A 39-year-old man who carried out a series of rapes and other sexual assaults across Edinburgh between November 2018 and August 2020 has been jailed.
Emmanuel Anoliefo (pictured above) was previously convicted at the High Court in Edinburgh in July 2022 of four charges of rape, involving three different women, two charges of sexual assault, three of threatening and abusive behaviour and one of stalking.
Anoliefo was sentenced to 12 years in prison at the High Court in Glasgow yesterday.
Detective Sergeant Mark Seymour said: “Anoliefo preyed on women, some of whom he already knew. He deliberately decided to exploit others who he approached in the street and tried to befriend. He was ruthless, dangerous and cruel and has shown no remorse for his crimes.
“He claimed to have been brought up to respect women but his victims were left terrified and distraught and are still trying to come to terms with what has happened.
“I commend the bravery of every woman who came forward, some of whom testified in court, and hope that the sentencing gives them some kind of closure.
“I would also like to thank the public for their response to our appeal for information in August 2020, as this assisted with our investigation which led to Anoliefo being apprehended and being brought to justice.
“Police Scotland is committed to bringing those responsible for sexual crimes to justice and anyone wishing to report this kind of crime, no matter when it happened, should contact us.”
The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Performers – Electro Pipes – take time out from performing for Tattoo crowds to experience the colour, lights, and symmetry at Camera Obscura.
A fresh addition to the Show line-up this year, the Electro Pipes blend the traditional instrument of the bagpipe with modern, electronic music, mixed with state-of-the-art projection and lighting.
Making up the new generation Tattoo super-group, Pipers Cammy Barnes, Alisdair McLaren and Lynsey McNicholl are joined by Tattoo Fiddlers and a DJ. Each night on the Edinburgh Castle Esplanade they perform a crowd-pleasing track by The Sidh called “Shake that Bagpipe”.
Running until 27 August, The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is a celebration of expression. Voices draws inspiration from people across the globe who, despite physical separation, continue to connect and share their voices creatively through spoken word, song, music, and dance – languages common to all.
Tickets are still available and can be purchased at edintattoo.co.uk/tickets or on the phone on 0131 225 1188.
Electro Pipes were photographed in Camera Obscura & World of Illusions, Edinburgh.
The brand-new cherry-flavoured gin is exclusively available in all 103 of Aldi’s Scottish stores
Aldi Scotland has partnered with The Old Curiosity Distillery once again to launch Eidyn Cherry Blossom, a new, small-batch, cherry-flavoured premium gin that is available for just 19.99.
This new gin from Eidyn (pronounced ee-din), which is named after the Scottish Gaelic for Edinburgh, is exclusive to Aldi Scotland. The cherry blossom produces a fresh floral note, underscored with angelica root, winter savoury and coriander botanicals, which gives way to a light juniper finish. All the botanicals used are grown, hand-picked, and dried from the distillery’s garden in Edinburgh.
This new gin makes for the perfect artisan tipple and the Old Curiosity Distillery team recommend Eidyn Cherry Blossom to be served over ice with your preferred tonic, a sliver of lime and a black cherry garnish. The team are really pleased to be working with Aldi once again to create a new version of the Eidyn gin.
Mark Boswell, Head Distiller, said:“The way we produce our gin means that our carbon emissions are incredibly low, which is something that is very important to us. With the launch of the new Eidyn Cherry Blossom gin, it is really encouraging to see Aldi support both the craft gin industry and sustainability.”
Graham Nicolson, Group Buying Director, Aldi Scotland, said:“We at Aldi have thoroughly enjoyed working alongside The Old Curiosity Distillery since the launch of the original Eidyn gin back in 2020, which has proven to be incredibly popular and has gone on to win multiple awards.
“Scotland has such a rich abundance of fresh ingredients, so it’s great to partner with a supplier that works so hard to bring them to our shelves.
“We are extremely proud to be able to introduce another premium Eidyn gin to our customers, this time in a deliciously floral cherry blossom flavour. I am proud that our competitive prices mean that our customers can still enjoy premium, high-quality products such as Eidyn Cherry Blossom.”
Aldi Scotland prides itself on working with a wide range of Scottish suppliers who are passionate about bringing the best of Scotland’s vibrant food and drink industry to its customers.
Dogs Trust staff welcomed Sue Webber MSP to West Calder Rehoming Centre last week where she met handsome hounds patiently awaiting new homes.
As well as a tour of the West Lothian centre, the MSP for Lothian Region met with a number of the charity’s foster carers who were attending a ‘Thank Dog Its Fostering Friday’ event. Sue heard more about what fostering entails from couple Roy and Laura who have fostered for six years, in which time they have cared for over 135 dogs.
Speaking about the visit, Ms Webber said: “As a dog owner myself I know how much a part of the family they are, so it was lovely to meet some of the fantastic dogs currently in Dogs Trust care especially new resident Phoebe.
“It was also great to hear more about the charity’s fostering scheme and to meet foster carers Roy and Laura. It was incredibly inspiring to listen to them talk so passionately about the rescue dogs they have cared for and how rewarding an experience it is for them. I would encourage anyone interested in fostering to contact the charity and find out more.”
West Calder Rehoming Centre Manager Susan Tonner said: “We were delighted to welcome Ms Webber and give her a tour of the centre.
“As we also had an event on that day for our wonderful fosterer carers, it was ideal that she was able to spend time with them and hear more about the benefits for our dogs of living in a home environment.
“She was very supportive of our Home from Home fostering scheme and its continued growth within Scotland, and we are grateful for that support.”
Dogs Trust is currently looking for Home from Home fosterers in Lothian and Borders. Anyone interested can call the centre on 01506 873459.
Anyone interested in rehoming three-year-old lurcher Phoebe, or any of the other four-legged friends in the charities care, click here:
Three pioneering organisations have strengthened Scotland’s position as a world leading carer for people with cancer, following the completion of the Cancer Innovation Challenge, a £1m project funded by the Scottish Funding Council.
Launched in 2017, the Cancer Innovation Challenge brought together three Innovation Centres, led by The Data Lab in collaboration with the Digital Health and Care Institute (now Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre) and Stratified Medicine Scotland (now Precision Medicine Scotland). The challenge was created to encourage collaboration between innovation centres, medical professionals and cutting-edge healthcare businesses.
As part of the Cancer Innovation Challenge, three organisations were funded to develop and evaluate their solutions to help the NHS in Scotland use data to improve a patient’s cancer journey. This included London-based businesses, Px HealthCare (Px) and My Clinical Outcomes (MCO) and Edinburgh-headquartered Canon Medical Research Europe.
Px further developed its OWise app for breast cancer patients to record their treatment symptoms and side effects, with data delivered to clinicians in real time, directly within the Electronic Health Record system.
This allows clinicians to easily track an individual’s progress and recommend adjustments to treatment plans, based on real time data reported by patients.
The app was trialled by NHS Lothian and Px has gone on to work with Prostate Scotland, Maggie’s Centres and clinicians of the West of Scotland Cancer Network to develop the OWise platform for prostate cancer patients and their clinicians.
Dr Anne Bruinvels, Founder and CEO of Px said: “The OWise app gives patients increased control over their treatment, allowing them to communicate with their clinicians continually and in a meaningful way.
“Similarly, the app provides professionals with a detailed and current picture of how their patients are coping at any given time; this ongoing record of their experience allows clinicians to consider and tailor treatments in a timely and effective way.
“The Cancer Innovation Challenge opened up further opportunities for us to trial and refine our technology, working with new services to demonstrate how we can improve patient experience while making an immediate impact on improving cancer outcomes.”
MCO is an online platform which harnesses patient reported data to improve the quality of life of cancer patients through the analysis of side effects and symptoms. Used throughout the diagnosis, treatment and long-term care phases, it provides clinicians with a fuller understanding of their patients’ conditions and how they are responding to treatment.
The platform was initially deployed for use by patients with haematological cancer at NHS Ayrshire and Arran and MCO also worked on further Cancer Innovation Challenge projects with Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and the South and East Scotland Cancer Network.
Tim Williams, Founder of My Clinical Outcomes, said: “We know from clinical trials that using real-time patient reported outcome data can help improve and prolong patients’ lives. This was never more apparent or important than during the height of the pandemic where we scaled the use of the platform to support virtual care pathways across NHS Scotland.
“The Cancer Innovation Challenge gave us the chance to deliver our solution for the first time in routine cancer care and we are pleased to have gone on to scale the approach to Health Boards such as Cardiff and Vale in NHS Wales and with Integrated Care Systems such as Sussex ICS.
“We are currently focused on scaling the proven clinical, quality of life and cost benefits to other health boards and cancer centres to show how we can remotely monitor patients and help transform the efficiency and effectiveness of managing pathways.”
The third project was led by Canon Medical Research Europe, an Edinburgh based company specialising in next generation medical imaging software, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and the University of Glasgow.
The project resulted in the development of a new, world-leading Artificial Intelligence (AI) driven cancer assessment tool using deep learning. The team created a prototype AI system able to automatically find and measure the rare cancer, Mesothelioma, on CT scans and to assess patients’ responses to treatments.
Scotland currently has the highest incidence of Mesothelioma in the world, a reflection of the historical use of asbestos in UK industries, such as shipbuilding and construction.
The project’s clinical findings have been published and presented around the world. The team have now progressed into the next optimisation phase of its work as part of the international PREDICT-Meso Accelerator project, led by the University of Glasgow, and are currently collecting 2,000 CT scans which will allow it to further develop the AI.
Ken Sutherland, President of Canon Medical Research Europe: “The Cancer Innovation Challenge provided us with a platform to showcase how we can use artificial intelligence to deliver an enhanced picture of how cancers present and the impact on patients.
“Mesothelioma is a particularly difficult cancer to work with and, given its prevalence in Scotland, we were pleased to have the opportunity to work with clinicians and patients in Glasgow.
“The delivery of such world leading, and impactful results represents an astounding success for us all. However much more than that, it provides us with a glimpse of what is possible with the use of technology and data. We are now developing our project further and look forward to sharing more updates when we can.”
Steph Wright, from The Data Lab who led on the project, commented: “Outcomes for cancer patients in Scotland fall behind those of our Northern European counterparts, however Scotland has some of the best health service data in the world. This is a clear area for innovation, research and development and we are delighted that, through this project, organisations came together and rose to the challenge.
“It has been a pleasure to be the lead Innovation Centre for this fantastic project, working with organisations with the skills and knowledge to create truly transformational technologies.
“By driving collaboration to help deliver tangible outcomes, the Cancer Innovation Challenge has provided an insight into how ground-breaking research and innovation with data can improve the experience of cancer patients.”
Karen Watt, Chief Executive of the Scottish Funding Council, said: “We can do amazing things to tackle the biggest and most difficult challenges we face as a society when we bring together the right people and the right resources to move things forward.
“The Cancer Innovation Challenge provides a model for how this can be done. For the Innovation Centres and their partners, it created the stimulus and supplied the framework for a raft of data science innovations.
“It’s fascinating and also heartening to see in this report how these are now transforming the lives of cancer patients. I am proud we were able to play a part in this pioneering initiative.”
A fast-paced, comic fantasia By two-time Fringe First winner Brian Parks
Directed by Fringe First winner Margarett Perry
AssemblyGeorge Square Studio Two
August 3 – 29 at 3:05 PM
Fringe First Winners Bring THE GOLFER to Edinburgh
In THE GOLFER – a fast-paced comic fantasia – an ordinary guy skips work to play golf. But on the first tee he’s struck by lightning, thrusting him into a world of hard- nosed detectives, talking golf clubs, the Wife of Bath, and a peculiar underground river.
The play was first produced at The Brick theater in New York City in 2016 and won five New York Innovative Theatre Awards.
Time Out New York awarded it four stars and called it “A gleefully out-there dark comedy.”
The Village Voice said that “The Golfer might be a sly commentary on the impending end-times. Or a demonstration of how the human brain short-circuits when its owner spends too much time in front of a TV or computer screen. Or, like the singing gonads in its early moments, it could just be nuts.
“I won’t spoil the fun by giving away the ending, but only say that, especially for those overeducated, buttoned-up folks who languish in cubicles, it’s a much-needed antidote.”
Brian Parks is an American playwright whose work has been produced in New York City and several other cities in the U.S. The plays have also been staged in the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
His play Americana Absurdum helped launch the New York International Fringe Festival, where it also won the Best Writing Award. Parks has become a regular at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, with seven plays previously presented at Assembly: Americana Absurdum, The House, Enterprise, Imperial Fizz, The Professor, Goner, and American Poodle (Splayfoot). He has won two Fringe Firsts, for Enterprise and Americana Absurdum.
New York-based director Margarett Perry is a frequent collaborator with Parks, having directed the world premiere of The House at the Kitchen Theatre in Ithaca, New York, as well as productions of the play at the Human Race Theatre in Ohio and at the 2018 Edinburgh Festival Fringe (Assembly).
Her other Fringe credits include the Fringe First award-winning production of Brian Dykstra’s Clean alternatives (Assembly), No Parole (Audience Favorite Nominee), and Confessions of Old Lady #2. She has directed and developed new work Off-Broadway and in regional theaters across the U.S.
Recent favorites include the critically acclaimed world premieres of Born in East Berlin by Rogelio Martinez and Seared by Theresa Rebeck, both at San Francisco Playhouse, Brian Dykstra’s Use to Was (Maybe Did) with Center Theatre Group, and Shrek the Musical at Connecticut Rep.
Margarett was the Resident Director at the Kitchen Theatre, where she has directed over 25 productions. www.margarettperry.com
The accomplished cast includes Parks veterans and a team of actors that has been working together for years with Margarett Perry—Matthew Boston (Enterprise, The House), Brian Dykstra (Americana Absurdum, Enterprise), Patrick Frederic (Goner), Vince Gatton (The House), Lori Prince, and Alex Sunderhaus (The House).
The ensemble plays nearly 60 different characters. Joining director Margarett Perry on THE GOLFER creative team are: Tom Kitney, production design; Julian Crocamo, composition and sound design; Dan Lawson, costume design; Alex Ridley, production stage manager and Natalie Tell, associate director and producer.
Founded by Sturgis Warner, Twilight Theatre Company’s mission is to develop, workshop, and produce new work by theater artists and to tell stories that deepen our awareness. Past productions include Ted LoRusso’s Prelude to the First Day, Suite for Four Actors and Percussionist, Brian Dykstra’s A Play On Words at 59E59 Theaters, and Palestine by Najla Saïd.
Now under the artistic leadership of Margarett Perry, Twilight continues to develop and present new work through readings, workshops, and productions. During the shutdown, Twilight ventured into the short film and music video world, producing digital content such as #Hashtag That-Say Their Name (from the musical Crazy Make Crazy) and This Doesn’t Work, written and performed by Darian Dauchan and Brian Dykstra.
Twilight contributed to the development of the animated feature film My Love Affair With Marriage, directed by Signe Baumane; the piece will have its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in June.
“A gleefully out-there dark comedy.” ☆☆☆☆ Time Out New York
“The Golfer might be a sly commentary on the impending end-times. Or a demonstration of how the human brain short-circuits when its owner spends too much time in front of a TV or computer screen. Or…it could just be nuts.” –The Village Voice
“No American writer’s more thoughtful in an explosive and comic way.” –The Scotsman
LISTING INFORMATION
Venue: Assembly George Square Studio Two Time: 15:05 Running Time: 70 minutes Dates: 3 – 29 August. Previews 3, 4 August. No shows 10 or 17 August. Tickets: Previews Aug 3 & 4 £8.50; Aug 5-9, 12-14, 19-21, 26-28 £15 (£14); Aug 11, 15- 16, 18, 22-25, 29 £13 (£12)
Bookings: assemblyfestival.com, 0131 623 3030 or Assembly box offices at Assembly Hall and Assembly Roxy, Assembly George Square, Assembly Checkpoint and Assembly Rooms.
There are just a few days to go until this year’s book events for schools begin!
The Baillie Gifford Schools Programme, which runs from 22 – 30 August, features a packed programme of free events created especially for schools, available in-person or remotely from your classroom.
And, if you are joining us remotely, events for schools are also available to watch at a later date on-demand, so you can catch up at a time that suits you and your pupils.
All schools’ events will be followed by an in-person book signing in our Signing Tent where authors are available to sign books, answer questions – and maybe even take a picture!
Read on for information on our learning resources, the Book Festival Village, Baillie Gifford Gala Day and discounted books for your school:
Learning lies at the heart of everything we do. We aim to foster a love of books, words and reading, and inspire people of all backgrounds and ages to explore new ideas and expand their horizons.
You’ll find lots of engaging learning resources which accompany Book Festival events on our Learning Site.
From celebrating difference, nature and feminism, to tackling climate change, sexism and mental health, the site is full of activities and resources to engage your class in discussion, spark new ideas and continue encouraging them to approach the world around them boldly and creatively.
All schools events take place at the Book Festival Village at Edinburgh College of Art on Lauriston Place, EH3 9DF. After two years online we can’t wait to welcome schools’ groups back onsite!
There is lots to see and do at the Book Festival, so read on to find out what more to expect:
To make sure everything runs smoothly, please plan to arrive around 20 minutes before your event is due to start. There are two entrances to our site, at 74 Lauriston Place, and just around the corner on Lady Lawson Street: if travelling by coach please ensure your driver is aware of the designated schools parking on Lady Lawson Street.
Head to our Schools Check-In Point at the entrance to the Edinburgh College of Art Main Building to be greeted by our Front of House team ,who will direct you to your venue and will give you your free books!
You are welcome to bring your own packed lunches and have a picnic in the courtyard at ECA. There are grassy areas as well as covered seating. We also have a café onsite which sells meals, snacks and drinks – there’s even rumours of a majestic pirate ship, sailing the grassy greens of the Courtyard…
Find more information about the Book Festival that may help you plan your visit, with particular relevance if you are required to carry out a risk assessment prior to your school’s visit, on the schools safety information sheet.
Baillie Gifford Gala Day is back!
Baillie Gifford Gala Day – exclusive to primary schools – returns on Tuesday 30 August for a day full of festival fun.
Alongside seven 45-minute events hosted by a range of novelists, writers and illustrators, onsite excitement this year includes festival team members, as well as pupils, dressed as their favourite animal; a chance to get up close and personal with some real-life critters and creepy crawlies; protest placard making sessions using recycled materials; and an Eco Marketplace where schools and pupils can chat to organisations fighting to protect our planet and find out how they can help.
Pupils attending in-person can also look forward to receiving a free book which they can get signed and a free goody bag to take home.
It’s the last opportunity for partygoers to grab a ticket for the trailblazing Deaf Rave event, a celebratory live entertainment experience with music, sign songs, rap and visual performances, as it comes to Scotland for the first time tonight (Friday, 19th August) at St James Quarter.
Taking place on level B3 of the St James Quarter car park, the event will be an accessible day time clubbing experience, promoting deaf identity and culture whilst bringing music to the masses.
The event line-up will see the very best deaf DJ talent take centre stage including Troi Lee (DJ Chinaman), Matthew Taylor (MC Geezer), DJ Ceri Karma, Jia McKenzie, Billy Reid and Aerial Fung (Def Motion) dancers.
Established in 2003, Deaf Rave began with a vision to provide a platform for deaf and disabled artists and to provide unique, live entertainment for the deaf community. The rave will be jam-packed with a variety of different performances including sign song, sign rap, sign dance acts and more.
The event will run from 5.00pm-10.00pm and last-minute tickets can be purchased via the Edinburgh Festival Fringe website with ticket prices starting from £10.
This one-off event is in partnership with Deaf Action, a charity based in Edinburgh supporting, and celebrating deaf people. Deaf Action was established in 1835 and works with deaf people across Scotland and the South of England.
The charity’s inspirational work is geared towards empowering all deaf people to achieve their potential and fully participate in society, with equality of rights, access and opportunity.
Nick Peel, Managing Director at St James Quarter, said: “We’re very excited to be hosting Scotland’s first Deaf Rave in partnership with Deaf Action.
“As our long-standing charity partner, it’s great to see them bringing this experience to Edinburgh for the deaf community and wider audiences to experience.”
Troi Lee, Founder of Deaf Rave, said: “We’re incredibly grateful to Deaf Action and St James Quarter for providing us with the opportunity to bring our event to Scotland for the first time.
“Our events will showcase the very best deaf DJs and guests can expect a whole host of entertainment including sign songs, sign raps and dance performances against a highly visual backdrop.
“Our Deaf Rave is part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival so we’re looking forward to welcoming members of the deaf community from all around the world.”
Stacy Rowan, Fundraising Manager at Deaf Action, said: “We are incredibly excited to bring Deaf Rave to Scotland as part of the inaugural Edinburgh Deaf Festival.
“We want this event to unite everyone through a love of music and culture. The event is accessible to everyone, so bring your dancing shoes!”
