University of Edinburgh Statement on the death of Professor Peter Higgs
It has been confirmed that Professor Peter Higgs has died at the age of 94. He passed away peacefully at home on Monday 8 April following a short illness.
Peter is renowned the world over for his prediction of the existence of a new particle – the so-called Higgs boson – which he first proposed in 1964.
It would be almost 50 years before the particle’s existence could be confirmed, with experiments at the Large Hadron Collider at Cern finally confirming Higgs’ theory in 2012. He was jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for this work in 2013, along with Francois Englert.
Peter was also a great teacher and mentor, inspiring generations of young scientists.
“Peter Higgs was a remarkable individual – a truly gifted scientist whose vision and imagination have enriched our knowledge of the world that surrounds us.
“His pioneering work has motivated thousands of scientists, and his legacy will continue to inspire many more for generations to come.” – Professor Sir Peter Mathieson, Principal and Vice Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh
The Royal Air Force participated in a large-scale international aid airdrop into Gaza yesterday to coincide with Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan.
Collectively delivering hundreds of tonnes of aid, this was the largest airdrop of aid into Gaza on a single day and the culmination of careful planning alongside international partners to ensure the complex mission could be conducted safely and effectively.
Led by the Jordanian Armed Forces, the international operation saw 9 nations* and 14 aircraft drop essential aid.
An RAF A400M flew this morning from Amman, Jordan to airdrop over 10 tonnes of aid, including ready-to-eat meals, water and rice, along the northern coastline of Gaza. The flight took around an hour with other nations’ aircraft dropping aid throughout the course of the day.
The A400M Atlas and crew are based at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire with both RAF and British Army personnel supporting the operation in Jordan. Over the last two weeks they have dropped over 53 tonnes of aid on six flights.
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said: The prospect of famine in Gaza is real and today’s international airdrop will provide life-saving food supplies for civilians.
“This is the sixth RAF airdrop in recent weeks, delivering over 53 tonnes of aid, including water, flour and baby formula.
“After six months of war in Gaza, the toll on civilians continues to grow. We continue to stand by Israel’s right to defeat the threat from Hamas terrorists, who have failed the people of Gaza and hide behind civilians. This terrible conflict must end. The hostages must be released and the aid must flood in.”
Yesterday’s international airdrop is part of UK efforts to provide vital humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza and follows the announcement of a package of military and civilian support to set up a maritime aid corridor to Gaza. This includes the deployment of a Royal Navy ship to the Eastern Mediterranean as well as up to £9.7 million for aid deliveries.
The maritime corridor initiative will see tens of thousands of tonnes of aid pre-screened in Cyprus and delivered directly to Gaza, via a new US temporary pier being constructed off the coast or via Ashdod Port, which Israel has now agreed to open.
The UK is also focused on ensuring more aid can enter Gaza by land, and deliveries will be scaled up with the opening of the Erez crossing. In partnership with the World Food Programme, the UK’s largest delivery of aid – more than 2,000 tonnes of food aid – crossed the border on 13 March.
Foreign Secretary David Cameron said: “Led by our Jordanian partners, we have joined nations around the world to mark the end of Ramadan by getting life-saving aid into Gaza. Thousands of people in desperate need will benefit from this united effort.
“The UK remains ready to play its part in getting supplies in by land, air and sea, but the people of Gaza need more.
“We continue to push Israel as hard as we can to get more aid across the border and delivered throughout the region. Words must turn into action – this is essential to avoid an even more severe humanitarian crisis.”
Sunday marked 6 months since the devastating October 7 terrorist attacks, and almost a week since British aid workers were killed trying to get life-saving food to those in need.
The UK continues to call for an immediate humanitarian pause leading to a sustainable ceasefire, as the fastest way to get hostages safely home and more aid in.
There are around 400,000 women in Scotland who are of menopausal age.Too many of them will feel like they are alone.
For some it’s still a taboo subject which can lead to a lack of discussion and understanding. Every area of their life impacted and, often, left with crippling social isolation.
Menopause Goals is a pilot programme that aims to harness the power of football to help – thanks to a collaborative effort from the Scottish FA, St Mirren FC Charitable Foundation, University of Glasgow, and menopause expert Maria Anderson.
The initial 12-week course – held at St Mirren Park – saw 25 local women, who each had to address a number of issues brought on by the menopause, report improvements with symptoms, a greater sense of empowerment and, overall, better mental health.
The plan is to roll the programme out across Scotland so it can be delivered by other football clubs and charity groups – and it’s coming to Spartans here in North Edinburgh this month (see poster).
Corrie Campbell (Scottish FA, Football Social Responsibility Officer)explained: “So far, the power of football has tackled a lot of issues, but menopause is one of the few remaining taboo subjects that impacts so many people.
“A lot of people are still embarrassed to talk about it, whether it’s in the workplace or within their own family and friendship groups.
“I think there’s a real opportunity for football clubs around Scotland to make a difference.
“We came together to form Menopause Goals because there’s a need for education and knowledge for women in Scotland and we’re really excited about it.
“The tagline is ‘celebrating the second half’ and we want to help provide the tools, knowledge and confidence so people know their life isn’t over when they’re perimenopausal or postmenopausal.
“The University of Glasgow’s research department conducted an evaluation of the project using various methodologies.
“The pilot spanned 12 weeks and involved 25 participants experiencing symptoms at different menopausal stages.
“The Menopause Goals leadership team – including Gayle Brannigan, Chief Executive of St Mirren FC Charitable Foundation, and our menopause expert, Maria Anderson – organised weekly in-person sessions, complemented by online resource sharing.
“The pilot aimed to enhance participants’ knowledge about menopause and their personal journeys, helping them comprehend the impact on their well-being, relationships, and professional lives.
“The research outcomes will pave the way for a resource that enables the implementation of similar programs in football clubs throughout Scotland. This resource will also contribute to government objectives, given that menopause is a focal point in the Women’s Health Plan.
“Looking ahead, the objective is to leverage football’s influence. This innovative resource aims to educate and empower volunteers and staff within football across Scotland, providing them with tools and knowledge to support women gradually.
“The goal is to enable women to comprehend the complexities of menopause, fostering logical thinking about their body’s needs. By applying their learning in manageable steps, women can reduce symptoms, boost confidence to communicate with health professionals, and articulate their needs effectively.”
Gracemount Mansion Development Trust has been given £167,340 to buy Gracemount Mansion in the south of Edinburgh in order to redevelop and reopen the asset as a community hub.
The grant is amongst 11 totalling £1,833,622 that have been given to communities across the country in the latest round of awards by the Scottish Land Fund.
The Scottish Land Fund reopened to applications in April 2021. The programme is funded by the Scottish Government and delivered in partnership by the National Lottery Community Fund and Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), both of which have extensive experience of helping communities to acquire and develop their assets for over a decade.
Mairi Gougeon, Cabinet Secretary, Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands, said: “Over one million people across Scotland now live in communities where assets have been acquired with funding from the Scottish Land Fund. This is a remarkable milestone and displays just how large an impact the Fund has had on communities across Scotland.
“Community ownership is an effective way to revitalise local areas and improve the lives of residents . The latest recipients are no exception and I know that their projects will bring countless benefits to their communities.
“I’d like to congratulate the groups involved and I look forward to seeing their projects, and their communities flourish as a result.”
Lindsay Aitken, Chair, Gracemount Mansion Development Trust,said: “We are delighted to have been awarded funding from the Scottish Land Fund. The funds awarded will enable GMDT to purchase Gracemount House and surrounding grounds from the City of Edinburgh Council, as well as a significant contribution towards the essential works required to partially reopen Gracemount Mansion as a community hub in 2025.
“With further funding, the full reopening of Gracemount House will bring back a much needed and desired facility and resource for the community and beyond.
“We must say a huge thanks to the Project team who have progressed the project, GMDT charity Trustees and Members, Friends of the Mansion, the local community, stakeholders, CEC, and of course to the SLF and National Lottery for the funding.”
Cara Gillespie, Scottish Land Fund Committee Chair said: “Like all the groups that have been successful in this round of funding, Gracemount Mansion Development Trust will use their awards to make purchases that will directly improve the lives of people in their community.
“Targeted funding such as this gets right to the heart of local issues.”
And Sandra Holmes, Head of Community Assets at HIE, said: “The successful projects announced today across Scotland are all great examples of people taking control of local resources for the long-term benefit of their communities.
“Through the purchase of land and properties including a community hall and a former church, groups will be in a position to deliver economic, social and environmental benefits to the community. These latest awards will further strengthen the sense of community and empowerment.”
“All these projects announced today will help retain the population, attract visitors and create jobs. Ownership will give the community groups greater control over important assets that will reap rewards for people now and for generations to come. We wish all the successful groups the very best in their new ventures.”
Other groups receiving funding are:
Wigtown and Bladnoch Community Initiative
Award – £88,474
Wigtown and Bladnoch Community Initiative (WBCI) will acquire a former Church Hall in Wigtown. The acquisition will bring social benefits by providing space for meetings, classes and skill sharing workshops, as well as exercise, entertainment, and health & wellbeing activities. Alongside the social benefits, opportunities for digital access will also enable employment and enterprise skills.
Tighnabruaich District Development Trust
Award – £61,443
Tighnabruaich District Development Trust (TDDT) will purchase 2 retail units in Tighnabruaich, Argyll and Bute. The group will continue to use one of the units as the location for their heritage centre and will rent out the second unit.
Cockenzie House and Garden
Award – £227,400
Cockenzie House and Gardens will acquire the Cockenzie & Port Seton Old Parish Church and Hall, in East Lothian, and will use the asset as a community hub, offering community space for groups to meet, social activities, pop-up hospitality and childcare provision.
Dunvegan Community Trust SCIO
Award – £361,096
Dunvegan Development Trust will acquire a building known locally as the ‘Gaeltec Building’ in Dunvegan, Syke from a private business. The group will develop the asset into an energy efficient, multi-use commercial and community hub that includes office space, a gym and childcare facilities to address a range of community needs in a remote, rural community.
Rousay, Egilsay and Wyre Development Trust
Award – £267,948
Rousay, Egilsay and Wyre Development Trust will purchase the Taversoe Hotel on Rousay, Orkney. The hotel is the only current hospitality venue on all three islands. The group will operate the asset as a hotel, pub,
restaurant and community space. This asset will serve as a year-round gathering place for the community that will assist in combating rural isolation.
Rousay, Egilsay and Wyre Development Trust
Award – £262,188
Rousay, Egilsay and Wyre Development Trust will purchase a Manse in Rousay,Orkney from the Church of Scotland. They group will convert and renovate the asset into up to 3 separate housing units that will be used for affordable rent.
Toryglen Community Hall
Award – £171,272
Toryglen Community Hall (TCH) will acquire the building in Glasgow that they’ve occupied for 35 years. Community ownership will provide security enabling TCH to improve and extend the building thus, continuing to provide activities aimed at a range of groups.
Bailliefields Community Hub SCIO
Award – £27,500
Bailliefields Community Hub will purchase a small area of land adjacent to the boundary of their existing Community Hub. Acquisition will allow the group to extend existing walking/cycling routes and increase local walking access with a focus on active travel.
Raasay Development Trust
Award – £99,961
Raasay Development Trust will acquire an empty 2-bedroom house in Inverarish on the Isle of Raasay. The group will renovate the house to create affordable rented accommodation for the community.
North Yell Development Council
Award – £99,000
North Yell Development Council will acquire the units 3-4 at Sellafirth Business Park, North Yell, Shetland. The group will use the premises to provide a multi-use office, heritage, events and training space which will be used by local agencies, individuals and community groups.
Continued support for climate action in communities
Organisations across Scotland, including community, cultural and education groups, will be able to bid for support from a fund aimed at engaging people in tackling the climate emergency.
The £250,000 Climate Engagement Fund will support activities such as climate festivals, skills workshops, art exhibitions and youth development programmes – all aimed at increasing people’s understanding of climate change and encouraging climate action.
The annual fund has already supported eight projects with funding totalling £550,000. These include the Building Futures Galloway project which has equipped people in the region with the skills to improve the energy efficiency of historic buildings and apply techniques in their own homes.
Net Zero Secretary Màiri McAllan said: “Scotland is fully committed to meeting our target of net zero emissions by 2045 and, as part of this, it is important that people understand the nature and the scale of the climate emergency, the actions they can take to help and the support available to them to do so.
“By supporting grassroots action, the Climate Engagement Fund will help enable individuals and communities to directly contribute to tackling climate change.”
Chairman of the Board of Building Futures Galloway Graeme Davies said: “This fund has previously supported a range of activity to address energy efficiency issues in historic homes and buildings, including a film project with young people from Whithorn Primary School.
“The pupils interviewed our charity’s young trainees and visited some of the heritage restoration projects they are working on. They also produced a film to share what they had learned with others which was screened at an assembly and was broadcast online to other schools in Scotland.”
Applications for the Climate Engagement Fund will close on 7 May 2024.
SCOTTISH Building Society has doubled down on its commitment to offering Edinburgh customers passbook accounts, in a bid to support them with their financial needs.
With more than 67 percent of Scottish Building Society members across Edinburgh holding a passbook, they will continue to have access to the account, which can play a crucial role in helping them to manage their finances.
The move comes after several major banks across the UK announced they would be removing passbooks, which provide a paper record of banking transactions, from their services.
Recently Virgin Money announced it would remove passbook savings accounts, resulting in 100,000 customers across the UK being told they will no longer be able to use them to pay in or withdraw cash in person.
Despite several banks now no longer offering the service, Scottish Building Society believes passbooks still have an important role to play in helping customers manage their finances.
Feeling reassured by physical evidence of how much they hold in their accounts many customers prefer to bank this way to manage their finances.
The rise in the cost-of-living crisis has prompted many people to revert back to using physical money in a bid to help them budget, with passbook savings accounts serving as a valuable tool in helping them to manage this.
Removing this service alongside many local branches closing risks leaving many customers feeling alone, particularly during this economic climate Scottish Building Society warned.
Scottish Building Society has made significant investment in its high street branches to provide accessible banking for all and enhance its physical presence in communities, with the society most recently opening a new relationship centre in Edinburgh in June last year.
Meanwhile, as part of its 175th anniversary celebrations, the building society launched the Scottish Building Society Foundation in May last year, an initiative designed to give back to Scottish communities with an incredible £175,000 designated to local charities and good causes across Scotland.
Paul Denton, CEO at Scottish Building Society, said: “As a mutual organisation owned by and run for the benefit of our members, we want to make sure we are providing customers with everything they need to manage their finances in a way which is easy for them and stress free.
“While online services are the main stay for a lot of customers, there is a large portion of people who are not confident in using online banking or simply don’t want to, and they can rightly feel aggrieved that they are facing the prospect of having to do so.
“At Scottish Building Society our purpose is to serve the local community, and this is why we will continue to offer passbooks as a vital tool for customers, as well as investing in our branches to provide accessible, in-person facilities which will serve their local communities. Simply put, we want to ensure our members have choice when it comes to managing their finances, and we believe in offering them that.”
Lisa McKay, Edinburgh Relationship Manager, Scottish Building Society, said: “”At Scottish Building Society we understand how important it is for members to have options, which works for them, for managing their finances. For many, this means having a physical passbook which helps them keep up to date on their accounts.
“Our passbook savings accounts can be a really useful tool in this regard and that’s why we are committed to continuing them. If you are interested in learning more about how passbook savings accounts, please give us a call or visit your local branch and we will be happy to support.”
Seasonal Artistic Disorder: Past and present works by Bernie Reid
Artist/s / Participants:
Bernie Reid
About the Exhibition:
Seasonal Artistic DisorderPast and present works by Bernie Reid The work included in SAD could be seen as an inventory. I wanted to take the opportunity allowed by this exhibition to sit different works from the last fifteen years alongside current works in order to reflect on the sometimes dispirit avenues of my practice and to see if new ideas emerge from these assemblies.
It is sometimes a rare moment for an artist to be able to set out works side by side and have the space, both physical and mental, to see how the works play, conflict, or settle with each other so I wanted to take advantage of this time to do some self-curation.
My past works engage with the figurative tradition seen through the lens of my history with graffiti and stencil art and they are often an attempt to work through the conflict between my influences.
I find challenge in sampling the traditional and the new and trying to try to coalesce these samples into something greater than the sum of its parts.
There are also examples of my interest in the decorative arts with my painted rugs and a sculpture piece which will appear “naked” for this outing.
At present I’m interested in the phenomena of AI generated art and its effect on painting and how art is perceived in general and I’ve tried to address my own issues with this burgeoning technology.
My hope for the show is, through the mixture of work from different periods, to have a kaleidoscopic moment for my own edification and the viewers entertainment.
Artist Bio:
Bernie Reid is an Edinburgh-based artist with an international reputation whose body of work includes mixed media paintings, trompe l’oeil decorative rugs, graphic screen prints and sculpture. Reid’s explorations of subculture, fashion, graffiti and eroticism can be seen throughout the work of his 30-year career as an illustrator and artist.
Reid often employs mediums and techniques associated with graffiti such as stencils and spray paint in his work.
His mixed media paintings use these techniques alongside traditional oils to depict abstracted and psychedelic figurative forms influenced by the subcultural practices of sampling and hacking established culture in order to create new identities, the deviant sensibility of graffiti never being too distant from the outcome.
Themes of subcultures and eroticism also manifest in Reid’s graphic screen prints. Driven by a taste for control and technical efficiency and influenced by the stylings of mid-century advertising and Italian futurism – Reid uses exaggerated shapes and line work to create figurative illustrations inspired by urban society.
As an illustrator Reid worked on commissions for clients such as Wallpaper magazine, Stella McCartney, Telegraph Newspaper, Habitat, Liberty London, Boxfresh, ID magazine and has had his personal work featured in a number of illustration books and journals.
Reid’s work has been shown internationally in galleries which include MOMA New York, SFMOMA, 019 in Ghent, Serpentine Galleries in London, Garage Museum in Moscow and on the island of Stromboli for the Fiorucci Art Trust.
Additionally, Reid regularly facilitates projects for Artlink, a local charity that aims to help people with mental health connect with a creative practice and others seeking to find wellness through art.
Opening Event
Thursday, 18th April, 5 pm – 8 pm Exhibition Dates Times Weekdays 22nd – 26th 11am – 4pm
One of the best parts of going to university is the chance to join wacky societies where you can meet like-minded peers and make friends for life.
Most universities across the country have hundreds of societies to suit everybody’s tastes, with the sole University of Birmingham featuring over 500 clubs and societies on campus.
If you’re specifically into sports and physical activity, the likes of Lancaster, Oxford, Bristol, and Nottingham University might be the perfect place to develop your skills both in class and on the pitch. But if you’re after quirkier societies that allow you to unwind and enjoy your secret guilty pleasures, there are loads of clubs all over the nation that are bound to tickle your curiosity.
Abodus Student Living, a leading expert in providing homely student accommodation, explores some of the most unusual university societies available in the UK. Fancy signing up to one?
AstroSoc (Leeds University) Most people prefer dancing the night away inside a colourful nightclub or binge-watching a Netflix series in their cosy student flat in Leeds. But what if you’d rather spend the evening looking at the night sky?
Aaron Kirkwood, Head of Sales and Marketing at Abodus Student Living, says that the University of Leeds is home to the perfect society for stargazers.
“If you have a passion for planets, comets, and starry nights, the University of Leeds hosts a club that will take you on cloud nine.
“AstroSoc is the ideal society for students interested in the stars, where you’ll take part in stargazing sessions and attend fascinating lectures from experts in astronomy, astrophysics, and astrophotography.
“The society’s website says that members take regular trips to various planetariums while also arranging wholesome getaways into the Moors and Dales to enjoy unspoiled sky views.”
20 Minutes Society (Newcastle University) Standing as one of the most popular societies at Newcastle University, the 20 Minutes Society is a unique club that isn’t subject-bound, making it the right pastime for someone with infinite interests – or none at all!
The premise of the society is based on creativity and spontaneity, as it aims to host an improvised and unpredictable social activity each week. Members simply receive a text message and email 20 minutes before the club’s weekly gathering, guiding them to a specific location where they will participate in impromptu events or activities.
The 20 Minutes Society is also known for organising mystery holidays and weekend trips to cool locations such as Budapest, Zagreb, Krakow, and Amsterdam.
HotChocSoc (Edinburgh University) Doesn’t this society sound delicious? Brits are known for having a sweet tooth for all things chocolate, with about two-fifths of the population confessing to being true chocoholics.
The HotChocSoc at Edinburgh University is the ideal club for anyone who enjoys sipping a hot cup of cocoa. The only prerequisite for joining this exquisite society is to have a knack for milk, dark, or caramel chocolate – and if you like it in a mug, even better!
Winters in the Scottish capital can get very chilly, so it’s no wonder the HotChocSoc is a favourite among students who want to keep warm during the colder months.
The society focuses on good vibes and hot drink recommendations and throws in the regular café get-together, study sessions, and movie nights to unite social fun and sweet treats.
Hide and Seek Society (Exeter University) Let’s be honest – moving to a new city, studying for a degree, and kickstarting your professional career is all grown-up stuff. What if you are not ready to let go of those childhood blues?
One of the quirkiest clubs out there is the Hide and Seek Society at Exeter University, a wholesome society for anyone looking to conserve their inner child.
As well as meeting up for ‘Hide and Seek’ sessions, members get involved in many other classic games such as ‘Stuck in the Mud’ and ‘Grandma’s Footsteps’. Believe it or not, they even organise their very own Sports Day with competitions that bring back fond memories.
Quidditch Society (Oxford University) If you have a knack for Harry Potter films, you will no doubt know what Quidditch is all about. If not, it is a sport played high in the air on broomsticks.
Of course, that can’t quite happen in real life, so students at Oxford University and Oxford Brookes scamper around on the ground instead with a broom between their legs.
Apart from the flying elements, all the rules are identical to those described in J. K. Rowling’s books, with Britain’s brightest minds chasing a ‘quaffle’ (i.e., a volleyball) aboard an old stick.
The Quidditch Society holds training sessions twice a week in preparation for quidditch competitions across the country and welcomes students from all backgrounds regardless of their sporting experience.
Shrek Society (Glasgow University) Arguably one of the most unusual societies across all universities, the Shrek Society at Glasgow University brings together students with a not-so-concealed love for DreamWorks’ famous green ogre.
The society is dedicated to upholding and celebrating the cultural impact of the Shrek cinematic universe, running frequent ogre-themed pub quizzes, study sessions, and even scavenger hunts.
Karaoke night-outs are a regular occurrence, too, allowing members to sing their hearts out to several popular hits from the iconic movies. What’s not to like?
Joining a society is one of the best decisions you can make to meet new people and unplug from the chores of academic life.
With so many quirky clubs on offer, you are bound to find one that floats your boat. Would you sign up to one of the weird, wacky societies mentioned above?
Edinburgh locals and those with a connection to the city are being invited to share stories and memories of the former Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, now redeveloped as the University of Edinburgh’s Edinburgh Futures Institute, as part of a new mass-participatory writing project at this year’s Edinburgh International Book Festival.
Celebrating the Book Festival’s move to its new home at EFI, Words from the Wards will see collected stories from both Edinburgh residents and those from further afield, shared as part of a programme of multi-artform events that will take place in the iconic Category A-listed building during the Festival in August.
The Old Royal Infirmary was central to the city’s life, with generations of Edinburgh residents and visitors passing through its doors, corridors and wards. With the 20,000m² space now transformed into a world-leading venue for collaboration, conversation, and creativity, Words from the Wards will allow the memories already created in the building – from new births and mourned passings to the careers of the doctors and nurses who worked there – to be celebrated.
Alongside the public submissions, Words from the Wards will also feature contributions from leading Edinburgh writers and artists, including Dr Gavin Francis, Michael Pederson, Hannah Lavery, Sara Sheridan, Lisa Williams and Kirstin Innes.
Submitted stories from the public will be published at the Book Festival’s ‘On the Road’ blog at www.ontheroad.edbookfest.co.uk, creating a time capsule of memories about the Old infirmary through the eyes of those who worked and visited there throughout the years.
A selection of the submitted stories will be read by their authors, alongside the professional writers, at special events on-site at EFI on one of the former hospital wards during the Festival.
During the Book Festival there will also be a tie-in with Edinburgh Futures Institute Culture and Community team’s ongoing Recycling a Hospital project, which will see a new object created from materials preserved from the building’s original interiors (floorboards and slates), and poetry written by community members, installed within the space. The object, called ‘The Spirit Case’, will become a hub for gathering further stories, with Book Festival visitors invited to engage with the existing stories and contribute their own reflections and memories of the building.
Noëlle Cobden, Communities Programme Director at Edinburgh International Book Festival, said: “We’re incredibly excited that the Book Festival’s new home is the Edinburgh Futures Institute – not just because of the visionary ideas and projects at its heart, but because of its building’s rich and meaningful history.
“The Old Royal Infirmary is where many local residents – and those now further afield – took their first breaths, and its walls have witnessed uncountable moments of hope, fear, joy, and grief.
“We want to capture and honour the experiences, relationships and memories that people connect with the building’s previous life, as the Book Festival becomes part of its future. We hope that as many people as possible will share their stories with us, as our fantastic associated writers will also do, and can’t wait to discover the hidden, personal histories which make this place so special.”
Writer Kirstin Innes said: “Like many, many people born in Edinburgh, I began in this building. Of course, I don’t remember that but I do remember being 19 and going back there, visiting my grandfather in the early stages of dementia, after he’d had a stroke.
“Thinking about this commission has already started conjuring scents and sounds – hospital bleach, my footsteps on the stone staircase, the scrape of a chair on aged linoleum. This place means so much to so many of us – it’s an honour to be asked to write something about it.”
Working with architecture firm Bennetts Associates, the University of Edinburgh has been transforming the iconic, category-A listed Old Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh into Edinburgh Futures Institute to develop a space for multidisciplinary collaboration, data-led innovation, education, research, and partnership.
The Edinburgh Futures Institute includes state-of-the-art teaching facilities, rooms for co-working with industry partners, incubation areas for businesses, labs for innovation and prototyping, and exhibition and performance spaces.
The revitalised building is transforming the local area, creating a major public piazza, new garden spaces, and several new points of access from Lauriston Place, Middle Meadow Walk and Quartermile – opening this historic site once again to the public and welcoming Edinburgh communities, residents and visitors, as well as University of Edinburgh staff and students.
Last month we told you about a ministerial visit by Baron Cameron of Lochiel. Only a few weeks after that visit, we hosted another, this time from MSP Mairi Gougeon. Ms Gougeon, who is Holyrood’s Cabinet Minister for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands, was visiting us in part to find out how smoothly or otherwise the process of acquiring the Heart for the community had been and also to announce that there would be a review into the Community Right To Buy process which will begin this summer.
During her visit she spoke to several of the Heart partners, including Chair of HEC (History of Education Centre), Alice Bacciarelli and potter Borja Moronta.
“It was wonderful to meet so many of the team and visitors at Heart of Newhaven and hear how they are offering a hub for the community,” said Ms Gougeon. “To see how much they have achieved is remarkable, especially when so much of it had to be done in the face of all the additional difficulties caused by the pandemic.
“Their dedication to offering space to artists and looking at so many different ways to bring people together is really impressive and I look forward to hearing about their future plans.”
Staffing changes
We have recently welcomed a new caretaking team of three to the Heart; Mike, Johnrobert and Emmanuel. They can be found beavering busily round and about the buildings at all hours.
Please make them welcome.
By having three members in the team, we hope to be able to eventually enable full access to the site as well as ensure added security.
Thanks to further funding, from Age Scotland and the Heritage Lottery Fund, we have also been able to appoint two new project staff, both of whom started in March.
A new Dementia Meeting Centre Manager, Jan Bee Brown, started working three days per week from March 6. Jan is a well known local story teller and was with us at the start of our Heart journey and so we are pleased to welcome her back after three years working in Shetland. She has plenty of relevant experience resulting from her role as a part-time Dementia Advisor with Alzheimer Scotland.
Alongside this new team, we are happy to announce that our staff members Roger Walpole and Kim Thomson have been confirmed in their positions as Centre Manager and Centre Administrator respectively following the initial transition period of the Heart. We hope they will both be with us for some time to come.
Meeting Centre activities
The Meeting Centre at Heart of Newhaven is excited to be partnering with Healing Arts Scotland to take part in their ITAC Healing Arts Week Relay. Meeting Centre Artist in Residence, Willy Gilder, will be hosting three playful creative workshops together with Fenella Kerr and Jan Brown on: Wednesday 10th, 17th & 24th April at Heart of Newhaven 1.30pm – 3.30 pm.
Come along and get creative with like minds, all materials will be provided plus tea and cake to help get the creative juices flowing.
Session 1. Wednesday 10th April – ‘Mapping the Mind’ with Fenella Kerr
Session 2. Wednesday 17th April – ‘Creating with Clay’ with Jan Brown
Session 3. Wednesday 21st April – ‘Drawn to the Dance’ with Jan Brown
All sessions are free and dementia inclusive. If you would more information contact Jan Brown at jan.brown@heartofnewhaven.co.uk
Our response will be part of Scottish Ballet’s partnership with Healing Arts Week in partnership with The Edinburgh International Festival this summer.
Our ‘Schooldays’ Heritage Lottery Fund coordinator, Simone Kenyon also started two days per week from the end of March.
Simone will be leading the community team’s latest project, which will bring together pupils from the local schools in the area, together with older residents and Heart partners, to share memories of their schooldays and leave a lasting legacy for generations to come. More details in the weeks to come.
Gardening group update
Funding has arrived in our bank account for the Community Garden project which began in March and Hayley, our sessional worker, is organising a number of intergenerational sessions on Monday afternoons and Thursday mornings. Do come and admire the continuing developments in the garden.
These include: new high, easily accessed planters and new compost bins, all kindly built by Leith Mens Shed; a beautifully woven willow screen to hide the road, created and donated by Judy Gray, seen at work in the photo; a “dead hedge”, also part of the screening process; lots of seedlings sprouting and potatoes chitting by the Anchor Building windows.
With the Lottery funding we have bought lots of new tools for volunteers and visiting groups to use, and other immediate plans include raising the height of the existing beds, surrounding them with wood chip paths, siting and filling the high planters and acquiring more shrubs and climbers to grow along the north fence.
New volunteers, experienced gardeners or those keen to learn, are always very welcome at Hayley’s sessions. Ask for details in The Heart or contact her directly to learn more: bloomyogaedinburgh@gmail.com.
Our Christmas Tree project has really taken off and we now have an army of knitters handing in squares as well as those people who have joined our knit and natter sessions.
Primary school children, church groups, line dancers, knitting circles, knitters from London, Inverness, Sleaford and Lancashire are just some of the knitters who are contributing to our growing bundles of squares.
We are approaching our first 1,000 and 150 decorations but we need many more and it will be you, who by knitting and spreading the word, will keep the momentum going.
Knit and natter groups meet in the Heart on Tuesdays at 7.15 till 8.30 and on Wednesday and Saturday mornings from 10 till 12.
Happy knitting!
13th April – Scran and a Song
As well as our Open For Coffee morning on Saturday 13th April, the Scran Van will be rolling up to provide some free lunches from 12.30. There will be a limited number, so get there early.
The food will be accompanied by performances from the Mens’ Shed and there will also be bicycle maintenance from Euan from EZ Bike Tours.
Bring your bike along for a wee tune up and advice. More details online or on our social media.
Remember to check our website and social media regularly.
For example have you seen the latest addition to the Culture & Heritage blog page? It features an interview with Cassandra Baron, one of the Heart’s resident creative Partners. (We featured Borja Moronta a few months ago: all you need to do is scroll down till you find it.)
All our Partners produce a lot of wonderful work and we don’t have space to feature them all in our regular newsletters, but we hope to include more about them on the website. So remember, check it out regularly.
Congratulations
Talking of Partners, we’d like to congratulate Neil Smith our Partner and resident composer, who had a piece of his work premiered recently in the Reid Concert Hall. We didn’t know about it in time for the March newsletter’ belated congratulations, Neil.
He shared a stage with three other premiered pieces of music, with his contribution – Regular Music, a piece for piano and nine-piece ensemble. He’s pictured with the ensemble along with conductor Oliver Cope.
Ssh!
Finally, don’t tell anyone, but the Heart has been chosen as the setting for some scenes in a new film currently under production. We are thrilled to be part of something so exciting but we can’t tell you too many details yet.
All we can say is that someone famous will be on set! You’ll have to watch this space. Meanwhile, we have to apologise in advance to anyone using the building on Monday 15th April when filming will be happening on the ground floor of the Victoria Building and in the playground.
There will also be preparatory work and then reinstating afterwards so be prepared!
