Britannia back on the open waves? Don’t be daft, says Deidre

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Deidre Brock MP has dismissed Tory calls to bring the Royal Yacht Britannia back as a working ship as ‘daft’. Speaking ahead of this afternoon’s parliamentary debate on the issue, Ms Brock said: “The Royal Yacht Britannia is a beautifully kept museum piece. The plan to bring it back as a working ship is just daft.

“The ship is a floating curiosity from a bygone era and it is staying put in Leith – not just because one of the propellers has been melted down into a statue of a Royal Yachtsman.

“By remaining at the Ocean Terminal, Britannia can actually give something back to society, bringing in money to help regenerate a poorer area, rather than leeching further from the public purse.

“Given the austerity being inflicted upon us, surely even the Tories would flinch at the idea of recommissioning a Royal Yacht?

“As benefit sanctions leave the most disadvantaged people to go hungry, as the working poor join claimants in the foodbank queues, how can anyone justify recommissioning a Royal Yacht? Which budget do they want to cut for that?

“Flashboat democracy has no place in the modern world – which has changed utterly from the day in 1997 that Britannia was decommissioned, never mind the world in which it was commissioned in the first place. If Tories want to see economic revival then they must act to ease austerity and properly invest in our people, our infrastructure and our public services, not throw money at baubles from a bygone era.”

Today’s Westminster debate ‘Reintroduction of the Royal Yacht Britannia for the purpose of international trade’ was called by Conservative MP Jake Berry. The case for reintroduction of the vessel has support of a many Conservatives including Michael Gove MP.

Take time out for Mental Health

We all have mental health – but are we looking after it?

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Scottish Association for Mental Health is encouraging people in Edinburgh to take time out for Mental Health Awareness Week. 

New figures from SAMH show that 94 per cent of us think our mental health is as or more important than our physical health; yet around a quarter of us never take time to look after it.

The figures have been revealed on World Mental Health Day (10 October) and SAMH is encouraging people in Edinburgh to mark the occasion by doing something that benefits their well-being.

Talking to friends or family was the most popular way to improve mental health, followed closely by reading, physical exercise, and listening to or playing music.

Jo Anderson, Director of External Affairs at SAMH said: “We all have mental health, just as we all have physical health, and it’s important that we look after it. This Mental Health Awareness Week we want to get people thinking about their own mental health and the kind of things that improve it. Throughout the week we’ll be highlighting ideas and inspiration, and hope that people will get involved and share their own experiences.”

You can follow SAMH on Twitter @SAMHTweets or find us on Facebook/SAMHmentalhealth and Instagram @SAMHscotland

SAMH’s Five Ways to Better Mental Health can be downloaded at www.samh.org.uk/mental-health-information/five-ways-to-better-mental-health

Easing the burden: funding extension for ‘crucial’ advice services

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Successful projects that have helped people cope with issues such as debt, mortgage worries and benefit problems will continue thanks to £6 million of funding. Among those succesful projects is Granton Information Centre, who increased one client’s household income by a staggering £15,000. Continue reading Easing the burden: funding extension for ‘crucial’ advice services

Don’t miss COLLECTOR exhibition

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Arcadeum’s Collector exhibition opened on Saturday afternoon at Whitespace Gallery on East Crosscauseway – and the exhibition has already attracted over one hundred visitors!

The fascinating exhibition features the personal collections of twenty residents and local workers from North Edinburgh and includes collections of model buses, spoons, toysoldiers, John Wayne memorabilia and  more …

The exhibition runs until Thursday and is open daily from 11am – 6pm – and it’s free. Don’t miss it!

More info at Facebook – Arcadeum Collectors Project and www.arcadeum.org/projects

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Part of the Union!

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On the first Monday of each month a top team from Urban Union meets at Muirhouse Millennium Community Centre to ensure that Pennywell redevelopment progress is on track.

We wish you well and look forward to a new and improved Muirhouse

Pictured (left to right):  

 Robin McAndie ( Quantity Surveyor), Rachael Fraser (Project Manager), Steven Anderson (Technical Manager), Caroline Wallace (Commercial Manager)

To learn more about Urban Union click: HERE

JAMES McGINTY

Seafood Week: Fish Art!

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Seafood has taken over the country… quite literally!

To celebrate Seafood Week 2016 [October 7 to 14] Seafish, the UK industry authority on seafood has partnered with Food is Art to create pukka portraits of some of the country’s most famous landmarks. From the Fish Rail Bridge to the White Cliffs of Dover Sole and the Giant’s Codway, you certainly won’t look at these “plaices” in the same way again…!

Made out of salubrious species including mackerel, mussels and sprats these seafood sights are truly a feast for the eyes!

Heather Middleton from Seafish said: “We’re so impressed with our fish inspired landmarks, we actually did a double take to check that they weren’t the real thing. Seafood Week is all about having fun and enjoying more seafood, more often, and we hope people across the country will love our aquatic art as much as we do!

“If our fish-tastic works of art get your tummy rumbling, make sure to check out scrumptious recipes you can create at home by visiting Fish is the Dish online.”

Seafood Week started with a splash yesterday as the twitterverse mades waves during the second annual #fishpunday.  Users were challenged to a ‘pun off’, where fish fans turn their favourite celebrities, musicians, films or famous lines into something truly spectacular to share with friends.

Over the course of the week, Seafish is calling on the public to explore the wonderful variety of species available in the UK, showing that no matter the budget, time or location, seafood is always a healthy, delicious and simple option.

For recipe ideas check out Fish is the Dish: http://www.fishisthedish.co.uk/recipes
To find out more information about Seafood Week 2016, visit the official website here: www.seafoodweek.co.uk

 

1) White cliffs of Dover sole:

A selection of cooked white fish such as cod, dover sole, pollock and haddock, for the cliffs and a mushy pea landscape, breadcrumb beach and white fish flakes as waves.

2) Giant’s Codway:

A selection of cooked fish cakes made with cod and haddock, with curly parsley and dill “seaweed”.  Mussel shells and oysters as rocks with curly kale as the green landmass in the distance.  

3) Isle of Wight Needles:

Made with fresh cod loin fillets as the needles, surrounded by sprats, the cliffs made with fresh cod loin and mushy peas. The lighthouse is made with fresh seafood sticks and a lemon as the light, set on the sea with a lemon sunrise.

4) Edinburgh Castle:

Castle made with cooked fish fingers and marinated anchovies roof, set on top of the craggy rock made from cooked mackerel fillets, cooked king prawns, whole cooked crab, cooked mussels and cockles in shells, cooked breaded plaice pieces, dressed with fresh purple broccoli, green broccoli, potatoes, kale, chard and parsley.

5) Fish falls:

Streaming waterfalls made from whole sea bass, whole sardines, whole mackerel, whole sprats and mussels as the rocks, with gushing water falls made from fresh cod and haddock and ice. The setting of green is created from chard, kale, parsley, cabbage, broccoli and cavolo nero.

6) Fish Rail Bridge:

The iconic diamond shapes of this bridge have been created by using whole sea bream, with carrot pillars and fresh mussels, set on water to create reflections like the real bridge does, set with a kale landmass in the distance and mussel rocks in the foreground.

Prizes for Drumbrae Leisure Centre’s Active Art winners

Edinburgh children who took part in a ActiveArt competition to celebrate the relaunch of Edinburgh Leisure’s Drumbrae Leisure Centre, have received their prizes from Olympian swimmer and silver medallist, Robbie Renwick and Drumbrae’s Manageress, Emily Neil. Continue reading Prizes for Drumbrae Leisure Centre’s Active Art winners