Road policing officers in Edinburgh are appealing for information following a fatal crash on the city bypass.
Around 9.10am yesterday (Thursday, 7 November, 2024), police were called to a report of a three-car crash on the A720 between Gogar roundabout and Hermiston Gait, Edinburgh.
The crash involved a grey Volkswagen Transporter campervan, a grey Volkswagen Tiguan and a red Vauxhall Corsa.
Emergency services attended and the driver of the Corsa, a 53-year-old man, was taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, where he died a short time later.
The driver of the Tiguan was taken to hospital with minor injuries. The driver of the campervan was not injured.
Enquiries into the circumstances of the crash ongoing.
Sergeant Grant Hastie said: “Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the man at this difficult time, and we will support them throughout the investigation.
“We would ask anyone who may have witnessed the crash, or who may have dash-cam footage, and has not yet spoken to or provided this information to officers, to contact us as soon as possible.”
Anyone with information is urged to contact Police Scotland on 101 quoting reference 4275 of 7 November, 2024.
Edinburgh’s Christmas is pleased to announce that book lovers Val McDermid and Nicola Sturgeon will bring a special festive edition of their in-conversation event, In The Company of Books, to Edinburgh’s Christmas this year.
This special edition of In The Company of Books reunites friends and book lovers Val and Nicola to discuss all things literary, following a number of sold-out, acclaimed in-conversation events across the UK in recent years.
Joined by special guests to be revealed, Val and Nicola will explore the joys of reading alongside a few glasses of mulled wine and a lot of festive cheer.
Val McDermid has sold over 19 million books to date across the globe and has been translated into more than 40 languages. She is perhaps best known for her Wire in the Blood series featuring clinical psychologist Dr Tony Hill and DCI Carol Jordan, She is the recipient of six honorary doctorates and is an Honorary Fellow of St Hilda’s College, Oxford.
Nicola Sturgeon is the MSP for Glasgow Southside constituency, and the former First Minister of Scotland – the longest-serving and first woman First Minister.
Val McDermid and Nicola Sturgeon said, “Books are magic. Portable magic, according to Stephen King. And like magic, books build bridges. In our case, an improbable friendship between a passionate politician and Scotland’s queen of crime.
“Our love of books is what first drew us together and it remains the mainstay of that friendship. Every conversation we have eventually meanders round to the books we are reading, what we’ve been enjoying, what has been making us laugh or cry, or keeping us on the edge of our seats.
“And now we want to share the love. First up, festive fun at Edinburgh’s Assembly Rooms with two stellar mystery guests; then off to the Glasgow International Comedy Festival where we’ll be joined by two top names from the comedy world.
“We’ll be interrogating our guests about the books that shaped them and why they love reading. Revelations galore await as we explore the love and laughter between the covers.”
Unique Assembly, producers of Edinburgh’s Christmassaid: “We are thrilled to have Val and Nicola bring their in-conversation event to Edinburgh’s Christmas this year.
“This is sure to be a highlight in the Christmas calendar and we invite everyone to grab a glass of mulled wine and settle in for what will be a witty, warm and insightful event.”
In The Company of Books joins a newly announced stellar line-up of performances taking place at Assembly Hall as part of Edinburgh’s Christmas this year.
These include the enchanting and inspiring children’s show The Bubble Show; brilliantly funny stand-up comedy from Jason Byrne in Jason Byrne: No Show; the award-winning, critically acclaimed burlesque and drag show Swamplesque.
Join us on the 23rd and 24th of November from 11am – 4pm for Sasha Saben Callaghan’s ‘Lives: Reimagined’.
The theme for Disability History Month Scotland 2024 is ‘Disabled People: Livelihood and Employment’.
Disability has been seen for many years as synonymous with non-employment or unemployment.
This of course is not true. Disabled people have always sought a means of surviving whether in begging, employment or on welfare or charity.
Sasha Saben Callaghan’s ‘Lives: Reimagined‘ project explores the experiences of some of the disabled ‘inmates’ of the poorhouses which used to serve the Granton area, St Cuthbert’s, North Leith and South Leith, and imagines a very different life for the ‘pauper’ occupants.
Zero Waste Scotland is encouraging people to consider how much food they throw away as the nation approaches European Week for Waste Reduction – an annual week of action on waste reduction.
Scots could save up to £1k and get 2.5 days a year back simply by making the most of food – making tackling food waste a top tool for busy people who want to live more sustainably.
A new online tool from Zero Waste Scotland can help householders reduce food waste and curb their contribution to the hundreds of thousands of tonnes of food we throw away from our homes each year.
European Week for Waste Reduction (EWWR) falls on 16th to 24th November 2024. The annual campaign raises awareness and celebrates success when it comes to reducing waste in our homes and communities – and the theme this year is food waste.
People in Scotland are being encouraged to focus on food waste to maximise their time and budget, as well as protect the environment.
What’s more, with 59% of Scotland’s food waste coming from households, small changes we make at home can have a big impact – and a new digital tool from Zero Waste Scotland is making it easier for busy Scots to do our bit.
The Reducing Food Waste at Home bitesize course is available for free on the Zero Waste Scotland website, and is designed to give users a comprehensive understanding of food waste, why it matters, and hacks on how to reduce food waste at home, in as little as 15 mins.
The online course consists of five sections, each focusing on a different aspect of food waste, and culminating in an interactive quiz. Users who complete the course can choose to sign up to three further email communications with more tips and advice on reducing food waste.
TV chef and Love Food Hate Waste Scotland supporter Julie Lin is a vocal advocate of the new tool as a means to help the people of Scotland gen up and take action on food waste.
TV chef and restaurateur, Julie Lin said: “Wasting food is something I strive to avoid in every aspect of my life, and it absolutely shocked me that households in Scotland account for 59% of all of the food we waste.
“It can feel overwhelming to think about food waste as one huge thing to overcome, but in reality all it requires is small daily changes that will amount to bigger, positive changes for the planet.
“The Reducing Food Waste at Home bitesize course is an amazing place to start for a 15-minute, digestible education on the basics of food waste, storage and preservation, as well as tips on how to save yourself time and money.”
Iain Gulland, Chief Executive of Zero Waste Scotland, said:“Food is so important to our way of life – but the very fact that household food waste persists shows there’s a disconnect between the value we attach to food and how we behave towards it. Ultimately, we throw away too much good food.
“The good news is we know people want to do something about it, and with most food waste coming from our homes, empowering families and individuals to tackle it can make a real difference.
“The Reducing Food Waste at Home bitesize course can help everyone in Scotland reap the benefits of food waste reduction and be part of Scotland’s journey towards a fairer and more sustainable future.”
To start the Reducing Food Waste at Home bitesize course, or to find out more about reducing food waste, visit the Zero Waste Scotland website.
As a coalition of organisations that support vulnerable children and young people, it is no surprise that recent FOI enquiries highlight that more than half (56 per cent) of requests for places in special schools have been refused by City of Edinburgh Council.
The number of those with additional support needs (ASN) has escalated considerably, increasing by 145 per cent for primary school pupils, and 219 per cent for secondary over the last decade. Just over half of secondary pupils in the capital are now identified as having an ASN, including the likes of autism, dyslexia and mental health problems.
This escalation has put incredible pressure on our mainstream schools, which have been hit by a perfect storm of cuts in the number of ASN teachers, support staff and resources.
For a growing number of children and young people with increasingly complex needs, mainstream schooling is not appropriate, and the needs of these children and young people are better met in a specialist setting.
It is therefore understandable that parents are seeking such support, which can dramatically improve the wellbeing and prospects of the child or young person concerned and reduce impacts on fellow non-ASN pupils and staff.
However, while there is a growing requirement for special schools, we have seen their numbers cut from 13 to 10 over the last decade in the capital, and the number of pupils at these has declined from 695 to 686.
This is something that the Scottish Government and City of Edinburgh Council will need to recognise and act on. We would therefore urge that the additional boost for the government arising from the recent UK Budget is in part used to increase this vital specialist provision.
It’s not long to go now until our Christmas Pop-Up shops! This weekend, No.17 will be transformed into a veritable Santa’s Grotto, stocked with all your Christmas must haves!
Open on Friday, Saturday & Sunday from 10 until 4.30pm, this is a great way to help your local Hospice and make this festive season that little bit more special!
Registered women’s charity, Soroptimist International Great Britain & Ireland (SIGBI), is celebrating its 90th year by relaunching its national railway safety project.
On 1-3 November, the charity – which has consultancy status at the United Nations – held its 90th conference at the Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh and used this milestone occasion to take a fresh look at a project first carried out 28 years ago.
First launched in 1996, ‘The Future of the Railways’ was an investigation into personal safety on the railways, which the charity’s members – known as Soroptimists – used to lobby the Government into taking action to do more to protect women on public transport.
It was launched in response to a Soroptimist being attacked on a train in the London area.
Soroptimists carried out grassroots research into the views and experiences of women passengers, as well as speaking to station managers and staff and visiting over 500 over-ground stations across Britain.
SIGBI published a report making recommendations to the UK Government on how to improve safety in stations, claiming the Government’s approach to passenger safety in railway stations was ineffective.
To further advance the work being done, the charity is kickstarting the project again – asking the same questions to the UK’s railway stations, to see how much has changed, as well as expanding it to airports and bus stations, to obtain a more detailed bigger picture of women’s safety across the country. The charity is also questioning whether the Government’s approach to passenger safety has moved on since 1996.
Over 500 women attended the three-day conference, with each day having a different theme – educate, empower, and enable.
Ruth Healey, President of SIGBI, said: “We’re so proud of the work our members have carried out over the last 90 years.
“The goal of all our projects is to stand up for women and girls, advocating for equal rights, opportunities, and representation. The relaunch of our railway safety project will be key in advancing this important issue and bringing it to the forefront of policy makers’ agendas.
“It was only in August this year that the British Transport Police reported that violence against women and girls on British railways has risen by more than 50% over two years.
“Clearly, more needs to be done, and urgently. We’re proud to be playing our part in helping to shape a safer environment for women when travelling.”
Soroptimists are carrying out ‘Bystander Awareness’ training in communities up and down the UK, in a bid to help identify and prevent violence against women and girls.
As well as panel discussions, and an address from Baroness Floella Benjamin, the charity also hosted its Best Practice Awards at the conference – a scheme which celebrates clubs’ projects.
At the conference, the charity also collected over 2,300 pants for Edinburgh-based charity, Smalls for All – a charity that collects underwear for people in the UK and Africa who can’t afford or access any.
Maria Macnamara, Founder and CEO of Smalls for All, said: “Giving pants and bras may seem like a small thing, but it can make a life-changing difference. Each month many teenage girls miss school, and women miss work, because of a lack of access to underwear means they’re forced to stay at home during their period.
“Demand remains huge in Africa, but, in recent years, has also increased significantly in the UK.
“We’re so grateful to have been part of the SIGBI conference to share our message and express our thanks to the Soroptimists for the wonderful donations they’ve made, both at this conference and over the years.”
Ruth concluded: “It’s been incredible getting so many Soroptimists in one room to reflect on what we’ve achieved, as well as to look ahead to the next phase of some of our key projects.
“It’s only by working together that we can empower women and girls to achieve their full potential and eliminate barriers and discriminations that hinder women’s progress.”
To mark the charity’s nine decades, Soroptimists are also completing a ‘90 for 90 years’ challenge – including everything from supporting foodbanks, to knitting for premature baby units, to donating items to domestic abuse charities, and more.
Police Scotland’s criminal investigations into Bonfire Night disorder began yesterday, with detectives across the country following positive lines of inquiry to identify those responsible.
Certain areas of Scotland experienced significant levels of disorder, with the Niddrie, Calder Road, Gracemount and Moredun areas of Edinburgh and the Pollokshields area of Glasgow being the most adversely affected.
In each of these regions, local policing teams and other emergency services required the assistance of Operation Moonbeam assets to tackle violence and damage being caused by large groups of youths who threw fireworks and other projectiles at officers, vehicles and public property. Fires were also set in some of these areas, causing fear and alarm to the local communities.
Other isolated incidents involving the reckless or criminal use of fireworks were also reported in various parts of both cities, including a report of 21 cars being damaged by fireworks at a car dealership in Calder Road, Edinburgh.
In Glasgow, officers and colleagues from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service had to respond to large number of unauthorised bonfires being lit and were met with large groups of hostile youths upon their attendance.
All of these offences continue to be investigated.
Between Thursday, 31 October and Wednesday, 6 November, a total of 19 arrests have been made throughout Scotland in connection with firework offences. Six people have been charged under the Fireworks and Pyrotechnic Articles Act, while a further 26 charges have been brought against individuals for associated criminality.Further arrests are expected in the coming days.
A Major Incident Public Portal has also been established, allowing communities to share video and photo evidence of Bonfire Night offences taking place in their area. Anyone with footage that can assist officers in identifying people involved in fireworks-related crime can submit it to:
Assistant Chief Constable Tim Mairs, Gold Commander for Operation Moonbeam, said: “Now that our Bonfire Night deployments have stood down, our investigation teams will begin reviewing all the evidence we obtained through Body Worn Video, Air Support Unit footage and statements from the public.
“This will help us establish the identities of those who chose to cause harm within our communities and who sought to attack and injure emergency service workers.
“While I am encouraged that we didn’t see the same levels of serious disorder, when compared to last year, I am under no illusion that that actions of a minority of individuals still had a significant and detrimental impact on various communities across Scotland.
“Their actions will not be tolerated, and detectives are working tirelessly to make arrests and ensure all of those involved in the offences we witnessed are brought to account.”
Chief Superintendent David Robertson, Divisional Commander for Edinburgh, added: “I made it clear following the incidents that occurred during the evening of Halloween that we’d leave no stone unturned as part of our investigations and I am reaffirming that statement today.
“Law-abiding members of the public living in Niddrie, Calder Road, Gracemount and Moredun were left terrified as serious disorder took place in their communities and vital bus services that allow safe travel across our city were violently attacked, which is entirely unacceptable.
“I am enormously grateful and immensely proud of all of the officers and staff who contributed to Operation Moonbeam. Colleagues worked tirelessly behind the scenes and on the front line, putting themselves in harm’s way to restore order and return these areas to a state of normality as quickly as possible, but the work begins now in terms of identifying and arresting everyone responsible.
“If members of the public have information or evidence that can help with our inquiries then please contact us immediately.”
Chief Superintendent Lynn Ratcliff, Divisional Commander for Greater Glasgow Division, said: “The overwhelming majority of those within Glasgow chose to enjoy Bonfire Night in the proper spirit. However, groups of young people, motivated to cause the maximum amount of fear and alarm carried out targeted disorder in certain parts of the city.
“This put not only local residents at risk, but meant police officers, fire service personnel and ambulance crews were in danger of being injured, as they responded to protect communities. Thankfully, however, no injuries were reported.
“Detectives across Glasgow are reviewing all evidence they obtained during Bonfire Night, and working with the public to gather more information, which will help bring these offenders to justice.
“If you believe you can assist with our ongoing inquiries then please get in touch.”
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service received more than 1,000 calls from the public during an eight-hour period on Bonfire Night
There were also six reported attacks on crews within three hours, however no injuries have been reported.
Two attacks took place in Clydebank, two in Glasgow, one in Edinburgh and one in Blackridge, West Lothian.
Initial figures indicate that crews responded to approximately 347 bonfires across the country between 3.30pm and 11.30pm on Tuesday, 5 November.
In the run up to the event, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) had appealed to the public to be aware of the dangers of both fireworks and unsafe bonfires with a message to consider the impact of their actions on communities and emergency services.
Andy Watt, Deputy Chief Officer for SFRS said: “I would like to pay tribute to the professionalism and resilience of our frontline crews.
“Operations Control firefighters answered over 1,000 calls tonight and have once again worked tirelessly to ensure we respond to those who need us the most.
“Unfortunately, several of our crews came under attack across Scotland, with six attacks within three hours. Crews were bombarded with missiles and fireworks while responding to emergency incidents.
“These attacks prevent our crews from bringing any emergency to a safe and swift conclusion, and can impact on our emergency service colleagues – including the police when they must escort us at the scene.
“This type of behaviour is, of course, carried out by a very small minority and we once again thank our communities for their continuing support and working together with us to stay safe across the Bonfire period.”
A man who died after being struck by a bus in the Cowgate has been named as Michael Leneghen, 74, from Edinburgh.
His family has released a statement, which said: “We wish to thank all the members of the public and emergency services involved. We would now ask for privacy at this time.”
The incident happened around 7.25pm on Saturday, 2 November in the Cowgate area of Edinburgh.
Michael Leneghen was on foot and the incident also involved a single decker bus.
Sergeant Paul Ewing, of the Road Policing Unit in Edinburgh, said: “Our thoughts remain with Michael’s family and friends, as well as everyone affected by this tragic incident.
“Our enquiries remain ongoing. We have already spoken to a number of people who were in the area at the time and work is ongoing to check public and private CCTV footage.
“We are still keen to hear from anyone who has not yet spoken to police. If you have any information about what happened, then please get in touch.
“Anyone with information is asked to call the police via 101. Please quote incident number 3395 of Saturday, 2 November 2024.”
