Collaborating with creative minds, Scottish Ensemble have forged new paths over recent years blurring the boundaries between genres and artforms. In their latest cross-artform project Scottish Ensemble collaborate with Blind Summit to explore what puppetry can reveal about music.
Performing Arnold Schoenberg’s Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured Night) and Philip Glass’ Symphony No. 3 the musicians and puppeteers play together to blend sound and visuals in this experimental collaboration where puppetry and music lead each other in a fragile dance. Directed by Mark Down, this new work will defy the rules to reveal the unseen, unheard and unknown.
Performances take place on Thursday 13 February at Edinburgh’s Traverse Theatre (as part of Manipulate Festival), Friday 14 February at Dundee Rep and Saturday 15 February at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall’s New Auditorium.
Jonathan Morton, Artistic Director of Scottish Ensemble, said: “Collaborations which involve a different artform invite us to re-examine some of our habitual patterns of thought, behaviour and action.
“There is risk involved. And, more alluringly, the potential encounter with something special. At the start of this collaboration, I knew very little about puppetry, but I am drawn to the fact that puppeteers, like musicians, pick up inanimate objects and, somehow, breathe life into them. You can see this, and you can hear it in The Law of Gravity.”
Mark Down, Artistic Director of Blind Summit, said: “During the research and development sessions for this project it has been an absolute inspiration to be surrounded by live music all day, I wish I could have an ensemble at all our rehearsals.
“The puppeteers and musicians generated seemingly endless ideas, the challenge was how to edit and organise them to share with an audience. The Law of Gravity is of course what makes everything fall down, I hope we stay standing”
In another first for Scottish Ensemble the performances in Dundee and Glasgow will be audio described. Visually impaired audiences will be able to enjoy the production through a live verbal commentary describing the visual elements of the production, whilst being respectful to the music performed.
Tickets range from £11 – £22 and in Dundee and Glasgow are free for under 16s.
Tickets are available from https://scottishensemble.co.uk/programme/2024-25/the law-of-gravity/
Scotland’s first legal drug consumption room in Glasgow is a “crucial milestone” and a “big step forward” in tackling drug misuse in Scotland, but it’s only the beginning, says Green MSP for Lothian LORNA SLATER.
At the new Thistle unit, those with medical training operate the facility and can intervene should something go wrong for a user, as well as providing support and advice for people who are giving up drugs.
There are health rooms where treatments are available too, for testing for diseases or having wounds checked and cleaned. The facility also has a recovery area, a shower room and a clothing and book bank.
💚 We must break the stigma around addiction, and treat it like the public health crisis that it is pic.twitter.com/eszAiocxuj
Ms Slater said:“Stigmatising and shunning drug users is wrong, and it does not work. It has contributed to Scotland having the highest number of drug deaths in Europe. Instead, we should be supporting people through addiction and treating them as the human beings they are.
“Safe consumption rooms alone will not solve all the issues associated with drug addiction and misuse. To start to truly tackle the crisis we also need to address poverty and inequality and invest in rehab services, mental health provision and safe housing.
“I urge all related bodies to learn from Glasgow’s experiences and look to implement a service in Edinburgh that remains non-judgemental, supportive, and focused on harm reduction. We need this and other measures quickly.”
https://twitter.com/i/status/1877732427973406728
The City of Edinburgh Council has previously published a report that looks at opening a drug consumption room in the city after months of delay. The latest feasibility study can be found here:
UK Government pledges funding to fix up to 7 million potholes in England this year
Roads Minister visits JCB plant in Derbyshire on National Pothole Day, to see how the government’s record £1.6 billion boost is fixing the nation’s roads
new funding includes £75 million for the East Midlands which will see councils across England fill up to 7 million more potholes this year
as part of its Plan for Change, the government is investing to boost infrastructure and tackle the pothole plague to get Britain moving
Future of Roads Minister, Lilian Greenwood, is marking National Pothole Day (15 January 2025), with a visit to the JCB Factory outside Derby, to see cutting-edge technology helping councils tackle potholes.
This includes an additional £20 million for the East Midlands County Combined Authority, which includes Derbyshire, as part of a £1.6 billion funding for highway maintenance that will enable councils to fix up to 7 million more potholes.
At the J.C. Bamford Excavators Limited (JCB) power systems factory, the Roads Minister will speak to engineers to learn about the latest innovations being used to tackle the pothole plague. She will operate JCB’s ‘pothole pro’, a machine that can fix a pothole in 8 minutes, with a cost of around £30. The ‘pothole pro’ is currently used by 20 local authorities.
The minister will also meet with local leaders to discuss their plans for filling potholes to deliver safer, quicker and less costly journeys for all road users in Derbyshire. This is part of the government’s plans to work more closely with local authorities to ensure they have the powers to spend it where their communities need it most.
As part of its Plan for Change, the government is committed to delivering safer, smoother journeys – reducing delays, saving drivers money and going above and beyond its manifesto pledge.
Future of Roads Minister, Lilian Greenwood, said: “Potholes are a clear sign of decline in our infrastructure and for too long roads like those in Derbyshire have been left in a state that endangers and costs road users.
“It’s time for change and we are investing £1.6 billion to fix up to 7 million more potholes across England this year, including over £75 million for the East Midlands Combined Authority.
“JCB’s ‘pothole pro’ is one of the many great examples of using new technology to repair potholes faster and demonstrates how companies are harnessing new technology to repair potholes faster.
“We’ll continue to engage with local leaders and industry to ensure innovations are being used to deliver roads the country deserves.”
Ben Rawding, general manager, municipalities at JCB, said: ” We are looking forward to introducing the minister to the benefits that innovation and technology can deliver in tackling the plague of potholes in our country.
“Last month’s announcement by the Department of Transport of £1.6 billion of funding for road repairs in England during 2025 is very welcome. Our appeal to the Minister will be for this funding to be spent wisely to ensure permanent long-term repairs become the priority for local authorities making best use of value-adding, productive technology such as the JCB pothole pro.”
RAC senior policy officer, Rod Dennis, said: “There’s no motoring-related issue drivers are more concerned about than the state of their local roads – where almost everyone’s journeys begin and end.
“Going beyond merely patching potholes is the name of the game, and using the latest technology to perform permanent repairs is a much better use of public money. To stop our roads falling apart in the first place, we support councils surface dressing them at regular intervals and resurfacing those that are beyond reasonable repair.
We’d also strongly encourage drivers to report potholes they’re aware of to their local authority, via GOV.UK, the RAC website or using the Stan app.”
https://twitter.com/i/status/1879423539310207058
The UK government’s latest road maintenance funding builds on the wider support it’s giving to councils to deliver core services and serve their communities.
£69 billion of funding will be injected into council budgets across England to help them drive forward the government’s Plan for Change through investment and reform and to fix the foundations of local government.
83% of drivers paying out of pocket for pothole damage
Insurance experts are urging drivers to understand how they can claim for motor damage caused by potholes.
This comes after a survey from Quotezone.co.uk reveals 92% of drivers feel potholes in their local area are getting worse.
Because of this, many drivers are having to take evasive action to help prevent an incident or unnecessary damage.
Nine out of ten, (94%), admit to having swerved a dangerous pothole to avoid damaging their car, but the insurance experts say these actions could actually see drivers penalised, disqualified from driving, or hit with penalty points for careless and inconsiderate driving.
Motorists could find themselves hit with fines of up to £2,500 if their attempts to avoid pothole damage are viewed as driving without due care and attention.
Of those who have experienced vehicle damage due to potholes, over four in five (83%) have paid out of pocket for repairs, while only 6% have claimed through their insurance company.
Drivers can claim for pothole vehicle damage either through the local council looking after the road, local road authority, or through their insurance provider.
It’s important to remember no claims discounts will likely no longer be in place for those who choose to claim through their insurance, and they will normally have to pay the excess fee, so it’s worth weighing up the savings.
Before making a report to the local council, it’s important to gather as much information as possible to help prove eligibility to claim and that the damage was caused by a pothole – witnesses to the incident and evidence from a trained mechanic can help with this.
Motorists are also told to record where and when the accident occurred and take a photo if it is safe to do so, noting the size and location of the pothole. Note the pothole in question normally needs to be at least 40mm deep. Copies of this essential information can then be used when making the report to the council or local road authority depending on the area.
Greg Wilson, Founder and CEO of Quotezone.co.uk said: “With the battle against potholes surging across the country, it’s not surprising to hear so many are having to make manoeuvres to avoid driving over dangerous potholes.
“Costly damage to vehicles is the last thing any driver needs right now, but we want to help them understand what they are entitled to if they can prove they have experienced vehicle damage as a result of driving over an unrepaired pothole.
“Many drivers are unaware their attempts to avoid car damage from dangerous potholes could see them penalised. From our survey, 66% of drivers admitted they were not aware swerving potholes was illegal.
“However, with 92% saying the potholes in their area are an increasing problem and are not being fixed quickly or at all – it is not surprising to hear that so many are having to make potentially dangerous manoeuvres to avoid hitting potholes.
“When claiming, it’s key to include as much information as possible – you could also provide contact details for anyone who witnessed the incident.
“This will all strengthen your case when it comes to proving the damage was caused solely by the unrepaired pothole and helping you to secure the appropriate compensation.
“If you have tried to claim through the local council and been turned away, you can look to your insurance provider for protection. If your policy is fully comprehensive then pothole damage is normally covered as standard.
“You will need to provide them with as much information as possible and help them to understand how the damage was solely caused by the unrepaired pothole.
“However, when taking this route, it is important to remember your no claims discount will likely be affected, so check the policy details carefully and look for no claims bonus protection – also try quoting with the claim added to see if your premium price will change, to help you make the decision.”
Quotezone helps millions of UK drivers every year compare car insurance quotes and find real savings across all sorts of products including car insurance for learner drivers, affordable car insurance for new drivers and even fleet insurance.
Risk level increased following discovery in Germany
Imports of cattle, pigs and sheep from Germany have been banned to protect farmers, their livelihoods and food security following the discovery of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in water buffalo in Brandenburg.
The risk level of FMD to the UK has been increased to medium.
FMD does not pose a risk to human health but is a highly contagious virus of cattle, sheep, pigs and other cloven-hoofed animals.
This virus spreads easily through direct contact and airborne transmission is possible; and the disease can quickly affect entire herds/flocks. The Scottish Government will continue to monitor the situation – working closely with German authorities and other UK administrations to take necessary actions to protect livestock.
Scotland’s Chief Veterinary Officer Sheila Voas said: “I appreciate the concern this latest development will be causing to the farming community and wider agricultural sector in Scotland.
“We have not seen foot and mouth disease in Scotland since 2001, and, alongside government restrictions, with strict on-farm biosecurity, compliance with the swill feeding ban, and the reporting of all suspicions of notifiable disease promptly – we can avoid a further outbreak.
“Quickly recognising clinical signs of the disease in livestock is vital to controlling and preventing it from spreading. In cattle and pigs the signs of disease are usually readily seen; however, sheep do not always show obvious clinical signs. I would urge sheep farmers to be particularly vigilant.”
Agriculture Minister Jim Fairlie said: “We have robust contingency plans in place to manage the risk of this disease to protect farmers and our food security.
“The Scottish Government’s preparedness was tested in 2018 through Exercise Blackthorn which simulated a medium to large scale foot and mouth disease outbreak that had spread from England to Wales and Scotland and I am confident in our ability to manage any such occurrence.
“I am urging livestock keepers to remain vigilant for signs of the disease and remind them they have a legal requirement to immediately report any suspicion of disease in Scotland to the local Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) Field Services Office.”
