Author: davepickering

Edinburgh reporter and photographer

Concert and ceilidh to celebrate World Fair Trade Day

#worldfairtradeday

A major Fair Trade concert and ceilidh will be taking place at the Usher Hall, Edinburgh this May to celebrate World Fair Trade Day 2019 and Scotland as a Fair Trade Nation, showcasing a mix of local talent and international musicians; stalls selling Fair Trade crafts, artisan goods & snacks; a full fun ceilidh and messages on screen from World Fair Trade Organisations (WFTOs) from around the globe representing WTFO members. Continue reading Concert and ceilidh to celebrate World Fair Trade Day

Edinburgh to the fore in Scottish Care Awards

Eidyn Care has been recognised as one of the leading home care providers in Scotland. Members of the team will be invited to a prestigious evening awards ceremony celebrating the best of the independent care at home and housing support sector.  

The Edinburgh-based service has been nominated in the Provider of the Year category at the Scottish Care Awards 2019. This award celebrates an individual service that can demonstrate they are at the forefront of excellent care provision in Scotland.

The winner will be announced at an Awards Ceremony on 17 May at the Marriott Hotel in Glasgow. The Awards will be hosted by Michelle McManus, with over 400 people attending.

The Eidyn Care team were delighted to have been recognised. Director Andrew McLennan said: “The organisation was founded in 2016 and in a short time has firmly established itself as one of the leading providers of quality palliative care at home.

“We recognise that to achieve our number one priority of caring for our clients in the best possible manner, we must invest in our staff. We spend a significant amount of time developing and supporting our team and this has a knock-on impact of more contented staff, as well as positive outcomes for our clients receiving care.”

Also nominated is Edinburgh’s Laura Rose (below), who has been recognised as one of the leading home care employees in Scotland.  

The Community Care Assistant at Carrick Home Services, has been nominated in the Carer of the Year category at the Scottish Care Awards 2019. This award celebrates the significant role of carers in consistently providing a high-quality standard for people living at home, enabling independence and delivering person-centred care and support.

Laura said: “I am very surprised but thrilled and honoured to be chosen as a finalist in these prestigious awards.”  

Andrea Ramsay, Carrick Home Services Director, who made the nomination, said: “Laura has worked as a community carer for over 12 years. She gives her all, every day, to every client she meets. She ensures everyone is treated with dignity, respect, care and compassion. Her passion for caring is a way of life, not just a job. 

“We have a client with Motor Neurone Disease whose speech has deteriorated to the extent that they can no longer communicate. Laura, who taught herself sign language, has now passed this skill on to the client, who is less socially isolated as a result. She is the only one who can understand the client, including MND nurses and other specialists. She is a motivated woman with passion, enthusiasm and dedication for every client.”

The awards have been hailed a huge success in recognising individuals, teams and companies, who are delivering care at an incredibly high standard in an era of challenging budgets and within an increasingly demanding work environment.

The care awards will follow a full day conference with speakers including the Cabinet Secretary for Health & Sport, Jeane Freeman.

 

Lose, lose: Scottish state schools cut number of exams pupils are allowed to sit

Reform Scotland says sharp reduction in National 4s and 5s available in many schools is narrowing educational opportunity for children.

New research released today by Reform Scotland, the independent think tank, exposes a disturbing decline in the number of National 4s and 5s school pupils are being allowed to sit. Continue reading Lose, lose: Scottish state schools cut number of exams pupils are allowed to sit

Holyrood Hotel helps injured cyclist on road to recovery

Macdonald Holyrood Hotel is helping a former school teacher cycle more than 1,000 miles around Scotland as he sets off to raise awareness of debilitating head-injuries and the importance of wellbeing, following his own accident. Continue reading Holyrood Hotel helps injured cyclist on road to recovery

Danny MacAskill celebrates Edinburgh anniversary with Fringe debut

Danny MacAskill, the world-renowned street trials rider and YouTube sensation from the Isle of Skye, is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the launch of his breakthrough video, April 2009, which included mind blowing stunts filmed at iconic locations across Edinburgh. 

It was viewed by hundreds of thousands of people overnight, skyrocketing a riding career that has seen Danny demonstrating his extraordinary street trials skills all over the world, both on video [more than 350,000,000 views online] and to live audiences.  To date April 2009 has amassed well over 38 million views on YouTube.

To celebrate this key career milestone Danny MacAskill and Drop and Roll Tour, his hugely popular street trials stunt display team, will head to the capital for the month of August for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2019, with a brand new supercharged live indoor show, featuring jaw-dropping stunts and gravity-defying tricks to amaze adults and children alike.

Danny MacAskill’s Drop and Roll Live, with an exceptionally talented team of riders including Drop and Roll’s co-founder and fellow Scot, Duncan Shaw, will be performed at The Lafayette at Underbelly’s Circus Hub on The Meadows, Edinburgh, every day from 03 to 24 August 2019; with two shows a day on 07, 12 and 19 August.

Danny MacAskill said: “After living on the Isle of Skye for my entire childhood, Edinburgh was the first city I ever lived in.  Since arriving in the capital in 2006 the city has always been a home from home.  It really opened up a whole new world in terms of riding and made me the rider I am today. 

“I will always be grateful for the stunning back drop Edinburgh provided for the April 2009 video that launched my career.  10 years on it seems a fitting time to return to Edinburgh with the Drop and Roll Tour display team for a run of shows with Underbelly at such an Iconic festival.  Our new show for the Fringe is going to be something very special!”

The team are working on an ambitious, adrenaline fuelled and action-packed debut Edinburgh Fringe show.  Hosted by extreme sports commentator Henry Jackson, the hour-long show will be filled with super skilled tricks and audacious stunts, many replicated from the team’s videos, including the Spikey Fence Rail Ride and Tree Flair (Backflip 180) performed on the Meadows for April 2009.

There will be plenty of crowd participation, prizes, post show poster signings and exclusive Drop and Roll at the Edinburgh Fringe merchandise.

Duncan Shaw, from Inverness (above), one of the world’s leading street trials riders, known for his technical and precision moves, said: “After five years of touring all over the world, to some of the most amazing crowds, the time is right to come back home to Edinburgh for a month of awesome shows on home soil in front of the very special international festival audiences we have heard so much about; our debut Fringe show and a first in a Big Top!

“We can’t wait to get into rehearsals to develop some of the crazy ideas we have been talking about in the tour bus for the last couple of years.  It will be interesting to see which will make the cut. For this extra special show, we are planning to replicate a number of iconic tricks, previously only seen on screen.

“It is no secret that some of these video stunts can take hundreds of attempts to perfect, so we really have our work cut out to get them refined and ready for August. No pressure!”

Since hitting the road in 2014 the Drop and Roll Tour street trials display team have performed shows in Scotland, England, Germany, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Poland, South Africa, Philippines, Indonesia and the USA.

Ed Bartlam and Charlie Wood from Underbelly said: “We’re delighted that Danny and Duncan have chosen to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of their association with Edinburgh with their Fringe debut at Underbelly’s Circus Hub in Drop and Roll Live.

“Circus Hub is the venue for breathtaking stunning stunts and Fringe-goers are sure to have their hearts in their mouths!”