A poem for National Poetry Day

A poem to celebrate National Poetry Day

LUCOZADE

by JACKIE KAY

My mum is on a high bed next to sad chrysanthemums.
‘Don’t bring flowers, they only wilt and die.’
I am scared my mum is going to die
on the bed next to the sad chrysanthemums.

She nods off and her eyes go back in her head.
Next to her bed is a bottle of Lucozade.
‘Orange nostalgia, that’s what that is,’ she says.
‘Don’t bring Lucozade either,’ then fades.

‘The whole day was a blur, a swarm of eyes.
Those doctors with their white lies.
Did you think you could cheer me up with a Woman’s Own?
Don’t bring magazines, too much about size.’

My mum wakes up, groggy and low.
‘What I want to know,’ she says,’ is this:
where’s the big brandy,the generous gin, the Bloody Mary,the biscuit tin, the chocolate gingers, the dirty big    meringue?’

I am sixteen; I’ve never tasted a Bloody Mary.
‘Tell your father to bring a luxury,’ says she.
‘Grapes have no imagination, they’re just green.
Tell him: stop the neighbours coming.’

I clear her cupboard in Ward 10B, Stobhill Hospital.
I leave, bags full, Lucozade, grapes, oranges,
sad chrysanthemums under my arms,
weighted down. I turn round, wave with her flowers.

My mother, on her high hospital bed, waves back.
Her face is light and radiant, dandelion hours.
Her sheets billow and whirl. She is beautiful. 
Next to her the empty table is divine.

I carry the orange nostalgia home singing an old song.

Funding for trainees in creative industries

£100,000 funding has been awarded through Creative Scotland to support ten full time, year-long traineeships across the arts, screen and creative industries, it was announced today.

Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop in Hawthornvale will be one of the five capital-based organisations to offer traineeships.

The Traineeships Programme aims to support the employment prospects for people aged 20-30yrs interested in developing a career in arts and culture, by creating valuable work experience opportunities.

Traineeships will take place at Africa In Motion (AiM) Film Festival, Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop, Media Education, Starcatchers and Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland (TRACS) in Edinburgh; GMAC Film and Barrowland Ballet in Glasgow; Ayr Gaiety Theatre in Ayrshire; The Pier Arts Centre in Orkney, and with Jewellery designer Eileen Gatt in the Highlands.

Leonie Bell, Director of Arts & Engagement, Creative Scotland said: “Creative Scotland is committed to supporting the creation of opportunities for young people to gain employment, work experience and vocational qualifications in the arts, screen and creative industries in Scotland.

“These traineeships will offer young people the opportunity to develop the skills and professional experience needed to progress in their chosen profession by removing barriers to paid work experience.

“At the same time, organisations will benefit from fresh, innovative ideas and enthusiasm of the trainees.”

Traineeships will be offered across the following areas:

Visual Arts
Assistant Curator (Programme Team) – Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop
Gallery Programmes Trainee: Exhibitions, Learning & Digital (Curatorial and Education) – The Pier Arts Centre

Film
Shadow Curator – Africa In Motion (AiM) Film Festival
Online Film Content Developer – GMAC Film
Trainee Project Assistant / Member of Production Team – Media Education

Theatre and Dance
Starcatchers Trainee Associate Artist – Starcatchers Productions
Programme Officer (Programming Department) – Ayr Gaiety
Dance Participation Artist, Participation and Outreach Department – Barrowland Ballet

Craft
Eileen Gatt: Jewellery designer/maker

Literature
Digital and Language Resources Trainee – TRACS based at the Scottish Storytelling Centre.

All Traineeships will be advertised on Creative Scotland’s Opportunities site.

Welcoming the announcement Irene Kernan, Director at Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop, said: “The Creative Scotland Traineeship will support Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop’s aims of developing talent and supporting young artists in their careers. Being able to employ a trainee for a full year provides a valuable opportunity for us to bring new approaches and skills to the staff team and further develop our public programme to connect with local audiences.”

Scottish Children’s Book Awards shortlist announced

The Scottish Children’s Book Awards 2015 are on 4 March in Edinburgh. Check out who made this year’s shortlist:

http://bit.ly/SCBA_15.

The shortlisting panel also wanted to recommend the following titles as Highly Commended. When you’ve read the shortlist why not take a look at these too?

Bookbug Readers (3-7 years)

Lollipop and Grandpa’s Dinosaur Hunt by Penelope Harper, illustrated by Cate James

Share by Sally Anne Garland

Younger Readers (8-11 years)

The Day the World Went Loki by Robert J Harris

Winter’s Tales by Lari Don

Circus of Thieves and the Raffle of Doom by William Sutcliffe

Older Readers (12-16 years)

Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein

Mind Blind by Lari Don

Gourmet reads: dining with a difference

Writing to get your teeth into?

Edinburgh City Libraries have paired up with Apex Hotels to offer a unique literary experience. Gourmet Reads gives you the opportunity to meet some of Scotland’s best-known authors during an evening of fine dining at the Waterloo Place hotel.

Guests will be able to meet novelists in person to chat about their lives, work and inspiration, as well as being given the chance to mingle with fellow diners.

This is the second Gourmet Reads evening, following theinaugural event in October, when best-selling author Ian Rankin entertained a small crowd with conversation and stories from his past.

And this month the event will return with an appearance from writer, journalist and musician, Doug Johnstone, author of six critically acclaimed novels including, most recently, The Dead Beat, an Edinburgh-set thriller.

Councillor Richard Lewis, Culture and Sport Convener, welcomed the addition to Edinburgh’s literary calendar. He said: “Literature is about more than just solitary reading, and can also form the basis of a vibrant, social activity like Gourmet Reads.

“This event adds to a packed literary programme in the capital, as well as a fantastic range of libraries and archives. I would urge anyone interested in spending an evening learning about new – or familiar – writers in Edinburgh, to book now and avoid missing out.”

Doug Johnstone will host on Wednesday 25 February and is the first of three writers to appear at the Apex Hotel as part of Gourmet Reads’ 2015 programme.

He will be followed by Daily Record columnist Shari Low, best-selling author of ten novels, on Thursday 13 March, and on Thursday 30 April by Alex Gray, whose latest book ,The Bird That Did Not Sing, is set against the backdrop of 2014’s Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

Each event will cost £50 per person and will include a three course meal and half a bottle of wine, or an alternative drink. Income will be put into the Libraries revenue budget for use on resources and service.

Find out more about Gourmet Reads and how to book tickets on the Council website.

Scarecrows for my Valentine?

LOVE IS STRONGER THAN HATE!

Komic Brew is proud to announce the publication of Scarecrows – a full colour fantasy picture book for the whole family, written and illustrated by renowned Bosnian author Berin Tuzlic.

To mark this occasion a launch event will take place, in the presence of the author, tomorrow (Saturday 14 February) at 2pm in the Scottish Storytelling Centre, (http://www.tracscotland.org/scottish-storytelling-centre), featuring readings, projection of animation films and exhibition. Entry is free.

Scarecrows is set in a desolate dystopian future where the media(s) control the world and tells of a friendless little girl who meets a boy trapped in a TV set. She wants to release the boy and play with him, but the media scarecrows attack from everywhere. Will the girl be able to fight off the scarecrows and release the trapped boy?

“You could say that the story of Scarecrows is a variation on “The Ugly Duckling” by Andersen with a Tim Burton aesthetic”, says the author. Questions initiated by this short story include: are we slowly losing our humanity? Who are the real monsters? Can love overcome the fear and hatred that seems to permeate society?

“We immediately fell in love with the book,” said Adam Armit, the publishing director of Komic Brew. “Fans of Tim Burton’s universe will appreciate the visual treatment, rich in colour and expressionist atmosphere, while lovers of the written word will enjoy the originality of this unusual story.” This is a book that holds a mature, thought provoking story. The poetic approach to the narration, together with the naiveté and the fantastical futuristic set result in a strange multi-layered hybrid that will appeal to the whole family.

A successful Kickstarter crowd-funding campaign in December 2014 helped finance this beautiful book. Scarecrows will be available in both printed and digital formats from tomorrow.

This enterprise signifies a great deal to Komic Brew and will cement what is hoped will be a long-term relationship both on a business and cultural level.

What the press has said:

“I read a lot of books. A lot. But this one is one of the best e-books I got to review in the last period. Illustrations: Great, Great, Great!!! And Again! Great!” – Land of Children’s Books (http://landofchildrensbooks.blogspot.fr/2014/12/scarecrows-illustrated-fantasy-book-for.html)

“Scarecrows’ 72-pages of full colour splendor will not leave you indifferent. ” – Artist Opus Magazine (http://artistsopus.com/featured/scarecrows-a-full-colour-fantasy-book/)

“I loved the message of Scarecrows, but there was much more to this simple book than that. This was about knowing there is someone out there who will love you and be your friend, no matter how alone you feel. ” – Lisa Kay Tate, Minion Feeding 101.

“My first thought was Scarecrows was really cute, but it was also kind of sad, the way the little girl didn’t have any friends. I loved the artwork. ” – Molly Kay Tate (age 12), Minion Feeding 101 (http://minionfeeding101.com/2014/11/komic-brews-scarecrows/)

About the creator

In a prolific professional career spanning two decades, Berin Tuzlic has produced and directed many animation films, comic books, music videos and commercials. He is president of the ASIFA BiH – the Bosnian branch of the International Association of Animation Films and also founder of PIXEL – Association for Art & Visual Communication. His films have been screened in all major festivals in the world, and he regularly participates in group and solo exhibitions.

“There is a multitude of media everywhere in today’s world. They are in our homes, on the streets, in our cars, even in our pockets, on our mobile phones. As medias fight each other for exclusive, sometimes shocking materials, the boundaries of good taste are erased and everything is submitted to the law of quantity: getting more viewers in any possible way.

Humanity is slowly becoming immune to feelings: we are getting used to seeing terrible things happening in the world, that we barely react any more to poverty, war and injustice. These are some of the deeper issues that are just under the surface of Scarecrows.” – says Berin.

About Komic Brew

The Edinburgh based publishing company, Komic Brew is a bit of a strange creative formula, consisting of one part Scot + one part Macedonian. It was co-founded by Adam Armit and Goce Cvetanovski and has a focus on graphic novels, comic books, and comic strips in the fantasy, SF and horror genres. Planned secondary activities include the publication of board and card games.

There are a number of comic series and graphic novels in different phases of production. There are also plans to publish four series that have not been previously available in English before.

To find out more and see some of the planned projects and current artwork, please visit the Komic Brew website at www.komicbrew.com

Book your place to see Scotland’s top new writing talent

The hottest new writing talent in Scotland will perform their work, live, next week as Scottish Book Trust celebrates the work of the New Writer Award 2014 recipients.

These awards identify the authors of some of the most affecting, exciting and engaging new writing in Scotland. The 2014 awardees were selected last January from hundreds of entries by a panel of writers including Liz Lochhead, Doug Johnstone and Jenni Fagan, and received a £2,000 cash award alongside a tailored package over the past year including mentoring from writers and industry professionals and training in public relations, social media and performance.

Those interested in Scotland’s literary scene are invited to book their tickets now to join host Cora Bissett at The Jam House in Edinburgh on Thursday 29 January at 7pm for a winter’s feast of words. Tickets cost £2 and can be booked on The Jam House website.

The New Writers Awards are managed by Scottish Book Trust in association with Creative Scotland and each year they provide unpublished writers with financial support to enable them to concentrate on developing their work, as well as professional guidance to help them move towards publication.

The 2014 New Writer Awardees are:

Fiction & Narrative Non Fiction

Malachy Tallack (narrative non-fiction)

Poetry

Children’s and Young Adult Fiction

Juliette Forrest

Lindsay McKrell

Scots Fiction and Poetry

Philip Murnin (fiction)

Ann MacKinnon (poetry)

Callan Gordon Award for New Writers

Jonathan Durie

Caitrin Armstrong, Writer Development Manager at Scottish Book Trust said: “The New Writers from 2014 are a very talented and dedicated group of people and we are very much looking forward to watching how their writing develops over the coming years.”

Many New Writer Award recipients go on to secure publishing deals and Scottish Book Trust New Writers can also be found in the programmes of the Edinburgh International Book Festival, Aye Write, Stanza, Margins Book and Music Festival, the Dundee Literary Festival and the Wigtown Book Festival amongst others.

Homing in: Edinburgh writers shine in new anthology

Five Edinburgh residents who wrote short stories about what ‘home’ means to them for a national writing competition have had their submissions chosen to be published in a book.

They beat off competition from over 500 other entries to win a place in a special book entitled Scotland’s Stories of Home. Their submissions will feature alongside entries from 33 other winners and author contributors such as Alan Warner, Vic Galloway, Kirsty Logan and Beatrice Colin.

The winners include:

Seonaid Cook, writing as Shona Cook, who submitted ‘Home Run’, a story that recounts a train journey from Edinburgh to London in which she ponders her feelings about the Scottish Referendum.

Commenting on the publication of her story, Seonaid said: “The project was timely; helping me confront complex feelings about where I belong after changes in family and career and discussions around the independence referendum. I’m excited, if a little nervous, to see my work in print for the first time since I set out to be a writer.”

Sine Kay Harris, a student at the University of Glasgow, submitted ‘Shell’, a story about finding ‘home’ in amongst the bookshelves of Edinburgh’s public libraries.

Sine said: “I think the Scotland’s Stories of Home project is a really wonderful opportunity to give the people of Scotland a chance to speak for themselves about what this country we all call home means to them.”

Laura Clay, an editor for the Raspberry Pi Foundation, submitted ‘A Story of Homecoming’. Her story explores her experience of getting to know Edinburgh again after eight years of living down south.

Laura said: “The Stories of Home project has meant a great deal to me; having moved back to Edinburgh after eight years away, it’s been a good way of reconnecting with the city I love. I feel very lucky to be included in the book. It’s the first time my writing has been published, and I’m hoping my other work will be similarly successful in future!”

The other Edinburgh winners were Julie Morrice, a music teacher living in Newington, with her poem ‘Travelling Home’ and Lorna Malone, a copywriter for an investment company, with her short story ‘A Potful of Home.’

The competition was held by Scottish Book Trust, the leading agency for the promotion of literature, reading and writing in Scotland, and encouraged members of the public to express in writing what ‘home’ as a place or a concept means to them. Contributions included poems as well as prose that tell tales of childhood, communities, family life, travel and food.

To celebrate the third year of Book Week Scotland (24 – 30 November 2014) more than 150,000 free copies of Scotland’s Stories of Home will be gifted to people throughout the week. The books will be distributed in local bookshops, public libraries, prisons, hospitals, visitor information centres, ferry terminals and train stations. All the stories entered for the competition are available to read at www.bookweekscotland.com.

Scotland’s Stories of Home also features original commissioned contributions from some of the best-loved names in Scottish arts andliterature, including Alan Warner, Des Dillon and a special contribution in Gaelic from Catriona Lexy Chaimbeul.

Sophie Moxon, Acting Director of Scottish Book Trust said: “Scotland’s Stories of Home has given people of all ages living in Scotland a chance to express in writing what ‘home’ means to them. We received hundreds of submissions from members of the public, sharing beautifully unique stories of home as a place and a concept and are delighted to be able to give away 150,000 free copies of this wonderful book for Book Week Scotland 2014.”

All the entries to the Scotland’s Stories of Home campaign can be read here: http://www.scottishbooktrust.com/reading/stories-of-home

The Edinburgh winner’s stories are available at the following links:

Shona Cook’s ‘Home Run’: http://www.scottishbooktrust.com/reading/stories-of-home/story/home-run

Sine Kay Harris’ ‘Shell’: http://www.scottishbooktrust.com/reading/stories-of-home/story/shell

Laura Clay’s ‘A Story of Homecoming’: http://www.scottishbooktrust.com/reading/stories-of-home/story/a-story-of-homecoming

Julie Morrice’s ‘Travelling Home’: http://www.scottishbooktrust.com/reading/stories-of-home/story/travelling-home

Lorna Malone’s ‘A Potful of Home’: http://www.scottishbooktrust.com/reading/stories-of-home/story/a-potful-of-home

Waverley – the first global blockbuster

Move over Da Vinci Code, step aside Harry Potter … the world’s original best-seller is on display in the National Library!

Two hundred years ago, an anonymously published novel sold out within two days and went on to become a global bestseller …

The original manuscript of Sir Walter Scott’s Waverley, the first novel in his series of global bestsellers, is now display at the National Library of Scotland – 200 years after it was first published.

The ground-breaking book tells the story of the 1745 Jacobite Rising and is widely regarded as inventing the modern historical novel. The first edition of 1,000 copies sold out within two days of publication in 1814. Within months, a fourth edition was being printed.

The National Library of Scotland (NLS), which has one of the best collections of Scott material in the world, is celebrating this literary landmark with a display of rare books and manuscripts which explore what lay behind the novel, how it was published and what people thought of it.

When ‘Waverley’ was published 200 years ago, very few people knew who had written it. Scott had made his name as a poet and decided to publish his first attempt at fiction anonymously, perhaps uncertain of the impact it might have on his reputation. Fiction was also seen as a lesser literary form in the early 19th century with the result that almost half of all novels were published anonymously or under a pseudonym.

On display at NLS will be items which show how Scott (pictured below) was identified by many people as the likely author and his dramatic public outing over a decade later. Scott seemed to enjoy the intrigue he had created and resisted the advice of friends in the know who urged him to own up to his authorship.

At the heart of the display is the original manuscript, showing Scott editing his novel as he went along. Letters written by Scott, his friends and publishers illustrate how the book developed, with its roots in the stories of 1745 Scott heard as a boy, and reveal that not everyone was convinced that the novel would be a great success. Also on display are the volumes of the first edition from 1814, contemporary advertisements and reviews, and a rich selection of the books which Scott used in researching the period.

Helen Vincent, Head of Rare Books and Music, at NLS said: ‘”Waverley” is an exciting book to read because in it you can see Scott inventing a new way of writing historical fiction. It is a novel full of drama and adventure, but Scott also had a serious purpose in writing it, wanting to capture the past as it was on the brink of slipping out of living memory. Scott’s skill as a storyteller and painter with words meant that his books appealed to readers around the world — and created an image of Scotland that still holds strong today.

‘We are delighted to be able to display some of the treasures from our Scott collections which tell the story of one of the most influential books in the English language.’

‘Sir Walter Scott’s Waverley: Voices from the archives’ is on at NLS on George 1V Bridge until 2 November. Entry is free.

Look who’s talking: Blabbermouth line-up revealed

The National Theatre of Scotland reveals stellar Blabbermouth line-up

The National Theatre of Scotland has revealed the latest details of contributors to Blabbermouth, a unique twelve-hour event to celebrate Scotland’s contribution to world literature which will be performed on the eve of the Referendum.

Leading Scottish actors, Peter Mullan, Alex Norton, Colin McCredie, Douglas Henshall, Elaine C Smith, Julie Wilson-Nimmo are now taking part in this epic celebration of Scottish writing.

They are joined by writers, commentators, journalists, campaigners, artists, activists and composers including Dave Anderson, Peter Arnott, Anne Bonnar, Patrick Doyle, David Fagan, Iain Finlay Mcleod, Cathy Forde, Tommy Gorman, Theo Van Heijnsbergen, Craig Hogg (Generation 24), Richard Holloway, Kieran Hurley, Alexander Linklater, Susan Mansfield, Tricia Marwick, John Scott Moncrief, Alan Spence, Julia Taudevin and Alison Walker.

PJ Moore, Horse Macdonald, Findlay Napier, Cora Bissett and Katie Mackenzie are confirmed as additional guest musicians who will provide musical numbers in between the spoken word contributions. Previously confirmed musical acts include: MC Soom T, Lorraine McIntosh, and Ricky Ross who performing alongside the in-house Blabbermouth band made up of well-known Scottish musicians; Annie Grace, Neil McDermott, Cat Myers, Gav Prentice, Karine Polwart, Inge Thomson and Sarah Hayes & Joe Rattray of Admiral Fallow.

Blabbermouth is an one-day event taking place on the eve of the referendum, creating a moment in time to celebrate Scotland’s contribution to the world through its written word. Over a 12-hour period, more than 100 of Scotland’s greatest texts will be read live by some of the country’s politicians, schoolchildren, journalists, teachers, workers and students, novelists and performers. The only proviso they have been given is that whatever they choose to read, it has to have been written by a Scot.

Alongside the spoken word and music there will be a pop- up food and drink festival in the Quad of the Assembly which will include stalls from some of the country’s finest food producers and drinks tailored to reflect the occasion. The food and drink will be provided by Wild Dining and LA Events.

More than 60 people will be taking part in this extraordinary event and reading their favourite pieces of Scottish writing. Alongside the most recently-confirmed names are Amal Azzudin, Tam Dean Burn, Sir Harry Burns, Juliet Cadzow, Morven Christie, Emma Clifford, Janice Galloway, Stephen Greenhorn, David Greig, Scott Hames, Gerry Hassan, Kathleen Jamie, Paul Laverty, Liz Lochhead, Joyce McMillan, Aonghas Macneacail, Ewan Morrison, Ian Pattison, Lesley Riddoch, Anneika Rose, Ricky Ross, Gerda Stevenson and Jonathan Watson.

Also taking part are Rory Docherty, Nathan Epemolu, James Kane, Annie Lennox and Margot Smith who are members of BBC Scotland’s Generation 2014 project.

From royal correspondence between Queens in the early 1600s to contemporary Scottish song lyrics, famous comedy routines and inflammatory polemics, ecstatic sports commentaries and inspirational speeches, social comment and romantic poetry, Blabbermouth will provide an alternative and wide ranging, mosaic-like presentation of Scotland’s cumulative written word legacy on a remarkable day of readings and live music performances.

The event will be divided into four, two and a half hour sessions and every session will feature live music. As well as tickets for the individual sessions there is also a special ticket available for those who want to join the company for the full 12 hours.

Blabbermouth is a unique chance to celebrate Scotland’s contribution to the world in the final hours before the referendum.

National Theatre of Scotland associate director Graham McLaren said: “On the eve of the independence referendum, I want to create a moment for us to simply celebrate Scotland and its contribution to the world, in its own words, read by its own people.”

Blabbermouth is curated and conceived by Graham McLaren. Graham is currently an associate director of the National Theatre of Scotland, where his previous shows include A Doll’s House, A Christmas Carol andMen Should Weep. In July 2014 he directed the National Theatre of Scotland’s The Tin Forest Festival at the South Rotunda, part of the Games-time Festival 2014. His production of Joe Corrie’s Fife mining community classic In Time o’Strife is currently touring the UK.

Final line-up and schedule to follow at www.nationaltheatrescotland.comand full list of contributors to date below.

View the trailer here:

Full line-up confirmed to date: Dave Anderson, Peter Arnott, Amal Azzudin, Anne Bonnar, Tam Dean Burn, Sir Harry Burns, Juliet Cadzow, Morven Christie, Emma Clifford, Patrick Doyle, David Fagan, Cathy Forde, Janice Galloway, Tommy Gorman, Stephen Greenhorn, David Greig, Scott Hames, Gerry Hassan, Theo Van Heijnsbergen, Douglas Henshall, Richard Holloway, Kieran Hurley, Kathleen Jamie, Paul Laverty, Alexander Linklater, Liz Lochhead, Aonghas Macneacail, Colin McCredie, Iain Finlay Mcleod, Joyce McMillan, Susan Mansfield, Tricia Marwick, John Scott Moncrief, Ewan Morrison, Peter Mullan, Julie Wilson-Nimmo, Alex Norton, Ian Pattison, Lesley Riddoch, Anneika Rose, Ricky Ross, Elaine C Smith, Alan Spence, Gerda Stevenson, Julia Taudevin, Alison Walker and Jonathan Watson. Also participating are BBC Generation 2014 participants: Rory Docherty, Nathan Epemolu, Craig Hogg, James Kane, Annie Lennox and Margot Smith.

Box office Information

Wednesday 17 September 2014 – Assembly Hall, Mound Place, Edinburgh

Blabbermouth 1 – 12.00pm – 2.30pm/ Blabbermouth 2 – 3.00pm – 5.30pm

Blabbermouth 3 – 6.30pm – 9pm/ Blabbermouth 4 – 9.30pm – 12am

Each performance is approx 2 hours and 30 minutes.

Tickets – £10/£8 (concession)/ Concessions – Senior Citizen, Student, Disabled, Companion, Unemployed, Under 16s, Equity/Bectu/Scottish Society Playwright.

Book for all 4 – Get a day ticket for £30 (£20 concession)

Age Guide: 14+ Box Office: The Hub +44(0)131 473 2000 /hubtickets.co.uk/

Full details at www.nationaltheatrescotland.com

Get involved at www.dearscotland.net

Join the conversation: #blabbermouth

Community classes starting soon at Craigroyston

New classes starting at Craigroyston

We have some free classes aimed primarily at local people in our community at Craigroyston:

Cook your tea
Sometimes the hardest thing about cooking is deciding what to make!

It is all too easy to run out of ideas for offering something delicious, healthy and within a tight budget. The friendly tutor for this class has a wide range of ideas which can be made quickly and cheaply making this the highlight of your culinary week.

Favourite dishes range from Thai curry, to mushroom risotto as well
as home made lemon chicken. If there is anything you really want to learn to make, the tutor will be able to help.

Come along, cook your tea and take it home to surprise all the family and friends!

Please bring £1.50 each week towards the ingredients.
The class is *FREE.

Saving Money (and the Environment)
Small steps = big changes!

This practical maths course takes everyday situations and shows you how to make the maths work for you!

Work out the running costs of many household appliances, decipher your
energy bill, compare special offers while out shopping and even find out how to make the most of a square foot garden!

Don’t worry if you didn’t get maths the first time round, this course allows you to start small and build up at your own pace. It uses examples from everyday life that affect everyone, from recipes to recycling
and will help you quickly gain confidence in handling your finances!
Not only that, we are running this course in partnership with Edinburgh’s
very own Science Museum at Dynamic Earth and several sessions will take place there (all transport & entry fees provided).

Creative Expressions

Bringing together creative writing, photography and other forms of creative expression, this class offers a range of combined art forms. The informal setting means that everyone can take part in different forms of self expression and gain a satisfying experience.

*(This class is FREE)
And also some classes that we hope will be of interest and are very good value:

Fee is £50 for the standard 10 weeks of 2 hours per week courses – £25 for a senior citizen or student – £14 for anyone receiving benefits. (half of this for the 5 week course or a 1 hour course)

These can be booked online as well as by phone or in person – www.joininedinburgh.org

Make and Mend
Creative Upcycling Projects (5 weeks)

Upcycling is about converting old or discarded materials into something
useful and beautiful for your home or to give as a personalised present. Join this weekly course to learn all sorts of original ways to refashion and redesign things you have at home already, with a friendly tutor full of inspiring ideas and different craft techniques.

Pottery
This class teaches the basics of hand building and wheel throwing in clay and introduces different artistic styles & methods of creating successful ceramic pieces.

It also offers an introduction to the use of the potter’s wheel and stone
wear firing. There is an additional £10 to pay towards materials used.

Creative Writing
Do you feel you might like to have some guidance in developing your creative writing skills, to express ideas and show you how to overcome writer’s block?

A very friendly tutor can help you develop characters, transform experiences into storylines and encourage you to share your writing with
the group. The class is supportive and will look at wide ranging in creative styles.

NOW STARTING SEPTEMBER:

Computing for Not Quite Beginners
This course is ideal for people who can create a word/text document and would like to start experimenting with pictures and tables in order to create a poster, newsletter, invitation or flyer.
Potential students should be able to create a simple document with some
text in it.
The course will cover:
Inserting pictures from clipart, inserting photos from a memory stick, downloading pictures from the Internet, arranging text size, colour etc, using Wordart, designing page layouts and using columns and inserting tables.

Scots History through Scottish Novels

This enjoyable course will to explore the relationship between 20th and early 21st century Scottish literature, history and the culture and politics of contemporary Scotland.
The books the course will be looking at will be James Douglas Brown, The House with the Green Shutters; Lewis Grassic Gibbon, Sunset Song; Jessie Kesson, The White Bird Passes; Muriel Spark, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie; James Robertson, And the Land Lay Still.

There will be a small amount of advised reading to support a deeper understanding of the texts and their historical and cultural background.

and there are many more – language, music and others – and it it would be great to have some local people take advantage of these great classes!

Fiona Henderson