The city council is to repair the road surfaces and drainage on the A8 at Glasgow Road and the Ingliston interchange to improve driving conditions and enhance road safety.
Work will start on Monday 16 September and is expected to finish in March 2025.
Each phase of work will be split into two parts:
Drainage improvement work. This will take place between Mondays and Thursdays from 9.30am – 3.30pm.
Road resurfacing work. This will take place overnight between Mondays and Fridays from 7.30pm – 6.30am.
Phase 1: 16 September 2024 – 25 October 2024 A8 Eastbound – from Ingliston Interchange North West slip-road To Gogar Roundabout.
Phase 2: 28 October 2024 – 15 November 2024 Glasgow Road – From Gogar Roundabout to Maybury Road.
Phase 3: 18 November 2024 – 29 November 2024 Ingliston Interchange North East slip road.
Phase 4: 6 January 2025 – March 2025 Ingliston Interchange dumbbells and remaining slip roads.
Work will temporarily stop between 30 November and 5 January to minimise disruption during the busy festive period.
Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson said: “We’re committed to keeping Edinburgh moving and making sure our roads are properly maintained and serviced. This is why we’re carrying out this major work on the A8 through the autumn and into the New Year.
“Whilst there may be some disruption whilst work is ongoing, this is a key arterial road and it’s essential that we make these repairs.
“I’d like to thank all road users for their patience during this time.
“I’m also conscious that this was one of the key issues raised by our residents in the recent Budget Engagement Consultation. We’re listening and fixing the roads.”
Master’s is child’s play for hero who holps orphans in Ukraine
Gavin Menzies, a 38-year-old from Carrick Knowe, has graduated with a Master’s degree in Play Therapy from Queen Margaret University. His journey to this achievement is remarkable, as he put his career and studies on hold to help people in Ukraine during the war.
Within weeks of the full-scale Russian invasion, Gavin travelled to Kyiv to support children who had lost their families and to provide end-of-life care to the elderly. Despite the risks, he was determined to alleviate the suffering of those caught in the conflict.
Before his involvement in Ukraine, Gavin ran support businesses for children in Edinburgh. The pandemic highlighted the complex challenges faced by the children he worked with, prompting him to study the MSc Play Therapy at Queen Margaret University.
This course, run in collaboration with the specialist play therapy organisation With Kids, equipped him with the skills to better support young people. Due to his volunteering in Ukraine and his local commitments, he studied the course part-time over three years.
Since the full-scale invasion, Gavin has made several trips to Ukraine to provide vital supplies. During his time there, he supplied clothing, supplies and Christmas presents to over 600 orphans in Odessa.
Once home in Edinburgh, Gavin continued to provide vital support to the orphaned group of children by maintaining their extraordinary connection online. His volunteering also allowed him to apply the knowledge gained from his course to enhance his ability to serve children with complex needs in his local community.
As a former player with the Pleasance Basketball Club, Gavin uses sport to give children a head start in life. His High Flyers Basketball Academy has grown to provide coaching to 300 kids across Edinburgh and the Lothians.
Gavin opted to use the last year to focus on his Master’s course to ensure that he was better qualified to support his groups of children.
This July, he graduated from Queen Margaret University with a MA Play Therapy with merit. However, the ongoing plight of the Ukrainian people weighed heavily on his mind.
Now with his Master’s degree firmly under his belt, he has returned to Ukraine and is currently working to rebuild and revamp the orphanage in Odessa and volunteer in Kharkiv, where Russian forces have made gains these last few months.
He has just delivered supplies to a medical representative at an outpost in Kharkiv, and in the last few days, he has also been supporting orphans in Kyiv while drone attacks and bombing takes place all around them.
Sir Paul Grice, Principal of Queen Margaret University, said: “Gavin’s selfless dedication to supporting the next generation through sport is what ultimately motivated him to come to QMU and study the MSc Play Therapy.
“Gavin’s drive and determination to make a positive impact on people’s lives epitomises the values of QMU. He is an inspiration and a true local hero.”
Gavin received his Master’s award at a graduation ceremony attended by QMU’s Chancellor, Dame Prue Leith CBE.
He has now secured a position as a play therapist with the charity With Kids, and continues to blend this work with his holiday camps and basketball clubs, while still volunteering in Ukraine.
Residents and staff at an Edinburgh care home have joined a fundraising challenge that pays tribute to people with dementia by walking more than three miles around their gardens.
More than a dozen residents and staff from HC-One Scotland’s Murrayfield House Care Home have teamed up to take part in Alzheimer Scotland’s Memory Walk fundraising campaign.
With the aid of frames and wheelchairs, the residents – aged from 77 to 97 – have been walking around the care home’s gardens and along nearby Murrayfield Avenue, gathering donations in local shops along the way.
Led by wellbeing coordinator Margaret Finch, the walkers aim to complete the 5km challenge in stages over a number of days.
They have already raised more than £1,000 and counting – smashing their initial target of £300 – but hope to raise even more vital funds to support dementia care, research and improvements in brain health.
Margaret, 63, from the city’s Silverknowes area, has worked at Murrayfield House Care Home for five years.
She said: “The residents and staff were keen to do the Memory Walk because so many of us have either had support from Alzheimer Scotland or have a loved one who has been affected by dementia. My late mum had vascular dementia so I’ve had first-hand experience of the impact this illness can have.
“Alzheimer Scotland do such important work – funding research and fighting the stigma around dementia – and we are all determined to raise as much money as we can for them.
“Our manager Fiona Truesdale gave us the idea to organise the Memory Walk and we’ve had such great support for it from the whole team, including my fellow wellbeing coordinator Norma Mackie.
“The residents have loved putting on their purple t-shirts and taking part.”
One of the oldest walkers is 96-year-old retired engineer Douglas Lamond. Douglas said: “I like to keep fit by doing exercises every morning, so I was delighted to take part in the Memory Walk and cheer the group on.”
Other walkers included Doreen Hall, 88, who lives at the home with husband David, 88, and Elspeth Braidwood, 80, a former Sunday school teacher who used to work at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art.
Doreen’s daughter Debbie said: “My mum Doreen has dementia and Alzheimer Scotland have been a great support, not just for her but also for my dad David who cared for her when they both lived in their own home.
“It’s wonderful that they have the opportunity to support the charity through the Memory Walk.”
The Memory Walk campaign allows people across Scotland to take part in organised events throughout September, or to complete the challenge at a time and place that suits them by doing Your Walk, Your Way.
Events are taking place in Inverness, Edinburgh, Dundee and Glasgow. Tickets cost just £10 for adults and children can be registered for free. It’s quick and easy to set up a sponsorship page, which can be shared with family, friends and colleagues.
Every penny raised will help people with dementia and their carers, as well as supporting better brain health for everyone in Scotland.
Lauren Heap, centre manager for Alzheimer Scotland’s Edinburgh and West Lothian Brain Health and Dementia Resource Centre, said: “Alzheimer Scotland is proud to support people living with dementia and their families and carers, from our centre here in Edinburgh.
“Scotland’s Memory Walk has always had a wonderful ability to bring people together. It’s an opportunity to celebrate the lives of people with dementia and walk to remember them. Every pound raised helps Alzheimer Scotland continue to develop and deliver vital dementia support.”
To find out more and to sign up for Scotland’s Memory Walk, visit memorywalk.alzscot.org
David Wilson Homes is bringing ‘lavish city living’ to the leafy outskirts of the capital with the launch of its two brand-new show homes at West Craigs Quarter.
David Wilson Homes, which forms part of Barratt Developments Scotland alongside Barratt Homes, is now welcoming prospective buyers to visit and experience The Brechin and The Falkland show homes for themselves.
The four-bed properties, which have been designed by Graeme Fuller Design, have been crafted with families in mind, and those looking for quality and space within commuting distance of the city centre.
Both The Brechin and The Falkland have been designed to capture the feel of classic city penthouses, with subtle touches to add an air of sophistication to spaces throughout the homes.
Kyle Downie, Senior Interior Designer at Graeme Fuller Design, said: “We made a conscious decision to make the design of The Brechin and The Falkland show homes at West Craigs Quarter completely different from what we’ve done at other developments to showcase the houses’ versatility.
“In The Brechin, the lavish scheme was tailored to the ‘city living’ vision we see in capital penthouse suites. While the lounge boasts a large corner piece with built-in side tables and a luxuriant chandelier overhead, the dining area is the perfect place for hosting and can seat up to eight people. The kitchen island also offers another space for gathering.
“In the primary bedroom, the wallpaper is breathtaking with a 3D tree-like element in its champagne finish which is perfect for the affluent scheme. The central pendant and the wall lights in the room illuminate the wallpaper the way it was intended so you can admire the movement in the design.”
However, while The Brechin’s kitchen is the social hub of the home, The Falkland’s lounge is the go-to entertaining space.
Kyle added:“The Falkland continues the feeling of walking through a penthouse but from a completely different approach. While The Brechin’s kitchen is the social hub of the home, The Falkland focuses on the lounge with a beautiful corner sofa and adjacent armchairs.
“The large, solid wood dining table and matching dining chairs with their contemporary design absorb the widely aspired style of neutral tones, textured finishes and natural elements.
“The primary bedroom in The Falkland features a wall framed headboard between two fitted mirrors and two hanging pendants above each bedside, making the whole room immediately feel exuberant when the mirrors reflect the light that the pendants individually emit.
“It’s these small touches that create an air of luxury, helping to make the house a home.”
Idyllically located just minutes from the Corstorphine area of Edinburgh, West Craigs Quarter is surrounded by a host of local amenities and family-friendly activities, such as Edinburgh Zoo and walking routes around Cammo Estate.
A selection of well-regarded schools can be found nearby, including a new primary school, nursery and health centre being built on the site by The City of Edinburgh Council.
Excellent transport links into the city centre, including the Edinburgh Gateway tram and train line and a regular Lothian bus service, are ideal for exploring the plethora of shops, restaurants and the historic UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the city centre.
Edinburgh Airport and the City Bypass are also on the doorstep, allowing easy access across Scotland and beyond.
Anne Ross, Sales Director at Barratt Developments East Scotland, said: “We’re excited to finally be able to open the doors to our two brand-new show homes at West Craigs Quarter.
“Kyle and the team at Graeme Fuller Design have done a fantastic job in designing homes that appeal to both growing families and couples looking to indulge in spacious surroundings and quality touches.
“Mix this with the development’s leafy setting on the outskirts of Edinburgh and you really do have a postcode that offers the best of both worlds.”
A variety of three and four-bedroom homes are currently for sale at West Craigs Quarter, starting at £439,995. A range of incentives are also available to help make the move easier, including Part Exchange and Deposit Boost.
For more information on Barratt Developments in Scotland, visit:
Scottish Lib Dem leader sees value of a local branch to prevent fraud and scams and build financial confidence
Corstorphine branch supports charities including their upstairs neighbours at Dean and Cauvin Young People’s Trust
Long-serving colleague’s retirement marked with gifts from local community
Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP, the leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, visited the Nationwide branch in Corstorphine to learn more about how important the branch is to its local community.
The MSP toured the branch and learned more about what branches do to tackle fraud and scams. Fraud has become more sophisticated, and branch staff often act as a last line of defence. In recent times Corstorphine branch staff have noticed spikes in attempted WhatsApp scams and cowboy tradespeople.
Nationwide has promised that everywhere it has a branch, it will still be there until at least 2026 – making sure that face-to-face service stays available on the high street. This policy has led to Nationwide becoming the biggest banking brand network on the high street, with more branches than any other provider across the UK.
Corstorphine’s branch supports a range of charities by acting as a collection point for the Kids Love Clothes clothing bank and with staff from the branch volunteering for Dean and Cauvin Young People’s Trust, which is located above the branch.
Nationwide offers all its staff two days a year of paid volunteering time, and in 2023 donated over £50,000 to the charity to support young people aged 16-26 who are in or leaving care.
Mr Cole-Hamilton also saw the Safe Space in the branch for people facing abuse, which forms part of an initiative Nationwide has introduced in over 400 branches across the UK. Branch staff at Corstorphine are able to offer a private space for someone to call friends, family, support charities or the police.
Customer representative, Lorraine Mudie, has worked for Nationwide for 42 years and met Mr. Cole-Hamilton a week before her retirement.
She said: “It was such an honour to welcome Alex Cole-Hamilton to our branch. I’m glad to be able to show how important the branch is to our local community here in Corstorphine.
“Some of our customers heard I was retiring and have been bringing in gifts and cards just to say thank you and goodbye – which I find really touching.”
Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said: “At a time when most other banks are closing branches everywhere, it’s refreshing that Nationwide have decided to stick by their communities in this way.
“I know many of my constituents will be delighted to have the reassurance that their local branch will remain open.”
Barratt Developments East Scotland has partnered with Edinburgh Zoo to recycle and donate felled trees from its upcoming Livingston development.
Barratt Developments East Scotland – which includes Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes – has donated 21 felled trees from its recently acquired Houston Road site, Woodland Gait, which will launch later this year.
The trees were removed due to them being in a poor condition, creating public safety concerns, or because they were low quality with low biodiversity benefits.
Following the tree removals, Barratt Developments will plant approximately 152 new trees across the site to support local wildlife.
In line with its approved landscape strategy, the new tree species include Rowan and Hazel, as well as other native species.
A robust landscape strategy has been approved for the Houston Road development, including native planting and various biodiverse elements such as the installation of hedgehog highways, along with bird and bat boxes.
Following the donation, Edinburgh Zoo, which is operated by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), will repurpose the trees, with a significant portion being distributed to the Zoo’s resident giraffes, which consume an average of 75kg of plant matter every day.
Larger branches and trunks will also be used as climbing structures and apparatus within the ape and giant panda enclosures, enriching the animals’ habitat experiences. Meanwhile, designated portions of the trees, such as trunk bases and off-cuts, will undergo natural decomposition processes, attracting insects which are ideal for the dietary needs of Giant Anteaters.
The distribution of the repurposed trees across the diverse animal habitats within the zoo will help to ensure that there will be minimal waste, building on both Barratt Developments’ and Edinburgh Zoo’s shared commitment to sustainable practices and lowering carbon footprints.
Jason Watt, Technical Director at Barratt Developments East Scotland, said: “We’re proud to be supporting Edinburgh Zoo with the donation of trees from our new Livingston development on Houston Road.
“Not only does this partnership support our sustainability commitments, it will also be beneficial to the animals and their enclosures.
“Looking forward, we hope to continue to support Edinburgh Zoo’s mission of fostering an appreciation for wildlife and habitat conservation.”
Robert Harden, Head Gardener at Edinburgh Zoo, said: “We were delighted to accept the offer of trees and branches from Barratt’s new site in Livingston.
“We have since used the material as a source of food, branching and perching for the animals, and what was left after chipping has been used as a mulch for feeding the willows and growing on site for the giraffes.
“We pride ourselves with not only trying to educate and preserve endangered species of animals but also to try and work in tandem with the landscape environment itself. That’s why every bit of material that we received from Barratt has and will be used to benefit the animals and the growing environment.”
