The North Edinburgh Create Community Wealth team would like to invite you to our End of Project Celebration Event at West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre, which has been the home of the project for the last two years.
There will be taster sessions, workshops, short film screenings and possibly a mini market where you can see the fantastic work and hear the stories of the talented Create Community Wealth participants. This is a drop in event from 5 – 8pm, and everyone’s welcome to come along.
Police Scotland have released images of a man they believe may be able to assist their enquires into an incident which occurred on a Stagecoach bus between Dunfermline and Edinburgh on Wednesday 12 October 2022 at approximately 4.20pm.
The man was travelling on the Stagecoach X55 bus having boarded the bus at Dunfermline bus station.
He is described as white, aged between 25 and 40, dark facial hair, wearing a dark hooded top, striped tracksuit bottoms and carrying a holdall type bag.
Police Scotland are appealing for the man pictured, or anyone who knows him to get in touch via 101 quoting incident reference number 2550 of 12 October 2022. Alternatively, please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where information can be passed anonymously.
Social Security Scotland are reminding clients who receive a Universal Credit migration notice to apply before the deadline to ensure their benefit payments are not interrupted.
The migration from Tax Credits to Universal Credit will affect the processes for some Social Security Scotland benefits, including Scottish Child Payment, Best Start Foods, Best Start Grants and Funeral Support Payment.
The Department for Work and Pensions will send a letter to people who receive Tax Credits, urging them to make a claim for Universal Credit. The letter will include the deadline for claims – people are strongly advised not to miss the deadline as Tax Credit support will end after this date. Clients affected by this migration can find more information from the DWP website.
Social Security Scotland are asking stakeholders to help their clients apply before the deadline to make sure they don’t lose financial support. This will allow SSS to continue making payments without the need for further action.
This new change will affect eight Scottish Government schemes:
Best Start Grants: Pregnancy and Baby Payment, Early Learning Payment and School Age Payment
National Museum of Scotland Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF Open 10:00–17:00 daily
Beyond the Little Black Dress Until 29 Oct 2023 Special Exhibition Gallery, Level 3 Ticketed (concessions available)
From design classics to cutting-edge catwalk creations, this exhibition deconstructs the little black dress and examines the radical power of the colour black in fashion.
The exhibition will chart a century of fashion in a series of themed, immersive displays. Iconic early pieces by Yves Saint Laurent, Dior and Jean Muir will be juxtaposed with recent looks by ground-breaking contemporary designers and brands like Gareth Pugh, Simone Rocha and Off-White.
Rising Tide: Art and Environment in Oceania Until 14 Apr 2024 Exhibition Gallery 2, Level 3 Free
Delve into the most important and pressing issue of our time, humanity’s damaging relationship with planet Earth. This urgent issue is felt especially deeply in Australia and the Pacific Islands where sea levels are rising due to climate change and the oceans are filling with plastic.
Rising Tide considers our relationship to the natural environment through contemporary artistic responses to climate change and plastic waste by Indigenous Australian and Pacific Islander artists.
Uniquely Scottish Silver Until 26 May 2024 Grand Gallery Free
Uniquely Scottish Silver brings together five distinct Scottish silver object designs: mazers, quaichs, thistle cups, ovoid urns and heart brooches. Discover some of the earliest and rarest survivals within the Scottish silver smiths’ craft.
Theravada Buddhism Until 09 Jun 2024 Grand Gallery Free
This thought-provoking display charts the history and influence of the Theravāda Buddhist tradition across the world, including its role in Scotland today. The display includes a Buddha on loan from The Dhammapadipa Temple in Edinburgh. The Buddha was designed and made in Thailand in 2013, then later gifted to Temple where it is now used in their garden meditation room. The image takes inspiration from the Phra Phuttha Chinnarat (Great Victorious Buddha), one of the most revered Buddha images in Thailand.
National Museum of Scotland Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF Open 10:00–17:00 daily
Fashionably Late 06 Oct 19:30 – 22:30 £16 – £22 including exhibition entry Strictly 18+
Our legendary Museum Lates return in October restyled for one night only as Fashionably Late. Join us for an evening of fun, frolics and fashion in the beautiful setting of the National Museum of Scotland at night.
Museum Socials 20 Oct – 15 Dec Third Friday of the month 10:30 – 12:00 Free
Our Museum Socials events are created for anyone affected by Dementia and their relatives, friends and supporters. Museum Socials create a friendly environment where everyone is welcome and all contributions are valued.
Morning Curator Tour: Rising Tide 01 – 09 Nov 09:15 – 10:00 (doors open at 09:00)
Join curator Dr Ali Clark for an exclusive morning tour of our Rising Tide: Art and Environment in OCeania exhibition. Add a voucher to upgrade your experience with refreshments in one of our museum cafés.
Curiosity Club 25 Nov – 24 Feb 2024 10:30 – 12:00 £10 (Members and Concessions £9)
Unleash your creativity and curiosity topic each month, we’ve captured some of the museum’s most exciting and child friendly collections and themes, for kids to explore through games, activities, and visits to some of our most interactive galleries.
Magic Carpet Minis Until 20 Dec 10:30 & 14:00 (Wednesdays) £15 per child for block of 3
Magic Carpet Minis introduces you and your little one to some of the wonderful galleries, objects and themes in the museum in a fun and gentle way. Taking place in different spaces around the museum, you will explore subjects such as the Natural World, Space, World Cultures and Scottish History through songs, stories, rhymes, actions, objects and sensory play.
Collection Centre Tours Until 20 Mar 2024 National Museums Collection Centre
Go behind the scenes on a tour of our state-of-the-art collections and research centre in Granton, Edinburgh. Discover the secrets of how we store our Natural Sciences, Science & Technology and Scottish History & Archaeology collections, and find out how these objects and specimens are used in international research.
Friday Friends Until 28 Jun 2024 Selected Friday afternoons 14:00 – 16:00 Free, pre-booking required
Our Friday Friends programme offers a welcoming space for visually impaired and D/deaf children and their families. The groups meet monthly and explore the themes of the museum through objects, music, art and activities.
National Museum of Flight East Fortune Airfield, East Lothian, EH39 5LF Open daily 10:00 – 16:00
Half Term Bricks Sat 14, Sun 15, Sat 21 and Sun 22 October 11:00–13:00 & 14:00–16:00 Concorde Hangar Free with museum admission
Inspired by our current Brick History display, each day we will have a different build theme. Choose to make something inspired by the theme or build your own creation. For something a bit more energetic, take part in our speed build challenge and see if you can make it to the top of the champions’ board.
Behind the Scenes Tours Until 26 Oct 12:00 – 13:00 Free with museum admission
National Museums Scotland has one of the most comprehensive collections of aircraft engines anywhere in the world, some of which are in the Object Store at the National Museum of Flight, not normally open to the public. Join Aviation Curator Ian Brown for one of our regular guided tours of the museum’s Object Store.
Conservation Hangar Tours Until 31 Mar 2024 Free with museum admission Booking required
See behind the scenes of the work carried out in the museum’s Conservation hangar with a guided tour and find out more about objects from the collection that aren’t normally on display.
Autumn Explorers 17 – 20 Oct 10:30 – 15:30 Free with museum admission and Annual Pass
Become an Autumn Explorer this October half term at the National Museum of Rural Life. Enjoy family storytelling, an outdoor trail and creative crafts as you learn all about Scotland’s bugs, beasties and creatures.
Adult Workshops: Willow Crafting 28 Oct Age 16+ Tickets £30 – £35 Advance booking required
Join Max Johnson from Seileach Basketry for a fun, relaxed introduction to willow weaving at the National Museum of Rural Life. Choose from two half-day workshops where you will create your own willow bird feeder or willow platter.
Plan for drivers ‘will sit alongside continued investment in public transport and active travel’
new long-term government plan will support drivers and put the brakes on anti-car measures
plan will address drivers’ everyday concerns with new measures to keep traffic moving, make parking simpler, and clamp down on overrunning road works
guidance to be reviewed on 20mph limits and low traffic neighbourhoods in England to ensure local support, ending blanket imposition of anti-driver policies
Transport Secretary Mark Harper has set out plans to protect drivers from over-zealous traffic enforcement, as part of a long-term government plan to back drivers.
With 50 million people holding a driving licence in Great Britain and more than 40 million licensed vehicles in the UK, the government’s new plan will support the majority who drive, by keeping motoring costs under control and ensure people have the freedom to drive as they need to in their daily lives.
The measures include reviewing guidance on 20mph speed limits in England to prevent their blanket use in areas where it’s not appropriate and amending guidance on low traffic neighbourhoods to focus on local consent.
As part of the ongoing review into low traffic neighbourhoods, the government will also consider measures for existing anti-driver policies that did not secure local consent. The plans also aim to stop councils implementing so called ‘15-minute cities’, by consulting on ways to prevent schemes which aggressively restrict where people can drive.
Drivers across the country will also soon be able to benefit from new technology to simplify parking payments. The national parking platform pilot will be rolled out nationwide so that drivers can use an app of their choice to pay instead of downloading multiple apps.
In the continued drive to tackle potholes, the government will support councils to introduce more lane rental schemes, where utility companies are required to pay to dig up the busiest roads at peak times. Under the proposals, at least half of the extra money raised from these fees will go directly towards repairing road surfaces.
To further clamp down on overrunning street works, the government will consult on extending fines for repairs which run into weekends and increasing current levels of fixed penalty notices.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “For too long politicians have focused on the short-term decisions with little regard for the long term impact on hardworking families.
“We’ve seen this consistently with people’s freedoms on transport. The clamp down on drivers is an attack on the day to day lives of most people across the UK who rely on cars to get to work or see their families.
“This week the UK government will set out a long-term plan to back drivers, slamming the brakes on anti-car measures across England. We are taking the necessary decision to back the motorists who keep our country moving.”
Transport Secretary Mark Harper said: “Too often the private car is vilified when it has been one of the most powerful forces for personal freedom and economic growth. That’s why the government is taking the long-term, necessary decision to back the motorists who keep our country moving.
“We’re introducing a plan to ensure drivers can enjoy smoother journeys, park more easily and no longer face unfair and oppressive traffic enforcement measures.
“Our plan will sit alongside our continued investment in public transport and active travel as part of a package of measures designed to help people travel in the best way that works for them.”
A call for evidence will be launched on options to restrict the ability of local authorities to generate revenue surpluses from traffic offences and over-zealous traffic enforcement, such as yellow-box junctions.
To make life easier for drivers and help traffic flow better, the Department for Transport will strengthen guidance to make sure bus lanes only operate when necessary and a consultation will be launched on motorcycles using bus lanes. Further measures and the full plan will be published in the coming days.
The measures follow the Prime Minister’s new approach to net zero announced last week, which committed to ending the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2035, while supporting people who rely on their cars in their daily lives. The long-term plan to back drivers will protect people who rely on their cars from anti-driver policies.
The plans also follow the government’s support for drivers by cutting the fuel duty rate by 5p per litre since March 2022, saving the average driver around £100 a year. This is in addition to £5 billion government investment since 2020 to resurface local roads, and new rules to clamp down on utility companies leaving potholes behind after street works.
Contractors will start installing signage around the LEZ city centre boundary from October to help drivers plan their journeys in advance of enforcement beginning on 1 June 2024.
Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras, which support enforcement, will be installed in late 2023/early 2024 and a mobile enforcement vehicle will be active from June 2024 onwards.
In early 2024 there will also be changes made to some street layouts and signals around the LEZ boundary to cut congestion and improve safety for everyone.
Independent market research carried out in June indicates that a majority of drivers in Edinburgh continue to support the LEZ and think protecting public health is important. Awareness and understanding of the LEZ has improved since 2022, highlighting the success of the local and national communications campaigns.
Councillor Scott Arthur, Transport and Environment Convener, said: “It may seem some way off, but we are beginning to approach the start of enforcement of the LEZ, and we want to make sure drivers are prepared.
“Air pollution harms both our physical and mental health, so by restricting the most polluting vehicles in the LEZ we will create a healthier place for everyone, reducing inequalities and making the city centre a more welcoming place.
“I’m pleased that compliance with our emissions standards continues to increase, driven by the upcoming LEZ restrictions and support funds, and that support remains high. Lothian Buses are now LEZ ready, and the Council fleet will be soon.
“There’s still work to be done though to ensure everyone else who enters the zone is compliant. As we begin preparations for enforcement, I would encourage all drivers to check if their vehicle is compliant through the online vehicle checker tool, and find out more about the support funds available.”
A city centre LEZ was introduced in Edinburgh on 31 May 2022, along with LEZs in Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee, restricting the most polluting vehicles and benefiting everyone’s health. In Edinburgh, a two-year grace period is in place, meaning no penalty charges will be issued during this time.
Compliance is particularly high amongst the local buses (97%), with Lothian Buses being 100% compliant. Petrol cars (95%) and lorries (86%) also have high compliance rates yet diesel cars are only 50% complaint.
Restricting the most polluting vehicles will significantly reduce harmful emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) from vehicles by up to 50% within the LEZ. Further air quality improvements are expected beyond the boundary, improving public health around the city.
LEZ restrictions will apply to motor vehicles, except motorcycles and mopeds. Vehicles must meet the minimum emissions standards to drive within the zone, though national exemptions apply including for blue badge holders and emergency vehicles.
Edinburgh’s LEZ will issue penalty notice charges, or fines, in line with Scottish regulations, from 1 June 2023. Penalties start at £60, for non-compliant vehicles driving within the Zone though this is reduced by 50% to £30 if paid within 14 days.
Penalties escalate and surcharges will be issued if drivers repeatedly enter the LEZ within a 90 day period. These surcharges are capped at £480 for cars and vans, and £960 for buses and lorries.
Delivering a fair and secure net zero energy system
A strategy to drive Scotland’s fair and just transition away from fossil fuels will be published by next Summer.
Energy Minister Gillian Martin announced the timeline as the consultation responses to the draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan, and independent analysis of those responses, were published.
The responses, and continued engagement with a range of interested parties including industry, the Just Transition Commission and the Scottish Energy Advisory Board, will inform the finalised strategy.
Stressing the importance of reaching net zero in a way that spreads the benefits and costs of energy decarbonisation fairly, Ms Martin re-iterated calls for the UK Government to do more to accelerate investment, reform markets and ensure benefits flow to communities.
Ms Martin said: “Delivering on our climate obligations with an unwavering commitment to a fair and just journey to net zero is an absolute priority for the Scottish Government.
“The consultation confirmed broad support for our vision and highlighted the importance of providing policy certainty to enable investment in skills, infrastructure and technologies. We will now publish our Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan by next Summer, setting out how we intend to create a net zero energy system that delivers affordable, secure and clean energy while benefiting communities across Scotland by providing high quality jobs and economic opportunities.
“We believe that all future extraction of fossil fuels must be subject to strict climate compatibility and energy security tests. Our focus is on meeting our energy security needs, reducing emissions and delivering affordable energy supplies, whilst ensuring a just transition for our oil and gas workforce as North Sea resources decline.”
EDINBURGH Napier student Michael Suttie has received the Leidos Best Engineering Prize for developing an application to help amateur and entry-level drivers improve lap times in F1 e-sports.
34th annual awards Young Software Engineer of the Year Awards champion Scotland’s most innovative and creative tech students
Dundee University Student from Isle of Eigg earns top award for developing a solution that offers greater accuracy in mapping the moon’s surface
Two runners-up recognised for projects involving AI and coding
Best Engineering Prize winner uses real-life Formula 1 data to improve amateur and entry-level drivers’ F1 e-sports performance
A Dundee University student has been named Young Software Engineer of the Year for his solution which illustrates what unexplored areas of the moon might look like.
The 34th annual Young Software Engineer of the Year Awards took place in a ceremony in Edinburgh yesterday evening (28th September) hosted by Scotland’s tech trade body ScotlandIS at its ScotSoft conference.
Struan Robertson, originally from the Isle of Eigg in the Scottish Inner Hebrides, took the top prize home for his project on Lunar Terrain Void Infilling.
Models of the moon’s surface typically show literal gaps in knowledge from where spacecrafts have not been able to see the surface. Struan’s project used a machine learning model to make incredibly accurate assumptions to fill in these gaps, solving an ongoing issue in lunar surface modelling. This innovative solution allows for more accurate maps of the moon’s surface to be developed and is also applicable to earth-based challenges such as disaster management and climate change planning.
The judges recognised the challenging technical complexity of this project, and admired Struan’s creative yet structured approach to the problem, and his real achievements in demonstrating a successful outcome.
The awards recognised a further three students for their outstanding work.
Enrique Martin Ocana, of Strathclyde University, was named runner up for his use of autoregressive language models in the classroom. The project considered the comparative effectiveness of traditional educational content, versus content generated by AI (Artificial Intelligence). He impressed judges by clearly articulating both the contributions and drawbacks of AI generated content in an educational setting.
Aberdeen University student, William Brown, was a runner up with his automatic code reviewer recommendations in the open-source project, MediaWiki. Code review is a critical element in open-source developments, and William compared the success of using a rule-based system to select the reviewer or using a neural network to perform the recommendations.
The Leidos Best Engineering Prize was awarded to Michael Suttie, of Edinburgh Napier University. Michael developed a prototype telemetry application with practical uses in Formula 1 e-sports.
His application presents both live and historical real-life Formula 1 telemetry data in a simplified way to help amateur and entry-level drivers improve lap times in F1 e-sports.
Karen Meechan, CEO at ScotlandIS, said:“Each year we are amazed at the amount of young talent coming through our universities, showcasing true innovation by producing creative solutions to solve real-world problems.
“These awards are a fantastic way for us to showcase the exceptional technological minds, cultivated right here in Scotland, as they begin their transitions into the workplace.
“It’s ever more important to acknowledge and foster emerging talent to ensure that our tech sector in Scotland continues to flourish. Our industry needs to constantly evolve with skilled people staying ahead of the curve – especially with the growth of AI. This year’s winners really demonstrate how original thinking and a flair for software engineering can transform our understanding of and aptitude in wide-ranging subjects – congratulations to all!”
The longstanding Young Software Engineer of the Year Awards are held annually by ScotlandIS, to champion budding talent in the Scottish technology industry and highlight the innovation and ideas coming from Scotland’s university students.
To enter, universities submit the best final year software engineering project from among their undergraduate computing science and software engineering courses for the awards.
Other shortlisted students included Mads Bendixen, Abertay University, Jack Duffy, Glasgow Caledonian University, Laura Schauer, Heriot Watt University and Irvyn Hall, Robert Gordon University.
++ Protests in Edinburgh, Aberdeen and across UK call on Rishi Sunak to reverse the decision to drill ++
Rishi Sunak is accused of ‘an act of vandalism’ in approving the huge Rosebank oil field, as campaigners protest around the country against the decision.
On Wednesday, the UK Government gave permission to Equinor, the Norwegian state-backed oil company, to develop Rosebank, which is the UK’s largest undeveloped oil and gas field off the coast of Shetland.
Stop Rosebank protests will take place around the country, including in Edinburgh – where campaigners will rally outside the UK Government building – as well as Aberdeen, London, Sheffield and Cambridge. A protest is also happening today (Friday 29 September) outside the headquarters of Equinor in Oslo, Norway.
Edinburgh 16th September 2023.
Campaigners march through Edinburgh to demand a fair and fast transition away from fossil fuels as part of a Global Day of Action.
Neil Hanna
www.neilhannaphotography.co.uk
07702 246823
Stop Rosebank campaigner, Lauren MacDonald said: “This is nothing but a destructive and pointless act of vandalism by Rishi Sunak. Rosebank will not increase energy security or do anything to lower fuel bills.
“Rosebank’s oil mostly belongs to Norway, and the majority will be shipped abroad and then sold back to us at market price. It will, though, exacerbate the climate crisis, which is behind the temperature rises, wildfires and flooding we’re seeing around the world.
“The oil and gas lobbyists and Conservative Party donors invested in fossil fuels attending this week’s party conference will no doubt be delighted with this decision. But handing over billions in tax breaks for oil for export makes zero sense to the millions of ordinary people in this country who can’t afford their heating bills.”
Friends of the Earth Scotland’s head of campaigns, Mary Church said: “The UK government’s reckless decision to approve Rosebank completely disregards all credible climate science and risks keeping households locked in to expensive, polluting fossil fuels for even longer.
“People can see and feel the mounting evidence of climate breakdown and they know that pouring fuel on the fire will only worsen the extreme weather we’re enduring.
“Stop Rosebank protests this weekend will show that we will keep fighting together for a liveable future, and for a fast and fair transition away from oil and gas. Our collective dream of a safe future for all is even more powerful than the destructive fossil fuel industry’s greed for profit.”
DETAILS OF THE PROTESTS
Protests will take place at the following locations and times on Saturday 30 September:
London: 12pm at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, 3 Whitehall Place, London, SW1A 2AW. Protestors will march to the Norwegian Embassy, 25 Belgrave Square London SW1X 8QD.
Edinburgh: 4pm outside the Queen Elizabeth building at 1 Sibbald Walk in Edinburgh EH8 8FT. Rally and speeches outside the building
Aberdeen: 12.30pm at the North Sea Transition Authority, 1 Marischal Square, Aberdeen, AB10 1BL
Liverpool: 10.30am outside Barclays Bank, 48-50 Lord Street, Liverpool, L21TD
Sheffield: 2-4pm at the Town Hall, Pinstone Street, Sheffield, S1 2HH
Huddersfield: 10.30-11.30am at St George’s Square, Outside railway station, Huddersfield, HD1 1JB
Todmorden: 1-2pm at Todmorden Town Hall, Bridge Street, Todmorden, OL14 5AQ Cambridge: 12.30pm at Senate House, Trinity Street, Cambridge, CB2 1SZ
Bristol: 1pm at College Green, Bristol, BS1 5TR
Oxford: 12pm at Carfax Tower, Queen St, Oxford, OX1 1ET. Note: this protest is on Sunday 1 October
MESS by Tenterhooks visited children at Oaklands School on Monday as part of the National Theatre of Scotland and Imaginate’s Theatre in Schools Scotland programme.
MESS by Tenterhooks visits children at Oaklands School, Edinburgh as part of the National Theatre of Scotland and Imaginate’s Theatre in Schools Scotland programme.
Suzie Ferguson and Diane ThorntonMESS by Tenterhooks visits children at Oaklands School, Edinburgh as part of the National Theatre of Scotland and Imaginate’s Theatre in Schools Scotland programme.
Diane ThorntonMESS by Tenterhooks visits children at Oaklands School, Edinburgh as part of the National Theatre of Scotland and Imaginate’s Theatre in Schools Scotland programme.
Diane ThorntonMESS by Tenterhooks visits children at Oaklands School, Edinburgh as part of the National Theatre of Scotland and Imaginate’s Theatre in Schools Scotland programme.
Kerry ClelandMESS by Tenterhooks visits children at Oaklands School, Edinburgh as part of the National Theatre of Scotland and Imaginate’s Theatre in Schools Scotland programme.
