Kids of all ages are in for a treat at the brand new Leith Links play park, which was formally opened on Friday, becoming one of the Capital’s largest play spaces.
A parkour unit, a Rolli trampoline for wheelchair users, a natural play area and oodles of great new play equipment chosen by the local community have allbeen installed in the north Edinburgh park.
Ageing Well, Edinburgh Leisure’s successful project promoting healthy lifestyles for older adults in Edinburgh, is launching their allotment programme at Leith Links.
It will run weekly from Wednesday, 20 March, from 10am-1pm. Continue reading Ageing Well allotment programme to run at Leith Links
Dear Editor
I was re-running some old photographs of Leith Harbour in South Georgia in my head. Most of the pictures were of sailors having fun sledging, but there was one with a view out over the fiord and you could make out the superstructure of two catchers tied up at the dock.
I remember dad telling me that the catchers has their own dock, and how a lot of attention was given over to their servicing during the off-season. In the picture they looked small, around eighty feet or so and in remarkably good condition considering that whaling ended for the Scottish company Salvesen so many years ago.
Driving flat out into a storm chasing down a whale in such a small boat must have been quite a ride, not to say dangerous, although much more so for the whale.
Maybe they should bring one of these catchers back to Edinburgh and park it in the Meadows of Leith Links as a reminder of when men fished for whales.
Sadly whaling still goes on, when will we ever learn?
Walter Hamilton
by email
Residents are being encouraged to come along to Leith Links today (25 May) to help celebrate the achievements of people who have a learning disability and the organisations who provide support at the Learning Disability Festival 2018. Continue reading All welcome at today’s Learning Disabilty Festival
Hi there
We would like to invite you to Edinburgh’s Learning Disability Festival 2018! Continue reading Friday: Learning Disability Festival on Leith Links
Edinburgh Learning Disability Festival
Leith Links (beside Franklin Cricket Club)
Friday 25 May 11.30 – 3pm
The remains of around eighty 17th Century plague victims discovered underneath an Edinburgh school playground have been laid to rest. Pupils from St Mary’s Primary School in Leith helped the city council hold a memorial service on Friday. Continue reading School holds funeral service for plague victims discovered under playground
Police are looking for a cyclist who was seen kicking a 19-month-old girl on Saturday afternoon. The incident happened on the cycle path near Leith Links at around 4.30pm. Continue reading Police hunt Leith Links cyclist who kicked little girl
The Edinburgh Mela launched its 2015 programme yesterday at the Out of the Blue Drill Hall in Dalmeny Street.
Launching the event, Cabinet Secretary for Culture Fiona Hyslop MSP said: “The Edinburgh Mela is a major highlight in Scotland’s vibrant festivals calendar, uniting people from all backgrounds and beliefs to participate in diverse cultural and creative activities.
“Through the Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund, the Scottish Government is proud to support the Mela to deliver world class performances, grow its international reputation and build engagement with local communities.
“The £80,000 we have awarded this year to support the Mela World Dance piece ‘Goddess’ and ‘A Bollywood Love Story’, a collaboration with the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, will delight audiences both at home and abroad. This takes the total sum awarded to the Mela to more than £800,000 since the Expo Fund was set up in 2007.”
Shami Khan, Chair of Mela’s Board of Directors, added: “I am delighted to see the Edinburgh Mela continue to flourish and celebrate its success as Scotland’s largest festival of world music and dance inspired by South Asian culture.
“Every year audiences and performers from across the world flock to Leith Links for the Mela which is made possible by our team of dedicated staff, community groups, individuals and volunteers who make the festival such a fantastic event for all the people of this great city”.
Running on Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 August, Scotland’s largest celebration of world music and dance will celebrate its 21st edition in style with a packed programme of live music and dance across three stages, plus interactive family shows in the Mela Kidzone and the irresistible sights and smells of street food from around the world in the Global Food Village.
The diverse, internationally-reaching arts festival will see artists from across the globe entertain crowds of 30,000 locals and visitors in an unmissable two-day celebration at Leith Links.
World class headliners on the Main Stage
The 2015 Main Stage supported by Lebara Mobile is the heart of the Edinburgh Mela party, boasting crowd-pleasing live sets from some of the biggest names in world music today.
Saturday’s live highlights include superstars in the making Raxstar and Mumzy protégé turned electrifying break-out star Junai Kaden, plus extended performances from featured artists Ayrad, six talented multi-instrumentalists from Canada who navigate between Andalusian and Berber rhymes over reggae and Latin grooves with some awe-inspiring improvisational skills, and an intoxicating mix of African desert blues and Indian rhythms from two-time Juno Award winner Kiran Alhuwalia.
Saturday night then goes out with a bang with a show-stopping gig from Birmingham’s superstar bhangra producer and singer-songwriter Sukshinder Shinda.
Ease yourself into Sunday with Bengali singing sensation Suzana Ansar, young Pakistani Qawaali singers the Chishti Brothers, the inimitable Bollywood Brass Band, mixing up traditional brass band trombones and trumpets with Johnny Kalsi and members of the Dhol Foundation on dhol-drums, and British-Indian Asian Underground bhangra beats courtesy of Swami before the Main Stage climax, the spectacular Bollywood Love Story.
Bollywood glamour comes to Leith in A Bollywood Love Story
An unmissable Mela moment, the Main Stage will play host to the festival’s signature show Bollywood Love Story. Directed by Sanjoy Roy of Teamwork Arts the Edinburgh Mela’s ground-breaking collaboration with the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and will see a cast of top Bollywood dance professionals from India perform alongside 40 talented local performers drawn from Edinburgh and Scotland’s diverse communities in a classic Bollywood tale of romance and adventure.
Having performed highlights of the show at Edinburgh Castle every night in August in front of a global audience of millions at the Tattoo, the company will come together to perform the dazzling full-length show which is set to be the defining moment of the 2015 Edinburgh Mela.
Breathtaking moves on the Mela World Dance Feste Stage
Dance remains a major part of the Edinburgh Mela, with the dedicated Mela World Dance Feste Stage showcasing the best contemporary and traditional dance talent from across the world over the two days.
The Mela continues to cement its reputation as a commissioning body for innovative new dance work with the premiere of its 2015 commission Goddess, an exploration of goddesses across global cultures and religions choreographed by Edinburgh’s Alan Greig.
There’s also the welcome return of Jenny and Ricardo Oria – stars of the hit 2013 Mela commission Star Crossed- bringing their own authentic Argentinian tango set to the Mela. Joining them on the World Dance Feste Stage are Quebec’s La Otra Orilla with Moi & Les Autres, a spirited re-invention of flamenco by charismatic choreographer and dancer Myriam Allard and singer Hedi Graja; the jaw-dropping Roadworks, a raucous, laugh-out-loud hip hop battle like no other as B-Boys take on BMX riders; the sensational winner of the South Asian category in this year’s ‘BBC Young Dancer Of The Year’ competition, Vidya Patel with a new interpretation of classic Kathak dance; infectious beats from Glasgow’s irrepressible Desi Bravehearts and South Asian-inspired dance with a contemporary narrative twist courtesy of Edinburgh’s own Dance Ihayami.
Catch the up-and-coming stars of the future on the new Awaz FM Mela Mix Stage.
New for 2015, the Edinburgh Mela is delighted to be working with Scotland’s top Asian Radio Station Awaz FM to host the first-ever Awaz FM Mela Mix Stage. The line-up boasts some of the finest up-and-coming acts from the world music scene. This is a rare chance to catch them in an intimate festival setting. The handpicked line-up of hotly tipped talent includes G-Town Desi, Krown, Edinburgh’s own Swaryatra, Northern-Exposure, Dangerman and traditional Polish music from Weilkopolska.
Families are invited to Go Bananas! In the Mela Kidzone, plus the best in food, fashion and shopping all on-site
One of the most family-friendly events in Edinburgh’s Festival calendar, children aged 12 and under come free to the festival and have their very own Mela Kidzone to explore. This year Mela audiences young and old are invited to Go Bananas! and enjoy a host of live performances, professionally led dance workshops, interactive craft sessions and other hands-on activities.
An absolute Edinburgh Mela favourite, the Global Food Village is a must-visit for keen foodies or anyone with a rumbling tum! Growing every year, it features delicious street food from around the world including sweet and savoury specialities from across Asia.
If you’re thirsty, don’t miss the beautifully decorated Kingfisher beer truck – an eye-catching photo opportunity which handily transforms into a bar serving ice cold pints of India’s No.1 beer.
Other returning favourites include the Mela Fashion Show as local models strut their stuff on the catwalk decked out in the latest in women’s, men’s and children’s fashions and the Mela Marketplace, the perfect place to browse and pick up beautiful handcrafts and stunning sari fabrics, plus friendly information on local charities and organisations.
Chris Purnell, Director of the Edinburgh Mela, said: “It gives me great pleasure to announce the Mela programme for 2015. The Mela brings together the highest quality performances from international stars of the world music and dance scene and home grown talent, in a pulsating celebratory mix of everything vital about our many rich and diverse cultures.
“Our commissioned work continues to enthral audiences drawn from all communities across the city and Scotland, and this year, that trajectory is maintained with some truly inspiring pieces. Together with a packed programme of artists and performances across three stages, representing a myriad of styles, I hope that everyone will take away a special moment of their own”.
Keen to make the festival as affordable as possible for all, Mela attendees are encouraged to buy the £4 Early Bird ticket, available until noon on Friday 28 August.
Tickets for this year’s Edinburgh Mela Festival are on sale now via www.edinburgh-mela.co.uk, on the Ticket Hotline 0131 226 0008 or pop in to the Edinburgh Fringe Box Office on the High Street. No booking fees are charged. After this time, tickets are £5 on the gate. Children aged 12 and under go free and children’s tickets can be pre-booked alongside your order.
Book online at www.edinburgh-mela.co.uk
Police in Edinburgh are appealing for witnesses following a serious sexual assault in Leith Links in the early hours of Thursday morning.
The incident happened at 1am, when a 28-year-old woman was approached by a man who produced a knife before subjecting her to the attack. The man then made off and the victim contacted police.
The suspect is described as being of Pakistani/South Asian appearance and wearing a grey hooded top and black tracksuit bottoms. Anyone who can assist with this ongoing enquiry is asked to come forward.
Detective Inspector Keith Fairbairn said: “This was a horrendous attack, which left the victim deeply distressed and she is now being supported by Police Scotland and other relevant partner agencies.
“The incident was carried out in a public area and we are keen to hear from anyone who was in or around Leith Links in the early hours of Thursday morning and saw anything suspicious.
“Similarly, anyone who recognises the description of the suspect, or who has any further information that can help us trace the man responsible is also asked to contact police immediately.”
Chief Inspector Sara Buchanan said: “We understand that this incident may have an impact on the local community and so high-visibility patrols are currently being deployed within the Leith Links to engage with members of the public and offer reassurance.
“In addition officers will be liaising with relevant partner agencies to assist anyone affected by this attack.
“I would urge anyone who wishes to speak with an officer in relation to this incident to approach one of the officers at the scene, contact 101 or make an anonymous report via the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
