Located in the heart of the Scottish capital, Eden Mill has opened the doors of its first-ever city centre Edinburgh venue in time for the most romantic day of the year; the city’s brand-new drinks venue offers a delicious journey through Eden Mill’s best-selling fruity & floral Love Gin
Edinburgh’s drinks lovers will enjoy the perfect Valentine’s Day date as independent distiller Eden Mill announces The Eden Mill Experience is now open in the heart of Edinburgh’s West End.
The capital’s latest drinks experience, and Eden Mill’s first venue in central Edinburgh, is located in the Heads & Tales Gin Bar at 1A, Rutland Place, EH1 2AD, inviting gin lovers to share their love for the spirit through an interactive & immersive mixology experience.
Eden Mill’s delectably fruity and subtly floral pink Love Gin, originally created as a limited-edition for Valentine’s Day in 2015, is available in the ‘Share The Love Gin’ session. Gin fans are whisked through a dreamy experience with three uniquely delicious cocktails, one of which guests will learn to mix themselves.
SHARE THE LOVE GIN | (From £30)
Love Gin (40% ABV) is Eden Mill’s floral pink gin joined the Eden Mill portfolio in 2015 as a limited-edition, but the taste of fresh rhubarb spice, sweet strawberries & vanilla combined with green apple, citrus and a hint of rose water, was adored and earned Love Gin a permanent position in the Eden Mill portfolio.
During the Share The Love Gin session, gin enthusiasts will hear the story of how Love Gin was born and the flavoursome botanicals used to make it so delicious. With three uniquely delicious cocktails and some sweet treats, this immersive session will tell the story of Eden Mill’s best-selling Love Gin.
The Eden Mill Experience joins a flourishing area of the capital’s drinks scene; bursting with culture, innovative bars and restaurants. Positioned as an experience and journey into the Eden Mill brand, the location is the ideal venue for drinks fans to begin their perfect day or night out in the beautiful Scottish capital.
Hannah Ingram, Head of Marketing at Eden Mill, said: “We are thrilled to bring a taste of St Andrews to the Scottish capital. Valentine’s Day is a fabulous opportunity for Edinburgh’s gin fans to experience the versatility of our Love Gin through a range of inventive & delicious cocktails.
“The Eden Mill Experience is the perfect opportunity to showcase our wonderful expressions in an interactive and immersive way, and it’s a privilege to launch in a city with such a vibrant drinks scene.”
‘The Guard Bridge Masterclass’ is also available for whisky fans; Eden Mill’s blended malt Scotch whisky is designed to be enjoyed in cocktails, and guests will enjoy three – all expressing the whisky’s deliciously sweet tasting notes of sherried fruit and light warm gingerbread.
THE GUARD BRIDGE MASTERCLASS | (From £35) The Guard Bridge Blended Malt Scotch Whisky (46% ABV) is a new addition to Eden Mill’s range, crafted using an eclectic mix of single malts sourced from the Highland and Lowland regions of Scotland; the blend also contains Eden Mill Single Malt whisky which is highly scarce in quantity.
The expression soothes the palate with the taste of creamy vanilla and barley sugar, finished with sherried fruit and light warm gingerbread.
During The Guard Bridge Masterclass, whisky fans will learn the journey and discover the story behind this new blended malt Scotch whisky while delving into its deliciously sweet tasting notes. Designed to be enjoyed in cocktails, attendees will try three as part of the experience to demonstrate the whisky’s versatility, with one cocktail “guaranteed to feature an ingredient guests have never tasted before!”.
LAYING FOUNDATIONS
Eden Mill is currently building a contemporary Scotch Whisky and gin distillery which is due to become operational in 2024. Set to be one of Scotland’s iconic distilleries, it will also be a major St Andrews landmark and a key Scottish tourism attraction. The brand has been recording progress with work on the exterior of the distillery now complete; a time-lapse video capturing the first stage of the journey is available on the Eden Mill website.
The Eden Mill Experience opened on Saturday 3rd February 2024 and is located in the Heads & Tales Gin Bar at 1A, Rutland Place, EH1 2AD in the heart of Edinburgh’s West End. Offering immersive whisky & gin experiences, bookings are available now via the Eden Mill website.
SCOTTISH Building Society has doubled down on its commitment to offering its customers passbook accounts in a bid to support them with their financial needs.
The move comes after several major banks across the UK announced they would be removing passbooks, which provide a paper record of banking transactions, from their services.
Recently Virgin Money announced it would remove passbook savings accounts, resulting in 100,000 customers across the UK being told they will no longer be able to use them to pay in or withdraw cash in person.
Despite several banks now no longer offering the service, Scottish Building Society believes passbooks still have an important role to play in helping customers manage their finances.
Feeling reassured by physical evidence of how much they hold in their accounts many customers prefer to bank this way to manage their finances.
The rise in the cost-of-living crisis has prompted many people to revert back to using physical money in a bid to help them budget, with passbook savings accounts serving as a valuable tool in helping them to manage this.
Removing this service alongside many local branches closing risks leaving many customers feeling alone, particularly during this economic climate Scottish Building Society warned.
Scottish Building Society has made significant investment in its high street branches to provide accessible banking for all and enhance its physical presence in communities, with the society most recently opening a new relationship centre in Edinburgh in June last year.
Meanwhile, as part of its 175th anniversary celebrations, the building society launched the Scottish Building Society Foundation in May last year, an initiative designed to give back to Scottish communities with an incredible £175,000 designated to local charities and good causes across Scotland.
Paul Denton, CEO at Scottish Building Society, said: “As a mutual organisation owned by and run for the benefit of our members, we want to make sure we are providing customers with everything they need to manage their finances in a way which is easy for them and stress free.
“While online services are the main stay for a lot of customers, there is a large portion of people who are not confident in using online banking or simply don’t want to, and they can rightly feel aggrieved that they are facing the prospect of having to do so.
“At Scottish Building Society our purpose is to serve the local community, and this is why we will continue to offer passbooks as a vital tool for customers, as well as investing in our branches to provide accessible, in-person facilities which will serve their local communities.
“Simply put, we want to ensure our members have choice when it comes to managing their finances, and we believe in offering them that.”
Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, has hosted a roundtable at the Scottish Parliament to bring communities, charities and organisations together to bring an end to the loneliness and isolation that is causing a public health and well-being crisis across the country.
Edinburgh is classed as one of the loneliest places to live in the UK. Changing Britain research found that 33 per cent of Edinburgh citizens do not feel that they are involved or feel part of the community.
The cost-of-living crisis is adding to the awful knock-on effects of loneliness and isolation particularly in older people, where it has been shown to increase the risks of dementia by 50%, and heart attacks and stroke by 30%.
The roundtable was attended by a range of charities who are leaders in the field of social isolation and measures to reduce it’s impact on individuals in communities across the country.
Also speaking was Dr Jane Morris, Head of the Royal College of Psychiatry, to talk on the effects on mental health. As well as Dr Morris, Police Scotland’s specialist on scammers and fraudsters who target the elderly and isolated, DCI Steven Trim, spoke at the roundtable.
Mr Briggs has previously called on SNP Ministers to provide great funding to tackle loneliness and social isolation in Scotland.
Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said:“I am pleased that we have had the opportunity to discuss measures to reduce loneliness and social isolation across Lothian and the rest of Scotland.
“From the roundtable it was clear that people are passionate about tackling loneliness in Scotland.
“Feeling lonely is a horrible feeling and I am optimistic that we can take forward actions that will prevent people in communities up and down the country from feeling lonely.
“This was a very productive roundtable and there is plenty of work to be getting on with to make people feel more connected across Scotland.”
Detectives are appealing for witnesses following an armed robbery which took place in Edinburgh on the evening of Monday, 5 February, 2024.
Around 10.55pm a male delivery driver on a moped was dropping off an order at a property in Murrayburn Gardens.
When he approached the delivery address he noticed a male youth had got onto his moped.
He asked the youth to get off and another male youth appeared and threatened him with what appeared to be a firearm.
The youths took the victim’s phone and moped keys and made off on the vehicle heading along Murrayburn Gardens towards Westside Plaza.
Police were contacted and the moped was recovered two hours later in Morvenside in the Wester Hailes area.
The first suspect is described as a white male, aged 15 to 16 years old, of skinny build and wearing a black balaclava, a black jacket, black joggers, black shoes and black gloves. He had Scottish accent and was softly spoken.
The second suspect is described as a white male, aged 15 to 16 years old, 5ft9, of skinny build and wearing a black balaclava, a black jacket, black joggers, black shoes and black gloves. He also had a Scottish accent and was softly spoken.
Detective Inspector Kevin Tait said: “This was a terrifying experience for the victim and it is vital that we trace the two individuals responsible.
“We are appealing for anyone who was in Murrayburn Gardens or the surrounding area on Monday evening who may have noticed anything suspicious to please get in touch.
“We would also urge anyone with private CCTV or dash-cam footage of two males riding on a moped in the Wester Hailes area to pass this on to officers.
“Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 3790 of Monday, 5 February, 2024. Alternatively you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”
Apply today to join our Tools for Life mentorship programme to learn the basic and fundamental skills of woodworking and DIY.
The Spring 2023 Tools For Life programme begins on Thursday 21st of March and will run for 12 weeks. The weekly sessions are on Thursday from 13.00 – 16.00 at our Porty Workshop. The programme is open to young people age 16 – 25 years old and best of all is FREE!
Applications are due on Tuesday 27th of February. We are always very happy to talk you through your application and give feedback. If you prefer a different format of answering the application form, for example in audio or video format, you are very welcome to do so.
If you would like to visit the workshop beforehand there will be an Open Day on Thursday the 15th February at the Porty workshop from 14.00 – 16.00 where you can ask any questions and get a feel if the mentorship would be something for you.
As the spaces are limited, and we want each participant to make the most out of this free programme we do ask of each participant to attend every weekly session. So please triple check your calendars and existing commitments before applying.
Any questions please contact janet@edinburghtoollibrary.org.uk
ID: (1) Yellow background with the text Tools For Life, the words are surrounded by tools. (2) Two participants of our current Tools for Life cohort measuring there wood ( 3) Participant using a circular saw with support from Mentor Alys (4) Happy participant showing a drill and current woodworking project
We would like to get your thoughts and ideas for a new mural at the entrance to Speirs Bruce Way on the corrugated iron fence at Granton Castle Walled Garden. We are in the process of commissioning an artist to carry out the work, with guidance from people in the community.
The mural will be painted onto boards and mounted on fencing in a similar manner to the existing mural further along the wall on the same path. It is being organised by granton:hub, who have been awarded funding by ArtRoots/Sustrans.
The mural is to reflect the history and culture of the local area and so we would like to find out what people from Granton would want to see captured in the mural. If you’d like to let us know your thoughts and ideas please fill the form, link below, at our link in bio or on our websitem It should only take about 5 minutes (depending on how many thoughts and ideas you have of course!)
Following a special meeting yesterday (Friday 9th February) Council Leaders are seeking an urgent further meeting with the Deputy First Minister in relation to the Budget settlement for Scottish Local Government, highlighting the dire consequences of the Government’s current spending plans on communities throughout Scotland.
Commenting following the meeting the COSLA Resources Spokesperson Councillor Katie Hagmann said: “Leaders were clear today that an urgent meeting with the Deputy First Minister is a priority.
“Leaders expressed anger at the Budget setting timetable which has left Councils unable to set their budgets due to a lack of certainty from Scottish Government and as a result of having to wait until UK Government Spring Statement before knowing what additional funding could be passed on.
“In addition, there was a clear direction from Leaders to seek restoration of the £63m cut to the core Local Government budget on behalf of their communities and the essential services they rely on at the meeting with the DFM.
“Leaders also agreedthat the council tax freeze should be on a voluntary basis with agreement that the £147m, already earmarked by Scottish Government for this purpose, is distributed to all Councils with flexibility to raise Council Tax by up to 5%. There should also be no penalty or reduction in funding in line with the principles of the Verity House Agreement.
“Leaders were clear that Councils should be given full flexibility of funding to deploy within Schools, and the wider community, to provide the right support for the diverse needs of children and young people across Scotland, therefore recognising that a wide range of people who contribute to a child’s education.
“Finally, Leaders agreed to seek a guarantee that the £45m Barnett consequentials resulting from the UK Government’s recent announcement will be passed in full to councils, also in accordance with the Verity House Agreement so it can be used to address local priorities.”
A proposal for air quality monitors to be trialled in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Perth
Doctors encourage Scottish Government to take forward schools air quality monitor pilot
A proposal for air quality monitors to be trialled in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Perth
The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (“the College”) is urging the Scottish Government to take forward its proposal to monitor air quality around urban schools in Scotland.
The College’s costed pilot proposal would see air quality monitors placed for a year in up to three schools, within 50m of those schools, in each of five Scottish cities: Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Perth. The pilot would therefore see up to 15 schools across Scottish cities taking part.
Last year, the College called for air quality monitors to be placed at all city primary schools in Scotland for a period of at least a year, in its submission of evidence to the Scottish Parliament’s Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee.
The pilot idea was developed by the College’s Working Group on Air Pollution and Health. It has now been submitted to the Scottish Government following positive discussions with government officials last year. Members of the Working Group highlighted the lack of data on air quality around schools despite the knowledge that air pollution can pose serious health risks to children.
As part of the working group’s preparation of the pilot proposal, clinicians plotted the distances between primary and secondary schools in these five city areas and existing air quality monitors.
The group found that from the 337 primary and 94 secondary schools examined, only one primary school was within 50m of a PM (particulate matter) monitor and only 2 primary schools were within 100m of a NO2 (nitrogen dioxide) monitor.
There were no secondary schools within 100m of either type of monitor.
Professor Jill Belch, Co-lead of the College’s Working Group on Air Pollution and Health, and Professor of Vascular Medicine at the University of Dundee, said:“Science has provided robust evidence that children are significantly harmed by air pollution, with sometimes tragic results.
“Whilst lung disease in children is widely recognised as a result of breathing polluted air, less well known to the public, but equally important, are the effects of this pollution on the developing organs within a child.
“For example, exposure to polluted air in childhood has been shown to reduce brain cognitive function in a number of key ways. Further, and of concern, is that children appear to become unwell at lower levels of pollutants than do adults.
“ At present the early work conducted by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh suggests that few school have air quality monitors nearby, so we do not actually know how well or otherwise, our children are protected. It is therefore imperative that we ensure air quality around schools is within regulatory levels, and the College’s proposal to the Scottish Government can start this process.”
Professor Andrew Elder, President of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh and the other Co-Lead of the Working Group on Air Pollution and Health, said:“ There is overwhelming evidence that air pollution can have a wide range of detrimental health impacts on our children including problems with the lung, heart, brain and immune and hormonal systems.
“We also know that there is a correlation between areas of high deprivation and poor air quality and this can exacerbate pre-existing health inequalities in children and young people.
“ We are concerned at the lack of data on air quality around urban schools in Scotland- with the vast majority of urban air quality monitors currently sited too far away from schools- and believe we must collect as much accurate school level data as possible so we can have an evidence base for action.
“The College hopes that the Scottish Government will consider our proposal positively and we remain committed to working constructively with it and all other stakeholders so that we can better understand the levels of air pollution around our schools and subsequently support implementing mitigation measures where these are required.”
Mike Corbett, National Official (Scotland) for the NASUWT said: “Thousands of people die each year because of occupational diseases caused by air pollution at work. Pollution arising from work and travel to work are health issues for which employers currently take little responsibility.
“Air pollution impacts workers and their families at all stages from before birth to old age and is particularly damaging to the growth and development of babies and children.
“ Being able to quantify the scale of the problem around our schools is the first step to cleaning up the air we and our children breathe and moving towards a heathier and safer future. NASUWT is therefore very pleased to endorse and support this proposal for pilot air quality monitoring around schools.”
Lucky dad originally from Scotland wins £3 million holiday villa in Mallorca
His new home is a 4-bedroom Balearic island retreat offering stunning mountain views and a swimming pool
Scot who moved to England 30 years ago also scooped £250,000 in cash
Winning entry cost £75
Winner entered the draw after a chance encounter collecting an armchair
Campaign raised £3,100,000 for Omaze’s charity partner Alzheimer’s Research UK
A lucky dad has won the keys to a spectacular Spanish villa worth over £3 million – as well as £250,000 in cash – all thanks to a second-hand armchair.
Graham Dunlop (52) has won the latest Omaze Million Pound House Superdraw – and is now the proud owner of a magnificent four-bedroom villa in Mallorca complete with swimming pool and stunning mountain views.
Graham entered the draw to support Alzheimer’s Research UK, after a chance encounter with a woman he was buying an old armchair from. When Graham arrived to collect the chair, the woman insisted that she wanted to give it to him for free, asking only that Graham make a small donation to Alzheimer’s Research UK in place of payment – as her late husband had dementia.
Graham duly donated directly to the charity, but he decided to enter the Omaze prize draw as well after spotting it was supporting Alzheimer’s Research UK. The Omaze Million Pound House Superdraw, raised an incredible £3,100,000 for Alzheimer’s Research UK.
The property comes mortgage-free and with all legal fees covered. Graham has also been given a whopping £250,000 in cash – and can decide to either enjoy the holiday home with his family or sell it to become a cash multi-millionaire.
Graham, who bought his £3,000,000-winning entry for £75, has been married to his wife Amanda for 15 years and they have two children, an 18-year-old daughter and 15-year-old son.
Graham, originally from Edinburgh having moved to England 30 years ago, has been working in IT for the past 25 years and Amanda is a part-time primary school teacher. The couple have lived in their current 4-bedroom house near Southampton since 2014.
They have two dogs Maisy (12-year-old Labradoodle) and Hudson (3-year-old Colliepoo). Graham said they will have to rename Maisy “Omaisy” after scooping the Omaze Grand Prize.
When Omaze first contacted Graham to tell him he’d won a prize, he had forgotten he’d entered and revealed he didn’t expect to win such a big prize as he “never wins anything”.
He celebrated his huge win “the best way a British man can” by “popping the kettle on having a cup of tea”.
A spellbound Graham said: “The reason I entered the draw is quite random really, I’d been after an armchair for my home office for a while and one popped up on Gumtree. I went to pick it up but when we arrived the woman refused to take any money for it.
“Instead, she asked that we put something towards an Alzheimer’s charity, as her late husband had dementia. So I made a donation to Alzheimer’s Research UK, then saw that they’d also partnered with Omaze, so I bought an entry to the Superdraw on top – I didn’t give it a second thought and had totally forgotten I’d even entered.
“My wife didn’t like the look of my lucky chair at first, but of course she absolutely loves it now! You could say my £3 million prize cost me an armchair and a leg! I’ll bring the chair out here for sure, although it might look a bit odd next to the pool.”
He continued: “This villa is simply stunning, I love the design of the place and the views are spectacular, I just can’t believe it’s all ours – even if I jumped in the pool I don’t think it would sink in!
“We love Spain but never dreamed we’d ever own a place here – especially one like this! I might have to work on my Spanish a bit – although I can order a cerveza with no problems!
“I’ve got a large extended family that we’ve not seen for a while – I’m really looking forward to getting us all together out here.”
He added: “I’ve never won anything before – but this is worth waiting 52 years for! I’m not sure what we’re going to do long term yet – we’ll definitely be enjoying a few family holidays here – whatever we decide, this win is fantastic for our family’s future.”
Graham’s new home is a tranquil oasis located within walking distance from the town Selva and village Caimari in the popular travel destination of Mallorca and is just a short flight away from a host of UK airports.
The bespoke design of the beautiful holiday retreat celebrates traditional Spanish features such as stone walls and terracotta rooftops – whilst also encompassing a contemporary feel indoors – with bright and spacious open plan living areas.
There is a large swimming pool with chill-out areas and loungers for when Graham feels like taking a siesta or sunbathing after a swim. The entire property offers wonderful spectacular views of the Spanish countryside and Serra de Tramuntana mountains.
Inside, there is a state-of-the-art kitchen complete with island dining, a light filled conservatory with floor to ceiling glass doors offering views of the manicured gardens, and a luxurious living room with ornate fireplace – which also provides direct access to the landscaped courtyard and barbecue area with its own stone oven.
The top floor of the property has a stylish main bedroom suite complete with ensuite bathroom and dressing room – plus two additional guest bedrooms. The lower floor also provides another ensuite bedroom with a roll top bath.
To the East of the property there is a sizeable terrace with thatched roof pergola overlooking the mountains. It’s furnished with a sumptuous sofa with coffee table and is the ideal space for Graham and his family to enjoy the sunrise or a sundowner at the end of a long day’s relaxing.
The property also has extensive gardens featuring Fruit Trees and other flora found in the region. The gardens have been beautifully landscaped to create a variety of terraces and private areas perfect for Graham to relax with friends and dine alfresco anytime of the day.
As well as making Graham a multi-millionaire, the Omaze Million Pound House Superdraw, Mallorca, also raised £3,100,000 for Alzheimer’s Research UK – the UK’s leading dementia research charity – in just six weeks.
Dementia is the UK’s leading cause of death, claiming more than 74,000 lives in 2022. Sadly, if nothing changes, one in two people will be directly affected by the condition – either by caring for someone with it, developing it themselves, or both.
Although the first generation of Alzheimer’s treatments proven to slow the disease are on the horizon, there are none yet available in the UK.
Alzheimer’s Research UK is working to change this, and to develop more and better therapies that will be necessary to really shift the dial against the disease. Compared to other serious conditions, however, relatively few clinical trials are taking place in the UK. This means people with dementia in the UK are at risk of missing out on the chance to take part in life-changing research.
The £3,100,000 raised by the latest partnership with Omaze will support the charity’s Clinical Accelerator Programme, boosting clinical research for dementia across the UK and speeding up progress towards a cure.
Hilary Evans, Chief Executive at Alzheimer’s Research UK said: “We’re delighted that Omaze, and all those who entered the Omaze Million Pound House Superdraw in Mallorca, have raised a phenomenal £3,100,000 for Alzheimer’s Research UK.
“Nearly a million people in the UK have dementia, and we urgently need to find more and better treatments so that we can take away the fear, harm and heartbreak that this devastating condition causes.
“The vital funds raised will support our Clinical Accelerator Programme, which will boost clinical research taking place in the NHS and ultimately speed up progress towards a cure. This is an exciting step forward in our efforts to transform the lives of people affected by dementia.
“Thank you Omaze, and everyone who entered, for standing with us for a cure.”
This is the second time the charity has teamed up with Omaze. The first partnership, in 2022, raised £1 million that helped Alzheimer’s Research UK to protect and continue progress in dementia research during the pandemic. This latest donation brings the total raised for the charity by Omaze to £4.1 million.
James Oakes, Chief International Officer at Omaze, said: “Everyone at Omaze is delighted that Graham and his family have won this magical villa in Mallorca, whilst also contributing to the incredible £3,100,000 raised for Alzheimer’s Research UK.
“Omaze gives people the chance to win amazing houses, like this spectacular property in Spain, whilst also introducing charities to vast new audiences that would otherwise be out of reach – it’s a real win-win for both charities and entrants.
“We’re incredibly proud that the Omaze community has raised more than £31 million for good causes across the UK.”
Draw entries for the Omaze Million Pound House Draw, Cotswolds are available now at omaze.co.uk. The draw closes on Sunday 25th February for online entries and Tuesday 27th February 2024 for postal entries.
Entrants can also choose to subscribe to Omaze to be automatically entered into every Grand Prize and Early Bird Prize, each month. Omaze subscribers receive double the amount of entries compared to non-subscribers and can cancel their subscription at any time.
When Omaze has two draws running simultaneously, subscribers are entered into both, with a £10 subscription providing 30 entries into both house draws – meaning 60 entries in total for just £10.
For full terms and conditions, see www.omaze.co.uk. No purchase necessary to enter. Over 18s and UK residents only.
