Edinburgh Waverley Station – The NEN

Edinburgh rail users and tourists get chance to learn vital lifesaving skills

St Andrew’s First Aid to deliver free CPR demonstrations at popular locations to mark Restart a Heart Day.

Scotland’s only dedicated first aid charity, St Andrew’s First Aid, is providing Edinburgh locals and tourists with a chance to learn lifesaving CPR skills at open demonstrations held in the heart of the city this month.

To mark ‘Restart a Heart Day’ (16^th October), an initiative led by Resuscitation Council UK to increase the number of people who survive out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, St Andrew’s First Aid will be delivering free public demonstrations across three city centre locations.

Passers-by will be invited to get involved with CPR demonstrations, as well as learning how to use an Automated External Defibrillator (AED).

They will also be encouraged to practice what they have learned, gaining insightful feedback from St Andrew’s First Aid Community Engagement Trainers and Volunteers, to ensure they are prepared to step in and help, if they witness someone having a cardiac arrest.

Jim Dorman, Director of Operations and Community Engagement at St Andrew’s First Aid said: “We usually mark Restart a Heart with one day – but this year we decided it needs to be noticed – so we’re carrying out a roadshow across the full month of October, with free demonstrations taking place up and down the country.

“The importance of knowing how to administer CPR correctly can really be the difference between life and death for those receiving it. It’s our ambition to have as many people as possible learning these vital skills that could ultimately save a life.”

St Andrew’s First Aid Community Engagement Trainers and Volunteers will be in attendance at the following locations:

Edinburgh Castle: Wednesday 16^th October: 11am-4pm
Edinburgh Haymarket Train Station: Thursday 17^th October – 11am-2pm
Edinburgh Waverly Station: Saturday 19^th October – 11am-4pm

Between April 2022 and May 2023, there were 3,161 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in Scotland*. Charities such as St Andrew’s First Aid are making it their mission to create a nation of lifesavers, by providing easy to access and free training to the public.

To find out more about St Andrew’s First Aid please visit: www.firstaid.org.uk

* https://www.scottishambulance.com/media/10dn0df0/ohca-report-2022-23.pdf

Never Stop Playing: World’s First Playable Golf Billboard Unveiled for the AIG Women’s Open

The R&A has unveiled the world’s first ‘playable golf billboard’ at Edinburgh Waverley Station to allow fans to experience playing the par-3 8th hole of the iconic Old Course in St Andrews, host venue of this year’s AIG Women’s Open.

As part of AIG Women’s Open new ‘Never Stop Playing’ campaign, the activation aims to elevate the excitement of golf for fans. This innovative billboard transforms into a golf simulator, offering an engaging opportunity for both new and longtime fans to connect with the Championship in a fun and interactive way.

The R&A has created this playable billboard to reimagine how golf enthusiasts engage with the sport, while also promoting the upcoming AIG Women’s Open, which will be held at St Andrews from 21 – 25 August 2024.

Fans can step up to the billboard, grab a real club and ball, and take a swing like never before. The technology employs cameras to track the player’s velocity, arc, and direction, digitally encoding the swing in real-time to show where the ball will land on the virtual par-3, 8^th hole.

Players will be captivated as they watch the ball fly across the LED screen, displaying its arc and flight path towards the target.

With a real-time leaderboard tracking nearest to the pin shots, participants can compete in a fun golf challenge. Those nearest to the pin will receive an exciting prize from the AIG Women’s Open: a pair of Sunday tickets and a chance for the winner to be an official walking scorer for one of the groups during the final round at St Andrews.

Not just for avid golfers, those keen to take their first ever golf shot can also win prizes in the furthest from the pin challenge.

Zoe Ridgway, Championship Director of the AIG Women’s Open at The R&A said, “This activation brings the excitement of golf to a whole new level, allowing players to experience the thrill of golf in a fun and interactive way.

“As part of our new ‘Never Stop Playing’ campaign, we are giving both new and longtime fans the opportunity to engage with the AIG Women’s Open like never before, reaching new audiences and enhancing their connection to golf.”

Georgia Hall,2018 Women’s Open champion, said, “This looks like such a fun and innovative concept from The R&A.

“The playable billboard is a brilliant idea to introduce more people to golf and get them excited about the AIG Women’s Open. It’s initiatives like these that will keep our sport growing and evolving.”

Designed to resemble a traditional advertising billboard, this innovative attraction offers a unique and eye-catching experience for golfers of all skill levels. Whether you’re a seasoned pro, a casual player or a first time golfer, the playable billboard promises a one-of-a-kind experience.

The R&A will compile all the shot tracers from the day’s play onto the billboard screen at once, creating a stunning visual display. This impressive feature highlights the relentless passion and continuous engagement of golfers, showcasing how they ‘Never Stop Playing’.

Tickets to the AIG Women’s Open are now on sale via aigwomensopen.com. Adult tickets are available from £20, with Saturday tickets including a full day of golf action and entry to the Tom Grennan concert priced at £55.

To encourage children and young people to attend the AIG Women’s Open, The R&A will continue the successful ‘Kids go Free’ programme on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday, which provides children under-16-years-old free entry to the Championship when accompanied by a paying adult.

Half-price youth tickets are also available on those days for 16-24-year-olds. Junior and youth tickets for Saturday’s golf action and Tom Grennan concert are £20 and £40 respectively.

Hospitality packages are also on general sale, offering an unrivalled way to experience the Championship in which guests can enjoy over ten hours of world-class action and fully inclusive hospitality.

Visit www.aigwomensopen.com for further information.

For information on the AIG Women’s Open or to purchase tickets, please visit www.aigwomensopen.com.

Rail industry creates immersive VR film to show passengers how they can help to combat sexual harassment

Immersive VR experience, designed to empower bystanders to recognise and help combat sexual harassment on the railway, on show today at Edinburgh Waverley station.
Demonstrating how a small action could make a big difference is important – 85% of women would feel relieved if someone intervened when experiencing sexual harassment on public transport.
This is the latest in a series of nationwide events aimed at providing advice and tips on how bystanders can safely intervene and report a situation before police or rail staff are able to get involved.

As part of the rail industry and British Transport Police’s continued commitment to make sure every passenger feels safe when travelling by train, an immersive virtual reality (VR) experience is coming to Edinburgh today – Thursday 16th November.

The event is aimed at tackling all forms of sexual harassment by educating people to recognise how these situations occur for passengers and empower them to intervene safely and report perpetrators.

Sexual harassment is a real and far-reaching issue in society with seven in ten (71%) women in the UK having experienced some form of sexual harassment in a public space, the latest survey commissioned by UN Women UK finds.

The short VR film shows how small actions, such as asking the victim if they want to swap seats or distracting the perpetrator with a question, can prevent further escalation in the moment.

Following a successful initial launch of this innovative VR film earlier this year at London Waterloo station, Rail Delivery Group (RDG) together with British Transport Police (BTP) and local train operators are inviting people in Edinburgh to try the immersive VR experience in their local station.

Jacqueline Starr, Chief Executive of Rail Delivery Group said: “As an industry we are actively tackling all forms of sexual harassment and are committed to making our passengers feel safe when onboard.

“By showcasing the ground-breaking VR experience in stations across the country we’re to equipping people with tips on how to safely intervene in situations as a bystander without putting themselves in harm’s way.

“Whether you see it or experience it, we ask everyone to report anything that makes you uncomfortable to British Transport Police by texting 61016 or using the Railway Guardian app.

“Passengers using Britain’s railways have a right to feel safe and confident to call out these behaviours without fear.”

Joanne Maguire, ScotRail Chief Operating Officer, said: “Everyone has the right to go about their day in peace without fear of harassment or abuse. ScotRail works very closely with British Transport Police and Network Rail to ensure that Scotland’s Railway is a safe environment for our customers and our staff.

“To assist us in tackling unacceptable behaviour, it’s important for anyone who witnesses it to report those responsible so that they can be brought to justice. This VR experience plays an important role in helping bystanders identify inappropriate behaviour when it takes place.”

Further events will be held in various cities in Great Britain over the coming weeks and months.

How to report

By reporting all incidents that occur, bystanders can help British Transport Police to identify perpetrators and reduce potential harm for others in the future.

To report an incident, contact British Transport Police by texting 61016 or using the Railway Guardian app. In an emergency, always call 999.

To watch the full VR film, visit the National Rail YouTube channel here.

Full steam ahead for fashionABLE catwalk show

COMING up next Friday (12 May at 12.00pm) is ‘fashionABLE‘ catwalk show in Waverley Station with special appearance from Jack Eyers in his World Fair Trade tartan kilt. Continue reading Full steam ahead for fashionABLE catwalk show