series of events to mark IBW, including: Patrick Gale and award-winning singer-songwriter Jim Causley will be chatting about Patrick’s latest book Mother’s Boy and Jim will be performing songs based on Causley’s poems on Tuesday 21 June; best-selling authors Laura Shepherd-Robinson and Emma Stonex will be in conversation in an event on Wednesday 22 June; there will be one-on-one ‘illustrator clinics’ with author and illustrator Sarah McIntyre, who is also a patron of The Bookery, on Saturday 18 June. More info here.

·     Niche Comic Books (Huntingdon) will host an open mic poetry night with performance poet, musician and storyteller Fay Roberts on Thursday 23 June, and an acoustic night with talented singer-songwriter Christian Smith on Friday 24 June, both at The Commemoration Hall in Huntingdon. More info here and here.

·     Harris & Harris Books (Suffolk) will be hosting a talk with Annie Garthwaite, author of the outstanding debut novel Cecily, to discuss her book, do a reading and sign copies in the atmospheric Clare Church on Wednesday 22 June. More info here.

·       One Tree Books (Petersfield ) will be visited by best-selling author Kate Mosse, one of the contributors of Marple: Twelve New Stories , a brand new collection of short stories featuring the Queen of Crime’s legendary detective Jane Marple, penned by twelve acclaimed authors, on Wednesday 22 June, 10-12pm. More info here.

·       Confer-Karnac Bookshop (London) will be celebrating IBW and the first year in their new Spitalfields home with all-day celebrations on Saturday 25 June, 11– 5pm. Expect a book launch with author Anne Power, 15% off on all books all day, a talk on ‘How to Get Published’ with Christina Wipf Perry (Publishing Director) and Catharine Arnold (Author and Editor of The New Psychotherapist), an afternoon of tea and cake, and much more! More info here.

·       Chorleywood Bookshop will be celebrating their 50th anniversary (!) as well as IBW with a packed week of events, including: Boutique Book Club with novelist Clare Pooley to discuss her new book, The Authenticity Project, a joyful, uplifting novel about truth, friendship and the power of connection on Tuesday 21 June; an evening with best-selling writer and broadcaster Melvyn Bragg, talking about his captivating memoir, Back in the Day on Wednesday 22 June; best-selling crime writer, actor and comedian Mark Billingham will be bookseller for a day on Friday 24 June, and much more. More info here.

PODCAST AND ONLINE

As well as in-person events, Independent Bookshop Week celebrations will include lots of online activity, including:

·     Simon Savidge and Melanie Sykes will be the official Book Club for Indie Bookshop Week again this year. They’ll be reading a book from the Indie Book Awards shortlist for their June Book Club, which they will then discuss on their YouTube channel. More info here.

·     YouTube influencer Lauren and the Books will be hosting a Cosy Reading Night on Saturday 25 June between 7-10pm to celebrate Indie Bookshop Week. More info here.

·     Round Table Books (London) will be hosting a podcast recording of Down the Rabbit Hole, the podcast for grown-ups who love children’s books, hosted by Caroline Carpenter, Hannah Love, Charlie Morris and Sam Sedgman. The episode will see the special guest Namina Forna, YA author of The Merciless One  (Usborne) in conversation with guest host Stacey Thomas, book reviewer at Bad Form Review and judge on The Diverse Book Awards longlist. The episode will air on Saturday 18 June, the first day of IBW. More info here.

·     Denny’s Books (Thames Ditton, Surrey)will be hosting an episode of the podcast Writers Routine, a show discussing the work and lives of writers, hosted by Dan Simpson. More info here.

·     Gerrards Cross Bookshop (Buckinghamshire)will be hosting a recording a show of the podcast We’d Like A Word, a radio show and podcast about the words we write, the words we read, the words we say, hosted by Paul Waters and Stevyn Colgan. More info here.


INDIE TWINNING

Building on the success of previous years, the Indie Twinning strand of IBW is coming back for a third year, with independent publishers and independent bookshops teaming up to develop bespoke programmes of activity across the country. Confirmed indie twinning activities include:

·     The Book Hive (Norwich) will be twinning with independent publisher And Other Stories, to mark the publication of The Visitors by Jessi Jezewska Stevens. Inspired by the events in the book, set on the eve of the Occupy Wall Street protests, and whose protagonist suffers from hallucinations of a garden gnome, The Book Hive’s three-storey building will become “gnome man’s land”, inviting customers to build a new society and suggest a law or policy for the soon-to-be independent utopia/dystopia. At the end of the week, a team of booksellers and publishers will pick their favourites, who will be rewarded with an And Other Stories goody bag.

·     October Books (Southampton) are twinning with Manchester University Press. They will be doing a book launch event on Thursday 23 June for Borderland by Phil Hubbard, who used to work at October Books as a bookseller.

·     The Ginger Cat Children’s Bookshop (Kilmacolm) will be twinning with Andersen Press, with a window displays featuring a hand-painted standee from Robert Starling based on his new book The Bookshop Mice, along with activity sheets and signed bookplates; point of sale material from Elmer, The Bolds, Phil Earle, Harry Woodgate, and signed book plates from David McKee and Ross MacKenzie.

·     Forum Books (Corbridge) are delighted to be twinning with Head of Zeus, with more plans to be revealed.

·     Wallingford Bookshop (Oxfordshire) will be twinning with Guppy Books, and are planning a combination of online and in person activity, with something happening each day of IBW.

·     Green Dragon Bookshop (Crewkerne, Somerset) will be joining forces with the Louise Walters Books, a one-woman independent press from Northamptonshire.

·     Topping & Company Edinburgh will be twinning with award-winning indie press Fitzcarraldo Editions. There will be a bespoke window display, tote bags and postcards available throughout the week.

·     Books on the Hill (St Albans) will be twinning with VERVE Books, with celebrations including: author event with Jane Jesmond on Saturday 18 June in the bookshop; podcast episodes with VERVE authors Laurie Petrou and Carolyn Kirby; a social media giveaway for a personalised book buying experience at Books on the Hill; co-branded bookmarks; an special IBW window display and more.

·     Next Page Books (Hitchin) will be teaming up with children’s book publisher Barrington Stoke during IBW. They will hold an ‘Introduction to Barrington Stoke’ evening event for local parents and carers in the shop on Tuesday 21 June, where Jane Walker will talk about how their amazing books can help children break down barriers to reading and ensure that ‘every child can be a reader’.  In addition, Jane will also be a bookseller for a day on the same day, helping with displays, booking in stock and chatting to customers!

SPECIAL EDITIONS AND PUBLISHER EXCLUSIVES

·     The Independent Bookshop Week children’s bag will feature the mouse and the lion from the best-selling, award-winning picture book The Lion Inside (Hachette Children’s Group) by Rachel Bright and Jim Field. The bag will be part of the Independent Bookshop Week point of sale kits, which will be available exclusively from indie bookshops during IBW. To celebrate the upcoming publication of The Gecko and the Echo, there will also be a limited number of bookshop standees featuring Rachel & Jim’s gorgeous new character, Goldie.

·     Fig Tree (Penguin Random House) will produce an indie exclusive edition of The Whalebone Theatre, a wonderful debut by Joanna Quinn, published on 9 June. The exclusive edition will be signed by the author, with blue sprayed edges and foil on the cover.

·     We Are Not Like Them by Christine Pride and Jo Piazza (HarperCollins) will have an indie bookshop exclusive edition with gorgeous blue sprayed edges, as well as POS packs including bookmarks, posters and tote bags, which will be released exclusively for indies ahead of official publication on 7 July.

·     Rex: Dinosaur in Disguise by Elys Dolan (Walker), a comedy of errors starring the instantly-loveable Rex – the first book ins a series for 7+ readers – will make available for independent bookshops a standee, print, bookmarks, poster and downloadable activity pack, perfect for keeping little dinosaurs busy.

·     Celebrate IBW and the 10th birthday of George, everyone’s favourite calamitous dog from Oh No, George!  (Walker) – with a delightful “why not visit your local bookshop?” poster, designed exclusively for IBW by award-winning Chris Haughton.

Emma Bradshaw, Head of Campaigns at the BA, said: “We can’t wait to celebrate Independent Bookshop Week with indie booksellers and book-lovers across the country this June.

“From author events to school initiatives, and from podcast recordings to their own literary festivals (!), independent booksellers are proving ever full of creativity and dedication, not only as they curate a special week-long line-up of activities, but also in their everyday work, as pillars of their high streets and local communities.

“We invite everyone to join us as we celebrate the brilliance of independent booksellers, during and beyond Independent Bookshop Week!”

Richard Coles said: “Nothing gives me more pleasure than the thought of Canon Clement, his mother and his dachshunds finding their home at independent bookshops around the country and I can’t wait to meet as many booksellers as I can!”

Follow the latest developments via social media: #IndieBookshopWeek @BooksAreMyBag