Month: May 2023

Edinburgh Local Heritage Network launched

A network to support, develop and promote local heritage groups across the capital city has been launched by their Honorary President, the Lord Provost Robert Aldridge.

The Edinburgh Local Heritage Network (ELHN) launched on Wednesday 10 May with the aim of developing and sustaining relationships between local heritage groups and with Council services – predominately Archives, Libraries, and Museums and Galleries – and encouraging collaboration and knowledge sharing.

The launch was attended by 17 representatives from a variety of local community groups, organisations, and societies across the city. The network will meet on a quarterly basis with plans to develop a searchable directory of heritage groups within the city and to collaborate on shared issues and opportunities, as well as events and fundraising.

Membership is only available to heritage groups and organisations based within the city, and not to individuals. If you belong to a group that you think might benefit from this network, please contact us at archives@edinburgh.gov.uk

The ELHN aims to welcome commercial, creative, and national partners in the future, once they are more formally established.

The Lord Provost, Robert Aldridge said: “Edinburgh is a city globally renowned for its heritage, history, and culture and as such I am very pleased that so many local groups around the city are committed to preserving and enhancing this for future generations.

“I was delighted to attend the launch of the Edinburgh Local Heritage Network and to assume the role of Honorary President.  I am sure that through collaboration between the Council and local groups we will see many exciting, member led, and locally driven projects come to fruition over the coming months and years.”

The full list of organisations that comprise the ELHN at the time of the launch are:

Old Edinburgh Club

Cramond Heritage Trust

Cramond Association

Juniper Green and Baberton Mains

Portobello Heritage Trust

Victorian Schoolroom, History of Education Centre

Heart of Newhaven Community

Heart of Midlothian Football Club

Colinton Local History Society

Queensferry History Group

Yards Head Leith

Leith Cultural and Heritage Trust

Cockburn Association

Lothian Family History Society

Craigmillar Now

Currie and District Local History Society

Living Memory Association Leith

Wee Museum of Memory

Bridgend Farmhouse

If you would like to join or to volunteer for one of these groups, please email:

 archives@edinburgh.gov.uk

Letter: Volunteers needed to support people with hearing loss

Dear Editor

RNID, the charity supporting people who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus is looking for volunteers to support our vital work across the UK.

Volunteers Week (1-7 June) is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the amazing impact our volunteers have. Last year, they gave more than 7,740 hours of their time to support people in their communities with practical information and support with hearing aids. This year, we need you to help us reach our goals and ensure that everyone in the UK can benefit from support.

Volunteering for RNID could involve providing information to local organisations and community groups, helping people get the most out of their hearing aids, or giving a friendly welcome to everyone who passes through the door at one of our support sessions.

Many of our volunteers have hearing loss themselves or in their family, and volunteering with us is a great way to meet new people, gain new skills and experience, try something new and help people in your community.

What are you waiting for?

For more information, visit www.rnid.org.uk/volunteering or contact us at 0808 808 0123. You can also text us at 07360 268 988.

Yours sincerely,

Jackie White, Director at RNID

Call for Chair of Edinburgh International Film Festival

Returning Edinburgh to a ‘must attend’ in the film festival calendar

Screen Scotland is facilitating the appointment of a Chair to lead the formation and operation of the Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) from 2024 and a return of Edinburgh to a ‘must attend’ in the film festival calendar.   

As the EIFF’s primary public funder, Screen Scotland has been working with industry to develop an initial vision for the re-imagined Festival, and this will inform the selection of the Chair.    

The ambition at the heart of this vision includes: 

  • The establishment of an Edinburgh International Film Festival from 2024 that embraces its origins as a festival of discovery and its location in Edinburgh in August with a focus on creative origination and a participatory, experiential approach.   
  • A compact, compelling programme of new fiction features, documentaries and shorts augmented by gala and retrospective titles, as well as live events, providing an interplay between the world’s most exciting new voices and revered, established talent.  This dynamic will play out against the backdrop of the world’s largest cultural event – Edinburgh’s August festivals – in any number of imaginative ways to be developed by the Film Festival’s creative team.     
  • Filmmakers in selection will be given a unique platform as part of a select programme.  They will be invited to play and create with other makers and storytellers from across the Edinburgh festival landscape.  The EIFF will aim to offer a high-profile prize in each competition section.  
  • EIFF will aim to attract diverse and younger audiences due to its energy, programming and proximity to the Festival Fringe.  
  • For those attending the festival from industry, the EIFF’s official programme will also provide an experiential programme of events and unique talent mixers to encourage creative executives, talent agents, producers and acquisitions execs to engage with talent from across the storytelling and visual art landscape.   

Isabel Davis, Screen Scotland’s Executive Director said: “This is a golden opportunity for EIFF to seize the unique spirit of festival, creation and discovery that August in Edinburgh represents.    

“It will take an exceptional individual to breathe new life into the rekindled Festival – one who can identify and encourage a team to be ambitious, playful, creative and entrepreneurial, who understands the financial challenges and commercial opportunities ahead, and bring strong governance skills into the setup process.  

Davis added that: “EIFF in August is a counterpoint to the nationally significant and highly respected Glasgow Film Festival in March, with both festivals providing exposure for Scottish talent across the year and offering a diverse, high-quality range of films to audiences across Scotland.

“We’re especially thankful to 2023 EIFF programming director Kate Taylor, who will be announcing her selection in the weeks to come and who is already embracing the spirit of 2024 and beyond.  And enormous gratitude to the Edinburgh International Festival who have thrown a sisterly arm around EIFF for 2023 and are generously hosting it in this exceptional year.” 

Culture Minister Christina McKelvie said: “Following the 2023 edition of the film festival taking place under the umbrella of the Edinburgh International Festival, I am delighted that Screen Scotland are taking these steps to secure the future of the EIFF for 2024 and beyond.  

“Given this key moment in the film festival’s prestigious 76-year history, I am sure there will be a lot of interest in this exciting and important role. It is an opportunity to take forward the vital work of the film festival and the strategic part it plays not only in the overall line-up of our international summer festivals in Edinburgh, but in shaping the future of Scotland’s burgeoning screen sector.” 

The recruitment pack provides full details and how to apply.  Deadline for applications is 12 noon, Monday 12 June, 2023. 

Twenty things you didn’t know about The Real Mary King’s Close

Hidden underneath Edinburgh’s iconic Royal Mile lies an abandoned world, eager to tell its story. Mary King’s Close was once vibrant and bustling with life, filled with traders and Old Town residents.

When the plague arrived during the 1640s, the street’s close quarters made a perfect breeding ground for infection, permeating its homes and affecting the lives of the residents. 

Today, The Real Mary King’s Close is one of Scotland’s top tourist attractions, inviting curious souls to journey underground, encounter fascinating former residents, and relish in secrets and stories never told before.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the attraction – 20 years of shedding light on Edinburgh’s dark past and teaching us about the extreme living conditions and harsh effects of social hierarchy during the 17th Century.

To commemorate this milestone, here are 20 things you didn’t know about The Real Mary King’s Close:

  1. The Real Mary King’s Close has welcomed over 3.5 million visitors since opening its doors in 2003.
  1. The Real Mary King’s Close currently runs 13,000 tours per year.
  1. Since 2003, The Close has produced over 250,000 hours’ worth of tours.
  1. Every year, since 2019, 32,000 people have taken home a souvenir photo to remember their time visiting The Close.
  1. In 2022, 46% of The Real Mary King’s Close’s guests were international visitors, with 15% of all guests being American in 2022.
  1. In August 2022, The Real Mary King’s Close launched a new audio guide app for foreign visitors, which now has over 9.5K downloads on the Apple Store.
  1. The Close was named Mary King’s Close in 1694 after Mary King, who lived there for ten years between 1635 and 1645. During her own time, it was still known as Alexander King’s Close.
  1. Mary King died in 1645, the same year as the eleventh and final outbreak of the plague in Edinburgh. 
  1. Edinburgh’s last Plague Doctor, George Rae, was a common sight on The Close during the 1645 outbreak of the plague. To protect himself from infection, he wore a striking costume made up of a large cloak and beak-like mask.
  1. In the 17th-century Mary King’s Close, ran between The Royal Mile and the Nor’ Loch – a man-made lake that was eventually drained to become today’s Princes Street Gardens.
  1. Contrary to popular belief, Mary King’s Close was never abandoned. The last family to live on the street remained in their home right up until the late 19th century.
  1. In 1993, the renowned Japanese psychic, Aiko Gibo, visited The Close and communicated with the spirit of “Annie”, a small child who is said to haunts the site’s preserved 17th-century house. Visitors have been leaving dolls where Annie was discovered ever since.
  1. Since then, The Close has collected almost £100,000 in donations from Annie’s room. This money goes to local charities chosen by the team. In recent years, the team has donated to Cash for Kids Scotland, LGBT Youth Scotland, Make a Wish Scotland, Stonewall, Strut Safe and The Edinburgh Children’s Hospital, among others.
  1. Mary Queen of Scots spent her last night in Edinburgh, before she abdicated in June 1567, on Stewart’s Close, which runs parallel to Mary King’s Close and can be visited on the tour today.
  1. During the Second World War, the site was used as an air raid shelter by members of the council.
  1. One of Mary King’s neighbours was Dr Arnott, a local physician who specialised in internal medicine. He typically had to drink urine in order to assess the health of his patients!
  1. In June 2003, Kind Charles III, visited The Real Mary King’s Close for its opening year. He also gifted a wooden chest which, up until last year, sat at the foot of Annie’s doll pile to collect donations for local charities. The Close now has the King’s box displayed in its Admissions Office on The Royal Mile.
  1. The Operations Management team – which includes the Operations Manager, two Operations Duty Managers and the Tour Guide Team Leader – were all previously Tour Guides at The Real Mary King’s Close.
  2. The Real Mary King’s Close has had its own tartan since 2013, which was designed by Kinloch Anderson.  All the Guests Services team members wear the tartan as part of their uniforms.
  3. During its peak seasons, The Real Mary King’s Close team expands to around 65 people from its core team of 30 full-time employees, who work at the attraction all year round.

To celebrate its 20th anniversary, The Real Mary King’s Close is hosting ‘Underground Unlocked’, an exclusive event where guests will have the opportunity to roam the hidden streets beneath The Royal Mile at their own leisure.

Visitors will come face-to-face with thirteen fascinating former residents, including Mary King herself and Dr Arnott, who was one of the wealthiest residents of The Close.

With a flair for the nitty gritty, Dr Arnott had some rather unique methods of diagnosis, his favourite technique being to analyse his patients’ urine for its colour, smell and…TASTE!

Paul Nixon, General Manager at The Real Mary King’s Close, said: “Back in 2003, we opened our doors under Continuum Attractions to reveal the real stories of Mary King’s Close and its former residents. Since then, it’s been such a huge part of Edinburgh’s historical tourism sector for the past 20 years.   

“We wanted to celebrate by giving our customers the chance to explore it like they’ve never seen it before, and immerse themselves in the rich history Edinburgh has to offer.  

“At The Real Mary King’s Close, we are passionate about storytelling and creating unforgettable experiences that transport our visitors back in time. We can’t wait to welcome them to ‘Underground Unlocked’ and give them our most immersive experience yet.”   

The special ‘Underground Unlocked’ experience will be running on Thursday 25th May from 18.30 until 21.00. Tickets are £29 per person. Spaces are extremely limited, so pre-booking is highly recommended.   

For more information and bookings please visit: 

https://bookings.realmarykingsclose.com/book/underground-unlocked/207 

Scottish based children’s charity set to bloom at RHS Chelsea Flower

First time exhibitors, Semple Begg partner with Teapot Trust to reveal their fantasy ‘Elsewhere’ garden with signature ‘Dolly Mixture’ stream

Scottish based charity Teapot Trust and Scottish-Swiss design studio, Semple Begg prepare to reveal their Elsewhere Garden at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

Teapot Trust is a charity at the forefront of transformative mental health support that provides art therapy to children, young people and their families living with chronic conditions. The show garden marks a rare Chelsea appearance for Scottish charities and designers and is made possible by a grant from Project Giving Back who provide funding for good causes at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

One in four children and young people in the UK live with the pain and stigma of chronic health conditions that cause anxiety and depression. Almost a third of those aged under 21 who take their own lives have a long-term chronic illness. The charity’s art therapy gives children and young people a release from the burdens of chronic illness allowing them to take some control, to express and process their feelings about their diagnosis, their treatment regime, and the impact of their condition on daily life.

Sarah Randell, Chief Executive of Teapot Trust said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have a show garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show, and delighted to finally reveal the Elsewhere Garden which up until now has existed only in our imaginations. The opportunities this will give Teapot Trust are hugely significant. It’s a platform from which we’ll share the impact of our work and draw more children and families in need to us so they can access our art therapy without barriers or cost.

“Semple Begg has done a fabulous job creating the Elsewhere Garden which perfectly illustrates the release that art therapy gives children, taking their minds to a place of escape.”

Ruth Girvan, Chair of Trustees of Teapot Trust said: “My daughter suffers daily physical and mental pain from an invisible chronic condition.

“The support we had from Teapot Trust to access art therapy helped Neve find ways to understand her condition, her treatment and has enabled her to navigate a world where she faces barriers and stigma often on a daily basis. RHS Chelsea gives Teapot Trust the opportunity to spread awareness, giving more children and young people like Neve access to transformative art therapy.”

The Elsewhere Garden is a fantasy garden representing a child’s imagination as it blossoms in response to the freedom gifted by art therapy. Through this escape into art, children find coping strategies to deal with life. For inspiration, the designers looked to Willy Wonka’s factory, to Oz and Wonderland.

Susan Begg of Semple Begg said: “The design process began with a workshop with children benefiting from Teapot Trust art therapy. We were blown away by the imaginary worlds they created in their artworks, the art therapy literally took them ‘elsewhere’.

“Normal rules didn’t apply. In art therapy, children use their imaginations and creativity to explore their fears and ultimately resolve them. From these insights grew the Elsewhere Garden – a place where a child’s imagination blooms in response to the freedom gifted by art therapy. Where the inner world of a child’s anxiety is expressed as an outer wonderland.”

Nicola Semple of Semple Begg added: “We’ve used plants to paint a picture of what ‘elsewhere’ might look like. A glimpse inside a child’s imagination where there are bright pockets reflective of joy in conquering fear such as our signature ‘Dolly Mixture’ stream, a ribbon of Candelabra primulas,  and quieter, more dramatic, almost spooky areas around our Picea trees reflective of the spaces where fear can be safely explored. There’s fun, there’s fear and there’s things that can’t be entirely explained… like dancing grasses.”

Scottish composer and sound artist Michael Begg and audio visual artist Kathy Hinde have created a unique experimental soundscape to bring the garden to life. The work comprises kinetic water sculptures, dancing grass, sonified data from multiple ambient sensors and live weather feeds along with ambient field compositions mapping to different areas of the garden space; underground, over ground and the canopy. 

Following Chelsea, the garden will be relocated to a permanent home at Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow which serves areas of social need, where chronic illness in children is 2.5 times more prevalent. An inclusive safe space to help overcome barriers to accessing healthcare, it will be used for outdoor art therapy and all patients and visitors will be welcome.

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Drylaw Telford CC meets on Wednesday

🎉COMMUNITY COUNCIL MEETING🎉

DRYLAW TELFORD Community Council’s next meeting will be held on Wednesday 24 May at 7pm in Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre (enter via rear of building).

Open to all and we would love to see some new faces.

For more information, please email pamhigginsdtcc@gmail.com or just turn up on the night.

Hope to see you then 😊

Appeal to help trace missing man

HAVE YOU SEEN DAVID CALVERT?

POLICE in Edinburgh are appealing for information to help trace David Calvert who has been reported missing. The 41-year-old was last seen in the Carrick Knowe area at around 1.55pm yesterday (Sunday, 21 May, 2023).

David is described as being around 5ft 11in in height, of muscular build, with short brown hair and blue eyes. He has a number of distinctive tattoos on his neck, arms and hands.

When last seen he was wearing a back Nike Teck tracksuit, grey/blue Nike Air 95 trainers and was carrying a small black North Face bag.

Inspector Graeme Dignan said: “Our enquiries are ongoing to trace David and I am appealing for anyone who has seen David or who has any information on his whereabouts to contact us.

“I would also appeal to David himself to get in touch with local officers.”

Anyone with any information is asked to contact 101 quoting reference 1891 of 21 May, 2023.

Gillespie Macandrew to sponsor Great Glen Challenge 2023

Agricultural charity RSABI is delighted to announce its flagship annual outdoors team event, the Great Glen Challenge, will this year be sponsored by expert legal advisors to the rural sector, Gillespie Macandrew.

Last year’s event raised over £42,000 to support the work of RSABI which provides practical, emotional and financial support to people in Scottish agriculture. As well as offering an event with a unique team-building spirit, the Great Glen Challenge also highlights the importance of fitness in maintaining good physical and mental health.

To coincide with Mental Health Awareness Week (May 15 to May 21), the charity is launching its annual drive for teams to sign up to this year’s Great Glen Challenge to help raise awareness of the vital services it provides, including its 24/7 Helpline. Nine out of 10 calls RSABI receives to its Helpline – 0808 1234 555 – now involve emotional support, and demand for its counselling services has trebled during the past year.

The Great Glen Challenge 2023 will take place on Friday 25 August when competing teams of four plus a support driver will take on the multi-sports race, with four designated stages set out between Fort Augustus and Fort William, covering a scenic 49km route.

Competitors will cycle, kayak, walk, and run to a prize-giving reception at Neptune’s Staircase, located at the end of the route, with the designated driver picking up and dropping off fellow team members at various locations along the Great Glen Way.

Consisting of a 49km mountain bike, 6km kayak, 18km walk, and 17km run, the event is designed to challenge teams, encouraging dedication and teamwork from the onset of training up until the day of the event.

After competing in the 2022 Great Glen Challenge, Gillespie Macandrew has signed up as this year’s overall event sponsor and will also have two of their own teams competing in the event.

The firm, with offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Perth, advises clients across Scotland and the UK on all areas of land and rural business, private client, commercial real estate, energy, tax and disputes, combining a personal approach with industry-leading expertise.

Lois Newton, Partner of Land and Rural Business at Gillespie Macandrew, said: “The Great Glen Challenge is a fantastic team event, showcasing Scotland’s beautiful landscape and the excellent work of RSABI.

“The Gillespie Macandrew team has significant experience of the challenges of working in the rural sector and we are proud to support the efforts of RSABI in providing assistance.”

Carol McLaren, RSABI Chief Executive, said: “We’re delighted to bring this highly anticipated event back once again. Now in its 11th year, the event is very popular and our thanks go to all those who have taken part in the past and everyone signing up this year.

“The 2023 challenge wouldn’t be possible without the generous sponsorship of Gillespie Macandrew who we are looking forward to collaborating with to produce yet another successful event.

“Longstanding supporters of RSABI, Gillespie Macandrew are leading the way with two teams already signed up to take part and we are grateful for their commitment. Our thanks also to the volunteers who help us run the event and to our media partners, The Scottish Farmer.”

Entries to the Great Glen challenge are now open.

Teams can be submitted by completing the Sign-Up form which is available on the RSABI event page: www.rsabi.org.uk/event/rsabi-great-glen-challenge-2023/

UK Space Agency announces Space for Everyone summer tour across the UK

This summer, an out-of-this-world experience is set to tour 10 locations across the UK, exciting the next generation about career possibilities within the growing space sector.

The UK Space Agency’s Space for Everyone tour will showcase the role of space in improving life on Earth and highlight the diverse and varied career paths open to young people looking to enter this fast-growing industry – demonstrating how space works for them, and how they can work for space.

The tour will feature a 72 feet replica rocket for young people to learn more about how the UK is launching into space, and also include hands-on experiences to engage and fire up the imagination. Trained hosts and industry experts will be on hand to share more about the role of satellites and the varied careers available in the UK space sector.

British astronaut Tim Peake said: “The Space for Everyone tour will demonstrate the incredible capacity of space to inspire. It took thousands of people to make my mission to the International Space Station possible and there is a huge variety of careers on offer in space right here in the UK.

“I hope this activity sparks an interest in the future generations who will take our space sector to new heights.”

The Space for Everyone tour will visit:

  1. Southampton – West Bargate: 1-5 June
  2. Swansea – Dylan Thomas Square: 22-26 June
  3. Leicester – National Space Centre: 29 June – 3 July
  4. Bradford – Centenary Square: 6-10 July
  5. Belfast – Cathedral Gardens: 20-24 July
  6. Aberdeen – Queens Links: 3-7 August
  7. Newcastle – Times Square: 10-14 August
  8. Hull – Queen Victoria Square: 17-21 August
  9. Great Yarmouth – Sea Life Gardens: 24-28 August
  10. Hastings – Hastings Pier: 31 August – 4 September

Ian Annett, Deputy CEO at the UK Space Agency, said: “Our Space For Everyone tour is an exciting opportunity for our next generation to see first-hand what it is really like to work in the space sector and to learn about careers in this growing and exciting industry.

“The space sector requires various skills – many not traditionally associated with it – and champions inclusivity and the need for innovation. You don’t have to be a rocket, as there are a host of skills and talents needed to bring space closer to our daily lives and improve our understanding of this critical part of the environment for the benefit of the planet and its people.”

Aside from inspiring the next generation, this tour is about highlighting the opportunities within the space industry for people of all backgrounds; championing inclusivity and the need for innovation. The roadshow is free and open to all ages, and the hope is that it will ignite a passion for science, technology, engineering, and maths in everyone who attends.

Find out more about the Space for Everyone: Rocket Roadshow on the website or follow UK Space Agency on social media.

Veterinary education ‘sits on a precipice’

In a speech at the Scottish Parliament this week (Tuesday 16 May), British Veterinary Association (BVA) President Malcolm Morley warned that the future of veterinary education in Scotland ‘sits on a precipice’ and called for adequate long-term funding to secure sustainable provision of inclusive veterinary education and, with it, the future of the country’s agrifood economy.

Addressing more than 80 guests at BVA’s Annual Scottish Dinner, Dr Morley highlighted that Scotland had long been at the forefront of veterinary education but that the impressive work of its vet schools, including the new development of SRUC’s school of veterinary medicine, needed crucial Government support to remain sustainable and to plug veterinary workforce challenges, especially in Scotland’s rural and remote areas. 

Dr Morley said: “Scotland has long been at the forefront of veterinary education and is home to two of the oldest veterinary schools in the UK. The exciting development of SRUC’s School of Veterinary Medicine is timely, offering a new model and aiming to increase access to the profession and encourage graduates to stay in rural areas once qualified — complementing the impressive work already underway in Scotland’s existing vet schools.

“However, more than ever, it’s crucial that the Scottish Funding Council provides the necessary financial support. The reality is that current funding per Scottish vet student doesn’t meet the cost of providing this education — and while the vet schools have been increasingly resourceful in implementing innovative models, the future of veterinary education in Scotland sits on a precipice if sustainable long-term funding is not assured.”

Addressing guests including George Burgess, the Scottish Government’s Director of Agriculture and Rural Economy, MSPs, and key representatives from animal health and welfare organisations and colleagues from across the veterinary profession, Dr Morley also underlined the importance of investing in the people and infrastructure of crucial public sector veterinary services.

He said that central to this was the recognition that investing in people was not just about investing in vets, but other members of the vet-led team, such as vet techs, musculoskeletal professionals and equine dental technicians.

Dr Morley called for Scottish Government to join BVA in lobbying Defra for urgent legislative reform of the “outdated” Veterinary Surgeons Act, which “doesn’t recognise these important roles or enable us to embrace the full potential of the wider veterinary team”.

He also welcomed potential plans for a Scottish Veterinary Service and recognised the work of the Highlands and Islands Veterinary Services Scheme (HIVSS), and its coordinator Freda Scott-Park, in supporting veterinary provision to remote crofting communities.

Speaking about agricultural transition in Scotland, Dr Morley underlined that veterinary engagement will be key to its successful development and that it must support animal health and welfare and sustainability.

He said: “The new agricultural policy offers the opportunity to harness the unique and trusted relationship which exists between vets and farmers, empowering collaboration to drive positive outcomes on all levels. Central to this is developing sustainable agricultural practices that minimise environmental impact and prioritise animal health and welfare.

To enable this, we must ensure there is veterinary engagement and representation on key bodies such as the Agriculture Reform Implementation Oversight Board, AREOB, and safeguard animal health and welfare as a central component of agricultural transition — alongside our custodianship of the land.”

Turning to aquaculture, Dr Morley highlighted the recent publication of BVA’s position on UK sustainable finfish aquaculture and vets’ critical role in taking a One Health approach to it.

“We’re calling for dynamic, consolidated regulation, with a more joined up approach to how new and existing fish farms achieve consent to build on a new site. We are also calling for improved research and development in the aquaculture sector – particularly around issues like the measurement of welfare outcomes and welfare at the time of slaughter.”

The BVA President ended his speech by thanking BVA Scottish Branch colleagues for their energy, commitment and expertise, as well as outgoing Scottish Branch President Romain Pizzi for his contributions. He welcomed Gareth Hateley to his new role as BVA Scottish Branch President.