Month: March 2024

Edinburgh Festival Chorus take to the stage for the 150th Anniversary of Verdi’s Requiem

  • The Edinburgh Festival Chorus will perform with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra in Glasgow and Edinburgh in March 2024 to mark the 150th anniversary of Verdi’s Requiem 
  • This will be the final chance to catch them before their performance at the Edinburgh International Festival in August 
  • The performances also mark their first appearances since the appointment of their new Choral Director, James Grossmith, in 2023

The Edinburgh Festival Chorus are set to perform Verdi’s Requiem this month in Glasgow and Edinburgh, 150 years after its premiere in Milan in 1874. These performances also mark their first public performances since the appointment of James Grossmith as Choral Director in September 2023.

The performances, which take place on the 21st of March at Glasgow City Halls and the 24th of March at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh, will see the Chorus performing the Verdi’s highly operatic funeral mass with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, conducted by the orchestra’s Chief Conductor, Ryan Wigglesworth. 

Verdi’s Requiem is a highly theatrical and epic Catholic funeral mass which was written following the death of Verdi’s Italian poet, philosopher and novelist, Alessandro Manzoni. 

The Edinburgh Festival Chorus are often credited as being the “choral backbone” of the Edinburgh International Festival’s programme. The chorus was founded in 1965 and has run continually since then. It’s comprised of 130 singers from all walks of life from all around Scotland who are selected through an auditions process and rehearse weekly. 

Since the creation of the Chorus, its singers have had the opportunity to perform alongside the likes of Leonard Bernstein and the London Symphony Orchestra, Marin Alsop and the São Paulo Symphony Orchestra, Herbert von Karajan’s Berlin Philharmonic and Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

This is the last chance to see The Edinburgh Festival Chorus in concert before the Edinburgh International Festival in August, where the Chorus will perform Alexander Grechaninov’s Passion Week.

More information can be found here: https://www.eif.co.uk/events/edinburgh-festival-chorus 

The Edinburgh Festival Chorus will celebrate their 60th anniversary in 2025.

For more information on the Edinburgh Festival Chorus, including how to audition, please visit: https://www.eif.co.uk/about/edinburgh-festival-chorus 

You can book tickets for the Glasgow performance here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/events/eb6wxj

and tickets for the Edinburgh performance here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/events/efpgfx

Action on tobacco and vaping

New measures to protect children and young people and reduce preventable deaths

Public Health Minister Jenni Minto has welcomed the introduction of proposed legislation to ban the sale of tobacco products to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009 and allow tougher measures on vaping.

All governments in the UK agreed to bring forward a UK-wide Tobacco and Vapes Bill as part of their response to the 4 Nations Creating a smokefree generation and tackling youth vaping consultation.

The UK-wide legislation, introduced in Parliament today (Wednesday 20 March) will gradually increase the age of sale, making it an offence to sell tobacco products to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009. This means that children born on or after this date – those turning 15 this year and younger – will never be able to buy cigarettes.

The Bill also includes new powers to regulate displays, contents, flavours and retail packaging of vapes and nicotine products, allowing restrictions to target flavours marketed at children and to move vapes out of sight of children and away from products like sweets.

It will also remove existing Scottish provisions which make it an offence for a person under 18 to purchase tobacco products.

The Scottish Government has already published proposals to ban the sale and supply of single-use vapes in Scotland using existing environmental powers. If agreed by the Scottish Parliament, this would come into effect on 1 April 2025.

Public Health Minister Jenni Minto said: “Scotland has been a world-leader on a range of tobacco control measures, and while there has been a steady reduction in the proportion of people smoking we know it still damages lives and kills more than 8,000 people a year in Scotland.

“Smoking is a huge burden on our NHS and social care services and contributes significantly to health inequalities, which is why our goal is for a tobacco-free Scotland by 2034.

“Research suggests that almost one in five young people have tried vaping and we’re particularly concerned about how flavours are used as an enticement to children and young people.

“We will now consider how to use these powers, if passed by Westminster, with the consent of the Scottish Parliament, to benefit public health. We will continue our four-nations approach to avoid any unnecessary regulatory divergence and to offer more certainty and for business and consistency for consumers. Powers on vapes will be taken forward following further consultation and engagement.

“In addition, we were the first government to commit to taking action on single-use vapes and have now fulfilled our 2023 Programme for Government commitment to consult on measures to tackle the environmental impact of single-use vapes.”

Missing: Have you seen Steven?

UPDATE: *** Steven has been traced safe and well ***

POLICE in Edinburgh are appealing for information to trace Steven Auld, who is missing from the city.

The 51-year-old was last seen in the Sighthill Grove area around 8.30pm on Monday, 18 March, 2024.

Steven is described as 5ft 7ins tall, with short brown hair.

Inspector Paul Thomson said: “We are carrying out enquiries and I’m appealing for any information which may help us trace Steven.

“It is out of character for him to be away from his family for this length of time.

“Steven, if you see this appeal, please make contact with police so we can ensure you’re safe and well.”

Anyone with information should contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting reference 0693 of 19 March.

Largest UK aid delivery enters Gaza to feed 275,000 people

UK funding to World Food Programme supports major aid delivery in Gaza via Jordanian land corridor

The UK’s largest delivery of aid to Gaza has crossed the border and is being distributed by the United Nations to families in need, the Foreign Secretary has confirmed. 

More than 2,000 tonnes of food aid, funded by the government, is being distributed by the World Food Programme (WFP) on the ground. 

This adds to the 150 tonnes of UK funded relief items including blankets and tents, which arrived last Wednesday 13 March, and will be distributed by UNICEF. A full UK field hospital run by UK-Med has also arrived in Gaza and is now operational and providing life-saving care.

The delivery includes fortified wheat flour for use in bakeries, hot meals and well as Ready To Eat (RTE) food parcels. The food parcels will be used to feed more than 275,000 people in Gaza. Each food parcel is designed for family of five and consists of canned vegetables, meat and fish, and date bars. The parcel can meet half of the daily calorie needs of the family for 15 days.  

This comes in the week that a report from Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) warned that famine is imminent in the northern Gaza Strip and the south faces a risk of famine if conditions continue to worsen.  

Foreign Secretary David Cameron said: “It’s crucial that we keep the flow of aid moving into Gaza to end the suffering, and that’s why this latest delivery of aid by WFP is so vitally important.

“The IPC’s report warns of imminent famine. We need sustained humanitarian access by road to get more aid in. We continue to push Israel to allow more crossings to open and for longer, and for healthcare, water and sanitation to be restored.”

Since the opening of the corridor in December 2023, the Government of Jordan, with the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organization, has worked to ensure the passage of almost 600 trucks of humanitarian assistance into Gaza carrying 8,000 tons of relief and food items. 

Humanitarian assistance from 10 different international aid agencies – including from UK partners WFP and UNICEF – has reached Gaza. 

The latest delivery was again facilitated by Jordan, who have been instrumental in supporting the UK’s humanitarian response.

The UK is committed to ensuring aid reaches those who need it most, as Palestinians continue to face a devastating and growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The Foreign Secretary has been clear that Israel must increase capacity to safely distribute aid within Gaza.

This includes opening a land crossing in the north and issuing more visas to UN staff who are capable of delivering aid when it arrives in Gaza.

Fashion legend Jeff Banks makes surprise visit to Edinburgh to open new community opticians

LEGENDARY fashion mogul, Jeff Banks made a surprise appearance in Edinburgh at the weekend (Saturday 16 March) as he officially opened a brand-new, £750,000 opticians and audiologists in the capital.

The designer was invited to cut the ribbon at the recently relocated Specsavers Morningside store at 85 Morningside Road, alongside retail director Joe Alubaid, clinical director Michael O’Kane and audiology partner Jonathan Bell.

As well as running a week-long competition and giveaway on local radio station Forth One to celebrate the occasion, one lucky customer was also surprised with a Jeff Banks designer bundle in-store on the day.

It comes as Specsavers marks 15 years of helping people in Morningside with their eye and hearing care needs.

Joe Alubaid, retail director of Specsavers Morningside, says: ‘We were thrilled to welcome Jeff to officially open our new home at 85 Morningside Road, just as we pass our milestone 15-year anniversary.

‘This was a truly monumental moment for our team and our fantastic customers, and we can’t wait to share our new space with them for years to come.’

The store is a significant step-up from its previous home at 302 Morningside Road, with the number of testing rooms increased to seven in response to increased customer demand.

Positioned across two floors, the new offering includes a dedicated audiology room and a brand-new contact lens space.

State-of-the-art equipment has been installed throughout, including two Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) machines, as well as bigger, more spacious waiting areas and a reception to welcome customers ahead of their appointments.

Michael O’Kane, clinical director at Specsavers in Morningside, says: ‘Everything we have introduced in the new store has been in response to the needs of our growing customer base and the local community.

‘There is an ageing, yet independent and healthy population, in the south of Edinburgh, however age-related conditions such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, and hearing loss are all becoming more common.

‘What’s more, myopia (short sightedness) is also becoming more prevalent in children within the UK. That is why we have designed our new store specifically to address these emerging needs of our local community.

‘Timely diagnosis and treatment are essential, and so our increased testing capacity and state-of-the-art diagnostic machines will allow our expert team to quickly identify any problems that may be detected.

‘‘So many of our customers also come to us because of our extensive contact lens offering, including myopia control lens options at Specsavers’s prices.

‘Our new store will allow us to expand our contact lens support with the introduction of two new dedicated contact lens teaching areas, while we also have plans to introduce a dedicated contact lens optician into our practice alongside our experienced optometrists to provide our customers with even more support.’

Specsavers Morningside, located at 85 Morningside Road, is open from 9am – 6:30pm Monday to Thursday, 9am – 6pm Friday and Saturday and 10am – 6pm every Sunday.

To book an appointment, call the store directly on 0131 446 9960 for eye health specialists or 0131 672 9218 for hearing specialist, or visit: 

www.specsavers.co.uk/stores/morningside.

Specsavers is celebrating 40 years of care this year and is now the largest privately-owned eye care and audiology company in the world with more than 2,500 businesses in 11 countries.

The company is committed to changing lives through better sight and hearing by making expert care accessible and affordable for everyone, and also offers a Home Visits service for those unable to travel to one of its 1,000 locally owned stores.

To learn more, visit: www.specsavers.co.uk

National Cat Awards: One week left to nominate your cat

Owners across the UK have just days left to enter their extraordinary cat into this year’s National Cat Awards.

Run by the charity Cats Protection, the annual event celebrates the nation’s most marvellous moggies, with heartwarming tales of devotion, courage and companionship.

Owners have until noon on Tuesday 26 March to nominate their cat in one of four categories.

Owners or colleagues can also nominate a veterinary professional who has provided exceptional care for a cat in the Vet of the Year category:

  • Family cats: For cats who make a family complete – whether it’s being there for companionship, providing comfort and support in tough times, or simply keeping everyone amused.  
  • Incredible cats – From heroic cats who save the day to those who have done something truly extraordinary. They might have survived against the odds, returned home after an epic adventure or maybe even saved a life.
  • Senior cats: Celebrating cats over the age of 11, who might be thriving in their older years or simply enjoying the quieter side of life.  
  • Connected cats: Recognising cats that make us smile. From well connected cats with their own social media following to those who pop up in the local community.
  • Vet of the Year 2024: For veterinary professionals who have provided outstanding cat care.

Cats Protection’s Marketing and Income Generation Director Catherine Cottrell said: “From heroic to heartwarming, we love hearing how cats have such a positive impact on people’s lives.

“With under two weeks left before entries close, we’re looking forward to hearing even more stories that we hope will inspire more people to adopt a rescue cat.”

Winners will be selected in a public vote and by a panel of judges before being announced during a ceremony in London on 18 September. 

Author and journalist Dawn O’Porter hosted the event last year and will be returning. “I’m thrilled to be back to present the Cats Protection National Cat Awards again this year, it’s the ultimate event for cat lovers,” she said.

“It’s a chance to recognise the UK’s most extraordinary cats and celebrate the relationship with the cats in our lives, because they really do make life better and I’m definitely up for supporting that.”

The Cat of the Year 2024 will be selected from the four category winners. Last year’s winner was Zebby from Chesterfield, Derbyshire, who won the title National Cat of the Year in recognition of the support he gives to his deaf owner by alerting her to sounds and noises around the home.

To nominate your cat, or for further information about the National Cat Awards, visit www.cats.org.uk/national-cat-awards.

To find out more about adopting a cat from Cats Protection, visit www.cats.org.uk/adopt-a-cat

Last year’s winner Zebby was honoured for supporting his owner Genevieve Moss (Credit – Cats Protection):

CatsProtectionZebbyEdit_16

Goal reached as The Big Match raises £20,000

Businesses from across Edinburgh came together recently to play in the second annual Big Match, raising £20,000 for The Yard.

Celebrity chef Tom Kitchin and former Hibs star Darren Dods were among those in action at Ainslie Park as the business community rallied round to support the day.

“It’s been an incredible effort from everyone and the total of £20,000 is amazing,” said organiser Steve Currie, of Murray and Currie Property in the Capital.

“It was such a great day and I was delighted to reach our goal this year with all the money raised going to The Yard, which does such a fantastic job for young disabled people and their families.”

The Yard, which is based in the centre of Edinburgh with other locations in Dundee and Kirkcaldy, offers disabled youngsters and their families the chance to experience creative and adventurous indoor and outdoor play in a well-supported environment.

Chief executive Celine Sinclair, added: “On behalf of our entire team at The Yard, well done to everyone who took part in The Big Match and a huge thank you to Murray and Currie and everyone who donated. 

“This donation is hugely appreciated and will go towards helping even more of the families, young people and children that we support.”

Thoughts have already turned to next year’s event, which will once again take place at Ainslie Park with a confirmed date of Friday, 7 March 2025.

Morrisons support for Edinburgh School Uniform Bank

⭐⭐⭐The Morrisons Foundation has given us a grant of £10,000 to spend on outreach within Edinburgh schools. ⭐⭐⭐

This will help us expand our initiative of getting rails of brand new uniform into the schools that need it most around the city, giving children and young people instant access to important uniform items.

Our Operations Coordinator, Clare, popped into Morrisons to thank their Community Champion, Gillian.

Council ‘On the Right Track’?

EDINBURGH’S WALKING, WHEELING AND CYCLING TRENDS REVEALED

The biggest assessment of walking, wheeling and cycling in urban areas in the UK and Ireland

Half of Edinburgh residents want to see more spent on walking, wheeling and cycling improvements across the city, according to a new report.

The biannual Walking and Cycling Index, delivered in partnership between Sustrans and the City of Edinburgh Council, draws on independent survey feedback from a cross-section of more than 1,200 residents in the Capital, surveyed in 2023.

Today Sustrans joined the City of Edinburgh Council to officially launch the Index with a panel discussion on access to walking, wheeling cycling in the city.

Amongst the findings, the report shows that 50% would like to see more spent on cycling while 57% want investment in walking and wheeling and 68% support an increase in spend on public transport. Almost half of residents want to walk and wheel (45%) and cycle (49%) more too, along with a quarter who want to use public transport more, and improved infrastructure is key to this.

Regular walking and wheeling remains as high as 2021, with two-thirds of people travelling by foot or wheel five days a week. The annual number of cycling trips has increased to 30.7 million from 24.4 million in 2021, although the number of residents cycling at least once a week dropped slightly from 26% to 22%.

The majority of residents think their local areas could be improved through a 20-minute neighbourhood approach – with more and easier to access shops and everyday services (say 79%) and parks and greenspaces close to home (according to 78%) amongst the incentives to walking and wheeling more. 

Sixty-nine per cent agree they can already get to many places they need to visit without having to drive.

Councillor Scott Arthur, Transport and Environment Convener, said: “As ever, the Walking and Cycling Index makes an extremely interesting read, and it’s thanks to the many people from all parts of the city who took part in the survey last year.

“Edinburgh is a compact, walkable city, as demonstrated by the many people who already regularly walk, wheel and cycle here. However, what’s clear from the Index is that there’s still much to be done to encourage even more people make the shift to travel on foot, wheel, bike or, in some cases, public transport.

“Thankfully, we’re on the right track, with an ambitious programme of development underway which will transform the way people travel around the city, and the results of the Walking and Cycling Index reassure us that we have the backing of Edinburgh’s residents to invest in these kinds of changes.

“The majority of residents think local areas could be improved through a 20-minute neighbourhood approach, and we will consult on this approach via our proposals to make Dalry greener, healthier and more vibrant.

“From our recent ban on pavement parking to the completion of the City Centre West to East Link, as well as longer term plans like the tram line between Granton and the BioQuarter and City Centre Transformation, we’re working to make Edinburgh a truly people-friendly city.”

Karen McGregor, Director, Sustrans Scotland, said: “I’d like to thank the people of Edinburgh who gave us their time to take part in the Walking and Cycling Index. The results show that making walking, wheeling and cycling the most accessible and desirable form of transport is of great importance to people, especially during the current cost of living crisis.

“There is clear evidence that people in Scotland’s capital want the option to walk, wheel and cycle to where they need to get to more often. The recent ban on pavement parking in the city is a huge step forward, but the Index also shows that people living in Edinburgh want safe, accessible cycle paths and pedestrian crossings; and they want more investment in public transport.

“The latest Index results show that The City of Edinburgh Council has the backing of the public to build on the work it has already started to make it easier for people to walk, wheel and cycle to get around.”

Other findings in the Index include inequalities and varied perceptions of walking, wheeling and cycling amongst different groups. Twenty-eight per cent of men cycle at least once a week compared to 16% of women, while the proportion of white residents who walk or wheel at least five days a week (67%) is higher than people from ethnic minority groups (55%).

Participants in the survey shared their views on the kinds of improvements that would encourage them to walk, wheel and cycle more. Some of the changes that would encourage people to travel by foot or wheel are fewer cars parked on pavements (67%), nicer places on streets to stop and rest (71%) and wider pavements (68%).

Seventy-three per cent said more traffic free cycle paths away from roads and 65% highlighted segregated cycle paths on roads as improvements that would help them to cycle more, while 58% support building more cycle paths physically separated from traffic and pedestrians, even when this would mean less room for other road traffic.

The report also emphasises the benefits already being delivered by people walking, wheeling and cycling in the Capital. By taking up to 160,000 cars off the road every day, each year they help prevent 1,314 serious long-term health conditions, create £262.6 million in economic benefits and save 42,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.

Read the full Edinburgh Walking and Cycling Index 2023 report.

Blind veterans take to the hills for life-changing winter survival course

A group of inspirational Sight Scotland Veterans recently ventured up the Cairngorms to participate in a life-changing Winter Skills Course.

The veterans, who were understandably apprehensive and nervous before the climb, enjoyed a great couple of days learning about winter navigation, mountain weather and avalanche forecasts, using ice axes and crampons, moving on snow and ice, ice axe arrests and what to do in an emergency.

It was an experience they never imagined they could do because of their visual impairment and gave them a huge boost in confidence and independence.

The veterans who attended were Iain Young, 60 from East Linton, an RAF veteran coping with stargardt syndrome; Ian Hunter, 65 from Tullibody, an Army veteran who lost central vision due to three brain surgeries and an optical stroke; and Steven Williams, 41 from Edinburgh, a veteran who sustained his vision impairment during active service. Steven is also a Centre Officer at the charity’s Linburn Activity Centre in West Lothian.

Iain Young explains: “We all travelled up with quite a lot of trepidation as we were unsure whether we were capable of doing the course; both physically and due to our visual impairments.

“When we arrived at the lodge we were fitted with our equipment and were talked through what to expect the following day; I was really worried I wouldn’t be able to do it as I have long covid. But I was reassured to give it a go.

“I am just so happy that I did, as the whole experience was amazing. Our instructors were great, we practically received personal instruction and were taken through everything we were doing on the hill step by step, constantly being reassured we would only do what we could manage.

“Then before you knew it, we were at the top, which was incredible, it was only when we came down we actually realised how high up we were, we were all buzzing. It really did show us all what we can do, it was a real sense of achievement.

“I would do it again in a heartbeat, it was ten times better than I could ever have imagined. It gave us all such a massive confidence boost, not just while we were there but in everyday life, as it showed us to believe in ourselves more.

“So we went worrying about what we couldn’t do and came back feeling reinvigorated, it was so good for us mentally.

“It helped us to almost relive what it was like to be in the forces again; pushing each other, camaraderie and using skills we all thought we had forgotten. I always think confidence breeds competence, I can’t thank the organisers enough.”

Ian Hunter commented: “This was the first night I have spent away from my wife since 2017, so it was massive in terms of my confidence and independence. I really was not sure about doing the course, but I was encouraged to push myself, so I went for it.

“It gave me a real sense of what I can do, and I already have another walk planned to Hadrian’s Wall.

“It does show you that in life you shouldn’t be worried about what you can’t do, even with a visual impairment, we should all be encouraged to push ourselves, try new things and most importantly to continue doing the things that we love.”

Steven Williams adds: “I went as veteran with a visual impairment, not as a worker for the charity, and like the other two I was apprehensive about it even though I am a bit younger.

“I didn’t know what to expect, but we all just got so much out of it. The first day we were climbing the hill, using ice axes, crampons and learning new techniques to walk in deep snow, the second day was more about navigating and learning about our surroundings, we all had experiences of this during our time in the Armed Forces and Able2Adventure were constantly adding challenges to push us on, it really was a very inspirational and empowering trip.”

The course was organised by Able2Adventure, a company which strongly believes in the long-term benefits of participation in outdoor activities on physical and mental health.

Through adventurous activities disabled people can strengthen muscles/ build balance and co-ordination, develop social networks and increase confidence and independence.

Gemma Hendry, from Able2Adventure, who was lead instructor on the course, said she found the veterans both resilient and inspiring. She says: “I’m thrilled that our visitors from Sight Scotland Veterans gained so much from the Winter Skills Course.

“They were incredibly organized, resilient, and eager to dive into activities. As we progressed, their belief and confidence visibly grew, and by the end, they were effectively managing themselves.

“They even taught me new techniques, like using reference points and navigating with a clock face, which we will now use with other groups. It was also great to see how much they wanted to have fun; by the end, we were all gleefully sliding down snowy hills like children!”

For more information please visit sightscotlandveterans.org.uk or call our support line on 0800 035 6409.