The most wonderful time of the year is just around the corner, and what better way to celebrate than treating your pooch to some festive fun this Christmas at Dobbies.
The UK’s leading garden centre will be debuting its ever-popular Santa Paws event at the recently opened little dobbies Stockbridge store on limited weekend dates during December. A perfect opportunity to give four-legged friends a fun day out and get some great snaps for those Christmas cards.
Santa Paws offers the adorable chance for dogs to meet Santa and take home a special Christmas gift. A memorable experience for pets and owners alike.
Sarah Murray, Partnership and Events Manager at Dobbies, said: “We love welcoming furry friends to our stores throughout the year, and can’t wait to meet our four-legged customers this Christmas.
“This will be the first time Santa Paws has come to our little dobbies Stockbridge store, and we really hope locals and visitors alike can enjoy this offering.
“We have a wide range of products in-store that would make for the perfect Christmas treat for your furry friend, or special new accessory to don on Christmas day.”
This exclusive festive experience will take place outside the little dobbies Stockbridge store, where each dog will have a pre-booked slot with Santa. Booking is essential to enjoy this experience, and subject to availability.
Running on the 11,12, 18 and 19 December, customers and canines can enjoy this experienced in the run up to Christmas, priced at £6.99 per pet.
Santa Paws will also be taking place in Dobbies’ Edinburgh store during selected dates in December.
Find the full list of festive events and more information online, www.dobbies.com.
Raising funds for national charity partner, Teenage Cancer Trust
Dobbies, the UK’s leading garden centre, is inviting shoppers across Edinburgh to join them for extended shopping hours to raise funds for Teenage Cancer Trust.
Taking place from 5pm to 9pm on Thursday 25 November in Dobbies’ Edinburgh and Livingston stores, in addition to little dobbies Stockbridge, the Christmas Shopping Night will showcase the Christmas ranges, and feature competitions, discount vouchers, demos and sampling.
Customers across Edinburgh will have the opportunity to make donations to Dobbies’ national charity partner, Teenage Cancer Trust, write festive messages on Christmas baubles for the Wish Tree, and win prizes in a fantastic festive raffle.
The Christmas Your Way raffle will offer customers the chance to win all the items featured on specially created Christmas trees. There’s a tree for chocolate fans in partnership with Lindt, one for kids with Living Nature, one for those who love their pets with Chuckit, gardening gurus with Burgon and Ball, and fashionistas with Powder. The raffle will open on the night and close on 17December.
*Dobbies’ stores will offer an exclusive preview of their Christmas Grotto and customers will be able to enjoy a two-course festive meal at Dobbies’restaurants for £12.95, choosing from vegan and vegetarian options as well as traditional turkey with all the trimmings. This is bookable in advance.
Sarah Murray, Partnership and Events Manager said: “Christmas is a time of year we all look forward to at Dobbies stores across Edinburgh, and we can’t wait to welcome people for a full festive experience with our late opening evening. There will be a free welcome drink and a range of Christmas gifts, decorations and products to choose from.
“Most importantly, we are raising funds for our national charity partner, Teenage Cancer Trust, who do incredible work with young people across the country. It’s going to be the perfect way to get the festive season started.”
Donna Bednarek, Senior Relationship Manager for Teenage Cancer Trust said: “We are absolutely delighted to collaborating with Dobbies as they stay open late on 25 November.
“The donations from Dobbies’ customers will enable us to give the gift of care from our nurses, or the gift of community on one of our specialist units, to young cancer patients across the UK.”
For more details on Dobbies’ Christmas Shopping Night, visit:
There is a £1 donation to attend, with all monies raised going to Teenage Cancer Trust – this is available in-store in advance or on the night.
Dobbies is also going to be sharing some festive joy in the run up to Christmas, celebrating community groups, charities, clubs and neighbourhoods who make a difference to their local areas.
Not Your Average Community will see three local groups from across the UK win £1,000 to spend on decorations to brighten up their local area for Christmas.
Scotmid Co-Operative’s Hamilton Place store reopened on Friday, 1st October after undergoing a major refurb to increase and enhance its customer offering.
The programme of work comprised a range of improvements designed to amplify the customer experience while shopping in store. They include a new entrance and rebrand, internal remodelling and layout to accommodate an extended range of fresh food products, wider aisles for easier navigation and state of the art refrigeration.
The most exciting change comes in the form of an even more extensive Food to Go offering, with a larger breakfast selection, freshly-made baguettes, pizza sandwiches, toasties and burritos. The store will also be the second Scotmid in Edinburgh to stock a rotating choice of delicious treats from The Kilted Donut – with flavours including Nutella Bomb and Brown Butter Biscoff.
Customers can also now enjoy selecting from Scotmid’s latest dine in ranges, including Meal for Tonight – meal kits including a hot food option and desserts and Big Night In – a beer, wine or spirits and a snack or pizza offer and Food Now – for those looking for something to eat as soon as they leave the store.
Kevin Plant, head of food retail at Scotmid, said: “Hamilton Place is a popular store with many locals and one which enjoys serving a number of regular customers on an almost daily basis.
“The refurbishment has introduced several enhancements to complement and build on the provision of our existing refill station, which has proved a hit. From the extended Food to Go range to the daily delivery of doughnuts from The Kilted Donut, we now have even more choice for customers when they shop with us.
“I want to say a huge thank you to the whole team who has worked tirelessly to get the store ready. A lot of effort has gone into refurbishing the store, so it is great to be welcoming old and new customers and to hear the positive things they have to say.”
Scotmid Hamilton Place is located on 56-60 Hamilton Place, Edinburgh, EH3 5AZ.
The Moderator of the General Assembly Lord Jim Wallace has embarked on a ten-day schedule to learn more about the life and work of the Church of Scotland in Edinburgh.
Lord Wallace said he is looking forward to attending events organised by the Presbytery of Edinburgh which will see him meet people from all walks of life and learn how they have coped during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Presbytery visits provide Moderators with an opportunity to offer encouragement and support to church members and the communities they serve.
Due to the lockdown, this is the first fully in-person visit to take place since 2019.
Lord Wallace, Moderator of the General Assembly
Lord Wallace, a QC and former MP and MSP, said the city is close to his heart. “I am very much looking forward to my first presbytery visit, not least because it is Edinburgh where I went to university, trained as a lawyer, practiced as a lawyer, sat in the Scottish Parliament and where I met my wife, Rosie,” he said.
“I am very grateful to the presbytery for putting together a very comprehensive programme, which will allow me to engage with a whole range of people who reflect my interests and background.”
Candidates
The programme will see Lord Wallace visit churches, hospitals, universities and a prison and meet ordinary church members, politicians, senior figures in the judiciary, ministers, chaplains and interfaith and ecumenical leaders.
Lord Wallace was ordained as an elder at what was St Bernard’s Church in Stockbridge in 1981. It is now called Stockbridge Parish Church and Lord Wallace joined the congregation there yesterday (above).
In the evening, the Moderator led worship at Holy Trinity Church in Wester Hailes.
Lord Wallace will meet with Councillor Frank Ross, Lord Provost of Edinburgh, at the City Chambers today and will later attend an event at New College to mark their 175th Anniversary and meet candidates for the ministry.
This evening, the Moderator will attend a civic event at the City Chambers for members of the Edinburgh Area Children’s Panel who make sure that a young person is at the heart of legal decisions that affect them.
Many church members are involved in this work and Lady Wallace, who will be accompanying her husband, was a panel member for many years until recently.
Courts and prison
On Tuesday, Lord Wallace, who is currently sitting on the non-affiliated benches in the House of Lords, is visiting the Charteris Centre run by Greyfriars Kirk, which is based in a refurbished church building at The Pleasance which is nearing completion.
It is a social enterprise initiative which seeks to provide a place for connection with communities of all kinds.
Afterwards he will visit Edinburgh Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Courts to hear more about the administration of justice, especially during the pandemic.
Lord Wallace will then travel to HMP Edinburgh in the Saughton area of the city where he will be given a tour and introduced to staff, prisoners and the chaplains who support them.
On Wednesday, he will visit Napier University’s Sighthill campus where he will meet Principal Andrea Nolan and be given a tour of the Clinical Centre in School of Health and Social Care.
He will meet staff, students, members of the university’s chaplaincy team and Professor Gary Hutchinson and Liz Aston from the School of Applied Sciences to discuss work with Scottish Institute For Policing Research.
In the afternoon, the Moderator will visit the Granton Goes Greener project at Granton Parish Church to learn more about an innovative clothes upcycling project which is part of work to reduce consumption as part of efforts to tackle the climate crisis.
He will later attend a special Presbytery service in St Giles Cathedral on the Royal Mile, which will be attended by the church’s ecumenical and interfaith partners, as well as national and civic leaders, and will be followed by a reception in Parliament Hall which will bring people from the worlds of religion, politics and legal profession together.
On Thursday, the Moderator is visiting Edinburgh Airport with Rev Moira MacDonald, minister of Corstorphine Old Parish Church and Workplace Chaplain, Esther Elliot, to hear about the work of workplace chaplains.
He will later meet with the Principal of the University of Edinburgh and visit the law school – the place where he studied – to speak with students and staff.
Frontline chaplains
In the evening, the Moderator will attend a Presbyterial Guild event in Craiglockhart Parish Church, speaking on the theme of “Look forward in Faith”.
On Friday, he is visiting the Royal Blind School, the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People and will attend an evening reception at Edinburgh Castle for chaplains who serve in a wide variety of contexts – hospitals, the military, universities and the workplace.
Lord Wallace said: “I am looking forward to meeting people engaged in chaplaincy, many of whom have been at the front line during the COViD-19 crisis.
“I will be very much in listening mode and hope to provide them with encouragement.”
Polwarth Parish Church is the Moderator’s next stop where, on Saturday, he will visit the new All Aboard canal boat that the congregation jointly own with a charity called People Know How.
It is used for spiritual and educational pursuits on the Union Canal, which links Edinburgh and Falkirk.
The Moderator will take part in worship at Tron, Moredun and Gilmerton Church on Sunday and join members of Leith Churches for a special service in the evening.
He will visit the Richmond’s Hope bereavement project for children and young people at Richmond Craigmillar Church the following day.
Very Rev Dr Derek Browning, Moderator of Edinburgh Presbytery, said: “We are looking forward to welcoming Lord Wallace.
“Presbytery visits allow Moderators to meet local Christians and gain a wider perspective of how the Church, and the communities we support, engage.”
LifeCare, the older person’s charity based in Stockbridge, is pleased to announce October’s installment of its very popular monthly History Talks which cover local history and are delivered by local people and organisations.
In the year that we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the birth of Sir Walter Scott, October’s topic is “The Building of the Scott Monument”.
This talk will be delivered by Jackie Sangster, Learning Manager at Historic Environment Scotland and it will take place online using Zoom on Tuesday 26th October from 15.00 till 16.00.
Spaces are limited so to reserve a place please contact LifeCare’s Community Engagement Facilitator, Aleks Pacula alekspacula@lifecare-edinburgh.org.uk or call LifeCare on 0131 343 0940
Best-selling book club has launched to unprecedented success in the heart of Stockbridge
Home of female fiction, Rare Birds Books has launched Scotland’s first female-centric bookshop, right in the heart of Edinburgh’s Stockbridge.
In a bold move that saw the globally beloved book club show resilience and innovation in a time of retail uncertainty, founder Rachel Wood welcomed over 1,500 visitors into the shop over the first trading weekend.
Opened on 6th August, at 13 Raeburn Place in Stockbridge, Rare Birds Books saw over 2,000 customers during its first month, selling around 3,000 books – proof that the nation’s love of reading has not abated following the end of lockdown.
In an even further show of local solidarity, Edinburgh shoppers came out in force, with one of the shop’s top four best-sellers over the last month being Luckenbooth, a haunting novel by Scotland-born Jenni Fagen.
A story set in Edinburgh, it is joined by Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia and The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett, which were both past Rare Birds Book Club picks, as well as Things Remembered and Things Forgotten by Kyoko Nakajima.
Besides the books that customers from around the UK have flocked to purchase, the store has also had to re-stock its now iconic tote bag and a number of the newly launched scented candles, which are made to be paired with whatever genre you are reading. ‘True Crime’ scent and ‘Writer’s Block’ have both flown off the shelves and are looking to be Christmas must-haves this year.
Book club founder and shop owner, Rachel Wood, said: “The store was always supposed to be the physical representation of our beloved book club, and we are thrilled our rare birds have already shown so much support in these initial days of launch.
“So far online and in-store sales are neck and neck, so we like to think that our neighbours are enjoying visiting us in person, whilst the rest of our fans around the world continue to join us virtually month on month as we discuss our club picks.
“Now that we are allowed to start hosting events, we will be welcoming in readers from all over for shopping evenings, author events and in-person book club sessions – it’s going to be amazing!”
Set to have its best Christmas yet, the book club you can’t read without, just got better! For more information visit:
A ground-breaking community project which uses the power of music to promote health and wellbeing is being launched in Stockbridge today.
The “Music Hub” at Stockbridge Church is led by professional cellist, Clea Friend, who has played all over the world with artists including Sir Rod Stewart, opera tenor Andrea Bocelli, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.
Clea Friend
It will encourage interaction and friendship among people of all ages by offering opportunities to create, listen and discuss music in a fun, safe and inclusive environment.
Concerts involving musicians from a wide range of genres will be regularly held in the building on Saxe Coburg Street along with a “Culture Club” featuring screenings of theatre and opera productions followed by discussion.
Miss Friend, a community music practitioner who has worked with people with special needs for 20 years, plans to run classes for children and young people living with autism to help them express themselves better.
She will work with local schools, care homes and others as part of her role and regularly perform with Artisan, an Edinburgh based professional classical music ensemble.https://www.youtube.com/embed/WkJaeUIoVkI
Miss Friend, 48, the daughter of musicians who took up the cello aged six, said a project that she has run with a violinist for several years called ‘Recitals for Wrigglers’ – short interactive and educational concerts for pre-school children – will now be based at the church.
“I am delighted to be leading the Music Hub which seeks to promote health and wellbeing, communication, integration and inclusion through music making and listening to music,” said the University of Edinburgh graduate.
“As a professional cellist and a trained community music practitioner, I have a fusion of skills that feed off each other and understand how music affects the brain and the body and how it can be used to improve people’s lives.
“It is very therapeutic and I am really passionate about working with people who may not have access to music or have special needs of some kind to help them communicate better.”
The Music Hub, supported by Amati Global Investors and Chamber Music Scotland, is officially opening at 1pm with live music, speeches, presentations of the resources on offer and a question and answer session.
Rev Dr John Cowie
Rev Dr John Cowie, minister of Stockbridge Church, said music played a big part in the life of the congregation and members are “delighted” to host the new community outreach project, which also has an online presence.
“I love music, it draws people together, and the Music Hub is an exciting addition to the life of the church which has the tagline ‘Friendship through Music’,” he added.
“Clea brings great musical skills, local and international experience and a commitment to bringing people safely together which is important as we emerge from the isolation of lockdown.
“Stockbridge is regarded as a wealthy community but there are a lot of people who suffer from loneliness and there are families who are not well off and we want to support them.”
Community outreach
Prior to the pandemic, Dr Cowie, who plays the bassoon in a community orchestra, said the building was regularly used for concerts by the likes of St Mary’s Music School and Napier University’s orchestra.
“Worship is drama to some extent so when people built the church they were thinking of how they could be heard so it is a good space for music,” he explained
“The congregation is excited to see how the Music Hub grows and develops and if it builds bridges in the community and into the community, we will be very happy,”
Local salon, MARKDAVID, based in Stockbridge, has received the outstanding news that they have finalised for seven categories in the Salon Awards.
The Salon Awards provide regional recognition for hair and beauty professionals and are the only hair and beauty industry awards where hair and beauty professionals can compete at a local level in their fields of expertise.
Focused on improving standards, elevating business, rewarding individuals, and showcasing the professionalism of their industry locally – it is no ordinary awards competition.
The Salon Awards community is a hive of hair and beauty salon owners, hair stylists, nail artists, colourists, barbers, beauty therapists, spa geniuses – young and old alike – all vying to compare, improve and be the best in their area.
To finalise in seven categories is a fantastic achievement for the MARKDAVID salon, which only opened in November 2019 and has since had to close twice due to the pandemic. Despite this, the salon has only got more successful and has even expanded, offering more space and services for their clientele.
The Salon Awards award ceremony will take place this November, where the salon will find out their fate and if they have won any of the following seven categories: Best Salon, Best Customer Experience, Best New or Refurbished Salon, Best Marketing Trailblazer, Best Colour Salon, Best Salon Team and Creative Image of the Year.
Winning the awards will not only bring the salon more business recognition and credentials for their expertise but will also improve their industry recognition and provide them with marketing opportunities and exposure to attract customers.
Mark McCarthy, Owner of MARKDAVID salon, commented: “To finalise for seven awards in this year’s Salon Awards is truly incredible.
“It’s been a hard couple of years with the pandemic and we’re thrilled that the Salon Awards have been able to notice our hard work and dedication towards our salon, our community, our team and our clients.
“We’re looking forward to the awards ceremony in November and hopefully we will be able to bring some awards home to display proudly in our salon!”
Local Older People’s organisation is eighty years young
LifeCare Edinburgh, the older people’s care charity is proudly celebrating its 80-year anniversary. Established in September 1941, the renowned local organisation offers a range of vital care and community services that have greatly improved the lives of tens of thousands of local older people across the last eight decades.
Initially set up as ‘The Edinburgh and Leith Old People’s Welfare Council’, and later changed to ‘LifeCare’ in 2005, the organisation was created by three trail-blazing local females who wished to deliver activities “givingolder members of the community a fuller share in community life”.
The charity was one of the first organisations set up to do this in Scotland and they quickly built up a wide range of essential services, many of which are still on offer today. They leave a great legacy, as these vital services have greatly enriched the lives of generations past and continue to deliver incredible caring support eighty years on.
Vital services delivered today
Today, LifeCare provides essential help and support to hundreds of local older people every year.
Services include three centre-based Day Club services at The Cottage in Portobello, St Bernard’s and The Dean on Cheyne Street. In the community, the charity offers Registered Outreach, Help at Home, Community Engagement Activities and their recently reintroduced Meals on Wheels service re-established as essential support through the pandemic. The LifeCare team have delivered over 12,000 meals to doorsteps to date.
Further to this, LifeCare operates a partnership befriending programme Vintage Vibes, with Space (Broomhouse), designed to tackle social isolation and loneliness amongst the over 60s. From their bright and spacious centre on Cheyne Street, LifeCare runs the fully accessible ‘CaféLife’ and operates the community hub for local classes, activities, parties and clubs.
Eight decades of experienced care delivering positive outcomes
The issues the charity supports haven’t changed across the years. Care services provided today continue to tackle long-term issues with isolation, loneliness, dementia, mobility problems, food poverty, mental health concerns and support for unpaid carers. These vital services enable the elderly to remain living independently, to stay physically and mentally well, to keep connected, mobile and active.
Margaret Stewart, Care Service Manager at LifeCare – and the charity’s longest serving employee who has dedicated 17 years to the organisation – said: “We are all extremely proud of the charity’s history and longevity, it’s terrific to be part of such an established organisation which continues to deliver lifechanging support eighty years on.
“LifeCare is truly embedded in the local community – we are well known, reliable and we deliver the highest quality care support for local older people and that’s why we are still going strong today.
The organisation has weathered several challenges and changes across our 80-year history. We have adapted and redesigned services to fit changing circumstances through the years, we’ve moved premises, and of course most recently, we have navigated COVID-19 to deliver vital care to over 770 local older people throughout the crisis. Many of these individuals had no or little other available support. Our dedicated staff and volunteers worked tirelessly to ensure no client in need went without through the devasting time.
“As a charity, we make sure that everyone who needs us can access our care. Our care is considered, non-rushed and enables an older person to stay living in their own home for as long as possible. Wherever possible a person’s care is delivered by the same friendly face so we develop strong relationships and offer bespoke activities that give something to look forward to.
“We can only achieve this through the generosity of our funders. A huge thanks to everyone involved, your support truly helps to protect the physical and mental health of some of the most isolated and vulnerable older people living in our communities today.”
The charity has received congratulations and best wishes from throughout the community.
Hal Osler, Councillor for Inverleith Ward, (below) said: “We are extremely lucky to have an organisation like LifeCare, not only do they provide much needed care and support to some of most vulnerable citizens they also provide us with space to celebrate as a community.
“It was an honour to share in their 80th birthday and such a joy to see and hear so much happiness after such a dark time. I would like to thank all the staff for all their hard work especially in the last 18 months and the continued support and care that they give to the wider community. You are very special and I look forward to celebrating many other milestones in the future.”
Inverleith Ward Cllr Max Mitchell (above) added:“LifeCare is a truly inspiring organisation doing such important work and we are so fortunate to have them.
“I am very grateful to the staff who go above and beyond on a daily basis to support and empower our older and more vulnerable members of the community. It was a real pleasure to join LifeCare to celebrate their 80th birthday and share in such a joyous occasion.”
LifeCare Edinburgh is a registered charity and relies on the support of its funders. Key relationships include Barclays, Tesco Bank, The TOR Foundation, Foundation Scotland and all the many local people who take part in community fundraising events.
