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Detectives appeal for information after firearm discharged in Niddrie

Detectives are appealing for information after a firearm was discharged at a property in Niddrie.

Around 3.05am on Thursday, 20 March, 2025, officers received a report of a firearm possibly being discharged in Niddrie Marischal Crescent.

Officers attended and there were no reports of any injuries.

Extensive enquiries remain ongoing, including door-to-door enquiries and CCTV trawl.

Detective Inspector Martin Smith said: “We believe this was a targeted attack and are following a number of lines of enquiry.

“A dedicated team of officers are working to trace whoever is responsible for this reckless act as quickly as possible.

“From our enquiries so far, we believe this incident may be linked to groups who are actively targeting each other.

“We understand this incident will be concerning for the local community but please be assured we are working hard to trace those involved.”

A white BMW 1 series car was seen in the area around the time the firearm was discharged and officers are keen to anyone who may have seen this vehicle.

Around 4.30am on Thursday, 20 March, 2025, a vehicle was found in Main Street in the Dalmeny area of Edinburgh.

Enquiries are ongoing to establish if the vehicle is linked to the incident in Niddrie Marischal Crescent.

The vehicle has been uplifted and a forensic examination will take place in due course.

Detective Inspector Smith added: “We would urge anyone with information on this car, or anyone with dash-cam, doorbell footage or personal footage, to review it and get in touch with officers.

“I am keen to hear from anyone who saw the car in Niddrie Marischal Crescent or the Dalmeny area.

“Please think back – did you see this car? Or did you see anything suspicious in the area around the time?

“If you have any information at all, please contact us.

“Plain-clothed and uniform officers will remain in the area while our investigations continue.

“Anyone with any concerns, or any information, can approach these officers.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact police via 101 quoting incident number 0281 of Thursday, 20 March, 2025 or alternatively you can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where information can be given anonymously.

Unlimited access at Dynamic Earth

ANNOUNCEMENT!

The way you can visit Dynamic Earth has changed: you can now enjoy unlimited access for 12 months from a single entry purchase!

Our tickets have changed to an Annual Pass, meaning visitors can experience unlimited access for a full year instead of just a single day.

Whether you want to visit once, twice, or every week, your Annual Pass lets you enjoy Dynamic Earth all year long. We’re excited to announce this change which supports a key part of our charitable purpose: to make science accessible for all.

What’s included in an Annual Pass:

Unlimited access for 12 months to our core exhibit and galleries.

A digital wallet pass which can be downloaded to your Apple or Google Wallet.

Access to our constantly changing Planetarium programme, featuring new presenter-led shows, and immersive films.*

Book online and save! Buy your tickets online now to receive a discount on our standard admission rates.

Don’t miss out on a year of unlimited exploration, discovery, and adventure.

Visit Dynamic Earth to save by booking online today:

https://dynamicearth.org.uk/plan…/tickets-and-pricing

*Additional fees for seasonal experiences and Planetarium shows may apply.

Don’t miss out on your State Pension entitlement

Don’t miss out on your State Pension entitlement.

The 5 April 2025 deadline for paying voluntary National Insurance contributions to fill any gaps in your record between 2006 and 2018 is approaching.

Watch our video on YouTube to find out how to check for gaps in your National Insurance record: https://youtu.be/_8GkTNgyXqs

Our online form is available to request a call back: https://ow.ly/oGbl50VarlC

Dobbies marks first day of Spring with largest ever spring gardening range

To mark the first day of spring (Thursday 20 March) and celebrate 160 years of helping British gardeners to grow, Dobbies Garden Centres is kicking off the season in full bloom and unveiling over 1,600 new gardening products; its largest ever spring gardening range.

More than 100 varieties of colourful spring bedding plants are now available to shop in Dobbies stores, including primroses, pansies, violas senetti and marguerites, along with around 20 new lawncare products, 300 new seed varieties and 72 new landscaping products. The garden centre is also adding 40 gardening tools, 22 composts and 22 garden power tools to its offering to cater to customers’ garden living needs.

With some favourable weather across the UK, Dobbies is seeing a strong start to the season, with demand for gardening products on the rise compared to this time last year. Lawncare is on gardeners’ minds, with Dobbies reporting a significant surge in lawn mower sales as customers begin the new gardening season.

Across March so far, Dobbies has also seen sales grow by over 50% across many plants, bulbs, seeds and gardening product categories, in comparison to last year.

Speaking about the new spring launch, Dobbies’ Plant Buyer, Nigel Lawton said: “We’re excited to be unveiling our largest ever range of spring products to help gardeners get set for spring and inspire them to enjoy the benefits of garden living.

“Whether you’re looking to improve your lawn, plant for colour, or invest in new tools, Dobbies is a one-stop-shop for all your gardening needs, and the helpful Green Team will be on-hand to help you find the right product for your garden.

“The early demand for gardening products shows that people are excited to spend time in their outdoor spaces this spring, and we can’t wait to help them grow!”

To explore Dobbies’ new spring products, or to find your local Dobbies store, visit: www.dobbies.com.

Children say exposure to dangerous online content is the greatest threat they face

Children and young people see dangerous and explicit online content as the number one threat they face according to a new survey commissioned by the charity Children First with support from players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

79 percent of young people in Scotland said they are moderately to extremely worried about seeing harmful online content and 78 percent are anxious about the impact of social media according to figures released today by Scotland’s national children’s charity.

Children First said the figures provide further “shocking” evidence of the depth of Scotland’s national childhood emergency, as they revealed less than one in four of the young people who completed the survey said that childhood is better now than it was for their parents.

The charity’s survey quizzed more than 2,460 children and young people aged 11-25 across Scotland about their lives.

Smartphone usage also came out as a top concern alongside worries about mental health.

Mary Glasgow, chief executive of Children First said: “The level of fear and anxiety that children and young people feel about the dangers of being online and the impact on their mental health is shocking.

“That less than a quarter of young people say their childhood is better than their parents, shows how deep the national childhood emergency goes. We must take children’s concerns seriously and act with urgency.

“Our teams have seen a surge in children coming to us who are distressed and at risk of serious harm. We are extremely grateful to the generous players of People’s Postcode Lottery, whose support helps us to be there to help children and young people recover from trauma and abuse. But the terrible reality is that the online threats to our children and young people are growing daily.

“Children can’t protect themselves; everybody needs to help keep them safe. Technology platforms need to stop shirking their responsibility for children’s online safety. They must put children before profit and make young people’s safety their top priority.

“We understand how overwhelming online dangers can feel for parents and carers and are here to help. Anyone who is worried about a child can contact Children First’s support line for help.”

Players of People’s Postcode Lottery have been supporting Children First’s work to protect children across Scotland for over 17 years. Last year alone players raised £900,000 for the charity awarded by Postcode Children Trust.

Children First has been working with young people to understand their concerns about online harm. At a recent workshop, young people revealed worries about cyber-bullying, the dark side of social media, the sharing of photos and videos without permission, the use of artificial intelligence, unwanted contact from strangers and being served dangerous and explicit content.

Commenting on Snapchat, Jessie said: “you don’t know who you are meeting on there,” Beth added: “I have 84 boys trying to add me as a friend… I don’t know any of them.”

Laura said she “think(s) AI is a lot more dangerous than it is good, until there are proper regulations, but there probably won’t be enough regulations ever.”

Children First’s Scotland-wide confidential support line can be called free on 08000 28 22 33 or contacted by webchat at www.childrenfirst.org.uk. The charity’s support line is open 9am – 9pm, Monday to Friday or 9am – 12 noon Saturday and Sunday.

The charity has published some helpful advice for parents and carers about keeping children safe online www.childrenfirst.org.uk/onlinesafety

*Names have been anonymised to protect the identity of the young people quoted.

Operation Branchform: Peter Murrell charged with embezzlement

Former SNP chief Executive Peter Murrell has appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court charged with embezzlement. He made no plea during a private hearing and was granted bail.

Operation Branchform is a Police Scotland investigation into possible fundraising fraud in the Scottish National Party. The investigation was launched in July 2021.

POLICE SCOTLAND STATEMENT:

‘Following direction from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, criminal enquiries into two people arrested as part of the investigation into the funding and finances of the Scottish National Party have now concluded.

‘The 73 year-old man arrested on 18 April, 2023, and the 54 year-old woman arrested on 11 June, 2023, have not been charged and are no longer under investigation.’

The two individuals are believed to be former SNP treasurer Colin Beattie and former SNP leader and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, both of whom were questioned by police during Branchform investigations.

Scotland asked: What is Care?

£1k photo competition

To mark 20 years of championing care in communities across the UK, leading homecare provider Caremark is inviting Scotland residents to enter its unique photography competition titled ‘What is care?’ for a chance to win a £1,000 luxury getaway.

Whether it’s a simple gesture like someone holding another’s hand, a care worker in action, a comforting hug between family or friends, or the bond between a pet and its owner, Scotland residents are encouraged to enter the competition online and submit photographs which capture their personal vision of what care means to them – any creative interpretation of care will be considered.

After a panel of judges at Caremark has shortlisted 12 photographs – one from each UK region – the finalists will go head-to-head in a nationwide social media vote, where the public will choose their favourite and determine who wins the £1,000 luxury getaway.

Emma Scholes, Caremark’s Director of Marketing, shares the inspiration behind the competition: “At Caremark, we champion community and wellbeing, so there is no better way to celebrate our 20^th anniversary than by asking the public to show us what care means to them.

“For me, care is about connection, and this fuels my passion for the work we do. Our care teams are out there every day providing so much more than practical support – they offer companionship, promote emotional wellbeing, and help families manage the challenges of life when extra care and support is needed.

“By asking the people of Scotland to reflect on what care looks like to them, we hope to highlight its profound importance in society – because care means something unique to everyone. I can’t wait to see the variety of visual interpretations; I imagine it’s going to be extremely tough to shortlist them!”

12 finalist entries will be chosen, one from UK region:

Scotland
Wales
Northern Ireland
North East
North West
Yorkshire & The Humber
East Midlands
West Midlands
East of England
London & Greater London
South East
South West

The competition is open to UK residents aged 18 and over.

For full details, visit www.caremark.co.uk/whatiscare. The deadline for entries is midnight on 15th June 25.

Dental practice undergoes major revamp

East Craigs practice benefits from £100,000 investment

ONE of the capital’s biggest dental practices has unveiled a significant refurbishment following an extensive investment programme to enhance services for its 11,000 registered patients.

Since acquiring East Craigs Dental Clinic just over two years ago, Scottish Dental Care has committed £100,000 towards a series of infrastructure and technology improvements.

Crucially, the practice has remained fully operational throughout the phased works, ensuring patients continued to receive care with minimal disruption.

Now, with the latest phase of investment completed, patients and staff alike are benefitting from a transformed clinic.

Co-Founder and Director of Dentistry at Scottish Dental Care Philip Friel, said: “We are committed to continually investing in our clinics to ensure we provide the highest standard of dental care for our patients.

“This latest investment has enhanced both our facilities and treatment options. Alongside modernised patient areas and a new clinical room, we have introduced state-of-the-art digital scanning technology and upgraded essential equipment, ensuring our team can deliver the very best in dental care.

“Expanding our capacity by adding a new surgery and welcoming a sixth dentist strengthens our ability to provide accessible, high-quality treatment.

“By embracing the latest innovations and growing our team, we are further improving the patient experience at every stage of their journey.”

As part of the improvements, a brand-new fifth surgery room has been introduced, increasing capacity and enabling greater access to high-quality dental care. This follows the build out of a new sanitisation suite and a refreshed waiting area.

Additionally, state-of-the-art dental chairs have replaced ageing models, offering an upgraded experience for both clinicians and patients.

A move to digital radiography enhances patient care and the latest digital intraoral scanning technology has also been implemented, significantly reducing the need for traditional dental impressions in most restorative treatments.

Alongside these facility improvements, the East Craigs team has also welcomed a new dentist.

Dr Amna Sajad BDS, a University of Aberdeen graduate, brings valuable experience in treating patients of all ages, including those with anxiety, disabilities, and learning needs. She has a particular interest in paediatrics and restorative dentistry, further strengthening the clinic’s expertise.

East Craigs Dental Clinic has been a vital part of the north-west Edinburgh community for more than 40 years. Originally opened in 1983 as a purpose-built clinic, it offers a comprehensive range of high-quality NHS treatment as well as an array of cosmetic procedures.

Dr. Roddy Little, Lead Clinician at East Craigs Dental Clinic said: “Our commitment to delivering excellent care has always been our priority. Ongoing investment allows us to enhance our facilities, upgrade essential equipment, and introduce cutting-edge digital scanning technology.

“With these improvements, we are proud to offer an even better experience to our patients, ensuring they receive the highest standard of care.”

Glasgow-headquartered Scottish Dental Care has established itself as a major player in Scotland’s dental sector, growing to 21 locations based throughout the country, from Inverness to Dumfries.

Founded by brothers Philip and Christopher Friel, Scottish Dental Care consists of more than 125 clinicians and 200 dental nurses and practice staff serving 250,000 patients.

Philip continues to practice, ensuring that patient care and clinician wellbeing remain a top priority across all clinics. He is regarded as one of the country’s leading dentists.

To register at East Craigs Dental Clinic, visit:

https://scottishdentalcare.co.uk/clinic/east-craigs-dental-clinic/

To find out more about Scottish Dental Care, visit: www.scottishdentalcare.co.uk

Create Community Wealth: The Movie!

Were you involved in the Create Community Wealth project?

If you were part of the Create Community Wealth project in any way, we kindly invite you to join us at the Cameo Cinema on Saturday 29 March at 12.15pm. The documentary film tells the story of this ambitious and rewarding project through the experiences of participants and staff alike.

Friends and family are welcome. We’d love for you to let us know if you’re planning to attend but you’re welcome to turn up on the day. However, if you’re bringing a large group, please let us know by emailing projects@whalearts.co.uk.

Entry at 12.15pm. The film starts at 12.30pm sharp. Social gathering in the Cameo Bar afterwards depending on availability.

If you have any additional needs or disabilities, please let us know so we can properly prepare the venue.

Over £4,900 a year for student carers

Extra money available to many in education

Carers in full and part-time education could be entitled to over £4,900 a year in financial support from Social Security Scotland.

It is estimated that there are over 30,000 students at college or university in Scotland providing unpaid care for a family member, friend or neighbour. Research from Carers Trust Scotland shows student carers are four times more likely to drop out of their studies with a key reason being financial struggles.

Together, Carer Support Payment and Carer’s Allowance Supplement could provide over £4,900 a year to unpaid carers.

Carer Support Payment replaces Carer’s Allowance in Scotland, which was delivered by the UK’s Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Unlike its predecessor, Carer Support Payment is available to many student carers in full-time education.

Carer’s Allowance Supplement, only available in Scotland, is paid twice a year to people receiving Carer Support Payment or Carer’s Allowance.

Students aged 16, 17 or 18 may be able to get Young Carer Grant if they aren’t eligible for Carer Support Payment.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1902349322710081935

Speaking to student carers and staff at Edinburgh College yesterday (Wednesday 19 March), Social Justice Secretary, Shirley-Anne Somerville, said: “We worked with carers and support organisations in designing Carer Support Payment to ensure it worked better for the people who receive it. Extending Carer Support Payment to more carers in education is an example of doing just that.

“I recognise the challenges many students face juggling their studies with caring responsibilities and hope the increased support available provides additional financial security and helps them to complete their course.”

https://twitter.com/i/status/1902349322710081935

Anna Vogt, Assistant Principal Student Experience at Edinburgh College said: “We are committed to supporting our student carers to be able to come to Edinburgh College and achieve their educational ambitions.

“We do this by individualising support for carers, engaging with carer organisations in our region and by designing systems that acknowledge our students have responsibilities and communities outside of college.

“Colleges change lives and we are pleased that this new benefit will support more carers to think about becoming a student at any institution across Scotland.”

Josh, a student at Edinburgh College, added: “The support from Edinburgh College has made a real difference to me and is very different from the support I received at school. It has been particularly helpful to be linked up with my local carer’s association – I didn’t know about them. Now I know about this new benefit, I’m going to explore a bit more about it.”

The £4,900 a year calculation is based on a carer receiving a full year entitlement for Carer Support Payment (52 weeks) and Carer’s Allowance Supplement (a payment in June and then in December) at the 2025-26 rates coming into effect from 1 April 2025.

Carers Trust Scotland works to transform the lives of unpaid carers. They estimate there are more than 30,000 students with caring responsibilities in Scotland. Student research report https://carers.org/downloads/resources-pdfs/young-adult-carers-at-college-and-university.pdf