If you’re curious to learn more about Lauriston Agroecology Farm – and especially about why we planted so many trees – come along to our farm tour on Saturday 1st February 11:30am (finishing 1:15pm with soup and bread).
Farming with trees (‘agroforestry’) was once commonplace, and nearly got swept away by large scale industrial agriculture and monocrop growing. We will share how we are reviving it here at Lauriston Farm, with all the hope and excitement this brings.
The farm tour will take in the:
– Community Orchard
– Woodland restoration area
– Agroforestry alleys (lines of trees that create sheltered and stable space to grow other crops, as well as bringing crops of fruits and nuts themselves)
You’ll hear from the folk who look after the trees on the farm – sharing what we’ve done, why we’ve done it, and what we’ve learned so far
+ then all return to the Community Kitchen for soup and chat.
Who is this For?
We welcome all curious visitors, including total newcomers, as well as farmers and growers and anyone interested in a career or volunteering in this type of work. This tour is aimed at adults or interested young people (the free community event in the afternoon is more suited to children).
Accessibility
This is a walking tour across the farm, lasting around 1.5hrs, potentially also suitable for all terrain/off road wheelchairs or mobility scooters, but not standard wheelchairs. The ground is rough, and will be wet and muddy in parts.
The standard rate ticket helps us cover our costs. We also offer solidarity options, so you can contribute more if you are able to, and take a discount if you need to:
Standard rate: £6
Solidarity +50% £9
Solidarity -50% £3
+ if the ticket cost is a barrier please get in touch with info@lauristonfarm.org as we have some limited free places available.
Road accidents see a spike in the run-up to Christmas, and while this can be due to increased traffic volume, driver fatigue also has a big part to play as it’s estimated that 10 to 20% of crashes happen because of tired driving.
Christmas is a busy time and the stress from frequent holiday gatherings, Christmas shopping and planning can cause a lot of people to feel exhausted and sleep deprived.
It’s important for drivers to make sure they’re well rested before getting behind the wheel, as they’re twice as likely to crash if they’ve had five to six hours of sleep compared to the recommended eight hours.
Drivers are also told to plan regular rest breaks for longer journeys, taking a break for at least 15 minutes every two hours.
Tired drivers are most likely to crash on monotonous roads such as motorways because of the lack of driver stimulation, potentially leading to microsleeping behind the wheel.
Microsleeping happens when tired drivers nod off for up to 30 seconds and data has revealed one in three Brits have experienced it.
Eating can also exacerbate fatigue and drowsiness, so it’s best to let the food settle for a few hours after eating a big Christmas meal at a holiday gathering.
Cat Wiltshire from Online-Bedrooms.co.uk said: “While fatigued driving is a danger throughout the whole year, the risks are further increased during the Christmas season, as many people struggle with festive burnout.
“Many of us feel exhausted in the run-up to Christmas as it’s a high-intensity period filled with office parties, holiday gatherings, endless Christmas shopping trips and lots of travelling to ensure you’re spending time with all your loved ones.
“The roads are a lot busier around the holiday season which already increases the risk of collisions, and adding fatigue to the mix makes the situation far more dangerous.
“Before driving home for Christmas, it’s crucial to ensure you get enough sleep the night before, especially if you’re planning to head out early to avoid traffic.
“Even going to bed an hour or two earlier before a long car journey can make a big difference, as those getting five to six hours of sleep are twice as likely to crash compared to seven to eight hours.
“Taking regular breaks is also important, especially if you’re driving for more than two hours. Even if your journey is shorter, make sure to look out for signs of fatigue such as excessive yawning and heavy eyelids.”
Splash into 2025 with New Year’s challenge to transform lives
A UNIQUE swimming challenge is making waves this January, inviting swimmers across Scotland to set personal goals and raise funds for a life-changing hydrotherapy pool on behalf of leading disability charity, Capability Scotland.
“Swim the Distance,” led by Commonwealth Games gold medallist and Olympian Dan Wallace, challenges participants of all ages and abilities to swim 10, 20, 30, or 40 kilometres during the month of January to help raise at least £25,000.
Funds raised during the 31 day challenge will support the development of a flagship £600,000 hydrotherapy pool at Capability Scotland’s national disability hub in Perth.
The state-of-the-art facility will serve as a vital resource for disabled people, offering therapeutic benefits and opportunities for recreation and connection for people supported by the charity, as well as the wider local community.
Dan Wallace, who won gold in the 400-metre individual medley at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, was inspired to support the challenge after visiting Capability Scotland and seeing the impact of hydrotherapy first-hand.
He said: “Swimming has always been my ‘happy place,’ and seeing the joy it brings to the people Capability Scotland supports was truly inspiring. It reminded me why I love this sport and motivated me to get involved with this fun New Year challenge.
“This is a chance for everyone to introduce a healthy kick start to the year, experience the incredible benefits of swimming and support a facility that has the power to transform lives.”
Participants can take part individually or come together as a team to multiply their distances, with free training and support provided by Swimmr. This platform, founded by Dan Wallace, aims to offer everyone the opportunity to access lessons and tips online to improve their technique in the water during the month long challenge.
All entrants will gain access to Swimmrs Freestyle Masterclass course and join its exclusive online community, where they can share their progress, celebrate milestones, and track their fundraising impact on a national leaderboard.
Designed for swimmers of all abilities, the event combines fitness, community, and purpose, providing participants with bespoke training plans to help them achieve their targets.
Ailsa Wallace, Head of Fundraising at Capability Scotland said: “This challenge is about much more than swimming – it’s about raising vital funds to create a state-of-the-art hydrotherapy pool that will transform lives.
“The pool will provide therapeutic benefits, promote well-being, and open up new opportunities for inclusion and connection.
“With Dan’s support, we’re encouraging people across Scotland to get involved, make a difference, and be part of something truly life changing.”
Registration is now open, and the challenge officially kicks off on 1st January. Participants can sign up individually or fundraise as part of a team, with no restrictions on team size.
The minimum fundraising target is £200pp, and everyone who reaches this goal will be entered into a prize draw sponsored by Swimmr.
Swimmers who meet their fundraising targets will be eligible for prizes and can celebrate their achievements through an active online community.
Capability Scotland is a charity delivering care, support, and education for disabled children and adults across Scotland. It has a range of facilities and services across the country which helps the people they support to achieve the best outcomes in their lives, no matter their needs.
“Brexit a national tragedy that can be reversed,”says Scotland’s leading pro-EU group
2025 will see new Brexit barriers to British passport holders travelling for leisure or business. Exact dates for the start of new procedures are yet to be announced, but travellers need to be aware and have up to date passports if planning an EU trip.
First to arrive will be the EU Entry/Exit System, known as EES. A few months later sees the introduction of The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS). Citizens of 60 nations, including the UK, will be subject to these new procedures.EU citizens and citizens of Schengen countries are exempt.
Because the UK chose to leave the EU and the European Single Market, Britain became a “third country.”
This means it is no longer in the EU, so British citizens don’t get the benefits EU citizens enjoy. Citizens of EU countries, including those resident in the UK, will not need an ETIAS certificate. Nor will they need to go through EES.
The dates for introducing the new procedures have yet to be announced. However, it is thought EES will begin operations during the first six months of 2025 and the ETIAS scheme will go live during the following six months. Best advice is to check with your travel provider.
David Clarke, chair of the European Movement in Scotland says the new rules and procedures show how badly misled voters were about leaving the EU. “People like Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage said there would be no downsides to leaving the EU. What we got was a smaller economy, less trade, less choice, dearer food and clothing and more complex and more expensive travel.
“Brexit is a national tragedy, but it can be reversed. We need to rejoin the single European market, as the first step to getting back what the Brexit side duped people into giving up.”
The ETIAS procedure will require all UK citizens (including children) to complete an online application, provide personal details, answer security questions and pay a €7 fee. This authorisation will be linked to the traveller’s passport and be valid for three years, or until the passport expires. The maximum permitted length of stay in any of the 30 countries operating the scheme is 90 days.
Known as a ‘short stay’ visa, ETIAS covers visits, holidays or business trips with a duration of up to 90 days and taken within a 180-day period.
People under 18 and over 70 are exempt from paying the €7 fee.
Those without an ETIAS will not be allowed entry into any one of the thirty European countries adopting ETIAS.
The EU Entry/Exit system is an electronic system that will replace the physical stamping of passports when you go through passport control when arriving at and leaving a destination. It will register all entries and exits, so it will register your movements every time you cross a border in or out of the EU/Schengen area.
The system will read traveller’s passports, take a picture and read a fingerprint (children under 12 are exempt from giving a fingerprint).
Which countries will the new rules apply to?
When EES comes in, these are the countries that will be using it:
Nationals of these countries/territories need to apply for an ETIAS travel authorisation:
Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans have unveiled an ambitious new three-year strategy, aiming to transform the lives of people with sight loss across Scotland. The strategy focuses on building an inclusive future where people of all visual abilities can thrive.
With over 180,000 people in Scotland impacted by vision impairment, the charities are determined to extend their reach, support, and influence to ensure no one faces sight loss alone.
Craig Spalding, Chief Executive of Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans, said: “We’ve been supporting people affected by visual impairment for over two centuries, but we know we can do more.
“Our new strategy is about building on our proud history to make sure we are ready for the future. Our vision is an inclusive Scotland where everyone, regardless of their sight, has the opportunity to thrive.
“By focusing on prevention, support, research, and campaigning, we will deliver real change for people impacted by sight loss, ensuring their voices are heard and their needs are met.”
Over the next three years, Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans will focus on five key areas:
Investing in impactful support that will prioritise initiatives that make the biggest difference to people living with vision impairment while securing the organisation’s long-term sustainability.
Putting its community at the heart of what it does by listening to and empowering people with lived experience of sight loss.
Campaigning for positive change. The charity will raise awareness of sight loss at both political and local levels, pushing for meaningful societal change.
Accelerating prevention and treatment by advocating for more investment to prevent avoidable sight loss and improve treatments.
Fostering a collaborative culture of innovation by investing in its workforce and fostering collaboration, the organisation will drive innovation and maximise its impact.
Craig Spalding continued: “We owe it to future generations to continue evolving. We want to reach more people, champion their needs, and invest in research that can transform lives.
“This strategy is our commitment to doing just that.”
Around 330,000 tonnes of edible food is wasted or fed to animals each year before leaving farms
Thousands of tonnes of food, including festive favourites like brussels sprouts and potatoes, that might otherwise go to waste will be delivered to those who need it most, thanks to a new £15 million UK government fund.
An estimated 330,000 tonnes of edible food is either wasted or repurposed as animal feed before leaving farm gates every year. While farmers would prefer for this to be destined for people’s plates, charities that redistribute food often lack the means to collect food from farms and get it to those who need it.
To strengthen the links between farms and charities and help solve the problem of farm food waste, a new scheme will see grants starting from £20,000 made available to the not-for-profit food redistribution sector in England. Throughout the year but especially over Christmas, the season of goodwill, this will help organisations like homeless shelters, food banks and charities fight hunger.
It will help British farmers to deliver good food for those that need it and reduce the costs they face when dealing with waste, while also increasing the capacity and capability of the redistribution sector to take on farm surplus.
UK Circular Economy Minister Mary Creagh said: “With families gathering to celebrate Christmas and the New Year, it’s important to remember those in our communities who may be going hungry this festive period.
“Nobody wants to see good food go to waste – especially farmers who work hard to put food on family tables across the country.
“Our new fund will help the charitable sector to work more closely with farmers, helping to find new opportunities to get their world-leading produce to those most in need within our communities.”
In a joint statement, Charlotte Hill, CEO of The Felix Project, and Kris Gibbon-Walsh, CEO of FareShare, said: “After years of campaigning by food redistribution charities, we are thrilled to see this fund come to fruition.
“We are pleased that the government has recognised that too much food goes to waste on our farms, and that it should be redistributed to feed people who need it.
“We look forward to acting quickly with the government, the charity sector, and farmers to maximise the impact of this initiative during British growing season, ensuring surplus food reaches as many people as possible.
“We have a proven model which funds farmers to redistribute their unsold food, which means that together, we can take meaningful steps toward achieving a zero-waste Britain.”
Harriet Lamb, CEO of global environmental NGO WRAP, said: “This is welcome support for farmers and redistribution organisations ensuring more quality food is rescued and can support more people and communities, while reducing the environmental impact of food waste on climate change.
“It gives a flying start to the New Year, ensuring that food charities and the farming sector can both make a difference immediately and can develop long term solutions. Every year, the amount of surplus food being redistributed is going up, but sadly the need is also increasing so this gives a much-needed boost.
“Last year, 191,000 tonnes of food from retailers, food manufacturers, the hospitality sector and UK farms – worth £764 million – was redistributed with the potential to make 450 million meals.”
The funding could go towards enabling successful applicants to buy new equipment, such as balers or hoppers, to allow bulky food items to be collected or processed into parcels, and technology to help donors and food redistribution charities work more closely. Money could also help provide more training to staff, to enhance their IT and food safety skills.
Information on when the fund opens and full eligibility criteria for applications will be confirmed in the New Year.
As set out in the Plan for Change, the government says it is delivering growth and economic stability for communities across the country. ‘We are supporting farmers to help grow the rural economy, while paving the way to a circular economy, where waste is reduced and growth is accelerated.’
To help end the throwaway society, the UK Government has formed a Circular Economy Taskforce, comprising of members from industry, academia, and civil society across the UK. They will lead on the development of a Circular Economy Strategy for England, which will be published next year outlining how individual sectors can contribute to ambitions in this area.
This is alongside continued support for the Courtauld Commitment 2030, managed by environmental NGO WRAP, which looks to deliver a more sustainable supply chain and reduce food waste in the home – tackling food waste, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and water usage.
Garden Centre invites budding indoor gardeners to its Edinburgh store
Dobbies Garden Centres is kicking off the new year on a green note, offering two free workshops at its Edinburgh store this January.
Centered around houseplants, these sessions are open to people of all ages, from children to all levels of skill – whether an expert, a beginner, or for someone starting out a New Year hobby.
Dobbies’ popular Grow How workshop series will take place on Saturday 4 January, and Wednesday 8 January at 10:30am and 3:30pm, and then every Wednesday during the month at 10.30am and 3.30pm, and will focus on caring for houseplants.
January is the perfect time to put houseplants centre stage to help fill the empty spaces left when the Christmas tree and decorations come down, with the session covering different varieties of houseplants and advice and tips on their care.
Dobbies’ Little Seedlings Club is designed for children aged 3-10 years old and will take place during the morning on Sunday 5 January at the Edinburgh store.
During the workshop, Dobbies’ colleagues will take passionate young gardeners through time, and across the planet, unveiling the origins of some of the world’s most popular houseplants while taking part in fun and interactive games.
Children will learn how to propagate their own Peace Lily and will take one home at the end of the session. They’ll also learn care tips, such as avoiding overwatering, keeping it out of direct sunlight and using the right amount of liquid fertiliser at the appropriate time based on the season.
Claire Bishop, Dobbies’ Senior Plant Buyer, is eager to showcase just how easy houseplants are to care for and the joy they can bring to the home. She said: “Your home deserves to look beautiful all year round, and these free workshops are designed to offer advice on choosing and caring for the perfect houseplant to complement their space.
“It’s also a fantastic opportunity for people getting started, offering a simple and accessible way to embrace caring for houseplants as a hobby. January is the perfect time, when it is cold outside, to enjoy the many benefits that houseplants can bring to your home.”
Landmark development promises to transform international student living
A GROUNDBREAKING student accommodation project is seeking a strategic partner to develop up to 200 purpose-built apartments.
The Scottish Institute (The SI), Scotland’s only theatre school accredited by the Council of Dance, Drama and Musical Theatre (CDDT), is spearheading the landmark project in Livingston.
Following the opening of its new campus in September 2023, The SI is now inviting specialised accommodation providers to join in developing a transformative student living environment.
A prime location will be carefully selected for the new development and will be designed to create purpose-built living spaces that will support students from across the world, promising to revolutionise international student living in Scotland’s educational landscape.
“We’re dedicated to creating an environment where students can thrive academically and socially,” said Andy Egan, President and CEO of The Scottish Institute.
“This project represents a unique opportunity for a strategic partner to play a pivotal role in supporting the next generation of performing talent.
Recognising the growing demand for high-quality student housing, the institute is now actively seeking partners to develop and deliver student apartments that will welcome up to 200 new students from 2026.
With established partnerships with the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) and the Imperial Society for the Teachers of Dance (ISTD), the development promises to provide world-class facilities that support artistic education and international student experiences.
The chosen partner will be responsible for the full design, development, and management of the apartments, while The SI focuses on educational excellence and student support. This collaborative approach ensures a holistic approach to student living that goes beyond traditional accommodation models.
Andy added: “This is more than a construction project. It’s an opportunity to create a living and learning environment that supports artistic growth and international collaboration.”
The new project will leverage Livingston’s strategic location near Edinburgh and Glasgow, offering international students a modern, supportive living experience.
Interested parties are encouraged to contact Andy Egan for further information on how to participate in this landmark project: chair@thesi.co.uk
Three people have been arrested in connection with pyrotechnics offences following incidents in Edinburgh yesterday (Boxing Day).
A 17-year-old and a 28-year-old man have been arrested and charged in connection with being in possession of pyrotechnics in the Haymarket area prior to the Hearts vs Hibernian match on Thursday, 26 December, 2024.
They are due to appear in court at a later date.
A 39-year-old man was arrested and charged in connection with setting off pyrotechnics in Russell Road. He too is due to appear in court at a later date.
Enquiries are ongoing in relation to four pyrotechnic smoke devices discharged within Tynecastle stadium during the Hearts vs Hibernian match on Thursday, 26 December, 2024.
Assistant Chief Constable Gary Ritchie said: “Setting off pyrotechnics in the street or within a sporting stadium is a criminal offence. I would ask people to think of the impact it could have on those around you, particularly people with medical conditions, young children and elderly.
“We will continue to work in partnership with football clubs to prevent fans from taking pyrotechnics into grounds and to pursue those who put other fans’ safety at risk.
“Anyone with information regarding persons using or being in possession of pyrotechnics is urged to contact Police Scotland on 101.”
Hibs came out on top in the Boxing Day derby match, beating their old rivals 2-1.
