POLICE officers in North East Edinburgh policing teams have been working to tackle motorcycle thefts with the activity carried under Operation Soteria, the capital’s well established, city-wide approach.
Chief Inspector Kieran Dougal, North East Edinburgh Local Area Commander, said: “Operation Soteria is our overarching response to motorcycle thefts and my Initiative Team, Response and Community officers in North East Edinburgh have been working hard and continuing their efforts to identify offenders, prevent and deter incidents, and provide community reassurance.
“Road safety and tackling acquisitive crime remains a priority in Edinburgh as a whole and such behaviour will not be tolerated.
“Partnership working is key, and our Prevention, Interventions and Partnerships team are also working with partners to raise awareness and share crime prevention and security advice.
“During the summer so far in North East Edinburgh my officers have made eight arrests, libelled 30 charges, executing numerous warrants and recovered over £400,000 in stolen vehicles.
He added: “We will continue to work to ensure offenders are dealt with robustly. To allow us to target our activities, we encourage communities to report incidents via 101, and should anyone have information as to the identity of those placing communities at risk, this can be provided anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
A celebratory reception to mark the One City Trust’s (OCT) 20th Anniversary was held at the City Chambers on Friday.
The event, hosted by the Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh and President of the One City Trust, Robert Aldridge, showcased the work of the Trust in the past two decades, and looked ahead to the challenges of the future.
The Trust was established in 2003 in response to the One City report of the Lord Provost’s Commission on Social Exclusion. It engages the idea of a ‘community foundation’ to give people and organisations a means to reach across the divides of the city and support those who are excluded from the community.
A permanent endowment was established with a donation from the City of Edinburgh Council, which the Trust has added to over the years, and continues to build.
In 2012 with the creation of the ‘Lord Provost’s Rapid Action Fund’ the Trust acquired the ability to raise funds specifically for the purpose of administering grants to projects and organisations across the city.
The evening began with an exhibition of the Trust’s archive, showcasing historic documents, photos, and other objects. This was followed by speeches and roundtable discussions focussed on the Trust’s work since 2003 in the context of the two poverty commissions which have reported on the situation in Edinburgh.
The celebratory reception concluded events with a keynote speech from the Lord Provost and President of the OCT, followed by a short film on the Trust’s work and a musical accompaniment.
The One City Trust is seeking donations to continue its work fighting poverty, inequality, and social exclusion in Edinburgh. Donations can be made online via the Trust’s webpage.
The Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh and President of the One City Trust, Robert Aldridge said: “I am immensely proud of the work that the One City Trust has undertaken in the last twenty years.
“To date, we have delivered over £1.3m of grants to 265 projects across the Capital whilst promoting community benefits and social value amongst our city’s business and private sector community.
“I have no doubt that these efforts have made a positive difference to the lives of our residents. Over the years we have been able to support organisations doing truly amazing work across our communities.
“From Edinburgh Interfaith Association breaking down cultural barriers, to Fresh Start Pantry providing low-cost nutritious and healthy food to tackle holiday hunger for vulnerable families during school holidays, to the Edinburgh School Uniform Bank making sure our schoolchildren are properly clothed, I continue to be inspired by the ways in which the Capital’s community groups look out for one another in these difficult times. This truly reflects the very best qualities of the individuals who make up our city.
“Unfortunately, we still face major challenges in the areas of poverty, inequality, and social exclusion across the city. The pandemic also cast these into sharp light and made us consider how we could reach and help our citizens in different ways.
“Now, perhaps more than ever, the One City Trust and the organisations it supports are key to supporting our communities as we move forward. I would encourage anyone reading this to consider the ways that they can contribute whether that be through donations, community benefit partnerships, volunteering or spreading the word of the Trust and its affiliates.
“As Lord Provost my duty is first and foremost to the people of Edinburgh and I am committed to helping them in any way that I am able. I look forward to seeing the One City Trust continue its work in the next twenty years and beyond, and it is my sincere hope that we will be able to make a strong and lasting difference for our most vulnerable residents.”
Irvine Welsh, celebrated Edinburgh author, and Ambassador of the One City Trust said: “I’ve been involved with the One City Trust for almost two decades. Edinburgh and the wider world have undergone significant changes in this period, resulting in poverty, inequality, and social exclusion becoming even more acute.
“Edinburgh is a city blighted by geographical inequality, great wealth and abject poverty coexisting side by side. This wealth and international acclaim that the city commands does not translate to many communities who have been left behind in an era characterised by public austerity and private profit, and at the expense of key public services. This tale of two cities that is played out not just in Edinburgh but across the country.
“This is obviously something that is in dire need of rebalancing. In the meantime, ventures like the One City Trust continue to strive to offer a way for individuals in adverse socioeconomic conditions to find a way to express themselves through arts and culture. This in turn can give them the confidence to articulate their individual needs, those of their communities and consequently inspire them to go about meeting them.
“I am proud to support the One City Trust and I hope that in the next twenty years it will continue to inspire people to question the world we find ourselves in, and to take the necessary action to fight poverty, inequality and social exclusion here in the capital of Scotland.”
Sir Ian Rankin, celebrated Edinburgh author, and Ambassador of the One City Trust said: “It has been an honour as well as a pleasure to have been associated with One City Trust for the past twenty years.
“It continues to do valuable work in Edinburgh’s local and underprivileged communities – here’s to the next twenty years!”
Society’s most depraved killers will face life behind bars with no chance of being released, under tough plans announced by the Prime Minister.
Making sure that life means life, judges will be required to hand down mandatory whole life orders to the monsters who commit the most horrific types of murder.
In the latest move to protect the public from the most dangerous offenders, this will place a legal expectation on judges to hand down whole life orders, except in extremely limited circumstances.
By putting this on a legal footing, judges will have greater confidence to hand out whole life orders without a risk of challenge in the Courts of Appeal.
This will mean the depraved killers who carry out vile crimes will be in no doubt that they will be in prison for the rest of their lives.
For the first time, whole life orders will also be the default sentence for any sexually motivated murders. This could have been applied in the recent tragic cases of Zara Aleena and Sabina Nessa, putting their horrific killers in prison for their whole lives.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: I have shared the public’s horror at the cruelty of crimes we have seen recently. People rightly expect that in the most serious cases, there should be a guarantee that life will mean life. They expect honesty in sentencing.
“By bringing in mandatory whole life orders for the heinous criminals who commit the most horrific types of murder, we will make sure they never walk free.”
Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, Alex Chalk KC, said: “A whole life order will now be the expectation for murderers where the killing involves sexual or sadistic conduct.
“This important law change will ensure that the worst of the worst can now expect to spend the rest of their lives in prison.”
The announcement builds on the UK Government’s work to cut crime and build stronger communities, with violent crime down by 46 percent since 2010 and neighbourhood crime by 51 percent.
Since 2019, over 20,000 new police officers have been recruited and 100,000 knives taken off our streets. The Government has also launched a new Anti-Social Behaviour Plan to clamp down on crimes that can terrorise communities for good.
The Westminster Government is also making sure the worst offenders face the toughest possible punishment for their crimes.
Serious violent and sexual offenders now serve at least two-thirds of their sentence behind bars, ending halfway release, and the average custodial sentence length is longer across the board meaning that criminals are spending more time in prison.
The Government has also ended the automatic early release of terrorists through the Terrorist Offenders Act 2020 and introduced a 14-year minimum jail term for the most dangerous terrorist offenders through the Counter Terrorism and Sentencing Act 2021.
The Government is also committed to looking at changing the law to make sure that people who commit the most horrific crimes face their victims in court and hear first-hand the impact that their crimes have had on them and their families and loved ones.
The Government will legislate for the changes announced today in due course.
No comment yet from the Scottish legal establishment.
The 111 Mental Health Hub is a free, confidential support for anyone in Scotland. Whether you’re struggling with mental health worries or need help with thoughts of self-harm or suicide, our caring team is ready to listen, no matter your age.
Edinburgh’s YourGP marks 20th anniversary with expansion into Dundas Street and reveals huge shift in locals’ attitudes to health and wellbeing
Established in 2003, YourGP is one of Scotland’s leading independent medical practices, promising “affordable, friendly & local GP services”.
Throughout their 20 years of providing expert healthcare to Edinburgh residents from their Dean Village practice, they have seen a hugely positive shift in patients’ attitudes to health and wellbeing.
And so, as more locals seek to take a proactive approach to improving their health, the timing is perfect for YourGP to mark their 20th anniversary by opening a second practice right in the heart of the Scottish capital.
Situated on Dundas Street, the new practice features four treatment rooms and will offer a full range of services including GP appointments, comprehensive health screening, cosmetic treatments, and sexual health services. Patients can benefit from short notice appointments and extended consultations to ensure all medical concerns are discussed in depth, as well as a fast turnaround of results.
Locals are being given the opportunity to join the launch day celebrations, be amongst the first to see the new practice and meet some of the team at the new practice open day.
Taking place on Friday 1 September, 12pm – 4pm, visitors can pick up an exclusive goodie bag while stocks last, enjoy 20% off GP and cosmetic services and enter a prize draw to be in with a chance of winning a Health MOT worth £495.
Commenting ahead of the open day, YourGP Clinical Lead, Dr Cathrow, said; “During my time in healthcare over the past 20 years I have seen a hugely positive shift in patients’ attitudes. Especially since the pandemic, people are more attuned to general wellbeing and are looking for a more holistic approach to their healthcare. Focus has moved more to prevention as opposed to simply looking for cures.
“We are seeing a much more engaged population who are taking control of their health and wellbeing in a more proactive manner.
“In response to this and to mark our 20th anniversary, we are delighted to expand our offering and launch YourGP at Dundas Street which will give Edinburgh residents better access to friendly, affordable local GP services.”
“In so doing, YourGP can continue to support people to take charge of their wellbeing and enjoy life-long good health.”
The first See Hear Fest is happening on Friday 1 September between 11am and 4pm at Meadowbank Sports Centre, London Road, Edinburgh EH7 6AE.
Hosted by the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership, head along to meet with over 40 groups and organisations who can offer help, information and advice to people with sensory loss.
Three businessmen each claimed the maximum £50k Bounce Back Loan and one dissolved his company to avoid repayment
Ivan Hristov Fratev, 57 and Bradley Malone, 57, both from London, and Ryan William Moir, 34, from East Sussex, have been banned from running businesses for a total of 26 years, after each separately claimed £50,000 for their companies in breach of the loan scheme’s rules.
Fratev was also given a 2-year suspended sentence with 4 months’ electronically tagged curfew, at Snaresbrook Crown Court on 23 June 2023, in addition to a 6-year ban, for dissolving his business after taking out the loan. The judge also included 15 days rehabilitation activity requirement (RAR) as part of his suspended sentence.
Fratev was the sole director of Chingford-based BI&F Ltd, which traded as a construction, security and extermination business from premises in Alpha Road. In May 2020 he applied for the maximum £50,000 Bounce Back Loan, designed to help businesses keep afloat through the pandemic.
But within two weeks of the money arriving in the company bank account, Fratev applied to dissolve BI&F Ltd, without informing the bank that had loaned him the money. Failure to notify creditors of plans to strike off a company is a criminal offence.
He was caught through powers granted to the Insolvency Service in December 2021, which allow it to investigate directors of dissolved companies who are suspected of closing their business to avoid repaying Covid-19 support loans.
Peter Fulham, Chief Investigator of the Criminal Investigation Team at the Insolvency Service said: “Covid-19 financial support schemes were funded from the public purse to support genuine businesses during the pandemic. Directors who abused the scheme have exploited taxpayers.
“This two-year suspended prison sentence, along with a curfew order and a 6-year disqualification, reflects the thoroughly dishonest conduct of Ivan Fratev and should serve as a warning to others who engaged in such behaviour.
“The Insolvency Service will act to remove directors who abused Bounce Back Loans from the business arena.”
In another case in London, Bradley Malone, the sole director of ONENETPRINT Ltd, a print business trading from Palmers Road in East London, applied for the maximum £50,000 Bounce Back Loan in June 2020, stating that his company’s previous year’s turnover was £200,000.
The Bounce Back Loan scheme allowed a business to borrow between £2,000 and up to 25% of the company turnover in calendar year 2019, with a maximum loan of £50,000.
The company went into liquidation in February 2022 owing the full amount of the loan, which triggered an investigation by the Insolvency Service.
Malone told investigators that, during the application process, he had merely clicked ‘next’ on his phone, and the money arrived within the hour. But investigators discovered that Malone had in fact overstated the company’s turnover for 2019 in the application, to claim the maximum £50,000 loan.
They found that the company’s actual turnover for that year had been around £90,200, meaning ONENETPRINT Ltd had received around £27,400 more than it was entitled to, under the rules of the scheme.
In a third case, Ryan Moir, sole director of East Sussex-based Croxton Group Ltd, which traded as a builder from Green Street industrial estate in Eastbourne, applied for the maximum £50,000 Bounce Back Loan on behalf of his company in May 2020. He stated on the application that Croxton Group Ltd’s turnover the previous year had been £250,000.
When the company went into liquidation in May 2022, it owed around £184,500, including more than £49,400 towards the Bounce Back Loan. An investigation by the Insolvency Service showed that the company’s 2019 turnover had in fact been less than £21,000, meaning that Croxton Group Ltd had received almost 10 times more than it had been entitled to under the rules of the scheme.
The company’s liquidators are taking action to recover the money.
Malone and Moir were both banned from being company directors for 10 years, after the Secretary of State for Business and Trade accepted disqualification undertakings from each director. Malone’s ban began on 17 July 2023, and Moir’s began on 19 July 2023. Fratev’s court-ordered 6-year disqualification started on 23 June 2023.
The bans prevent the former directors from becoming involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company, without the permission of the court. In addition to his ban and two-year suspended sentence, Fratev is also subject to 4 months’ electronically monitored curfew between 7pm and 7am, and was ordered to pay court costs of £500.
Join this free-to-attend children’s gardening workshop
Dobbies, the UK’s leading garden centre, has announced its September Little Seedlings Club workshop in Edinburgh, a free-to-attend, inspiring and educational session around Garden Senses.
Aimed at children aged 4 to 10, this workshop will take place in Dobbies’ Edinburgh store on Sunday 3 September, giving young gardening fans an understanding of how they connect with their natural world through their senses.
During the workshop, Dobbies’ team of gardening experts will focus on the five fundamental human senses: sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. Through engaging activities and demonstrations, children will learn how to use their senses when exploring their outside space.
From the rustling of leaves to the chirping of birds, participants will understand the role that sight and sound play in their garden. The workshop will delve into humans’ intricate sense of taste, explaining why certain fruits like apples taste sweet and vegetables like broccoli taste earthy.
Children in Edinburgh will learn how touch receptors in the skin send signals to the brain to interpret the different textures of plants in the garden, as well as the science behind how we are able to smell lovely scents in the garden. Chrysanthemums play a large role in enhancing sensory gardens and there will be the chance to uncover how these vibrant flowers can engage multiple senses at once.
Dobbies’ Horticultural Director, Marcus Eyles, said: “The five senses play a crucial role in how we connect with the garden and environment around us. It’s an interesting subject and we’re delighted to be using it as a topic for our next Little Seedling Club workshop in our Edinburgh store.
“We’re looking forward to making nature even more exciting to young gardening fans and helping them understand how their senses all work in harmony.”
Little Seedlings Ambassador, Iniya Raj, adds: “I’m really looking forward to September’s workshop and learning all about how I can use each of my senses in the garden.
“I enjoy listening to the different sounds in the garden, especially the birds and little creatures that live there.”
National Museum of Scotland Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF Open 10:00–17:00 daily
Beyond the Little Black Dress Until 29 Oct 2023 Special Exhibition Gallery, Level 3 Ticketed (concessions available)
From design classics to cutting-edge catwalk creations, this exhibition deconstructs the little black dress and examines the radical power of the colour black in fashion. The exhibition will chart a century of fashion in a series of themed, immersive displays. Iconic early pieces by Yves Saint Laurent, Dior and Jean Muir will be juxtaposed with recent looks by ground-breaking contemporary designers and brands like Gareth Pugh, Simone Rocha and Off-White.
Rising Tide: Art and Environment in Oceania Until 14 Apr 2024 Exhibition Gallery 2, Level 3 Free
Delve into the most important and pressing issue of our time, humanity’s damaging relationship with planet Earth. This urgent issue is felt especially deeply in Australia and the Pacific Islands where sea levels are rising due to climate change and the oceans are filling with plastic. Rising Tide considers our relationship to the natural environment through contemporary artistic responses to climate change and plastic waste by Indigenous Australian and Pacific Islander artists.
Uniquely Scottish Silver Until 26 May 2024 Grand Gallery Free
Uniquely Scottish Silver brings together five distinct Scottish silver object designs: mazers, quaichs, thistle cups, ovoid urns and heart brooches. Discover some of the earliest and rarest survivals within the Scottish silver smiths’ craft.
National Museum of Scotland Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF Open 10:00–17:00 daily
Audio-Described Access Evening: Beyond the Little Black Dress 12 Sep 17:30 – 19:00 Special Exhibition Gallery 1, Level 3 Age 8+
Explore the Beyond the Little Black Dress exhibition supported by an audio-described tour of key objects, for those who are blind, partially sighted or visually impaired.
Film Screening: Fashion Reimagined 16 Sep 14:00 – 16:30 Auditorium, Level 1 Tickets £6 – £10 Age 14+
Join us for a screening of this 2022 documentary film following fashion designer Amy Powney of cult label Mother of Pearl, a rising star in the London fashion scene. Documentary Fashion Reimagined follows designer Amy Powney as she embarks on a three-year journey to create a sustainable clothing collection and transform the way we engage with fashion.
Medieval to Modern: Animal Illustration Workshop 16 Sep 10:15 – 16:00 Studio 2, Level 4 Tickets £5 – £6 Age 16+
Join natural history artists Rebecca Jewell and Sandy Ross Sykes to create your own artwork in the style of a Medieval Book of Beasts, inspired by our Library Archives and Natural History collections.
Magic Carpet: Maths in Motion Special 27 Sep 10:30 – 11:00 and 14:00 – 14:30 Grand Gallery, Level 1 Free with booking required
Bring your little ones for a fun session on the Magic Carpet exploring maths in motion. Discover shapes, numbers, time and more through songs, action rhymes, objects and sensory play. Suitable for children ages 2–4 and their adult helper.
In Conversation: Black British Design 27 Sep 19:00 – 20:30 Auditorium, Level 1 Tickets £6 – £10 Age 14+
Join Maria Casely-Hayford and Sequoia Barnes in a conversation exploring Black British fashion. Discover the trailblazing career of fashion designer Joe Casely-Hayford OBE in this conversation with Sequoia Barnes and Maria Casely-Hayford.
Fashionably Late 06 Oct 19:30 – 22:30 £16 – £22 including exhibition entry Strictly 18+
Our legendary Museum Lates return in October restyled for one night only as Fashionably Late. Join us for an evening of fun, frolics and fashion in the beautiful setting of the National Museum of Scotland at night.
National Museum of Flight East Fortune Airfield, East Lothian, EH39 5LF Open daily 10:00 – 16:00
Brick Sundays 03 – 17 Sep 12:00 – 16:00 Free with museum admission
Inspired by our current Brick History display, each Sunday we will have a different build theme. Choose to make something inspired by the theme or build your own creation. For something a bit more energetic, take part in our speed build challenge and see if you can make it to the top of the champions’ board.
Doors Open Day 2023 23 & 24 Sep 10:00 – 17:00 Free
Visit the museum for free over Doors Open Days East Lothian weekend and learn about the history of aviation from the First World War to the present day. Immerse yourself in interactive galleries, supersonic experiences and our historic hangars and airfield.
Conservation Hangar Tours Until 31 Mar 2024 Free with museum admission Booking required
See behind the scenes of the work carried out in the museum’s Conservation hangar with a guided tour and find out more about objects from the collection that aren’t normally on display.
National Museum of Rural Life Philipshill Road, East Kilbride, G76 9HR Open 10:00–17:00 daily
MooFest 16 & 17 Sep 10:20 – 15:30 Free with museum admission and Annual Pass
Join us for a celebration of all things cattle at the National Museum of Rural Life.New for 2023, this weekend of cattle-inspired activities, talks and tastings for young and old alike.
The public is being asked for views on alkaline hydrolysis (water cremations), burials, funeral director licensing and funeral sector inspections in four separate public consultations.
The regulations proposed in the consultations aim to protect the dignity of the deceased and increase confidence in the funeral sector by ensuring minimum standards of good care and services are maintained.
Responses to the consultation on the Burial and Cremation (Scotland) Bill showed there was public support for the introduction of new, environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional burial or cremation in Scotland.
Alkaline hydrolysis is already in use in other countries, such as Ireland, Canada and USA. This consultation sets out the safeguards which would be put in place to ensure alkaline hydrolysis would be subject to the same high standards as burial and cremation.
Public Health Minister Jenni Minto said: “Bereavement can be emotionally overwhelming and being able to engage with the practical issues and funeral arrangements can be very difficult.
“However, it is something everyone is likely to experience at some stage in their life, whether it’s the death of a family member, a loved one, or a friend.
“Having confidence in the care and dignity given to our loved ones, along with the compassionate and professional treatment of those bereaved, can go some way to alleviating that distress. The rare instances where this does not happen satisfactorily can have long-standing impacts on people.
“This is why we need to ensure we get the right policy and legal frameworks in place and I urge anyone with views on the issues in these consultations to take the time to respond.”
National Association of Funeral Directors Scotland President Mark Shaw said: “The National Association of Funeral Directors is delighted to welcome and support the public consultations into key areas that will help shape the funeral sector in a new, regulated landscape.
“These new regulations designed to support the oversight of standards in the funeral sector will provide reassurance and security to bereaved people and funeral directors, while the proposed introduction of alkaline hydrolysis, or water cremation, is a step froward in offering future alternatives to burial and cremation.
“These are incredibly important next steps to support bereaved people, and we urge everyone to have their say.”
National Society of Allied Independent Funeral Directors (SAIF) Scotland President James Morris said: “SAIF Scotland are encouraged to see the process of regulation reach the public consultation stage.
“Regulation of the Scottish funeral sector will maintain and ensure the high standards of funeral service, care of the deceased and delivery to the tens of thousands of families in need of a funeral director each year.
“SAIF Scotland looks forward to continuing to work with the Scottish Government on what has been an open and consultative process and has thoughtfully addressed concerns shared by both the Government and the funeral sector.“
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