Join us for creating a bee-friendly installation of the second BEES FIR SCRAN with Artist Natalie Taylor. This time we’ll be at Fidra Court car park verge, which will be seeded with wildflower perennials, which means the installation can be enjoyed for more than just one year.
Wednesday 21 September, 11am to 3pm – Volunteers wanted to help us with some preparation work, drop in any time
Friday 23 September, 2pm to 3.30pm – Main Event: Seeding and seed bombing – All welcome, free event!
SCRAN FIR BEES is supported by The National Lottery: Together For Our Planet Fund.
Police have released an image of a man that they wish to speak to as they believe he may have information that can assist with an investigation into a serious assault.
The incident took place around 7.20pm on Sunday, 17 July 2021, on Windsor Street, Edinburgh. A 24-year-old man was verbally abused and assaulted by two males, and sustained facial injuries which required hospital treatment.
The person shown in the CCTV image, is described as a white male, slim build, 5ft 5 to 5ft 19 inches in height, between 15 and 18 years old, with light brown/blond hair. He was wearing a black t-shirt with a white logo on the front, black Nike shorts, grey trainers and was carrying a black rucksack on his back.
Officers believe that the male shown in the image may have information that could assist them and would appeal to him or anyone who recognises him to contact them.
Members of the public can contact Police Scotland via 101, quoting reference number 2274 of 21 July 2021, or if they wish to remain anonymous, they can call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111
‘shocked to the extreme to hear that Scotland’s homeless charities and other key providers are closing their doors at this time’
In response to the closure of frontline services and businesses for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II yesterday, Homeless Project Scotland opened an emergency Soup Kitchen which served warm food and other provisions from 8pm on Argyle Street under the ‘heilanman’s umbrella’.
This provision was in addition to the charity’s 24/7 free helpline for those at risk of homelessness or are homeless.
Raja Rani in Bearsden and Tantrum Donuts were among the local businesses to support the project’s initiative.
Speaking on the eve of the state funeral, a spokesperson for Homeless Project Scotland said: “We appreciate that tomorrow will be an emotional day for our country, however we also must recognise that tomorrow will bring challenges for those who are vulnerable and homeless in being able to source and access warm and nutritious food, in addition to support given tomorrow’s closures of food banks and other homeless charities closing their doors at this time.
“It is disappointing and we are shocked to the extreme to hear that throughout Scotland homeless charities and other key providers are closing their doors at this time. It must be recognised however that Homelessness does not stop tomorrow, and as such we must uphold our principles at this difficult time and ensure that nobody goes to bed with an empty stomach .
“This is particularly going to be felt in Glasgow especially given that those who are homeless and in the city’s hotels used for accommodating the homeless will only be able to provide breakfast, consisting of a cereal bar, due to the removal of evening meals from all hotel based accommodation since May this year.
“This service will not affectour normal Soup kitchen operations on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.“
A Committal Service at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, will take place at 4pm this afternoon (Monday 19th September).
Alongside His Majesty The King and Members of the Royal Family, the congregation will be made up of past and present members of The Queen’s Household, including from the private estates. Also in attendance will be Governors General and Realm Prime Ministers.
The Service will be conducted by the Dean of Windsor, with prayers said by the Rector of Sandringham, the Minister of Crathie Kirk and the Chaplain of Windsor Great Park. The Choir of St George’s Chapel will sing during the Service.
Prior to the final Hymn, the Imperial State Crown, the Orb and the Sceptre will be removed from Her Majesty The Queen’s Coffin, and placed on the Altar.
At the end of the final Hymn, The King will place The Queen’s Company Camp Colour of the Grenadier Guards on Her Majesty’s Coffin. At the same time, The Lord Chamberlain will “break” his Wand of Office and place it on the Coffin.
As The Queen’s Coffin is lowered into the Royal Vault, the Dean of Windsor will say a Psalm and the Commendation before Garter King of Arms pronounces Her Majesty’s styles and titles.
The Sovereign’s Piper will play a Lament and The Archbishop of Canterbury will pronounce the Blessing. The National Anthem will be sung at the conclusion of the Service.
The State Funeral of Her Majesty The Queen will take place at Westminster Abbey this morning (Monday, 19th September) at 1100am.
Elements of the State Funeral Service and the associated ceremonial arrangements will pay tribute to The Queen’s extraordinary reign, and Her Majesty’s remarkable life of service as Head of State, Nation and Commonwealth.
The State Funeral Service will be attended by Heads of State and Overseas Government Representatives, including Foreign Royal Families, Governors General and Realm Prime Ministers. Other representatives of the Realms and the Commonwealth, the Orders of Chivalry including recipients of the Victoria Cross and George Cross, Government, Parliament, devolved Parliaments and Assemblies, the Church, and Her Majesty’s Patronages will form the congregation, along with other public representatives.
Almost 200 people who were recognised in The Queen’s Birthday Honours earlier this year will also join the congregation, including those who made extraordinary contributions to the response to the Covid-19 pandemic, and have volunteered in their local communities.
The State Funeral Service will be conducted by the Dean of Westminster.
During the Service, the Prime Minister and the Secretary General of the Commonwealth will read Lessons. The Archbishop of York, the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and the Free Churches Moderator will say Prayers.
The Sermon will be given by the Archbishop of Canterbury, who will also give the Commendation. The Dean of Westminster will then pronounce the Blessing.
Over the last ten days, my wife and I have been so deeply touched by the many messages of condolence and support we have received from this country and across the world.
In London, Edinburgh, Hillsborough and Cardiff we were moved beyond measure by everyone who took the trouble to come and pay their respects to the lifelong service of my dear mother, The late Queen.
As we all prepare to say our last farewell, I wanted simply to take this opportunity to say thank you to all those countless people who have been such a support and comfort to my Family and myself in this time of grief.
– His Majesty The King
HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN: A REMARKABLE LIFE
A new photograph has been released ahead of Her Majesty The Queen’s State Funeral.
The photo was taken to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee – the first British Monarch to reach this milestone.
Today, millions will come together to commemorate her remarkable life.
Deputy First Minister John Swinney has marked the National Moment of Reflection mourning the death of Her Majesty The Queen.
Mr Swinney led a moment of reflection outside the Scottish Government’s St Andrew’s House in Edinburgh, alongside other Scottish Ministers. They reflected on Her Majesty’s life and legacy during a one-minute silence.
My Swinney was joined by Angus Robertson, Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture, Ben Macpherson, Minister for Social Security and Local Government, Jenny Gilruth, Minister for Transport and Lesley Fraser, Director General Corporate.
Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: “The National Moment of Reflection has been a dignified way for many of us to pay our respects to The Queen, whether in our own homes or at public events, by observing a minute silence.
“In reflecting on Her Majesty’s life and legacy, many of us have considered her long and valued service to the nation and the respect and admiration she had for the people of Scotland. These feelings were reciprocated, and will remain long after we pay our final respects to The Queen as part of tomorrow’s State Funeral.
The First Minister travelled to London earlier on Sunday ahead of The State Funeral of Her Majesty The Queen today (Monday), and observed the National Moment of Reflection there.
The First Minister said: “The State Funeral for Her Majesty will be one of the most momentous occasions in recent history, with people from around the world watching and paying their respects. She was the great constant and it is an honour to represent Scotland at the service.
“As the Queen is laid to rest, it gives us a chance to reflect on the events of the past 10 days which have provided a sincere, solemn and fitting tribute to our longest reigning Monarch.
“We knew how important Scotland was to The Queen and, over recent days, we have been reminded just how much Her Majesty meant to the people of Scotland.
“I am sure the ceremonial events in Edinburgh will live long in our national memory and today we will all bid a final and poignant goodbye to a deeply respected and much loved monarch.”
The First Minister of Scotland, the Rt Hon Nicola Sturgeon MSP, will represent the Scottish Government. All four party leaders will also attend:
Douglas Ross MSP, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Anas Sarwar MSP, Scottish Labour Party
Lorna Slater MSP, Scottish Green Party
Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP, Scottish Liberal Democrats
The Presiding Officer said: “It will be an honour to represent the Scottish Parliament at the State Funeral of Her Majesty The Queen.
“The Queen was a true friend to the Parliament and her unstinting support helped establish our institution as a central part of Scottish public life.
“Since the announcement of Her Majesty’s passing, people across the country have gathered in their thousands to pay tribute to The Queen. It will be a privilege to join with others from Scotland and far beyond in giving thanks for her life of unrivalled service.”
A National Moment of Reflection will take place with a one-minute silence at 8pm tonight to mourn the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and reflect on her life and legacy.
Plans for public to watch Her Majesty The Queen’s funeral announced
Opportunity for public to line routes in London and Windsor for The Queen’s final journey
Big screens will be put up across the country for people to watch the ceremony
The funeral, on Monday 19 September, will also be broadcast live on BBC, Sky and ITV
National Moment of Reflection will be held on Sunday 18 September
The funeral takes place on the morning of Monday 19 September alongside processions in London and Windsor, with public viewing areas and big screens in both locations.
Across the country big screens will be put up, including in London’s Hyde Park, Sheffield’s Cathedral Square, Birmingham’s Centenary Square, Carlisle’s Bitts Park, Edinburgh’s Holyrood Park and Coleraine Town Hall in Northern Ireland. Cinemas across the UK are also opening their screens to show the funeral – bringing together local communities to commemorate.
The funeral service and processions will be shown live on BBC One, ITV and Sky for those who wish to watch at home.
At 10.44am, The Queen’s coffin will be moved from the Palace of Westminster to Westminster Abbey for the state funeral. Two thousand guests are expected to attend the service, which will begin at 11am and followed by a national two-minute silence at 11.55am.
A public procession will begin at 12.15pm as Her Majesty’s coffin travels from Westminster Abbey to Wellington Arch in London.
The procession, which will proceed in seven groups and be supported by a service band, will travel along Broad Sanctuary, Parliament Square, Whitehall, Horse Guards Parade, Horse Guards Road, The Mall, Constitution Hill and end at London’s Wellington Arch.
Space dedicated for those with accessibility requirements is available at the Green Park side of The Mall and the St James’s Park side of The Mall. The Albert Memorial viewing areas will have British Sign Language interpreters and a hearing loop.
Her Majesty’s coffin will then be carried from Wellington Arch by the State Hearse to Windsor where The Queen will be laid to rest.
The hearse is due to arrive in Albert Road and, at 3.10pm, it will travel in procession along Albert Road and the Long Walk before arriving to St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle ahead of the committal service, where The Queen will buried next to the Duke of Edinburgh, which is not open to the public.
There are a limited number of public viewing areas on The Long Walk, including a number of viewing spaces for those with accessibility needs, and there will be big screens for people to watch the services and procession from London.
Those wishing to line the processional route are encouraged to plan ahead and prepare for delays to travel.
A National Moment of Reflection will take place at 8pm on Sunday 18 September. Community groups, clubs and other organisations, as well as people at home are being encouraged to mark this moment in the form of a one-minute silence.
Sky News will provide full live coverage for free on Sky News, the Sky News App and on the Sky News YouTube channel, including a special programme starting at 9am from Westminster Abbey.
ITV will broadcast the service and procession live as part of a special programme with a documentary film broadcast at 7.30pm and a special programme at 9pm.
The BBC will be providing full coverage of The State Funeral of Her Majesty The Queen across television, radio, iPlayer and BBC Sounds. A special programme will be on air from 0800-1700 on BBC One, BBC Two and iPlayer with BSL signed coverage on BBC Two.
British Sign Language Interpreters and on captioning will be on screen in Hyde Park. Hearing loops are available.
Bedford: Bedford Borough Council will hold a public screening of the funeral at Bedford Corn Exchange.
Birmingham: The funeral will be shown on a big screen in Centenary Square.
Bradford: Bradford Cathedral will show the funeral.
Chester: Church services will take place on various dates across Chester, including at Chester Cathedral, Neston Parish, St Thomas Ellesmere Port and St Chad’s Winsford.
Coventry: The funeral will be shown on a big screen in University Square.
Exeter: The funeral will be screened at Northernhay Gardens, at Exeter City Football Club and at the Conference Centre at Sandy Park.
Leeds: Big screens will be put up in Millennium Square.
Litchfield: Lichfield Cathedral will hold a service of commemoration at 3.30pm on Sunday 18 September.
Liverpool: A service of remembrance will take place at Liverpool Cathedral at 3pm on Sunday 18 September.
Manchester: Manchester Cathedral will broadcast the funeral service on big screens.
Newcastle upon Tyne: Big screens in Old Eldon Square will show the funeral service.
