Thomas Gilhooley of East Coast Buses (part of Lothian Group) crowned UK Bus Driver of the Year
Lothian is delighted that Thomas Gilhooley, from our East Coast Buses driving team, was crowned UK Bus Driver of the Year at the national finals in Blackpool on Sunday 1 September.
As well as the title of the UK’s best Bus Driver for 2024, Thomas also picked up the Coventry Trophy, the Road Operators Safety Council (ROSCO) Award, the Unite Trophy and the John Boxall Medallion.
By way of his victory, Thomas was also the highest placed competitor from an ALBUM member and highest placed competitor from a depot in Scotland.
Representing Lothian in Blackpool was Thomas Gilhooley (East Coast Buses), John O’Hara (Longstone) and Harvey Stroud (Lothian Country).
Willie Hamilton, Operations Director for Lothiansaid: “We are thrilled that Thomas has been named the Overall Winner of the UK Bus Driver of the Year event.
“The standard across the weekend was extremely high and our three representatives once again displayed the skill and professionalism our drivers are known for throughout the industry.
“On behalf of everyone at Lothian, congratulations to Thomas on his victory and thank to you Thomas, John and Harvey for showing the rest of the UK what Lothian does best.”
Aldi’s Scottish Sport Fund has returned for its ninth consecutive year, giving local sports clubs in Edinburgh and the Lothians the opportunity to receive a share of £50,000 in funding.
Aldi Scotland introduced its Scottish Sport Fund in 2016, with the aim of motivating and encouraging individuals of all ages and skill levels to participate in physical activities within their local communities.
Committed to improving community access to sports across the country, the fund offers sports clubs across Scotland the opportunity to secure essential funding. With a range of funding tiers available, one club per region will benefit from a £2,500 funding boost.
Since the fund’s launch, almost 600 clubs in Scotland have benefitted from a funding uplift of more than £400,000.
Aldi’s Scottish Sport Fund welcomes applications from all sporting organisations that meet the specified criteria. In 2023, Aldi provided support to various sports clubs across Scotland, including Forth Valley Visually Impaired Bowlers, Sutherland Squash Club, Breadalbane Canoe Club, Musselburgh Windsor Girls Football Club, and Galloway Hillbillies Bike Club. This supplementary funding assisted the clubs in financing training sessions and acquiring new equipment.
Richard Holloway, Regional Managing Director, said: “Since 2016, Aldi’s Scottish Sports Fund has given a wide range of sports clubs the chance to benefit from essential funding to help them invest in much-needed equipment and resources.
“We remain committed to supporting sports clubs across Scotland to help continue the fantastic work they do in their local communities. Every year, we are blown away by the volume of applications we receive, and we are very much looking forward to welcoming even more in 2024. I encourage all sports clubs across Edinburgh and the Lothians to apply and take advantage of this excellent funding opportunity.”
Sports clubs located across Edinburgh and the Lothians have from Monday 2 September – Sunday 6 October to apply for funding.
One applicant will be selected to receive £2,500 of funding, two applicants will each receive £1,000 of funding, while several other applicants will each receive £500 of funding. Applications can be made via a form found on
The Aldi Scottish Sport Fund is open to any sporting organisation in Scotland that meets the application criteria. All applications will be considered by the Aldi judging panel and entrants will be notified of the outcome of their funding application within four to six weeks from the region’s deadline.
Please see the Aldi Scottish Sport Fund FAQs and Terms & Conditions for more information.
September is Blood Cancer Awareness Month and Lymphoma Action is inviting everyone to join the conversation to raise awareness about the UK’s most common type of blood cancer – lymphoma.
There are lots of ways that people can get involved in our Let’s talk lymphoma campaign, including: sharing our information resources with friends, family and colleagues to start the conversation around lymphoma and the symptoms of the condition; taking a Lymphoma Action resource pack to your GP surgery or pharmacy so they can display our materials; or raising funds to support our work.
We are also encouraging people to use the power of social media to raise awareness and send messages of support around the globe on World Lymphoma Awareness Day on Sunday 15 September.
We are asking people to share their experiences on social media to help us reach as many people as possible, not only to raise awareness about the symptoms of lymphoma, but to let them know about the support that is available for people affected by the condition.
Living with lymphoma can be hard and we know that many people experience emotional challenges as a result of a diagnosis, whether they are being treated for lymphoma themselves or are supporting a loved one. Sharing how you’re feeling is important, which is why we are also encouraging people to talk about their experiences, to help them address the emotional impact of a lymphoma diagnosis and connect them to specialists and resources that can help.
Every 26 minutes a friend or loved one is diagnosed with lymphoma. Help us shine a light on the UK’s fifth most common cancer so we can support even more people affected by the condition.
Children’s charity Aberlour helping mothers through recovery
A second residential rehabilitation service to support women and their children through recovery from addiction / substance use has been opened in Falkirk.
The Scottish Government has invested £5.5 million to support the development of this Aberlour Childcare Trust facility, as well as a house in Dundee which opened in January 2023.
The houses offer 24/7 support and keep families together by letting children of women with problematic substance use stay with their mothers during their recovery.
Wellbeing Minister Maree Todd said: “This house will allow women to access residential rehabilitation services and keep their family together.
“We know there is a strong link between women having children removed from their care and risk of drug-related death. Treatment is more effective when families are kept together and it also reduces the harmful impact on children.
“Widening access to residential rehabilitation is a key part of our National Mission on Drugs. We have made £100 million available for residential rehabilitation from 2021 to 2026 to ensure 1,000 people receive public funding for their placement each year by then. That includes £38 million as part of our commitment to increase the number of beds to 650.”
Aberlour Chief Executive SallyAnn Kelly OBE said: “We are delighted to open our new Mother and Child Recovery House in Falkirk. It follows the opening of our first house in January 2023 in Dundee, which has transformed the lives of mothers and their children.
“Both houses offer a unique service enabling women with problem drug and alcohol issues to keep their young children with them as they recover.
“They provide specialist support that helps women develop skills and encourages them to build new futures for themselves and their children. We understand the need to work alongside women to address their fears.
“We are grateful to the Scottish Government for funding this much-needed new service.”
A 20-year-old man has been jailed for seven years in connection with a series of serious sexual offences in Edinburgh.
Sam Brown was sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh yesterday (Monday, 2 September, 2024) for sexual offences, including the rape of four girls between March and December 2022.
He was previously was found guilty of seven charges on Tuesday, 30 July, following a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh.
He was also issued with non-harassment orders against each of his victims indefinitely.
Detective Inspector Keith Taylor said: “Brown will now rightly face the consequences of his deplorable actions.
“I would like to commend the young women for their strength in coming forward during this investigation and helping us build a compelling case against him. I hope this outcome provides them with some sense of closure and allows them to move on from this horrendous ordeal.
“We are committed to creating a society where women and girls live free from violence, abuse, exploitation and harassment.
“If anyone is experiencing or has experienced any type of violence or sexual abuse, you are not alone, and we would encourage you to report it to us.
“You will be listened to and supported throughout the entire process by officers and our partner agencies, and together we will bring the perpetrator to justice.”
Foreign Secretary David Lammy yesterday gave a statement to the House of Commons on UK policy on arms export licenses to Israel:
With permission, Mr Speaker, I will make a statement on the Middle East.
On taking office, in July, I told this House that this government’s priority in the region would be to advance the cause of peace.
This continues to be our mission, on every front.
In Israel, in the West Bank, in Lebanon, in the Red Sea, and of course in Gaza, where we need an immediate ceasefire, the protection of civilians, the immediate release of all hostages, and more aid getting into Gaza.
Over the summer, we were faced with the prospect of full-scale war breaking out between Lebanese Hizballah and Israel.
On each of the three visits I have made to the region, including alongside my Right Honourable Friend the Defence Secretary and my most recent joint visit with the French Foreign Minister, I have urged Lebanese Hizballah, the Lebanese government, and Israel to engage with the US-led discussions to resolve their disagreements diplomatically and to reach a peaceful solution through the implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1701.
As we continue to work with our allies and partners to push for a diplomatic solution we nonetheless stand ready for the worst-case scenario including the potential evacuation of British nationals. And our message to those still in Lebanon remains clear: leave now.
Mr Speaker, our common goal of peace in the Middle East will never be lasting until there is safety, security, and sovereignty for both Israel and a Palestinian state.
We must all keep at the forefront of our minds the pain, anguish, and horror this conflict has caused for so many ordinary civilians.
The victims of the October the seventh atrocity. the hostages and all those still enduring unimaginable suffering, whether they are hoping to see their loved ones again…or mourning their loss, as the tragic events of this weekend illustrate, as the bodies of six murdered hostages were recovered.
The Israeli people still living under rocket fire not only from Hamas but from other hostile actors explicitly dedicated to Israel’s annihilation, fighting an enemy in Hamas whose appalling tactics endanger countless civilian lives.
And the innocent Palestinians, tens of thousands killed in the fighting – their numbers growing by the day, including distressing numbers of women and children, many mothers so malnourished they cannot produce milk for their babies,families struggling to keep their children alive, disease and famine looming ever larger.
Heroic humanitarians putting their lives on the line to help others, like the brave aid workers I met from United Nations agencies,and from the Palestine Red Crescent Society warehouse I visited alongside France’s Foreign Minister last month.
Indeed, last Thursday, the UK led a session at the UN Security Council, encouraging a continued global focus on the protection of civilians in Gaza, including the need for action on polio.
And now, deeply worrying escalation in the West Bank as well as in Gaza with many communities facing rising settler violence amid an ongoing occupation.
And so many on either side of this terrible conflict convinced that the world does not grasp the reality of Israel’s predicament or the depth of Palestinian suffering.
Throughout my life, I have been a friend of Israel – a liberal, progressive Zionist, who believes in Israel as a democratic state and homeland for the Jewish people which has both the right to exist and defend itself but I believe also that Israel will only exist in safety and security if there is a two-state solution that guarantees the rights of all Israel’s Israeli citizens and of their Palestinian neighbours who have their own inalienable right to self-determination and security.
Mr Speaker, as concern at the horrifying scenes in Gaza has risen. many in this House as well as esteemed lawyers and international organisations have raised British arms export licensing to Israel.
After raising my own concerns from opposition, on taking office, I immediately sought an up-to-date the review. And on my first appearance as Foreign Secretary in this House …I committed to sharing the review’s conclusions.
We have rigorously followed every stage of the process which the previous Conservative government established. Let me first be clear on this Review’s scope.
This Government is not an international court. We have not – and could not – arbitrate on whether or not Israel has breached international humanitarian law.
This is a forward-looking evaluation, not a determination of innocence or guilt. And it does not prejudge any future determinations by the competent courts. But facing a conflict such as this, it is this Government’s legal duty to review export licences.
Criterion 2C of the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria states that the Government will “not issue export licences if there is a clear risk that the items might be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of international humanitarian law”.
It is with regret that I inform the House today, the assessment I have received leaves me unable to conclude anything other than that for certain UK arms exports to Israel there does exist a clear risk that they might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law.
I have informed my Right Honourable Friend, the Business and Trade Secretary. And he is therefore today announcing the suspension of around 30, from a total of approximately 350 to Israel, as required under the Export Controls Act.
These include equipment that we assess is for use in the current conflict in Gaza, such as important components which go into military aircraft, including fighter aircraft, helicopters and drones, as well as items which facilitate ground targeting.
And For transparency, this government is publishing a summary of our assessment.
Today, I want to underline four points about these decisions.
First, Israel’s actions in Gaza continue to lead to immense loss of civilian life, widespread destruction to civilian infrastructure, and immense suffering.
In many cases, it has not been possible to reach a determinative conclusion on allegations regarding Israel’s conduct of hostilities, in part, because there is insufficient information either from Israel, …or other reliable sources to verify such claims.
Nevertheless, it is the assessment of His Majesty’s Government, that Israel could reasonably do much more to ensure lifesaving food and medical supplies reach civilians in Gaza – in light of the appalling humanitarian situation.
And this government is also deeply concerned by credible claims of mistreatment of detainees which the International Committee of the Red Cross cannot investigate after being denied access to places of detention.
Both my predecessor and all our major allies have repeatedly and forcefully raised these concerns with the Israeli government. Regrettably, they have not been addressed satisfactorily.
Second, there can be no doubt that Hamas pays not the slightest heed to international humanitarian law and endangers civilians by embedding itself in the tightly concentrated civilian population and in civilian infrastructure.
There is no equivalence between Hamas terrorists and Israel’s democratic government – or indeed, Iran and their partners and proxies.
But to licence arms exports to Israel, we must assess their compliance with international humanitarian law notwithstanding the abhorrence of their opponents’ tactics and ideology.
Third, this is not a blanket ban. This is not an arms embargo. It targets around 30 approximately of 350 licenses to Israel in total for items which could be used in the current conflict in Gaza.
The rest will continue.
Neither will the action we are taking have a material impact on Israel’s security.
This suspension only covers items which might be used in the current conflict. There are a number of export licences which we have assessed are not for military use in the current conflict and therefore do not require suspension.
These include items that are not being used by the Israel Defence Forces in the current conflict, such as trainee aircraft or other naval equipment.
These also include export licences for civilian use – covering a range of products such as food-testing chemicals, telecoms, and data equipment.
Nor will it prejudge the international collaboration, global F-35 programme that supplies aircraft for more than twenty countries – and that is crucial to wider peace and security.
Indeed, the effects of suspending all licences for the F-35 programme would undermine the global F35 supply chain that is vital for the security of the UK, our allies, and NATO.
Therefore, the Business and Trade Secretary has exempted these licences from his decision.
Fourth, the Government will keep our position under review.
Commitment to comply with international humanitarian law is not the only criterion in making export licensing decisions.
We will continue to work with our allies to improve the situation. And foreign policy of course involves tough choices.
But I will always seek to take such decisions in line with our principles – and I will keep this the House updated, in line with my previous commitment.
Mr Speaker, we do not take this decision lightly, but we note that on previous occasions Ministers from all sides of this House – Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat – chose not to licence exports to Israel.
In 1982, Margaret Thatcher imposed an arms embargo and oil embargo on Israel as they fought in Lebanon. onflicts in Gaza prompted Gordon Brown to suspend five licences in 2009 and Vince Cable chose not to issue new licences while conducting a review in 2014.
Like them, this government takes seriously its role in applying export licensing law reflecting the published criteria and the specific circumstances.
But let me leave this House in no doubt. The UK continues to support Israel’s right to self-defence in accordance with international law.
In April, British fighter jets intercepted Iranian missiles aimed at Israel, preventing significant loss of civilian life.
We supported robust action against the Iranian backed Houthis in Yemen, who have attacked Israel directly as well as Israeli-linked shipping.
And Iran should be in no doubt of our commitment to challenge their reckless and destabilizing activity, in the region and across the world.
We will continue to work hand-in-glove with our international partners, to stand up to Iranian aggression and malign activity – wherever it is find and whenever we see it.
We continue to hold Iran to account – including though extensive use of sanctions. And today, we are doing so again.
We are announcing new sanctions on four IRGC-Quds Force targets who have a role in supporting Iranian proxy actions in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon.
Through the UK’s dedicated Iran sanctions regime we have sanctioned over 400 Iranian individuals and entities.
And through our work with partners, we are exposing and containing Iran’s destabilizing weapons development, where soon, we will be introducing further regulations to bolster existing bans on the export of goods and technology significant to Iran’s production of drones and missiles.
So let me be clear – we will continue to work with Israel and our partners to tackle the threat from Iran across the region.
This government will continue to stand for Israel’s security. And we will always do so in a manner consistent with our obligations to domestic and international law.
Mr Speaker, I commend this statement to the House.
The Board of Deputies of British Jews commented last night:
THE Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is preparing to immerse visitors in a glittering winter spectacle.Tickets are now on sale for this year’s Christmas at the Botanics trail.
Running from 21 November to 30 December, the outdoor trail will once again transform the Garden with an array of new and fantastical installations that have been custom-designed especially for the Botanics by a selection of international and UK-based artists.
The latest new installations confirmed for the trail include:
Candles will drift over visitors as theyflicker and cast their undulating light to create a warm and festive atmosphere. This installation will transport Potterheads to the world of witchcraft and wizardry as it evokes the magic of Hogwarts’ Great Hall. Designed by Pitaya, a French creative studio.
One Small Thing projects a combination of wildlife imagery and winter foliage with impactful environmental messaging onto a pathway for visitors to interact with as they walk past. This innovative installation will incorporate the Garden’s mission to protect the planet’s biodiversity by encouraging visitors to do one small thing and make space for nature. Created by Novak.
Firework Trees will shower shoots of light through tree branches, bringing them to life with vibrant bursts of colour that bounce from branch to branch. Created by Ithaca Studio.
All the new and returning installations along the one-mile illuminated trail are low in energy and have been selected to complement the Botanics’ environment.
Regius Keeper of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh Simon Milne said: “I’m looking forward to seeing the new installations on the trail, which is promising to be innovative, imaginative and entertaining.
“Visiting the Garden after dark is a special experience and Christmas at the Botanics offers the chance for visitors to see our botanical collection of plants from a very different perspective.
“The trail brings significant benefits to us. We are a Scottish charity, and ticket sales from Christmas at the Botanics help to fund our international plant research, conservation work and education programmes. So please come along to the trail, bring your friends and family, have some festive fun and help to support our vital work.”
Tickets for this year’s show are on sale now. Visitors are encouraged to book in advance to guarantee their preferred timeslot.
For further ticket information, pricing, and timings, please click here.
Christmas at the Botanics is one of 14 illuminated trails staged across the UK by leading events promoter RG Live, a division of Sony Music. Christmas at the Botanics is presented in partnership with the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and creative producer Culture Creative.
For more details visit www.rbge.org.uk/christmas and follow @mychristmastrails on Facebook and Instagram.
PATH of MIRACLES: Tenebrae at the National Museum of Flight’s Concorde Hangar
In Lammermuir Festival’s history, the 2024 programme marks the first time it will offer a rare returning event. And with the comeback of Path of Miracles and Tenebrae proving hugely popular with audiences, organisers have added a second performance on the night giving festivalgoers a second chance to grab a ticket this year.
Joby Talbot’s Path of Miracles, performed in the Concorde Hangar at the National Museum of Flight, is at the heart of the 2024 programme. Sung by one of the finest choral groups in the world, Tenebrae, for which it was written 20 years ago, the work is both ravishingly beautiful and hugely dramatic.
Last performed at Lammermuir back in 2017, the sold-out audience stood cheering when it finished. The tour de force is inspired by the famous pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostela and performed alongside one of the technological marvels of modern travel in the Concorde Hangar.
A man has been jailed for more than nine years for violent and sexual offences against women in the Edinburgh and Midlothian areas.
Jamie Wilson, 34, was convicted at the High Court in Edinburgh on Thursday, 27 June, 2024 of the offences between 2015 and 2022.
He was sentenced on Friday (30 August), at the same court, to nine and a half years in prison and placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely.
Detective Inspector Keith Taylor said: “Wilson now faces the consequences of a campaign of violent and sexual attacks on women spanning a significant period of time.
“I commend the strength of the women involved in coming forward to report his offending and throughout the legal proceedings. I hope the conviction and sentencing will bring them justice as they continue to move forward with their lives.
“Anyone who has been a victim of violent or sexual abuse is urged to report it to us, regardless of when it happened. We’re committed to fully investigating all reports and victims are supported throughout by our specially trained officers and partner agencies.”
The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo’s new Creative Director says bringing the music to ‘life’ and putting the ‘skip’ into the performances are the key aims of his new role as he works towards the 2025 Show – The Heroes Who Made Us.
Taking over the role following the completion of Michael Braithwaite’s three-Show run as the Tattoo’s Creative Director, Alan Lane will be at the helm as the brand celebrates its 75th anniversary next year.
Having spent 20 years working across a variety of outdoor spectaculars and running his own theatre company, Slung Low, Alan has been working closely with the Tattoo team since June in preparation for next year’s performances and wider celebrations.
Speaking of his role and plans for the creative direction of the Tattoo on the latest episode of the Tattoo’s podcast Piping Up, Alan said: “We’re an unbelievable machine, with people doing amazing logistical organisation with real craft and skill. But you can’t make art like that. If you put art into a spreadsheet, you’ll drive yourself mad.
“Picking the song for the bagpipes is not the hard part of the job, it’s more about creating the right environment to do things creatively. Thinking about the folk musicians I’ve been speaking to, they were talking about how a lot of the music we perform was generated by the waulking and the working, so these songs really lived.
“And, like nearly all folk music, they were all passed on by people singing to each other, leading to many beautiful variations. And by knowing this, we have an incredible understanding of what our Show is based on. And the Army codified that music, those bagpipes. Securing it. Forever. But in codifying you lose the skip, so that’s the Show’s job, my job, return the skip. Bring it to life while honouring the tradition.”
Alan grew up with both his father and grandfather in the military and inspired by them became an Army Reservist in 2015. Alan’s experience in the Army Reserve and as creative consultant for the Army Expo 2022 and 2023, will help take Tattoo performances to new dynamic and immersive levels.
He was also co-director of The Awakening in 2023, the opening ceremony of LEEDS 2023 – a year of culture, with the show performed in Headingley Stadium featuring an eclectic mix of dancers, music, and a variety of performances to celebrate the city’s culture.
On plans for next year’s 75th and the Show The Heroes Who Made Us, Alan said: “I got lucky, taking over and having the 75th anniversary. I’ve inherited a really good idea for the performance which is a celebration of all the heroes who made those 75 years possible. That’s not just the performers but also the audience.
“If you take on something as established and loved as the Tattoo, if the first thing you do is honour its roots, I think that will be quite a popular thing to do.
“In this role, you honour and stand on the shoulders of the people who’ve done it before. I didn’t get here because I’m special, I got here because for 75 years beforehand, those people have been brilliant.
“We’re a living, breathing piece of art and of course there’s things a Tattoo performance has to do, but it’s different every year and needs to speak to the moment. It feels like the 75th anniversary is a great point to look at how we got here and reframe our greatest hits.
“People come to see certain things but how do we reframe them? So we have one foot completely understanding its roots and another looking at what it does next, which is when things are at their most thrilling. If you just ask people what they want, you will just have fish and chips every day because you do not know that fajitas exist. Exploring and coming up with things the audience didn’t even know to ask for is why this job exists.”
Alan Lane was speaking on the Tattoo’s Piping Up Podcast, which provides an ‘access all areas’ pass into the creativity and dedication that powers the brand. Listen here.
Tickets for The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo’s 75th anniversary Show, The Heroes Who Made Us are now on sale and can be purchased at edintattoo.co.uk/tickets or on the phone, 0131 225 1188.
