July 2023 – Page 4 – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

Scotland officially welcomes the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships

Scotland’s cycling mega-event to kick-off with performances by Scottish singer KT Tunstall and other vibrant local artists during opening ceremony
George Square, Glasgow, is the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships official fan zone, with a thrilling programme of live performances, family entertainment and much more

In celebration of the biggest cycling event in history, organisers of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships will officially kick off the highly anticipated mega-event with an action-packed Opening Ceremony, taking place at Glasgow’s George Square on Thursday 2 August from 5.00pm (GMT)

The Opening Ceremony features performances by Scottish artists and citizens, with a mixture of professional and community-based organisations. There is an exciting line-up of activities, personalities, dance, spoken word and a headline performance by multi-award-winning Scottish singer KT Tunstall.

Acting as hosts are Scottish Commonwealth Games silver medallist Charline Jones and cycling commentator and Glaswegian comedian Alan Anderson. This free event celebrates the power of the bike and serves as the official welcoming to the thousands of amateur and elite cyclists from more than 120 countries.

George Square, in the centre of Glasgow, throughout the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, will also serve as the official fan zone showcasing the sights, sounds and excitement of this inaugural cycling event. This vibrant area will include themed days, Wednesday 8 August being a family day and on Friday 11 August is Surge festival day.

The official fan zone will also showcase the best of Glasgow’s and Scotland’s music scene, including contributions from Celtic Connections, Piping Live! Glasgow Mela and many other great bands including local and international musicians such as Amy Laurenson, The Siobhan Miller Band, Tom McGuire & the Brassholes and many more. The full GO LIVE! schedule can be found on the Glasgow Life website glasgowlife.org.uk/golive

With something for everyone, free fun-filled activities will also be held each day of the UCI World Championships for audiences of all ages to enjoy.

For a daily schedule of activities and performers, please visit:

https://www.cyclingworldchamps.com/visit/go-live-fan-zones

David Lappartient, UCI President said: “The much-awaited UCI Cycling World Championships are upon us, and anticipation at the Opening Ceremony on 2^nd August will be at its highest.

“The programme of music and family entertainment planned in George Square will be a fitting celebration on the eve of the biggest cycling event ever staged and will also kick off a full 11 days of activities planned at the official fan zone.”

Paul Bush OBE, Chair, 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships said: “The line-up of local and international artists for the Opening Ceremony of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, including a headline performance from KT Tunstall, will be the ideal curtain raiser for 11 days of exhilarating cycling action in Glasgow and across Scotland.

“The Championships will provide the perfect stage to showcase Scotland once again as a world-class events destination while also delivering a real and last impact for cycling across the country.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved from our strategic partners to the host regions and the local community for all their support in bringing for this first of its kind global event to life.”

Angus Robertson, Culture Secretary, Scottish Government said: “With only a week to go until Scotland hosts the world’s biggest cycling event, the excitement is building. The stage is set and teams and competitors from across the world are arriving ahead of the opening ceremony, which will feature some of Scotland’s best cultural talent.

“The eyes of the world will be on Scotland as more than 200 UCI World Champions are crowned across 11 days of incredible action. The Scottish Government is proud to support this innovative and inclusive event, recognising that it also supports our wider efforts to get more people cycling.

“The 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships will offer something for everyone, from road races to BMX Freestyle to the mass participation Gran Fondo. With events taking place in Glasgow and across the country, I encourage all those who can to get out and enjoy the action, including the many events that are free to watch.

“I hope the Championships will inspire people in Scotland and further afield to celebrate the power of the bike and get cycling, whether for sport, exercise, transport or simply for pleasure.”

Councillor Susan Aitken, Leader of Glasgow City Council said: “Glasgow is proud to be hosting the first ever opening ceremony of a combined UCI Cycling World Championships.

“This is a city teeming with artistic talent – some of which will be on display tonight and across the 11 days of the event; at the Go Live George Square Fan Zone and sites around the city.

“After years of hard work to bring this event to the city, Glasgow is ready to offer athletes, visitors and fans the warmest of welcomes – for which it is rightly renowned across the world.”

Julie Brown, director, producer and facilitator and is co-Artistic Director of Random Accomplice, said: “What an absolute privilege to work on our opening ceremony, allowing us to give our artistic tribute to cycling.

“We’ve been inspired by the themes of Cycling for All, Cycling for Good, Cycling for Friendship and of course, Scotland Welcomes the World.

“Our programme varies from artists with years of experience, to citizens of Glasgow performing for the first time ever in front of an audience. Every one of them deserves a rainbow jersey!”

Charline Jones, ex Scottish Cyclist and Commonwealth Games Silver Medallist said: “The opening ceremony being held in George Square is going to be a free show to celebrate cycling and what’s to come in welcoming cyclists from all around the world to race for those rainbow stripes.

“This is where everyone will have the opportunity to play a part in setting the atmosphere for the event. Having competed at major international races I know how much the crowd can help in spurring athletes on. I can’t wait to be a part of it from another dimension.”

Tunde Martin, Musician, SOTUNDE said: “I am truly honoured to be a part of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships’ opening ceremony. It’s an incredible opportunity, and I’m excited to showcase my music to a diverse audience, celebrating the spirit of this event.”

More performers to be announced soon!

The 2023 UCI Cycling Worlds will feature 13 high-adrenaline, exciting UCI World Championships including Track and Para-cycling Track at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, BMX Racing at Glasgow BMX Centre, BMX Freestyle (Park and Flatland) and Trials at Glasgow Green, Indoor Cycling (artistic cycling and cycle-ball) at the Emirates Arena, Mountain Bike Cross-country, and Cross-country Marathon in Glentress Forest, Tweed Valley, Mountain Bike Downhill in Fort William and Road and Para-cycling Road across Scotland (a full list of the UCI World Championships is included in the Notes to Editors).

Tickets for the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championship events are on sale from as little as £8, with concessions from £5, plus there are many free events to watch throughout the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships including the Gran Fondo and Medio Fondo road races and time trials.

Edinburgh Napier University unveils pathway college for international students

ENU will work with Oxford International Education Group

Edinburgh Napier University (ENU) has launched an international pathway college, to offer students from around the world a new route into undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes.

The collaboration with Oxford International Education Group (OIEG) will provide prospective overseas students teaching in areas such as English language, academic purpose, and subject knowledge skills, which will then give them access to existing ENU courses.

Edinburgh Napier University International College (ENUIC) will be based at the University’s Merchiston campus and will welcome its first students in January 2024, with applications opening through OIEG in summer 2023.

ENUIC students will be fully integrated into ENU campus life from day one, with access to support services and facilities. Two undergraduate pathway courses and one postgraduate pathway course will be available initially.

After successfully completing their chosen pathway course, students can progress to one of 24 undergraduate degrees or one of 12 postgraduate degrees at ENU. The initial courses on offer will be in The Business School and the School of Computing, Engineering & the Built Environment.

To support the growth of the college, OIEG will provide recruitment expertise, leveraging its global reach through its 250 recruitment and conversion specialists, strategically located in over 50 locations worldwide, and an established network of agents.

OIEG has a track record of successfully running embedded colleges in the UK and North America, having opened their first embedded college in 2015. ENUIC marks their second partnership in Scotland, adding to existing partners across the UK and the US.

Professor Andrea Nolan, Vice-Chancellor of Edinburgh Napier University, said: “I am very pleased that we’ll be welcoming international pathway students again from the start of next year.

“With Oxford International’s experience in embedded college operations, combined with the support and knowledge of our staff, I’m confident that international pathway students will know they are part of the Edinburgh Napier community from their very first day with us.”

Lil Bremermann-Richard, CEO of Oxford International Education Group, said: “By adding a new partnership to our portfolio, even more international students will have the chance to study in the UK and achieve their dreams.

“You can feel the energy around the Edinburgh campus generated by both staff and students. It’s exciting that students at ENU International College are going to add even more energy from the start of next year!”

Pictured:

Professor Andrea Nolan, Vice-Chancellor of Edinburgh Napier University (left) and Lil Bremermann-Richard, CEO of Oxford International Education Group
Edinburgh Napier University’s Merchiston campus

Forget the Fringe – discover Edinburgh’s dark history this August at The Real Mary King’s Close

During August, the vibrant city of Edinburgh almost doubles in population as thousands of visitors from across the world head to the cultural hub that is Edinburgh Fringe festival.

While you’re never short of things to do or see, it’s always important to pack some time into your busy schedule to soak up some of Edinburgh’s rich history and venture further afield for things to do.

Visitors need look no further than The Real Mary Kings Close, hidden beneath 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.

Since opening its doors in 2003, The Close has produced over 250,000 hours’ worth of tours and continues to provide both tourists and locals in Edinburgh with a fascinating history of the city’s dark past, the extreme living conditions and harsh effects of social hierarchy during the 17^th century.

Visitors are given the chance to come face-to-face with former residents including Mary King’s daughter, Jonnet Nimmo.

Also, 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 was to analyse his patients’ urine for its colour, smell and … TASTE!

Suitable for the whole family, Dr Arnott’s Sampling Sensation is a hands-on workshop inviting the public to diagnose Dr Arnott’s patients using his favourite 17th century method, examining their urine.

Following their 1-hour guided tour of The Close, guests will be invited to use all of their senses (including taste) to diagnose Dr Arnott’s latest patients and create their own concoction to cure their ailments using authentic remedies from the time period.

Dr Arnott’s Sampling Sensation runs every Saturday throughout the year.

Tours run at 12.00, 13.30, 15.00 and 16.30.

Tickets are £29/adult and £22/child (5 to 15 years old)

The Real Mary King’s Guided Tour runs from 9.00 till 22.00 during July-August, 7 days a week.

Tickets start from £21/adult and £15/child (5 to 15 years old)

Pre-booking is strongly recommended for all tours as places sell-out quickly, especially during the festival period.

For more information and bookings please visit:

https://www.realmarykingsclose.com

Granton Salvation Army Community Day

Wednesday 9th August 11am-3pm

World Culture and Diversity event at TSA East Scotland Employment & Support Provision

Wednesday 9th August 11am-3pm

Care Home invites local community to Open Day

Strachan House in Edinburgh will be opening their doors to the local community for an open door event complete with free refreshments on Saturday 19^th August.

Taking place between 10am-4pm guests will be able to enjoy a freshly prepared buffet by the home’s Head Chef whilst taking the opportunity to meet the General Manager Gordon Philp and his fantastic team. Why not allow them to take you on a tour of the home and see everything the home has to offer? In the afternoon visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy a relaxed afternoon tea and ask any questions they may have.

The Strachan House team will be on hand to answer any queries that they may have. A warm welcome awaits every visitor and a free goodie bag upon leaving will ensure that everyone will have a little something to remember their day with us by.

Gordon Philp, General Manager at Strachan House says: “I’m excited about welcoming new visitors and existing friends of the home to our open day.

“Looking for care can be a little bit daunting, but our team here at Strachan House will do all we can to provide all of our guests with the guidance and support they may need, and answer all of their questions, big or small.

“Our open day is a great chance to enjoy everything the home has to offer in a homely and friendly setting- hope to see you all there!”

Our varied life enrichment programme keeps residents active, and provides a daily choice of engaging physical, mental and spiritual activities tailored to residents’ interests and abilities.

Strachan House care home is run by Barchester Healthcare, one of the UK’s largest care providers, which is committed to delivering personalised care across its care homes and hospitals. Strachan House provides residential care, nursing care and dementia care for 83 residents from respite care to long term stays.

Final spaces remain on free job skills training course at Fort Kinnaird

A free skills training session to help people take their first step on the career ladder is being hosted at Fort Kinnaird in collaboration with Capital City Partnership (CCP) next week.

Delivered by the Focus on Recruitment and Training (FORTY) scheme, which is based at the centre, the one-week course on retail and customer service skills will give participants an SQA accredited Customer Service qualification, as well as support with CV building, job applications and interview tips, and an opportunity to be interviewed by a recruiting Fort Kinnaird retailer.

The course is open to anyone aged between 16 and 24, will run from 31st of July – 4th of August.

To help local people build their confidence in applying for retail job vacancies, participants will also have the opportunity to hear from Fort Kinnaird employees about their career journeys to date, alongside getting their advice on applying for retail or hospitality jobs.

Liam Smith, centre director at Fort Kinnaird, said: “We know how difficult applying for a job can be, so we want to help people in our community take the first step – whether it’s moving into employment for the first time or a jump between careers.

“FORTY provides a fantastic opportunity for individuals to seek advice, learn more about the retail industry and gain new qualifications.”

FORTY is funded by Fort Kinnaird’s co-owner, British Land, and in-kind support from the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal.

To register or to find out more information about the course, please contact Maria at: maria.banaszkiewicz@capitalcitypartnership.org or call 07856089669.

More information on FORTY and upcoming skills training opportunities can be found here: https://www.fortkinnaird.com/whatson

Fort Kinnaird is open from 9am – 9pm on weekdays, and 9am – 6pm on weekends.

Citizenship in an independent Scotland

First Minister outlines who may be eligible for Scottish citizenship

Scotland could take a fairer, and more welcoming approach to citizenship as an independent nation, according to a new paper published by First Minister Humza Yousaf.

‘Citizenship in an independent Scotland’, the fifth paper in the Building a New Scotland series’, sets out who could automatically become a citizen of an independent Scotland, and the pathway for others to qualify for Scottish citizenship, including those with a close and enduring connection to Scotland.

Other proposals in the paper include a fairer fee system for citizenship applications, based on cost recovery rather than revenue generation, and a commitment to establish an independent Migrants’ Commissioner – a key recommendation of the Windrush Lessons Learned Review.

The First Minister held a roundtable discussion at National Records of Scotland’s New Register House where he discussed the paper with representatives from migration policy organisations and individuals who may be eligible for citizenship under these proposals.

First Minister Humza Yousaf said: “In this country, we are used to feeling a mix of identities. As a proud Scottish Pakistani, that’s something I understand and respect, and the policies in this paper would not require anybody to choose between being Scottish, British, or any other nationality.

“Instead, this paper proposes an open and inclusive approach to citizenship. One that welcomes people who want to settle in Scotland, rather than putting barriers and excessive fees in the way of individuals and their families.

“With our aging population, Scotland faces an urgent demographic challenge. That’s why we want to welcome more people, to join those who have already settled in communities across our country and are contributing to a better economy, higher living standards, and stronger public services like our NHS.

“Scottish citizens could also enjoy benefits such as the right to hold a Scottish passport, continued freedom of movement within the Common Travel Area, and eventually, following our commitment to re-join the EU as an independent nation, resumed rights as EU citizens.

“I hope this paper will help to answer questions people might have about citizenship in an independent Scotland, and I look forward to hearing people’s views on our proposals.”

Building a New Scotland: Citizenship in an independent Scotland

New NSPCC and Gas Distribution Network partnership creates an ‘army of safeguarders’ to protect children

A new partnership between the NSPCC and Britain’s four Gas Distribution Networks (GDNs) will deliver vital safeguarding training to more than 18,000 workers across the country.

Half a million children suffer abuse and neglect a year in the UK, and almost 60,000 calls were made to the NSPCC Helpline last year from adults including utility workers* reporting concerns about child safeguarding across the UK.

Everyone has a role to play in safeguarding children, and workers who visit homes have a unique chance to make a difference. This is why gas engineers, including sub-contractors and GDN staff at Cadent Gas, Northern Gas Networks, SGN and Wales & West Utilities, will take part in specialised training developed by the children’s charity over the next two years.

The training, entitled It’s Your Call, will give GDN employees who cross thousands of doorways every day the knowledge and confidence to help support vulnerable families and children in their communities.

It’s Your Call is a simple training package which helps workers who visit homes recognise signs of abuse and neglect and gives them the confidence and knowledge to seek appropriate support, including contacting the NSPCC Helpline. The roll-out of the training with GDN workers across Britain has already begun and will continue throughout the next two years.

Edward Allard, social programmes manager at Cadent, said: “We are delighted to announce our new partnership with the NSPCC. This is a significant and wide-reaching project and will create a real force for good across Britain.

“We visit thousands of homes every day, and thanks to this partnership we can create an army of safeguarders to help identify children at risk of neglect or abuse and ensure our workers know how to help them get the support they need as soon as possible.

“As part of our ongoing commitment to support customers living in the most vulnerable situations, each GDN will also work with the NSPCC’s safeguarding experts to ensure that the safeguarding of children and young people is fully embedded into our organisations.”

This project has been funded by the Vulnerability and Carbon Monoxide Allowance (VCMA) – an Ofgem fund split between the four GDNs to work with partners, charities and organisations to support customers in vulnerable situations.

As well as ensuring thousands of workers across the UK can help identify children at risk of neglect or abuse, the project will offer the chance for a network of child protection practitioners working with the NSPCC to learn about spotting carbon monoxide risks.

The practitioners will have access to free carbon monoxide detectors and will learn about fuel poverty signposting to support thousands of households across the UK, ensuring more families are kept safe and warm in their homes.

Sir Peter Wanless, CEO of the NSPCC, said: “We are hugely excited about this project, and grateful to Ofgem and all the GDNs for supporting this wonderful partnership. Everyone has a role to play in preventing child abuse and neglect. With this training and support, we can create a real force for good and help protect some of the most vulnerable members of our society.

“By working together and sharing our resources, experience and expertise we can help engineers and gas employees across the country play their part in supporting vulnerable families and children in their communities.”

To find out more about how the NSPCC can support professionals to keep children safe, including safeguarding training, consultancy and free resources, go to: www.learning.nspcc.org.uk/

To find out more about the NSPCC’s work to protect children and young people and support families across the country, go to www.nspcc.org.uk

Healthy Heart Tip: Healthy Happy Holidays

Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by the Health Promotion and Education Team at Heart Research UK

Healthy Heart Tip: Healthy Happy Holidays

The summer school holidays are upon us here in the UK and this week’s healthy tip is all about keeping children healthy and happy over the break.

During the summer holidays normal routine is broken and without a robust plan in place, this can result in unhealthy foods and activities creeping in more than usual.

Here we give you some ideas to ensure everyone starts the new school term feeling nourished and healthy, including parents and caregivers!

Super snacking

Anybody who has looked after children will know that you usually hear “I want a snack” about 100 times a day! Add an extra snack section to your shopping list over the holidays and include healthy options such as nuts and seeds (chopped for small children), cheese, rice cakes, yoghurts, fruit, and vegetables to chop into sticks.

Children can feel hungry soon after a meal if it wasn’t nutritionally balanced so make sure you include a source of carbohydrate and protein with every meal and add some heart healthy fibre from fruits and vegetables to help keep them full.

Get active

If you’re a parent or caregiver, your usual exercise routine may be thrown out during the holidays. Thinking about activities you can do as a family to hit those movement goals is a great way to ensure everyone fits that all important exercise in over the summer.

Some ideas include joining your local family parkrun or planning in swimming days each week. Even just going out for a walk or organising a bug hunt to keep the younger children engaged will help everyone get the daily steps in.

Plan ahead

Failing to prepare, is preparing to fail. Sitting down with the calendar for the next month or so and spending some time making plans will make the summer holidays run much smoother and most likely mean everyone eats healthier and has more fun.

Planning activities and meals in advance will ensure you aren’t caught out and end up reaching for the takeaway menu. Keep it simple and follow a similar weekly structure where possible.

For more tips on how to stay healthy, sign up for weekly healthy tips at: