A call for views on legislation which will create a new criminal offence for adults who smoke in a motor vehicle in the presence of a child has been launched today by the Health and Sport Committee.
Source: Call for views launched on Smoking Prohibition Bill – News & Parliament TV : Scottish Parliament
Fast-tracked funding released for charities on the ground in Nepal
Last Saturday, 25 April, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck an area between Kathmandu and Pokhara, Nepal. The government of Nepal has requested international assistance and the UK government is responding. Thousands are in need of shelter, water and food and we are working to ensure survivors get the help they need.
Following activation of the UK’s Rapid Response Facility (RRF) on Sunday 26 April, International Development Secretary Justine Greening yesterday announced six trusted NGOs and charities who will deliver life-saving aid to those affected by the earthquake in Nepal.
The selected organisations, which include some of Britain’s best-known charities, will share £3 million funding as part of Britain’s response to the crisis in Nepal. They are: Save the Children, Mercy Corps Scotland, Care International UK, ActionAid, Oxfam and Handicap International.
UK funding via the RRF will help to provide:
more than 40,000 people with dignified temporary shelter and access to life-saving emergency supplies;
more than 20,000 people with access to clean water, sanitation facilities, and hygiene information to better manage public health risks;
40,000 of the most vulnerable people with protection from all forms of violence and exploitation through emergency cash assistance; and
more than 2,500 people with severe injuries with physical rehabilitation activities.
Justine Greening said: “Providing pre-approved charities already working on the ground with fast-tracked funding is one of the best ways of getting help to people affected by the earthquake.
“With this funding, our trusted partners will get emergency shelter, medical support and clean water to thousands of people who were caught up in this disaster. By creating safe spaces they will offer protection to many vulnerable women and children who have lost their homes and could be at risk of violence.”
Summary of UK humanitarian response
The UK has released a £17.5 million package of emergency aid. This includes:
Sunday 3 May, Easter Drylaw Park 10.30am – 7.30pm
This Sunday will see thousands of walkers march 26, 13 or six miles around Edinburgh as part of the annual Kiltwalk fundraiser. As a charity partner of the event Barnardo’s is organising a pit stop three miles from the finish line and are looking for volunteer helpers.
Volunteer with Barnardo’s to help:
If you are available come along and help in the park for a few hours your support would be hugely appreciated! All volunteers will be given a Barnardo’s teeshirt, pin badge and cheer sticks as well as snacks and drinks while you are helping out.
Interested? Contact Karen Gillies on 0131 446 7019 or email karen.gillies@barnardos.org.uk
Marking one week since the devastating earthquake in Nepal, Edinburgh residents and visitors are being invited to show solidarity at a candlelit vigil outside the City Chambers tomorrow.
The Lord Provost Donald Wilson lodged an emergency motion at a meeting of the City of Edinburgh Council on Thursday to call on local support for the Mercy Corps Nepal Earthquake appeal.
He said: “When an event as devastating as this take place, I believe it is important for residents to feel they have an opportunity to express condolences and provide united support.
“I urge everyone in Edinburgh to do and give what they can, whether they join us for the candle lighting ceremony, make a donation to the Mercy Corps, pause for reflection or say a prayer for the lives lost.
“Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world and is suffering one of the most horrific of disasters. The survivors of this terrible earthquake and all of the aid workers in Nepal urgently need sympathy and support from all corners of the world.”
Rajendra Bam, the Chair of the Nepal Scotland Association, added: “The effect on our country has been devastating. We represent about 800 Nepali people in Edinburgh and the Lothians and no one has been left untouched by this tragedy, everyone has a story. Our community is a very close one and what affects one affects another. We are working in cooperation with charities, such as Mercy Corps, towards the urgent relief programme. Anything that you can do to help us is much appreciated.”
Edinburgh-based international charity Mercy Corps has been working in Nepal since 2006. The humanitarian organisation has reacted with an emergency response in Nepal following the massive earthquake and their dedicated team has been working tirelessly, whilst dealing with their own tragedies, to evaluate conditions and deliver emergency supplies to desperate families.
Simon O’Connell, Executive Director, Mercy Corps Europe said: “Our teams have been working hard for the last week to meet emergency needs of survivors in Nepal and assess what is needed for the recovery of the country. We are distributing urgent relief to families in Kathmandu and in villages outside of the capital and working hard to get more emergency supplies in for families who are in desperate need. Time is of the essence and donations are critical to our ongoing relief effort.”
The City of Edinburgh Council is a partner of the Edinburgh Disaster Response Committee which is asking residents to help survivors during the aftermath of the disaster.
A fund has opened with the Edinburgh based humanitarian organisation Mercy Corps for urgent donations.
Little Princess Chrissie raises £1000 for children’s charity
Little Christina Downie heard her mum talking about a small charity and took it upon herself to do something to support other children. The six year old Forthview pupil decided to get her hair cut for charity – and she’s raised over £1000!
Proud mum Dawn explained: “Back in February Chrissie heard me talking about Little Princess Trust, a charity provides real hair wigs to children who have lost their own hair through cancer treatment. She told us that she wanted to help the charity and she came up with the haircut idea herself.
“She is a very kind wee girl who always thinks and cares about other people so when we saw how determined she was we knew she would see it through.
“We thought at first we might raise a hundred pounds or so, but people have been so generous. The school, neighbours, my mother’s workmates have all supported Chrissie and she’s raised over £1000, with still more to come!”
Christina’s Aunt Ashley, who’s a hairdresser, popped in to family’s West Pilton home on Friday to cut Chrissie’s hair. She took around eleven inches off the length – and that hair will soon be turned into gold for the Little Princess Trust!
When the snipping was over Dawn said: “It’s really nice but I feel a bit weird – Chrissie’s hair hasn’t been that short since she was about a year old!”
Fortunately wee Christina likes her new look. She said: “I look different and it feels funny at first but I’m glad I’ve had it done.”
Ah, well. Hair today, gone tomorrow! Fundraising? It’s kid’s stuff!
https://youtu.be/YJciVFZd5aU
Let’s Glow festival shines a light on Edinburgh College’s creative talent
Edinburgh College’s dazzling creative students are about to light up the city with a two-month celebration of their luminous talents.
The Let’s Glow festival gives Edinburgh the chance to enjoy performances and exhibitions from college students covering everything from music, theatre and dance to photography, film, art, animation, textiles and design. The programme of events will showcase the skills and talents of the students, demonstrating the work they have undertaken at Edinburgh College over the last year.
Let’s Glow runs from 4 May to 22 June, with events taking place at venues across the city – including the college’s campuses, Summerhall, The King’s Theatre, The Traverse Theatre, The Edinburgh Filmhouse and The Queen’s Hall. Photography students are also taking their work to exhibit at Brick Lane in London.
The festival will feature students from all the college’s creative industries study programmes: Art and Design; Broadcast Media and Photography; Computing; Music and Sound Production; and Performing Arts.
The programme includes large-scale end-of-year shows by music, arts, photography, film and animation students; the PASS Cross Currents dance event choreographed by college staff and performed by students; an exhibition of make-up artistry; a graphic design exhibition; performances of Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale and contemporary Scottish play My Romantic History; the PASS Out showcase for final-year Acting and Performance students; a musical theatre revue; and the premier of an original musical about Scotland’s most revered and most controversial instrument – the bagpipes!
The festival launched last night with sneak peek performances at the city’s La Belle Angele.
Jon Buglass, head of the Centre for Creative Industries at Edinburgh College, said: “Following the success of the first Let’s Glow festival last year, we’re delighted to showcase the incredible talents of our current crop of students. The events at this year’s festival allow us to celebrate and share the remarkable work our students have been producing over the last year. We are constantly blown away by the quality of their work and the time, effort and dedication they put into its production.
“The diversity in the programme means there really is something for everyone on offer. So if you want to be inspired by the talents of our students, get along to one of our Let’s Glow events.”
The full programme of events – some of which are free – and details of where to buy tickets can be found at www.edinburghcollege.ac.uk/letsglow.
Keep up to date with Let’s Glow events on Facebook and Twitter.
#letsglow15
‘The sun that shines in Scotland is the same sun that shines in the Mediterranean”
PEOPLE in Scotland are being urged to stay safe in the sun, as part of Sun Awareness Week (May 4-10).
With the prospect of longer, warmer days ahead, people throughout the country will be spending more time outdoors. Scotland’s national telehealth and telecare service is urging people to seek advice on staying safe in the sun.
Professor George Crooks, NHS 24’s Medical Director, says that by taking a few simple steps, people can ensure they make the most of the summer season. He said: “We have already seen some warm and sunny days in Scotland so far this spring, with the prospect of more to follow. It is always a good idea to be prepared as best you can for the better weather.
“By taking just a few simple steps, we can all make the most of the good weather, without any ill effects. It is all too tempting, especially in Scotland, to overdo it in the sun and end up with painful sunburn. The sun that shines in Scotland, though, is the same sun that shines in the Mediterranean.
“I would advise people, particularly children and young infants, to take sensible precautions like limiting exposure to the direct sun, using sunscreen and drinking plenty of soft drinks.”
NHS inform contains a wide range of advice and information on summer health issues, with dedicated sections on sunburn, heatstroke, allergies and hay fever. There is also a section dedicated to hot weather in the common health questions section.
For more information, visit www.nhsinform.co.uk
Edinburgh welcomes summer with Beltane Fire Festival
PIC: Jon Kendrew
Edinburgh’s skyline was ablaze last night as hundreds of revellers took part in the ancient Celtic celebration of the coming of summer, the Beltane Fire Festival.
As darkness fell more than 7,000 people gathered on Calton Hill to watch as a procession of fire, drums and mystical characters set off from an epic opening sequence on the National Monument, to the lighting of a huge bonfire that could be seen for miles.
The night also saw a faerie garden of giant glowing mushrooms made from candlewax reclaimed from Edinburgh’s caves, a zip line whizzing fire performers across the hill and red acrobats making giant people-pyramids!
Sara Thomas, event coordinator said: “We’re really pleased the festival has had another successful year and that so many people could join us. Beltane is an ancient tradition with a modern twist, and we want to share it with as many people as possible.
“We’re hugely grateful for the support of everyone who comes to witness Beltane, and for the hard work of everyone involved in putting it on – from the hundreds of volunteers that perform, acts as stewards and make the event happen, to our partners in the local community – the City of Edinburgh Council, Police Scotland, the Incorporation of Candlemakers of Edinburgh and so many others. It’s only possible to put something incredible like Beltane on with a massive collective effort, and that’s what makes it so special.”
The modern Beltane Fire Festival has run since 1988 and is the spring and summer counterpart to Samhuinn Fire Festival, which is held in the city centre on 31 October. The events are modern re-imaginings of ancient celtic festivals marking the turning seasons.
The Beltane Fire Society is a charity run by volunteers, dedicated to marking the fire festivals of the ancient Celtic calendar and keeping traditional Scottish skills of street theatre, music and pageantry alive.
The Community Leadership College is holding the first in a series of ‘conversation cafes’ at West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre this morning from 10am – 12 noon.
The greatest asset our community has is the people who live here, and the Community Leadership Cafe plans to build on the skills, knowledge and experience of our own residents to help build a better and stronger community for all.
Like to find out more? Call in for a chat at West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre today from 10am – 12 noon – it’s very informal and there’s free refreshments too!
If you can’t make it along this morning, don’t worry – a number of sessions are planned. Confirmed venues so far include:
Wednesday 6 May: Muirhouse Millennium Centre, 2 – 4pm
Thursday 14 May: Muirhouse Millennium Centre, 6 – 8pm
Monday 18 May: West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre, 4 – 6pm
Thursday 21 May: North Edinburgh Arts, 2 – 4pm
Monday 25 May: North Edinburgh Arts, 11am – 1m
Monday 1 June: West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre, 4 – 6pm
… and there will be more!
For further information call Kelly (0751 975 8526) or Dave (0751 975 8555) or email comlc2015@outlook.com
The Night in the Garden event at The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) has been named as one of the best museum projects in the UK at the Museums & Heritage Awards for Excellence.
The project was a magical combination of light and nature – the first outdoor light experience of its kind to be organised by the Garden – was open to visitors between 30 October and 23 November. It was named as the winner in the Trading and Enterprise category at the Awards, presented by comedian and TV personality Marcus Brigstocke yesterday at the Historic State Rooms of 8 Northumberland Avenue in central London.
Accepting the award, RBGE Director of Enterprise Heather Jackson said: “It is a particular honour to be recognised by our peers. Now, our ambition is to build on the success of that inaugural event and create an evolving annual experience that will showcase the Garden and inspire visitors to support the wider research and conservation work of the organisation.”
The Awards are judged by a panel of senior sector professionals including Bernard Donoghue (Director, Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA), Diane Lees (Director General, Imperial War Museums), Matthew Tanner (Chief Executive of ss Great Britain), Sam Mullins (Director of the London Transport Museum), Maggie Appleton (Chief Executive, RAF Museum), Diana Owen (Director, Shakespeare Birthplace Trust) and Stephen Duncan (Director of Commercial and Tourism, Historic Scotland).
The judges commented: “This organisation successfully managed to maximise the opportunity to generate additional income during a period which was traditionally quiet, managing to attract crowds to the great outdoors during winter, paving the way for a future programme of revenue-generating events.”
Now celebrating its thirteenth year, the annual Awards, created by The Museums + Heritage Show, recognise the leading lights of the heritage sector and celebrate excellence and innovation at museums, galleries and visitor attractions across the UK and Europe.
Hundreds of sector professionals joined together at the ceremony – the ‘Oscars’ of the museums and heritage industry – to celebrate the groundbreaking achievements and spectacular projects taking place in cultural attractions over the past 12 months.
Among the night’s big winners were London’s Imperial War Museum’s WW1 galleries that walked away with the top honour of the ‘Best Permanent Exhibition’ accolade. While Michael Day, Chief Executive of the Historic Royal Palaces received the award for Outstanding Contribution by an Individual to the heritage sector.
Other 2015 winners were Kent Life Wildlife Farm Park for Outstanding Customer Service; The Black Country Museum for Project on a Limited Budget and Renfrewshire District Council took the award for the best restoration project for its work to restore the Grand Fountain in Paisley.
The winner of the International Award was Tinker Imagineers from Rotterdam for the DOMunder archaeological visitor experience, while the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh received the Winstan Bond Trophy for Trading and Enterprise.
Other winners included The National Trust for Scotland in Partnership with Historic Scotland & Designers Bright White Ltd which walked away with the Innovations award; Oxford University Museum of Natural History took the top Marketing award and London’s Historic Royal Palace’ ground-breaking installation, Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red was named as the best Temporary or Touring exhibition.
The winners and highly commended entries (listed below) are a reflection of the industry’s resilience. Each museum, cultural and heritage visitor attraction is recognised for its excellence – whether for an innovative and groundbreaking exhibition or for making a considerable achievement on the smallest of budgets.
2015 WINNERS & HIGHLY COMMENDED
OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION BY AN INDIVIDUAL
Michael Day, Chief Executive, Historic Royal Palaces
CUSTOMER SERVICE AWARD
Sponsored by BDRC Continental
Kent Life Heritage Farm Park: More than a Guest, More than a Vision, More than a Job
Highly Commended: The Lightbox: The Lightbox Front of House Team
INTERNATIONAL AWARD
Sponsored by Martello Media
TINKER imagineers: DOMunder: archaeological visitor experience
Highly Commended: Natura Artis Magistra, Micropia
PROJECT ON A LIMITED BUDGET
Sponsored by Sweett
Black Country Museum: WW1 Greengrocers
Highly Commended: Woodhorn Museum: Stand up for Woodhorn: Making a Case for Comedy in Museums
RESTORATION OR CONSERVATION
Sponsored by FWA Group
· Renfrewshire Council: The Grand Fountain Restoration, Paisley
Highly Commended: Coventry Transport Museum: 1916 Maudslay Subsidy Chassis
WINSTAN BOND TROPHY FOR TRADING & ENTERPRISE
Supported by Association of Independent Museums
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh: Botanic Lights: Night in the Garden
INNOVATIONS AWARD
The National Trust for Scotland in Partnership with Historic Scotland & Designers Bright White Ltd: The Battle of Bannockburn Visitor Centre
High;y Commended: Mather & Co on behalf of Manchester City Council: Archives +
MARKETING CAMPAIGN
Sponsored by Volunteer Makers
Oxford University: Museum of Natural History Goes To Town
Highly Cemmended: Imperial War Museums: First World War Galleries
PERMANENT EXHIBITION
Sponsored by Martello Media
Imperial War Museums London and Casson Mann: First World War Galleries
Highly Commended: The National Trust for Scotland in Partnership with Historic Scotland & Designers Bright White Ltd: The Battle of Bannockburn Visitor Centre
EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVE
Sponsored by Arts Award
Imperial War Museums: Transforming Imperial War Museums London Learning Projects – JOINT WINNER
· Shakespeare Birthplace Trust: Shakespeare Week – JOINT WINNER
TEMPORARY OR TOURING EXHIBITION
Historic Royal Palaces: Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red
Highly Commended: The Royal Air Force Museum: Pilots of the Caribbean
CULTURE PROS PICK
In partnership with The Guardian Culture Professionals Network
People’s History Museum in Manchester
