For millions of Brits, this weekend’s announcement will have meant last minute changes to Christmas plans, with 46% of Brits saying they were looking forward to spending time with their family. But just because it’s different, doesn’t mean it can’t still be festive, as people look for new ways to celebrate.
For many people, 2020 has been the year of loungewear, and it seems this trend will be continuing over the festive season. According to Matalan’s survey, 1 in 3 Brits will be keeping comfy for Christmas, spending the big day in either pyjamas or loungewear!
And in keeping with the rest of the year, video calls will be playing a major role, as Brits turn to Zoom, Facetime and Houseparty to spend time with loved ones. According to the survey results, 11am-12pm is the time most of us will be setting aside to arrange video calls with friends and family.
Looking at the rest of the big day, 12-1pm is when Brits will enjoy their first alcoholic drink, with most sitting down to dinner between 2pm and 3pm, before heading outside for a wintery walk.
Finally, we’ll be sitting down to enjoy our favourite festive films and TV shows, or starting a new board game between 7pm and 8pm.
TheEdinburgh Association of Community Councils(EACC) will be holding a special meeting entitled Events in the New Green Edinburgh — the Public Spaces Management Plan (PSMP) Exercise, this Thursday 10 December at 7pm by Zoom.
The City of Edinburgh has just launched an extensive stakeholder consultation about “how Edinburgh manages its public outside space for events, filming and festivals . . based around key principles/guidelines that will apply across the whole of Edinburgh.”
Leading our discussion on the Public Spaces Management Plan will be:
Cliff Hague, Emeritus Professor of Planning and Spatial Development at Heriot-Watt University, Chair of the Cockburn Association: Pitfalls and potholes: managing Edinburgh’s public spaces
Mariana Trusson, former Chair of the Edinburgh Sustainable Development Partnership (ESDP): Environmental protection, carbon neutrality and sustainability: events and festivals in public spaces
This will be followed by a contribution by a leading City of Edinburgh councillor or official.
Jim Scanlon (Leith Links Community Council) and another community councillor will talk about local issues with the PSMP.
This meeting is open to the public, but priority will be given to questions from community councillors.
The meeting will be recorded and may be published later. Please note that by joining the meeting you are giving your consent for the meeting to be recorded.
Just Festival, Edinburgh’s social justice and human rights festival, is set to deliver a carefully curated hybrid of online and live events to celebrate 20th Anniversary.
The free to attend programme will run online and at St. John’s Church, Princes Street from 16th – 23rd August.
Helen Trew, who was recently appointed as the Festival Director for Just Festival, said: “Just Festival has been an important part of the Fringe for many years and, when I took over, I hadn’t expected it to be under the strange and unusual circumstances we all find ourselves in!
“We’d like to extend a special thanks to Helen Foord, CEO of ELE Global and Just Festival Board Member, who has gone above and beyond, volunteering her skill sets to support the delivery of this programme. Her skills and knowledge have been invaluable, and her energy has been amazing.”
ELE Global have volunteered their services to Just Festival, supporting them with all of their digital communications, project management, social media and event promotion.
Helen Foord, CEO of ELE Global, commented: “The Just Festival is an event very close to my heart, and directly linked with our own business values, as it works to challenge perceptions, celebrate differences and encourage dialogue on the key issues of our time.
“During these uncertain times, it’s never been more important for us to unite and support one another, so I have been delighted to offer my team, to help.”
The online programme, based on the theme of ‘transformations’, will draw together a programme of digital events accessible online via Zoom. These virtual events will create an important space for dialogue and platforms for engagement in local, national and international questions of social justice, equality and identity, both from the religious and non-religious perspectives.
The live element of the festival will take place at Cornerstone Centre, St. John’s Church on Princes Street from 18th – 22nd August. Stan’s Cafe will bring the internationally acclaimed ‘Of All The People In All The World’ back to Edinburgh.
In this simple performance installation, artists build small and large mounds of rice representing the political and social realities in the world: one grain of rice for the Queen, twelve grains for people who have walked on the moon, a pile for teachers in the UK, a heap for millionaires in Europe, and a mountain for people fleeing from war and disaster.
Visitors are invited to put their questions and suggestions to the artists, ensuring an ever-changing rice landscape. By making normally abstract statistics tangible and placing them in thoughtful relation to each other, this powerful work of art is witty, shocking and ultimately moving.
Helen Trew concludes, “Despite all of the logistical challenges and physical social distancing restrictions, we decided to carry on and rethink our programme in a way that would best maintain the unique spirit of the Just Festival and create the space for people to gather online to discuss those issues that most affect our lives today with our fantastic range of eclectic and expert panellists.
“This year has brought serious difficulties to our lives, and we are mindful of the insecurity left by the lockdown for many people. As a result, we have decided not to charge for our events however, if you are able, we would appreciate your support through our donation scheme on registration which will enable the Just Festival charity to sustain its work.”
Edinburgh North and Leith MP Deirdre Brock will take part in a virtual funding workshop, with People’s Postcode Lottery, for local charities, volunteer organisations, and community groups throughout the local area.
The session will give good causes in Ms Brock’s constituency advice on how they can apply for funds to make a difference in their community.
The live Zoom event takes place on Tuesday 11 August at 10am.
Players of People’s Postcode Lottery have raised £398,687 for smaller good causes and community projects in Edinburgh North and Leith. Wellspring Scotland received £13,950 to deliver mental health and well-being support work to adults, children and young people in Leith.
£17,500 went to Leith Theatre Trust’s LTYardheads project, helping people within the surrounding community access theatre through drama, acting and creativity groups.
MP Deidre Brock said: “Hundreds of thousands of pounds, raised thanks to People’s Postcode Lottery players, has already had a hugely positive impact on the places and people of Edinburgh North and Leith.
“This free virtual funding session will give good causes throughout the area the guidance they need on how to apply for funding. Funding that many good causes need now more than ever before.
“I’d strongly encourage local good causes within the community to sign up and find out more about the funding opportunities available to them.”
Community programmes advisor at People’s Postcode Lottery, Katherine Sellar, added: “The money raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery is making a huge difference in communities across the country.
“We want to do all we can to help local charities and good causes successfully apply – particularly at a time when many are losing out on essential funds. Our free virtual workshop is a useful opportunity for smaller, local charities and groups to find out about the funding available, get pointers on applying and ask us any questions.”
More than £500 million has been raised for thousands of charities and good causes, thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery.
Peoples Assembly Scotland “Public” meeting via Zoom Tuesday 16th June at 7pm.
Thanks to all who attended the meeting on 3rd June on Universal Credit – we will distribute the video of this over the next few days.
Our next meeting will be on the Tuesday 16th June at 7pm.
Joining us will be Professor Phil Taylor from Strathclyde University, speaking about the particular dangers to call centre workers during the Covid 19 emergency.
Prof Taylor was the author of a report on the issues which received some attention in the national press:
What is believed to be the largest Prayer Meeting held in Scotland since the Reformation was conducted via Zoom last week, with around 400 worshippers joining from as far afield as the USA, Germany and Sweden.
Rev. James Gracie, of Arthur Street Church in Edinburgh started the Prayer Meeting in March as his parishioners were unable to attend services due to the government lockdown.
The first Monday evening meeting attracted around 50 attendees, but as word spread, numbers rocketed, causing a few challenges for Rev Gracie.
He said: “I had to become tech-savvy very quickly. I initially had a licence for 100 people and managed to set up our first Zoom call. I had no idea how many would attend, but the response was fantastic.
“It was mainly members of my congregation, but there were several attendees from other denominations, and a few folks from overseas also joined in.
“After that, the word just spread and spread. We have now had to purchase a licence for 500 people, and we’ve had people joining from Canada, Holland, Romania, the USA and Sweden. Indeed, the number of attendees has grown every week since it began.
“I’m not sure how much bigger we can get, but to my knowledge, it’s already the largest Prayer Meeting in Scotland since the time of the Reformation.
“For something that we started as a way of bringing our people together to have snowballed as it has been nothing short of a miracle. With isolation and so much uncertainty, the chance to join together in prayer can provide a great deal of comfort and reassurance. ”
Anyone looking to join the prayer meeting, which is held at 7pm on Monday evenings, can do so by contacting Rev. Gracie at jig.edin@gmail.com.
