Gas network apprentices give Bonnyrigg care home a fresh look

Apprentices from gas distribution network SGN have been spending time at a Bonnyrigg care home as part of an initiative designed to give back to their local community.

For the second year in a row, 16 apprentices training with us to be First Call Operatives have been spending time at Nazareth Care Trust in Bonnyrigg, Edinburgh, as part of our Community Action Programme, where our people are given a day away from their usual duties to volunteer with local charities and businesses.

The apprentices came from across Scotland to undertake a variety of jobs including painting the Trust’s front foyer area, residents’ bedrooms and all the external railings at the home. Singing as they worked provided the residents with extra entertainment, with some of them joining our apprentices to listen to music in the gardens while they worked.

Everyone at the care home were impressed with how much work they were able to carry out and how well they presented themselves. When the staff found out it was apprentice Elliot’s 18th birthday, they bought a huge birthday cake, candles and cards and made a fuss of him during lunch, bringing the cake out with everybody singing.

Bianca Courtney, General Manager at Nazareth Care Trust, said: “As a charity, we rely on the support of volunteers to help maintain facilities at our care home.

“We loved having SGN with us and the apprentices were fantastic ambassadors for the company.

“We can’t thank them enough for the work they did with us and hope they’ll return for a third year!”

SGN is committed to bringing in 120 new apprentices and trainees into the business each year, for the next three years, helping to develop them into our engineers of the future.

An Aldi for Drylaw?

Aldi is on the hunt for new store locations in Edinburgh as part of its rapid expansion drive. The priority areas where it is looking include Bonnyrigg and Drylaw.

Aldi, which already has more than 960 stores across the UK, is looking for freehold town-centre or edge-of-town sites that are around 1.5 acres.

Each site should be able to accommodate a 20,000 sq foot store with around 100 parking spaces. Ideally the location will be near a main road with good visibility and access.

The UK’s fifth-largest supermarket even offers a finder’s fee for people who recommend a site, including members of the public – which is either 1.5% of a freehold price or 10% of the first year’s rent for leasehold sites.

George Brown, National Property Director at Aldi UK, said: “By opening more Aldi stores, we can provide affordable, high-quality food to even more people.

“But despite our growth in recent years, some people still don’t have access to a local store, which is why it is our mission to continue on with our ambitious plans and change that.

“Our finder’s fee is available to anyone who can find Aldi an appropriate site so we’d encourage people to share any suitable suggestions and get it touch.”

Have you seen Peter?

UPDATE: Police are pleased to confirm that Peter Macquarie has been traced safe and well. We would like to thank the public for their assistance.

ORIGINAL STORY:

Police Scotland is appealing for information to trace a vulnerable man missing from Edinburgh. Peter MacQuarie, 65, was last seen around 4.50pm today, Wednesday, 26 May, in Hayfield, East Craigs.

He is described as white, around 5ft 10, bald with a short grey beard and moustache. When he was last seen he was wearing a grey jacket, green jumper, black jeans, brown shoes and a blue beanie hat.

Inspector Caroline Flynn, Drylaw Police Office, said: “We are growing increasingly concerned for Peter as this is out of character for him and just want to know he is okay. He is very vulnerable, can get confused and is unsteady on his feet.

“He does not have a mobile phone with him, however does have a bus pass. When he travels, he tends to take the bus and has been known to take the number 31 bus towards the Bonnyrigg area.

“We are working with the relevant travel companies, and checking CCTV, to see if he has travelled, however would appeal for anyone who may have seen a man matching his description to get in touch with us.”

Anyone with any information should contact Police via 101, quoting incident number 2899 of Wednesday, 26 May, 2021