Tag: partnership

Johnnie Walker Princes Street becomes Festival Fringe partner

Johnnie Walker Princes Street and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society have announced an exciting new partnership that will see Edinburgh’s most exciting whisky experience support the festival as an Official Partner Destination.

Since launching in September 2021, Johnnie Walker Princes Street has quickly become a must-visit destination for both locals and visitors.  With iconic views of Edinburgh Castle and the cityscape, guests visiting the attraction are guaranteed a five-star experience.

Boasting personalised immersive tours, two stunning rooftop bars, a dedicated events space and spectacular retail store packed with exclusive items, Johnnie Walker Princes Street offers festival goers eight floors of whisky adventures in Edinburgh’s West End.

Celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the partnership brings together the world’s premier arts festival with the world’s best-selling Scotch whisky.

As Edinburgh plays host to artists and audiences from around the world this summer, Johnnie Walker Princes Street will welcome them for an experience that will invigorate their senses in August, and beyond. 

As part of the partnership, Johnnie Walker Princes Street will feature across the Fringe venues map – a core navigation tool to ensure audiences enjoy their visit to Edinburgh and are able to easily find the wealth of Fringe venues across the city.

You can find this navigation tool in the back of the programme or collect a handy pocket version from the Fringe Shop during the Fringe.

In line with the net zero targets recently set out in the Fringe Society’s future development goals, Johnnie Walker Princes Street are also supporting the delivery of the Fringe’s e-ticketing journey, a significant digital development for 2022.

Barbara Smith, Managing Director of Johnnie Walker Princes Street said: “The Johnnie Walker Princes Street team is delighted to be coming on board as Official Sponsorship Partner of The Edinburgh Festival Fringe in its momentous 75thyear.

“2022 is a big year for us too, as we’ll enjoy our first full summer in Edinburgh. Our location in the heart of the West End is perfect for festival goers and what’s more they’ll get the perfect view of the city in full swing from our rooftop bar.”

Shona McCarthy, CEO at The Edinburgh Fringe Society said: “We’re delighted to expand our previous partnership with Johnnie Walker into an exciting new one with Johnnie Walker Princes Street. 

“We’ve watched the development of the attraction over the last few years, and it’s a fantastic addition to Edinburgh’s visitor offer.  Through the support of this partnership, we have been able to make improvements to our ticketing experience this August, and also bring back the popular Fringe venues map. 

“We look forward to working with Barbara and the team at Johnnie Walker Princes Street during the busy weeks ahead, and into 2023 and beyond.”

Dobbies and Waitrose grocery partnership launches in Edinburgh

Dobbies Garden Centres, the UK’s leading garden centre retailer, has marked its partnership with Waitrose by opening its first foodhall in Edinburgh.  

Featuring the supermarket’s wide range of high-quality food, grocery products, and everyday essentials, the Waitrose foodhall is one of more than 50 that are to be launched at Dobbies’ stores across the UK and which will bring Waitrose to 20 new towns and cities.   

Shoppers at Dobbies’ Edinburgh can choose from an extensive selection of products including the essential Waitrose range, which is the biggest value tier of any supermarket, plus its premium range – Waitrose No. 1 – and Waitrose Duchy Organic. Ready meals, free-from and vegan ranges, prepared fruit and vegetables, snacks and cupboard staples will also be available.  

Graeme Jenkins, CEO of Dobbies, said: “Through a shared commitment to great value, quality and sustainability, Waitrose was the natural grocery partner for us as we continue to build on the success of our foodhalls in recent years. I am sure our first Waitrose foodhall at our flagship store in Edinburgh will prove popular with our customers.  

“Our foodhalls are integral to our garden centre ranges and the experience of our customers, and we look forward to introducing Waitrose’s offering across our network of UK stores.” 

To find out more about the partnership, visit www.dobbies.com.  

Cancer Research Horizons renews partnership with Edinburgh University entrepreneur incubator programme

Cancer Research Horizons, the innovation engine of Cancer Research UK, the world’s largest independent cancer research organisation, is renewing its partnership with the University of Edinburgh’s flagship Venture Builder Incubator which supports the commercialisation of data-driven PhD research.

Cancer Research Horizons, through its Entrepreneurial Programmes, will sponsor ten places for cancer-related research projects from across the UK to take part on this 16-week programme which aims to drive academic entrepreneurship by supporting PhD students and early career researchers to develop their business ideas, build their skills and secure funding. 

In 2021, the first year of the Cancer Research Horizons collaboration, eight companies operating in the field of cancer were selected as start-ups for the incubator.

For the second year running, Cancer Research Horizons’ continued support for PhD students and researchers will play an important role in accelerating the commercialisation of ideas aimed at conquering cancer.

Laura Bernal, Venture Builder Incubator Programme Manager, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Cancer Research Horizons again this year.

“Our Incubator programme is designed to help fledgling entrepreneurs across all sectors of business build their skills and take their businesses to the next level and through continuing to build our relationship with the brilliant team at Cancer Research Horizons, we can ensure that we are supporting the commercialisation of vital research across 10 cancer-related projects this year.”

The Venture Builder Incubator, delivered by the Bayes Centre, the University of Edinburgh’s world-leading innovation hub for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, on behalf of the University’s five Data-Driven Innovation Hubs and Edinburgh Innovations, the commercialisation service of the University, will start later this year and builds on the success of the previous cohorts which have seen considerable success, attracting £1.8m in funding in the last 12 months.

Previous oncology-related ventures focused on developing early diagnosis tools and less invasive testing to enable improved outcomes for people affected by cancer. They included: OncoAssign, a precision medicine startup integrating AI and onco-diagnostics to deliver accurate treatment prediction; 10zyme, a start-up devising a simple method of detecting cancers through urine or saliva samples; ForceBiology, developers of a versatile, more accurate and cost-effective high throughput drug-screening platform for cancer and Therapevo, a screening platform striving to fill the gap between research and the medical testing of new therapeutic strategies.

Commenting on her experience as a participant in last year’s cohort, Estefania Esposito, Co-founder of Therapevo, said: “Being introduced to a network of Venture Builder cohorts past and present was invaluable.

“They all had different backgrounds, and even when they had similar backgrounds, they all added something: an experience, an idea or an opinion.”

Dr Alessia Errico, Associate Director of Search and Evaluation, and Entrepreneurial Programmes Lead at Cancer Research Horizon said: “We want to inspire the next generation of scientific entrepreneurs in the field of cancer research as well as inspiring cultural change within the industry, so working alongside Edinburgh University and their Data Driven Innovation programme provides us with the perfect platform to do this.

“Supporting entrepreneurs on the journey from an ideation to venture creation is one of the most important things that we can do, so we are excited about what this next year will bring.”

The Venture Builder Incubator is designed to help fledgling entrepreneurs across all sectors build their skills and take their businesses to the next level.  Start-ups are chosen after an application process which is open to PhD students, early career researchers and academic staff from the University of Edinburgh or Heriot-Watt University, as well as early career researchers focused on cancer-related projects from across the UK.

Each startup is provided with £2,000 as well as business support through a series of workshops, networking events, mentoring, peer-to-peer learnings and access to the University of Edinburgh’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and its data expertise.

Applications have now opened for the Venture Builder Incubator 3.0. For more information visit https://edinburghdde.com/dde-programmes/venture-builder-incubator-2 

The early bird deadline for applications is Friday 22nd July and those entering before this date are guaranteed application feedback and the chance to resubmit their proposal and an invitation to a Bayes Centre Community Event.

The final deadline for applications is Friday 9 September.

Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society launches revamped 2022 Street Events

This year’s celebration of street performance will feature new locations across the city centre, supported by a new Street Performer Charter, and partnership with TikTok

Today, 22 June, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society is delighted to launch a revamped and expanded street events offering for 2022, in the festival’s 75th anniversary year.

In addition to the long-established performance areas on the Royal Mile and the Mound Precinct, this year’s street events will also take place at new locations in East Princes Street Gardens, St Andrew Square, Multrees Walk, and Cathedral Square outside St James Quarter.

Visitors to the street events will be able to follow a route taking in each of the performance sites following a map within the official printed Fringe programme. The street events will be delivered by Unique Events, who are managing the programme on behalf of the Fringe Society, for the second year.

The return of the street events programme is being supported by EventScotland (part of VisitScotland’s Events Directorate), and Creative Scotland, and the launch follows last week’s announcement of the Fringe Society’s new partnership with TikTok, which supports the expanded street events programme.

With activation planned across these sites, TikTok will provide a ‘taster stage’ in both St Andrew Square and Cathedral Square, where artists from registered Fringe shows can perform short snippets of their shows, giving festivalgoers a free taste of their performance.

TikTok will live stream from these stages, enabling artists to be found by digital audiences from around the world. On the Royal Mile, two new screens will stream the TikTok content, and will also be available free to registered artists to promote their show digitally, via digital posters on the screens.

Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival Society, said: “We are excited to reveal our new and expanded plans for this year’s Street Events, one of the most visible aspects of the Fringe, enjoyed by audiences every year. The new route will allow audiences to meander through Edinburgh’s majestic Old Town and New Town, while enjoying artists in different locations.”

As part of today’s launch, the Fringe Society has also published the Street Performer Charter, a set of values shared by the Fringe Society and the street performing community, as represented by the Street Performers’ Council.

The Charter, which includes commitments from the Fringe Society and street performers, will facilitate fair, open decision making between the two groups. Among its various commitments, the Charter works towards increasing accessibility of street events, taking social responsibility for pay, sustainability goals, and improving health, safety and mental wellbeing among street performers.

Shona McCarthy continued: “I’m incredibly pleased to see the publication of the new Street Events Charter, developed in collaboration with the Fringe Society, and the street performer community.

“The Fringe and street events are within each other’s DNA and part of the cultural heritage of beautiful Edinburgh. This collective step establishes a great template to work more collaboratively at ensuring the Fringe is the best possible version of itself for the next 75 years, both for artists and residents.”

A spokesperson for the street performing community said: “The street performer charter marks a new chapter in what we anticipate will be an artist-led street festival for the people of Edinburgh and its many visitors to enjoy.

“We are excited to be working with the Fringe and their partners, to keep alive the long history of street performance that is at the heart of the Edinburgh Fringe, as we celebrate 75 years.”

Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland’s Director of Events, said: “As one of Scotland’s most recognisable cultural assets, EventScotland is delighted to be supporting the return of the Fringe street events. It is an integral part of the festival, providing audiences with the chance to connect with performances and get a taste of the Fringe for free.

“Scotland is one of the best places in the world to experience events, and after the challenges of the last two years, now is the time to plan and enjoy experiences like the street events that stir the emotions and elevate your mood.”

James Stafford, Head of Partnerships & Community at TikTok, said: “The Edinburgh Fringe is a unique moment that brings together emerging artists in a celebration of creativity.

“Our partnership places TikTok’s global community at the heart of the iconic festival, and celebrates our joint belief that creativity is for everyone. TikTok is the home of entertainment and creativity and I know our community will welcome the opportunity to discover new artists, collaborate, and be inspired.”

Nick Peel, Managing Director at St James Quarter, said: “St James Quarter is a welcoming cultural and lifestyle hub for art, culture and fashion and we’re passionate about supporting Edinburgh’s world-renowned cultural offering and its vibrant events calendar.

“It’s a privilege to be working with the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society and we look forward to hosting some of the amazing street events on Cathedral Square.”

TikTok becomes first Virtual Stage Partner of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe

TikTok and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society have announced an exclusive new partnership that will see the entertainment platform become the first Official Virtual Stage to the world’s premier performing arts festival.

In celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the partnership brings together the Fringe’s rich heritage, with TikTok’s thriving global community, aiming to showcase the magic and creativity that artists from around the world bring to Edinburgh’s stages to an even wider audience.

Every year, Edinburgh plays host to this iconic cultural event, as the eyes of the world look to the Fringe for the next generation of performance talent. This year, these vibrant and creative communities can also be discovered on TikTok throughout August and beyond.

As the Virtual Stage, TikTok will bring the creative artistry of the Edinburgh Fringe to the community, livestreaming performances from across the festival’s venues and from TikTok’s virtual stage in app. An Edinburgh Festival Fringe Hub will also host all the latest #EdFringe content in one place for the TikTok community to discover.

Over the past four years we have seen creativity in every form thrive on TikTok, from the emergence of community curated musicals, which have generated over 890 million views in app, to comedy which has played a pivotal role on TikTok, with over 1.6 billion views of the #Comedy hashtag, TikTok has supercharged the careers of comedians like Munya Chawawa, Abi Clarke and SugarCoatedSisters. TikTok is a hub for creativity and has become an essential platform for emerging talent.

Alongside the virtual stage, two digital screens on the Royal Mile, the heart of Scotland’s historic capital, will showcase TikTok content. These screens will offer a platform for emerging comedy, music and theatre talent on TikTok, while also helping festival goers discover new artists and spotlight the must-see shows from the Fringe.

TikTok will also co-host the Official Taster Stage with the Fringe, with a TikTok installation on the Mound Precinct for festival goers, performers and the Edinburgh community alike to experience.

TikTok creators will be invited to the festival, performing live on stage and bringing the Fringe experience to life. In addition, TikTok will be working directly with Fringe artists and performers, offering a programme of bespoke workshops and performer education, so artists can continue to utilise the platform to reach larger audiences and test new material.

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe and TikTok share the belief that everyone should have the opportunity to express themselves freely and creatively. This partnership forms part of TikTok’s broader commitment to breaking down the barriers to entry within the arts and the entertainment industries, which has also seen it partner with the Cannes Film Festival, Eurovision and the Hay Festival.

James Stafford Head of Partnerships & Community at TikTok said: “The Edinburgh Fringe is a unique moment that brings together emerging artists in a celebration of creativity.

“Our partnership places TikTok’s global community at the heart of the iconic festival, and celebrates our joint belief that creativity is for everyone. TikTok is the home of entertainment and creativity and I know our community will welcome the opportunity to discover new artists, collaborate, and be inspired.”

Shona McCarthy, CEO at The Edinburgh Fringe Society said: “The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is an annual phenomenon like no other, one of the world’s great celebrations of performing arts and creativity, and we’re delighted to be partnering with TikTok in our 75th anniversary year.

“TikTok’s expertise in the creative spaces make it the perfect partner for our Official Virtual Stage. We look forward to joining artists together with TikTok’s unique virtual creativity, bringing the Fringe to a new global audience.

“For the Fringe it’s about offering anyone a stage and everyone a seat, and this partnership will allow us to offer this to audiences wherever they are in the world”

New partnership launched to break down barriers for young people with a learning disability

A new partnership between ENABLE Scotland, Edinburgh Napier University and global professional services firm, EY, has set out to create equality across those accessing higher education opportunities.

Whilst 45% of all Scotland’s school leavers go to university, only 8.6% of school leavers who have a learning disability go on to higher education. Now, ENABLE Scotland’s Breaking Barriers programme is working with young people who have a learning disability to ensure they have the support required to access university life, can undertake work experience opportunities with a leading global employer, and graduate with a university qualification from a world-class academic institution.

Breaking Barriers, a ground-breaking initiative established by ENABLE Scotland in 2018, has partnered with some of Scotland’s highest profile corporate employers and has named EY as its newest official partner alongside Edinburgh Napier University – expanding its reach across the East of Scotland.

A cohort of young people from the East of Scotland are already undertaking studies and will now start work placements at EY. Anna Taylor (17) and Jaymes Doyle (18) from Edinburgh are working towards obtaining an Accreditation in Applied Business Skills from Edinburgh Napier University.

On her experience with Breaking Barriers so far, Anna Taylor said: “It has been really refreshing to meet different people who have the same anxieties and barriers as I do and who understand how you feel.

“It is a very unique experience; I have the support I need but also get to pursue something that was previously outside of my comfort zone.

“I am looking forward to my work placement with EY to see how the topics we have covered with Edinburgh Napier apply in a real life work setting.”

James Doyle added: “Breaking barriers has benefited me a lot as I have learned how to be in a university environment and have found a new interest in banking and business. I feel like I have been helped with my confidence and social skills a lot.”

ENABLE Group CEO and co-founder of the Breaking Barriers programme, Theresa Shearer, spoke at the 2022 Harkin International Disability Employment Summit in Belfast yesterday, discussing the Breaking Barriers programme and the charity’s goal to ensure further education is made more accessible for those with a learning disability.

Theresa Shearer said: “I am delighted that we are building on the success of the Breaking Barriers programme and making it possible for even more students who have a learning disability to access the life-shaping experience of university that is a rite of passage for so many, yet it is currently available to so few disabled young people.

“Breaking Barriers demonstrates how the public, private and third sectors can work collaboratively to improve diversity, equity and inclusion in education and the workplace, and I am excited to welcome Edinburgh Napier University and EY as the programme’s newest partners, advancing our shared ambition of a truly inclusive society for all.”

Professor Nazira Karodia, Vice Principal of Learning and Teaching at Edinburgh Napier University said: “We are delighted to welcome our ENABLE students to The Business School, where our vision is to be the Business School for empowerment, enterprise and employability for all.

“Our ethos as a university is to be the home for difference makers and our position as the number one modern university in Scotland reflects our success in providing students with a positive learning experience, and our close industry links.

“Not everyone has an opportunity to change the world, but everyone can make a positive difference to the world around them: working with fantastic partners like ENABLE and EY is truly helping break barriers faced by young people with learning difficulties.”

Ally Scott, EY Scotland Managing Partner, said: “Breaking Barriers is an inspiring initiative that EY is delighted not just to support, but to work with to give these remarkable young people the skills for a successful and fulfilling career.

“This is a great example of Scotland’s strong ecosystem between education, industry and the civic community in action, and I look forward to celebrating their graduation with them in the summer.”

The Breaking Barriers programme originated in the West of Scotland and has entered its fifth consecutive year, delivered in a partnership between ENABLE Scotland, the University of Strathclyde Business School, ScottishPower and STV. 

Such is the success of the programme that many former graduates have gone on to shape their chosen career path and secure employment and additional training opportunities in fields such as filmmaking, para-medicine, cyber security, financial services, digital music, and fashion.

The expansion of the programme is supported by Edinburgh City Council through the Young Person Guarantee.

Find out more at: www.enable.org.uk/breaking-barriers

Rathbones enters partnership with SCVO Trustee Network to support good governance in voluntary sector

  • Rathbones will support the development of the SCVO Trustee Network, which provides invaluable support and guidance to the Scottish charity sector
  • The Network will host up to six ‘Good Governance’ seminars for trustees and boards

Rathbone Investment Management (Rathbones) has announced a new partnership with the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations’ (SCVO) Trustee Network to help develop good governance across charities in Scotland.

SCVO is a registered charity and the national body for voluntary organisations in Scotland. Its Trustee Network provides charity trustees and boards with invaluable support, guidance, and toolkits, with the aim of driving crucial good governance across the Scottish voluntary sector.

The Network provides a wide range of content for trustees and boards to help them with all areas of governance – including useful support and learning materials to help them get to grips with the Scottish Governance Code and understand their roles and responsibilities.

The Network also produces a quarterly Trustee Bulletin to over 815 people, which offers practical information, guidance, and useful event signposting to its subscribers. In addition, it runs a platform that provides entry-level information and learning to help trustees, volunteers, and staff run their voluntary organisations.

As part of the new partnership, Rathbones will provide relevant content for the Bulletin and will occasionally speak at events. The SCVO Trustee Network will host up to six ‘Good Governance’ webinars and in person events, which will be held bi-monthly and cover the challenges facing Scottish charity trustees.

Rathbones will host an event at the 2022 Trustee Week, which takes place in November, and will also speak at The Gathering 2022. Rathbones will support the Scottish Charity Awards by sponsoring the Trustee of The Year Award.

Fiona Gillespie, Head of Charities at Rathbone Investment Management in Scotland, comments: “Being a charity trustee is a demanding but very rewarding role. Trustees play a significant role in overseeing and taking responsibility for everything their charity does.

“For many who become trustees, they join with the best intentions, but are often faced with time restraints and a lack of necessary training, making the role more challenging.

“Rathbones is very supportive of the SCVO’s great work in helping charity trustees understand their role and responsibilities, as well as the practical support they offer in helping trustees develop their skills for their positions so they can exercise good governance.

“We look forward to our new partnership with the SCVO Trustee Network and getting more people involved with becoming a trustee.”

Love InC project produces final report

Love InC is an exciting and dynamic partnership consisting of Aberlour, Includum, CELCIS and the Care Inspectorate. The name was suggested by a care experienced young person and sums up just what the partnership is about – love in the care system for children and young people.    

The final report outlines the project’s work, findings and key messages over the past three years. It narrates the journey of the partnership, reflects learning and has some important messages for corporate parents in Scotland. The project has explored how can we ensure that loving relationships are able to flourish for children and young people who experience care.  

The thinking and approach of Love InC chimes with the findings and messages of the Promise. The five foundations of voice, family, care, people, and scaffolding are integrated throughout the work and the findings.   

Our involvement in this partnership has contributed to this work and enabled there to be a focus on exploring the complexities of regulating love.   

The Health and Social Care Standard 3.10 states “As a child or young person I feel valued, loved and secure”. We know this is not an easy thing to regulate but we are committed to children and young people feeling loved in the care system. This needs to be the norm, not something that is controversial or ambitious.   

Our methodology is evolving in line with this and as part of our organisational commitment to Keep the Promise. Our focus of inspection in services for children and young people this year has children feeling safe and loved at the core.  

The learning from the project about recruiting and supporting care experienced people into the workforce is important. It can help us shape and develop our approaches to participation in line with our work to keep the Promise and being a corporate parent.

You can visit Aberlour’s website here. 

Love-InC-Project-Final-Report_April-2022Download

Scotmid launches search for new charity partner

Charities are being invited by Scotmid to become its new Charity Partner for 2022/23.

The community retailer is looking for an organisation that shares its values and passion for supporting local communities and would like to build a creative and fun partnership to encourage participation and fundraising from staff, members and customers alike.

With a presence in Scotland, Northern England and Northern Ireland, the partnership must be able to span a wide geography.

Over the last 20 years, Scotmid has raised millions of pounds for their Charity Partners, including the Scottish SPCA, Samaritans, ChildLine and Alzheimer Scotland.

John Brodie, Chief Executive of Scotmid, said: “Our Charity Partnerships are incredibly important to us. Partners benefit from both an exceptional level of fundraising and extended support in their cause from our colleagues and communities.

“We are excited to hear about projects that can benefit our communities from new potential charity partners.”

Scotmid’s current Charity Partner is Children’s Hospice Association Scotland, better known as CHAS. Funds raised through the partnership have supported the vital development and expansion of CHAS’s outreach service, CHAS at Home, helping the charity on its ambitious mission of reaching every child and family that needs their help in communities across Scotland.

Three other children’s hospices across Scotmid’s trading areas have also benefited from funds raised: Jigsaw, Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice and St Oswald’s Hospice.

Staff working in Scotmid’s food stores, Semichem stores, Scotmid Funerals and Lakes & Dales stores across Scotland, Northern Ireland and Northern England enthusiastically take part in physical challenges, events and traditional in-store fundraising.

Community engagement is also a key element for Scotmid. At the end of last year, children throughout Scotland were invited to design a mascot to represent Scotmid’s charity partnership.

The winning designs, Cuthbert The Fox and Tildy Toadstool, were then brought to life, much to the delight of the talented designers and those who have met the colourful couple!

Angharad Low, Corporate Partnerships Manager at CHAS, said: “It’s been great working with Scotmid to raise awareness and funds for our outreach service, CHAS at Home.

“The passion of Scotmid colleagues, members and customers makes the partnership really special.

“We’re so thankful for the funds that have been raised, which will help families receive quality care in the comfort of their own homes. We would absolutely recommend other charities apply!”

Kirsteen Campbell, CEO Scottish SPCA, said: “Our 2018/19 partnership with the Scotmid Co-operative family was our most successful charity of the year partnership in Scottish SPCA’s history, raising an incredible £325,000.

“Support from Scotmid colleagues enabled us to deliver our ‘Prevention through Education’ programme delivering workshops to 1818 schools and 124 community groups, reaching over 60% of Scotland’s school children! With Scotmid’s support we were able to spread the joy of the human-animal bond further than ever before.

“We’d encourage all charities to apply for this exciting opportunity to be Scotmid’s next Charity Partner.

“You’ll be combining forces with an incredible organisation who really cares about making a massive difference in local communities What are you waiting for? Apply today!”

To apply to be Scotmid’s Charity of the Year 2022/23, please go to:

https://scotmid.coop/community-and-charity/charity-of-the-year-applications/

Applications are open until 5pm on Friday 6 May 2022.

The George Hotel marks Women’s History Month

InterContinental Edinburgh The George is celebrating Women’s History Month by launching a new partnership with female-owned bookstore, Rare Birds Book Shop, to encourage guests to explore Scotland’s female literary greats.    

The partnership will pay homage to the hotel’s impressive literary ties and its most-famous former guest, writer Susan Ferrier, with a new experience: ‘Scotland’s Inspiring Females Package’. The package offers guests, who book a stay from 8th March 2022 (IWD), the chance to add an accompanying book bundle from trailblazing Scottish female authors, hand-selected by Rare Birds Books.  

Included in the ‘Scotland’s Inspiring Females Package’ is Jackie Kay, Scotland’s former Makar, with her debut novel Trumpet, a fictionalised chronicle of the life and death of transgender jazz artist Billy Tipton; quintessentially Edinburgh author, Muriel Spark and her story of a glamorous outspoken teacher, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie; as well as Susan Ferrier’s Marriage.  

Susan Ferrier, who resided at the hotel when it was a collection of luxury Georgian townhouses in the 18th century, is widely referred to as Scotland’s answer to Jane Austin.

Her debut book, Marriage, was published in 1818 and tells the story of an English heiress, who elopes with a handsome Scot to live in a castle in the Highlands. Characters in the novel were based on real acquaintances she met during her time at The George, such as iconic Scottish poet Robert Burns and author Sir Walter Scott. 

Books will be beautifully packaged and ready for guests in their room on arrival alongside a charming booklet with insider information on each book and its author. The package includes room, bed and breakfast and prices start from £289.  

Rare Birds Book Shop, located in the heart of Stockbridge, is on a mission to champion women’s writing, by helping enthusiasts to discover great books by great women. Founded in 2017 it has built a vibrant community of booklovers around the world through its book club. 

Rachel Wood, founder and owner of Rare Birds Book Shop, said: “There’s nothing we love more than helping readers discover writing by women, and what better way to help visitors discover Edinburgh’s rich literary history than by shining the spotlight on three brilliant Scottish writers, whose work has captured the imagination of readers around the world.”  

Kieran Quinn, Hotel General Manager at InterContinental Edinburgh The George, said: “We are so proud of our historical ties to some of Scotland’s greatest literary experts, so it felt only right that this Women’s History Month, we launched a new offering for guests to delve back into the work of those women who once stayed and were inspired by where we now call home and learn more about more modern Scottish female authors too.” 

For more information, please visit https://edinburgh.intercontinental.com/offers/