The Edinburgh Reporter June 2020

June 2020

@EdinReporter /EdinReporter edinburghreporter theedinburghreporter.co.uk

Time stands still Edinburgh

gets £5 million

Pandemic puts a stop to city clocks

By Phyllis Stephen

Many of the clocks situated in and

around the city have stopped, all at

the wrong time.

The famous Balmoral Hotel clock

stands still at 6.25, so yes it is

still correct twice a day. Usually

the landmark timepiece is set five

minutes ahead of time to ensure

that passengers make it to their

train - but how many of us are

travelling by train at the moment?

David Dorward, Botanical Services

Manager, (bottom photo) and Senior

Gardener, Tam McKirdy, have begun

working on the Floral Clock in

Princes Street Gardens where the

design was intended to celebrate

the 350th anniversary of the Royal

Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE).

Instead the newly designed floral

display will say thank you to the

NHS and key workers. The RBGE

has fully supported the redesign

which will be a tribute to those who

have kept us safe and kept the city

moving.

The City of Edinburgh Council

Leader, Adam McVey, said: "Our

legendary floral clock will be paying

tribute to the ongoing hard work

of the NHS and key workers who

we’re so proud of. People love to

see the clock every summer and

it's undoubtedly one of our Capital’s

most cherished attractions. My

hope is - once it is safe to do so - the

clock can be enjoyed by all.

"A huge thanks to our fantastic

parks team who have put together

the design and are currently hard at

work to realise their vision."

As there has not been enough time

to fix the mechanism on the clock it

will not actually keep time this year.

funding for

temporary

active travel

measures

In an exciting piece of news,

The City of Edinburgh Council

was awarded half of the Scottish

Government's £10 million Spaces

for People budget. These monies

fully fund councils in setting up

temporary measures to deal with

the social distancing requirements

that Covid-19 will require as we

move out of the lockdown.

We spoke to Transport Convener

Lesley Macinnes just before the

government announcement.

She said: "This news is a clear

indication of the ambition of what

we're doing here in Edinburgh, and

a recognition of the validity of our

approach.

"We have done some work

already, but it's essentially been

fairly easy road closure measures.

This is about the bigger picture of

the resurgence of car travel. I have

been lying awake worrying about

the possibility that we will lose all

the ground that we have already

gained. It's happening in cities

all over the place, and we need to

work out how to combat that right

from the word go. Clearly, active

travel has to be one of those

routes, and I am anxious to get as

much on the ground as quickly as

possible.

"We can say that the next

schemes will be on Warriston

Road and on Stanley Road. This

again is about road closure in

particular in relation to to leisure

and exercise. The next two will be

on Old Dalkeith Road and Crewe

Road South - both about access to

hospitals. The council's transport

officers prepared a list of short,

medium term and long term

goals for active travel measures

in the city." Cllr Macinnes said

that this list will be combined

with an extensive list suggested

by the public. She said: "We've

also got all the suggestions that

have been coming in which have

been phenomenal. We've had

an enormous response from

Community Councils, and from

individuals, demonstrating a kind

of latent desire that's been stirred

into action." Continued on page 7

2

NEWS

The Edinburgh Reporter

ABOUT US

We are all looking forward to

the next phase in the Covid-19

pandemic, which will allow us to

meet up with at least one other

household, as long as you keep to

the rules on physical distancing.

This sounds like the opening

words of a sci-fi novel, doesn't it?

It has been an eery time,

particularly for those who live

alone. But it has been even

worse for those who have had

coronavirus, or those who have

lost loved ones to the virus,

and we offer you our sincerest

condolences if someone close to

you has died.

Our newspapers will continue

to be printed as long as we have

sufficient funds to do so. Our

industry body, the Independent

Community News Network, has

lobbied the UK Government for

a share of the £35 million they

spent on advertising during the

pandemic. That appeal fell on

deaf ears. We are still unsure of

our eligibility for a share of the

£3 million Scottish Government

advertising budget, but we think

it was dealt a death blow by a

Conservative amendment to the

coronavirus legislation meaning

that the big businesses with

offices will get support in the

way of rates relief, but smaller

publications and businesses will

probably get nothing.

Cabinet Secretary Michael

Russell said: "Unfortunately,

we do not have unlimited sums

available to us. There is a package

of money, and the question is how

is it spent. We certainly want to

listen to people about how it is

spent, but it appeared that there

was an agreement that it should

be spent on advertising. If it is to

be spent on rates relief, that will do

a number of things. It will benefit

larger organisations rather than

smaller organisations."

So it helps us a lot if you respond

to our various appeals for a little

help. That includes the price of a

cup of coffee to a subscription to

our newspaper delivery service.

Many of you support us in this

way and we are really grateful to

you. If your business can afford

to advertise right now then please

get in touch.

Meantime stick to the rules

about social distancing, as and

when they develop.

Stay at home as much as you

can and let's be hopeful about

finding a vaccine sometime in the

not too distant future.

Phyllis Stephen Editor

In one night vandals destroyed the tented village used by Magdalene

Community Centre to distribute hundreds of meals and food packs to

locals in need. A fundraiser on JustGiving has been very successful but

the staff and volunteers need practical help. They have no time to go and

buy replacement tents. They could do with some help to tidy up outside

the centre - or they could do with alternative premises if the council

persist in keeping the community centre closed.

Each day they distribute 156 packed lunches, 304 prepared meals and

195 people in 78 households receive Fareshare parcels a couple of times

a week. They have also delivered 187 care packages for young people.

Rab Hogg (pictured) from the Community Centre said: “Bingham is one

of the highest areas of deprivation and Magdalene is the most densely

populated area of multiple depravation. All of this work has been done

while we are not allowed to enter our building. Now our tented village

has gone.

“People came along, opened up the storage tents and the shed. They

helped themselves to food, supplies and some of the garden toys and

bikes. The tents were completely destroyed. As you can imagine this has

made it very difficult to take in donations and sort deliveries.”

News in Brief

The UK Government announced

the introduction of the new Most

Favoured Nation tariff regime, the

UK Global Tariff (UKGT). This will

replace the EU’s Common External

Tariff on 1 January 2021, at the

end of the Transition Period.

The government said the new

tariff is "tailored to the needs of

the UK economy. It will make it

easier and cheaper for businesses

to import goods from overseas."

The tariffs will be calculated in £

not euros. Almost 6,000 tariff lines

have been simplified and tariff

variations on biscuits, waffles,

pizzas, quiches, confectionery

and spreads have been scrapped.

The Edinburgh Reporter is usually

distributed through a network of cafés

and businesses.

Some of those remain open. If you

have had your car in any Farmer

Autocare branch recently then you

may have received a free copy of our

latest paper on leaving.

Other places where we usually leave

a supply are now closed, including

libraries and businesses

Others like tariffs on cars,

lamb, beef and poultry will be

maintained to back UK industry.

Zero tariffs which will benefit

the consumer include goods like

dishwashers and cooking products

like baking powder and yeast.

The Western General Hospital

has a clothes bank. This is where

nurses can pick up clothing for

patients who don’t have much in

the way of clothing or who can’t

get any due to visiting regulations.

You can donate by dropping off

any clothes to the Royal Victoria

Building in the physio gym from

Monday to Friday.

Putting news in your hands

across the city. The News Media

Association has confirmed that

newsprint is quite safe. So our

alternative network has been to use

those volunteers who are distributing

meals and food around the city. If

you have access to any means of

helping us distribuute our papers, while

adhering to strict physical distancing,

then please do get in touch. It would

be a huge help to us.

Police report

less violent

crime

Violent crimes and

housebreaking have fallen in

Edinburgh, according to police

data for 1 April, 2019 to 31 March,

2020.

Overall crime in the capital is

down year-on-year by 1.6 per cent.

Within Edinburgh, violent crime

rose by 182 offences. However,

when removing offences recorded

under new domestic abuse

legislation, there was a fall in

violent crime.

A total of 205 offences were

recorded under the new act,

which came into effect last year

and created a single offence

covering the full range of abusive

behaviours, whether physical,

psychological, financial or sexual.

There were five fewer victims of

attempted murder, while serious

assaults also fell by just over 18

per cent. The figures record 484

fewer housebreaking offences, 80

fewer motor vehicle crimes and

783 fewer shoplifting incidents.

Edinburgh Division has also

brought 88 more drug supply

charges against members of the

public, and there has been a 26.3

per cent rise in drugs possession

offences. Antisocial behaviour

continues to fall in Edinburgh, with

1383 fewer incidents than last

year.

The most significant reduction is

891 fewer noise complaint reports

and fire-raising crimes have also

reduced by almost 24 per cent.

The number of road casualties in

the division fell from 936 to 779.

Similarly, the number of fatalities

has reduced from seven to three.

Chief Superintendent Sean

Scott, Divisional Commander for

Edinburgh, said: “It is incredibly

encouraging to see significant

reductions in crime figures for the

Capital and I am grateful to all

of my officers and staff for their

continued professionalism and

dedication in serving Edinburgh’s

communities.

"Tackling violent and sexual

offences are two of our top

priorities, along with reducing

housebreaking, and I am delighted

that these crimes have fallen,

meaning we have several hundred

fewer victims."

The Prime Minister defended

Dominic Cummings at a Number

10 briefing. Shortly after, a tweet

from the official Civil Service

account said: "Arrogant and

offensive. Can you imagine

working with these truth twisters?"

The Cabinet Office deleted it and

said they were investigating. JK

Get in touch

today!

For editorial and

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email

editor@

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Best of the Twittersphere

Rowling replied: "When you find

out who it was let us know, I want

to give them a year's salary."

Twitter is taking a stance - they

have begun fact checking Donald

Trump's tweets. He replied:

"Twitter is completely stifling

FREE SPEECH, and I, as President

will not allow it to happen."

Editor: Phyllis Stephen

editor@theedinburghreporter.co.uk

07791 406 498

We write about news relating to Edinburgh and the immediate area.

We welcome contributions to our website and newspaper.

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@EdinReporter /EdinReporter edinburghreporter theedinburghreporter.co.uk NEWS 3

Tom's Kitchin help is Insta charity hit

Top chef Tom Kitchin is cooking

up a storm at home and raising

funds for a local Edinburgh sports

and community trust.

With his Michelin starred

restaurant, The Kitchin, and

other outlets closed due to the

coronavirus epidemic, Tom has

put hit talents to use by posting

online a range of entertaining and

informative videos from his home

kitchen.

Quality Meat Scotland sponsored

one of Tom’s videos on the

Instagram IGTV platform and the

Leith restaurateur has opted to

donate the fee to Spartans.

He said: “Every single penny

of this kind sponsorship from

Quality Meat Scotland is going

to charity. The Edinburgh charity

we have chosen to donate to is

the Spartans Community Football

Academy where my son Kasper

and my young twin boys play

football. However, Spartans is

not only a football club but it is

a community organisation and

charity that does so much for the

northern part of Edinburgh.

“In times like these, the charity

is working tirelessly supporting

people who just need a little bit

of help. Every day Spartans and

its affiliated partners send out

hundreds of packed lunch meals

to families around Edinburgh. I

am delighted that the sponsorship

from this video will go a little way

Kindness

North Edinburgh Arts (NEA)

in Pennywell Road is primarily

an arts organisation with a cafe

facility which is closed at the

moment. However, NEA continues

to produce meals for people

in their community while also

feeding their artisitc needs.

Along with providing shopping

packs or cooked meals, NEA

include activity packs. These

are full of things to help spark

creativity, like the wooden bunting

which each recipient can decorate

and which will be hung up when

everyone returns to the centre

after the pandemic. National

Galleries of Scotland are providing

beautiful sketchpads and pencils

for these packs.

NEA also fill up kindness packs

with hand cream, face masks,

books, jigsaws and sachets of

hot chocolate, and some wool.

Julie Crawford from NEA told us

what the packs mean. She said:

"These kindness packs are just

to tell people that we are thinking

about them and missing them.

That seems to be going a really

long way."

Edinburgh Helping Hands deliver

food, treats to care homes, donate

free bikes to children in their Bikes

for Kids initiative, offer advice,

broadcast fitness classes like

boxing, pilates and general keep

fit classes, and offer mental health

support. Oh, and they make masks

too.

in helping their excellent work."

Douglas Samuel, CEO of

Spartans Community Football

Academy, said: “Tom has been

a wonderful ambassador and

supporter of the Academy for a

number of years.We are extremely

grateful for his latest timely act of

generosity and kindness. It comes

at a time when some local families

need our help and support more

than ever.

“In the current climate we are

Tom Kitchin and his son Kasper

Museums are

collecting

Museums & Galleries Edinburgh

have begun a new Covid-19

contemporary collecting drive

with an open call to the people of

Edinburgh.

You are asked to contribute your

own items and stories which

reflect how life in the city and

the city itself has been impacted

by the global pandemic and

lockdown. The curatorial team

want to record and preserve this

significant moment in Edinburgh’s

history, so it can be chronicled for

future generations.

The pandemic has affected every

aspect of the lives of Edinburgh’s

residents, and Museums &

Galleries Edinburgh are keen to

create a contemporary collection

which charts these significant

changes to everyday life in the city.

They are looking for objects

and stories which capture your

everyday experiences and the

many ways in which you adapted

as your lives were transformed

by Covid-19. Items such as a

note of an offer of help received

by a neighbour, pyjamas worn all

day indoors or a rainbow artwork

created in support of keyworkers

are all welcome.

The project will record those

objects and stories which helped

people cope and get through the

many challenges and uncertainties

presented by the pandemic.

unable to use our indoor facilities

and outdoor playing fields. The

Academy has pivoted as an

organisation and effectively

turned ourselves into a local food

distribution hub to support our

community.

"Working with a wide range of

partners, supporters and local

organisations we are helping local

families in our community who

understandably may be finding life

a bit more of a struggle in these

unprecedented and challenging

Helping hands

Scran Academy has been

working hard and they are well

on their way to delivering 40,000

meals. CEO John Loughton

reorganised the social enterprise

for young disadvantaged people

into a catering company to feed

those who need cooked meals.

Working with professional chefs

and volunteers from a variety of

kitchens, they are cooking and

delivering prepared meals six days

a week.

The Kindness Wave is a Scottish

project supporting children and

young people who need a bit of

comfort or distraction. The parcels

contain Love, Comfort, Kindness

and Hope. You can support them

on JustGiving and nominate

a young person to receive a

package. They send art materials,

chocolate and all sorts of goodies

thanks to their sponsors.

Scotmid supply a range of

snacks and drinks for the new

lounge serving frontline NHS

workers at the Royal Infirmary

Edinburgh. Project Wingman

is a new initiative encouraging

grounded pilots and cabin crew

to volunteer at hospitals. They

aim to create a first-class lounge

experience for NHS workers and

provide them with a much-needed

area to relax.

The Rotary Club of Currie

Balerno has supported the Wester

Hailes Food Bank run by Holy

Trinity Church. The Food Bank

distributes weekly food parcels to

times.”

The Academy has so far

distributed more than 25,000

packed lunches, 1,500 ready

meals, 350 family food parcels and

4001-day food packs.

Funds from another Quality

Meat Scotland Kitchin video will

be donated to the Citadel Youth

Centre in Leith. Businesses

interested in sponsoring a cooking

show for charity should contact

kate@kitchingroup.com

200 people.

The Rotary Club made an initial

donation of £500 and added a

further contribution of £250 from

the Rotary District. The Food Bank

is currently spending nearly £1000

per month.

In addition to this grant of £750,

Rotarian Theresa Douglas, who

will take over as Club President

in July, is offering practical help

delivering food parcels every

Tuesday, alongside her NHS work.

LOVE Gorgie Farm are doing so

many things it is hard to keep up

with them. For a start, they are

looking after the farm animals.

One of the ways they have kept in

touch with their young customers

is by holding a virtual Teddy Bear’s

picnic on Facebook.

They had given out 240 food

parcels when we checked.

The farm is running a food bank

and need tinned goods, dried and

packaged foods, cereal, fresh fruit

and vegetables. You can leave

bags and boxes of food at their

gates any day between 10am and

4pm.

They say "Every little tin helps!"

There is compost for sale too,

and you can either collect it or

have it delivered.

They still need some additional

delivery drivers so email them if

you can volunteer.

And you can donate to them on

JustGiving.

Test protect

will save lives

Test and Protect – NHS Scotland’s

approach to controlling the spread

of Covid-19 in the community is

now in place.

Everyone aged five and over who

has Covid-19 symptoms of a new

continuous cough, temperature or

loss or change in sense of taste

or smell should go to NHS Inform

online or call 0800 028 2816 to

book a test.

Under the system, people will need

to isolate with their household as

soon as they have symptoms and,

if they have a positive test result,

they will be asked to provide

details of all recent close contacts

to NHS contact tracers. Those

people will be contacted and

asked to isolate for 14 days.

As part of the roll out, guidance

for individuals and employers has

been published which sets out

advice on what to do if someone

is displaying symptoms or if they

have been in close contact with

someone who has tested positive

for Covid-19.

It includes information on how to

self-isolate safely as part of Test

and Protect, what plans need to be

made by households and families,

and how to help older people

or those with underlying health

conditions.

Additional support for selfisolation

is also being made

available to those who need it

through the National Assistance

Helpline.

Simply good

news

Edinburgh firm SimplyFixIt have

been running a scheme to help

any NHS workers who have iPhone

problems.

Since the middle of April they have

now fixed 100 devices for free.

Jason Eccles, General Manager,

SimplyFixIt, said: “We've just done

our 100th NHS repair.

"We've had to keep it to people

who live in Edinburgh, because

there's a lot of NHS staff across

the country, and we're not getting

any financial help from anyone

else with this.

“But 100 free repairs feels good.

These people wake up each

morning and go back into work to

face that amount of stress.

"I'm glad that we have been able to

do this.”

If you are an NHS worker with

an iPhone issue take it to the

Bruntsfield Place store and a free

repair will be arranged.

The Bruntsfield Place shop is open

Monday to Friday for essential IT

repairs during the lockdown.

If it is a newer model then they will

take £100 off the price of a screen

repair.

You just have to show them your

NHS ID.

4

POLITICS


Call for

universal

basic income

by Ben Macpherson MSP

There is no doubt that the impact

of the Covid-19 pandemic will

leave a permanent legacy for all

of us.

We will face several economic

challenges as we rebuild, but

this could be an opportunity

to appreciate everyone’s

contributions in new and

innovative ways.

Something which we could

consider is implementing a

Universal Basic Income or UBI

which would ensure that everyone

in Scotland had enough money

to have their basic needs met,

no matter their circumstances.

Since the start of the pandemic,

the idea of UBI has been gaining

momentum.

Indeed, the First Minister recently

said that this crisis has made her

much more in favour of having UBI

in Scotland.

Currently, the power to introduce

UBI lies in Westminster.

However, the First Minister is

keen to have conversations with

the UK government regarding UBI.

I look forward to engaging with my

constituents about this interesting

subject.

For editorial and advertising

enquiries please email

editor@theedinburghreporter.co.uk

Who's paying

for all this

Nicola?

by Jeremy Balfour MSP

Over the last few weeks The

Scottish Government (SG) have

revealed steps in their plan to start

loosening restrictions at a slower

pace than the UK Government.

While the SNP insist that this is

what is best for Scotland, one is

inclined to wonder how this is all

being financed.

Simply put, Scotland relies

on the funding that it gets from

Westminster through the Barnett

Formula. Currently, the SG is able

to distribute grants and other

funding due to the money that they

are receiving from Westminster,

and the job retention scheme

which is allowing companies and

organisation across Scotland to

furlough their staff, is funded by

the UK Government. So, while the

SG has decided to deviate from

the four-nation approach that was

established by the Prime Minister,

they have decided that they are

capable of funding a slower return

to work, and in some cases, this

seems unnecessary. Take, for

example, the construction industry

that was able to return – with safe

measures in place – in England

weeks before it has been allowed

in Scotland.

I am deeply concerned that, by

choosing to deviate at this point,

Nicola Sturgeon and the rest of

the Scottish Government are not

only putting unnecessary strain

on the Scottish economy, but that

they are spending money that they

do not have.

Ding dong

the bells are

ringing!

by Miles Briggs MSP

Wedding bells can soon start to

ring again now that the Scottish

Conservatives have successfully

amended legislation in the

Scottish Parliament so that the

ban on marriages taking place in

Scotland can be lifted.

There was no formal prevention

in place, but registrars had

stopped taking weddings for

fear of being overwhelmed by

the volume of work in registering

deaths. The amendments lodged

by Scottish Conservative MSP

Adam Tomkins to the coronavirus

legislation were accepted in

Holyrood. Weddings and civil

partnerships can go ahead.

Ceremonies will have to be

performed in accordance with

attendance restrictions and social

distancing measures - no quick

return to large wedding parties.

This is great news that couples

are again able to get married and a

sign that lockdown restrictions will

gradually lift.

Lockdown has meant that many

things have had to be put on hold,

including couples tying the knot.

As long as there are the required

three other people in attendance,

and necessary social distancing

is in place, there are plenty venues

in Scotland where people can get

married.

Couples across Scotland, who

want to, are now able to take this

next step in their lives, and get

married.

Reflecting and

recovering

from Covid-19

by Daniel Johnson MSP

These past eight weeks of

lockdown have given us great

cause for reflection. We may be

over the peak and the number of

those infected is decreasing every

day but we are by no means out of

the woods just yet.

We have seen over 2000 Scottish

deaths from Covid-19 and a great

curtailing of travel and social

freedom. Many of us will have

felt the deep personal anguish

of a loss of a loved one and

will have no doubt been moved

by the emotional accounts of

bereavement and bravery from our

healthcare workers.

What comes next will be the

challenges of easing the lockdown

measures. We have to concentrate

on building a new normal and

prioritise areas where we can

support mental and physical

wellbeing.

One of these priorities is

education. The detrimental affects

of a lack of full time learning

on children, especially those

from a deprived background, are

considerable. We now have to

look at how best to manage this

return to school for pupils and

teachers alike. We have to begin

the transition back to relative

normality, for the sake of our

children and for the country as a

whole. Disruption will remain with

us for some time and this new

normal will bring its challenges

and restrictions.

Councils need

funding help

now

by Sarah Boyack MSP

The Scottish Government must

announce the date that Scotland’s

cash-strapped councils can expect

to receive their fair share of the

£155 million in UK Goverment

Barnett consequentials.

Councils are on the frontline in

the fight against coronavirus and

many have done all within their

power to keep services going

and ensure that those that need

help, get help. Despite this, many

councils are now facing serious

financial difficulty as demand

continues to increase and no

funds are forthcoming from the

Scottish Government. The City of

Edinburgh Council alone is facing

a shortfall of around £50 million by

the end of June.

The tremendous efforts made

by local authorities and their staff

across Scotland to keep services

going during the pandemic cannot

be commended enough.

A month has gone by since this

emergency money was announced

by the UK Government for English

councils.

The Scottish Government’s

condescending attitude to

councils and lack of action is

unacceptable.

Councils should never have been

forced to ask for this money. It is

time for the Finance Secretary to

do right by the councils that have

kept Scotland moving during the

most acute national crisis in living

memory.


Pipers tune in for St Valéry hero tribute

By Phyllis Stephen

Pipers from all over the country

are invited to join a tribute to

the thousands of Scots killed or

captured during the 'forgotten

Dunkirk' 80 years ago.

At 10 o'clock on the morning of

12 June, pipers will stand outside

their front doors and play the

haunting pipers march, The Heroes

of St Valéry. Other musicians of

all ages and stages are invited to

dowload the sheet music and learn

to play it over the coming weeks.

Legion Scotland, Poppyscotland

and RCET:Scotland's Armed

Forces Children's Charity, have

joined together to organise the

event.

There will be a fundraising

campaign for the charities as well

as online learning resources for

young people.

Dr Claire Armstrong, Chief

Executive of Legion Scotland,

said: “It was incredibly

moving to see the country join

together to commemorate the

75th Anniversary of VE Day -

particularly in such challenging

circumstances.

"While this was a day to

celebrate, it is vital that we also

remember less triumphant periods

of our history. The ‘Forgotten 51st’

should be forgotten no more.”

Thousands of British troops,

including men from the 51st

Highland Division, stayed on in

continental Europe under French

command after the successful

evacuations at Dunkirk.

They fought continuously for ten

days until surrounded at St Valéry.

A combination of fog and

approaching German artillery

above the town prevented the

flotilla of ships waiting to evacute

them from reaching the shore.

Those who were not killed in

the fierce fighting, or fell to their

deaths from the cliffs trying

to escape, were captured and

marched hundreds of miles to

Prisoner of War camps in Eastern

Europe, where they endured

appalling conditions for five years.

The first piper to sign up was

Pipe Major Ben J Duncan, from

The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards

Pipes & Drums. He performed

Miles Briggs MSP

Pipe Major Ben J Duncan at Edinburgh Castle

the Heroes of St Valéry tune at

the entrance to Edinburgh Castle

recently.

Ben, who is based at Leuchars

and lives in Edinburgh, said: “As

soon as I heard about the plans

to mark the 80th anniversary of St

Valéry I wanted to get involved.

"While the country may still be

in lockdown, this is a great way

for such a significant but littleremembered

event in our history

to be properly commemorated.

Piping is something that brings

people across the world together.

While we aren’t able to do that

in person at the moment, it’s

wonderful to think that we can all

be part of this important tribute

virtually.”

The march commemorates those

who fought and fell at St Valéry,

including the piper and drummer

who rest in the well-kept military

cemetery above the town.

The music was written by Pipe

Major Donald MacLean, captured

at St Valéry, and who spent

the rest of the war as a PoW in

Germany and Poland.

To register interest in taking part,

and to access the sheet music,

visit www.poppyscotland.org.uk/

st-valery

Put us in the

picture plea

from HSE

Historic Environment Scotland

(HES) has asked the public to help

identify over 5,000 archive images

which are now available online for

the first time.

In 2019-20, more than 170,000

archive items from the HES

archives were digitised, with

the images now being added to

Canmore - the online catalogue of

HES archives.

The collection gives a rare

insight into what life was like

throughout Scotland at that time

with pub interiors, fashion trends

and interior design choices all

documented. There are also

extensive records of Glasgow and

Edinburgh. Lesley Ferguson, Head

of Archives at HES, said: “These

archives give a unique perspective

on civic planning in the 20th

century including the development

and growth of Scotland’s new

towns, while the images of

excavations showcase the sites

that helped archaeologists unlock

the secrets of Scotland’s past -

from the Neolithic to the Middle

Ages.

"Unfortunately, we don’t know

where some of these historic

photographs were taken and

that’s why we are asking for the

public’s help. Perhaps there’s a

photo of your street, or your local

pub, or even the flat you lived in

as a student. Help us discover

more of Scotland’s past by visiting

Canmore and letting us know if

you recognise any of the places

documented in these archives.”

0131 348 5946

Miles.Briggs.msp@parliament.scot

Milesbriggsedinburgh

MilesBriggsMSP

www.milesbriggs.scot

M2.15,

The Scottish

Parliament, Edinburgh,

EH99 1SP

Christine

Jardine MP

Telephone Surgeries

In line with Government

guidance and to keep people safe,

I’m now holding telephone surgeries.

Please call the team on 0131 285 5972 to

make an appointment

6

NEWS

Community Energy Co-operative

Edinburgh Solar return for phase 2

in their quest to make Edinburgh a

cleaner and greener city.

Phase 2 of the project will include

the installation of up to 1.1MW

of solar panels on six Edinburgh

buildings.

To do this Edinburgh Community

Solar Co-op (ECSC) proposes to

raise up to £665,000 by the issue

of £1 shares.

Priority will be given to Edinburgh

residents and the minimum investment

will be £100.

Speaking of the imminent launch

of the share offer, Lesley Hinds,

Chair of ECSC, said: “We want as

many people as possible to join

ECSC.


Sharing Edinburgh's sunshine

Sunny side up at Edinburgh Solar

Obituary - Saroj Lal 1937 - 2020

Saroj Lal was a teacher, the first

Asian woman appointed as Justice

of the Peace (JP) and a director of

Lothian Racial Equality Council.

In the words of her son, Vineet:

“Her tenure as the leader of

Edinburgh and Lothians Race

Equality Council (ELREC) was

undoubtedly her finest hour.

Spearheading the strategic work

undertaken by the organisation

placed her at the forefront of race

relations in Scotland. She rose to

the challenge with typical aplomb,

rapidly becoming an authoriattive

- and highly visible - figure in

the ongoing campaign for racial

equality and social justice.”

She migrated to the UK from

Gujiranwala with her engineer

husband Amrit Lal. Armed with

her MA in Economics from Punjab

University in Chandigarh, she

Saroj Lal, a campaigner ahead of her time.

attended Moray House where she

trained as a teacher. She taught

at South Morningside Primary

School, and then moved into the

field of work which occupied most

of her life - racism and women’s

rights. She never shied away

from confronting the authorities

head-on, negotiating with a

daunting range of public and third

sector agencies - including the

Home Office, Lothian Health Board

and Prison Service - to champion

the cause of equal opportunities.

It was her work with Lothian

and Borders Police that was

arguably her greatest achievement

- defining the nature of racial

attacks and monitoring racist

incidents, implementing robust

reporting systems, developing

police training and encouraging

recruitment from minority communities.

"We especially welcome smaller

amounts, as we would like as

many people to become members

which is why we have lowered the

minimum investment as low as we

can make it.

“Parents and grandparents can

also apply for shares in ECSC for

their children and grandchildren.

Shares in ECSC are understood to

be exempt from inheritance tax

under present rules."

The share offer is expected to

be launched in June and you

can register your interest on

their website. ECSC is supported

and assisted by Energy4All, the

leading social enterprise in the UK

for delivering community owned

renewable energy schemes.

ECSC was launched in 2013 and

now has over 540 members. The

company generates electricity

from solar power at 24 host

buildings in Edinburgh.

www.edinburghsolar.coop

Kaliani Lyle, former head of

Citizens Advice Scotland, said:

“Saroj was a feminist - bottom line.

A woman who cared for and about

other women. She embodied it,

lived it, practised it.”

Decades before #MeToo, Saroj

was ahead of her time. Always

impeccably dressed in her

trademark sari or salwar kameez,

with a matching bindi and slash

of red lipstick, she was a force to

be reckoned with. She was also

incredibly warm and funny, often

irreverent and mischievous, and

immensely proud of her family.

Sir Geoff Palmer said: “I was in

the process of writing an article

on the Windrush Generation when

I noticed your request to say a

few words about Mrs Lal. I put my

article aside because it is a great

honour to praise Mrs Lal for her

significant contribution to race

relations in Edinburgh and the

Lothians. I was a Board member

of ELREC when she was appointed

in 1980. She worked imaginatively

to transfer race relations from a

police activity to a community

activity. This improved race

relations in the community which

helped to develop the concepts

of inclusion and diversity. Mrs Lal

was a first light of racial equality

which we can still see today."

Lesley Hinds, former Lord Provost,

City of Edinburgh Council and

past Convener of Lothian and

Borders Police Board, said: "Saroj

Lal was a champion for race

relations and social justice both in

Edinburgh and Scotland. Her work

with Lothian and Borders Police

was one of her greatest achievements,

along being the first first

Asian women to be appointed as

a Justice of the Peace. Saroj’s

achievements were all the more

remarkable given what was

predominantly a male world and

an often sexist environment. "

Plans for 1700

new homes

The developer Parabola has

applied for planning permission

for the next phase of their

new zero carbon quarter on

undeveloped land to the south of

Edinburgh Park.

Building had begun on the carbon

and emissions-free office buildings

in the first phase, but was paused

due to coronavirus.

That part of the scheme includes

football pitches and tennis

courts, shops, a health centre and

landscaping. Sir Eduardo Paolozzi’s

Vulcan will be sited there along

with a collection of sculpture

works. There is also to be a performance

arts space.

Now the company is applying for

permission for 1700 residential

units, mainly flats. The development

will be a combination of

private flats, build to rent and

affordable homes of varying sizes.

The developer will also provide a

public square at Edinburgh Park

Railway Station, a 170 bedroom

apartment hotel, a large public

park, play areas and gardens. They

promise "exemplar outdoor space"

for new residents to enjoy. The

affordable homes will be built first.

Covid-19

spending

The Scottish Government (SG)

confirmed they are ready to

expand the test, trace, isolate and

support strategy, known as Test

and Protect, in all 14 health board

areas. Everyone over the age of

five with symptoms is eligible for

testing at one of the 12 mobile or

drive through test centres.

Schools will return on 11 August.

Pupils will assemble in reduced

class sizes, using a mix of school

and home learning. Seating will

be two metres apart and arrival,

departure and break times will be

staggered.

SG will spend £9 million on 25,000

laptops or tablets for disadvantaged

children.

SG are investing a one-off £75

million in university funding

to support ongoing and future

research work. This funding is

intended to "replace lost research

income and help universities

concentrate on the research

needed to fight the outbreak and

support society and the economy

post Covid-19".

SG committed £1.5 million to

tackle increased domestic abuse

and gender-based violence against

women and children evident

during the pandemic. The intention

is to provide support both now and

in the longer term.

SG will spend £8 million on

helping to combat isolation.

The funding is allocated to 344

projects delivering mental health

support and wellbeing services for

those feeling isolated during the

pandemic.

Cautiously

getting out of

lockdown

The First Minister, Nicola

Sturgeon, introduced the way

out of lockdown restrictions to

MSPs at Holyrood. As she was

speaking the Scottish Government

website crashed when people

tried to access it. Within 24 hours

more than 100,000 people had

downloaded the document to read

it.

The document sets out four

distinct phases and emphasises a

cautious approach. Each phase is

based on meeting specific criteria,

including those set by the World

Health Organisation.

The need for physical distancing

measures may be with us for

some time, but just as we went

to press golf courses and tennis

courts expected to open up for

play, although clubhouses remain

closed. All of these measures will

be reviewed every three weeks,

and all are linked to making

progress in the reduction of the

so-called R number.

The Scottish Government has

published guidance for retailers

and manufacturers to consider

how people can get back to work

safely.

As we went to press the guidance

for construction workers was

about to be published. It remains

the case that only essential

construction sites of any size

should be open.

Holyrood has consulted with

a number of businesses, trade

bodies, unions and regulators. The

government will provide advice on

essential equipment and services

needed to create safer workplaces.

Economy Secretary Fiona Hyslop

said: “Many businesses have been

adapting to new ways of working

with a significant proportion of

staff working from home. While

many people will continue with

this, there are areas where it is not

possible. We are listening to how

businesses have made changes

and are in discussion with them

to see how these changes can be

safely applied to allow reopening.

“We’ve been working in partnership

with industry, trades unions

and regulators in around 14

sectors and will publish more

sector-specific guidance over

the next few weeks. However, I

want to be clear that the journey

doesn’t end once the guidance is

published. This is just the starting

point and these documents will

continually evolve, where required,

based on public health evidence

and feedback from industry and

trade unions.

"Guidance on its own, will not

create safe working environments.

We continue to work closely with

the key enforcement agencies –

the Health and Safety Executive,

local authorities and Police

Scotland – to ensure a joined up

approach to the enforcement and

monitoring of workplace public

health measures."


Harvard fellowship beckons for

Edinburgh frontline NHS doctor

By Stephen Rafferty

An Edinburgh frontline NHS

doctor has won a prestigious

global surgery fellowship at

Harvard University’s Medical

School.

Dr Isioma Okolo is a specialist

registrar in obstetrics and

gynaecology with a special

interest in women’s global health,

which will be the focus of a two

year Masters in Public Health

she will undertake at the famous

Boston university.

The Paul Farmer Global Surgery

Fellowship was created to train

leaders who will promote surgical

care, education, and research

pertinent to global surgery,

anaesthesia, and obstetrics and

gynaecology care in resource-poor

settings around the world.

During the fellowship and

masters programme Dr Okolo

will research the cause of higher

mortality rates in black women

during pregnancy and will examine

the use of caesarean surgery in

Sub Saharan Africa, where women

have the highest risk of death

during childbirth but lack access

to caesareans or are offered

intervention too late.

Throughout the Covid-19

pandemic Dr Okolo has commuted

from her home in south Edinburgh

to work 12 hour shifts alongside

colleagues at the Victoria Hospital

in Kirkcaldy.

Since graduating from the

University of Edinburgh’s highly

acclaimed medical school nine

Dr Isioma Okolo - Pic www.pennmann.co.uk

years ago she has extended

her expertise with periods

of volunteering and carrying

out research work in Uganda,

Tanzania, Brazil and in her home

country Nigeria.

She said “I’m an obstetrics

and gynaecologist registrar in

my sixth year of a seven year

training programme and as a

south east Scotland trainee I

have worked around different

hospitals, including Edinburgh

Royal Infirmary and St John’s

at Livingston. I am very lucky to

work at the Victoria and while you

naturally worry about the risk of

Covid-19, going to work is helping

to keep me sane during this

lockdown period.

“Growing up in Nigeria and

Togo, I was always aware of the

inequalities caused by social

and economic factors. I was

particularly disturbed by the

maternal mortality rate and the

extreme disparity in the health of

pregnant women and new-born

babies, despite the universality

of childbirth, and this got me

interested in women’s health.

“Our job is so demanding that it

is quite easy as a clinician to get

very task focussed and it becomes

difficult to think of your own role

in a global context. With one more

year of training to complete, I

wanted to have a pause and to

really develop the interest I have

in global women’s health, so I am

delighted and honoured to have

been accepted on to this very

prestigious fellowship.”

Harvard Medical School was

established in 1782 and has

produced thousands of leaders

who shape the fields of science

and medicine with their expertise

and cutting-edge research

work. Faculty members have

been making paradigm-shifting

discoveries and achieving

“firsts” since 1799, when

Professor Benjamin Waterhouse

introduced the smallpox vaccine

to the United States. Harvard’s

accomplishments are recognised

internationally and 15 researchers

have shared in nine Nobel prizes

for work completed while at the

School.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic Dr

Okolo will begin her studies and

research working remotely from

Edinburgh, but she hopes that she

will be able to take up residence

on the Boston campus early next

year.

She added: “In being given this

amazing opportunity to complete

the fellowship and masters degree

at Harvard, it allows me to work

with so many different people

across different sectors such

as health, finance, medicine and

surgery, and I can only benefit from

that rich diversity of experience

and background.

“One thing that clinicians who do

a masters are encouraged to do, is

to look at your practicum (project),

from a different perspective and

while my practicum will focus on

maternal mortality, and specifically

racial disparity, I will be looking to

figure out a way of how to view it

through a non-clinical lens.

“The fellowship is targeted

at doctors and surgeons in

obstetrics and gynaecology and

while it will obviously increase my

academic skills, it also focuses

on improving skills in areas

like leadership quality, policy

making, administration and the

management of projects and

programmes.”

Dr Okolo is raising funds to

finance her Harvard studies

which are self-financing and has

launched a Go Fund Me page.

“It is very expensive but will

be so worthwhile and I am so

grateful for all the support I have

had from friends, colleagues and

especially my family who have

been tremendous.”

You can support Dr Okolo here:

www.gofundme.com/f/help-isifight-maternal-mortality

Wheels in motion for city

cyclists and pedestrians

The Scottish Government has

increased the amount of money

available for pop up infrastructure

in towns and cities to make

walking, wheeling and cycling

easier. The fund is now a massive

£30 million.

Edinburgh applied for funding

and received £5 million. This will

allow the council to make more

space for active travel as a real

alternative to cars and public

transport.

When the Transport Secretary,

Michael Matheson, announced the

first funding, Edinburgh council

was quick to move, closing four

streets at Silverknowes Road,

Braid Road (with a one way street

at Braidburn Terrace), Cammo

Walk and Links Gardens.

The multi-million pound award

will allow the city to go much

further in providing safe spaces.

The process is much quicker

too. Gone are the requirements

of the lengthy Traffic Regulation

Order process. The new layouts

and schemes will be proposed,

consulted upon by stakeholders,

community councils and local

councillors for up to five days, and

then rubber stamped by the Senior

Management Team under the

Chief Executive.

Cycling campaigners, Pedal on

Parliament, called for Space

for Distancing in their recent

campaign. One of the co-founders,

Kim Harding, said he was a bit

disappointed in how few plans

had been implemented quickly.

Mr Harding said: “ We are keen

to see action being taken as fast

as possible, to see innovative

bold moves to take advantage

of the fact that there is cash

for temporary things. This is an

A bike for

every child

The Scottish Greens have called

for the Scottish Government to

ensure every child can get to

school safely by bike.

MSP John Finnie said: “Scottish

Greens call on the Scottish

Government to put support in

place to allow schools to ensure

that every child who lives within

three miles of their school is

able to cycle or walk there safely

This must mean access to safe,

segregated routes, ensuring that

children and accompanying adults

are able to socially distance."

opportunity to experiment to try

putting in separated cycle lanes

in places where they might not

otherwise have considered. By

that I mean along major routes,

for instance, on the grounds that

this is a temporary emergency

measure but one that will act as

a proof of concept. If successful

then these can be kept.”

The cycling campaign SPOKES

said they are delighted about

the award for Edinburgh. They

said the council's schemes so

far have been hugely popular. A

spokesperson said: "Although

the government's £30 million is

not new money, transferring it

from permanent cycle and walk

schemes to immediate Covidrelated

measures makes sense,

since in the current pandemic

conditions, delivery of permanent

schemes will slow considerably -

not least because many staff will

be transferred from permanent to

emergency schemes."

Lee Craigie is Scotland’s Active

Nation Commissioner. A former

professional mountain biker, she

told us she has been using her

cargo bike to help The Eco Larder

with their deliveries, and she has

been helping those who are most

disadvantaged by delivering food

to homeless hostels and food

banks. She said: "The way to get

more people to travel actively is

through walking so I think our

towns and cities need to consider

what pedestrians need to feel safe

and welcome.

"I think it is massively important

to link in wheeling too. If we

can adapt our streets for

people in wheelchairs, then we

automatically think about other

minority groups with mobility

Hero Bikes

The Bike Station has set up Hero

Bikes to provide free bicycles to

key workers. The recipients can

keep the bikes for six months or

longer, or donate them back to The

Bike Station.

The charity has now run out of

bikes, and cannot fulfil any new

requests.

But they are accepting bike

donatations each Friday at

Causewayside. The charity will

then refurbish the second-hand

bikes, with mechanics building

them to match individual Hero

Bike applications.

8

FEATURE


Dismissed Leith Police remembered

By Stephen Rafferty

The Leith Police Dismisseth Us,

is one of the world’s best known

tongue-twisters and is said to

have been a favourite of wily cops

who wanted to test the sobriety

or otherwise of the busy port’s

citizens.

It has certainly gained worldwide

notoriety. On 10 April, 1937,

Australia's Morning Bulletin

newspaper reported the tangled

text as being used in "the new

English traffic code" as a test for

drunken motorists. Melbourne's

city fathers debated the best

method for catching drunk drivers,

including the Chief Magistrate at

the City Court, Mr Freeman, "who

confessed that he had never been

drunk, so it was difficult, he said,

for him to say if he would succeed

or fail with the "Leith police," and

he was not going to try it."

One man who had plenty

opportunity to practice this

tricky teaser is third generation

Leith policeman Gil Wallace, now

aged 86, who retired on the rank

of sergeant from the Lothian

and Borders force in 1988. Gil,

his father Peter Wallace and

grandfather Gilbert Thomson,

served a combined 90 years

in Leith Burgh Police and its

successor Leith or ‘D’ division of

Edinburgh City Police.

On Tuesday 2 November 1920,

the fiercely independent police

force was confined to the history

books when its 148 officers

marched to Waverley Market

where it paraded for the last time

before amalgamating into the

Edinburgh City Police force.

The merging of the Leith and

Edinburgh forces came as a

result of a hotly contested and

passionately debated plebiscite

held to decide if the two political

and administrative functions

should become one.

Despite an overwhelming 5-1

result declaring that Leithers

valued continued independence

from its larger neighbour, the deal

was forced through, and to this

day Leithers pride themselves in

being different from those from

“up the town”.

To commemorate the 100th

anniversary of the day when Leith

Police was actually dismissed

for the last time, sprightly

octogenarian Gil is writing a short

history of the Leith Burgh Police.

Gil said: “In the past I have

published a small booklet on my

family’s police service history

which stretches back to 1891 and

with the 100th anniversary of Leith

Burgh Police being disbanded I

thought it would be interesting

and fitting to do the same on the

force’s history.”

Gil, of Portobello, joined

Edinburgh City Police in November

1957 and spent his entire 30 year

career on the beat and latterly

as a uniformed sergeant in Leith,

during which he received four

commendations.

His father Peter, who served with

the Royal Garrison Artillery in the

First World War, joined Leith Burgh

Police in 1919, and was pictured

in the final Waverley Market

parade. For a short while he

served alongside Gil’s grandfather,

Orcadian born Gilbert Thomson,

who became a police officer in

1891 and retired just over a year

after the forces amalgamation in

December 1921.

He added: “It will be a mix

of photographs of officers,

police badges, artefacts and a

recollection of one or two notable

incidents which happened in

years gone by. I have a collection

of old pictures of my father and

grandfather during their police

days but it would be great to hear

from any police families who have

similar or who have any stories of

the old force that could be added

to the book.”

Gil is pictured with two medals

awarded to his grandfather - the

King Edward VII Coronation Medal

(1903) awarded to Edinburgh City

Police officers who were on duty

for the Royal Visit to Scotland

that year, and also the King

George V Coronation Medal (1911)

presented to all 598 Edinburgh

officers by the Lord Provost, Sir

Robert Kirk Inches, in two separate

ceremonies at the City Chambers.

Tom Wood, the former Deputy

Chief Constable of Lothian and

Borders Police, started off his

distinguished police career as

a cadet in Leith division and

recalls that the historic port had a

distinctive feel compared to other

city divisions.

Mr Wood said: “Leith always

had a different feel about it - there

was a sense of a unique identity.

The history was all around - in the

stonework - and Leith Police HQ in

Queen Charlotte Street had been

the old Burgh Police HQ as well as

the Council Chambers.

“The old Burgh Chambers were

and still are there, preserved as

they were in 1920 - everyone knew

‘The Leith Police’ were special and

in the heyday of the docks Leith

was a busy and violent place. You

just need to look at the size of the

old Central Bar at the Foot of the

Walk to get an impression of how

busy the place was.

“Gil is rooted in Leith both in the

police and from his earlier days

in the Merchant Navy. His police

connection goes back generations,

over a hundred years, and I think

his book will be a fascinating

insight into a very special police

force and a unique community -

now hugely changed but still with

its own strong identity.”

* Pictured centre from L-R is

PC601 Gilbert Thomson who

joined Leith Burgh Police on 2

March 1891; PC579 Peter Wallace

who joined on 9 October 1919,

on points duty at the Fit o' The

Walk circa 1940; and Sergeant Gil

Wallace at Leith Police Station in

1976.

Retired Sergeant Gil Wallace with his grandfather's police medals.

Leith Burgh Police dismissed for the last time on 2 November 1920 after parading at Waverley Market. Gil

Wallace's father PC Peter Wallace is pictured 4th on the right.

@EdinReporter /EdinReporter edinburghreporter theedinburghreporter.co.uk FEATURE 9

Trust growing in Leith

Theatre's future

A grant of £11,000 has been

awarded to the Leith Theatre Trust

to support business planning,

leadership training and a package

of consultancy work to strengthen

its operation.

The theatre is a Category B listed

building - empty from 1988 until

2016 - when it partly reopened for

pop-up events. There is still much

work to do to enable it to reopen

permanently.

This funding will provide

mentoring consultancy works,

accounts and leadership training,

and a package of consultancy

expertise work covering financial,

marketing/fundraising, audience

development and community

membership, and stakeholder

engagement. Leith Theatre is one

of six theatres to receive funding

through the second round of the

Theatres at Risk Capacity Building

Programme, run by the national

advisory body for theatres. The

others are Brighton Hippodrome,

While the doors of all art

galleries remain closed there is

a great deal of art which can be

enjoyed online.

The Scottish Gallery has begun

its Great Scots In Isolation series

of short films. These are being

shared on their website and on

social media. Artist Victoria Crowe

said: "We don't find solitude a

difficult thing. In fact doing this

self-isolation at the moment it's

very much like being in a studio for

six hours a day.

"I am distressed that other

people are going through a horrible

time, whether it's through jobs or

illness. I often wonder what part

art can play in the whole gamut of

making society a better place to

live in."

If you are lucky enough to live

within walking, cycling or wheeling

distance you can still walk round

the grounds of the Scottish

National Gallery of Modern Art

Gallery at Belford.

Photography Down the Line

is a podcast by Stills: Centre

for Photography. Ben Harman,

Director, speaks to Robin

Gillanders. Gillanders is former

Reader in Photography at

Edinburgh Napier University. He

has several works in the collection

at The Scottish National Portrait

Gallery and The City Art Centre

in Edinburgh, and the V&A and

National Portrait Gallery in

London. Publications include Little

Derby Hippodrome, Granada in

Walthamstow, Groundings Theatre

in Portsmouth and Streatham Hill

Theatre, pictured above.

The programme is designed to

support theatres on the Theatres

Trust Theatres at Risk Register

to commission expert advice and

acquire the skills and knowledge

to push forward capital projects

to help save their theatres. Lynn

Morrison, Executive Director of

Leith Theatre Trust said: “We are

delighted to receive this funding

and most especially at this time.

We are a Theatre at Risk and a

business start-up, with major

refurbishment and construction

needs. This funding allows us

to prioritise strategic next steps

for Leith Theatre and invest in

expertise to work with us to

support our business planning.

"The timing could not be more

perfect and will help to build

confidence at this time as we plan

for what will be a new future.”

Art accessible to all

Sparta, Portrait of a Garden (1998),

The Photographic Portrait (2004),

The Philosopher’s Garden (2004),

Highland Journey: In the Spirit of

Edwin Muir (2009), and A Lover’s

Complaint (2016).

Gillanders had a major

retrospective at Stills Gallery,

Edinburgh in 2017/18. He

is co-editor of Studies in

Photography published by the

Scottish Society for the History

of Photography and is one of

the organisers of The Jill Todd

Photographic Award.

The fabulously creative folk

at Edinburgh Printmakers have

a series of videos called Print

Club @ Home. They share some

printing techniques you can try at

home with objects found around

the house.

Notes from Jupiter is a wealth of

creative activities for you and your

family "bringing you a little slice of

Jupter magic each week". Jupiter

Artland has ruffled through its

contacts book and there are ideas

from artists, Andy Goldsworthy,

Phyllida Barlow, Alec Findlay, and

others.

Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop

has a new series, Moving

Sculpture, exploring the ideas,

processes, politics and history

of sculpture. There are films to

watch, each featuring a different

sculptor. Adam Benmakhlouf was

helped by pupils from Trinity and

Victoria Primary Schools.

Naismith shines a light

A forward-thinking gallery has

launched its first virtual exhibition

– to save an annual fixture which

is one of the most popular in its

calendar.

Lockdown forced the

cancellation of the annual solo

show by renowned contemporary

landscape artist, Scott Naismith,

which is a highlight at Morningside

Gallery in Edinburgh.

Now the Scottish abstract artist,

has recorded a series of frank and

insightful messages about each of

the 21 featured paintings, so that

art-lovers can still get the chance

to immerse themselves in his

work, even from home.

Eileadh Swan, owner of the

popular gallery in the capital’s

Morningside Road, said that

creating the virtual exhibition

had been an exciting challenge

for her and gallery manager, Sally

Pattrick.

She added: “Scott’s annual show

is a big deal for the gallery and we

were sad to miss out on the usual

fun that the opening afternoon

brings. Every year we host a

meet-the-artist event in the gallery

and it is an opportunity to catch

up with friends and visitors.

“So, we decided to source some

virtual gallery software that would

allow us to show Scott's paintings

'hung' in a virtual gallery space.

To make the whole thing more

personalised and immersive, Scott

has provided audio recordings

about each of the paintings

which are also part of the virtual

exhibition.

“If someone wants to know

more about a particular painting,

they can click on it and the artist

can be heard talking. We will also

Morningside Gallery owner Eileadh Swan

Hammered

Auctioneers and valuers Ramsay

Cornish, the independent auction

house on Jane Street, have built

up an excellent reputation since it

opened 17 years ago.

Now they are selling online

rather than in the saleroom. Visit

their website for details of the

live auctions where you can bid

from your old armchair before

buying a new one. The Bennett-

Levy Auction will take place

at 11am on Saturday 13 June.

The auction catalogue is online.

ramsaycornish.com

Lyon and Turnbull have also

embraced online auctions. On

do some handheld filming of our

gallery interior with the paintings

hung to provide another way

for people to engage with the

paintings.”

The mum-of-one, who has

worked in the gallery since 2006

and became owner in 2018, said

she, and colleague Sally, had

used their lockdown time to get

familiar with the software and

customised the exhibition.That

makes it as simple as possible

for exhibition goers to easily

view Naismith’s highly colourful

works - in a style described as

“atmospheric abstraction” - while

also getting access to technical

descriptions and the artist’s own

audio description of what inspired

each work.

Naismith, who is based in Lenzie,

near Glasgow, graduated from

Dundee’s Duncan of Jordanstone

College of Art in 2000. He

quickly became known for the

eye-catching style that has led to

his work being found in private

and public collections worldwide

and earned him a devoted,

international following. He takes

his inspiration from the lochs,

glens and skies of Scotland and

has developed a style in which

he seeks to depict not only the

landscapes themselves, but also

the unseen elements and forces

which formed them.

Despite the challenges of

lockdown, Morningside Gallery,

has innovated to keep in touch

with art lovers, including allowing

passers-by to curate the window

exhibition by sending requests

via text, email and messaging

services. The window display

changes daily and the exhibition

is online until 19 June.

17 June at 10am they will sell

a first edition, first impression

hardback copy of J.K.Rowling's

Harry Potter and The Philosopher's

Stone. One of only 500 copies,

and it is inscribed by the author,

it is expected to fetch around

£100,000. Auctioneer, Gavin

Strang, recently took bids from

four different international

platforms and bilingual telephones

using video conferencing software

in their Asian Art sale.

lyonandturnbull.com

Bonhams on Queen Street are

conducting virtual valuations at

present. Contact Charles Graham

Campbell to arrange a valuation on

07831 201173.

bonhams.com

Home is where

the art is

Scottish Opera will premiere The

Narcissistic Fish on 12 June,

a new 12-minute film that is a

collaboration between Scottish

Opera’s Composer in Residence,

Samuel Bordoli, Scottish poet

and novelist, Jenni Fagan, (The

Panopticon) and Scottish Opera’s

in-house filmmaker, Antonia Bain.

Set in the kitchen of a restaurant

called The Narcissistic Fish, in

Leith, the opera tells the story of

the stormy relationship between

chefs Angus, Kai and Belle,

and touches on the themes of

narcissism, gender bias and class.

The concept of the film was first

conceived by Antonia and Samuel

two years ago, who had the idea

of creating a narrative set in a

commercial kitchen.

It features three of the Company’s

2019/20 Emerging Artists,

baritones Arthur Bruce and Mark

Nathan and soprano Charlie

Drummond, singing over a digitally

created score, that incorporates

real sounds from a kitchen as

percussion. As well as being able

to view the film online, a digital

programme will be available to

download, along with photos,

trailers and interviews with the

cast and creative team. The

Narcissistic Fish will be screened

on the Company’s website and

social media channels.

The Scottish Chamber Orchestra

has created special performances

for you to tune into. The series is

called Live from your Living Room,

and there are already loads to

choose from. They have also set

up their own Desert Island discs

selections on Spotify. sco.org

Every Friday night at 8pm you

can watch comedy from Gilded

Balloon. The Sofa Set List is

curated by GB and includes big

names and new ones. It brings

a little bit of the Fringe right into

your living room on their YouTube

channel.

Meet Me at the Museum is an Art

Fund podcast featuring well known

people taking someone they love

to a favourite museum or gallery

to explore and have a chat. Virgin

Radio breakfast show host and

presenter Edith Bowman 'visits'

Kelvingrove while broadcaster and

journalsit Kirsty Wark 'goes' to the

V&A in Dundee.

Secret Artists is a light-hearted

podcast. Annie McGrath invites

some of her fellow comedians to

draw or paint together and chat

about art. McGrath is a comic and

an artist. Her guests are not . . .

Stockbridge Library are promoting

the audio book group started by

Carol who works in the library.

Using the RBDigital service you

can borrow and listen to the same

audio book as the whole group.

The first book was Underground

Railroad by Colson Whitehead

which won a Pulitzer prize for

fiction in 2017. There are details of

the next books to be listened to on

the Stockbridge Library Facebook

page.

10

BUSINESS

Perfect Clean Ltd has bought

£10,000 of new equipment to

ensure that the buildings they are

responsible for will be safe when

workers return at the end of the

coronavirus lockdown.

The new machinery will include

special foggers to disinfect and

decontaminate high risk touch

surfaces like door handles, rubbish

bins, handrails, kitchen surfaces,

kettles and toilet flush handles.

The company also has steam

vacuum cleaners which disinfect

and clean hard floors without the

use of chemicals.

As part of its investment

programme, the company will

also now deploy ATP Sanitation

Monitoring Systems.

Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP)

is the energy molecule found in all

living (and once-living) cells and

the systems enables Perfect Clean

to swab test surfaces for ATP. This

allows the company to quickly

assess their cleanliness, ensuring

surfaces are kept hygienic and free

from germs or potential infection.

Emilia Ferenc, who began the

business when she moved here

from Poland 14 years ago, said:

“The Scottish Government has

made it clear it wants to have

businesses operating again as

quickly as possible as long as it is


Investment means a perfectly

clean sweep for Emilia

Covid-19 has given us time to

reflect. For some, it might be to

get fitter, spend less time at work

or take up a new hobby. Others

may have taken the opportunity to

consider a new career or get back

into the world of work outside of

the home.

At Edinburgh-based independent

Montessori teacher training

organisation, Montessori

Partnership, there has been a

significant rise in enquiries from

furloughed professionals, recent

graduates and women returners

looking to enrol on their Level

8 course to become a qualified

Montessori teacher.

The flexible online distance

learning programme offers those

currently working or juggling

childcare the chance to train

over a period of up to three years,

although some do it in less time.

Helen Prochazka, Director, of

Montessori Partnership said:

“I would say that in the current

safe to do so.

“The arrangements in these

workplaces must be safe for them

to do so.

“We understand that Edinburgh’s

public buildings, facilities and

workplaces need enhanced and

specialist cleaning measures to

support their operations - and in

some cases, their reopening - in

the coming weeks and months.

“We are here, primed to play our

part.

"As an established Edinburgh

cleaning specialist, we want

to help protect the people of

Edinburgh and help them get back

to work safely whenever that may

be.

Perfect solution for Edinburgh businesses

Montessori in a class of its own

circumstances, remote learning

projects should be embraced,

especially if you’ve really enjoyed

being at home and being involved

in your children’s learning.

“The benefits of becoming a

qualified Montessori teacher are

many - not only can you embark on

a very rewarding career, but it can

also benefit your own children and

“To support our local public

services across Edinburgh and

the Lothians we are now providing

specialist Covid-19 disinfectant

cleaning services, using a range

of specialist cleaning equipment

to keep employees and the public

safe.”

Emilia established her business

after being the general manager

for a facilities company.

She now employs 50 people from

her Hill Street headquarters in the

city.

She counts the Hitachi –

Craigentinny Rail Maintenance

Depot, Heriot-Watt University and

Edinburgh University among her

clients.

indeed yourself where you embark

on a journey of self-discovery

which can be hugely rewarding

and enriching.”

Montessori School of Arts, Liberton, teachers session

PHOTO Phil Wilkinson

The course can be started at any

time and costs £5,500 - there are

options to pay upfront and receive

a discount or spread the cost out

over monthly instalments.

Property

demand rises

With the publication of the

Scottish Government’s Covid-19

route map on their phased

approach to easing lockdown

and some general estate agency

activity resuming in England,

many are wondering when and

how types of activity such as

in-person property viewings

and house moves will resume in

Scotland.

In recent weeks, ESPC and its

agents have noticed increases

in key buyer interest metrics,

such as web traffic, Home

Report downloads and viewing

requests. This uplift in activity

suggests demand to move home

after lockdown is on the rise,

particularly after the news of the

English market activity resuming.

Robert Carroll, Managing Director

of MOV8 Real Estate, said: “We

have seen a huge increase in the

number of online buyer enquiries

since the announcement of the

relaxation of the lockdown in

England. It will be interesting

to see how the Scottish

Government’s announcement

of its own Route Map affects

the level of enquiries. Based

on the example of the English

announcement, I would expect

that we will see a further increase

in buyer enquiries in anticipation

of buyers once again being able to

view properties. Of course, at this

stage, we do not know exactly

Edinburgh company, GTS

Solutions CIC, has again been

named among the top 100 UK

social enterprises in the NatWest

SE100 Index.

Operations Director Tracey Smith

said: “We are very pleased to be

recognised again in the Index

as one of the top 100 social

enterprises operating in the UK

today.

"It’s an honour to receive such an

accolade and reflects the hard

work a lot of people have been

putting in. Our business continues

to evolve and our focus remains

as strong as ever on delivering our

social aims and objectives.”

Applicants to the NatWest

SE100 were asked to complete a

comprehensive survey exploring

key aspects of their business

performance: from turnover,

growth, profit and how effectively

Cantlay stays

Environment Secretary Rosanna

Cunningham has appointed Dr

Mike Cantlay, OBE, as the chair of

Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH)

for a further two years.

Dr Cantlay said: ”This is a

challenging period for us all, and a

crucial time for Scotland’s nature.

I’m passionately committed

to steering SNH through the

pandemic and then to contributing

to Scotland’s green recovery.

"This crisis has reinforced how

important nature is to each of us

personally, we need nature for our

own well-being, both mentally and

physically. But nature can also

help us build a healthier, stronger

environment and low carbon

economy, and a more inclusive

society in Scotland.

"We can only foster the resilience

we need by making sure our nature

thrives, to ease flooding, clean

our water, pollinate our crops and

flowers and much more. I look

forward to working in partnership

with the Scottish Government

and other stakeholders to foster

smart, nature-based solutions

for a sustainable recovery. In

the long term, as we re-brand as

NatureScot, the board and I will

continue to make sure we are a

dynamic, resilient organisation,

able to respond effectively to

an ever-changing world.” Dr

Cantlay has been SNH chair since

May 2017 and held a number

of prominent board positions

including chair of VisitScotland.

GTS Solutions is one

in a hundred

they manage their impact,

to leadership, resilience and

storytelling.

Megan Peat, CEO of NatWest

Social & Community Capital, said:

“Congratulations to all the social

enterprises who have made it onto

this year's lists.In such incredibly

tough times, when we know

many of you will be facing

some significant challenges,

it's important to recognise the

incredible dedication and effort

that the UK's social enterprises

have shown in building business

solutions to deliver a positive

future for some of our most

vulnerable and disadvantaged

communities.”

The NatWest SE100 celebrates

the growth, impact and resilience

of UK social ventures by naming

the most impressive 100 social

enterprises of the year in the Index

from those that apply.

@EdinReporter /EdinReporter edinburghreporter theedinburghreporter.co.uk THE BEST OF... 11

The Edinburgh Reporter Best Of...

Lighthouse Bookshop's Life Raft

This will keep you and the

bookshop afloat while the shop

is closed. The Lighthouse online

shop is accepting all book orders.

Email the titles and the shop will

send a payment link and arrange

dispatch.

More details on

lighthousebookshop.com

Ardgowan Distillery

Enjoy the recently released

Clydebuilt Coppersmith - a limited

edition blend of malts matured

in first fill Oloroso sherry casks.

FREE shipping with a branded

Glencairn nosing glass. Father's

Day competition now running

online

shop.ardgowandistillery.com

Roeder & Bell

Each week, gourmet parcels of

fresh provisions are meticulously

curated by the team and packed

with glorious things to eat, drink

and enjoy, delivered directly to your

home. large, small and vegetarian

boxes available alongside a wellstocked

pantry section

roederandbell.com

Queen’s Hall

The hall is an independent charity

which needs £100,000 each year

to look after the building and run

outreach projects. If you can send

a donation - much needed now.

85-89 Clerk Street, EH8 9JG

0131 668 2019

www.thequeenshall.net

Art & Craft Collective

A unique gallery and gift shop

experience in Edinburgh's

Southside - literally a cornucopia

of all media. Join their mailing list

and buy art online.

93 Causewayside EH9 1DG

0131 639 9123

artcraftcollective.co.uk

Fresh Fish Daily

Order online from Fresh Fish Daily

for fish and seafood delivered to

your door with the emphasis on

freshness, quality and customer

service.

01506 894088

freshfishdaily.co.uk

Twelve Triangles

If you are desperate for a sweet

treat the Brunswick Street and

Portobello High Street shops

opens at 8.30am until they have

sold out of everything. Also

delivery next day where possible,

minimum order £15.

twelve-triangles-myshopify.com

Independent Wine Company

A specialist importer of boutique

fine wines from Italy. Carefully

hand-picked award-winning wines

of premium quality sourced direct

from the winemakers.

Oleg and Elvira visit every vineyard

themselves. Online deliveries

available.

independent.wine

Rose Theatre Café

You don't know what you've got till

its scone . . . Mary and Sinead say:

"We are open for takeaway, come

grab a coffee and a scone, it can

be part if your daily walk routine

in this crazy new world order." Preorder

bread by FB Messenger

www.facebook.com/

rosetheatrecafe

The Fine Wine Company

The Portobello wine shop has

stepped up delivery of wines and

spirits, even champagne if you feel

like it. Adam and Alex Rankine are

also helping us by distributing our

papers. Delivering to EH7, EH15

and EH21 at the moment. Shop

open from 10am to 6pm

thefinewinecompany.co.uk

The Haven

Dreaming about getting back to

Natalie's cosy café for breakfast

lunch and coffee where they have

free WiFi and fabulous cakes.

But their happy friendly staff

are enjoying a break for now.

Anchorfield, EH6 4JG

0131 467 7513

@TheHavenCafe on Facebook

Mademoiselle Macaron

Although there are only three of

them in the kitchen to observe

social distancing, the team at MM

are womanfully getting the orders

out as fast as they can.

They offer many different flavours

- a little bit of France right here in

Edinburgh.

mademoisellemacaron.co.uk

Schop

This is an easy, convenient and

eco-friendly alternative to a

supermarket shop. Working in

partnership with independent

retailers, Tim at Schop offers

to deliver a huge range of great

quality food and drink straight to

your door.

schop.co

Craig Banks Tailoring

Bespoke tailoring for men. Craig's

focus is on making the highest

quality personally tailored attire

that others will aspire to. His

pyjamas and dressing gowns will

make your video calls so stylish!

45 Thistle Street EH2 1DY

0131 226 7775

craigbankstailoring.com

Love Your Business

Love Your Business networking

club, which is relaxed, informal

and good fun, is now online on the

last Thursday of the month with a

host of inspiring speakers sharing

their entrepreneurial journey’s and

invaluable business tips.

www.lybnetworking.com and

Facebook @howtolyb

Craigie's Farm Shop

Online ordering of fruit and

vegetables, quality butchery and

dairy products and what they call

'indulgent treats'.

The farm shop is open but you can

choose safely online, and either

have your order delivered, or go to

collect it.

craigies.co.uk

The Glenturret Shop

Four individually hand crafted

Glenturret glass baubles filled with

different single malts. It is the

perfect gift to send to any whisky

lover, and of course you can do

this or order a bottle or two for

yourself online.

theglenturret.com

Roots

They are offering veg boxes

with zero contact delivery and

collection options. Free delivery

in certain cases. Support local

business!

18 William Street EH3 7NH

0131 225 6376

munch@rootsedinburgh.co.uk

Cater Edinburgh

Chef Barry Bryson is running a

solo home delivery service with a

choice of classic dishes. Examples

include: Spiced lamb tagine,

cottage pie, salmon and hake

fish pie. Delivered with heating

instructions.

Barry@cateredinburgh.com

Tel 07961 573 658

Seafood from Scotland

By cooking Scottish Seafood at

home, you not only get a delicious,

sustainable and healthy dish

but you also support a whole

community that’s been landing

some of the world’s best seafood

for generations.

Recipes on Twitter

@seafoodfromscot

12

FEATURE

Book review - Letting

Go by Kent Hung

by David Albury

Andrew is a troubled person.

When we first meet him he is

approaching 50 (although with a

good head of hair and, being fit,

we are told he could pass for a

man in his early forties or even

late thirties!)

He is in bed after a somewhat

riotous party for a friend, Justin,

but is disturbed by being woken by

Justin’s entry into his room in the

early hours. He is perhaps even

more perturbed by the fact that

Justin, after a somewhat formal

greeting, leans forward and hugs

him, before leaving him.

We then learn that the two met

eleven years previously at a wake

for Andrew’s son, Nathan, and

soon Andrew is on a trip down

memory lane, all connected in

June Crossword

Across

1. Ring Beth, in order to make

things clear (8)

5. Spouse ruins great works (6)

9. Large scale business

recommenced, without end (8)

10. Inflammable jelly envelops MP

Alan (6)

11. Rob leapt up to be carried (8)

12. Recovering, lacking vein, like this

shopkeeper (6)

14. Correspondence from Peter to

Len made public (4, 6)

18. Move ashes out so hops can be

dried here (10)

22. Use some kosher rye to make this

drink (6)

23. Part of the building specially

constructed for a gent (8)

24. Tested to destruction and

violently disliked (6)

25. I bet Debs these are on the way

out (3, 5)

26. Surest description of this

homespun cloth (6)

27. Answer received from one's

reps (8)

some way with Nathan.

There are plenty of shocks along

the way, which makes it rather

difficult to understand Andrew’s

character – is he alone because he

chooses to be, or is he confused

about his sexuality? When the end

comes, Andrew realises that he

has to be the one to make his own

decisions and embrace change

– which finally leads him into

the acceptance of Letting Go. An

interesting, and at times thoughtprovoking

story.

Kent was raised in Taiwan and

in Sweden. He has also lived in

USA, Switzerland, Denmark and

Belgium, before making a home

in Scotland in 2014. Living in

various places has taught him to

integrate enthusiastically in each

new environment. Vanguard Press

Paperback £8.99

Down

1. Despicable ! Without lead, creates

muscle (6)

2. Wall up in crematorium ? Actor not

included, however (6)

3. Animals running wild: any she can name

? (6)

4. Lucy upset about a tree (10)

6. Agree pen could be this colour (8)

7. Toccatas played with distinct sounds (8)

8. Robs me or takes away my hat (8)

13. Blue bra ? Ena just cannot take any

more (10)

15. I scorned changes but will take them

into account (8)

16. Boss set a problem about deadly

material (8)

17. Around Persia he is seen as a religious

person (8)

19. I spent trouble over fitting this part of

my shoe (6)

20. Danger from this cultivated area ? (6)

21. In the titles, seems to be a tenant (6)

Crossword by David Albury

Answers on page 14


Edinburgh Collected

June Boswell from Well Court, Dean Village, took this photo in 1956. It captures Nora Findley on the left with her

daughter Lesley Findley, although June can’t remember the names of either the boy or the dog.

June said: “Lesley was my best friend. Our family lived in Dean Path Buildings and Lesley lived in the house

below us with her family.”

Edinburgh Collected is an online community photo archive managed by Edinburgh Libraries. You can add

your own memories to help preserve the city’s history for the future. It is also a good way for organisations to

preserve their archives in online scrapbooks www.edinburghcollected.org

#richards6kchallenge is no walk

in the park

Richard Vallis has worked for

many years in Edinburgh and

Penicuik to set up and champion

charities.

During Covid-19 he is not

stopping his hard work. He has

pledged to walk 6 km round his

garden. This is an undertaking

which represents a significant

personal challenge to Richard, as

he lost a leg to bone cancer 24

years ago.

He is driven by his need to

help others and to support

three organisations close to

his heart, Lothian Disability

Sport, who promote sport and

physical recreation for those

with disabilities, Lung Ha Theatre

Company which leads on providing

opportunities for those with a

learning disability, and Friends of

Chitambo which supports health

measures in the hospital and

surrounding Zambian district.

This last charity was set up by

Richard's wife, Jo, who grew up in

Zambia.

Richard Vallis said: “During

lockdown due to the Covid-19

pandemic I thought I'd make use

of my daily exercise to support

Lung Ha, Lothian Disability Sport

and Friends of Chitambo, three

charities dear to my heart and

do a sponsored walk within

the garden. One hundred times

round the garden would be about

six kilometres for four miles.

With my disability, an above hip

amputation, this will be quite a

challenge and will require roughly

twice as much energy than

what would be needed prior to

my amputation - but I'd hope to

achieve it in about three weeks.

I very much hope people see fit

to support me in this effort to

raise funds for these amazing

organisations!”

www.crowdfunder.co.uk/threecharities-walk

@EdinReporter /EdinReporter edinburghreporter theedinburghreporter.co.uk FOOD 13

Juliet's Food Diary - a date for one with sole food

by Juliet Lawrence Wilson

My main mission in the lockdown

is trying not to become a fat

lush, which to be fair is my main

mission in normal times.

With so little motivation, and a

whole load of time, it would be

understandable to take solace

in gluttony but I’ve been mainly

dining on protein and greens or

fairly fancy salads.

However, once a week, I’ll

treat myself to something more

indulgent, so I was delighted

to join Carina Contini and a

group of food enthusiasts for a

Zoom cook-a-long with Seafood

Scotland.

After receiving a lovely delivery

of fresh fish from Fresh Fish

Daily in the kind of box you’d ship

off your spare kidney in, should

it come to that, I wasn’t merely

looking forward to the seafood

itself but the social aspect of

cooking in company.

As Carina explained to us, the

dish we’d be cooking was date

night food.

Being happily single, I only made

one portion but could understand

that on an evening of romance this

would be a good choice as there

was minimal prep, dishes or time

involved, but a really cracking meal

at the end.

It was so simple I thought a child

could make it, so the following

evening a child did. My daughter

Anoushka put it together with ease

and enthusiasm and ate up every

morsel.

The conversation was also

interesting, as an ex-restaurateur

I have a great deal of sympathy

with the thought of keeping such

a business open in current times,

when it’s usually challenging

enough during the most profitable

season.

Yet, we all agreed, that whilst

home cooking and the various

takeaway services many high-end

restaurants, including the Continis,

are offering, nothing can replace

the atmosphere of going out.

Check out Contini at Home for

their £20 three course dinners

and fruit and vegetable deliveries

from their suppliers in Puglia and

Scotland. www.contini.com

My seafood was second to none

and thank you to freshfishdaily.

co.uk

Please do check out their

offerings, particularly if you’re

not in proximity of a good local

fishmonger.

Use FRESH10 as a one time

discount code.

Here’s Seafood Supper Club’s

super simple recipe on the right.

I’ve also tried this with lightly

smoked haddock, which I think

was even better.

@seafoodfromscotland on

Instagram have some more

fantastic recipes.

Sole food made easy

Cooking with Barry

Carpaccio of Venison with British

Tomatoes, Radish, Pea, Fennel

and Capers with Smoked Garlic

Toast

Serves 4 as a hearty starter or

light main

250g of trimmed venison or Roe

Deer loin

Rock salt and black pepper

8 medium sized British tomatoes

2 cloves smoked or super fresh

British garlic

1 packet crunchy British red

radishes and a bag of fresh British

garden peas in their pods

200ml good quality extra virgin

olive oil, plus extra for marinade

and garlic toast

1 unwaxed lemon

60g small capers

2 stalks fresh thyme

1 fennel (you just need the lovely

herby flower at the top that looks

like dill, not the bulb,)

75ml Scottish honey

1 half-baked baguette or ciabatta

Method Place venison onto a

clean chopping board and with a

sharp knife carefully remove any

small pieces of sinew that the

butcher may have left. Cut venison

lengthways in half into two thick

pieces.

Marinade Strip the thyme flowers

from the stalks and finely chop.

Add two or three pinches of salt

and pepper to thyme, a good glug

of olive oil and honey. Mix well.

Coat venison with the mixture.

Heat a non-stick frying pan until it

is smoking hot, and very quickly,

seal the venison steaks - a couple

of seconds per side. Put to one

side to cool and tightly roll in cling

film to make a tube. Secure each

end with some string. Once rolled,

put the steaks into a freezer for an

hour or two to firm up.

Prepare vegetables. Cut the

tomatoes into chunky pieces and

lightly salt them. Finely slice the

radishes on a mandolin and place

in cold water. Squeeze the excess

vinegar from the capers. Trim the

fennel herbs and put to one side

for the garnish. Remove the peas

from the pods. Zest the lemon and

juice. Gradually whisk in olive oil

until combined. Add honey.

Pre-heat oven to 180°C. Cut

baguette or ciabatta into very thin

A little of this delicacy goes a long way

slices and brush with some olive

oil. Finely chop the garlic, sprinkle

over the bread and bake in the

oven for around 7 to 8 minutes

until golden brown. Remove

venison from freezer. Cut into

thin slices with sharp knife. Take

two pieces of baking paper, place

the slices between the paper and

using a rolling pin, flattening each

slice evenly and carefully until very

thin.

Plate up and eat!

Chef Barry Bryson

14

FEATURE


The Genius of Architecture

Words and photos by Martin P

McAdam

In exploring statues around

Edinburgh, one thing becomes

obvious - there are very few

Genius in the gardens

By Phyllis Stephen

A significant new source of

funding will turn Inverleith House

Gallery into Climate House for the

next three years.

Where better than the beautiful

building in the middle of the Royal

Botanic Garden Edinburgh to think

about the Climate Crisis?

The gallery received the largest

grant of £150,000, along with

Serpentine Galleries, from

Outset Contemporary Art Fund.

It will reimagine itself with an

immersive installation created by

Australian artist, Keg de Souza,

who is known for her 'socially

engaged' art practice. She will

create a 'transdisciplinary space

for conversations and action'.

There will be collaborations

with Serpentine's Back to Earth

initiative with artists like Cooking

Sections, James Bridle, Kapwani

Kiwanga, Fernando Garcia-

Dory, Tabita Rezaire and Ayesha

Tan-Jones.

RGBE Head of Creative

Programmes Emma Nicolson

said: “Inverleith House’s proximity

to the world of plants, and the

richness of scholarship and

practice associated with RGBE,

means that we have an abundance

of resources at our disposal to

begin thinking about the role

of art institutions in the age of

Climate Crisis. We believe that art

has an important part to play in

linking objects, images, processes,

people, locations, histories and

discourse in a physical space,

opening up dialogues and

women represented in the city

statuescape. We know of Helen

Crummy, Queen Victoria and

the African Woman and Child in

Festival Square, commissioned

Inverleith rises again

imaginaries that could be critical

in finding solutions to this crisis.

"By turning our house into a

home, we will welcome the 21st

century explorer – an explorer

who listens to voices less

heard, refuses to conform to the

boundary between culture and

nature, and is eager to imagine

ways of living for the future.

"To receive the Outset

Contemporary Art Fund’s

Transformative Grant, in

partnership with the Serpentine,

Inverleith House Gallery to be given new life

Crossword Answers

by The City of Edinburgh Council

to depict the city's stand against

apartheid.

But, there is another statue of

a woman called “The Genius of

presents a momentous

opportunity to focus on the

desperate nature of our planet’s

plight.

"Climate House seeks to change

the way we view the climate

emergency and biodiversity

crisis. It aligns with Royal Botanic

Garden Edinburgh’s mission to

explore, conserve and explain the

world of plants for a better future.

As a Botanic Garden, we have

a unique history of high-quality

programming in the arts. This

award acknowledges an exciting

juncture, as we launch our new

manifesto for the arts."

Across: 1 Brighten, 5 Opuses, 9 Commerce, 10 Napalm, 11 Portable,

12 Grocer, 14 Open letter, 18 Oasthouses, 22 Sherry, 23 Frontage,

24 Detest, 25 Ebb tides, 26 Russet, 27 Response.

Down: 1 Biceps, 2 Immure, 3 Hyenas, 4 Eucalyptus, 6 Peagreen,

7 Staccato, 8 Sombrero, 13 Unbearable, 15 Consider, 16 Asbestos,

17 Pharisee, 19 Instep, 20 Garden, 21 Lessee.

Architecture”. It is located at the

lower level on the east side of

West Princes Street Gardens.

The statue depicts a crowned,

goddess-like woman in robes, in a

classical Greek style standing on a

hexagonal plinth.

The woman is placing laurel

wreaths on the heads of two

children in kilts. One of the

children is kneeling, and using

a trowel to construct a masonry

column. The second child presents

a plan to the woman. From ground

level it appears that the plan has

inscribed upon it both an angular

octagon (eight pointed star) and

a circle, both important masonic

symbols. Historically, the octagon

is used to represent eternal life

and the eight pointed star also

represents the cardinal and ordinal

points of the compass. In the

Christian tradition the baptismal

font in churches is often carved

in an octagonal shape. The circle

is symbolic of the heavens and

is again an important masonic

symbol.

The statue was carved for the

1862 International Exhibition in

London. On the rear of the statue

is inscribed "William Brodie, R.S.A.

Sculptor 1815-1881”. Brodie was a

prolific sculptor and is responsible

for a number of statues here and

in Glasgow, including the bronze

statue of Greyfriar's Bobby which

sits at the corner of Candlemaker

Row and George IV Bridge.

The Edinburgh Sketcher

Mark, the Edinburgh Sketcher,

has a number of printed items

including mugs, tea towels and gift

cards, which feature his fabulous

ink and watercolour sketches

of the city. They are available

together with mounted prints and

It is suggested that the model

for the principal female is Lady

Mary Gowans, the daughter of

the sculptor. Mary married the

architect Sir James Gowans

soon after the death of his first

wife, Elizabeth. Elizabeth died

in the bath of their home at 34

Rosebank Cottages, in what

have been described as "unusual

circumstances”.

Sir James Gowans built a new

family home "Rockville" on

Napier Road for himself and

Mary. Rockville was regarded

as architecturally “unusual” and

including a five-storey viewing

tower. Sculpture in and around

the house was created by his

father-in-law, William Brodie. The

statue ended up in the garden

of 'Rockville', and in 1891, a

subsequent owner gifted it to

the Council who placed it in the

Gardens.

There are a number of questions

about the statue - are both

the children male? Some have

suggested that the kneeling

child is male - engaged in

physical constructing - the final

manifestation of the architect

design. Some have suggested

that the standing child is female

- representing the theory and

creativity of the architect. Another

question - the 2015 edition of

“Monumental Edinburgh” by

Gillon and McAuley suggest that

the statue was sculpted by John

Rhind.

originals in a few independent

shops around Edinburgh and also

his own Etsy shop online. Check

his website at edinburghsketcher.

com for a full list of stockists and

browse his online shop there too.

@EdinReporter /EdinReporter edinburghreporter theedinburghreporter.co.uk SPORT 15

Golfers get

back in to the

swing

Golf courses across Edinburgh

are preparing to welcome back

golfers following a relaxation of

the Covid-19 regulations.

Scottish Golf has worked with

Scottish Government, Active

Scotland, sportscotland, Health

Protection Scotland, The PGA

and key industry partners at every

opportunity to produce a clear

guide for all golf clubs and golfers

in Scotland.

Under the revised rules, the

following grouping can get back

on the greens - Two Balls – may

be from two households whilst

maintaining physical distancing.

Groups of up to 4 four players

permitted at the discretion of the

golf club (ensuring that only two

households are represented in the

group).

The Scottish Government

continues to monitor its response

to the Covid-19 outbreak closely,

and have not ruled out the reintroduction

of restrictions which

could mean golf pauses again

if these guidelines are not being

followed. It is therefore imperative

that golf clubs take the necessary

steps outlined prior to opening

their courses for play, and adhere

to the guidelines.

Tennis elbows

its way back

in to play

The Lawn Tennis Association and

Tennis Scotland have developed

a set of practical guidelines to

follow so that tennis can be

played in Scotland consistent

with the new route map moving

out of lockdown, where the local

environment allows.

Tennis Scotland said: "We know

everyone in Scotland is looking

forward to getting back to tennis

as soon as it is safe to do so, and

these guidelines will allow venues

and players to prepare to do so.

The full guidelines will become

operational subject to the Scottish

Government confirming the route

map from lockdown on the 28

May.

"The current easing from

government concentrates on

extension of exercise rather

than all aspects of each sport

and coaching is not part of

these guidelines. However,

Tennis Scotland, the LTA and

sportscotland have worked on

robust guidelines for one to

one coaching which we feel

will work within the guidance

surrounding the extension to

exercise of physical activity in

Scotland. These guidelines are

being reviewed by The Scottish

Government for feedback as soon

as possible."

Hockey clubs pledge to keep in

example run 5k and donate £5.

touch

More than 60 of Scotland's hockey

clubs have pledged to keep in

touch with each other during the

Covid-19 pandemic.

The Club Pledge will bring most of

the 100 clubs in Scotland together

and also help learn from others

how to stay connected.

Scotland’s hockey club members

are being urged to maintain club

togetherness and community to

help the sport to thrive.

By making the Club Pledge the

clubs will:

Hold weekly club/team online

(Zoom/Teams/GoTo) meetings

at the time their training session

would be.

Host virtual club social events –

online quiz, karaoke, party nights

Set club challenges to raise money

for charity and good causes – for

Profile club members who are

on the front line – working in the

NHS, carers, supermarket workers,

refuse workers, etc.

Paul Elliott, Communications

Manager at Scottish Hockey,

said: “Scotland’s hockey club

members are missing the bonds

and companionship they get from

playing and training with their

team mates for the game they

love.

“This initiative helps clubs and

teams maintain those bonds and

keep spirits high in preparation for

that time when we can all meet up

again on the hockey pitch.

“In the meantime we are hoping

that all of our affiliated hockey

clubs will make the Club Pledge

to maintain the great sense of

community and togetherness

people enjoy through hockey.

There’s also an amazing amount of

fundraising taking place through

Club Pledge, so collectively we

will hope to establish the amount

of funds that have been raised

for good causes right across the

country.”

www.scottish-hockey.org.uk

Personally challenging times

Despite the challenges of

Covid-19, it's never been a better

time to become a personal trainer

according to Dean Robertson,

owner of Elysium Gym in Leith.

Dean said: “The economy has

been tanked, people have been

ordered not to go to work which

has led to an abundance of time

for most people, and to some this

has brought different problems,

however I believe that the fitness

industry is about to experience

a huge rebound. Over this time

people have never been more

aware and conscious about how

important their health and fitness

is. Fitness professionals will be

ready to benefit from this rebound

to assist people to better fitness,

health and performance more than

ever before.

"Even if you are already a

personal trainer newly qualified or

still aiming to grow your business,

we have a great opportunity right

now.”

www.elysium-edinburgh.com

AT

HOME

Bring a little bit of Edinburgh Leisure

into your home.

Online classes, advice and more.

edinburghleisure.co.uk/fitness-at-home

16

SPORT


Hibs players on the move

ByJohn Hislop

Adam Bogdan, Steven Whittaker

and Vykintas Slivka will depart

Hibs following the expiry of their

contracts in June.

Jack Hodge, Kosovar Sadiki and

Matthew Yates will also move on

from the Development Squad.

It follows on from the news that

loanees Greg Docherty, Jason

Naismith, Marc McNulty and

Stephane Omeonga will report

back to Rangers, Peterborough

United, Reading and Genoa

respectively following the formal

conclusion of season 2019-20.

Sporting Director Graeme Mathie

said: “I only have good things

to say about Adam, Steven and

Vykintas, who have been a credit

to themselves and the club since

the day they arrived.

Hearts have thanked their 4000-

plus fans who have already

snapped up their season tickets

for the 20/21 campaign, despite

the uncertainty surrounding

Scottish football.

With a finance option launched,

even more fans are expected to

support the club and secure their

seat at Tynecastle Park for when

the action restarts.

The club announced a Season

Ticket Guarantee pledge that will

ensure supporters get the full

value of their 2020/21 season

ticket regardless of how next

season shapes up.

A statement said: "To be

absolutely clear, the club is making

a very simple pledge to supporters

who renew their season ticket for

20/21: no-one will lose out.

"A 20/21 season ticket guarantees

you 18 matches at Tynecastle

Park, regardless of what league

we play in or of the duration of the

campaign.

"If season 20/21 cannot offer

supporters access to a full

complement of 18 home games

then fans who renew their season

ticket for the following season will

be credited with the value of the

outstanding number of matches

for season 21/22. Those who

choose not to renew their season

ticket will be offered the relevant

number of match tickets for

season 21/22. These tickets will

be subject to availability."

"They all have different stories.

Steven is someone whose

development the club takes real

pride in.

“One of a number of young players

who emerged from the Academy

at the same time and captured

the imagination, he is a real role

model and example of what can

be achieved when you dedicate

yourself to your profession.

He has been a positive, strong

influence on team-mates – young

and experienced alike. Given his

association with the club over a

long period of time, it wouldn’t

surprise me to see him back at

Easter Road in some capacity in

the future.

“Adam is someone I hold in similar

regard. His pedigree speaks for

itself, but his human qualities are

Hearts season ticket

pledge

The club said it is committed to

ensuring that no supporter will be

left disadvantaged as a result of

securing their seat at Tynecastle

for the 20/21 season.

The statement added: "The club

would like to thank our fans for

their continued support during

these uncharted times and looks

forward to welcoming everyone

back to Tynecastle when it is safe

to do so.

"If, despite the finance option

now being available, you still have

concerns about not being able to

secure your 2020/21 season ticket

because of the unprecedented

situation we are in, then do please

talk to us. Please contact us via

email at tickets@homplc.co.uk

and let us try and find a way in

which we can assist you."

The new Hearts kit is now

available and for the sixth

consecutive season, the club is

partnering with Save the Children,

helping to support their vital

work with children and families

in Scotland. The charity's logo is

displayed on the front of the shirt.

In keeping with tradition, the new

home jersey is dark maroon and,

for the first time, gold accents

from the club crest embellish the

cuff.

As per recent seasons, the top

features a hugely popular sign off

on the back of the neck, this time

bearing the two famous words

from the club song: Glorious

Hearts.

what stand out. Like Steven, he is

another who was always happy to

spend time passing on advice to

younger players looking to make

their way in the game.

“Vykintas is someone who came

to Easter Road as a young player,

STR8TS

5

4 8

4 9 2

3 7 2

1 5

3 9

1 5 7

2

looking to establish himself as a

first-team player after spending his

formative years in the Juventus

youth system. We’re delighted

that, over the course of time, he’s

become an international regular

and enjoyed some great moments

in a Hibs shirt.

“I’m sure the supporters will join

me in thanking them for their

Stephane Omeongo on the move PHOTO Thomas Brown

8

Medium

How to beat Str8ts –

Like Sudoku, no single number 1 to 9 can repeat in any row

or column. But... rows and columns are

divided by black squares into compartments. 2 1 4 5

Each compartment must form a straight - 6 4 5 3 2

a set of numbers with no gaps but it can be

in any order, eg [7,6,9,8]. Clues in black cells

4 5 2 1

remove that number as an option in that row 4 3 6 2 1 5

and column, and are not part of any straight.

Glance at the solution to see how ‘straights’

are formed.

3 5

2

2

1

1

3

4

6

© 2020 Syndicated Puzzles

SUDOKU

contributions to Hibernian and

we wish them all the best for the

future.

“Similarly, we thank Jack, Kosovar

and Matthew for their efforts. We

hope they’ve been able to benefit

from their time within our set-up

and that they apply the lessons

learned for whatever comes next

in their careers.”

5 4

8 2 7

3 8

2 4

3 7 4 9 6

8 9

9 7

9 5 6

2 7

To complete Sudoku, fill the board by entering

numbers 1 to 9 such that each row, column and 3x3

box contains every number uniquely.

For many strategies, hints and tips,

visit www.sudokuwiki.org for Sudoku

and www.str8ts.com for Str8ts.

Medium

If you like Str8ts and other puzzles, check out our

books, iPhone/iPad Apps and much more on our store.

© 2020 Syndicated Puzzles

The Edinburgh Reporter June 2020

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