PLAQUE UNVEILED AT ROYSTON WARDIEBURN COMMUNITY CENTRE
ROYSTON Wardieburn Community Centre’s management committee organised the unveiling of a plaque to mark North Edinburgh’s proud record of community activism on the eve of International Women’s Day.
RWCC Chair Billy Fitzpatrick, Willie Black and Cathie Ahmed were among the local people who spoke movingly and contributed poems on a special day.
The new plaque is situated alongside the cherry blossom tree planted to commemorate local activist Roberta Blaikie, and it was fitting that members of Roberta’s family attended to perform the unveiling just as the tree begins to bud once again.
Launched ahead of International Women’s Day (IWD), students from the renowned art school have been commissioned to create an exclusive piece of artwork which celebrates the novel, originally released in 1824 and considered to be the author’s greatest work, as well as the hotel’s unique connection to Susan Ferrier.
A novelist of the Scottish Enlightenment, who sold more books than Jane Austen in her lifetime, but whose legacy has been less known to 21st century audiences, once resided in one of the townhouses which now makes up the InterContinental Edinburgh The George. A successful business woman and intellectual, Susan Ferrier challenged gender stereotypes of her time and was recognised for her writing by the likes of Sir Walter Scott.
Located at No. 25 George Street, the Ferrier family home was well known amongst Edinburgh intellectual circles during the 18th century, with Sir Walter Scott and Robert Burns frequently visiting. Scotland’s national bard even penned a poem to the Ferrier sisters.
‘The Inheritance’ tells the story of the young heroine Gertrude as she arrives in the Scottish estate of Lord Rossville to take up her position as his heiress, but finds herself in the middle of a gallery of humorous and eccentric characters — and at the centre of a mystery. The novel is concerned with questions of morality and education, in particular, a woman’s role in marriage and education.
The book also references national identity and the differences between Scottish and English cultures in the aftermath of the Union of 1707 and the Jacobite uprisings of 1715 and 1745.
To mark the bicentennial of the novel’s publication, InterContinental Edinburgh The George has worked closely with ECA to create a brief to help inspire students. As well as becoming part of the hotel’s heritage, the winning artist will also receive a purchase price for their artwork, which will be displayed within the hotel lounge for the months of July and August, before being permanently installed in the hotel’s Ferrier Suite.
An overnight stay in the Ferrier Suite and dinner in the hotel’s restaurant Le Petit Beefbar will also be included for the winning artist whose work will be chosen by a panel from both The George Hotel and ECA.
Stephanie Lee, Director of Sales at InterContinental Edinburgh The George Hotel, said: “Partnering with the Edinburgh College of Art on this innovative competition to pay tribute to Susan Ferrier while raising awareness of her wonderful work and talent mirrors InterContinental’s deep respect for the arts.
“Edinburgh has a long lineage of producing world-class creatives and the fact that one of its most talented daughters is celebrating a milestone anniversary, deserves to be commemorated.
“We’re excited to see the student’s interpretations of ‘The Inheritance’ and what it represents for them through their art. We’re even more excited to see the winning painting displayed in the Ferrier Suite for guests from around the world to see. We wish all students the best of luck and can’t wait to see the entries honouring Susan Ferrier’s life and work.”
Susan Mowatt, Head of School of Art, University of Edinburgh; “The Ferrier Painting Award launched by Intercontinental The George to celebrate the achievements of the novelist and publisher Susan Ferrier, is a brilliant opportunity for our art students which will see the selected painting commissioned and installed in the original Ferrier rooms. A really exciting public project.”
The competition, which is being run directly with students at ECA, will close in May 2024 with the winner being announced shortly afterwards.
Top racing and entertainment makes for the hottest ticket in town
MUSSELBURGH Racecourse is set to serve up a weekend of exciting horse racing and top-class entertainment, cementing its status as one of Scotland’s premier destinations this Easter Saturday.
Racing enthusiasts can soak up the action as the East Lothian course launches its 2024 Flat season with the Virgin Bet Easter Saturday Race Day.
Featuring the coveted £100,000 Queen’s Cup and Scottish Sprint Cup- also known as Scotland’s fastest race- those in search of a great day out will find no lack of entertainment.
Featuring live music and plenty of dancing, the event promises to be one of the biggest social gatherings in the Easter calendar.
With a full day of entertainment lined up, Musselburgh Racecourse promises to be the hottest ticket in town this Bank Holiday weekend where racegoers can soak up the party atmosphere while enjoying spectacular top-class racing.
The variety of street food and drink vendors will tickle everyone’s tastebuds. Offerings include everyone’s favourite Nee Naw Pizzeria, run by Edinburgh firefighters from a converted fire engine and Cheese on Coast.
The popular Corgi Derby is also making a return, which will see spectators witness a four-legged race like no other with a distant cousin of one of the late Queen Elizabeth’s corgis in the running, Paddy.
Aisling Johnston, Musselburgh Racecourse Head of Marketing and Business Development, said: “Whether you’re a racing fan or just looking for a fantastic day out, we’ve got something for everyone.
“Make sure you bring your dancing shoes as the Funkwagen DJs will be heading keep the atmosphere going at the after-racing party.
“With prestigious races, live music and delicious food, it’s the perfect chance to meet up with friends or family this Easter.”
The Virgin Bet Easter Saturday Raceday on 30th March 2024 will open doors at 11:30 am and the first race is off at 1:50 pm (subject to change).
Book your tickets before midnight on the 29th of March and save £5.00 per person with under 17s going free when accompanied by an adult, T&Cs apply.
For more information and to book tickets now for Easter Saturday, visit:
Children’s author Yvonne Banham, who was a nurse for ten years before deciding to embark upon her lifelong dream of becoming a children’s novelist, will be taking over the reading chair at the free Book Club at The Centre, Livingston on Saturday, 16th March.
The aim of the book club is to give visitors to the shopping centre the opportunity to join in regular storytelling and interactive sessions with award-winning authors and discover new books.
Yvonne, who was also a lecturer in Higher Education and won a Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, (SCBWI), Undiscovered Voices Award in 2020, grew up on the island of Walney, off the coast of Cumbria and spent lots of time huddled on the wild beach with a scary book.
When she left school, she couldn’t decide whether to be a nurse, an artist, or a writer, so she tried them all and decided she liked words best.
Yvonne, who now lives in Stirlingshire and writes paranormal/fantasy fiction for readers age 10-14 years old, will be talking about how she became an author and read extracts from her book, ‘The Dark and Dangerous Gifts of Delores Mackenzie’.
The book is a ghost filled, paranormal ‘whydunnit’, packed with ghouls, shapeshifters and a grumpy gargoyle played out with lots of humour in the dark underbelly of Edinburgh’s Old Town with themes of friendships, trust, personal boundaries and the joy of found family.
Her interactive sessions will include tips on crafting your own scary story with ghosts, monsters and magical creatures, making the ‘monster’ the hero, and what makes a great villain. Kids will also have the chance to create their own bookmark.
The two 45-minute sessions on Saturday, 16th March will take place at 11am and 1pm across from Waterstones where Yvonne’s book can be purchased and personally signed on the day.
Yvonne said: “I love any opportunity to talk about books, reading and writing, so was thrilled to be invited to The Centre, Livingston to take part in their brilliant Book Club initiative.
“I’m really looking forward to talking about Delores Mackenzie’s spooky Edinburgh adventures as well as chatting to readers about their own fantastic ideas.”
Patrick Robbertze, Centre Director at The Centre, Livingston, said: “We are really looking forward to welcoming the very talented author Yvonne Banham to our free Book Club which is designed to give our shoppers the chance to meet lots of award-winning authors and hear extracts from the fantastic books they’ve written.
“The sessions are very interactive and great fun, with visitors also getting the chance to pick up a copy of the books from Waterstones and get them personally signed on the day too.”
Authors and illustrators who have taken up residency at the Book Club since it launched last year, include Catherine Rayner, Justin Davies, Morag Hood, Lindsay Littleson and Linda Erskine.
Further details can be found on The Centre, Livingston website, www.thecentrelivingston.com and @shopthecentre on Facebook and Instagram.
Further regulation of the process for buying dogs should be welcomed, says the Rural Affairs & Islands Committee, but registering unlicensed litters is unlikely to make a difference to issues around traceability.
The Committee’s report concludes its stage 1 scrutiny of the Welfare of Dogs (Scotland) Bill which aims to establish ‘a more responsible and informed approach to acquiring and owning a dog’ and ‘regulate the selling or transferring of puppies from unlicensed litters’.
In light of a growing number of problems across Scotland resulting from people buying dogs which suffer from poor health or buying breeds unsuitable for their lifestyles, the Committee agrees that further measures are needed to promote the more responsible acquisition of dogs.
It says that educating people looking to buy puppies and dogs, so that they buy the right dog for their lifestyle, and avoid the pitfalls of purchasing through unscrupulous breeders, is key.
To this end, the Committee agrees with Part 1 of the Bill which would establish a code of practice and require both buyers and sellers to sign a certificate to confirm they have thought through the practicalities of owning a dog before taking on the responsibility.
It also says that a publicity campaign to raise awareness of the code of conduct is essential but calls on the Scottish Government to do all it can to ensure the campaign is more effective than some previous campaigns, which have had a limited impact.
However, the Committee does not agree with Part 2 of the Bill and the proposed requirement to register unlicensed litters. Members agree this approach wouldn’t give any indication about a dog’s welfare or whether it had been bred by a responsible breeder. Neither, the report says, do local authorities have the finances or the resource to be able to enforce it.
Instead, the Committee calls on the Scottish Government to continue to explore whether a UK-wide single microchip database would help solve the problem. If this is not possible, the Committee asks the Scottish Ministers to detail what other measures they will take to improve the traceability of dogs.
Launching the report, Beatrice Wishart, Deputy Convener of the Committee, said; “This is an extremely well-intentioned Bill, introduced at a time when dog welfare issues are, as we heard from stakeholders, almost at an unprecedented level.
“We were told that a fifth of people spend less than two hours researching whether to get a puppy and a third say they wouldn’t know how to spot a rogue breeder. Clearly measures are needed to promote the best chances for a dog’s happy and healthy life and to support buyers in making responsible decisions for their families, lifestyles and their finances.
“We support the Bill’s aim of influencing unscrupulous breeding by educating prospective dog owners and that is why publicity should be maximised around the strengthened regulation this Bill would create.”
“It is also vitally important that a solution is found to reassure buyers about the origins, health, and well-being of puppies they are buying, and we will continue to press the Scottish Government on this.
“Thank you to everyone who contributed to this inquiry.”
The Old Edinburgh Club has launched its newly redesigned website at www.oldedinburghclub.org.uk. With a fresh and friendly look, the site aims to make exploring Edinburgh’s rich history more accessible and engaging.
Publicity lead, Jo Chapman, said, “Our revamped site features a modern design that makes it easier to delve into our historical resources and find out about the Club’s activities.
“Improving our online presence will help us reach new audiences and support us in promoting the study and enjoyment of Edinburgh’s history. We want it to appeal whether you’re a seasoned historian or a curious newcomer.”
Site visitors can explore historical narratives, discover hidden gems, and gain insights from the Club’s authoritative journal, the Book of the Old Edinburgh Club, and find further sources using the comprehensive Bibliography of Edinburgh History which now lists nearly 3,000 published items.
Jo Chapman added, “There is a calendar of Club lectures, visits and guided walks, and we have thought-provoking book reviews and short articles which complement what goes into the Book of the Club.
“We are pleased to promote the latest news of our collaboration with the City Libraries in cataloguing their little-known manuscript collection and of the exciting projects we are supporting through Jean Guild Grants. We also want to do more to publicise developments in the world of Edinburgh history, building on our existing use of social media.”
Join the English Conversation Cafe, running on Monday the 11th of March 9am – 11am for drop ins at Fresh Start’s Welcome Space at 28-30 Ferry Road Drive!
Please help us to collect Easter Eggs for our local schools, pantries and food banks. You can drop donations at the Foundation until March 22nd. Thank you
Family members of police officers, firefighters and other public servants who have died in public service will be recognised by a new emblem
Police officers, firefighters and other public servants who died in the line of duty will be commemorated with new Elizabeth Emblem
National form of recognition conferred by His Majesty The King will be awarded to next of kin
Elizabeth Emblem incorporates a rosemary wreath surrounding the Tudor Crown
Family members of police officers, firefighters and other public servants who have died in public service will be recognised by a new emblem.
The Elizabeth Emblem, which is conferred by His Majesty The King, is a national form of recognition awarded to the next of kin of police officers, firefighters, and many other public servants.
The award is the civilian equivalent of the Elizabeth Cross, which recognises members of the UK Armed Forces who died in action or as a result of a terrorist attack.
The design of the Emblem incorporates a rosemary wreath, a traditional symbol of remembrance, which surrounds the Tudor Crown. It is inscribed with ‘For A Life Given In Service’, and will have the name of the person for whom it is in memoriam inscribed on the reverse of the Emblem. It will include a pin to allow the award to be worn on clothing by the next of kin of the deceased.
The Emblem recognises how the sacrifices made by public servants who have lost their lives as a result of their duty could be recognised within the honours system.
From today, next of kin of the deceased will be able to apply for the Emblem via gov.uk. Nominations will be reviewed by the George Cross Committee and recommendations then made to His Majesty The King via the Prime Minister.
Recipients of The Elizabeth Emblem will receive their award from a senior representative such as a Chief Constable, Chief Fire Officer or His Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant.
Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden said:“We will not forget those who died in our service.
“The Elizabeth Emblem will bring the nation together to honour the dedication and commitment of these exceptional public servants who have given their lives in service of the United Kingdom.”
Policing Minister, Chris Philp said:“We owe so much to our public servants who make sacrifices every day to keep us safe.
“The Elizabeth Emblem will recognise those who tragically lost their lives in public service and rightly enshrine them in our country’s history so that their sacrifices are never forgotten.”
