Tag: The Meadows

Edinburgh Climate Festival programme unveiled

SATURDAY 29th JUNE at THE MEADOWS

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Scroll through our programme to find all the FREE workshops, performances & activities we have planned for you!

You will also be able to find a variety of stalls running their own activities as well as food vendors that will help fuel you through the day!

With the climate crisis worsening, we see how important it is to raise awareness and take climate action. That’s why the Edinburgh Climate Festival (ECF) is back!

The ECF will take place at the Meadows on Saturday 29th June 2024, from 12pm to 7pm. The festival will bring stallholders to cover topics related to the circular economy, mitigation, adaptation, climate education, transport, activism, conservation and more. Community members will also have an opportunity to raise their climate concerns to policymakers. 

The festival, now in its 8th year, will offer a free, family friendly & community-led marketplace. It will serve as a platform for locals to discover the remarkable climate initiatives taking place in Edinburgh and enjoy a delightful day out with their families.

Franciele Sobierai, the ECF Event Coordinator said: “The climate crisis can be daunting, leaving us feeling powerless. However, when we unite, work together, and support one another, we can accomplish far more.

“This is the message the Edinburgh Climate Festival aims to spread — encouraging community-driven climate action and solidarity to tackle the climate emergency.”

The attractions and activities will involve an upcycled fashion show, dance performances, choirs, drumming group, eco workshops, wellbeing workshops, children’s activities and much more.

Don’t miss this opportunity to engage, learn, and celebrate our collective efforts towards a sustainable future!

Nine teenagers charged with 77 antisocial behaviour offences

Following a number of recent anti-social-behaviour incidents in the Morningside and Bruntsfield areas, 9 people between the ages of 13-14 years have been identified and charged with 77 offences relating to ASB offences.

Community Inspector Scott Casey of St. Leonard’s Police Station said “ASB is a blight on our communities and I recognise the fear it causes.

“It will not be tolerated in south-east of Edinburgh and my team and I are committed to tackling it and bringing those responsible to justice.

“I would encourage members of the public who are experiencing such issues to get in touch with my team via 101 or you can contact Crimestoppers 0800 555 111.”

Meadows assault on Saturday: Police appeal for information

Detectives in Edinburgh are appealing for information after a man was assaulted in the city.

The incident happened around 3.10pm on Saturday (17 June, 2023) on Leamington Walk in the Meadows area and involved a cyclist and another member of the public.

A 40-year-old man was taken to hospital and released after treatment.

Detective Constable Michael Campbell said: “Our enquiries are ongoing and we are appealing for anyone with information or who witnessed the incident to come forward.

“Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101 quoting incident 2617 of 17 June, 2023. Alternatively, Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111.”

Iconic Davis Cup trophy visits Edinburgh

The next generation of tennis fans in Edinburgh were served a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see a unique piece of the sport’s history as the famous Davis Cup by Rakuten trophy dropped into Craiglockhart Tennis Centre and The Meadows as part of a national tour to celebrate Scotland’s hosting of the illustrious competition.

Selected as one of four venues to host the Group Stage of the Davis Cup by Rakuten Finals, Glasgow’s Emirates Arena will stage Great Britain’s blockbuster Group D ties against USA, Kazakhstan and Netherlands between 13-18 September. Tickets for the event, priced from £10, will go on sale this Thursday (30th June) at 10am and can be purchased here.

Across an 11-stage tour, the trophy will drop-in at several inspirational locations that are continuing to play a pivotal role in broadening the accessibility of tennis in Scotland, helping to open up the sport to more people and building on record participation figures that have been recorded in recent years, with a 12% increase in players playing once or more a year over the past 12 months.

The trophy tour started in the Scottish Borders on Monday (27th June) at Earlston High School, one of Britain’s many educational establishments which are championing the school element of the LTA Youth programme, designed to attract and retain more children aged 4-18 in tennis.

Moving across Scotland, the trophy visited Craiglockhart Tennis Centre on Tuesday as the venue played host to the Scottish Junior Open, one of the largest Grade 2 tournaments in the country which is catering for 515 participating players who are aiming to follow in the footsteps of the tournament’s former 9 & Under champion, Emma Raducanu.

On Wednesday, the trophy then made the short trip to The Meadows which is the setting for the busiest park tennis site in Scotland, featuring 16 courts and a programme which boats excellent links with the community, local schools and The University of Edinburgh.

The tour aims to shine a spotlight on some of the programmes that are encouraging children to pick up a racket for the very first time, including the LTA Youth programme as well as LTA SERVES which is focussed on making tennis more accessible to children from underserved communities, and the Open Court Programme which enables disabled players to enjoy the physical and mental health benefits of tennis.

Tennis Scotland and the LTA have coordinated the trophy tour to build momentum for September’s group stage matches whilst interest in the sport is heightened by the Wimbledon fortnight.

The trophy will now visit several inclusive schools, clubs, and venues as it travels the length of the country to Moray Sports Centre in Elgin; the first venue to benefit from the Transforming Scottish Indoor Tennis Fund (TSIT).

Upcoming trophy tour events and locations:

  • 1st July – Clarkston Bowling and Tennis Club, Glasgow (10am-12 noon)
  • 3rd July – Bridge of Allan Tournament, Stirling (10am-1pm)
  • 4th July – Achieve More Scotland, Haghill Park Primary School, Glasgow (10am-12noon)
  • 5th July – Scotstoun Community Tennis Centre, Glasgow (10am-1pm)
  • 7th July – Elgin Tennis Club, Highlands (10am-12noon)
  • 7th July – Moray Sports Centre, Moray (2pm-5pm)
  • 8th July – West End Club, Dundee (12-4pm)

Standing at 110cm tall, the Davis Cup is one of the most recognisable trophies within the sporting world. Following in the lead of past winners including Scotland’s Andy Murray, Jamie Murray and current team captain Leon Smith, individuals across the nation are being handed the opportunity to witness the trophy up close before the ‘men’s world cup of tennis’ heads for Glasgow’s East End.

Following the Davis Cup Group Stage matches, the Emirates Arena will also host the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in November after the International Tennis Federation announced that the ‘women’s world cup of tennis’ will return to Great Britain for the fourth time in its six-decade history.

Blane Dodds, Tennis Scotland Chief Executive, said: “Glasgow’s hosting of Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup matches is a massive boost for tennis in Scotland and comes at a time when interest in the sport has never been greater.

“We’re thrilled to bring two of the most coveted competitions to Scotland with the LTA, which will provide future players and fans of the game with the chance to experience top level tennis on their doorstep.

“The Davis Cup trophy tour provides the perfect opportunity to build momentum for the tournament and showcase the passion for tennis here in Scotland, whilst inspiring the next generation to follow their dreams of representing the nation on the international stage.”

Olly Scadgell, LTA Participation Director, said: “This is the perfect time for young people to pick up a racquet and get on court. We want to use the fact we are hosting the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King cups to bring more children into the sport and boost participation across the country.

“Our LTA Youth programme is designed to be easily accessible for all children, whatever their background or level of experience. Anyone interested in playing for the first time should go online and search for LTA Youth to find a course near them.”

Police appeal after boy is sexually assaulted in toilet at The Meadows

Police are appealing for the help of the public after a teenage boy was sexually assaulted in The Meadows.

The incident happened around 4.30pm on Friday (15 April) in the public toilets at the east side of The Meadows near Hope Park Terrace.

A 14-year-old boy was approached by a man and sexually assaulted. A member of the public entered the toilets and the man left and walked off towards the crossroads at Hope Park Terrace.

The suspect is described as white, around 5ft 6ins, of slim build, with white stubble and aged around 70-years-old. He was wearing a dark jacket and trousers and a flat cap. He also used a walking stick.

Detective Inspector Grant Paterson said: “This attack has left the teenage boy exceptionally upset. We have officers on patrol in the area and if anyone has any concerns please speak to them or call us.

“This part of The Meadows would have been busy and I am asking anyone who saw this man or who may know who he is to get in touch.

“In particular, I am asking the member of the public who walked into the toilets as this was happening to get in touch. You may have information that is vital to our enquiries.”

Anyone who can help is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 2466 of Friday, 15 April. Or make a call anonymously to the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111

Appeal following assault with intent to rob in Meadows

Police are appealing for witnesses following an assault with intent to rob which occurred in the city yesterday (Thursday, 5 August, 2021).

Around 12.05 am a 23-year-old woman was walking on Melville Terrace near to the junction with Moncrieff Terrace when she was approached from behind by a man who pulled her to the ground and demanded money from her.

The woman managed to fight the man off before contacting police.

The man ran off northwards in the Meadows towards the tennis courts.

The suspect is described as being in his late 30s, 5ft 9in tall, of slim build, with dark brown/grey hair and spoke with a local accent. He was wearing a grey camouflage face mask, a black short-sleeved shirt, dark joggers and was carrying a messenger bag. 

Detective Sergeant Keith Taylor, of Gayfield CID, said: “Thankfully the woman was not injured during this incident, but it was nonetheless a very distressing experience.

“I am appealing to anyone who was in the area around the time of the incident who may have witnessed what happened, or noticed a man matching the above description, to please come forward.

“Anyone with information is asked to contact Gayfield CID via 101, quoting incident number 0047 of 5 August. Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”

Meadows disorder: vast majority of key troublemakers traced

Here’s the latest Capital Cops column from Chief Inspector Sam Ainslie, Local Area Commander for South East Edinburgh:

The city centre and South East of Edinburgh is a diverse locality, incorporating homes, businesses and a large number of leisure facilities and visitor attractions, ranging from easily accessible green spaces to the vast majority of the city’s night-time economy.

Local Edinburgh residents welcome the responsible use of our fantastic green spaces and amenities. However, disappointingly, these areas can experience incidences of antisocial behaviour and even disorder, particularly during periods of good weather, where excessive drinking has been a contributory factor.

You may be aware of some issues within the Meadows area during the Easter weekend, and I raise it here, for a number of reasons.

First to provide reassurance, that it was obvious that a small group of individuals attended with the express purpose of causing disorder.

Second, being acutely aware of the negative impact on local communities, South East Community Improvement Partnership developed a comprehensive action plan, calling on expertise and resource from across a range of Police, voluntary organisations, and City of Edinburgh Council functions.

This multi-agency response was then utilised successfully over a number of subsequent weekends.

Third, I wish to highlight the success of our dedicated investigation team, formed to specifically target those responsible for the pockets of disorder that weekend, and I am delighted to report that 14 of 17 key individual have been traced, arrested and reported to the Procurator Fiscal and suffice to say efforts will continue to hold the remainder to account.

Please continue to use these spaces respectfully.

While Edinburgh is a safe city, we are never complacent in respect of violence or anti-social behaviour in any of its forms, and as the night-time economy gradually returns, officers are once again providing a high visibility policing presence within the city centre during weekend periods, providing reassurance to our local communities, preventing issues and robustly dealing with incidents, should they occur.

Keeping with prevention, we have started to see a rise in thefts from vehicles, homes, sheds and businesses, and as a recurring theme, these are often opportunistic in nature, with thieves capitalising on a door or window being left unlocked.

Items of choice include, purses, handbags, laptops and bikes. Police Scotland’s website www.scotland.police.uk provides lots of great security advice, so please give it a visit.

Road safety matters remain an area of focus, and with Police Scotland’s Summer Drink/ Drug Drive Campaign having started on Monday – please follow us on our social media channels for information and updates.

I want to thank you for your ongoing support and ask that you continue to contact us to report suspected criminality and relevant concerns.

Information can also be passed to local officers, 101 or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, and as ever, we will continue to post policing updates via @EdinPolSE Twitter account.

If you haven’t already done so, please follow us to receive regular information on what’s happening in your local area.

Chief Inspector Sam Ainslie is Local Area Commander, South East Edinburgh

Action Plan to tackle Meadows disorder

Councillor Adam McVey has outlined the action plan being put in place to prevent repeats of recent anti-social behaviour in the Meadows.

Council Leader Adam McVey said: “Following the appalling scenes at the Meadows last weekend we’ve been working closely with colleagues in Police Scotland to address the issues and put in place an action plan that will drive home the message that this anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated.

“It’s not just about preventing a repeat of what we saw last weekend but also tackling the various issues recently reported in the park and neighbouring streets. Everyone should remember that it’s currently illegal under the Coronavirus regulations to drink alcohol in public spaces.

“This weekend and over the coming weeks there will be additional patrols by our Park Rangers and Street and Environment Enforcement Officers who will hand out black bags, give advice on litter management and if necessary issue fines. There will also be increased presence of police officers and the Council’s CCTV resources to ensure the safety of everyone enjoying the park.  

“It’s important that everybody takes responsibility for their behaviour in our parks and considers fellow visitors to the park and neighbouring residents. Our parks have been hugely important to residents of the city throughout the last year and continue to be. We’re determined that the actions of a reckless minority will not spoil it for the majority and through our action plan we’ll ensure the Meadows can be enjoyed safely.”

Council actions include:  

  • The Council CCTV van will be deployed over the course of the weekend to provide a visible deterrent to any anti-social behaviour and to assist in gathering evidence if required.
  • Mobile CCTV cameras will be deployed to hotspots for street urination and defecation, with signs in place to warn against this behaviour.
  • The public toilets will continue to remain open until 8pm over the course of the weekend
  • Park Rangers and Street and Environment Enforcement Officers will be patrolling the Meadows to hand out black bags and advice on litter management. In addition, enforcement action will be taken (in the form of Fixed Penalty Notices) where littering offences are witnessed.
  • There will be increased street cleansing teams in the Meadows to carry out more regular litter picking. Regular inspections of the litter bins will take place throughout the day and additional emptying will take place if required.