Day: May 17, 2025

Forth 1 a DOUBLE WINNER in UK ‘Radio Oscars’ in its 50th year

It was another golden night for Bauer Media Audio at the 2025 ARIAS (Audio and Radio Industry Awards), hosted by Magic Radio’s Gok Wan, where our teams picked up an incredible twelve awards including the prestigious Special Recognition Award, presented by Ken Bruce, to Greatest Hits Radio Network Content Director Andy Ashton.

Forth 1 won two Gold awards with Boogie in the Morning winning Best Music Breakfast Show – for the second year running – and the station being named as the John Myers Local Radio Station of the Year.

Rayo took Silver in a new category for 2025, UK Audio Brand of the Year as KISS picked up two Silver awards for The 2024 ‘Genny Lex’ in the Best News or Current Affairs category and Best Commercial Partnership Award for Empowering Young Lives with KFC.

Greatest Hits Radio 60s was also a Silver winner for Best Sonic Branding.

The Bowie@Breakfast team saw Bronze for Best Music Radio Breakfast Show and the Hits Radio team were also Bronze Social Impact Award winners for Clare’s Law: A Decade Saving Lives.

Greatest Hits Radio was another Bronze winner for UK Radio Station or Radio Network of the Year, as were the Clyde 1 team in the Best Event Coverage Award for Superscoreboard at Euro 2024

The full list of Bauer Media Audio UK winners:

SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARD: Andy Ashton

GOLD

JOHN MYERS LOCAL RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR: Forth 1

BEST MUSIC BREAKFAST RADIO SHOW AWARD: Boogie in the Morning – Forth 1

SILVER

UK AUDIO BRAND OF THE YEAR: Rayo

BEST MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT AWARD (SHOW OR PRESENTER): Ruthie Henshall Sees Dead People – Magic Radio

BEST NEWS OR CURRENT AFFAIRS AWARD: The 2024 ‘Genny Lex’ – KISS

BEST SONIC BRANDING AWARD: Greatest Hits Radio 60s

BEST COMMERCIAL PARTNERSHIP AWARD: Empowering Young Lives – KISS and KFC

BRONZE

UK RADIO STATION OR RADIO NETWORK OF THE YEAR: Greatest Hits Radio

BEST MUSIC BREAKFAST RADIO SHOW AWARD: Bowie@Breakfast – Clyde 1

THE SOCIAL IMPACT AWARD: Clare’s Law: A Decade of Saving Lives – Hits Radio

BEST EVENT COVERAGE AWARD: Superscoreboard at EURO 2024 – Clyde 1

Forth 1 has been celebrating its 50th birthday this year.

They have also recently hit a 24 year audience high (RAJAR) and the Forth 1 news team also recently picked up at Gold at the IRN Awards winning the ‘News Team of the Year’ (Under 1.5million TSA).

Waddle over for a weekend of duck-tastic fun at New Lanark Duck Festival this May Bank Holiday Weekend

New Lanark is thrilled to announce the return of its most popular family event – the Duck Festival!

Taking place over the May Bank Holiday weekend, on Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th May, this two-day celebration promises laughter, adventure, splashing fun for the whole family.

A Weekend of Wholesome Quack-tivities Includes:

What’s Happening?

  • Duck Race at 12pm & 2pm each day – Cheer on your duck as it floats down the lade. Prizes awarded for 1st, 2nd & 3rd place winners.
  • Treasure Hunt: Track down hidden ducks for a sweet ice lolly reward.
  • Craft Corner: Get creative and make your own duck mask to wear in the Duck Parade.
  • Meet Bubbles the Duck: Snap a pic with the festival’s star. Our friendly festival mascot is ready for photos at the historic New Lanark Waterwheel.
  • Duck Parade at 3pm – March behind Bubbles(mascot) from one end of the lade to the other in a splashy spectacle.
  • Best Duck Mask Awards at 3:15pm – Flaunt your handmade masterpiece for a chance to win
  • Optional Extras (available on-site for an extra charge): Face painting, carousel rides, and soft play for even more fun.

Tickets are just £7.00 per child, with free entry for accompanying adults. Ticket times correspond with the Duck Race sessions (12pm or 2pm), but families are welcome from 10am to enjoy all the day’s activities.

Following the model of our popular Easter Sunday Duck Race event, this festival promises to be another unforgettable experience filled with community spirit and family fun.

Tickets are limited, so be sure to secure yours soon and waddle your way to a weekend of quack-tastic excitement at New Lanark.

Buy Duck Festival Tickets online – New Lanark

Fuelling the school day

Breakfast clubs to help tackle poverty

Thousands more children will benefit from free breakfasts supported by the Scottish Government.

The Bright Start Breakfasts fund is now open to applications and will provide £3 million so more primary school children can have a nutritious start to the day and parents can benefit from free childcare.

Nearly half of Scotland’s schools already provide breakfast at the start of the school day. The Bright Start Breakfasts funding will support expansion of existing clubs and establishment of new ones, creating more free places for primary school children. 

In addition to more breakfast clubs, the Scottish Government is expanding the Extra Time programme, which provides funding for 31 local football clubs and trusts to provide free access to before school, after school and holiday clubs for targeted primary school children from families on low incomes.

Work is also under way in 23 communities to design and deliver further childcare services for priority families.

Visiting a breakfast club at Riverside Primary School in Glasgow Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said: “We know how important a healthy breakfast can be for children, particularly those most at risk of living in poverty, and breakfast clubs have a crucial role in our mission to eradicate child poverty.

“They help set children up for the day, supporting them to achieve their learning potential, and provide families with childcare, helping more parents to get to work in the morning.

“Applications are open and I encourage anyone who could deliver a breakfast club to contact Inspiring Scotland.”

Celia Tennant, Chief Executive at Inspiring Scotland, said: “Inspiring Scotland is pleased to be working with Scottish Government to manage the Bright Start Breakfasts fund.

“We are committed to working together to tackle child poverty and improve family wellbeing. We are delighted to see applications starting to come in since launching the fund on Wednesday”

The Bright Start Breakfast fund is being managed by Inspiring Scotland. Guidance on applying to the fund can be found here: Bright Start Breakfasts – Inspiring Scotland.

Inspiring Scotland invites applications from groups and organisations who deliver or want to deliver breakfast clubs, including:

  • Primary schools
  • local authorities
  • third-sector organisations
  • registered childcare providers
  • activity providers
  • parent or volunteer groups
  • childminding services

Work to design and deliver childcare services for priority families is taking place in 23 Early Adopter Communities across six local authority areas (Clackmannanshire, Dundee, Glasgow, Inverclyde, Fife and Shetland).

Returning next month: The Power of Food Festival!

We’re absolutely delighted that The Power of Food Festival’s annual event will return this June, 10 years after its first edition and 6 years after it last took place!

The Power of Food Festival is for everyone. Whether you’re visiting the city or live here; whether you’re young … or young at heart; rooted in this place or hailing from elsewhere; whether you love growing your own food, or are simply curious to discover what’s on your doorstep.

You’re all very welcome. This is our chance to celebrate these beautiful and productive spaces, and (re)discover the magic of nature and people working together in our city.

Between 14 June and 21 June, as the summer solstice brings the longest days in the year, the 2025 Power of Food Festival will offer a great mix of nine gardens to explore (list below);some well-established ones that are returning to the Festival, others that have developed more recently and are new to the city’s annual celebration.

The Festival will showcase beautiful and joyful community food growing spaces right across the city: from Leith to Wester Hailes, and from Gracemount to Granton. There’ll be a range of fun and inspiring activities for everyone.

Stay tuned for the full #poffest25 programme in a few weeks’ time!

2025 Festival line-up:

Leith Community Croft of Earth in Common

King’s Buildings Permaculture Garden of Permaculture Gardening Society

Lauriston Agroecology Farm of Edinburgh Agroecology Coop

Granton Community Gardeners

Empty Kitchen Full Hearts Community Garden Empty Kitchens Full Hearts SCIO

Community Farm in Davidsons Mains Primary School

Gracemount Community Garden of Transition Edinburgh South

Hailes Quarry Park Herb Garden of Friends of Hailes Quarry Park

Granton Castle Walled Garden of Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden

#communityfoodgrowing

#edinburgh

#festivals

Cello Recital at Stockbridge Library

WEDNESDAY 4th JUNE at 6pm – CARLA COSTE

Join us for an unforgettable evening of music with the incredibly talented Carla Coste -a renowned cellist who has performed as soloist and chamber musician at prestigious festivals across Europe, England and Asia.

On the day, Carla will be performing Suite numbers three and four by Johann Sebastian Bach, and a contemporary French piece by Graciane Finzi entitled “A strange Dream”

Don’t miss this chance to experience her captivating performance live at Stockbridge library on Wednesday 4th June at 6 pm!

A ‘catalogue of failures’ led to issues at Scotland’s water watchdog

A ‘catalogue of failures’ led to the inappropriate and unacceptable use of public money at the Water Industry Commission for Scotland (WICS), according to a new report issued today.

The report, published by the Scottish Parliament’s Public Audit Committee, follows the Committee’s consideration of the Auditor General for Scotland’s (AGS) 2022/23 and 2023/24 audits of WICS.

The Committee highlighted ‘inappropriate and unacceptable’ spending on training courses for senior staff, benefits to the workforce and, hospitality.

The report found that the Board of WICS failed in its responsibilities which led to a lack of financial control. This meant that decisions taken did not always provide value for money to the public purse. With WICS also showing a failure to follow even its own rules.

In considering the issues raised by the AGS’ reports, the Committee heard evidence from both WICS and the Scottish Government in their role as sponsoring the work of WICS

The Committee’s new report highlights that there were also significant weaknesses and failings in the Scottish Government’s approach, with a complete failure by the Government to challenge the culture at WICS, which led to an unacceptable use of public funds. This raised serious concerns for the Committee.

The Committee has now called on the Scottish Government to review its systems for identifying concerns with public bodies to ensure any issues are caught at an early stage.

Speaking as the report launched, Committee Convener Richard Leonard MSP said: “Some of the evidence we have heard about the arrangements in place at WICS was simply extraordinary.

“That the body, charged with promoting long term value from Scottish Water to its customers, itself failed to live up to the standards required of a public body left the Committee with deep concerns.

“But the Committee is clear that there also appears to have been a serious lack of oversight from the Scottish Government. This failure from those who are meant to be safeguarding the public purse is simply unacceptable.”

In its report, the Committee notes that there have been widespread Board and management departures from WICS, and indeed from the Scottish Government, since the audit reports were published.

Whilst the Committee recognises the changes which have been made at WICS, it has called on the current Board to undergo refresher training on their roles and responsibilities to ensure that the failure of responsibilities does not happen again.

The Convener continued: “We have heard about significant changes within WICS and the organisation’s commitment to improve the governance arrangements. These are clearly welcome. But we want to see concrete evidence of these changes to ensure that the unacceptable culture that was in place has truly gone.”

North Edinburgh Community Festival: Photo Competition

BEST PHOTO COMPETITION! 📸

WIN A £100 FOOD VOUCHER! Whoever takes the best photo at the festival tomorrow can be in for a chance to win! All you have to do is:

– Take your best photo of/at the festival!

– Post to instagram

– Tag us @northedinfest

– Use hashtag #NECF25

The winner will be announced here on 24/05! Best of luck to everyone entering! 🌟

#festival

#parade

#rainbows

#music

#livemusic

#art

#artsandcrafts

#scotland

#pilton

#edinburgh

#necf25

GRETNA 110: The Royal Scots Regimental community outreach exhibition

The Royal Scots Regimental Museum will host its annual week-long community outreach exhibition, this year entitled GRETNA 110, at Out of the Blue Drill Hall, Dalmeny Street, Edinburgh EH6 8RG between 1000 – 1630 from Monday 19 to Saturday 24 May 2025.

GRETNA 110 commemorates the 110th anniversary of Britain’s worst rail disaster at Quintinshill, near Gretna, on 22 May 1915.  The exhibition raises awareness of the 227 people killed in the crash, including the 216 Royal Scots officers and soldiers of the 1st/7th (Leith) Battalion who were on the first leg of their journey to fight at Gallipoli, and the impact it had on Leith and the wider Lothians community. 

The exhibition, being staged at what was the Battalion’s Drill Hall in 1915, will be officially opened at 10:00, Monday 19 May, by Scottish Veterans Commissioner, Susie Hamilton, and Depute Lord Provost of Edinburgh, Councillor Lezley Cameron. There will be a media preview immediately prior to the opening, between 09:30 – 10:00.   

The terrible disaster left an indelible scar on the close-knit Leith and Musselburgh communities, with several families losing both fathers and sons. Many of the dead were taken to a temporary mortuary that had been established in the Battalion’s Drill Hall on Dalmeny Street before the majority were buried in the nearby Rosebank Cemetery, Pilrig Street.  

A Memorial Service will take place at the cemetery on 24 May.  A separate Service will take place at Gretna on the anniversary of the crash.

The GRETNA 110 exhibition includes: 

·       A short film, ‘Leith’s Darkest Dawn’, explaining the Crash and the aftermath, including a 1983 interview with a survivor and two direct descendants

·       Displays, including artefacts recovered from the crash (a molten rifle and bugle) and a paper knife made from the wood of one of the carriages

·       A dedicated Research Room with access to The Royal Scots records with genealogy and medals experts

·       Moving illustrated stories from some of the soldiers involved and their families

·       The important role played by the people of Gretna and Carlise after the Crash

·       Long lasting sporting connections including football, boxing and swimming

·       Leith Academy’s GRETNA 110 researched creative exhibits display

Brigadier George Lowder MBE, Chair The Royal Scots Trust said: “We should never forget those who lost their lives, and the impact on their families, who were at the beginning of their journey to fight for their country”

Robin Bell: “My father Ian was a platoon commander, of 45 men.

“He survived the Crash, but at the sad roll call afterwards only four of his platoon answered their names.”

Susie Hamilton, Scottish Veterans Commissioner, said: “This exhibition, commemorating the country’s worst-ever rail disaster 110 years ago, honours the young men who lost their lives while on their way to serve their country.

“It speaks to the heartbreak endured by local families and preserves the memory of a deeply poignant chapter in our nation’s history – one that must never be forgotten.”

Supporting climate education and engagement

First Minister announces funding at award winning Eco-School

First Minister John Swinney has announced new funding to support groups and schools across Scotland to learn more about climate change and nature loss, and take climate action where they can.

The Scottish Government supports the Eco-Schools programme to help embed climate environmental and outdoor learning as a meaningful part of daily learning and teaching. The programme is set to benefit from £425,000 funding in 2025-26.

The Government is also investing a further £275,000 in the Climate Engagement Fund to support grassroots organisations to champion their own local initiatives and build understanding of climate change – such as workshops, podcasts and festivals.

First Minister John Swinney announced the funding ahead of a visit to the Royal School of Dunkeld to mark the celebration of their 11th consistent Eco-Schools Green Flag Award.

The First Minister said: “Children and young people have been leading the charge for urgent action to address climate change and nature loss. That is right, since they will be the ones who will face the greatest impacts of climate change over their lifetimes.

“However, the responsibility to become climate resilient and reduce emissions cannot just be up to the next generation. This Government has committed to Scotland reaching net-zero by 2045 – five years ahead of the rest of the UK – and we are introducing bold measures, like ending peak rail fares for good, to reduce our emissions. I am proud that we are also pushing forward with embedding climate education in our schools.

“The Scottish Government has supported the Eco-Schools Scotland programme for over two decades, and pupils and teachers at the Royal School of Dunkeld have collectively achieved a remarkable feat. Over 800 schools in Scotland now have a Green Flag and I hope that others will be inspired to follow suit.

“It is vital that everyone in our society understands the positive opportunities of climate action, and how that can improve their own lives. The Climate Engagement Fund will help to increase awareness and empower people of all ages to take action in their local communities in the best way they can.”

CEO of Keep Scotland Beautiful Barry Fisher commented: “We are delighted to once again to receive funding from the Scottish Government to support our Climate Action Schools Programme, ensuring that our fantastic work with local authorities, schools, educators, and children and young people across Scotland grows and develops further, and helps to deliver our national ambitions on Target 2030 and public engagement on climate change.

“This year we mark 30 years of environmental education in schools through the international Eco-Schools Programme and we’ve been visiting schools across the country to celebrate their participation and success in its activities over the years, highlighting just how important the framework has been, and will continue to be, for Scotland’s young people.”

Eco-schools is an international programme that gives pupils the opportunity to tackle issues like climate change and to consider environmental changes that they can make in their school to make it more sustainable.

In Scotland, Eco-Schools is delivered by Keep Scotland Beautiful as part of the Climate Action Schools framework. Eco-Schools was launched in the UK, Denmark and Germany in 1994 with Scotland awarding the first Green Flag in 1995. 

Keep Scotland Beautiful – Climate Action Schools

Climate Engagement Fund – gov.scot