VIRGIN HOTELS EDINBURGH SENDS TASTEBUDS TINGLING WITH A BRAND-NEW BRUNCH MENU
Virgin Hotels Edinburgh’s premium cocktail bar and restaurant, Eve, is adding an exciting new flavour to Cowgate, as it officially launches its exquisite new brunch offering.
A specially curated experience for guests, presenting mouth-watering dishes to awaken tastebuds, carefully crafted cocktails perfect for day drinking and weekly live entertainment. Taking place every weekend between 12pm and 4pm, this new offering introduces a fresh take on brunch.
Eve opened its doors in late 2022 and boasts a luxurious interior with unique floor-to-ceiling murals and a vibrant, lively atmosphere, making it the perfect brunch spot in Edinburgh’s Cowgate.
At Eve, brunch is just the beginning. Guests can experience the excitement of weekly live entertainment with DJs and saxophonists bringing the party atmosphere to Edinburgh’s Old Town.
And that’s not all, Eve will keep things fresh offering drag brunches and musical themed afternoons, making brunch at Eve the place to spend your weekends. To kick off each month in style, there will be special payday events to add an extra sprinkle of joy to this brunch offering.
Just in time for the iconic Beyoncé concert, Eve has launched their brunch service, providing the perfect opportunity to fuel up before the show. As guests indulge in the delicious brunch offering, the sound of Beyoncé’s hit songs will fill the air, setting the tone for an electrifying pre-concert celebration.
In addition, Eve will offer even more entertainment options throughout the weekend to elevate the brunch experience. On Saturday, guests can groove to the sound of ‘The Katet’, a funky brass band that will keep the energy high with their soulful tunes. On Sunday, Amber Lights will take the stage, bringing a unique twist to beloved classics from the 70s, 80s, and 90s by infusing them with a funky flair.
This new brunch menu offers a range of culinary creations, meaning that there is something to satisfy every craving. From creamy sweet potato hummus to wholesome granola bowls, each bite is a delightful journey. Guests can explore tropical flavours with mango and pineapple brûlé or try the vibrant shakshuka and fresh salmon poke bowls. To cure a sweet craving, there is also waffles, delectable French toast, and the irresistible Brunch Board to indulge in, delivering the ultimate selection of sweet delights.
No brunch is complete without an accompanying tipple. Eve’s brunch offers an exquisite selection of beverages, including refreshing classics like the Bloody Mary or spicy cousin, Bloody Maria. Guests can also savour the refreshing Red Snapper or French Martini and of course, the ultimate brunch pairing, everyone’s timeless favourite, Mimosa, adding a touch of celebration to every occasion.
Launching this weekend, the 20th and 21st of May, booking is encouraged to guarantee a table. All reservations can be made through Open Table by visiting: https://www.opentable.co.uk/r/eve-1-victoria-street
David Moth, Virgin Hotels Vice President of Operations, and Interim General Manager of Virgin Hotels Edinburgh, said: “We are delighted to introduce brunch to Eve which offers an exciting new addition at the weekend for locals and visitors alike.
“Our team gas carefully curated a menu that we believe is going to get foodie’s taste buds tingling, of course, washed down with classic Eve cocktails and a couple special new additions.
“From amazing entertainment to stunning surroundings, we look forward to welcoming guests to enjoy all that brunch at Eve has to offer!”
Citadel’s Arts Group’s 12th foray into Leith Festival is an exploration of the atmospheric North Leith Burial Ground. Their playwrights workshop wondered what lies beneath Coburg Street and found a number of big characters interred in this small cemetery.
Seven members of Citadel’s group of older writers each chose to research the story behind one of the graves.
There are people whose achievements and eccentricities will be dramatized in a play, The Ghosts of North Leith. Using music, humour and poetry, the drama will raise awareness of this fascinating area of Leith history.
In the Coburg Street Burial Ground lies Lady Anne Mackintosh nicknamed the ‘Colonel’. Playwright Rhona McAdam explains she was drawn to her ‘as she seemed a strong, independent woman, taking part in the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745.
“Her husband, Sir Angus, chief of Clan Mackintosh, was a Captain in the government troops. Since he was unable, or unwilling, to raise the clan to fight for Bonnie Prince Charlie, Lady Anne did it instead.
“When the Jacobites won the Battle of Prestonpans, Sir Angus surrendered to his wife. After the Battle of Culloden, when the Jacobites were defeated, Lady Anne surrendered to her husband.’
Jim Brown took on the poet, Robert NicolI, heralded as the next Robert Burns. Jim said: ‘I became fascinated by Robert Nicoll because he was a poet, writer and radical newspaper man born in 1814, who packed so much into his short life. He died aged 23.’
No stone marks the burial place of 12-year-old Matilda Molesworth, but burial records indicate the spot. She features in the real-life story of the Trinity poltergeist. One of the collection of unexplained happenings in Catherine Crowe’s 1848 book “The Night Side of Nature“, it has popped up in anthologies of uncanny happenings ever since.
Another member of Citadel’s playwrights’ workshop, novelist Hilary Spiers explains: ” I’ve long been interested in the history of slavery in Scotland.
“While John Gladstones (buried in North Leith graveyard) and his grandson William Gladstone are better known, I felt John’s wife Nellie (who was known to be a very capable woman) might well have held views at odds with the men in her family. Women were a strong if largely unsung force in the abolitionist movement’.
Elaine Campbell came across the North Leith gravestone of three children and told us: ‘I was intrigued. Who were these three bairns so lovingly remembered?
“In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries when the Millar children lived and died, infant mortality was ferociously high. Sadly all attempts to locate the children in church records proved fruitless.
“There were Millars living in Leith at the time. I have assumed Peter, John and Archibald were part of this extended, prosperous family of merchants. Although the “Three Cherubs” is my fictional account, I drew on historical material to describe their short lives and untimely deaths.
“By telling their story I hope to have given voice to the countless children who lie long forgotten in North Leith Graveyard’.
Was it chance or Divine intervention that led writers Carolyn and Brian Lincoln to the gravestone of the Rev. Dr. David Johnston? Previous attempts at finding the grave of this pillar of the North Leith community had proved fruitless.
The Lincolns were paying one last visit to the Coburg Street churchyard, when they noticed the letters D.D. poking through the moss. D.D. Doctor of Divinity. They scraped away some moss and there was the name. David Johnston (1735-1824) served the parish for nearly 60 years, a strong leader when Leith was seriously threatened by the ships of John Paul Jones, who supported the breakaway American colonies.
The play, which includes all these stories, and more, will be given a trial performed reading in North Leith Parish Church on 15 June. Citadel Arts Group seeks feedback from this first audience at Leith Festival with a view to staging a full performance of the play later in the year in the same venue.
North Leith Parish Church in Madeira Street welcomes Citadel Arts Group’s interest in the burial ground, and the church building which was to have been the keystone of Leith’s ‘New Town’.
Tim Bell told us: ‘I welcome the play as a chance for local and Edinburgh people to see this beautiful Georgian Church before it is released from the Church of Scotland estate in 2024’.
Venue: North Leith Parish Church, 51 Madeira Street EH6 4AU
Associated event: Hilary Spiers will lead a free guided tour of North Leith Burial Ground in Coburg Street on Monday June 12th at 2pm. Places are limited. Book from Liz Hare
Writers: Carolyn and Brian Lincoln, Jim Brown, John Lamb, Hilary Spiers, Elaine Campbell and Rhona McAdam.
Cast: Mark Kydd, Deborah Whyte, Chelsea Grace, Gregor Davidson, Dale McQueen.
Director: Liz Hare
Sound: Stewart Emm
Citadel Arts Group (SC 034687) is a Leith-based theatre company which specialises in creating new plays based on local stories, memories, and history.
Minister responds to major report on redesigning the children’s hearings system
Minister for Keeping the Promise Natalie Don has welcomed a landmark independent report that sets out more than 100 recommendations for transforming Scotland’s unique children’s hearings system.
‘Hearings for Children’ has been developed following a 20-month review of the children’s hearings system, and how it can be reformed to better support children needing care and protection.
The work has been led by Sheriff David Mackie, the Promise Scotland and the Hearings System Working Group (HSWG) and follows on from the publication of the Independent Care Review (The Promise), which recommended a review and redesign of the children’s hearings system.
The Scottish Government will now take the time necessary to carefully consider the proposals contained within the report before responding later in the year.
Speaking at the launch of the report, Minister for Keeping the Promise Natalie Don said: “The Children’s Hearings System is unique to Scotland and for over 50 years, the dedication and commitment of those working within it has been outstanding.
“However, the Promise is clear that the system needs to change, as children’s experiences in the system haven’t always reflected that investment of care and skill.
“I am very grateful to Sheriff Mackie, the Promise Scotland and the wider Hearings System Working Group for this crucial report. It has clearly been developed with care and we must apply the same levels of care and diligence when considering our response.
“The Scottish Government will now move forward with a programme of transformational change founded on this report. We’ll reflect on the legal, financial and workforce implications of these proposals before responding more fully later in the year. We will work closely with all partners, including those in the responsible agencies such as COSLA and Social Work Scotland to deliver wholesale positive change.
“Where early positive change is possible, I am clear that should happen quickly. The changes that need new law or new structures will take time, but I want to assure children, families and those that work in the system that there will be opportunities to contribute, and to shape future reforms. Children, young people and the care-experienced community – along with volunteers and professionals – want to see this work yielding positive, sustainable change. I am determined that we will deliver that for them.”
PUPILS from The Royal High School have created planters, using materials donated from Cala Homes (East), to brighten up their local community this summer.
The project saw 30 S2 Craft, Design and Technology (CDT) pupils working in groups to create 12 planters. Six of the planters have been housed at Cala’s Cammo Meadows development in Edinburgh. The remaining six have been donated to nearby community groups, including the Corstorphine Dementia Project and Oaklands School, to help brighten up the local area.
Cala Homes (East) initiated the project as part of its ongoing commitment to supporting the communities in which it builds, donating both building materials and tools to The Royal High School.
The housing developer contributed more than 108 metres of specially treated timber as well as panel saws, staple guns, small electric chop saws, glue and screws. All the tools and materials requested by the school as part of the project were used under teacher supervision.
Mr Davy Allan, CDT teacher at The Royal High School, who oversaw the design and running of the project, said: “This project has been hugely beneficial for the pupils who have acquired new practical skills during the course of building these planters.
“Pupils were taught how to measure and mark accurately, how to cut complex angles safely and how to apply appropriate finishes to ensure materials are weather resistant.
“Due to the scale of the final product, it also gave pupils an opportunity to work collaboratively to physically cut, measure and move the units around the workshop. They also had to work as a team to get the planters assembled correctly. This experience will help these young pupils understand how these practical skills are implemented in the real world.”
Philip Hogg, Sales and Marketing Director from Cala Homes (East) said: “We are delighted to work with The Royal High School on this planter project.
“Not only does the project provide positive learning outcomes for the pupils, it has resulted in 12 stunning planters which have been placed at key locations across Northwest Edinburgh for the local community to enjoy.”
Once assembled, Cala Homes (East) worked with its landscapers Land Technology to fill the planters with a range of eye-catching flowers and plants. The mixture of hardy evergreen and bright coloured perennials will ensure longevity, while providing food and shelter for insects.
The Cammo Meadows development features a stunning selection of one-,two- and three-bedroom apartments priced from £220,000, two- and three-bedroom Capital homes from £335,000 as well as detached homes from £755,000, all set within the desirable suburb of Cammo.
Plan to grow economy, target spending and deliver progressive tax system
Economic growth, progressive taxation and spending plans that unapologetically target those in greatest need are at the heart of a financial strategy announced by Deputy First Minister Shona Robison.
The Medium-Term Financial Strategy outlines the approach to ensuring Scotland’s finances are on a sustainable footing and delivering high-quality public services in the face of high inflation. This includes:
growing the economy, including by delivering on ambitious commitments on childcare, seizing opportunities in areas where Scotland has a competitive advantage and supporting entrepreneurs, start-ups and scale-ups
taking tough decisions around spending, focusing on what is needed to achieve the missions of equality, opportunity and community
updating the tax strategy, with a new advisory group to be established this summer and chaired by the Deputy First Minister
The strategy details the tough choices required in challenging financial circumstances. Scottish Government estimates indicate that due to inflation, pay increases and the lack of further funding from the UK Government, current resource spending requirements could exceed funding by £1 billion in the next financial year, and by £1.9 billion in 2027-28.
The gap between capital spending commitments and funding could rise to 16% in 2025-26.
Ms Robison said: “We are steadfast in our commitment to tackling poverty, building a fair, green and growing economy, and improving our public services to make them fit for the needs of future generations.
“But we must recognise that our current financial situation is among the most challenging since devolution, driven by the Covid pandemic, the war in Ukraine and the recent period of high inflation.
“Our funding remains largely based on decisions made by the UK Government, but they have failed to take the steps required to inflation-proof our budgets, and their decisions from Brexit to the disastrous mini-budget have made matters worse. This is creating substantial pressure on our public services, which we have no choice but to address.
“Today I have outlined our strategy for managing these challenges, doing all we can within our powers to ensure public finances are on a sustainable path. We will have a laser-like focus on spending, ensuring it targets equality, opportunity and community.
“We will generate economic growth, supporting businesses to invest and create new jobs while increasing tax revenues to invest in better public services. And we will continue to build the most progressive tax system in the UK, ensuring the burden of taxation is placed on those with the broadest shoulders.
“There can be no escaping the difficult choices ahead, but by following the plan outlined today we can provide a more prosperous and fairer future for the people of Scotland.”
Responding to the statement, STUC General Secretary Roz Foyer said: “The Cabinet Secretary for Finance is in a slightly better budgetary position than was predicted this time last year. However, she rightly points out that UK Government austerity and its manufactured cost-of-living crisis continue to hit Scotland hard.
“However, this is not an excuse for inaction. There is a worrying lack of ambition from the government ministers which cannot be condoned.
“Tax reform cannot be kicked down the road for another year. To protect services and pay, the Scottish Government must make good on the First Minister’s pledge to leave no stone unturned in seeking to raise additional income by rebalancing wealth. This means committing now to the policy changes required to introduce wealth and property taxes as the STUC has advocated.”
Sight Scotland: people with vision impairment will not be able to take part in the bottle return scheme
Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans have welcomed the delay to the Bottle Deposit Return Scheme and are urging the Scottish Government to use this time to consider the implications it will have for visually impaired people.
The Bottle Deposit Return Scheme, which is used by many other countries to encourage recycling, will charge people a small deposit on certain types of containers, which will be given back to them when they return it to a recycling point. People return their items to a reverse vending machine where they scan their bottles to receive cash back.
The sight loss charities are concerned that people with vision impairment will not be able to take part in the scheme and will incur the increased costs with no way of getting their money back, thus increasing cost of living pressures further.
Craig Spalding, Chief Executive, Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans, explains: “Although we support environmental initiatives like the Bottle Deposit Return Scheme, we are extremely worried that the rights of visually impaired people have not been taken into consideration when the scheme has been developed. We urge the Scottish Government to take this time to review several unacceptable accessibility issues.
“For many blind and partially sighted people online food shopping is key to being able to shop independently. This is also true for many older people. We are concerned that those unable or who find it challenging to physically go to a supermarket will not be able to participate in the return scheme and will bear a disproportionate cost on bottled items.
“We are aware that new regulations state that some large retailers will provide a vital takeback service. However, we are very concerned about recent reports of one large supermarket possibly cancelling online shopping deliveries to get out of offering a takeback service. If this is the case, it is likely other supermarkets will follow suit which will isolate more people with visual impairment from the scheme.
“For those who are able to shop in person, we are also concerned about how someone with visual impairment will be able to identify what bottles are included in the scheme and how will they be able to operate the reverse vending machine. Will they be required to scan the bottles manually? It is essential the codes are in large print and have a tactile marker to indicate where they are on the bottle. We feel it is a necessity that reverse vending machines should include audio instructions and large print on the screen. The test machines which are currently in some shops around the country have none of these unfortunately.”
Spalding adds: “We have written to the Scottish Government raising our concerns and are currently awaiting a reply. As it stands just now, the Bottle Deposit Return Scheme just does not work for blind or partially sighted people.”
Councils empowered to raise money for local tourism
A Bill to enable councils to invest more in local tourism facilities and services through a levy on overnight stays has been published.
If passed by the Scottish Parliament, the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill will give councils the power to apply a levy on stays in overnight accommodation based on a percentage of the accommodation cost.
All money raised would have to be reinvested locally on facilities and services substantially for or used by visitors, enhancing the tourist experience and benefitting local communities and their economies.
Under the plans, councils would be required to consult communities, businesses and tourism organisations before putting a visitor levy in place. They would also have to consult on how any revenue raised should be spent.
The proposals follow public consultation and form part of the New Deal for Local Government which gives councils greater financial flexibility and strengthens local democracy.
The Scottish Government has also invited representatives from the tourism industry, COSLA and other partners to join an expert group to consider how it could best be implemented if passed.
Public Finance Minister Tom Arthur said: “Scotland is already a very popular tourist destination and the domestic and international visitors we welcome every year have a significant and positive impact on the Scottish economy. Giving councils the power to introduce a visitor levy is one tool that will provide additional resources to continue to attract visitors to Scotland.
“Levies on visitors staying in paid-for accommodation are already used around the world and it is reasonable for local areas to want a small contribution from tourists to help support and sustain visitor economies.
“There have been significant contributions to the Bill so far from the tourism industry, COSLA and other partners and I look forward to continuing to work with them as it progresses through Parliament.”
COSLA Resources Spokesperson Councillor Katie Hagmann said: “COSLA welcomes the Scottish Government’s move to give councils the power to apply a visitor levy. This represents a key step towards reaching COSLA’s long-standing goal of a more empowered Scottish local government.
“COSLA has consistently called for the ability of councils to set and raise taxes based on what is needed and decided locally. By providing each local authority with the power to set a rate charged to visitors, and to do so independently of the Scottish Government, the Local Visitor Levy empowers local decision-making, with councils able to respond to the needs of their area and the people who live there.
“COSLA is well aware that Scotland’s councils and communities have a great diversity of needs – what works for one council will not necessarily be suitable for another. We welcome the flexibility offered by this legislation, and will consider if there are opportunities for it to go further. We are looking forward to seeing further investment both in tourism and our communities in the future.”
City council Leader Cammy Day has welcomed today’s publication of a Bill by the Scottish Parliament to empower councils to raise money through tourism.
If passed, the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill will give the City of Edinburgh Council the power to progress plans for a levy on stays in overnight accommodation, which it has been campaigning to see introduced for over five years.
The council has produced a substantial body of work to back its case for why a levy is the right move for Edinburgh, including a detailed consultation in 2018 which saw 85% of 2,500 respondents expressing strong support for its introduction. This figure included a majority of Edinburgh-based businesses and accommodation providers.
It was estimated then that a levy in Edinburgh could raise in the region of £15m per year to invest in sustainable tourism and managing the impact of tourism on the city. The Bill published today stipulates that levies must be based on a percentage of the accommodation cost, and spent of services substantially for or used by tourists.
Council Leader Cammy Day said: We’ve been building the case for Edinburgh to introduce such a levy for years so it’s great to finally see this Bill brought forward.
“We’re very proud that Edinburgh is one of the world’s most popular visitor destinations, but we’re equally aware that this success comes at a cost. That’s why we believe it’s right to ask visitors to make a small contribution to help us sustain and improve our tourism offer while managing its impact, and why we’ve been a key driver working with COSLA and the Scottish Government to see this legislation brought forward.
“A visitor levy is common practice in other major cities and destinations so why not here, in the place named ‘best city in the world’ to visit by Time Out magazine?
“From our citywide consultation held in 2018, our proposals gained overwhelming backing from Edinburgh’s residents, businesses and attractions – and, importantly, also from the majority of accommodation providers.
“Clearly, this model will need to be reviewed in line with the recommendations of the Bill so reshaping this with input from industry partners and communities is our next priority. It has been an extremely challenging period for our culture and hospitality industries so it’s more important than ever that we are fully committed to working together with them and other partners to co-produce a scheme that works best for the whole of our Capital city.”
EDINBURGH SNP POLITICIANS WELCOME INTRODUCTION OF TOURIST TAX LEGISLATION
Tommy Sheppard MP and SNP Council Group Leader, Adam McVey, have today welcomed the publication of a Bill which would give Edinburgh City Council the power to invest more in local tourism facilities and services through a levy on overnight stays.
Sheppard, whose Edinburgh East constituency encompasses some of the City’s most popular tourist attractions like Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Mile, has committed to work with the local tourism industry, City Councillors and MSP colleagues to “get the Bill over the line.”
If approved by the Scottish Parliament, the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill will grant councils the authority to impose a levy on overnight accommodation, calculated as a percentage of the accommodation cost.
All funds generated from this levy would be reinvested locally, primarily in facilities and services used by tourists. This reinvested aims to enhance the tourist experience and bring significant benefits to local communities and their economies.
Edinburgh City Council have announced its proposal to implement a nightly charge of £2 for the first week of a stay, to be added to the price of any room. It is estimated the scheme would bring in between £5 million and £35 million a year, depending on the final model agreed.
Commenting, Tommy Sheppard MP said: “It’s great to see the Scottish Government move forward with proposals to give councils the power to apply a visitor levy. It’s particularly welcome here in Edinburgh – a city which proudly welcomes over welcomes over 4 million visitors annually.
“This isn’t a question of fleecing tourists as some suggest, but a rather a matter of fairness. It cost money to keep our streets clean, well-lit, and safe. It costs to support our festivals, to keep our museums and public spaces world class.
“Residents pay for this through their council tax and yet many living outside the city centre don’t get a lot of benefit from it. It’s only fair that people who come here for a few days or weeks and take advantage of these facilities make a modest contribution too. That’s what this legislation will give Edinburgh City Council the power to do.
“I look forward to working with the local tourism industry, Edinburgh Councillors and my MSP colleagues to get this Bill over the line.”
SNP group leader Adam McVey, added: “Edinburgh has well-developed plans for a tourist tax, and I’m delighted this legislation has moved to the next stage to make these plans a reality.
“More than 90% of residents backed plans for this levy in the City when asked and the engagement from industry means the Edinburgh plan is well thought out and deliverable for businesses too.
“This has been a key ask of local government for the last 6 years and it’s fantastic that the SNP Government have responded so positively through this process to further empower Councils on this policy as well as progressing many others.”
BOYACK CONCERNED THAT VISITOR LEVY IS STILL YEARS AWAY
Following the introduction of a Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill, Sarah Boyack MSP has written to the Minister for Community Wealth and Public Finance, Tom Arthur, to welcome the Bill but raise concerns that the powers for local authorities to implement a Levy could be years away.
In her letter, the Scottish Labour MSP said that “there are some key aspects of the proposed Bill that lack detail and will have an impact on local authorities like the City of Edinburgh that are ready to get on and introduce a Levy.”
Boyack referred to the Section 12 of the draft Bill which requires local authorities to carry out consultation prior to making a decision to implement a Scheme, raising questions about whether consultation already carried out by the City of Edinburgh Council would be accepted by Ministers to meet the requirements in the draft Bill.
It comes after the City of Edinburgh Council Leader, Cllr Cammy Day, raised concerns that having the power and implementing a Visitor Levy could still be two years away. Sarah Boyack is concerned that the draft Bill means that this is an underestimation.
Commenting, Sarah Boyack MSP said: “I welcome the introduction of this Bill, which will make a huge difference in public purse and will allow our councils to fund vital local services.
“A Visitor Levy Bill is long overdue.
“However, the lack of detail, particularly on timescales, in the draft legislation concerns me given that the warning from the City of Edinburgh Council that having the powers and implementing a Visitor Levy could be two years away is actually an underestimation of the time it will take to get a scheme up and running.
“Our Councils are severely underfunded. Introducing a Visitor Levy like other cities across Europe could raise approximately £15 million extra every year which would go towards funding local services.
“I am keen to ensure that there are no unnecessary hurdles for Edinburgh to implement a Visitor Levy and get the full benefits for local services as quickly as possible.”
In a recent Parliamentary Question on a Visitor Levy the Minister for Community Wealth and Public Finance agreed to meet with Sarah Boyack MSP and representative from Edinburgh City Council on the Government’s proposal. It is hoped that this meeting will take place within weeks.
Designed by Semple Begg and generously funded by Project Giving Back, the garden will be relocated to Royal Hospital for Children , Glasgow, following the show.
The Teapot Trust provides art therapy for children with chronic illnesses and the garden represents a place where a child’s imagination blooms in response to art therapy taking them ‘elsewhere’ away from their illness, helping them express and ultimately overcome their fears.
Teapot Trust Chief Executive, Sarah Randall said: “Winning gold is a fantastic acknowledgement of the brilliance of Sempe Begg’s design in conveying the freedom gifted by art therapy.
“The most important point is that we’ve never lost sight of the reason we created the Elsewhere Garden – to reach more children so that their lives can be transformed through the healing power of art therapy. For us, that’s gold.
We are so grateful to Project Giving Back’s funding that has enabled this to happen, helping us reach more children and their families who will benefit from art therapy.’
The garden was designed for Teapot Trust by Scottish-Swiss design team Semple Begg. The garden which must be at least 80% plants with designers encouraged to showcase unusual and interesting plant combinations includes a signature ‘Dolly Mixture’ stream of Candelabra primulas and a Chelsea first appearance for a pair of Picea abies ‘Inversa’.
Susan Begg and Nicola Semple (top) say: “We are thrilled to have won Gold! The Teapot Trust Elsewhere Garden tells the story of the transformative power of art therapy, creativity and imagination.
“The one thing we couldn’t have imagined is what a fantastic experience it would be. Our thanks to the whole team and to all who have supported the project. Most of all to Project Giving Back – who made it all possible.”
Following Chelsea, Teapot Trust’s winning Elsewhere Garden will be permanently relocated to the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow to create an inclusive safe space to help overcome barriers to accessing healthcare. It will be used for outdoor art therapy and all patients and visitors will be welcome.
Dunedin Consort, Hera and Mahogany Opera come together to breathe life into 300 year-old ‘operas’ that have never been staged in Britain before
23 June – 12 July 2023
Findhorn, Glasgow, Edinburgh, York, London
Élisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre Cantates Bibliques: ‘Judith’, ‘Rachel’ & ‘Susanne’
Carolyn Sampson, Anna Dennis, Alys Mererid Roberts – Sopranos
Modern English translations by Toria Banks
Directed by Mathilde Lopez
Élisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre’s biblical cantatas are extraordinary historical jewels. Written by a woman, about women, for women, they tell bold, unflinching tales about love, marriage, tragedy and adultery, each one a tiny opera in all by name.
These breath-taking miniatures – in new English translations by Toria Banks and directed by Mathilde Lopez– will receive their UK premieres more than 300 years after they were composed.
Out Of Her Mouth will be performed in atmospheric, accessible settings that champion the ability of women to tell their own stories and narrate their own experiences from the Highlands of Scotland to central London.
Translator, Producer & Joint Artistic Director, Hera Toria Banks said: “I’ve been thinking about this project since I first read and heard the Cantates Bibliques, particularly those that tell knotty stories about Biblical women, because while there are exceptions, complex narratives about female experience are pretty rare in the operatic canon.”
But as much as the stories themselves, it’s also about the way they’re told, with a single female singer holding the stage in an authoritative way, and presenting the different characters including the men.
Toria Banks added: “I think you can feel Jacquet de la Guerre’s confidence and ease as a mature composer in these pieces. Within each one there’s a lot of musical variety and a fascinating relationship between teller and tale, characterised by nuance and irony and all sorts of subtle shifts of tone. They’re very fleet of foot, which feels very contemporary.”
Out Of Her Mouth is directed by Mathilde Lopez, a freelance director and the artistic director of August 012 theatre company.
Mathilde Lopez said: “These are three stories about sex and power and ultimately the perpetuation of patriarchy. We are narrating the heroic moments in the lives of three women from the bible: Susanne, Rachel and Judith who endure and overcome different but equally perilous situations.
“Surprising and complex, these baroque vignettes display varied dilemmas and moral contortions but all have in common the very recognisable fear, solitude and violence generated by constant unwanted sexual attention, harassment and objectification. Our women are all kneaded by male violence and the thousand years of abuse that comes with having a female body.
“In Out Of Her Mouth we are presenting these three pieces together as variations on female oppression. Performed by 3 different singers, 4 musicians, 5 watermelons and 7 large blue rolls, we are staging the one long story of accumulated frustrations, anger, wounds and violences of Susanne, Rachel and Judith and lay it bare for the audience to see.
“There will be knives, watermelons and destruction – with regular cleaning and resetting.”
In writing an English version Banks set out to preserve the sinuous quality in the dynamic relationship between singer and story and audience.
“I think I’m always trying to translate ‘faithfully’, but you do have to be faithful to a number of different things at once.
“There are the original words (by Antoine Houdar de la Motte), but also I think you owe something to the central characters and their plausibility and wholeness as women, and to the emotional shape of the music which is aiming at effects on an audience that is very different to the one originally imagined (we can’t all be Louis XIV). And everyone deserves a clear, singable, idiomatic text.”
It’s definitely a feminist project. But it’s not just about performing music by women. That’s important, but ‘Yay for women!’ isn’t enough. It’s a show about three women characters who are all trying to exercise agency and live fully in really constrained circumstances.
The actions they take, and the things that they bear, living under patriarchy come at a cost to themselves. There’s real power and beauty in hearing that expressed.
The three characters and stories are told by three fabulous sopranos: Carolyn Sampson immerses us in the story of Judith, Anna Dennis in that of Rachel and Alys Mererid Roberts brings us the story of the young Susanne.
Throughout Out Of Her Mouth the three partners have sought to create opportunities for professional development, offering support and mentoring to an artist appointed by open call to each area of the production.
Dunedin Consort has appointed Katarzyna Kowalik as harpsichordist, Hera has engaged Welsh soprano Alys Mererid Roberts, and Mahogany Opera has appointed Mathilde Lopez to the directorial team.
Working with Mahogany Opera on Dido’s Ghost in 2021 marked the beginning of a wonderful new partnership for Dunedin Consort.
Dunedin Consort’s Chief Executive, Jo Buckley commented:“It was a real meeting of minds, where we discovered a shared passion for exploring new ideas, pushing our boundaries, and opening up the world of opera in brilliant and creative ways.
“So, we are thrilled to be partnering with Mahogany Opera again for Out Of Her Mouth, and to be working with Hera for the very first time, particularly given their specialism in representing stories told by and about women.”
This project marks the culmination of Dunedin Consort’s 22/23 season and is the perfect way to bring it to a close. Bringing early music to life and in fresh and insightful ways is at the heart of Dunedin Consort’s mission.
Jo Buckley added: We want to spark curiosity in our listeners, and what could be more thrilling than Élisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre’s biblical cantatas, now 300 years old and never before staged in the UK?
“Composed by a woman, about women, for women, these powerful miniature operas deserve to be far better known – and we can’t wait to give them the prominence they deserve across Scotland, in York and in London this summer.”
Making their work as accessible as possible to both audiences and performers drives all three ensembles. The potential to enjoy Out Of Her Mouth will be widened with the use of creative captions, audio description introductions and the film of it will be released later this year as part of National Centre for Early Music’s online Christmas festival.
Out Of Her Mouth is a partnership between Dunedin Consort, Hera, Mahogany Opera and the National Centre for Early Music.
Did you know that in the average primary school class, at least two children will have suffered abuse or neglect? At children’s charity the NSPCC, we are doing all that we can to change this, but we need the help of people in Scotland.
Child abuse is preventable – not inevitable. That is why we have been delivering our Speak Out Stay Safe service across the country. Through a virtual assembly and in-person workshop and with the help of our mascot Buddy, our Speak Out Stay Safe programme covers topics like bullying and abuse – without using any scary words or adult language.
Children learn about the different types of abuse in a child-friendly and age-appropriate way, so they can get help if or when they need it. We help them identify a trusted adult they can talk to if they are ever worried about themselves or a friend. And they learn about Childline and how it can support them.
But to reach all primary school children in Scotland, we need people from the community to volunteer to go into schools and deliver this ground-breaking programme.
We are recruiting volunteers in the following areas – EDINBURGH, Glasgow, Clackmannanshire, Stirling, Perth & Kinross, Inverness, Angus, Aberdeen City, East Renfrewshire and Renfrewshire.
If you can spare the time to visit two schools a month, we will give you all the training and support you need to help empower a whole generation with the understanding and confidence they need to speak out.
