Residents are being invited to drop-in events this week as the Council gathers views on the ongoing ‘transformation’ of Powderhall.
Detailing early plans for new homes and greenspace on part of the site on Broughton Road, Council officers will be joined by Cruden Building and Smith Scott Mullan to take questions and gather views on Wednesday 15 June between 4:00pm and 7:30pm. This will take place at McDonald Road Library.
A virtual drop-in will also go live on Thursday 16 June between 4:00pm and 7:30pm, with a presentation and Q&A starting each hour (4pm, 5pm, 6pm and 7pm).
For residents unable to attend these events, a consultation website will open on Wednesday 15 June for three weeks, closing on Wednesday 6 July.
This consultation will specifically consider the Council’s vision for new housing on the former Waste Transfer Station site, which will include around 240 new energy efficient mixed-tenure homes.
In addition to the above, the blueprint for the wider area comprises redevelopment of an adjacent former bowling greens site for 27 affordable homes for older people, above a new 128 space early years centre and refurbished B-listed stables building on Broughton Road. This will be converted into a flexible event and exhibition space with a community art workshop, while new public realm and improved cycling and walking in St Mark’s Path are also planned. These phases have previously been the subject of community consultation and have received planning permission.
Councillor Jane Meagher, Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, said: “The closure of the old waste transfer site at Powderhall has created a unique opportunity for us to create a sustainable neighbourhood which benefits everyone in the area.
“Alongside affordable new homes – which will form an important part of our housebuilding target – our vision for Powderhall is to create enjoyable new public spaces and a truly intergenerational community. There will be dozens of employment opportunities too, as we also protect and preserve the nearby 1890s stable block for a whole variety of new uses.
“Local people have been very engaged to date and I hope that their views will genuinely shape this next phase of the project. The potential for Powderhall is incredible and we really want to make sure we get the designs right. The feedback from these drop-ins will help us.”
How to have your say:
In-person drop-in event
Wednesday 15 June, 4:00pm-7:30pm, at McDonald Road Library.
An innovative pilot project to transform support for Long Covid patients in Scotland is underway to improve care for people living with the condition and dramatically relieve the pressure on GPs.
The platform, called ‘MyTailoredTalks’, has been developed by Pogo Digital Healthcare and has been jointly funded by NHS Lothian, CHSS and the NHS Lothian Charity (formerly Edinburgh and Lothians Health Foundation) – with £120,000 invested in the platform so far.
It will allow GPs and other clinicians to refer patients automatically to the CHSS’s Long Covid support services and to provide tailored self-management information to patients.
Over 70 patients are taking part in the pilot across 26 GP practices in the region.
The team behind the project is appealing for partners to expand the ground-breaking innovation beyond Lothian so that everyone with Long Covid in Scotland can get better access to support.
Lothian-based GP Amy Small is living with Long Covid. She has been at the heart of developing the new system. She said:“As a GP and someone living with Long Covid this new digital system will be hugely beneficial to patients and primary care.
“It’s a big breakthrough in integrated care. It gives patients direct access to support to help manage their condition.
“GPs will also now be able to seamlessly refer their patients through to the charity’s Long Covid Support Service which provides one-to-one support and advice from experienced advisors who can provide more time to the patients than GPs can.”
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf welcomed the project. He said:“Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland’s Long Covid support service not only supports people living with Long Covid, but also helps reduce some of the pressure on NHS services. That is why we have funded and continue to support Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland to deliver a Long Covid Support Service.
“I welcome this collaboration and investment. This kind of digital innovation is just one example of the flexible way in which our NHS boards across Scotland are adapting to meet the needs of people with Long Covid. We are spending £3m this year to support NHS boards like NHS Lothian to develop and deliver the best models of care appropriate for their local population’s needs.
“I look forward to seeing the full results of the pilot exercise and we are committed to working closely with Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland to share the learning generated from it to support the sustainability of our health services.”
Professor Tim Walsh, Director of Innovation for NHS Lothian, said:“This project shows what can be achieved by the NHS, patients, charities and digital expertise working closely together to find innovative solutions.
“The personalised ‘MyTailoredTalks’ have been designed to provide trusted ‘bite sized’ information for patients to access whenever they need to and be able to share with family or friends.
“We hope that these, together with the holistic support CHSS offer, will make a real difference to people living with Long Covid.”
Allan Cowie, interim chief executive at Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland, said:“For the past two years we’ve been campaigning alongside people living with Long Covid to ensure that systems are in place to help them easily access the care and support they desperately need.
“This system has the potential to transform access to wraparound care through GP services. It has been developed with clinicians and people with Long Covid and we want it to be adopted right across the country as soon as possible.
“It not only makes this process easier for people living with Long Covid, but it helps to alleviate some of the pressure that primary care is under by allowing clinicians to easily refer their patients into a service they can trust.”
Greig Brown, 44, contracted Covid-19 in January 2021 and has been hospitalised twice because of the condition.Once a keen runner and cyclist, Greig now lives with the symptoms of Long Covid, suffering from severe breathing difficulties and memory loss.
He has not been able to return to his job as a joiner at St John’s Hospital in Livingston, and he fears he will never regain the health and fitness he once had.
Greig lives in Armadale, West Lothian, with his partner, Sam. Their plans to marry are up in the air as they have had to use their savings while Greig has been off long-term sick.
He says: “This is my reality. I am so breathless and exhausted every day that simply getting downstairs and settled on the couch wipes me out.
“I used to walk miles every day around the hospital, carrying tools and anything else I needed. Now I can’t even walk to the kitchen without needing to sit down.
“My GPs kept telling me Long Covid is all new to them, too, and they don’t know how to treat it.
“I feel as if people like me have fallen through the cracks. I hope having a system in place like this NHS Lothian pilot that lets doctors refer patients directly to the CHSS support service can make a real difference to everyone living with Long Covid symptoms.”
Sanjay Singh, Head of Funding Programmes with NHS Lothian Charity, said the pilot is a “great example of partners working together during the pandemic to achieve patient care that is personalised and, crucially, in response to Long Covid, as we learn more about this awful illness as time goes on.”
“We were delighted to be involved in this innovative project and to be able to support through funding made available to support our communities dealing with the effects of Long Covid,” he said.
Jack Francis, chief executive and founder of Pogo Digital Healthcare, added:“Working in partnership with healthcare professionals, patients and technology experts to develop this innovative new healthcare pathway has resulted in a unique way for patients to manage their Long Covid symptoms.
“I am delighted with the pilot engagement so far from both the patient groups and Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland’s advice line team, and it has been great to be part of such an innovative new healthcare solution.”
Children, young people, families and teachers are being invited to join a National Discussion on education.
Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville appealed for fresh, innovative ideas to help to deliver change and drive improvement.
In an update to Parliament on reform plans, Ms Somerville said she wants to encourage the most inclusive ever discussion on education in Scotland, with learners playing a key part in decision-making.
The National Discussion will inform wide-ranging plans, including the creation of three new education bodies and a review of qualifications and assessment.
Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “We want to bring the widest possible range of voices and views into the room. It is our children and young people who hold the biggest stake in our education system. I am determined they will be heard just as strongly across our reform programme.
“Two decades on from the last national debate on Scottish Education, the time is right to discuss our vision for the education system.
“This is a discussion for everyone, and I have written today to education spokespeople from all parties in this Chamber inviting them to take part. We may not agree on everything but that should never stop us from finding common ground.”
COSLA Children and Young People Spokesperson Councillor Stephen McCabe said: “We are pleased that COSLA will co-convene this discussion with the Scottish Government and look forward to ensuring that children and young people, their families, school staff and wider stakeholders are able to input into this important conversation.”
Deprivation gap at a record low
A record proportion of young people from the most deprived communities are going on to ‘positive destinations’ after leaving school.
Statistics show that 93.2% of pupils overall who left school last year were in a positive destination, including work, training or further study, nine months later. This is up from 92.2% in the previous year and just below the record of 93.3% set in 2017-18.
The gap between school leavers from the most and least deprived areas achieving positive destinations narrowed to a record low of 7.5 percentage points. This gap has now more than halved since 2009-2010.
The statistics also show that a record 31.5% of young people who left school in 2021 were in employment in April 2022, with 40.3% in higher education and 18.3% in further education.
Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “All children and young people, regardless of their background, should have the opportunities they need to fulfil their potential, so I’m pleased to see a record proportion of school leavers from the most deprived communities going on to positive destinations.
“The statistics show that overall, the percentage of young people in positive destinations nine months after leaving school is also near a record high. Given the very significant challenges posed by the pandemic, this is particularly impressive.
“There is no doubt that the COVID crisis will have changed the choices made by some young people and the opportunities available to them. Whatever the pathways, seeing so many school leavers achieving positive destinations is a reflection of their resilience and of the hard work of all those who supported them.”
More than eight million households across the whole of the UK will get a cash payment from July to ease cost of living pressures, Work and Pensions Secretary Thérèse Coffey set out detailed plans yesterday.
Millions will receive the first of two cost of living instalments totalling £650 from 14 July 2022, part of the £1,200 support package this year
Initial automatic instalment will be £326, with the rest to follow in a second instalment in the autumn
Comes as part of £37 billion government package to help families with cost of living pressures
The first instalment of the £650 for qualifying low income households in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland will land in bank accounts from 14 July 2022, continuing to the end of the month.
The move will see millions of households initially £326 better off as the government delivers significant interventions to support groups who are most vulnerable to rising costs. In total, millions of households will receive at least £1,200 from the government this year to help cover rising costs.
Work and Pensions Secretary, Thérèse Coffey said: “With millions of the lowest-income households soon seeing the first of two cash instalments land into their bank accounts, we are taking action to directly help families with the cost of living.
“This one-off payment totalling £650 is part of our £37 billion cost of living support package that will put an extra £1,200 into the pockets of those most in need.”
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak added: “We have a responsibility to protect those who are paying the highest price for rising inflation, and we are stepping up to help.
“In July over 8 million people will get their first £326 payment to help with rising prices, as part of a package worth at least £1,200 for vulnerable families. I said we would stand by people when they needed help, and we are.”
The second instalment of £324 will be sent to qualifying low income households in the Autumn. The payments are designed to be deliberately slightly unequal to minimise fraud risks from those who may seek to exploit this system.
The eligibility date for the second instalment will be announced soon.
Low-income households are benefiting from government support in a variety of different ways this year as global inflationary pressures, exacerbated by the unjust war in Ukraine, have caused prices to rise for several essentials.
The government understands that many people are worried about the impact these rising prices will have on their household finances, which is why £37 billion of support is being provided to boost budgets and mitigate the worst of these pressures.
Support includes the direct payment of £650 for over 8 million households on benefits, a separate £300 payment for pensioners, and a £150 payment for disabled people, which can be paid on top of the £650 payment.
This is on top of £400 for all households to help with energy bills, and an extra £150 for properties in Council Tax bands A-D, meaning millions of the lowest-income households will receive at least £1,200 in support this year.
This is all in addition to changes to the Universal Credit taper rate and work allowances worth £1,000 a year on average for 1.7 million working claimants, a rise in the National Living Wage to £9.50 an hour, and a tax cut for around 30 million workers through a rise in National Insurance contribution thresholds.
The government has also expanded support for the Household Support Fund – which helps people with food and energy bills – with an extra £421 million, on top of £79 million for devolved nations; the total value of this support now stands at £1.5 billion. Fuel duty was also cut by 5p per litre for 12 months in March 2022, and alcohol duty has been frozen for 2022/23.
You can read more about the UK Government’s cost of living support and what is available here.
Over 1,000 patients faced a 12-hour wait in A&E every day in 2021
A new report by The Royal College of Emergency Medicine ‘Tip of the Iceberg: 12-Hour Stays in the Emergency Department’ reveals that on average 1,047 patients waited 12-hours or more from their time of arrival every day in a major Emergency Department in 2021 in England, equalling a total of 381,991 patients experiencing these 12-hour waits in 2021.
There is a total of 124 NHS Trusts in England. The College received responses from 74 NHS Trusts that were contacted. The figures above are only representative of 60% of NHS Trusts in England. The true total figure of 12-hour waits from time of arrival in major Emergency Departments in England in 2021 will be even higher.
These figures show the deep crisis facing the NHS and the Urgent and Emergency Care system. The alarming number of 12-hour waits are an indicator of the serious and dangerous levels of crowding occurring in Emergency Departments.
Crowding is unsafe, inhumane, and undignified for patients, our previous report Crowding and its Consequencesfound that patients can come to associated harm and even death.
The NHS in England currently measures 12-hour waits from decision to admit (DTA). The Decision to Admit is the decision to admit a patient to a hospital bed made by a clinician. Measuring from decision to admit is a gross underrepresentation of the reality of patient waits, as many patients will have already waited for a long period in a busy Emergency Department before this decision is made.
12-hour DTA waits have been increasing substantially, so much so that in the first four months of 2022 alone (January – April 2022) there were a total of 79,610 12-hour DTA waits; nearly as many as the cumulative total of the 11 years since data collection began (82,746 12-hour DTA waits between August 2010 – December 2021). It is evident that while the pandemic has contributed to the current situation somewhat, long waiting times have clearly been rising for over a decade.
Our recent report Beds in the NHS found that 25,000 staffed beds have been lost since 2010/11 and this has contributed to the steady increase in long waiting times in Emergency Departments since 2010/11 as detailed in Tip of the Iceberg.
Commenting on the FOI findings, Dr Adrian Boyle, Vice President of The Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said:“These figures are staggering and show the critical state of the Urgent and Emergency Care system.
“They also make clear that measuring 12-hour waits from decision to admit masks the reality facing patients and staff. Clearly, it is misleading to measure 12-hour waits in this way, and it is detrimental to staff efforts to improve A&E waiting times.
“NHS England have previously promised to make 12-hour data measured from time of arrival in the Emergency Department public and publish it alongside monthly NHS performance figures. We are still waiting for them to fulfil their promise.
“We recently wrote to Amanda Pritchard, Chief Executive of NHS England, about this, questioning why the data has not yet been published and when it will be. We have not received a response. Until it is published the NHS cannot hope to drive meaningful change and improvement in Emergency Care. Publishing this data will bring about greater accountability, and help all stakeholders understand the extent of crowding, long stays, and corridor care.
“NHS England must publish 12-hour data from time of arrival as a matter of urgency, this is the first step towards meaningfully tackling this crisis. At present, we fear that the full scale of this crisis is either being ignored or inadvertently misunderstood by the government.
“To truly tackle the problem, you must understand the scale of the task at hand. This data should facilitate better understanding of the challenges facing Urgent and Emergency Care and the wider health system and allow us to take the steps towards tackling it.
“In the short-term, the government must set out a meaningful plan for social care that includes recruitment and investment in the social care workforce and paying a wage that values and reflects significance of their role.
“In the medium-term, the government must finally commit to publishing a fully funded long-term workforce plan that recruits new staff into the health service and includes measures to retain existing staff who are burned out and questioning their careers. Then will it be possible to open the 13,000 staffed beds required to drive meaningful improvement within the health service.
“The health service is failing, and failure to act will take it deeper into crisis and inevitably lead to another ‘worst winter on record’ and further patient harm. The government can talk about phantom new hospitals all it likes, but political unwillingness to tackle the deepest health crisis in NHS history costs; the cost is both deteriorating patient health and patient lives, and an undervalued workforce struggling to deliver.”
Police are appealing for information and witnesses following a serious assault in Edinburgh.
Around 1.30pm on Wednesday, 8 June, 2022, a 39-year-old man was on the footpath between Aldi on Gorgie Road and Slateford Green, Edinburgh when he was assaulted by a man with a weapon.
He was taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh for treatment and later released.
Detective Constable William Doughty, from Corstorphine CID, said: “This incident happened during the day and we are keen to speak to anyone who was in the area at the time and saw what happened or who may be able to provide any information to contact us.
“Anyone with any information is asked to contact 101, quoting number 1658 of Wednesday, 8 June, 2022. Alternatively information can be passed anonymously to Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111.”
Jump into the worlds of Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. for the ultimate family day out as The Nickelodeon Experience, sponsored by BFF and Magic Tears by Cry Babies, arrives in the UK next month for its very first summer tour!
The outdoor experience, which kicks off its UK tour in Edinburgh from 2nd July, is bringing to life the very best of Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. for an unforgettable family day out. For the first time ever, kids can go behind the scenes and up close to some of their favourite TV shows including PAW Patrol, SpongeBob SquarePants, Henry Danger, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and many more.
Offering a variety of action-packed activities centred around Nickelodeon’s most popular TV shows, explorers big and small can take their pick from an exciting line-up of entertainment, including a timed immersive escape room, an interactive air maze, a pirate treasure hunt and the opportunity to get slimed (the ultimate Nickelodeon honour!)
At The Nickelodeon Experience, kids rule. Fun seekers ages 7-14 can discover their superpowers in The Thundermans’ School for Superheroes or step inside an episode of Henry Danger where Nick fans must navigate Henry Danger’s Maze full of secret twists, turns, puzzles and passages. They can also race against the clock to solve the Hunter Street Escape Room mystery, which puts teamwork to the test in an attempt to crack the code and find the key.
And the excitement doesn’t stop there! From a trip to Adventure Bay with an opportunity to meet PAW Patrol fan-favourites Chase and Marshall, to a subterranean adventure in The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ underground lair, Nick fans will be utterly captivated in this immersive outdoor experience.
What’s more, budding explorers can also jump on board a giant pirate ship and hunt for treasure in an immersive play zone based on the swashbuckling world of Santiago of The Seas.
Visitors will also be able to cool off and chill out in SpongeBob’s Bikini Bottom Beach, where they can relax, eat, and refuel after all the fun! Then, as the perfect way to finish up an unforgettable day, kids can head to the Slime Time Party to get SLIMED before heading to The Nickelodeon Experience store to take home the perfect memento.
The Nickelodeon Experience kicks off a UK tour next month from 2nd July at Saughton Park in Edinburgh before venturing to Heaton Park in Manchester and, finally, to Knebworth House, Hertfordshire.
Kids tickets start at £29.50 and infants under two years old go free.
THE NICKELODEON EXPERIENCE LOCATIONS AND DATES:
· SAUGHTON PARK, EDINBURGH – 2nd July – 14th July
· HEATON PARK, MANCHESTER – 23rd July – 5th August
· KNEBWORTH HOUSE, HERTFORDSHIRE – 14th – 27th August
The Nickelodeon Experience is proudly produced by The Luna Cinema and suitable for children aged two to fourteen years old.
George Wood, founder of The Luna Cinemasays:“With less than a month to go, we cannot wait for The Nickelodeon Experience to officially kickstart this summer! For years we’ve wanted to develop a truly interactive experience that allowed kids to immerse themselves in the worlds of their favourite TV shows, just as we do with Friends fans at FriendsFest and film lovers with our Luna Cinema screenings.
“To have such an iconic catalogue of shows, including global brands like PAW Patrol, The Thundermans and SpongeBob SquarePants under the Nickelodeon umbrella is a treasure trove of content to explore and bring to life.”
Virginia Monaghan, VP, Events and Experiences, Paramount Global, commented:“We are thrilled to be partnering with The Luna Cinema to bring our hugely popular Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. shows to life through this uniquely immersive experience.
“This is a chance for children to make new memories with friends, in a safe and fun setting, and with their favourite characters.”
For more information and to purchase tickets please visit:
Pupils from George Watson’s College in Edinburgh battled it out at the Sottish Parliament to become Euroquiz champions.
The pupils tested their European knowledge against 28 other primary schools before coming out on top in the final round.
Euroquiz quizmaster Annabelle Ewing MSP and Deputy Presiding Officer said: “I’ve been so impressed by the knowledge of these young primary pupils. After two years it’s fantastic to welcome people back into our Debating Chamber for this special event.
“Well done to all the pupils who made the final – it was a very sought after competition. George Watson’s College did extremely well to win overall and my congratulations to them.”
Over 400 schools have been involved in competing in this year’s quiz. Following a series of heats that took place earlier this year, the winning schools took part in the final in the Scottish Parliaments’ Debating Chamber on Monday 13 June.
Euroquiz, which was first held in 1993, sees teams of pupils working together to broaden their knowledge of European history, geography, sport, culture, languages and the European Union.
National Museum of Scotland Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF Open 10:00–17:00 daily
Anatomy: A Matter of Death and Life 2 Jul – 13 Nov 2022 Member Preview Day 1 Jul 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 Silver Casket Until 1 Aug 2022 Hawthornden Court Free entry
See an iconic piece of Scotland’s national heritage, the silver casket believed to have been owned by Mary, Queen of Scots. Made in Paris, probably between 1493 and 1510, the casket is a superb and extremely rare work of early French silver. It is likely that its long-standing association with Mary and her downfall has kept it preserved for over 450 years.
The silver casket is on display in Hawthornden Court at the National Museum of Scotland. From August 2022, it will be on permanent display in the Kingdom of the Scots gallery alongside other objects associated with Mary.
E.Coli by Luke Jerram 3 Aug – 31 Aug 2022 Grand Gallery Free entry
Part of the Edinburgh Art Festival programme, this 90ft long inflatable sculpture by Bristol-based Luke Jerram will be suspended from the ceiling of the National Museum of Scotland’s Grand Gallery. The E.coli is 5 million times bigger than the real bacteria. When standing next to it, does the bacteria alter our personal sense of scale? Does it look scary, beautiful, comical or alien? Will people be attracted or repelled by it?
Japanese Contemporary Design Until 5 Mar 2023 Exhibition Gallery 3, Level 1 Free entry
From striking statement jewellery to prints and porcelain vases, this new free display considers how Japanese contemporary makers have combined innovative and traditional art, craft and design elements over the past five decades.
The star object is Hitomi Hosono’s A Large Pine Tree Pool, a sculptural porcelain bowl with complex hand-carving made and acquired in 2019. Further highlights include Junko Mori’s intricate New Pinecone Silver Organism, and colourful body adornments by jeweller Suō Emiko’s adapted from metalworking and engraving techniques traditionally used in the making of Japanese sword fittings.
The Typewriter Revolution Until 11 Sep 2022 Exhibition Gallery 2, Level 3 Free entry
The typewriter’s social and technological influence is revealed in this 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.
Inspiring Walter Scott Until 8 Jan 2023 Exhibition Gallery 4, Level 1 Free entry
Following 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 and supporting Year of Stories 2022.
Book of Hours Until 3 Aug 2022 Kingdom of the Scots gallery (Level 1) Free entry
Explore the pages of an illustrated prayer book featuring a handwritten poem by a young Mary, Queen of Scots in this display.
Written in Latin on vellum, the Book of Hours contains 40 exquisite illuminations by a 16th century Master artist. Used for private worship, it belonged to Mary’s great aunt Louise de Bourbon, Abbess of Fontevraud, who is believed to have gifted this precious volume to the young queen.
The book will be exhibited in the Kingdom of the Scots gallery in a display alongside other objects associated with Mary, Queen of Scots. Six different pages within the book will be revealed, with a new page displayed every three weeks. A QR code will allow you to scroll through the vividly illustrated pages in detail.
The Book of Hours is on loan to National Museums Scotland from The Pininski Foundation, Liechtenstein.
Bernat Klein: Design in Colour 5 Nov 2022 – 23 Apr 2023 Exhibition Gallery 2, Level 3 Free entry
Marking the centenary of his birth, Bernat Klein: Design in Colour will celebrate the work of the influential émigré textile designer.
Visitors will be able to explore Klein’s creative process and varied career, from providing couture fabrics for fashion designers to his influence on modernist architecture and interior design in the UK and Scandinavia
National Museum of Scotland Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF Open 10:00–17:00 daily
Concert for a Summer’s Night 21 Jun 2022 19:15 doors open, 20:00 concert starts Grand Gallery Ticketed
Mark the summer solstice with string collective Scottish Ensemble. Be taken on an atmospheric journey through an eclectic mix of musical styles, including Mozart’s scampering, energetic ‘Magic Flute Overture’, Vask’s shimmering ‘Musica Serena’ and Dvorak’s ‘American Quartet’, evoking expansive, wide-open vistas.
Spotlight On: Anatomy 13 Jul 2022 14:00 – 15:00 Auditorium, Level 1 Free, with optional donation
Join exhibition curators Tacye Phillipson and Sophie Goggins as they discuss our major exhibition Anatomy: A Matter of Death and Life. Dig deeper into the themes explored in our summer exhibition in this free curator talk to kick off our Anatomy events programme. Revisit your favourite stories from the exhibition or find out more before your visit.
Gilded Balloon at the National Museum of Scotland 3 Aug – 28 Aug 2022 Ticketed
Gilded Balloon are back: bringing Festival fun to the National Museum of Scotland throughout August!
Brining a colourful line-up: from science for kids to satire for grown-ups, from chat shows to live podcasts. There’s an influencer, a ventriloquist, assorted Fringe favourites and of course a couple of Britain’s Got Talent winners.
Performers include Scottish treasures Fred MacAulay, Lynn Ferguson and Jack Docherty, alongside Paul Zerdin and assorted puppet pals, Lost Voice Guy, the one and only Chesney Hawkes and even Boris Johnson?! Plus, our own favourite – Comedy Night at the Museum where top comedians improvise a humorous look at our amazing collection.
National Museum of Rural Life Philipshill Road, East Kilbride, G76 9HR Open 10:00–17:00 daily
Bird Bingo Until 31 Aug 2022 10:00-17:00 A trail around the museum Free with museum admission and Annual Pass
Come and play Bird Bingo at the National Museum of Rural Life!
Can you find all the birds hiding around the museum? Using the clues on our family trail sheet, see if you can spot different birds in our museum galleries and learn fun facts about them on your journey.
This family event is supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery
National Museum of Flight East Fortune Airfield, East Lothian, EH39 5LF Open daily 10:00 – 16:00
Awesome Bricks 18 Jun –19 Jun 2022 10:00-17:00 Ticketed
Join us for one of Scotland’s biggest LEGO events. See a host of unique and inspiring LEGO constructions, including a 3D hot air balloon festival, and get hands-on in our blue brick build zone.
Awesome Bricks is produced in partnership with Warren Elsmore.
Behind the Scenes Tours 25 May – 26 Oct 2022 11:00–12:00 & 14:00–15:00 Object Store Free with museum admission Booking required
Find out about our collection of aero-engines and propellers on a curator-led tour of our Object Store. Join Aviation Curator Ian Brown for one of our regular guided tours of the museum’s Object Store. Explore some of the collections not normally on public view and discover the fascinating stories behind them.
Supplying Scottish towns and rural communities with sustainable hydrogen gas will be the focus of a landmark partnership announced today between gas distribution company SGN and renewables generator RWE.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between the two companies to investigate the development of electrolysers, powered by RWE’s 10 onshore wind farms in Scotland which have a combined capacity of 213 megawatts, to supply homes and businesses with hydrogen gas via Scotland’s gas network.
Hydrogen has a crucial role to play in achieving net zero and is an essential component to decarbonise sectors like industry, heavy load transport, aviation and heat. Published in April 2022, the UK Government’s Energy Security Strategy doubled its ambition for low carbon hydrogen production capacity to 10GW by 2030. Similarly, the Scottish Government’s Hydrogen Action Plan aims to create 5GW of hydrogen by 2030 and 25GW by 2045.
The partnership will investigate the decarbonisation of homes and businesses connected to the networks of Campbeltown, Stornoway, Oban, Thurso and Wick, which are not connected to the mains gas network.
These networks are currently supplied by Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) and Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG), which when swapped with hydrogen could save 21,000 tonnes of carbon each year and decarbonise around 9,500 properties.
The partnership will define how much hydrogen is needed, the requirements to convert these networks to hydrogen, and the supply of green electrolytic hydrogen from RWE’s renewable onshore wind farms nearby. In doing so, the project could also unlock onshore wind farm developments in grid-constrained* areas, by providing a use for the green electricity generated.
A feasibility study will also be conducted over the coming months into a 100-megawatt (MW) electrolyser at RWE’s Markinch CHP biomass plant.
This could produce green hydrogen from local and grid connected renewable energy, to connect into SGN’s gas network in Fife. It would build on the work SGN is already undertaking in Levenmouth on their world-first H100 Fife project.
Steve Boughton, RWE Director Hydrogen Development, said: “This MoU is a perfect partnership to develop options for the decarbonisation of domestic and business gas networks, and to help Government achieve its ambitions for 10GW of hydrogen production.
Hydrogen will play an essential role in the pathway to net zero, particularly in industry and homes which are hard to decarbonise, and RWE is perfectly positioned to support the development of the UK hydrogen economy.”
Fergus Tickell, SGN System Transformation and Business Development Lead, said: “We’re delighted to partner with RWE which shares our belief that hydrogen gas has a leading role in the decarbonisation of homes, businesses and industry in Scotland and the rest of the UK.
“We’ll explore how hydrogen produced locally can be delivered through the world-class networks we’ve been operating for decades, to all of Scotland’s communities, including in Fife, Campbeltown, Stornoway, Oban, Thurso and Wick. We also look forward to investigating more opportunities across the UK.”
The knowledge and experience gained from these initial studies will enable a better understanding of the practicalities and economics of the entire hydrogen cycle and will be an important precursor to a potential funding application under the UK Government’s Net Zero Hydrogen Fund.
