When considering your impact on the environment, people often think about pollution, emissions, and energy, but not water. Water saving isn’t always top of the agenda in environmental discussions, yet water is one of our most precious resources and it’s increasingly at risk.
Join our water-saving campaign and check where you could be wasting water. If every household made even slight changes to their daily habits, it would seriously reduce our water footprint. Simple steps such as washing up in a bowl, switching off running taps, and using eco settings on the washing machine all help.
Discover ways you can reduce your carbon footprint at home and in the garden
UNISON, the largest trade union in local government, yesterday served notice of strike action in eight local authorities.
The notices of action were served on Friday to Aberdeenshire, Clackmannanshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde, North Lanarkshire, Stirling and South Lanarkshire councils for the first wave of strike action to take place on 26th, 27th, 28th and 29th August and 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th September.
Edinburgh will be the first city tobe hit by industrial action when the capital’s waste teams strike on Thursday.
These latest strike dates are part of a wider co-ordinated plan of industrial action by the three trade unions across local government following the recent conclusion of successful industrial action ballots. The dates that UNISON members in waste and recycling will walk out are the same as those chosen by the GMB for the same groups of workers. UNISON will provide strike dates for schools and early years workers in due course.
The move comes on the day that COSLA Leaders meet to discuss the pay for local government workers again following additional funding provided by the Scottish Government last week.
Johanna Baxter, UNISON Scotland head of local government said: “This is the first wave of strike action which will only escalate if a significantly improved pay offer is not forthcoming. Strike dates for schools and early years workers will be confirmed in the coming days.
“The responsibility for this action lies squarely with the Scottish Government and COSLA, neither of whom seem to have grasped the gravity of this situation. Inflation is projected to be as high as 13%, the cost of living crises is hitting people’s pockets now and yet local government workers still only have a 2% offer on the table, the lowest offer in the public sector. They have had months to sort this out but all we seem to get is dither and delay.
“Our understanding is that the money provided by the Scottish Government is half of what COSLA asked for and goes nowhere near matching the pay offer provided to council workers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
“If this is true then the Scottish Government and COSLA need to get back round the table and come up with a better plan or services will stop. The last thing UNISON members want is a strike but they have simply been left with no other option.”
Following a Special Meeting of council leaders convened on Friday, COSLA Resources Spokesperson, Councillor @KatieHagmannSNP, said:
Introducing Scary Biscuits’ music season at Pleasance at EICC.
Some of Edinburgh’s best musicians showcasing at state of the art venue EICC – great sound, comfy seats… and air con! (And an ice cream stand and deckchairs for chilling out after!)
A genre-busting bunch of tunes, songs and performers: award winning singer songwriters, folk, rootsy blues rock, insurgent country, punk, Afrobeats, americana and a hint of mariachi.
Dive into a world of music and stories with a diverse group of performers, with a wide range of ages and experience, including two female fronted bands.
Be transported for a short while into a world of Scottish folk, a backstreet rock joint with a hint of Memphis, a west African Friday night party, or a New Mexico cantina with a whiff of tequila and desert dust.
Second passenger ship to provide additional accommodation
The Scottish Government’s Super Sponsor Scheme has now offered sanctuary to 10,056 displaced people from Ukraine to travel to safety in Scotland, far exceeding the original commitment to host 3,000 people.
The total number of people from Ukraine offered a place in Scotland through the Super Sponsor Scheme and the UK Government Homes for Ukraine scheme with individual sponsors is more than 13,000 – representing 16.5% of the total UK population share to date.
To accommodate more displaced Ukrainians whose visas have been approved under the Super Sponsor Scheme, the Scottish Government has chartered a second passenger ship, M/S Ambition, to be located in Glasgow. The ship, which is due to be fully operational by September, will provide accommodation for up to 1,750 people with the same level of facilities and support currently available to those in Edinburgh.
Minister with Special Responsibility for Refugees from Ukraine Neil Gray said: “The Scottish Government’s Super Sponsor Scheme has now enabled more than 10,000 people to come to Scotland following the humanitarian crisis caused by Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.
“Unfortunately, there is currently no end to the war in sight. We are firmly focused on supporting displaced people from Ukraine who are seeking sanctuary in Scotland as they flee the war in their homeland.
“Following the arrival of the M/S Victoria I – which has been well received by people on board – the Scottish Government is chartering a second passenger ship – the M/S Ambition – which will be located in Glasgow from early September. This will further enhance our ability to provide safe and secure accommodation for those who need it.
“We are getting close to capacity for the temporary accommodation currently available, particularly across the Central Belt. While areas like Glasgow and Edinburgh are more familiar to Ukrainians, we are encouraging everyone arriving here to consider other areas across Scotland, especially as we see more visas being issued. We can guarantee that anyone arriving here will receive a warm welcome from communities across the country, keen to provide support and open their homes.
“As a humanitarian crisis requiring a whole-of-Scotland response, the Scottish Government continues to work closely with local councils and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities to ensure those displaced people who are already here, and those who have applied and are granted permission to travel, will be safe, secure and supported for as long as they need.”
Druid today announced that their world premiere production of Sonya Kelly’s new comedy The Last Return has won a prestigious Scotsman Fringe First Award at this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The Scotsman Fringe First Awards celebrate the best new writing at the festival.
As part of their commitment to new Irish writing, Sonya Kelly’s comedy was produced by Druid in Galway, had its world premiere at the 2022 Galway International Arts Festival in July, and is now running at the Traverse Theatre in the heart of Edinburgh. Following this international run, the production returns to Ireland for dates at Dublin’s Gate Theatre as part of Dublin Theatre Festival in October and November.
News of the Scotsman Fringe First Award follows rave reviews by critics including five-star ratings from What’s On Stage, The Arts Desk and The Wee Review, and praise such as ‘pitch black comic mayhem’ from The Guardian, ‘wonderful’ from The New York Times, and ‘shocking and very funny’ from The Irish Times.
This is the second Scotsman Fringe First Award for playwright Sonya Kelly who previously won in 2012 for her play The Wheelchair on My Face.
Druid has won numerous awards at Edinburgh Festival Fringe over the years including in 1980 for two plays, Island Protected by a Bridge of Glass and The Pursuit of Pleasure (both written by Garry Hynes), in 2007 for The Walworth Farce by Enda Walsh, and in 2008 for another Enda Walsh play, The New Electric Ballroom.
Directed by Sara Joyce, The Last Return is a thrilling comedy about conflict, peace and the pursuit of territory at any cost. One final night. One last chance. Five people queue for a ticket to the hottest show in town. All they must do is simply wait in line. But what in life is ever simple? Who will triumph, who will fail, and who will walk away with… The Last Return?
Following the success of Furniture (2018) and Once Upon a Bridge (2021), The Last Return marks the third time Druid has premiered a new work by Sonya Kelly. The Last Return has already earned the acclaimed playwright a nomination for The Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, while Once Upon a Bridge was nominated for Best New Play at the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain Awards in 2021, and Furniture won the Stewart Parker Trust Award in 2019.
Playwright Sonya Kelly: ‘I am thrilled and humbled to receive a Scotsman Fringe First Award for The Last Return at Traverse Theatre.
“It has been an unforgettable journey getting this play from page to stage with Druid and director Sara Joyce. Here’s to the return of live theatre and welcome back Edinburgh Fringe. We missed you.’
Garry Hynes, Druid’s Artistic Director: ‘I am so thrilled for Sonya, for everyone in The Last Return company, and my colleagues in Druid. It’s an honour for us to share Sonya’s work with audiences at home and abroad.
“I’m also very grateful to our Edinburgh hosts, Traverse Theatre, and to our funders and supporters, including our core funder, the Arts Council of Ireland, and Culture Ireland, who made our Edinburgh run possible.’
Dog owners are preparing to walk 9K with their K9s and make charitable donations go through the ‘woof’!
Tails and tongues are set to wag this August with the return of pawsome annual fundraising event, Wagathon™, initiated by leading fundraising platform, Give as you Live Donate.
Dog owners across the UK are being encouraged to put on their walking boots and join their four-legged friends in walking 9K any day they like throughout August and raise vital charity funds.
Participants can choose to raise money for a charity close to their heart, whether it’s a local dog rescue centre or a well-known national charity — they all need support!
When dog owners sign up, they will receive a special welcome pack, including a Wagathon™ tag for their dog’s collar — plus, they will be in with the chance of winning some top prizes from Yappy and Scruffs.
It’s super-simple to get involved in the Wagathon™ challenge. All people need to do is:
1) Pick a charity to support
2) Create a Wagathon™ fundraising page
3) Share the page with friends, family and colleagues
4) Complete 9K with your K9s
Participants are encouraged to tag @thewagathonpack on Instagram and share their fundraising journey to be in the chance of winning a pawsome prize bundle!
For further information, and to kickstart your challenge, visit:
In memory of her beloved dog, Freddie, who passed away in June 2022, Charlotte Jones from Lapworth, Warwickshire, will be walking and running 9km every day during the month of August. She’ll be walking 279km in total to raise money for Fetcher Dog Charity.
Fetcher Dog was founded because thousands of dogs are born on the streets of Bosnia every year, condemned to starvation, disease and brutal, inhumane deaths.
Fetcher Dog aims to rescue as many of these dogs as possible and find them forever homes.
So far, Charlotte has reached 50% of her fundraising target.
Lynn Carr, from Seaham, County Durham, owns beautiful spaniels, Willow and Bobby. This August, the trio will be walking 9K in the Lake District for a charity close to all their hearts, Spaniel Aid.
Back in 2017, when Bobby was only 8 months old, he was given to Spaniel Aid by owners who couldn’t look after him. He spent time in foster carer where he was taught simple things like walking on a lead. After seeing his picture on the charity’s Facebook page, Lynn applied to meet him.
Lynn says: “We visited Bobby with Willow to see if they got on and, a week later, Bobby came to join our family. Without this charity, we would never have come across our boy. For that, we are entirely grateful.”
Unfortunately, Bobby was one of dozens of spaniels up for adoption or needing foster carers. Spaniel Aid is funded entirely by donations and the generosity of the public and people who adopt dogs from them.
Fiona Reid, from Musselburgh, Scotland, and her gorgeous Miniature Wirehaired Dachshunds, Harris and Bracken, are on a mission to walk 9K and raise as much money as possible to support a fellow Dachshund called Daphne.
Daphne was recently rescued by DMT Dachshund Rescue and Support Group, a charity that rescues Dachshunds from the meat trade in China and Korea with the clear mission that no Dachshund gets left behind.
Daphne has a broken leg, and someone sadly cut off her tail, leaving her with an infected stump. The charity wasn’t sure whether her leg could be saved at first; but, after examination, Daphne’s leg can be healed at a heavy cost of £3,700.
To support the charity and Daphne with this bill, Fiona, Harris and Bracken will be walking a 9k coastal walk this August in East Lothian.
Daniel Hoole, from Chesterfield, is walking with his spaniel, Buddy, for Phoenix Heroes — a charity that supports veterans.
As a veteran himself, Daniel used Phoenix Heroes when he was suffering from PTSD and, through their support, he was able to get his life back on track by socialising with others, fishing and reflecting on the past.
Daniel says: “The charity is so special to me; they have helped me more than I could put into words. Completing Wagathon with Buddy is great as we are both doing what we love and helping others with similar situations to myself. I recommend this challenge to any dog owners as it’s a fantastic challenge to enjoy with your best friend.”
Instead of completing the 9km in August, Daniel and Buddy will be doing Wagathon around Remembrance Day in Snowdon.
Edinburgh is the only UK city where student spend outweighs their income
Cardiff tops the Royal Bank Student Living Index as most affordable
Canterbury University most likely to be picked for subject choice, followed by Glasgow University
Glasgow University students report the highest levels of stress
Average student incomes have increased by 65% compared to 2021
Outgoing costs for students are 29% higher than last year
Edinburgh is now the most expensive place in the UK for students to live as revealed in the Royal Bank of Scotland Student Living Index. The index takes account of student spending and income to calculate a score for university towns and cities across the UK.
This year has shown that household bills have more than doubled for students with an average cost of £56.45 per month, with supermarket spending accounting for the single biggest monthly outlay at £76.29 each month.
Edinburgh has the highest cost of student living. Students in the Scottish capital have a monthly term-time income of £934, the lowest of all the cities ranked, whilst their total monthly spending is at £949. Edinburgh students are the least likely to combine studying and working during the academic term.
In contrast, Cardiff tops the list of UK cities for the best value for money. Below average rent prices combined with higher-than-average term-time incomes contributed to Cardiff being named the most affordable student city.
Term time income for Cardiff students averages at £2241.65 and is the fifth highest of all the cities surveyed. They spend an average of £1,041 in total – the fourth lowest of all the cities in the Student Living Index.
The Royal Bank Student Living Index surveyed 2,964 students across the UK to determine the most affordable place to study. The survey accounts for factors such as how much students spend on going out to income through part-time work.
Oxford is now the most expensive place for a pint, with students expecting to pay £5.50 per drink, closely followed by London with an expected cost of £4.90. In comparison to Durham where students can expect to pay just £3.20 and Coventry at £3.40.
Students studying in London and Manchester were the most likely to rely on parents or family for income. London students received £295.10 more from this source than the UK average of £334.40 and those in Manchester £193.10. Compared to 2021, Oxbridge students are relying less on parents and family to pay rent and more so on bursaries and scholarships in 2022.
When it came to budgeting, over a third (35%) of students have found themselves running out of money by the end of term – 8% higher than in 2021. Just under one in five students said that they find managing their money stressful, and this the most pronounced in Coventry. Students in Cambridge are the most likely to put away month each month, 82% higher than the UK average.
Perhaps in response to Covid-19 restrictions ending, compared to 2021 students are spending an average of 63% more on going out than the previous year.
A quarter of students felt that their universities do nothing to help with the ongoing cost of living crisis. Durham had the highest number of students who felt they had no support from their university at 56%.
Addressing the cost of living challenges, almost nine in ten (88%) students have made lifestyle changes to live within their budgets, with reducing the number of items bought online the most widely adopted change.
Changes to how students shop in the supermarket have also been a factor, with 46% saying they’ve swapped to own-brands. Meanwhile, 43% said they were buying fewer takeaways.
Laura Behan, Head of Royal Bank Student Accounts said: “Despite the cost of living increasing dramatically, we’ve not seen that hit students quite as hard as may have been expected this year. Rents were set well in advance of the academic year and inflation increased much later into the academic year.
“However, with the cost of living increasing, especially as we look towards the start of the new university year in September, it is vital that students properly manage their finances. We offer a range of tools to help, including spend categorisation in our mobile app so students can see exactly where their money is going every month and a Round Ups tool to help develop a strong savings habit.”
The Royal Bank of Scotland student account offers a £80 cash incentive within the first 30 days of opening the account, a four-year tastecard membership and a £2000 interest free overdraft.
Royal Bank also offers free Financial Health checks to help students to organise their finances.
The Half Price Hut is a great place to discover something new at the Fringe, by trying a show that starts that day (or the next morning) for half the usual price.
This year’s Half Price Hut offers are located in the Fringe Box Office (180 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1QS) from 10:00 till 18:00, Monday to Sunday – and, to make things a little easier, we’ve made the daily Half Price Hut listings available on our website so you can see what’s on before heading into town.
Be quick though, as ticket allocations are limited – once they’re gone, they’re gone!
All Half Price Hut purchases have to be made in person – and remember to say the words “Half Price Hut” to make sure you get the discount!
The weather forecast is pretty toasty over the next few days (by Edinburgh standards, at least!) so remember to wear sunscreen and drink plenty of water.
Our access tickets service is available to help anyone with an access requirement make the most of the Fringe – if this could be of use to someone you know, please feel free to pass it on.
Drop in on the street events taster stage at Cathedral Square to enjoy free outdoor snippets of full-length Fringe shows –you can find the daily street events line-up on edfringe.com.
Show-stopping projection unveiled on one of Edinburgh’s most iconic buildings
Official Partner Destination of The Fringe, Johnnie Walker Princes Street, has kicked off its partnership with the world’s most famous arts festival, by unveiling a show stopping projection illuminating the entire eight floor building.
The projection, created by Scottish projection specialists, Double Take, uses the iconic cantilever clock that sits on the outside of the Johnnie Walker Princes Street building, as a recurring theme.
The 2D/3D projection features a series of bold and colourful scenes that reimagine the facade of the visitor experience with dancers, acrobats and musicians, the idea being that performers are housed within the inner workings of the magical clock – allowing the cogs and clockwork elements to be woven throughout the piece.
The eight floor building is also a proud Fringe venue with ‘Pick of the Fringe’ which is a line-up of the best performances from across the festival. Set in the venue’s purpose built event space, Label Studio, two must-see shows will run daily every Thursday – Sunday at 4.30pm and 10.15pm.
Each day, three acts have been hand-picked from The Fringe’s unrivalled talent pool, for exclusive performances overlooking the Edinburgh cityscape.
The line-up includes performances from: Grammy and Emmy-winning Soweto Gospel Choir, Britain’s Got Talent finalist Magical Bones, Australian drag and circus act Briefs Factory, America’s Got Talent semi finalist Dom Chambers, and many more.
Johnnie Walker Princes Street has also created ‘Tropical Time Out’ on Victoria Street, an experiential space giving festival goers the opportunity to step out of the busy city and into a world of flavour, showcasing just a hint of what’s in store at Johnnie Walker Princes Street. From here, guests can get a taste of what to expect on the Journey of Flavour tour, before heading down to the newly lit building for their own multi-sensory whisky adventure.
Barbara Smith, Managing Director for Diageo’s Scotland brand homes said: “It’s wonderful to see Edinburgh’s festival season in full swing once more and we’re delighted to be part of the action.
“Johnnie Walker Princes Street is looking fabulous both inside and out, especially with the unveiling of our exciting new projection which will illuminate Princes Street with some fabulous story-telling and images.
“This is our first summer in the city and our team are delighted to welcome visitors to our Journey of Flavour tour, Pick of the Fringe performances, rooftop bar and retail space. We know a thing or two about making the perfect blend and our festival line-up is no different, so head along and see us for an exciting festival experience.”
The Journey of Flavour is a 90 minute tour with 3 whisky drinks tailored to your flavour preference (non alcholic options avaible). Complete with a unique flavour-based quiz and personalised cocktails, the full-sensory adventure culminates in a flavour-filled celebration with three whisky drinks.
Ticketholders for any ‘Pick of the Fringe’ event receive 30% off their Journey of Flavour experience along with 20% off in the venue’s state-of-the-art retail store, subject to terms and conditions.
The projection will feature every night of the festival from 10pm.
