Edinburgh College Art Students Invite You to Celebrate ‘Contemporary Closure’ at Granton Hub!
Contemporary Art Practice (CAP) HND year 1 students are seeking closure, and you’re all invited to the party with an end-of-year exhibition.
Contemporary Closure is an art exhibition being held at granton:hub (Madelvic House), put together by first-year CAP students to celebrate the end of their first year at Edinburgh College’s Granton campus.
Join the HND CAP students on opening night, 31st May from 6pm – 9pm to help them celebrate. You’ll get to see a preview of the work and meet the next wave of contemporary artists over drinks and nibbles.
The exhibition will then run from June 1st – 6th. Times vary, with the exhibition being open 10am – 4pm over the weekend, then 2pm – 6pm on weekdays.
Gareth Hutchison, events co-ordinator, said of the event: “The amount of exciting creative talent emerging from Edinburgh College ‘s Contemporary Art Practice course at Telford Campus is astounding and needs to be presented in a public gallery.
“granton:hub is delegated to showcasing the very best of young & emerging artists in its monthly exhibitions program.
“Contemporary Closure’ exhibition at granton:hub gallery brings together a motley crew of art students. Showcasing their own unique view of modern life, through a year long period of creativity, joy, tears and sweat.
“Before this summer’s festival circus comes to Edinburgh town, why not choose to visit a public art exhibition in the heart of Granton, by some of Edinburgh’s very own home-grown-talent and support local artists embark on a journey outside the safety of the academic walls to showcase their fantastic artworks to the public.”
Contemporary Art Practice student and co-organiser of the event, Bronwen Winter Phoenix, said: “I’m so excited that we’re able to celebrate the end of our first year of CAP in such a great location! Granton is becoming quite an exciting place to be for art at the moment, so it’s fantastic to be a part of that.
“I hope people will come along to view our work – which is really varied as we all have our different styles – have a bit of a party, and see what we’ve been up to as CAP students!”
Official blurb for the exhibition
What makes closure contemporary? When it’s put together by a motley crew of contemporary art students, of course! Join us, Edinburgh College’s HND year 1 Contemporary Art Practice students for our end-of-year exhibition, where we’ll celebrate with a party, and a showcase of the recent work we’ve accomplished, on May 31st. On the night, a few of us will be available to chat about our work and experiences of CAP 1 over drinks and nibbles.
The exhibition will then run from June 1st – 6th, 10am – 4pm over the weekend, then2pm – 6pm on weekdays.
The exhibition will feature paintings, prints, sculptures, collages and more, with themes including nature, technology, rituals, the body, and mental health (for visitors with children, parental discretion should be advised).
Exclusive artists’ video screenings
On Sunday 2nd June at 2:30pm, come along to an exclusive preview showing of never-seen-before videos from some of the artists, along with a ‘Meet the Artists’ Q&A. Free prints and zines from some of our artists will be available on the day – while they last!
We are a member-driven charitable organisation that aims to elevate Granton’s profile and provide a focus for Granton’s diverse and evolving communities. granton:hub is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCO46708), and is managed by a small team of volunteers.
granton:hub is located within Madelvic House, Granton Park Ave, Edinburgh EH5 1HS.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNIONS SET FOR SUMMER STRIKE ACTION
COSLA wrote to the Scottish Joint Council (SJC) Trade Unions with a formal pay offer for Scotland’s Local Authority workforce on Thursday – but their ‘strong, fair and credible’ offer has been firmly rebuffed by trade unions representing council workers.
Making the formal offer, COSLA said in a statement: “Following a number of very constructive SJC Steering Group negotiating meetings in recent weeks, COSLA has today (23rd May) written to the Scottish Joint Council (SJC) Trade Unions with a formal pay offer for the SJC Local Government workforce. “
This offer is for a settlement which runs for an 18-month period of 1st April 2024 to 30th September 2025. There will be a 2.2% uplift from 1st April, with a further 2% uplift taking effect from 1 October. This therefore includes a change in the settlement date to 1 October.
“This offer fully utilises the negotiating mandate provided by COSLA Leaders and is at the limit of affordability, given the severe financial constraints councils are facing in the context of a flat cash Local Government settlement.
“We believe that this is a strong, fair, and credible offer which reflects the high value council Leaders place on the Local Government workforce and the invaluable work they do every day to serve our communities.”
The May 2024 pay offer to SJC Unions explained
COSLA’s offer to SJC Trade Unions on 23rd May 2024 is detailed in the bullet points below:
A 2.2% increase from 1 April 2024
Further 2% increase from 1 October 2024
Change settlement date to 1 October
Agree to develop negotiation protocol
This offer covers 1 April 2024 – 30 September 2025.
A STRONG, FAIR and CREDIBLE OFFER? NO, SAY UNIONS …
Unite rejects outright COSLA pay offer
Union now moving “full steam ahead” for Summer strike action
Unite the union has confirmed that its representative committee for local government workers have rejected outright the COSLA pay offer.
The offer comprises 2.2 per cent effective from 1 April to 30 September, and then two per cent for a 12-month period effective from 1 October 2024 to 30 September 2025.
Unite rejected the offer, and the proposal to change the pay anniversary date from April to October on the basis that it is nothing but an attempt to “kick the can down the road”.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said:“COSLA has taken months to put a formal pay offer to our local government membership, and it’s a derisory one at that.”
“Unite’s representatives rightly rejected this offer outright. The fight for better jobs, pay and conditions in local government will continue. We are clear that our members shouldn’t settle for anything that doesn’t come close to meeting their demands.”
Unite has confirmed that it is actively preparing to ballot key groups of its local government membership across Scotland.
Unite will announce the details of the industrial action ballot next week as it issued a warning to COSLA and the Scottish government that the union is moving “full steam ahead” towards industrial action this summer period.
Graham McNab, Unite industrial officer, added:“The pay offer doesn’t come close to meeting the aspirations of our members in local government. Unite also opposes the pay anniversary date being moved to October as nothing but a cynical attempt to kick the can down the road.”
“Politicians pretend the cost of living crisis has gone away but that just isn’t the reality for the vast majority of workers in local government who have endured years of low pay, chronic underfunding and record rates of inflation”.
“Unite is moving full steam ahead towards industrial action this summer unless COSLA makes a significantly improved pay offer.”
Pay offer to council workers is too low and should be rejected, says UNISON
Local government staff in Scotland are worth more than the pay increase they’ve been offered, UNISON said on Thursday.
The union is to consult thousands of council workers across Scotland over a pay offer which was made on Thursday, with a recommendation they vote to reject it.
UNISON is calling for an improvement to pay that fairly rewards council staff for the essential services they provide and starts to reverse years of pay cuts they have experienced.
Employer organisation Cosla has made a two-stage offer which runs for 18 months, which gives a 2.2% increase for the first six months and an additional 2% for a further 12 months of the deal, ending in September next year.
Chair of UNISON Scotland’s local government committee, Colette Hunter said: “The offer falls short of the level local government workers deserve and the union is recommending staff vote to reject it when they are consulted next week.
“Workers have seen the value of their pay fall over the past ten years, while often being asked to do even more. They provide vital services to their communities by caring for the most vulnerable, educating children, waste and recycling, and keeping people safe. Council workers need a pay rise that reflects this.”
GMB Scotland dismisses council pay offer as too late and too low
GMB Scotland has also rejected Cosla’s pay offer to council workers.
The union, one of the biggest in Scotland’s public sector, branded the offer too late and too low, and warned of looming industrial action.
GMB’s 20,000 members in Scots councils have already voted overwhelmingly in a consultative ballot to back industrial action if there was no acceptable offer and a formal ballot of care workers is already underway with more planned.
Keir Greenaway, GMB Scotland senior organiser in public services, confirmed the union’s local government committee rejected the offer at a meeting this afternoon.
He said: “The offer to Scotland’s council workers is too late and too low. The delay was unacceptable and the offer is unacceptable.
“It means council workers in Scotland being offered less than colleagues in England and Wales and it raises grave concerns about councils’ promise to pay all workers £15 an hour by 2026.
“This offer comes nowhere close to matching that commitment.
“We do not need any more empty promises and excuses. We need a pay offer that fairly reflects the crucial work being done by our members in local authorities delivering the frontline services that Scotland is built on.
“Inflation might be slowing but bills continue to rise and workers and their families are still being crushed by the cost of living.
“Our members in social care are among the lowest paid council workers delivering some of the most important frontline services.
“They deserve better than this. So do their colleagues and so does every Scot relying on them to deliver the services Scotland is built on.”
The committee has published its report “Screen time: impacts on education and wellbeing”.
There has been a 52% increase in children’s screen time between 2020 and 2022; nearly 25% of children and young people use their smartphones in a way that is consistent with a behavioural addiction.
Screen use has been found to start as early as six months of age. One in five children aged between three and four years old have their own mobile phone, increasing to one in four children by age eight and to almost all children by age 12. The amount of time those aged 5–15 years old spent online rose from an average of nine hours per week in 2009, to 15 hours per week in 2018.
As well as harms to mental and physical health, screen time can disrupt pupils’ learning both at home and in the classroom, as it can take up to 20 minutes for pupils to refocus on what they were learning after engaging in a non-academic activity such as browsing the internet or noticing a notification on their phone.
The report strongly supports the tougher guidance on keeping phones out of the classroom and breaktimes that the Department recently issued. However, the Committee heard mixed evidence on how well taken up this will be, we therefore recommend formal monitoring and evaluation of this approach by the next Government with the possibility of a statutory ban if needed.
The Committee also concludes that screen time should be minimal for younger children and better balanced with face-to-face socialisation and physical activity for older ones.
Parents need clear guidance from Government on managing children’s screen time, and in particular advice to parents of babies and young children should be revised to ensure it gives sufficient attention to face-to-face interaction and warns of the risks of screen time in reducing opportunities for this.
While the Online Safety Act 2023 will undoubtably play a role in keeping children safe from online harms, the Committee is concerned that children will not feel the full protections of the Act until implementation is completed in 2026.
79% of children have encountered violent pornography before the age of 18, with the average age that children first see pornography being 13 years old. Some 81% of girls aged 7-21 have experienced some form of threatening or upsetting behaviour, and online sexual crimes committed against children online has risen by 400% since 2013.
One in five children (19%) aged 10-15 experienced at least one type of bullying behaviour online, and out of them, around three-quarters (72%) said they experienced at least some of it at school or during school time.
It is clear that the entire system surrounding the digital age of consent and how it is verified is not fit for purpose. The Committee heard no evidence to suggest that 13 is an appropriate age for children to understand the implications of allowing platforms access to their personal data online.
Yet even with the digital age of consent currently formally set at the lowest possible level, it is widely ignored and not effectively enforced. This must change urgently. The next Government should consult on raising the age of digital consent and should recommend 16 as a more appropriate age.
The report also calls for the level of digital age of consent to be effectively enforced. The Online Safety Act 2023 allows for substantial fines or even imprisonment for executives of companies who breach its rules, and the Government should consider how this approach can be applied to social media companies who knowingly breach age verification requirements and expose children to addictive content which is not appropriate for them.
Within the first year of the new Parliament, the next Government should work alongside Ofcom to consult on additional measures regarding smartphones for children under 16 years old, including the possibility of a total ban of smartphones (internet-enabled phones) for children under 16 or parental controls installed as default on phones for under 16s.
The next Government should work with mobile phone companies and network operators to promote children’s phones, a class of phone which can be used for contact and GPS location but not access to the internet or downloading apps.
Chair of the Education Committee, Robin Walker MP, said: “Excessive screen and smartphone use has a clear negative impact on the mental and physical wellbeing of children and young people. Our inquiry heard shocking statistics on the extent of the damage being done to under-18s, particularly those who are already extremely vulnerable, such as those in care.
“Without urgent action, more children will be put in harm’s way. From exposure to pornography, to criminal gangs using online platforms to recruit children, the online world poses serious dangers.
“Parents and schools face an uphill struggle and Government must do more to help them meet this challenge. This might require radical steps, such as potentially a ban on smartphones for under-16s.
“Our report found that digital age of consent checks are not fit for purpose. We heard no evidence demonstrating that thirteen-year-olds understood the ramifications of sharing personal information online and today’s report urges the Government to increase this age to sixteen.
“It’s also clear that children require face-to-face and in-person social contact in order to thrive. Our report found that screen time is inversely associated with working memory, processing, attention levels, language skills and executive function.
“Whilst there can be some benefits from the online world and sharing information or interests with their peers, ready, unsupervised and unrestricted access to the internet leaves children vulnerable, exposing them to a world they are not equipped for. Their safeguarding and protection must be our priority.”
The key to assessing Scotland’s ecological health and supporting nature conservation could lie in the analysis of environmental DNA, scientists have found.
Recent research, directed and supported by organisations including the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), NatureScot, and the Scottish Government’s Marine Directorate, and delivered by NatureMetrics, showed how studying traces of genetic material found in the environment can help inform efforts to tackle the ecological crisis.
The collaborative project aimed to test the effectiveness of environmental DNA analysis as a practical tool for biological monitoring programmes and biodiversity reporting purposes across a wide variety of habitats in Scotland.
Environmental DNA, or eDNA, is genetic material present in the environment, such as in water, soil, or air. eDNA can be traced from shed cells, bodily fluids, or biological secretions deposited by animals, plants, fungi, and bacteria.
The main report showed eDNA analysis can be used to detect, identify, and map the distribution of many different species, including important threatened and invasive species, simultaneously – without directly observing or collecting them.
DNA isn't only used by forensic scientists, SEPA scientists have been discovering a new use for environmental DNA (eDNA) to trace species and gather evidence to assess our environment.
Find out more about eDNA and the work we're doing alongside NatureScot, and the Scottish… pic.twitter.com/cbmHFSME77
— Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) (@ScottishEPA) May 24, 2024
Dr Pauline Lang, Lead Project Partner and Research Contract Manager for SEPA, said: “Using eDNA methods can help us increase monitoring coverage and get a more holistic picture of nature – to better understand the diversity of life across Scotland and target changes needed to help protect and improve our environment.
“While conventional habitat monitoring requires a wide variety of survey techniques, expertise, and resources, eDNA-based monitoring employs relatively simple field sampling methods that can be applied to different habitats.”
Monitoring biodiversity across different habitats
The study was conducted across Scotland, with eDNA samples taken from sites including Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park and Cairngorms National Park.
During one sampling survey conducted as part of the project, researchers detected nearly 9,000 different species present in 358 eDNA samples collected from four habitat types in Scotland: marine lochs, freshwater lochs, woodlands, and peatlands.
They were able to identify differences in biological communities associated with distinct habitat conditions, and therefore classify sites based on their condition by eDNA testing alone.
The classification for freshwater lochs using fish and invertebrate eDNA showed encouraging results, as did sampling fungal eDNA to assess woodland soil condition.
The report recommends studying eDNA in more undisturbed habitats to measure environmental quality, determining the minimum number of samples to be collected for different monitoring objectives, and establishing standard guidelines for producing, storing, and using eDNA data.
Dr Iveta Matejusova, Environmental Genomics Group Leader for The Scottish Government’s Marine Directorate and Project Partner, said: “eDNA offers a valuable insight into the biodiversity of aquatic and terrestrial habitats. This study provides further demonstration of its potential applications, for example to assess the health of seabed habitats.
“We are pleased to see the progress made on determining the minimum number of samples to be collected for different monitoring objectives and we are excited to start building on and incorporating these findings into our monitoring and reporting frameworks.”
Prof Colin Bean, NatureScot’s Senior Policy and Advice Manager for Fish and Fisheries and Project Partner, said: “This research clearly demonstrates the advantages of using eDNA to screen ecological health and monitor biodiversity.
“It should provide valuable insights on how to use this technology to assess Scotland’s habitats in future years – in turn, helping us tackle the nature-climate crises.”
A Scottish Ambulance Service paramedic has been recognised at Buckingham Palace for his volunteer work over the past nine years.
Richard Francis, who is based at Callander Ambulance Station, attended His Majesty’s Garden Party earlier this week (May 21).
Richard was invited to attend along with wife Marina MacKay where he was recognised for being the founder of the Leave A Light On (LALO) support group.
The group was founded on the 23rd March 2020 to provide aid, virtual help and a 24-hour support during the Covid-19 Pandemic.
Since then, it has grown and over the past few years has housed more than 100 NHS staff, keyworkers and those in emergency situations into free of charge accommodation.
Richard said: “What a lovely occasion and celebration. We had the pleasure of being joined by over 2000 very well deserving honourable members of services, forces, politicians, celebrities and many mayors and religious representatives. “It’s an occasion we shall never forget and we feel truly honoured to have been nominated and invited to the event.”
The LALO project has provided an abundance of emergency food hampers via referrals from the social services, child protection and domestic violence charities who almost immediately put their trust in Richard’s project.
Richard, who used to be a chef by trade, said: “The group is very passionate about not only supporting and inspiring our next generation of volunteers but also feels it is equally important to celebrate the work of those going the extra mile in the community or family support within difficult times.”
Richard has always been involved in community work. During Storm Desmond, which devastated Cumbria and parts of Lancashire, Richard began the support group ‘The Big Cumbrian Christmas Day Get Together’ which was initially setup in the hope of providing venues for those that had lost their homes to have somewhere to spend Christmas Day and still have the magical day despite all the devastation around.
LALO recently celebrated its four-year anniversary and has over 5,700 regular followers. The group is now a regular source of help for social service teams, vulnerable adult and child protection teams, food banks throughout the county, discharge teams across the counties’ hospitals, wellbeing officers and key workers for those with specialist needs.
Scottish Government funding has allowed the Diploma to be credit-rated at SCQF Level 6, equivalent to a Scottish Higher
The innovative one-year diploma is offered by the Futures Institute at Dollar Academy (FIDA), which also provides young people from across Scotland with unique opportunities to tackle projects based on real world challenges
The Futures Institute at Dollar Academy has launched a new qualification – the International Sustainability Diploma. Open to learners across Scotland and beyond, the Diploma will be piloted in a number of schools in the 2024/25 session ahead of a wider launch in 2025/26.
The Diploma programme offers a different style of learning and teaching, aligned with the recommendations of the Hayward Review (2023). Rooted in the UN Sustainable Development Goals and co-designed with experts from industry and universities, students learn through developing solutions to real-world problems.
Students who complete the programme will receive a qualification worth 24 SCQF points at Level 6 (equivalent to one Higher). This carries UCAS points, enabling progression to further and higher education, as well as international recognition.
In addition to building students’ knowledge and understanding of the complex social, environmental, economic and political aspects of sustainability, the Diploma develops important skills such as independent research, problem-solving, critical thinking, collaboration and communication. Entrepreneurship is a golden thread that runs throughout the programme, and this element is co-delivered with the University of Stirling.
Instead of examinations, students build a portfolio of work and have opportunities to present this throughout the year. Students begin by exploring the concepts of sustainability through the UN SDGs and create a social media campaign to raise awareness of an SDG of their choosing.
They also undertake a ‘design sprint’ challenge to learn the principles of Design Thinking – a method for solving problems that puts the user at the centre of the process, and involves adapting solutions in response to research, testing and feedback.
They will then go on to choose three ‘Global Challenge’ projects from a range of options, each rooted in the SDGs – for instance, designing a new wave-powered method for water desalination, an app to support people experiencing climate anxiety, or a monument to make a statement about modern slavery.
In each case, students research the issue and the needs of their target users or audience, generate ideas, and, through a process of feedback and testing, develop and refine their solution. Students have the opportunity to build and develop their skills as they move from one project to the next.
Finally, students learn about the crucial role of business and social enterprise in achieving the SDGs. They select one of their three project outcomes to develop further as a business or social enterprise, working with the Enterprise Team from the University of Stirling. Students present their proposal and have the opportunity to receive feedback from entrepreneurs.
The Diploma is offered by the Futures Institute at Dollar Academy, which began in 2021 as a pioneering initiative to tackle three fundamental challenges in education – providing equitable access and closing the poverty related attainment gap; finding compelling alternatives to traditional teaching and exam systems; and addressing sustainability.
Offering real-world challenges in the form of workshops, skills-based courses, design challenges and competitions, over 600 pupils and 80 teachers from across Scotland, and further afield, have registered on FIDA’s online platform and have benefited from free access to FIDA resources. FIDA’s online content has been viewed over 75,000 times.
Ian Munro, Rector of Dollar Academy and FIDA founder, said, “Over the past year we have been working with universities, colleges and industry to deliver the FIDA Sustainability Diploma and we are thrilled to launch the accredited course to young people across the country.
“The Diploma allows learners to collaborate, to problem solve, to manage time and resources, and showcase the skills that will be useful for the challenges they will face beyond school. It is an ambitious qualification in terms of design, content and delivery, that will enable our youngsters to be a real force for good in an ever-changing world.”
FIDA secured Scottish Government funding to support the credit-rating of the Diploma onto the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF). The team worked closely with Glasgow Clyde College, the credit-rating body, to ensure that the learning programme meets the robust criteria for a qualification at Level 6.
Cabinet Secretary for Education, Jenny Gilruth said, “The Scottish Government is committed to developing a system of qualifications and assessment that ensures pupils are well-equipped to tackle future challenges as they progress through education.
“Young people are facing a range of global challenges, including the climate emergency, which is why we have supported Dollar Academy to gain accreditation of its sustainability diploma, as part of the implementation of our Learning for Sustainability Action Plan.
“I am pleased that vitally important education resources such as these can be accessed for free by pupils across the country.”
One of the schools piloting the qualification in 2024/25 is Inverness Royal Academy. Depute Rector Morven Neil said: “This is possibly one of the most important courses we could offer our pupils and we are delighted to be part of this pilot.
“The world is grappling with the urgent need for sustainable solutions and our current generation of school pupils are extremely aware of this. This surge in interest among school pupils is indicative of a generation that is deeply committed to safeguarding the planet’s future.
“They’re not just passive observers; they are seeking knowledge, solutions, and ways to reduce their ecological impact. This Diploma will allow our students to be prepared for future career sectors, policy and personal challenges in a world that faces a climate crisis.”
Other schools participating in the pilot are Speyside High School, Alloa Academy, Braes High School (Falkirk); Clifton Hall School (Edinburgh); and Dollar Academy.
Fashion garments, textile designs, interior design projects, digital designs, fashion marketing and design management work will be among the final year projects on display at the High Mill building, a converted textile mill in Galashiels in the Scottish Borders, where the school is based.
A spiky silver jacket and other fashion items around the theme of men’s mental health; an immersive room that introduces visitors to Lagos in Nigeria; fabric designs inspired by Scottish landscapes and folklore and interior designs for a community arts hub in Perthshire are among the projects on display.
The 2024 Degree Show will launch with a private showing for industry, staff and friends and family on Friday 31 May, before opening to the public between Saturday 1 June to Friday 7 June.
Students from countries including Italy, India, Egypt, Spain, Scotland, Hungary, Croatia, Nigeria, Poland and Ireland are taking part in the event.
Matea Mandarić, 22, from Croatia is in the final year of her Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in Fashion at Heriot-Watt School of Textiles and Design.
Her Degree Show project has involved creating a series of fashion garments around the theme of men’s mental health and with the slogan, ‘Boys don’t cry.’ Her centrepiece outfit features a silver puffer jacket with large fabric spikes on its hood, worn with partitioned tartan trousers linked together with metal chains (top)..
“There’s this idea in society that men are meant to be macho and not cry,” Matea says. “It’s particularly prevalent in the Balkans region where I’m from. So I wanted to start a conversation around men’s mental health and use menswear as a sort of protection against society’s expectations.
“I’ve created a jacket that’s protective and soft on the one hand, because it’s filled with very soft stuffing. But on the other hand, it still looks quite fierce because of the spikes.”
Matea has designed and stitched all her Degree Show outfits from scratch over the last year, despite never having threaded a sewing machine before starting her course four years ago. She now hopes to study an MA in costume design for performance at London College of Fashion.
“Heriot-Watt has really helped me build the skills I need to feel more confident in my design practise,” Matea says.
Eguvwe Yugbovwre,36, from Nigeria is studying a postgraduate Master of Arts degree in Digital Design and Innovation.
Her final year project is an immersive room where visitors can experience some sights and sounds from the city of Lagos in Nigeria. The project uses interactive video, audio and projection mapping – where video projectors are used to beam moving images and light onto surfaces like walls and floors.
“The idea is to introduce people to the rich life and culture of Lagos, where I’m from,” Eguvwe explains. “I carefully selected iconic buildings, places and cultures unique to Lagos to be featured in the space.
“These include the city’s iconic yellow and black buses and buildings like the National Theatre in Lagos. This was built in 1977 during Nigeria’s military regime to celebrate African arts and culture and, interestingly, is shaped like a military soldier’s cap.”
Eguvwe has a background in animation and would now like to develop her project, called Lasgidi Streets, into a “fully immersive cultural experience that can be enjoyed by people worldwide.”
Kai Parker, 24, from Glasgow in Scotland is completing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Design for Textiles.
She has developed a series of textile prints based on Scottish landscapes and folklore, using different printing techniques including screen printing and digital printing.
“My collection is called ‘Cianalas,’ which is Scottish Gaelic for a sense of longing or belonging to a place,” Kai says. “I’ve used watercolour to reflect Scotland’s natural beauty.
“My designs are inspired by Scottish heritage and include quirky animals, organic shapes and joyful motifs. My animal motifs were inspired by Scottish folklore tales about creatures like Kelpies and Selkies, which take form as seals and horses in my prints. I’ve also used playful illustrations of birds, inspired by Scottish crossbills and robins. I remember learning about these sorts of folk tales in school, which evokes a sense of nostalgia.”
After graduating, Kai will be taking her work to New Designers, an annual graduate design show in London that showcases emerging design talent.
Fourth year Bachelor of Arts in Interior Design student Laurent Meharry, 24, grew up in Glasgow but has family roots in France and Italy.
His Degree Show project is a proposed community arts hub based at Perth Art Gallery in Perthshire.
Laurent says: “Designing a studio and exhibition space has always been a dream of mine and my Degree Show project is my vision for a new sustainable art hub in Perth and Kinross.
“My goal is to create a space that promotes sustainability, attracts visitors to help boost the local economy and strengthens international ties with artists. The space would showcase various disciplines including painting, sculpture and fashion. I wanted to breathe new life into the Perth Art Gallery building, which was constructed in the early 1800s.”
After graduating, Laurent is interested in pursuing a career in museum curation and exhibition design. “I would love to work with historic landmarks, revitalising their interiors in a sustainable way to bring them into the 21st century,” he says.
Other students showcasing their work at Heriot-Watt’s 2024 Degree Show include:
Reema Baagagah, 22, from Yemen, a BA Fashion student who has designed a garment called Sitara, a two-sided embroidered cape that can be worn over the head or as jacket.
Lucy Parnell, 37, from Dumfries and Galloway, a Bachelor of Science (BSc) Fashion Technology student whose Degree Show project explores how clothing can adapt and contract with us as we age.
Anam Waqar, 35, from Pakistan is a postgraduate MA Digital Design and Innovation student. Visitors to her immersive installation can use iPads to project their own work onto the floor.
The students showcasing their work are graduating from six undergraduate programmes and six postgraduate programmes at Heriot-Watt School of Textiles and Design.
The undergraduate degrees are Bachelor of Arts Honours degrees in Fashion; Fashion Technology; Design for Textiles; Communication Design; Interior Architecture & Design and Fashion Branding & Promotion. The postgraduate Programmes are Master of Arts in Fashion and Textile Design; Digital Design and Innovation; Fashion and Textile Design with Industry Placement and Interior Architecture and Design and Master of Science (MSc) degrees in Fashion and Textile Management and Design Management.
The show opens to the public on Saturday 1 June with a Degree Show Open Day. This includes a live fashion show and academic-led workshops, including ‘Abstract Collage Creations’ and ‘An Introduction to Embellishment through Creative Stitch’ and behind-the-scenes facilities tours.
Fashion students at the Degree Show will model some of their work in walk-through pods with interactive lighting. At Heriot-Watt’s campus in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, School of Textiles and Design students will also showcase their work.
David Cavallaro, Head of Discipline and Project Lead for the Degree Show at Heriot-Watt School of Textiles and Design, said: “The Degree Show is a vital part of the year, where students get to showcase all their hard work and also how they’ve evolved and learned.
“It’s an important stepping stone in their career journey, whether they’re continuing their study or going into industry. Students and staff start preparing for the show months in advance, so it’s very exciting for us to see it all preparing to launch.”
Julian Malins, Executive Dean at Heriot-Watt School of Textiles and Design, said: “We are consistently amazed by the talent of our students across so many different disciplines, and our 2024 Degree Show demonstrates that.
“What’s particularly remarkable about our cohort this year is their diversity, with so many countries and backgrounds represented. This says a lot about the appeal and status of our degrees – and also the commitment of our staff, who work incredibly hard throughout the year.”
Heriot-Watt School of Textiles and Design is regularly named as one of the best places in the UK to study fashion and attracts fashion brands, textile companies, design agencies and other industry scouts to its degree shows.
The School is a centre of excellence in design and dates back to 1883, when classes in weaving, dyeing and chemistry were introduced to train workers for the local textiles industry.
Honorary Graduates include the late British fashion icon Dame Vivienne Westwood.
The Scottish Borders is at the heart of Scotland’s luxury textile and design industry and is home to manufacturers including Barrie, one of Scotland’s oldest cashmere knitting manufacturers. It was acquired in 2012 by French luxury fashion house Chanel.
The Heriot-Watt School of Textiles and Design 2024 Degree Show takes place at:
Heriot-Watt University, Scottish Borders Campus
High Mill Building, Galashiels, TD1 3HE
Friday 31 May 2024, 2pm-4pm – private viewing for industry and press.
Saturday 1 June to Friday 7 June 2024, 10am-4pm – show open to the public.
To confirm your attendance at the Degree Show Open Day 2024 and to sign up for workshops on the day, please register here.
Work to regenerate Livingston housing estate reaches highly anticipated completion of the first homes
The transformation of a once condemned housing estate in Livingston is celebrating a historic milestone with the official handover of the first few new homes.
Leading housebuilder, Springfield, has presented the keys to the first new residents of Deans South, many of whom have waited over 20 years for this moment. After a fault was identified in the concrete of the original homes, the estate was earmarked for demolition in 2004 and the area fell into disrepair.
The first handovers have taken place within a highly anticipated regeneration project from Springfield to deliver high-quality affordable and private new homes across the 2.9 acre site, giving the community a new lease of life.
To mark the milestone moment, Deans South veteran, Kerry Macintosh was joined by the Springfield team and Hannah Bardell, MP for Livingston as she collected her keys and took the significant step over the threshold into her brand-new home.
Kerry bought her three-bed home on the estate in 2002 but in 2004, West Lothian Council condemned the site and earmarked it for demolition.
Unable to move, Kerry remained on the site to fight for a fair deal for herself and the remaining homeowners. Now, 20 years later and with the transformation of the site well under way, Kerry has received the keys to her long-awaited new home.
Kerry Macintosh said:“Having waited for this day for over 20 years, I can’t quite believe this is actually happening. It’s hard to put into words how it felt to be handed the keys and to take the very first steps into my brand new home, it was a mixture of relief and pure joy.
“The whole team at Springfield have been amazing. They have been an enormous support over the last eight years and have been determined to find a way forward even when we were all frustrated and things seemed bleak. A safe and secure home in a thriving community is all I’ve ever wanted and we’re finally in a position to make this happen.
“I can’t wait to get settled into my new home!”
Springfield and one of the UK’s largest builders of social rented homes, Wheatley Group, signed a deal worth £9.7 million in June 2023 to drive the regeneration of the site. Construction is underway for 55 high-quality new homes, of which 46 are affordable homes while the other nine private homes will be built for existing homeowners.
All of the private homes will be handed over to residents along with the first affordable homes next month.
The properties have been built by Springfield using sustainable timber kits constructed off-site at their timber kit factory and are extremely energy efficient, using air source heat pumps. The homes for social housing have been delivered for tenants of Wheatley Homes East, part of Wheatley Group.
Tom Leggeat, Springfield Partnerships Managing Director, said:“Handing the keys to brand new homes to the people that have lived in an abandoned estate for so many years marks a momentous moment in the story of Deans South. We are incredibly proud to have played a pivotal role in delivering high-quality and energy efficient homes that the community deserve.
“It has been a journey to say the least, and these new homes now stand as testament to our commitment to deliver much-needed social rented homes, as well as our promise to provide a ‘home for a home’ for those who have lived in Deans South for decades.
“We were delighted to watch Kerry take the first steps in her new home after years of tireless campaigning and we’re looking forward to watching the neighbourhood come to life as our new community members settle in.”
Hannah Bardell MP for Livingston added:“I am absolutely delighted to be joining Deans South residents at this exciting time.
“I have worked on behalf of Deans South residents for a number of years now and I know what this new development means to them. I’d like to congratulate everyone involved and I wish the residents the very best in their new homes.”
Health Secretary Neil Gray has opened the NHS Scotland Academy Skills and Simulation Centre at Clydebank’s Golden Jubilee University National Hospital.
The custom-built centre provides state-of-the-art training and education facilities to practitioners including an array of advanced simulators.
Designed and run by the NHS Scotland Academy – a partnership between NHS Education for Scotland and NHS Golden Jubilee – the centre replicates real-world environments where learners can hone their skills in a safe, controlled setting.
During its first year of operation it’s expected that the centre will train more than 800 healthcare staff, helping to accelerate training for in-demand areas of the NHS workforce.
For example, nurses will be able to develop their operating theatre skills, previously learnt in a year, in just six months. The centre will also support large scale diagnostic training for Endoscopy and other vital clinical skills.
Health Secretary Neil Gray said: “Harnessing the latest technology is an important part of our plan to reform and recover Scotland’s NHS. It’s exciting to see how the innovations in the Skills and Simulation Centre will be used to accelerate training skills by providing unprecedented hands-on experience.
“The NHS workforce is our greatest asset and that is why it’s so important to invest in their training and development. Quicker and more effective training will help to improve diagnostic accuracy and therefore patient outcomes as well as address workforce pressures and aid retention of staff across NHS Scotland.”
Director of NHS Scotland Academy, Learning and Innovation, Kevin Kelman said: “We are absolutely thrilled today to welcome the Cabinet Secretary to formally open our brand new Skills and Simulation Centre as part of the NHS Scotland Academy.
“As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve, the NHS Scotland Academy remains committed to fostering innovation and excellence in health and social care education.
“The launch of the Skills and Simulation Centre reaffirms its position at the forefront of medical training, empowering the future NHS workforce to deliver safe, effective and person-centred care to all.”
Since the NHS Scotland Academy’s launch in 2021, more than 12,000 clinical and non-clinical staff have undertaken training through their programmes and dedicated online resources.
