North Edinburgh News – Page 22 – The NEN

Celebrating the work of the Drill Hall resident artists and makers

Cellular Exhibition – Tuesday 14th to Friday 24th April
Exciting FREE exhibition showcasing the work of Drill Hall residents
Featuring over 20 artists and makers from paintings and illustration to jewellery
Meet the artists: Wednesday 15th April (6.30pm – 8.30pm)

Out of the Blue Drill Hall is excited to host a new exhibition showcasing the work of over 20 of its resident artists and makers, from painters and illustrators to jewellery makers and printmakers.

This 6th showcase exhibition will run from Tuesday 14th to Friday 24th April (10am to 5pm) with an opportunity to meet the artists and makers on Wednesday 15th April from 6.30pm to 8.30pm at the official exhibition launch.

Every great work of art starts with a single cell – a solitary thought, a lone brushstroke, a single spark. The artists and makers of the Drill Hall emerge from their individual workspaces to weave these threads together.

Cellular invites you to explore a diverse ecosystem of work, bridging the gap between the maker’s private process and the public’s gaze.

With so many artists and makers taking part, there really is something for everyone. Painters include award-winning artist Daniel Murray. Working in acrylics on board, he paints realistic portrayals of the human form and the natural world, often mixing these subjects with abstracted landscapes inspired by the highland environment he grew up in.

Leith Jewellery Studios founder Amanda McGrattan will be showing her jewellery at the exhibition. Amanda’s work has been inspired by the grit and vibrancy of graffiti and urban street art. She translates the world around her into wearable narratives using a signature blend of textured and oxidized silver, liquid and powder enamels, and vivid acrylics.

Textile work includes pieces by Needle Bow, a garment and accessories brand, designing and producing bespoke garments and accessories, using upcycled materials wherever possible.

The exhibition is being co-curated by painter Aoife O’Callaghan and textile artist Monika Fejes of Remode Collective. They’ll both be exhibiting and showcasing their work.

Aoife comments: “I am excited to be building on our previous exhibition. The sense of community amongst the Drill Hall tenants is growing, and I’m looking forward showcasing some of our work in our home-studio environment.”

Out of the Blue Chief Executive Rob Hoon adds “The Out of the Blue Drill Hall houses a huge range of creative activity, and it’s a great pleasure to see the variety and quality of artists’ work displayed in the Cellular Exhibition, for all to enjoy.”

Details of the Cellular Exhibition, as well as a list of participating artists and makers can be found on the Drill Hall website.

Participating Artists and Makers

Stamped Cat (Linocut prints)
Violetta Palak Jones (Paintings)
Daniel Murray (Paintings)
Graeme Walker (Abstract paintings)
Cam Life Designs (Jewellery, precious metal weaving, painting / sculpture)
Solen Collet (Photography)
Martin Fishman (Jewellery)
Jacob Danson Faraday (Jewellery, metal work)
Aoife in Leith (Paintings)
Shamil Sokolov (Jewellery)
Lawfieldcrafts (Silver and glass)
AMcGrattanJewellery (Handmade jewellery)
Gillie Welstead (Silver and gold jewellery)
Mairi MacSween Designs (Illustration)
Needle Bow (Textiles)
Ylfa (Accessories & jewellery – head pieces, hair pins and earrings)
Second Sun (Silver jewellery)
Elaine Wilson (Painting and tapestry)
Guy Howe Conners (Jewellery)
Samuel Watterworth (Plotter art)
Felicity Inkpen (Paintings, drawings and prints)
Knockwood Studio (Music and its visualisations)
Remode Collective (Mixed media textile art)

Follow Out of the Blue Drill Hall on Facebook and Instagram

Poster designed by Cameron Murdoch of CAM Life Designs.

GY: Bricking it in West Pilton Park!

Efinburgh and Lothian Greenspace Trust (ELGT) are very proud of this hard working group of young people from Granton Youth who are learning brick laying skills in order to build some new brick planters at West Pilton Park.

This is part of the re-development of the park and will be one of the new design features.

Police appeal for information following Chesser road accident

Road policing officers are appealing for information following a crash in Edinburgh in the early hours of this morning.

Around 12.21am (Saturday, 11, April, 2026) police received a report of a crash involving a blue MG HS and a 49-year-old male pedestrian on Chesser Avenue.

Emergency services attended and the pedestrian was taken to hospital having sustained life-threatening injuries.

The 35-year-old female driver was not injured.

Sergeant Fraser Mitchell said: “Our enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances and I am appealing for anyone with information to get in touch.

“I would ask anyone who was in the area around the time of the collision to contact us, especially those who may have dash cam footage that could assist with our enquiries.

“Anyone with any information is asked to contact 101 quoting reference 0074 of 11 April, 2026.”

Planetarium Lates at Dynamic Earth

EDINBURGH SCIENCE FESTIVAL

DON’T miss Planetarium Lates As part of Edinburgh Science Festival 2026, enjoy an adults-only science night out with classic films inspired by the creatures that roamed the Earth over 65 million years ago in the Planetarium at Dynamic Earth.

Jurassic World (2015) Saturday 11th April 2026 | 8pm

Godzilla (2014) Sunday 12th April 2026 | 8pm

Discover more showings for ages 18+ including ‘Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon’, and stargazing with our in-house astronomers.

Book your ticket with Edinburgh Science Festival, or visit our website:

https://dynamicearth.org.uk/easter-at-dynamic-earth/

Disruption warning as D Mains roundabout to close on Monday

Davidson’s Mains roundabout closed from Monday (13 April) for work to improve road safety. There will be no access for vehicles from Cramond Road South, Main Street or Quality Street.

This will affect Lothian Bus services 47 and 21.

Find out more about bus diversions: www.lothianbuses.com/service-updates

The city council is working hard to limit disruption and working closely with Lothian Buses to put alternative plans in place for Cramond residents from next week.

More information www.edinburgh.gov.uk/davidsonsmains

Tomorrow: Closer to Cultures 2026 event at Muirhouse Library

EDINBURGH MULTICULTURAL FESTIVAL

Closer to Cultures: 2026 Spring/Summer Season programme starts tomorrow with a mesmerising journey across China at Muirhouse Library!

@MuirhouseLib.

Join Edinburgh Chinese Arts Association for a lunch treat of fashion, music and dance. Book at:

https://eventbrite.co.uk/e/closer-to-cultures-2026-springsummer-season-tickets-1986640400918

Letter: It’s time for politicians to hear deaf people

Dear Editor,

With just a few weeks to go before a pivotal election in Scotland, now is the time to urge our local representatives to address a major public health issue that has been overlooked for far too long.

As I write, the needs of the 1.5 million people in Scotland who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus are being neglected, and this must change.

It’s unacceptable that people with hearing loss in Scotland face routine waits of up to 18 months for audiology services, with some forced to wait even longer.

Too often, healthcare services in Scotland also fail to meet the communication needs of deaf people and those with hearing loss, such as providing an accessible alternative to the telephone, or a BSL interpreter for those who need one. This leaves people unable to fully understand or participate in decisions about their own care.

We want Scotland to be a country where the 1.5 million deaf people and people with hearing loss or tinnitus are fully included and treated with respect, dignity and understanding.

In the run up to the election, RNID is urging people to raise these issues with their local MSP candidates. You can contact your local candidates by visiting www.rnid.org.uk or by clicking here.

Regards,

Ruth MacLeod,

Health Policy Advisor, RNID – the national charity supporting people who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus.

Thomas meets SAS staff who saved his life after crash

A youngster who suffered serious injuries after being trapped in a vehicle after a serious crash has been reunited with the SAS responders who helped him.

Thomas Bell, of Edinburgh, aged 12, was involved in the incident on May 8, which left him with serious injuries.

His dad, Grahame and Charlie, aged 10 at the time, were also in the vehicle.

The incident involved multiple SAS assets, including East SORT and EMRS West.

Thomas visited the Scottish Ambulance Service’s ScotSTAR base to meet up with some of the staff who assisted him, including Dr Tim Parke and Dr Jon McCormack.

Mum Orla said: “It was a very exciting day for the boys and an emotional one for my husband and I. Thomas spent more than 4 months in hospital, undergoing multiple complex surgeries.

“All of the emergency services helped save our son’s life and the NHS doctors and nurses gave him his future back. As parents, we simply could not have asked for better care, empathy and expertise. We will be forever grateful to all of the people involved and I will never stop saying thank you to you all.”

Dr Tim Parke, an emergency doctor who was on duty at the EMRS base in Glasgow, said: “Throughout the entire incident, Thomas remained completely calm and controlled. This was extraordinary considering the trauma of the accident and the injuries sustained.

“It was an honour to have played a small part in that journey.”

World Book Night: #GoAllIn event at Stockbridge Library

Although we will not be open till late on Thursday 23rd April for World Book Night, we will still be celebrating at Stockbridge Library–please join us on Wednesday the 22nd from 6-7pm to share a poem or a short passage from an author who has made a lasting impact on your life.

No need to register in advance, but please do pick something that can be read aloud in under ¬3 minutes!

#GoAllIn

Loganair opens applications for 2026 GreenSkies Community Fund

Loganair, the UK’s leading regional airline, is welcoming new applications to its GreenSkies Community Fund after distributing more than £100,000 to local projects over the last five years.

The bespoke environmental initiative, established in 2021, is designed to help charities, community groups, and small businesses to achieve their sustainability goals.

Applications for the fund are now open and will close on 7th May. Over the last five years, Loganair has awarded 24 projects over £100,000 in funding.

Last year’s successful projects included:

Murtle Garden in Aberdeen, which received £5,000 to install a new polytunnel in its walled garden, providing 50 young people living with learning disabilities access to a year-round growing and learning environment.
Shed the Light in Derry/Londonderry was awarded £5,000 to install a solar generator at Creggan Country Park to support its renewable energy workshops.
Winchester Hospice in Hampshire was granted £5,000 to purchase an e-bike and install bike parking to support low-emission palliative home care.
Gifford Community Woodland in East Lothian received £3,180 to plant 420 trees in an effort to restore woodland damaged by ash disease.
Uigshader Living Forest Project in Portree received £4,185 to purchase battery-powered tools for low-impact peatland restoration.

The variety of projects illustrates the breadth of the impact that the GreenSkies Community Fund has within communities, supporting organisations across a wide range of sectors to reduce their carbon footprint and improve sustainability.

Rebecca Borresen, director of safety and sustainability at Loganair, said: “Through our GreenSkies Community Fund, we’re proud to support the organisations and individuals taking practical steps to make their communities more sustainable. From restoring natural habitats to investing in renewable energy and low-emission transport, the projects we’ve funded so far show how local action can make a real difference.

“We’re looking forward to seeing the innovative ideas that come forward this year and continuing to support initiatives that help reduce environmental impact while delivering lasting benefits for communities across the UK.”

The GreenSkies Community Fund forms part of Loganair’s broader environmental programme, which includes commitments to carbon offsetting, investment in sustainable aviation technologies and achieving the ambitious target of becoming net zero by 2040.

Since its launch, the fund has supported numerous community projects and businesses across the UK in adopting greener practices and reducing their environmental impact.

The GreenSkies Community Fund is funded through a small mandatory carbon offsetting charge applied to every Loganair flight, with proceeds invested in accredited offsetting projects and community initiatives.

Interested organisations can learn more about the fund and submit their applications by visiting:

https://www.loganair.co.uk/flying-with-us/greenskies-community-fund/