Aldi support during Easter holidays

Aldi donated 391 meals to local good causes to help people in need over the Easter school holidays. 

The supermarket’s stores across the UK have paired up with local charities, community groups and foodbanks through its partnership with community giving platform Neighbourly.

More than 550,000 meals were donated throughout the UK, with almost 2,000 UK causes benefitting from the initiative in total.

Liz Fox, Corporate Responsibility Director at Aldi UK, said: “We understand that the school holidays can be an especially challenging time for families, particularly amid the current cost-of-living crisis.

“Neighbourly carries out such vital work in the community, so we’re proud to be able to support them and the charities, foodbanks and community groups they work with in Midlothian in their efforts to support those who may be struggling.”

Steve Butterworth, CEO of Neighbourly, added: “The impact of the cost-of-living crisis has intensified, meaning that the demand on foodbanks is continuing to increase, particularly during the school holidays.

“The donations from Aldi are a lifeline for many and provide the essential boost good causes need to continue supporting their local communities.”

Expert reveals simple trick to boost memory ahead of exam season

●  A design expert has revealed a simple way that you can improve your memory as exam season nears closer, and all you need are coloured pens

●  Writing revision notes in colour has been proven to help retain up to 80% more information, with the most impactful colours being red and orange

●  Expert Mads Soegaard also highlights further tricks to boost retention, including using graphs and not revising for over 30 minutes at a time

●  As well as improving revision tactics for exams, the tips can also help adults to remember login details, shopping lists and important dates

Mads Soegaard, Founder at Interaction Design Foundation (IDF) has revealed a hack that will help boost memory just in time for exam season – and almost anyone can do it.

Instead of typing up reams of revision notes and hoping that you’ll take in the vital information, it’s much more effective to write notes by hand using different coloured pens to increase your chances of remembering them when you head into your exam. 

Mads Soegaard explains: “There’s a common misconception that taking down as much information as you can when revising is the best way to learn, and so many students opt for typing up their notes to write more with less effort and save some time.

“However, it’s much more effective to write down key points by hand using coloured pens, highlighters and sticky notes, as colour works to boost our memory.

“Writing notes by hand stimulates retention as you’re forcing your brain to process the information in a more detailed way than typing. It also forces you to be more selective about what you’re writing down – it’s about choosing quality over quantity.”

According to a psychological study, writing in colour can help us improve memory performance by up to 80%, because 90% of the information transmitted to the brain is visual.

In fact, the brain processes images a whopping 60,000 times faster than text, as the brain sees words as individual images that we must first recognize before understanding. Luckily, there’s an easy way you can make written words easier to process quickly.

Mads continues: “Using coloured pens when writing keynotes allows us to see words as visual information rather than a block of text, which means we’re more likely to understand what we’re reading and can take in the information much faster than we could otherwise.

“As well as boosting our memory, colour also helps  to form associations between notes, as when you recall a fact linked to one shade, your brain will naturally start thinking of the other facts that share the same shade.

“You can also use this association to your advantage when it comes to actually sitting your exam. By bringing something that’s the same colour as your notes into the exam with you – such as a bracelet or pen – you’ll trigger your brain to remember facts in the same shade.”

This is due to context-dependent memory, where recall improves because you have similar context cues around you as when you first took in the information.

Mads Soegaard explains that some colours are more effective than others: “Colours invoke different reactions, and so it’s vital to choose attention-grabbing shades associated with importance – particularly warm shades like red, orange and yellow.

“Picking contrasting colours can also help make information stand out more, so you may want to incorporate different sticky notes or highlighters for important points. However, make sure not to overload your notes, as making facts more distinctive is key. ”

And incorporating colour isn’t the only way to use visual learning to your advantage, the experts at Interaction Design Foundation (IDF) reveal, as you can also boost memory by:

  1. Using diagrams to link information. If you find yourself zoning out when faced with a wall of text, you may want to write notes as a diagram like a spidergram, flowchart or table. This helps separate the information into a more digestible format and makes it easier to colour-coordinate critical points without colour overload.
  1. Making sure your room is well-lit. As revising in the evening after school or work is typical, you’re likely writing notes without proper daylight. Just as colour can be a strong context cue, so can light, so make sure you’re revising in as close to test conditions as you can – meaning in a well-lit room without any other visual distractions (like TV or your phone) that will pull your attention.
  1. Taking a break every half hour. It’s easy to fall into the trap of spending hours on end sitting and writing notes, but doing so actually reduces the odds of you retaining information. You lose 85% of your input after reading for 25 minutes as it’s visually repetitive, so it’s essential to take frequent breaks to recharge and reset.

According to Mads Soegaard, some will benefit more from these tips than others, as he says: “If you’re someone with a preference for seeing and observing things in your day-to-day life – including pictures and written directions – you’re a visual learner, and you’ll struggle to retain information that’s just written down with no visual elements to trigger the memory.

“Incorporating visual elements like colours, diagrams and images into your day-to-day note-taking can help in a range of situations, not just revision – so try it out if you’re somebody who often struggles to remember important dates or personal details.

“Of course, some people do better with visual memory prompts than others, as not everybody is a visual learner. It’s important to leave yourself plenty of time to revise before an exam so that you can figure out a strategy that works for you.”

FoE Scotland: Yousaf must end relationship between Holyrood and the fossil fuel industry

FRIENDS of the EARTH: OIL & GAS INDUSTRY LOBBIED SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT 200+ TIMES UNDER STURGEON’S ‘OPEN-DOOR POLICY’ TO POLLUTERS

Research conducted by Friends of the Earth Scotland has uncovered the shocking extent of the oil and gas industry lobbying of the Scottish Government under Nicola Sturgeon.

Campaigners are concerned that the influence and lobbying by the fossil fuel industry has weakened the Scottish Government’s climate commitments and is slowing action on the transition away from fossil fuels. Oil lobbyists met Ministers as they were preparing the Climate Change Act in 2019, in the runup to COP26, and ahead of the recently published Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan.

The fossil fuel industry has made hundreds of billions in profits in recent years as household bills have soared. Oil companies are pushing to expand and drill new fields despite the devastating climate impacts of burning fossil fuels.

Campaigners are calling on Humza Yousaf’s new Government to make a clean break from the old regime and end the ‘open door policy’ to big polluters like Shell, BP and Equinor.

The analysis revealed that Ministers met oil company lobbyists nearly once a week over 4 years.

Meetings uncovered include then Finance Secretary Kate Forbes meeting with oil company Equinor during the COP26 climate conference, Energy Minister Paul Wheelhouse meeting with BP and Shell in consecutive years at the opera in Florence, Italy, and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon met with the President of Petrochina at Bute House.

 ++ SCALE OF OIL & GAS LOBBYING ++

Analysis of the Scottish Government’s Lobbying Register and its Ministerial Diaries shows that:

From March 2018 (when the Lobbying Register began) to December 2022, there were 212 recorded meetings between Scottish Government ministers and representatives of the fossil fuel industry.

Of these meetings, junior ministers were present at 115 meetings, Cabinet Secretaries 71 times, Special Advisors 26 times and the First Minister attended 12 of the meetings.

Michael Matheson MSP and Paul Wheelhouse MSP were the industry’s favourites, both clocking up 39 meetings each.

The other members of the Government who met the industry more than 10 times were Ivan McKee MSP, Richard Lochhead MSP and Kate Forbes MSP.

SSE was the most active company with 62 meetings followed by BP with 32 and oil lobby group Offshore Energies UK with 22Scottish Government meetings.

 Friends of the Earth Scotland head of campaigns Mary Church said: “Burning fossil fuels is the major driver of climate breakdown yet the arsonists are being asked how to put out the fire. Under Sturgeon it is clear that the Scottish Government has had an open-door policy towards the fossil fuel industry for years.

“Whilst the true scale of fossil fuel company lobbying is likely to be even greater than what is detailed here, this data, and the Scottish Government’s continued overreliance on speculative technologies that are designed to prolong the life of oil and gas, show that the industry’s lobbying machine has been allowed to exert a harmful influence over decision making on climate and energy.

“The fossil fuel industry has known about the danger of climate breakdown for decades and not only failed to act, but deliberately buried and obscured the truth about their role in driving it. They have repeatedly proven that they cannot be trusted to deliver a just energy transition. If tobacco companies can be banned from lobbying about healthcare, then by the same principle the fossil fuel industry must be stopped from lobbying on climate and energy.

“To avoid catastrophic climate impacts, and do our fair share globally, we must phase out oil and gas in this decade. As First Minister, Humza Yousaf has the chance to chart a new path away from fossil fuels without the industry trying to call the shots. If his Government is serious about tackling the climate crisis and delivering a just transition, it must cut ties with the fossil fuel industry and ban them from lobbying.”

Campaigners are highlighting how the Scottish Government is still heavily reliant on Carbon Capture and Storage and hydrogen to meet their climate targets, technologies which are backed by the oil and gas companies as a way to prolong the lifespan of the industry. However, these technologies are unproven at the scale envisaged and it is indisputable that they will not be developed in time to meet the need for urgent action.

In many instances it is clear from the research that the fossil fuel industry scheduled meetings with Ministers in the lead up to decisions being made that would impact their business.

For example, in May and June 2022, Equinor held meetings with Minister for Just Transition Richard Lochhead, Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport Michael Matheson and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon shortly before they announced their plans to develop the controversial Rosebank oil field in the North Sea, in August 2022. The Scottish Government has so far failed to directly speak out against Rosebank’s development, despite it being over three times the size of the Cambo oil field which it opposed in 2021.

The fossil fuel industry has had a significant impact on climate policy globally, often pushing for weaker regulations, denying climate science and blocking the transition to renewable energy.

 ++ CAMPAIGN DEMANDS END TO OIL & GAS LOBBYING ++

A global campaign to cut ties between the fossil fuel industry and the main United Nations body that tackles climate change – the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change – has been calling for a conflict of interest policy that would ban the industry from meetings like Glasgow’s COP26.

There is precedent for companies with vested interest in harmful industries being excluded from decision making spaces, with the World Health Organisation banning lobbying from the tobacco industry on global health policy in 2003.

Campaigners are calling for the new First Minister Humza Yousaf to end the relationship between the fossil fuel industry and the Scottish Government, by ending lobbying meetings between ministers and representatives of the fossil fuel industry. Only meetings necessary to regulate and transition the industry should be permitted, and these should be called by public officials and held transparently.

World’s largest power line to deliver clean power to 1.8m UK homes

‘we are sending a strong signal to Putin’s Russia that the days of his dominance over global power markets are well and truly over’ – Grant Shapps

  • LionLink power line between UK and Netherlands will deliver enough electricity to power more homes than Manchester and Birmingham combined
  • Agreement made as Grant Shapps leads delegation of leading businesses to key North Sea Summit
  • Part of renewed Government drive to work with business to help grow the economy

The world’s largest multi-use electricity power line will be built under the North Sea, boosting UK energy supplies with enough to power 1.8 million homes – more than Birmingham and Manchester combined.

The new LionLink will connect the UK and the Netherlands with offshore wind farms, providing clean affordable and secure energy to Britain which will help cut household bills and drive Putin’s Russia further out of the energy market.

The cross-border electricity line will be only the second of its kind in the world, with the first having been built by Germany and Denmark. However, it will be able to carry more than four times the amount of electricity as its predecessor – making it the largest of its kind in terms of capacity anywhere in the world.

While normal interconnectors only connect two countries, the multipurpose LionLink will join the UK and Netherlands to each other as well as simultaneously with offshore wind farms at the heart of the North Sea.

The government is announcing the innovative project between the UK and the Netherlands as Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps leads a British business delegation to the crucial North Sea Summit in Belgium today, aiming to boost our collective energy security through new renewable energy and interconnector projects.

This is part of the government’s efforts to work with business to grow the economy, one of the Prime Minister’s five priorities. Boosting clean energy not only helps create better paid jobs across the country but also strengthens economic security by reducing reliance on foreign gas supplies.

The summit will see nine countries meet in Ostend to agree ambitions for building future offshore wind farms. While there, the Energy Security Secretary is also expected to sign a historic agreement with Denmark to boost trade in cheaper, cleaner energy.

Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps said: “Today’s historic deal with the Netherlands connects our two countries together through this exciting feat of innovation and engineering – the largest of its kind in the world which will provide enough electricity for more homes than in Manchester and Birmingham combined.

“Together with the strong ties we have with our northern European neighbours united today at the North Sea Summit, we are bolstering our energy security and sending a strong signal to Putin’s Russia that the days of his dominance over global power markets are well and truly over.

“I’m proud to have the best of UK energy firms and organisations with me, flying the flag for British business and demonstrating our world-leading expertise in cleaner, cheaper and secure renewable technologies – helping deliver on one of our five priorities to grow the economy.”

Ben Wilson, President National Grid Ventures, said: “Connecting wind farms to multiple markets simultaneously is a game changer for energy infrastructure and brings us one step closer to realising the enormous green energy potential of the North Sea.

“Not only can we deploy every spare electron where it is needed most, we can help to reduce the impact of infrastructure on coastal communities.

“We now need the right political, legal and regulatory framework to make it happen and establish a mutually beneficial North Sea grid to deliver a cleaner, fairer, more secure and more affordable energy future for British and European consumers.”

The countries attending today’s summit alongside the UK are Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway and the Netherlands

The new LionLink will carry 1.8GW of electricity, compared to Germany and Denmark’s Kassø-Frøslev (Kriegers Flag), which carries 0.4GW.  It will be developed by National Grid Ventures and TenneT and will be operational by the early 2030s.

This builds on the 8.4GW interconnector capacity that the UK has – and LionLink alone will increase that by up to a fifth, meaning more clean and affordable power for UK homes and businesses.

This increased interconnectivity also means LionLink will be good both for the UK’s coastal communities and the environment by reducing the need for further onshore construction and visible infrastructure, as well as lessening the impact on the North Sea’s wildlife.

Britain’s world-class innovation, knowledge and skills within the North Sea energy sector is expected to bring £20 billion a year of investment to the UK’s coastal regions and create 40,000 skilled green jobs to Britain.

Manon van Beek, CEO of TenneT, said: “It is our conviction that offshore hubs configured in a meshed DC grid must form the backbone of the North Sea powerhouse.

“This is a view that is increasingly shared, and for us, it is more than a vision of the future. In fact, we are already doing it by kicking off this ground-breaking LionLink project right now. It is a first step and a great opportunity to learn as the offshore grid takes shape.”

Minister Rob Jetten, Climate & Energy for the Netherlands: “With the North Sea becoming the largest supplier of green electricity for the Netherlands and large parts of Europe, we are ready to expand the interconnection between the two countries. LionLink provides close to 2 gigawatts of electricity to both countries, enough to power 2 million households.

“This new connection further boosts energy security and energy independence in Europe. Close collaboration on offshore wind energy and interconnection amongst the North Sea countries is imperative.

“So in case there is a surplus of wind generated electricity, it can be shared instantly to locations with a shortage of power, and vice versa.”

The Energy Security Secretary is also expected to sign a Memorandum of Understanding between the UK and Denmark today, which will ensure further collaboration on the transition from fossil fuels to renewable technologies –offshore wind, especially.

Pioneering Scottish rewilding project hits £1 million mark 

 ·         £1million raised in ongoing crowdfund for mass ownership of Highlands Rewilding 

·         Money raised comes from 622 investors, over 40% of whom are Scottish residents 

·         The for-profit rewilding company hopes to achieve 1,000 investors by 16 May 

Highlands Rewilding, a pioneering Scottish project focused on scaling nature recovery and community prosperity through rewilding, has secured £1 million through its crowdfunding campaign, three weeks before it is set to close on 16 May 2023. 

The company operates a frontier rewilding model that allows citizen rewilders to invest from between £50 to £200,000 to co-own rewilding land, earning a potential 5% return. This mass ownership approach has proved popular with smaller and larger investors alike, since it launched at the beginning of December 2022, despite the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.

Many founding funders who engaged with the company during its establishing year have also reinvested in Highlands Rewilding’s crowdfund, in a strong show of support for its pioneering project. 

The £1 million has been raised by 622 ‘citizen rewilders’, 43% of whom live in Scotland, testament to the groundswell of support for nature restoration which is actively combatting climate meltdown and biodiversity collapse. The for-profit rewilding company hopes to achieve 1,000 investors in the crowdfund by the end of the campaign. Larger investors have also joined forces to raise many millions more, helping Highlands Rewilding expand its operations and take rewilding to scale in Scotland. 

Further supporting the ambitions of Highlands Rewilding, this month the UK Infrastructure Bank (UKIB) committed £12 million to support the acquisition of Tayvallich Estate, a 1,300-hectare estate in Argyll.

The funding boost marked UKIB’s first deal exclusively in Scotland and will contribute to enabling Highlands Rewilding to develop new natural capital and revenue models on the Tayvallich Estate, and create an exemplar of community-company synergy. 

Dr. Jeremy Leggett, CEO of Highlands Rewilding, said: “We are delighted to be hitting such a key milestone in our fight against biodiversity collapse and climate meltdown.

“We aim to play a lead role in the great diversion of investment from ruin to restoration, through rewilding.

The more citizen rewilders invest at the £50 to £100 level, the more the financial institutions are likely to invest at the £50 million to £100 million level. Hitting the £1 million mark in our crowdfund shows that our model is working in offering tangible hope, not just for nature but also community prosperity.  

“Tayvallich is a new opportunity which has arisen since the start of our fundraising campaign. The success of our crowdfund and off-platform fundraise to date, has enabled us to sign a contract for the unique Tayvallich estate and expand our rewilding and decarbonisation work to three sites.

“Each site – Bunloit, Beldorney and Tayvallich – is unique in their own right, but together they are a powerhouse for Scottish nature recovery, and a beacon of hope for the global biodiversity treaty, recently agreed by 200-plus governments.” 

With three weeks to go, Highlands Rewilding is inviting investors to join it during its scaling campaign, that moves beyond the simple protection of nature towards nature recovery and restoration in Scotland, and later, beyond.  

As with any investment, those interested in the Highlands Rewilding project are encouraged to make sure they fully understand the process, what their investment means, and the potential risks of investing.  

Find out more about Highlands Rewilding and the crowdfund here:

www.highlandsrewilding.co.uk/crowdfund  

Shortlist revealed for 44th Scottish Press Awards

The shortlist for the 44th Scottish Press Awards has been announced, recognising excellence in national, regional and digital journalism from across the country.

With 34 categories this year, the judges have received a flood of entries, representing the finest talent from across the industry, with 145 finalists will be hoping to scoop an award in a range of categories including politics, business, sport and the arts. 

The categories are:

  • Arts and Entertainment Journalist of the Year
  • Best Coverage of a Live Event
  • Campaign of the Year
  • Columnist of the Year
  • Feature Writer of the Year
  • Financial/Business Journalist of the Year
  • Food and Drink Writer of the Year
  • Front Page of the Year
  • Interviewer of the Year
  • Journalism Team of the Year
  • Local Campaign of the Year
  • Local Feature Writer of the Year
  • Local Reporter of the Year
  • News Photographer of the Year
  • News Website of the Year
  • Nicola Barry award
  • Podcast of the Year
  • Political Journalist of the Year
  • Regional Feature Writer of the Year
  • Regional Reporter of the Year
  • Reporter of the Year
  • Scoop of the Year
  • Specialist Reporter of the Year
  • Sports Columnist of the Year
  • Sports Feature Writer of the Year
  • Sports News Writer of the Year
  • Sports Photographer of the Year
  • Student of the Year
  • Young Journalist of the Year
  • Weekly Newspaper of the year
  • Daily Newspaper of the Year 
  • Sunday Newspaper of the Year
  • Journalist of the Year
  • Chairperson’s Award

Shortlists for the sought-after Daily Newspaper of the Year, Sunday Newspaper of the Year, Journalist of the Year and Chairperson’s Award have not been announced, as the winners will be announced on the night of the ceremony. The shortlist for the Weekly Newspaper of the Year will be revealed in May.

This year’s judging panel was led by Richard Neville, former Head of News Brands at DC Thomson and current Director of Neville Robertson Communications.

Richard Neville, chair of the Scottish Press Awards judges, said: “The pressure on journalists and news organisations continues to grow every year and, despite the incredible challenges the industry faces, the quality of entries to The Scottish Press Awards continues unabated.

“This year has been one of further diversification with digital content becoming the central feature of many newsrooms. At the heart of every entry, however, is simple good storytelling, digital or otherwise.

“While selecting the winners has been as difficult as ever, it has been clear throughout the process that Scotland is being well served because of the value our journalists and editors are placing on telling great stories, in every format.”

The 44th Scottish Press Awards are sponsored by Royal Bank of Scotland, Diageo, VisitScotland, Edrington, Openreach, Glenmorangie, The Law Society of Scotland, Muckle Media, Women in Journalism Scotland, BIG Partnership, Registrars of Scotland. Event Consultants Scotland and Scottish Newspaper Society.

The awards ceremony and dinner will take place at the DoubleTree by Hilton Glasgow Central on Wednesday 7 June 2023.

For more information and to view the (not-so-short!) shortlist, visit: 

https://www.scotns.org.uk/2023/04/21/scottish-press-awards-shortlist-announced/

Dawn Service of Remembrance as Edinburgh marks ANZAC Day at Comely Bank Cemetery

At dawn on April 25th, 1915, the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC), together with British, French, and Russian forces landed on the Dardanelles Peninsula (now part of Turkey) at the start of the Gallipoli campaign.

This ended in a stalemate, with troops withdrawing in January 1916. More than 100,000 soldiers were killed.

At dawn on April 25th, 2023, Veterans and their families will gather at Comely Bank Cemetery, Edinburgh where 16 ANZAC Soldiers are laid to rest and take part in an international remembrance service to mark the 108th anniversary of the Gallipoli campaign in the First World War.

Traditionally ANZAC Day services commence at dawn, coinciding with the moment ANZAC forces landed on the Gallipoli peninsula in April 1915.

Legion Scotland and Poppyscotland will join members of the Australian and New Zealand community for the service and wreath-laying ceremony at Comely Bank Cemetery at 5.00am. Led by Rev Dr Karen Campbell, it will feature Scots Guards Association piper Cameron Cochrane and bugler Iona McFarlane.

Later that morning, Edinburgh’s Lord Provost Robert Aldridge and Government representatives from Scotland, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, France, and Turkey will take part in Legion Scotland’s annual ANZAC and Gallipoli Day Service at the Scottish National War Memorial inside Edinburgh Castle at 11am.

ANZAC Day marks the service and sacrifices made by the Australian and New Zealand Armed Forces, as well as those from Scotland and the rest of the world who served alongside them. It is the National Day of Remembrance in the two countries.

Both services are open to the public, with a limited number of tickets for the memorial available from 9:30-10:15am in front of the Castle on the Esplanade.

Dr Claire Armstrong, Chief Executive of Legion Scotland, said: “This is an opportunity to come together to remember the service and sacrifices of ANZAC servicemen and women through the years, as well as our own soldiers who fell during the Gallipoli campaign.

“It is a chance to reflect on the extraordinary courage of our Armed Forces community, both past and present, as well as the enduring friendship between our countries.”

Connecting Communites: Council partners with community councils to seek views on regenerating Seafield

A six-week consultation is asking residents, businesses and other interested groups how they think Seafield could be transformed and regenerated into a vibrant new 20-minute neighbourhood.

The consultation is being run by the City of Edinburgh Council and Seafield: Connecting Coastal Communities*.

The local community is being invited to attend two events where they can give their views in person. Those attending will be asked what they like best about the area just now, what kind of housing they would like built there in the future and how the existing promenade could be improved.

The consultation is also seeking to get views from the local community on what other facilities they would like in the area such as health centres, schools and shops as well as how public transport could be improved. 

There is an online consultation survey for those who are unable to attend the following events – 

Thursday, 27 April between 3pm – 8pm at The Ripple Project Cafe, 198 Restalrig Road South, Craigentinny. 

Saturday, 29 April Between 12:30pm – 3:30pm Bellfield (Celebration Foyer) 16B Bellfield Street, Portobello.

Cllr James Dalgleish Planning Convener said:This part of our precious coast in Edinburgh has been highlighted as an area which can be greatly improved and regenerated in our draft City Plan 2030, currently with Scottish Ministers for approval. 

“We’re at an early stage looking at how we can use sustainable 20-minute neighbourhood principles at Seafield, a new way of thinking for us in Edinburgh. We want to make Seafield more sustainable, with improved access to quality services.

“This is the start of a conversation with the local community to empower them to help us to make this happen. A 20-minute neighbourhood in Edinburgh is about living well locally, giving residents the ability to meet most of their daily needs by walking, cycling, wheeling or taking public transport. Residents will be able to live, shop, work and travel more easily and enjoy well-connected spaces with and improved greener public transport. 

“I’d encourage everyone with a link to Seafield to come along and tell us how what kind of homes and other facilities they would like to see built at Seafield for future generations to come. If you can’t make the events please do fill out our short survey as it’s really important we hear from as many people as possible about this important regeneration project for the city.

“The next stage is for the Council to share a draft vision for feedback before consulting on a draft masterplan for Seafield this summer. This will then be presented to the Council’s Planning Committee for approval.”

*Seafield: Connecting Coastal Communities is a group made up of the following community councils:

  • Craigentinny and Meadowbank
  • Portobello
  • Leith Links
  • Leith Harbour & Newhaven

Coronation events in Scotland

Service and procession in Edinburgh to follow historic event

A special service will be held in Edinburgh following the Coronation of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla.

The King will be presented with the Honours of Scotland during the Service of Dedication and Thanksgiving, which will take place at St Giles’ Cathedral later this year.

The Honours will be escorted from Edinburgh Castle to the Cathedral by a People’s Procession of around 100 representatives from across Scotland.

Prior to the Scottish service, the First Minister will attend the Coronation at Westminster Abbey on 6 May. The Stone of Destiny will be a key part of the event and will be placed in the Coronation Chair for the ceremony.

Organisations, community groups and individuals are invited to take part in street parties, community lunches or charity events during the Coronation weekend and big screens will show the ceremony at locations in Scotland including Princes Street Gardens in Edinburgh and Glasgow Cathedral.

First Minister Humza Yousaf said: ““I will be attending the Coronation on 6 May, and there will be ample opportunities for people across Scotland who wish to mark this historic occasion, to do so. These include watching the ceremony on big screens in communities, hosting street parties or taking part in charity and local events.

“Scotland will welcome the new Monarch later in the year with a Service of Dedication and Thanksgiving. The Honours of Scotland, including the Stone of Destiny, will form part of the ceremony at St Giles’ Cathedral and the event will be similar to the Thanksgiving Service held in 1953 during The Late Queen’s first visit to Scotland, following Her Coronation.”

Further details of the service and processions taking place later in the year, including viewing opportunities for the public, will be issued in the coming weeks.

Honours of Scotland 

Coronation of His Majesty The King & Her Majesty The Queen Consort

Coronation Big Lunch

The Big Help Out