POLICE have recently received a number of reports of youths throwing objects at buses in the Craigmillar area of Edinburgh. This behaviour is extremely dangerous and has the potential to cause serious injury.
Lothian Buses provide an essential public service. Removing damaged buses from service and diverting public transport from the area has a negative impact on the local community.
Police Scotland will continue to work in partnership with Lothian Buses to prevent crime and anti-social behaviour and identify those responsible.
If you see or know of anyone engaging in this reckless behaviour, please contact police on 101, or 999 in an emergency.
Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Annual race day revved up with “golden” opportunity to win huge prizes
FIRST FOOTERS at Musselburgh Racecourse’s New Year’s Day Meeting will have a chance to land a Golden Ticket which secures an annual Grandstand Membership to a further 24 of the East Lothian course’s 2024 race meetings.
To celebrate the 2024 New Year, 24 envelopes with fantastic prizes will be hidden around the course at the 1 January race day – with one containing a Golden Ticket which offers free priority entry and exclusive grandstand viewing at each fixture and tickets to other sensational racedays throughout the year.
Musselburgh’s New Year’s Day Meeting is one of Scotland’s largest sporting events held on 1 January and usually attracts a 6000+ sell out attendance. Renowned for being a stylish affair, racegoers are also being encouraged to dress to impress for The Style Awards, with one of Scotland’s top luxury boutique’s soon to be announced as a fashion sponsor.
Aisling Johnston, Marketing Manager at Musselburgh Racecourse, said: “We are starting off 2024 with a flying start and promise to keep the festive fun going past the bells.
“Each year we are adding exciting and fun elements to this day, perfect for a post-Christmas get together that has something for everyone. Glamour, music, festive culinary delights, lively entertainment and of course, top-class racing.
“The Golden Ticket hunt is once again an exciting element, with eagle eyed guests having a chance to win entry to incredible days in the racing calendar.”
With more than £100,000 of prize money up for grabs, racegoers are set for a day of competitive jumps racing with the premier event the £40,000 Auld Reekie Handicap Stakes and £30,000 Hogmaneigh Hurdle taking centre stage.
The racecourse continues to pull out all the stops at the annual event, offering “first footer” ticketed bus travel from Penicuik, Dalkeith, Galashiels, Gorebridge, Dunbar, Haddington and Edinburgh which will ferry revellers to and from the East Lothian venue.
Revellers can enjoy the Highland Fling Marquee, with one of Scotland’s finest ceilidh bands, ‘Kilter’, performing their electrifying set to keep the adrenaline pumping all day long.
Aisling added: “We can’t wait to keep the party going and I would encourage people to get their tickets soon to avoid disappointment, as the event is always a sell out and we predict this year will be no different. Ticket sales are ahead of last year’s event.”
Some of Scotland’s finest street food vendors will be at the event, with top options on offer from the Bonnie Burrito, Cheese on Coast and an exclusive boozy hot chocolate with the choice of Cointreau, Bailey, and Amaretto from the Deli to keep the party goers warm.
Early bird adult tickets for the New Years Day Meeting cost £35 when purchased before 27th November, saving £10 while concession and student tickets are available for £30. Children 17 years and under go free.
Gates open at 10:30am, with the first race at 12:25pm and the last race at 15:20pm.
Musselburgh Racecourse provides year-round racing action, with 25 race days across the flat and jump racing season – weekend, midweek and evening.
Every race day offers quality racing with outstanding facilities and an atmosphere to match. Its ‘Sensational 6’ includes New Year’s Day, The bet365 Scottish Cheltenham Trials Weekend, Easter Saturday, The Edinburgh Cup sponsored by Edinburgh Gin, Ladies Day and The Summer Finale weekend.
For further information on New Years Day and to book tickets now, visit:
Merchiston Castle School, Scotland’s leading all-boys independent boarding and day school, has announced the return of its annual ‘Very Merchiston Christmas Fair’, with the addition of a special Forest School ‘Winter Wonderland’ on 2 December.
Following on from last year’s success, Merchiston’s Christmas Fair will again be held in the school’s remarkable Memorial Hall, where a selection of high-quality, local businesses will display their very best wares.
Expect incredible jewellery from Jewel Tree Edinburgh, sample delicious spirits from Cairns Whisky and South Loch Gin, warming scents from the Edinburgh Candlemaker Company and festive foods from 181 Delicatessen all the while soaking up the festive atmosphere in the beautifully decorated Memorial Hall.
Last year, £1,433 was raised for the Braidburn School through suggested ticket donations and participation in Merchiston’s charity raffle.
This year, the school is raising funds in support of Edinburgh Food Project, a local charity that supplies food to people in crisis, while seeking to address the underlying causes of food poverty. A charity raffle will take place on the day, with visitors invited to donate at the door.
In addition to the Very Merchiston Christmas Fair, guests can also visit The Forest at Merchiston’s Winter Wonderland for families with young children.
Held on the school’s wooded grounds, the immersive experience for families interested in attending The Forest from 2024, will include a variety of engaging and interactive activities for little ones to enjoy, such as making reindeer food and creating their very own Christmas decorations.
Here, families can explore the enchanting woodlands, and learn more about Merchiston’s new educational offering, the much-anticipated Forest School which is due to open in September 2024.
Jonathan Anderson, Headmaster of Merchiston said:“Merchiston’s Christmas Fair is the perfect way to herald in the festive season and pick up some exceptional gifts in the process.
“All are welcome as we celebrate Christmas while remembering it is a time for charity and giving too. We are very pleased to be raising funds for the Edinburgh Food Project so Christmas can be bright for many.”
Davina Bowers, Head of The Forest at Merchiston, added: “The Forest’s Winter Wonderland promises to be a lot of fun for families and little ones, with a variety of hands-on activities and games to take part in.
“I am really looking forward to welcoming families to the Forest Winter Wonderland this December, and to give them a feel for what the Forest approach entails. It will be the event of the season!”
A ‘Very Merchiston Christmas Fair’ will take place on 2 December between 10am – 2pm in Merchiston’s Memorial Hall.
Tickets are available via Eventbrite here and are free of charge.
The ‘Forest Winter Wonderland’ will runbetween 10:00 and 12:00 on Saturday 2nd December.
Children across Scotland will be gifted a quarter of a million books and counting activities as part of the Read Write Count with the First Minister programme.
Around 248,000 books will be given to pupils in primary two and three this year as part of a programme underlining the First Minster’s personal commitment to supporting child literacy and numeracy learning across the country.
Pupils in Gaelic Medium Education receive bags with copies of the books in Gaelic and English accounting for 8,000 books in 2,000 bilingual bags.
Read Write Count with the First Minister aims to build parents’ confidence, and encourage families to include easy and fun reading, writing and counting activities in their everyday lives.
The programme received Scottish Government funding of £932,132 for 2023-24.
First Minister Humza Yousaf visited Craigentinny Primary School in Edinburgh to gift pupils with bags to mark Book Week Scotland.
The First Minister said: “I want to encourage all children to enjoy reading, writing, and counting. Reading for pleasure is crucial in developing children’s literacy skills, and our funded national programmes such as Read Write Count with the First Minister are about supporting and enhancing a love of reading from an early age.
“When I was young my favourite books were the ones that were fun and that taught me something new. A good story, or a good book, can open new worlds to us. Reading can even help us if we feel sad, or if we’re unsure about something, and want to learn more about it.
“The Read Write Count with the First Minister programme is a key part of the Scottish Government’s commitment to raising attainment by building parents’ confidence and encouraging families to include fun reading, writing and counting activities in their everyday lives.”
Chief Executive Officer of Scottish Book Trust Marc Lambert said: “Gifting books to children through the Bookbug and Read Write Count with First Minister programmes is one of the highlights of Book Week Scotland each year. For many children in Scotland, the only books they have at home are the ones they are given by Scottish Book Trust.
“Our Bookbug and Read Write Count bags reach children from birth up to Primary 3, and we know they can make a big impact to children’s lives. We’re grateful to the First Minister for joining us at Craigentinny Primary School as the pupils and their families were gifted the bags.”
Over 2,500 pupils got an invaluable insight into STEM-based careers thanks to Edinburgh Science’s annual schools event
Soon to celebrate 10 years, just-finished Careers Hive 2023 is hailed as a huge success with over 2,500 pupils from secondary schools all across the central belt visiting National Museum of Scotland to get hands-on with science.
They heard from young STEM professionals about their careers – and sometimes more unusual paths to their dream jobs – and took part in various workshops and activities, including performing keyhole surgery, assembling a model of a space satellite, programming a robot or insulating a home.
Initially developed in 2016, Careers Hive inspires S1-S3 pupils to pursue a STEM-based(science, technology, engineering and maths) career through hands-on activities, discussions with STEM professionals and workshops to equip them with skills and confidence to progress in their chosen field.
Careers Hive addresses the problem of young people not choosing STEM subjects by encouraging and showcasing where they will lead.
A teacher participating in Careers Hive said: “One pupil told me as we entered the Museum: ‘to be honest, I’m here for the day out of school’. Come the end of the visit, he was telling me which STEM careers he was interested in, and how the event changed his perceptions about STEM!
“It opened all the pupils’ eyes to the wider range of STEM jobs rather than just a scientist or an engineer.”
Careers Hive is supported by a range of funders, please see below for a full list for 2023. Edinburgh Science Learning projects reach around 35,000 people every year.
Mark your calendars:
Careers Hive is back in 2024 at the National Museum of Scotland for schools between Monday 28 October and Friday 1 November with the Public Open Day on Saturday, 2 November.
If your school is interested in attending in 2024, please contact:
New analysis shows pay gap between non-disabled and disabled workers is now 14.6% – higher than it was a decade ago
Disabled women face even bigger pay penalty of 30% – £3.73 an hour
TUC says Labour’s New Deal for Working People would be a “game changer” for disabled workers, introducing mandatory disability pay gap reporting and a day one right to flexible work
New analysis published by the TUC yesterday shows that non-disabled workers earn around a sixth (14.6%) more than disabled workers
The analysis reveals that the pay gap for disabled workers across the board is £1.90 an hour, or £66.50 per week – over what the average household spends on their weekly food shop (£62.20).
That makes for a pay difference of £3,460 a year for someone working a 35-hour week – and means that disabled people effectively work for free for the last 47 days of the year and stop getting paid today, on the day the TUC has branded Disability Pay Gap Day.
“Zero progress” on disability pay gap
The pay gap has fallen since last year, when the overall pay gap was £2.05 (17.2%) an hour.
The new analysis shows that the disability pay gap is now higher than it was a decade ago (13.2% in 2013/14) when the first comparable pay data was recorded.
And the gap is only slightly lower than when the TUC first launched Disability Pay Gap Day using 2016/17 data (when it was 15.0%).
Disability pay gap by gender and age
The new TUC analysis reveals that disabled women face the biggest pay gap. Non-disabled men are paid on average 30% (£3.73 an hour, £130.55 a week, or £6,780 a year) more than disabled women.
The research also shows that the disability pay gap persists for workers for most of their careers. At age 25 the pay gap is £1.73 an hour hitting a high of £3.18 an hour, or £111.30 a week, for disabled workers aged 40 to 44.
National, regional and industrial disability pay gaps
The analysis looked at pay data from across the country and found disability pay gaps in every region and nation of the UK.
The highest pay gaps are in Wales (21.6% or £2.53 an hour), followed by the South East (19.8% or £2.78 an hour) and the East of England (17.7% or £2.30 an hour).
The research found that disability pay gaps also vary by industry. The biggest pay gap is in financial and industrial services, where the pay gap stands at a huge 33.2% (£5.60 an hour).
Unemployment
Not only are disabled workers paid less than non-disabled workers, they are also more likely to be excluded from the job market.
Disabled workers are twice as likely as non-disabled workers to be unemployed (6.7% compared to 3.3%).
And the analysis shows disabled BME workers face a much tougher labour market – one in 10 (10.4%) BME disabled workers are unemployed compared to nearly one in 40 (2.6%) white non-disabled workers.
Zero-hours contracts
The analysis shows that disabled workers are more likely than non-disabled workers to be on zero-hours contracts (4.5% to 3.4%).
And disabled BME women are nearly three times as likely as non-disabled white men (6.0% to 2.2%) to be on these insecure contracts.
The TUC says zero-hours contracts hand the employer total control over workers’ hours and earning power, meaning workers never know how much they will earn each week, and their income is subject to the whims of managers.
The union body argues that this makes it hard for workers to plan their lives, look after their children and get to medical appointments.
And it makes it harder for workers to challenge unacceptable behaviour by bosses because of concerns about whether they will be penalised by not being allocated hours in future.
New Deal for Working People
The TUC is calling for government action to end the discrimination disabled workers’ face in the jobs market.
The union body says Labour’s New Deal for Working People would be a “game changer” for workers’ rights.
Labour has pledged to deliver new rights for working people in an employment bill in its first 100 days.
Labour’s new deal would:
Introduce disability and ethnicity pay gap reporting.
Strengthen flexible working rights by introducing a day one right to work flexibly.
Ban zero-hours contracts to help end the scourge of insecure work.
Give all workers day one rights on the job. Labour will scrap qualifying time for basic rights, such as unfair dismissal, sick pay, and parental leave.
Ensure all workers get reasonable notice of any change in shifts or working time, with compensation that is proportionate to the notice given for any shifts cancelled or curtailed.
Beef up enforcement by making sure the labour market enforcement bodies have the powers they need to undertake targeted and proactive enforcement work and bring civil proceedings upholding employment rights.
TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said: “We all deserve to be paid fairly for the work we do. But disabled people continue to be valued less in our jobs market.
“It’s shameful there has been zero progress on the disability pay gap in the last decade. Being disabled shouldn’t mean you are given a lower wage – or left out of the jobs market altogether.
“Too many disabled people are held back at work, not getting the reasonable adjustments they need to do their jobs. And we need to strengthen the benefits system for those who are unable to work or are out of work, so they are not left in poverty.
“It’s time for a step change. Labour’s New Deal for Working People would be an absolute game changer for disabled workers. It would introduce mandatory disability pay gap reporting to shine a light on inequality at work.
“Without this legislation, millions of disabled workers will be consigned to many more years of lower pay and in-work poverty.”
Research from national charity Family Action reveals the stark reality many families face this Christmas
Families across the UK are facing increasing financial hardship and new research from Family Action reveals that 1 in 7 parents/carers surveyed, said they won’t be able to afford to buy presents for their children this Christmas due to financial constraints.
In addition, a quarter of parents/carers surveyed said they won’t be able to afford to buy presents for their children’s grandparents, and almost a quarter of parents / carers surveyed said they won’t be able to afford to buy presents for their partner this Christmas, due to financial constraints.
1 in 7 (14%) parents/carers surveyed said they won’t be able to afford to buy presents for their children this Christmas due to financial constraints.
A quarter (25%) of parents/carers surveyed said they won’t be able to afford to buy presents for their parents (their child/children’s grandparents), and almost a quarter (24%) of parents/carers surveyed said they won’t be able to afford to buy presents for their partner this Christmas due to financial constraints.
1 in 5 (20%) parents/carers surveyed said they will go without heating their house this Christmas.
Over half (54%) of parents/carers surveyed agree* that Christmas is going to negatively affect their mental health this year because of worry about finances, with just over a third (34%) of parents/carers surveyed agree* that they will need to seek external support with finances.
Almost half of parents/carers (47%) surveyed agree* they expect to be in debt after Christmas 2023, while almost 3 in 10 (29%) parents/carers surveyed agree* they are still paying off debt from spending on Christmas 2022.
Family Action is launching its annual ‘Make Theirs Magic’ campaign to support families facing hard times this Christmas.
The charity provides emotional and practical support to over 60,000 families across the country and this Christmas it is looking once again to distribute thousands of toys to families through the Family Action Christmas Toy Appeal.
Mum, Hayley, said: “I’ve been handling Christmas a bit differently this year. I’ve even bought some presents in the January sales. I’ve got no idea how Christmas is going to look at the moment.
“I’ve cut back, but I don’t know where we’ll find the money and I don’t think we’re seeing family at Christmas. It’s still a special day, it’s a home day for us.”
David Holmes CBE, Chief Executive of Family Action, said: “Every family deserves comfort and joy at Christmas, but with the high costs of food and utilities, many will find their holiday season stressful and difficult.
“We work with thousands of families across the country, and from the research findings and feedback from our frontline staff, we know only too well the challenges families are facing.
“It is a stark reality that one in seven parents won’t be able to afford gifts for their children this Christmas, and that for over half of parents/carers, they expect that their mental health and wellbeing will be negatively affected, due to the worry of financial constraints.”
Mum, Cathryne, said: “At the moment I can’t work so I could never afford the gifts my children were given by people donating to the Toy Appeal.
“It takes away the guilt I feel as no parent wants to be in that position.”
David Holmes CBE adds: “It does seem, this year, that Christmas magic is in short supply, but this is where Family Action comes in. This Christmas we’re offering a sleigh load of practical and emotional support to families through our FOOD clubs, financial grants, FamilyLine, and our Christmas Toy Appeal.
“By supporting our ‘Make Theirs Magic’ campaign, people can help with a special gift that could bring Christmas cheer to a child and their family. Together, we can keep the magic of Christmas alive. Thank you.”
POLICE are appealing for information following a fatal crash on Gorgie Road yesterday (Tuesday 14 November 2023).
The incident took place around 1.05pm, involving an HGV and a pedestrian.
The pedestrian, a 62-year-old man, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Sergeant Jill Kirkpatrick, from the Edinburgh Road Policing Unit, said: “At this time, our thoughts are very much with the family and friends of the man who died.
“We are carrying out enquiries to establish the full circumstances of this incident and would appeal to anyone who was in the Gorgie Road or Calder Road area around the time of the crash to please come forward.
“If you have any information, or potential dashcam footage, which could assist our enquiries, please call police on 101, quoting incident 1457 of 14 November.”
Could you buy a new coat, socks, leggings or joggers for a local youngster?
Here’s how:
Pop items into a drop-off point (locations are listed at https://bit.ly/3opKjov) We also welcome pre-loved coats in good-as-new condition at our drop-off points.
– We are also delighted to welcome class visits from Leith Primary School and Trinity Primary School; and we will be visiting Stanwell Nursery School as well!
Pop items into a 
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