Your chance to join in a global treasure hunt, using clues and GPS (global positioning system) to find hidden caches of objects, Improve technology skills in very satisfying, fun way!
One day course on Saturday 4th March from 10.30am-4.30pm
Book your place or find out more by ringing 0131 556 7978 or online at www.joininedinburgh.org
Costs £21.75 standard fee and £17.25 for reduced fees.
With food prices going through the roof, parents and carers are being provided helpful ways to feed their children on a budget during half term.
The frugal experts at NetVoucherCodes.co.uk have looked at affordable ways to plan family meals throughout the week-long break.
Many supermarkets, pubs and restaurants are once again offering free or discounted meals for children but there are also ways to help reduce the cost at home.
Going meat free, doing a family meal plan and having a fun picky tea are among the tips for savvy parents.
Ellie Macsymons, online consumer expert from NetVoucherCodes.co.uk said: “We wanted to give parents a helping hand during this half term. Many will feel the pinch of rising food costs in their weekly expenses.
“There are numerous schemes available during the week holiday with a wide range of pubs and supermarket restaurants offering special discounts for kids to eat out.
“But we also wanted to provide simple ways for parents to save money on making meals at home for their children during the holidays.”
Here are NetVoucherCodes.co.uk’s budget-friendly ways to feed your kid on a budget this half term:
Picky tea
This is all about taking what you find in the fridge, freezer and cupboard and turning it into a help yourself meal. There could be some leftover chicken, oven chips, a few fish fingers – anything goes. Also means avoiding a last minute dash to the supermarket to pick up something for dinner.
Shop around for half term deals
If the local supermarkets are near one another, visit each store to work out which has the best offers. There could be some decent half term deals on.
Discounted pub meals
Local pubs are providing a variety of discounts for kids to eat cheaper this half term. Head down and find out which are available.
Cheap meals at supermarket restaurants
Just like during the summer holidays, many supermarket chains are offering further discounts on kid’s meals to help with the rising food costs. Have a look at who’s offering what.
‘Once a week’ rule
Set some time aside for a family meal out by using the ‘once a week’ rule where you either dine out weekly or you get a takeaway of your choice as a family treat. This way you can plan around your food shops so less food will be wasted.
Social media budget recipes
Everyone has a favourite social media recipe which has become a weekly make. But if you’re unsure of any meals which can be added to your cookbook, explore social media apps for simple recipes which will cost less than a fiver to make.
Family pizza making
Instead of the Saturday night takeaway, try making your own homemade pizzas. It’s a great way to get kids in the kitchen too and experiment with making their own food.
Family meal plan
It’s best to be organised when planning meals to save the extra pennies. To make this more creative, mark each day with a different colour pen and decorate with stickers when it’s time for a special dish or a day when you’re dining out.
Try veggie days
Meats typically cost the most on weekly meals. If you decide to swap the meat for veggie choices it can save around a third on select meals during the week. Have a look at meals which don’t involve meat or try out some delicious veggie options for half the price.
For budget-friendly ways to feed the kids during half term, head over to NetVoucherCodes.co.uk.
The cost of renting a car on holiday this Easter is 72 per cent more expensive on average than the same period in 2019, according to new Which? research.
Which? examined data supplied by car hire broker Zest Car Rental for over 5,000 rentals in nine popular holiday destinations including Spain, France and the US, and found that seven out of nine destinations the consumer champion examined have seen weekly increases of over £100.
Cyprus has seen the most dramatic price rises, with the average daily rental rate more than doubling this year when compared with before the pandemic. A seven-day rental would now set holidaymakers back £248, up 112 per cent on pre-pandemic rates. Portugal and Greece were not far behind, with increases of 99 and 97 per cent respectively.
The USA was by far the most expensive country, with holidaymakers shelling out £537 per week on average, adding £239 onto the cost of a holiday compared with 2019.
Despite seeing the smallest price increases overall, at 25 per cent, France nonetheless emerged as one of the pricier regions to rent a car, with a week’s rental costing £364 on average.
In the face of widespread vehicle shortages, the cost of car hire rose hugely last year. While companies have now had an opportunity to begin restocking fleets that were sold off during the height of the pandemic, rates have not dropped as much as might have been anticipated, instead settling far higher than travellers were accustomed to pre-pandemic.
Demand remains extremely high this year, contributing to increased costs. Zest Car Rental reports that advance bookings are up 132 per cent compared to the same point last year.
Rental firms are also facing increased staffing and insurance costs, while cars themselves are also becoming more expensive – estimates by Zest suggest that the cost of purchasing a Fiat Panda, one of the smallest typical cars in a rental fleet, now costs around £5,000 more on average than in 2019.
Jo Rhodes, Deputy Editor of Which? Travel, said: “High demand combined with a shortage of rental vehicles means prices across Europe and the US are still incredibly high compared with before the pandemic.
“Shop around and book in advance to lock in the most competitive rates, especially during peak periods. Use recommended companies, or small local firms endorsed by a trusted broker, and always be wary of ‘too good to be true’ prices.
“Paying in advance, if you can, often works out cheaper overall and helps secure your booking. We also recommend taking out third-party insurance before you travel; in the past, we’ve found hire companies selling inferior policies at the desk at marked up prices.”
Westminster’s Joint Committee on Human Rights has launched a new inquiry to examine how human rights are protected at work.
Work is a central aspect of people’s live as it often provides their principal source of income and can provide a sense of purpose. Employment can also contribute to an individual’s feelings of self-respect and dignity. However, the world of work has also been recognised as involving an imbalance of power between employer and workers This imbalance can lead to exploitation, discrimination and other harmful practices.
States have an obligation to protect workers from breaches of their human rights. This can include ensuring employers don’t interfere with their worker’s freedom of association, for example by preventing them from joining a trade union. States also have an obligation to ensure workers aren’t subject to surveillance and workplace monitoring that amounts to a breach of their right to private and family life.
There are a large number of laws and regulations that protect rights at work. This inquiry will specifically look at how the universal protections guaranteed in the European Convention on Human Rights apply to the world of work and the rights of workers.
The Committee is undertaking a separate piece of work providing legislative scrutiny of the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill.
Committee Chair Joanna Cherry KC MP said: “Employment often has an inherent power imbalance that can leave workers vulnerable to exploitation or discrimination. There is an obligation on the Government to ensure that there is a comprehensive framework in place that ensure the rights enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights are protected at work.
“The Joint Committee on Human Rights has launched this inquiry to understand how rights are currently protected at work and pinpoint where greater safeguards may be needed.”
Terms of reference
The Committee invites written evidence on the following questions. The deadline for submitting written evidence is 24 March 2023. Please note, your submission does not need to address every question in the terms of reference.
Find out how to submit evidence here.
Does the current law effectively protect the rights of trade unions and workers to take industrial action under Article 11 ECHR? Does the law effectively protect the right to strike for the purposes of other international human rights instruments, such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Labour Organisation Conventions?
Closing date for written submissions is 24 March 2023.
Submit written evidence here.
The Scottish private sector reported a further fall in total activity during January according to the latest Royal Bank of Scotland PMI® data.
The Business Activity Index – a measure of combined manufacturing and service sector output – fell from December’s five-month high of 48.3 to 47.1, signalling a quickened contraction in private sector output, and extended the current run of contraction to six consecutive months.
The rising cost of living, supply chain disruptions and a slowdown in the housing market all contributed towards the latest downturn in activity.
At the sector level, January data revealed that service firms led the decline, registering faster rates of reduction in both business activity and new orders compared to their manufacturing counterparts.
New business received across the Scottish private sector posted a further contraction in January. Moreover, the pace of decrease quickened from December’s three month low, signalling a sharp reduction in new work.
The downturn was led by a faster fall in new business received at service providers, while goods producers reported the softest decline in eight months. A slow housing market, transport strikes and squeezed disposable incomes were all in part blamed for the drop in new orders.
Of the 12 monitored UK regions, Scotland registered the sharpest pace of contraction in incoming new business.
After weakening for the second month running, business expectations across Scotland improved during January and printed a six-month high. Optimism largely stemmed from anticipation of new projects and increased activity. That said, the latest reading continued to post below the survey average as worries over the war in Ukraine, energy crisis, slowdown in the real estate sector and the cost-of-living crisis weighed on growth expectations.
Additionally, business sentiment across Scotland registered the third-weakest in the UK, ahead of Northern Ireland and the North East of England.
For the second month running, workforce numbers contracted across the Scottish private sector in January. The rate of job shedding was modest overall and only fractionally quicker than that seen in December. Where a drop in employment was noted, firms cited resignations, redundancies and retirements.
The drop in workforce numbers across Scotland contrasted with the no change seen at the UK-level.
The levels of unfinished work fell during January across Scotland’s private sector, thereby extending the current trend seen since last June. Moreover, the respective seasonally adjusted index ticked down from December’s four-month high, signalling the fastest rate of depletion in the aforementioned sequence. According to anecdotal evidence, lower orders allowed firms to work through previous contracts.
The rate of backlog depletion across Scotland was the fastest of all the 12 monitored UK regions.
Firms across Scotland’s private sector recorded a sharp rise in prices during January, thereby stretching the current run of inflation to 32 months. While the rate of incline measured the softest since May 2021, the latest upturn was still marked and historically elevated. According to anecdotal evidence, the incline in input costs was linked to higher prices for raw material, energy and transport, inflation and higher wages.
The pace of input price inflation across Scotland was the second-softest among the UK regions, behind the North West of England.
Private sector firms across Scotland raised their charges for goods and services for the twenty-seventh month running in January. Though the pace of charge inflation slowed to a three-month low, it remained stronger in context of survey data. The rise in charges reflected increasing cost pressures.
Adjusted for seasonality, the Prices Charged Index for Scotland posted below the UK-wide figure.
Source: Royal Bank of Scotland, S&P Global
Judith Cruickshank, Chair, Scotland Board, Royal Bank of Scotland, commented: “The start of the year revealed that the downturn in Scottish private sector activity that began last August was extended into 2023.
“Moreover, the latest decline in private sector activity accelerated. It seems unlikely that the sector will bounce back anytime soon as services firms were severely impacted by the depressed demand conditions and the current economic climate.
“The step back in client activity has also resulted in firms trimming their workforce numbers for the second month running. Alongside an ongoing drop in the level of unfinished work, a further reduction in payroll numbers can be expected.
“However, the latest figures indicate that perhaps the worst of inflation has passed. Nonetheless, the current rates of input price and output charge inflation are still elevated and can be detrimental to the health of the Scottish private sector.”
PY Lunches are back
During the February break, come along to PY from 12:30 – 1pm Monday to Friday to collect a lunch 
As many families continue to tighten their belts, planning cheap accessible days out in Scotland is now easier than ever with the new Rough Guide to Accessible Britain. The Guide is available to read and download online for free now at www.accessibleguide.co.uk.
Packed with over 200 reviews of attractions across the UK, the guide features many free attractions, including Glenmore Forest Park and the Callanish Standing Stones, the Rough Guide to Accessible Britain is an ideal planning tool to enjoy an inclusive day out.
In the heart of the Cairngorms Mountains, around six miles east of Aviemore, Glenmore Forest Park boasts one of Scotland’s few remaining tracts of ancient Caledonian pine forest. It is the site of Loch Morlich, whose long, golden beach is the highest in Britain.
There’s free blue badge parking, and two accessible trials to enjoy. The shorter 1.5-mile-long Beach Trail takes you along the edge of Loch Morlich and is accessible for mobility scooter or electric wheelchair users, while manual wheelchair users may require assistance at steeper sections.
On the banks of the River Clyde, the Riverside Museum, Scotland’s Museum of Transport and Travel, is a vibrant celebration of Glasgow’s importance as a transport innovator. Its collection of vintage and modern vehicles includes trams, busses, locomotives, motorbikes, and cars.
Much thought has been given to accessibility, with plenty of accessible parking spots, a drop off point, lowered welcome desk and two accessible lifts to the exhibits. Many exhibits are there to be touched to help enhanced the exhibit, allowing for an interactive experience for everyone.
A neolithic marvel in a wild landscape, the Callanish Standing Stones on the remote Isle of Lewis are older than the Pyramids, and rival Stonehenge for historic and acarological importance. Unlike many other ancient monuments, you are encouraged to touch the stones and roam around this atmospheric place. A car park with level access to the site provides easy access to the stones.
The refreshed, ninth edition of the Guide highlights venues that have gone the extra mile to make themselves accessible. Encouraging people to discover the best parts of the UK, the detailed reviews in the Guide are designed to empower anyone with a physical, mental health or cognitive condition to enjoy an accessible day out.
The Rough Guide to Accessible Britain has been created in partnership with Motability Operations Ltd, the company behind the Motability Scheme. The Motability Scheme enables over 650,000 customers to get on the road and the Guide supports the ethos of empowering disabled people to enjoy everyday freedom.
A new, refreshed ninth edition of The Rough Guide to Accessible Britain is now available via accessibleguide.co.uk.
Engage on social media using Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
For more information on leasing a car, scooter or powered wheelchair through the Motability Scheme, visit motability.co.uk or call 0800 953 7000.
Around 3.45am yesterday (Sunday, 12 February, 2023) police were called to a report of an 18-year-old man found injured in Viewcraig Street, in the Dumbiedykes area.
Emergency services attended and he was taken by ambulance to Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh where he died a short time later.
A 19-year-old has been arrested in connection with the death and the investigation continues.
Detective Inspector George Calder, of the Major Investigation Team, said: “Our thoughts and are very much with the young man’s family and friends at this very difficult time.
“We have a dedicated team of officers working on this investigation and extensive enquiries are ongoing at this time. I would ask anyone who was in Viewcraig Street and the surrounding area, in the early hours of Sunday morning, and who may have seen or heard a disturbance, or witnessed anything suspicious, to please get in touch with us.
“I am also keen to speak to anyone with any CCTV, dashcam or any other footage that they think would assist the enquiry. We will have a continued police presence in the area and anyone with any concerns can approach these officers”
Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland via 101 quoting reference 0752 of 12 February, 2023. Alternatively, Crimestoppers can be contacted on 0800 555 111, where anonymity can be maintained.
GOING HOME – and THE INDIAN MUTINY!
IT was from Coimbatore Camp in India that I started the return journey to the UK. Our route home would be via the city of Madras and then onwards by train to the transit camp at Deolali near Bombay, which was a three day journey.
At each station along the way we stopped for half an hour or more and drinks and food could be bought from the many refreshment sellers. It was even possible for a cooked meal to be bought. These food sellers were very efficient in servicing the whole train and could remember what had been ordered and where you were located in the carriage!
The camp at Deolali was largely unchanged from the previous yeae and with no special duties to perform except that, as a sergeant, I was asked a few times to deliver military correspondence going by train overnight to various other camps. This relatively ‘easy life’ was short-lived, when notification of departure to the UK was announced with an expected four week sea crossing. The ship was fairly small for a troop ship at only 9,000 tons and, together with about a hundred other soldiers, I marched through Bombay to go on board. I was at last on my way home.
As we had all served in the forces on active duty for many years in different theatres of war we were expecting a fairly relaxing voyage home, but this was not to be. The ship was also transporting 2000 Italian prisoners-of-war back to Naples and we had to undertake guard duty of 24 hours on and 24 hours off. The accommodation for the 100 or so soldiers was one deck down at the stern of the ship and no space had been allocated for them on the upper deck.
The ship was also carrying civilians who had been resident in India and were also returning to the UK. They were accomodated in cabins and had the use of the main promenade deck.
Due to the lack of space provided to the returning troops we made a formal protest about the cramped conditions – and we were eventually given an area of the deck for our use. However – it seemed in retaliation to our protest – we were ordered to lay out our full kit for inspection, and, as you might imagine, this was not appreciated!
As we waited for this kit inspection to take place the assembled men felt that the the delay was deliberate and began to voice their disapproval, banging their cutlery on the mess tables. It wasn’t long before some officers appeared and caautioned me that, as a Sergeant, I was responsible for keeping order and that I would have to report to the ship’s Captain.
In fact I saw the ship’s Purser, who informed me that I could be charged with mutiny, but considering the cirumstances I would not be – thanks a bunch!
When our ship eventually docked at Southampton we were met by newspaper reporters who had got wind of the alleged ‘mutiny’ but nothing further came of it.
Celebrate Valentine’s Day with an exclusive double helping of The Royal Ballet’s Romeo and Juliet on Royal Opera House Stream. The new recordings join a library of over 50 beloved productions and over 100 behind-the-scenes videos, bringing you romance, drama and world class dance wherever you are.
Kenneth MacMillan’s classic adaptation of Shakespeare’s play is set to Prokofiev’s iconic score and features evocative designs by Nicholas Georgiadis. Since its premiere in 1965, performed by Rudolf Nureyev and Margot Fonteyn in the leading roles, Romeo and Juliet has been a romantic staple of The Royal Ballet’s repertoire.
On the Thursday 9 February, a recording of a 2019 performance came to Royal Opera House Stream, starring Royal Ballet Principal dancers Matthew Ball as Romeo and Yasmine Naghdi as Juliet.
On Valentine’s Day, a recording from 2022 will be released, featuring Royal Ballet Principals Marcelino Sambé and Anna Rose O’Sullivan, who made their debuts together in these roles in 2019.
All Royal Opera House Stream productions come complete with extra wraparound material – interviews, masterclasses, rehearsal footage and more – giving audiences a unique behind the scenes insight into one of the world’s leading theatres.
Royal Opera House Stream currently hosts over 50 stunning works from The Royal Ballet and The Royal Opera, with other romantic highlights including Frederick Ashton’s La fille mal gardée, Christopher Wheeldon’s The Winter’s Tale and Puccini’s La bohème.
Join today to watch the world’s greatest performers, emerging talent, leading choreographers and trailblazing creative teams from the comfort of your own home.
From family favourites and modern masterpieces to heart-breaking arias and passionate pas-de-deux, Royal Opera House Stream offers it all: truly transformative experiences for only £9.99 a month or £99 annually. Whatever your interest – whether classical or contemporary – there’s a breadth of content for you.
