The Edinburgh Reporter December 2021

Book worms

City turns page with

Little Free Libraries

Firm foundation Captured Picture this

Charity matching donors

celebrates 25 years

Looking back on 2021

in pictures

Botanists leap from

page to canvas

Best of the rest

Easter Road 1980s

highs and lows

Page 3 Page 6 Page 12 Page 22

Page 23

December 2021

EDINBURGH’S FREE LOCAL NEWSPAPER...A CAPITAL READ FROM START TO FINISH

Christmas is...

The city lights up and

ON

prepares to enjoy

festive season

in fine style

Ian Georgeson

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2 NEWS

Letters to the editor

Change endangering Common Good land

Editorial

IN EDINBURGH, Christmas already began

revving up in November, and just a little

before Remembrance Sunday, the Christmas

Wheel was already taking shape. There is a

new look for The Mound with Hannah Ayre’s

geometric snowflakes and a new look on the

road where red and white wands have given

way to black and white “defenders”. Parts of

the cycle lane are no longer segregated,

except for a painted line, to allow buses more

room while North Bridge is closed. Some

regard this as a backward step in a year when

so much has been done to improve active

travel. But there is also talk of reintroducing

zebra crossings in Edinburgh to make it safer

for pedestrians. Back to the future?

This is the final year of the council’s

arrangement with Underbelly who produce

the Christmas and Hogmanay events. The

council will put new festive season contracts

out for tender soon. The results of a survey, to

which 8,600 people responded, show that

there is “overwhelming support” for the

winter celebrations in Edinburgh to continue

- but in a revised format. One person or

organisation will become Winter Festivals

Director with responsibility for a programme

including lighting installations and fireworks.

Covid-19 has been mentioned in most of

our stories both this year and the last. The

pandemic is not over yet, and the

government continues to monitor case

numbers and transmission. The R rate

is just over 1, which means that care

remains essential.

The best stories usually involve meeting

interesting people, and I have met many over

the last eighteen months who are caring for

those in Edinburgh who are in great need.

There are people all over the city who have

volunteered their time to distribute food and

meals. Foodbanks are called upon more and

more to fill the gap. Some of these

community-based organisations would

love to have more volunteers, and most

would readily accept donations of items or

funding. Christmas is perhaps a good time for

anyone who can to start thinking of how to

help them.

I wish you all a happy and peaceful time

this Christmas.

Phyllis Stephen, Editor

Dear Editor,

As citizens of Edinburgh, we all

inherit common good assets

bequeathed long ago to us, and to

future generations. The

Community Empowerment Act

(2015) requires public consultation

if there is a change of use on

common good land, yet such

privatisation is being facilitated

by the City Council, without

such consultation.

The streets of the Old and New

Towns, and of Leith, are Common

Good land. Last summer, while

indoor numbers were restricted by

social distancing rules, bars and

restaurants fronting these streets

were allowed to build “temporary”

outhouse decks and shacks. Now,

with higher vaccination rates and

more relaxed rules, there is a push

to make such street incursions

permanent.

What’s wrong with that? Don’t

GET IN

TOUCH

TODAY!

we all enjoy al fresco eating and

drinking? Shouldn’t Edinburgh

prioritise economic recovery?

I have no problems with café

culture or chairs on the pavement

adjacent to the frontage of a café.

But a permanent structure beyond

the pavement is a different

proposition. In practical terms it

means that the café/bar extends

across the pavement and to the far

side of the decking. Staff shuttle

across to serve and to clear.

Yes, pedestrians can still

thread their way through without

being customers, but it feels like

being a trespasser in a private

space. And for how long? Once

“temporary” becomes permanent,

the logical next step is to close the

gap and control entry to the space

as a whole.

The concerns are not just

abstract. Residents in some streets

have contacted The Cockburn

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Association in desperation.

Decking creates an ideal habitat for

rats. The seating is used for loud

drinking sessions in the early hours,

creating disturbance to those living

in flats overlooking the street and

litter piles up. The road is blocked

forcing heavy delivery vehicles to

park on pavements, damaging the

surface and blocking footpaths and

amenity and ambience are lost.

Precedents are being set. Never

waste a good crisis! A World

Heritage Site is being trashed with

planning rules suspended.

Covid-19: the numbers

WHILE OTHER countries on the

continent experience an increase

in positive cases and some have

entered another lockdown -

mainly as a result of people

choosing not to be vaccinated - our

numbers remain relatively static.

The number of people who have

had their booster dose is now

heading towards two million.

Cases in Edinburgh have been

much the same in recent weeks

with around 400 cases per day

reported, and the number of

people in hospital is just

under 1,000 and has been for

some weeks.

The number of people who have

died since the beginning of the

pandemic is now approximately

10,000 a figure which hides a great

deal of heartbreak.

The First Minister briefed MSPs

and rather than announcing an

extension of the Covid certification

scheme to pubs and cinemas, the

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Common Good land effectively is

being privatised, without the

required public consultation.

The future of the heart of our

city, and of our public assets, is at

stake. The city centre is being

emptied of people, as affordable

rented flats have been bought by

investors to use as short-term

holiday lets, and over-tourism has

made life a misery for many residents.

Before it’s too late and we lose

our unique residential city centre,

will somebody say that enough is

enough? A balance needs to be

struck between the rights of

residents, the claims of business,

and care for the environments that

make this city special. Legal

requirements to consult must be

met. Is anybody in the City

Chambers listening?

Emeritus Professor

Cliff Hague, OBE,

Chair, Cockburn Association

Cabinet had agreed (by a thin

margin it appears) to introduce

another option instead. As an

alternative to the Covid Passport a

recent negative lateral flow test

can be produced instead.

Ms Sturgeon said: “This change

makes it possible for people who

cannot be vaccinated, or who are

not yet fully protected, to make

use of the scheme. The new rule

will also, we hope, encourage the

greater use of regular lateral flow

testing and it will still meet our

aim of reducing the risk of

transmission, within higher

risk venues.

“We encourage everyone to

continue to test themselves

regularly and particularly before

you meet up with people from

outside your household, whether

you are meeting in your home or

public place. If you test positive

stay home, isolate and take a

PCR test.”

About us...

We write about news relating to the Edinburgh area. If you

have any news, or if you would like to submit an article or

photograph for publication then please contact us

Editor: Phyllis Stephen

Designer: Felipe Perez

Photos: Martin P McAdam

/EdinReporter

edinburghreporter

@EdinReporter

theedinburghreporter.co.uk

07791 406 498

editor@theedinburghreporter.co.uk

---

3

Booklovers’ bonus

Word on the street is two new city libraries have opened

Somewhere over the rainbow

there are free books

Stocking up

the library

The Dunard Centre

Enter stage left

- first concert

hall in 100 years

By PHYLLIS STEPHEN

YOUNG EDINBURGH book lovers can now

turn the page with the opening of two new

Little Free Libraries at Pilton Youth &

Children’s Project (PYCP) and at FetLor in

Crewe Road South.

Little Free Libraries (LFL) was started in

Hudson, Wisconsin, with a mission to expand

global access to books and there are now

100,000 volunteer-led free libraries in more

than 100 countries, which share 42 million

books annually.

The new libraries are the result of a

collaboration with Alison McLuckie, a

Consultant Paediatrician with NHS Lothian,

and Western General Hospital research doctor

Mark Stares. Alison and Mark, along with

PYCP Youth Workers Aga, Caryn, Adrianna,

Adele and other volunteers worked with young

people aged 8 to 12 to take the project from the

idea stage to building both libraries.

Alison said: “It is a people-led movement, so

anyone anywhere can pop one up if they have

the motivation to. We were inspired by what

one of my GP colleagues in Wester Hailes had

done. Dr Nora Murray-Cavanagh

commissioned the Edinburgh Tool Library to

make two Little Free Libraries for Wester

Hailes, which are sited at WHALE Arts and at

Clovenstone Community Centre.

“Early literacy is very important and it is

much easier for some families to come by

books than it is for others. I’m a paediatrician,

so my interest is in childhood development,

and I guess I understand, as Nora does, the

importance of being read to as a child and the

importance of early literacy.

“It came from a conversation with my

colleague Mark and Nora about how lovely it

would be to put little libraries in North

Edinburgh in a way that children and young

people had a say in the design and making of

them. I am keen that the libraries are ‘owned’

by their communities. PYCP were really

welcoming of that idea where we supported the

young people who did it themselves.”

Laura McLaren, Project Manager at PYCP,

said: “Our Adventurers group do all sorts of

outdoor activities and learn how to use tools

safely, so this was the ideal project for them.

Our two Little Free Libraries have been really

well used since they opened in summer and it’s

been fantastic to watch children and families

taking books out and returning every week for

more. It’s also been a brilliant project for our

young people to get involved in and they are

really proud stewards of the libraries.”

Scotland’s oldest youth club, FetLor in Crewe

Road South, is the location of the second

library. Although it was not possible during

lockdown for children to be involved in the

design process, there is now a library with

books for pre-school children.

FetLor chief executive, Richie Adams, said:

“I think the community really like the idea of

free libraries, free education and free books

for young people and the community see this

as a good resource. They are outside and free

for everyone to come in and use. We are

incredibly grateful to Alison and Mark and

all the colleagues at NHS Lothian who made

this happen.”

Books in LFLs are free for anyone to pick up,

Library at

FetLor

although users are encouraged to put books

into the library when they can. Other LFLs in

Edinburgh can be found at Leith Walk Police

Box, Starbank Park, Scotland Street, Dublin

Street, and Leith’s “Banana Flats”. Some of these

have been constructed by Edinburgh Tool

Library, whose first library still stands in

Stockbridge Colonies.

PLANNERS HAVE granted planning

permission to the first concert hall to be

built in Edinburgh for a century.

According to IMPACT Scotland the body

which is delivering the new cultural

venue, the £75 million Dunard Centre

“will fill a recognised gap in the region’s

cultural infrastructure and provide a

platform for local, national and

international musicians to perform to

audiences in the very best environment”.

Part of the funding for the new concert

hall is to be sourced from the City Region

Deal, and some of the funding is from the

Dunard Fund, a major philanthropic

donor in the city under the direction of

Carol Grigor.

The new building will be the

permanent home of the Scottish

Chamber Orchestra, and will also be used

by the Edinburgh International Festival.

The promise is that a new building like

this will strengthen Edinburgh as a

festival city and it will also be the main

location for National Youth Choir Of

Scotland as well as an educational hub.

The building will have a 1000 capacity

auditorium with the capacity for live

streaming, digital capture and

broadcasting, flexible multi-purpose

rooms for education, conferencing and

hospitality, a foyer with informal

opportunity for performance and a café/

bar with indoor and outdoor seating.

Fergus Linehan, Festival Director and

CEO of Edinburgh International Festival

and co-chair of IMPACT Scotland,

said:“The Council’s decision is fantastic

news for the city and for music in

Scotland. Edinburgh is a city famous for

its cultural life and home to worldrenowned

arts festivals which generate

over £300 million for the Scottish

economy, but it lags behind many other

cities in its provision of cultural

infrastructure which currently deters

some artists from choosing to perform in

the city.

“By creating a modern hall with

outstanding facilities and acoustics, we

are closing the recognised gap in the

region’s cultural infrastructure and

helping to sustain Edinburgh’s position

as a leading cultural city against national

and international competition.”

---

4 NEWS

The ‘New Normal’

Our Letter from Scotland columnist looks back over the last year

By JOHN KNOX

WE HAVE COME a long way since Christmas

2020 and we now find ourselves in a new world

of vaccinations, cautious meetings, face masks

and worries about our future on the planet.

Looking back on December last year, I can

hardly believe I was there. Christmas was in

hiding. No concerts, no cinema, no parties, only

outdoor meetings with a few friends. My treat

on Christmas Day was to climb Arthur’s Seat.

We were entering our third Lockdown and

the second year of the pandemic. 73,500 people

had died of Covid across the UK, over 6,000 of

them in Scotland. (Now it’s over 125,000 and

nearly 10,000 in Scotland). Then came the

miracle of the vaccines and the military-style

inoculation programme.

The government’s furlough scheme kept

175,000 Scottish jobs alive (it had been nearly a

million the year before). Government debt rose

to 14 per cent of our national income, just short

of the 15 per cent at the end of the Second

World War.

The weather too was blowing between

extremes. We had snow and ice at New Year. In

February temperatures were down to minus

23°C in Braemar. Then we had our fourth

hottest summer since records began in 1844. In

Tyndrum the thermometer reached 27°C.

Abroad, forest fires were raging in California,

Australia and Greece. More of Africa was

turning into desert. Floods in Germany and the

Netherlands killed 180 people, many more in

India and Bangladesh. The scene was set for the

Westminster funding is the answer

I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A

pressing need for investment in

Edinburgh to ensure that the city

can bounce back to better than

pre-Covid levels of prosperity.

The UK Government has recently

announced an extensive package

of funding for Edinburgh and the

South East of Scotland that includes

a variety of different sectors.

EDUCATION

£9.5 million will be going to

UN’s latest climate change conference, in

Glasgow, where yet again our leaders failed to

notice there was an emergency on.

We have been getting used to a new normal

in politics too. We are living with the damaging

consequences of Brexit and “Boris being Boris”

at Westminster. The SNP held onto power in

the Scottish elections in May, in large measure

because of Nicola Sturgeon’s steady handling of

the Covid crisis.

schools for state-of-the-art

systems that will monitor

temperature, CO2 levels, and

humidity among other metrics.

This will be used to teach children

how to deal with data and

statistics in real world contexts.

DATA

The UK Government is investing

over £270 million across the city to

promote Edinburgh as a Data

Powerhouse. Investing in 5 Data

Driven Innovation (DDI) hubs

across the City and the South East

will not only help a range of other

sectors, it will also bring good

quality jobs to the area.

LOCAL REGENERATION

Over £16 million will be

earmarked for the Granton Gas

Holder, which will aid the

waterfront renovation that is

taking place in the area. It is

hoped that the funding will help

And on the sporting field, we have a new

normal too. Scotland qualified for the football

World Cup for the first time in over 20 years.

Our men’s rugby team beat England, France and

Australia. Rangers FC are back on top of the

Premier League, but plucky little St Johnstone

from Perth snatched The Scottish Cup from

them in an extraordinary penalty shootout.

To sum up this uncertain year in just one

word, it has to be “timorous”.

to make it one of the most

sustainable new neighbourhoods

in Scotland by securing further

public and private sector

investment of around £1.2 billion.

This is just a small snapshot of

the suite of funding that is being

delivered to Edinburgh from the

UK Government. It will be a lifeline

to many areas and sectors and is

something to be celebrated and

encouraged.

Jeremy Balfour MSP

Leith’s clean

green energy

IF YOU ARE feeling disheartened by the

UK’s lack of commitment to net zero

targets, never fear. UK Minister of State for

Energy, Greg Hands MP, apparently has the

solution to the climate crisis with a cunning

plan to get the UK to net zero emissions. Yes,

it’s back to the future with nuclear power.

The UK Government has just announced

a £210 million contract for Rolls-Royce as

part of the Advanced Nuclear Fund they’re

throwing money at, just a few weeks after

they decided not to invest in the Carbon

Capture and Storage project at St Fergus

in Aberdeenshire.

The Tory government promised a North

East of Scotland carbon capture project

back in 2014, and St Fergus was the most

cost-effective and shovel ready of all the

bids but it lost out to projects in Teeside

and the Humber. I’m furious on behalf of

the oil workers that have helped the oil

industry contribute over £350 billion in

revenues and are now being passed over

for up to 15,000 jobs that would have come

Aberdeenshire’s way. The Scottish

Government created the Just Transition

Commission years ago and is investing

£500 million towards a Just Transition in

the North East and Moray, but the extra

boost from the UK Government would

have made a big difference in getting

Scotland and the rest of the UK to net zero.

I’m glad to say there are some great

clean green energy projects right here in

my constituency that give me hope for the

future though. I recently visited Nova

Innovation’s Leith factory where they

produce tidal energy turbines and are

creating excellent prospects for export.

These schemes will provide constant

reliable energy - and Nova has recently

developed a new turbine that slashes the

cost of tidal energy by a third - while

leaving no costly nuclear waste dumps for

us and future generations to deal with. It’s

heartening to see these kinds of projects

making big strides in Scotland, and we’ll

keep working towards our ambitious

climate change targets, despite the UK

Government’s lackadaisical approach.

Deidre Brock MP

---

Plaque unveiling in Roseburn Park

The Edinburgh Reporter

Message from

the Moderator

5

Lord Wallace

Engraved in memory

New plaque commemorating ‘Murrayfield’s Artist’ Charles H Mackie

By PHYLLIS STEPHEN

A NEW PLAQUE has been unveiled in

Roseburn Park commemorating the artist,

Charles H Mackie, RSA, RSW, who died in

Murrayfield in 1920. Mackie, the only Scottish

artist of that period who actually met French

artist, Gauguin and who was taken round his

studio was called “Murrayfield’s artist” by John

Yellowlees, Chair of Murrayfield Community

Council at a short ceremony in the park.

Inspired by the recent exhibition at the City

Art Centre, the community council provided

the plaque which is now sited on the northern

side of the shared path. Mackie rented a studio

on Murrayfield Road from 1896 on the bottom

floor of the old Roseburn Primary School. The

building was demolished by the council in the

1960s and replaced by a modern office building

and the plaque is on the opposite bank of the

Water of Leith directly opposite.

Dr Helen Scott, Curator at the City Art

Centre, and Pat Clark, author of the Mackie

biography unveiled the plaque, and are pictured

above with community councillors and a photo

of Mackie’s work, ‘There were Three Maidens

pu’d a Flower (By the Bonnie Banks o’ Fordie)’

c.1897, part of the City Art Centre collection.

Pat Clark, the self-declared “world authority”

on the artist, told The Edinburgh Reporter that

Mackie used to watch polo matches on the

pitches which now lie between the Water of

Leith and BT Murrayfield, and that he painted

the Pentlands from his deathbed in the house/

studio on the bank of the Water of Leith. Ms

Clark’s book about Mackie (‘People, Places and

Piazzas. The Life and Art of Charles H. Mackie’)

was a work which she explained was “many

years in the making”.

Pat said: “I went to Australia, I went to France

and I tried to follow in Charles Mackie’s

footsteps. I encountered his last living relatives

who live out in Melbourne, Australia, and I

tracked down many of his paintings although I

have to admit that some are lost to posterity.

“But many of the best paintings he ever

created were actually executed here in

Murrayfield. He was born in Aldershot where

his father was a serving soldier, and then

attended George Watson’s College in Edinburgh.

He made his home and studio here.

“He was a unique artist influenced by a group

of artists in France called Les Symbolistes. He

met Vuillard and brought the first Vuillard work

back to Scotland. His art grew out of his Scottish

roots, but it also reacted to the influences of the

Nabis in Paris. They in turn had been influenced

by Gauguin. Charles Mackie is the only Scottish

artist of that period who actually met Gauguin

and who was taken round his studio.”

Mackie is buried in Warriston Cemetery. In

the 1890s he was commissioned by Patrick

Geddes to produce murals for Ramsay Garden

in Edinburgh’s Old Town, as well as illustrations

for the pioneering journal The Evergreen.

Despite his many achievements, he has always

been treated as a peripheral figure in the story of

Scottish art. As a mature artist, Mackie worked

with an impressive range of media, not only

producing oil paintings and watercolours, but

also murals, woodblock prints, book

illustrations and sculpture. His influences were

quite diverse, drawing inspiration from French

Symbolism, the Celtic Revival movement and

the landscapes of his European travels.

Rail investment needs to be on track

COP26 IN Glasgow delivered a

pact which represents a new

chapter in our global fight against

the climate crisis.

In Scotland, having led the way

on climate legislation following

Scottish Labour’s cross-party

push for radical targets, we’ve not

seen enough action from The

Scottish Government with targets

on emissions, renewable heat,

and biodiversity all being missed.

There’s no meaningful plan for a

jobs-first transition, and public

transport routes are being cut. We

need a just transition which

creates high-quality, green jobs

and ensures that no community is

left behind.

The climate crisis is the greatest

threat facing our world with low

income countries already

experiencing the devastating

impacts of flooding and droughts.

Scottish Labour has launched

Green Labour as an optimistic,

alternative vision of the greener

Scotland we want to build. In the

Scottish Parliament as we build

recovery from COVID we need

joined-up action on fuel poverty,

new community heat and

renewables that are affordable for

consumers, and a focus on new

jobs and training.

We also need more affordable

transport in communities across

Scotland. We need investment in

new rail services, support for new,

locally owned bus services like

Lothian Buses, safe, properly

planned active travel routes, and

EV charging points: an expansion

of low carbon transport that

meets people’s needs.

We all need to work together

to make the changes our

communities need to cope

with the climate and nature

emergencies.

The agreement reached at

COP26 is just a starting point

and our communities must be

at the heart of the just transition

we need.

Sarah Boyack MSP

OFTEN, AROUND this time of year, when

you’re out shopping and paying for

something, the person on the checkout

hands you your receipt, and says “Merry

Christmas” or possibly “Compliments of

the season”.

I hope increasing age hasn’t made me

too cynical, but sometimes the thought

flits through my mind that the greeting is

not always motivated by the person having

a genuine interest in whether or not I have

a merry Christmas. Could they be saying

this because they’ve been told to? I conjure

up an image of a memo from supermarket

headquarters directing those on the

checkout to give customers a cheery

seasonal greeting on the assumption that

this will somehow help cement a bond

between the shop and the customer.

Even if age breeds some cynicism, I

believe my suspicions are outweighed by

the experience that more often than not,

the person saying,“Merry Christmas” really

means it. Invariably it lifts my spirits.

There actually is something genuine to

this whole idea of Christmas cheer. As

December 25th draws near, people do

seem to warm up just a bit.

Recalling the Christ child’s birth, they do

make an extra effort to practice the virtues

the angels sing of - “peace on earth,

goodwill towards all people.” But why do

we notice this at Christmas? Why does this

surge in warm-heartedness stand out?

Is it because, despite our best intentions,

good will towards all people so easily

becomes a seasonal event rather than a

standing policy?

When Christ entered our world, He

didn’t come to brighten our Decembers,

but to transform our lives. It can be hard

work to practice good will towards one

another. But John the Baptist’s message

was that, as we prepare for Christ to come

into our lives, we can change our ways.

Jesus’ ministry provides the blueprint

for loving our neighbour in a busy and

complicated community. Christ made a

point of seeking out the broken and

outcast people of His day - He saw the

value in each one of them. And by doing

so, He helped them recognise the value

in themselves.

This Christmas season, let us recognise

that just as faith is a decision, good will

towards people is a series of decisions that

work themselves out not in temporary

Christmas cheer, but in the details of life all

year round.

Lord Wallace, Moderator of the General

Assembly of the Church of Scotland

---

6 NEWS

Strong foundation

The Foundation Scotland charity celebrates a quarter of a century of matching corporate

and personal donors with worthy causes and social enterprises across the country

riginally established in

1996 as "Scotland's

Community

Foundation", the

major funding body

Foundation Scotland

brings together

communities and funders. Since its

launch a quarter of a century ago the

foundation has distributed more than

£130 million to charitable organisations,

social enterprises, and community groups

in Scotland. While Foundation Scotland

is also a charity, the body exists to

provide a simpler way for funds to be

managed and awarded to the charities

which will use them.

With an experienced team and a Board

of Trustees, the Foundation has its own

strategies guiding its funding decisions.

Their main income comes from

donations, and every time a donor gives

to a charitable grant or programme

which Foundation Scotland manage,

a donation is made to the

foundation.

Since March 2020 Foundation

Scotland has distributed more

than £32 million. The

foundation specialises in

supporting charitable initiatives

within local communities, from

local food banks to

counselling services, to

youth groups and

education and

training funds. Set

up with an initial group of three staff, the

Edinburgh-based foundation now has

over 30 managing around 100 different

national and local funding programmes

each year. Earlier this year the

foundation began offering investment for

social enterprises following integration

with Resilient Scotland, further

expanding the breadth of financial

support offered to charitable groups

and enterprises.

Through the pandemic, Foundation

Scotland awarded over £1.1 million in

crisis support grants to 268 Edinburghbased

projects. Those supported included

The Eric Liddell Centre, East Lothian

Roots and Fruits, Sikh Sanjog, Bridgend

Farmhouse and The Edinburgh Tool

Library. Groups can often be eligible for

more than one source of funding from

the foundation, and some organisations

have received ongoing support from

Foundation Scotland for many years. The

team pride themselves in getting to

know and understand funded

groups, supporting them with

essential finances and vital

advice to help them to develop

and sustain their services.

Giles Ruck, Chief Executive

at Foundation Scotland, said:

“We are proud to be Scotland’s

community foundation.

For 25 years, we’ve

Giles Ruck, CEO,

Foundation Scotland

maintained the vision

of supporting

confident, thriving,

resilient communities across Scotland.

And for every community to thrive, it

should be resourced to match its vision

and powered by transformative funding.

That's where we come in. Over the last

quarter of a century, we have connected

the generosity of donors, corporates and

individuals, to enable and empower vital

projects and grassroot-led change.

“As we look ahead, we will continue

to work hard to reach and connect

with new donors keen to distribute

funds effectively at a local level so that

together we can continue to deliver

extraordinary support.”

THE GENEROSITY OF LOCAL DONORS

Foundation Scotland is an independent

charity. The funds awarded to projects

within Scotland’s communities are the

result of the generosity of donors who

support the foundation's work. The

breadth of donors includes individuals,

families, companies, community bodies

and other charities who distribute funds.

The foundation connects donors' funds

with community organisations working

on the ground, ensuring their support

stays relevant to local circumstances and

delivers real impact. Even throughout the

pandemic, new donors have come on

board, and new funds have opened to

help support communities through the

crisis and beyond.

Last year, Edinburgh-based investment

management company, Martin Currie,

asked Foundation Scotland to design and

Flying the flag for

Foundation Scotland

(above)

An Indian dance group

(below) at Eric Liddell

Centre - a foundation

beneficiary

brand a new fund to help them support

charities and community groups in

Edinburgh.Their priorities were to

address inequality and support initiatives

that improved social and environmental

sustainability. The Martin Currie

Community Partnership Programme

(MCCPP) launched in September, and to

date has awarded almost £44,000 among

eight organisations Recent grantees

include The Edinburgh Remakery, The

Venchie Children and Youth Project and

The Salisbury Centre.

Rosslyn McDonald, Head of

Distribution Operations for Martin

---

7

Cleaning up in Calders

Above – Claire Carpenter

of The Melting Pot

Right - The Melting Pot’s new

front door on Calton Road

Below - Happy faces at

Edinburgh Tool Library

THE CALDERS RESIDENTS

ASSOCIATION (CRA) has been

working hard on the paperwork

to advance a community asset

transfer of the former janitor’s

house in the grounds of

Sighthill Primary School.

There had been some months

since the group applied to the

council, but as we went to press

CRA was about to have a

meeting with council officers to

discuss the next stage.

The residents obtained

£12,000 of feasibility funding

from the Scottish Land Fund at

the end of 2020 for a business

plan. They appointed Lee Boyd

Architects to draft up new plans

for a community hub which

show how the residents would

reuse an existing building for

local organisations to use. Inside

it would be a flexible space and

the grounds outside would

become a community garden.

The CRA’s five year business

plan also shows opportunities

Big hopes for a new

community hub

for new jobs for locals.

Caroline Bruce, Secretary of

CRA, said: “During the pandemic

volunteers distributed food

parcels and meals to local

people from the community

flat. Our community centre at

the back of the Calders shops

was taken away about eight

years ago.

“It was well laid out and had

everything we needed but we

have had nothing since - even

Gate 55 has been a Covid test

centre. We really need

something in the community.

CRA Chair Michelle Robson and

I have spoken about this for a

few years now.

“Now with a meeting

planned we can move to the

next stage and find out what

the council want to do with

the building. We heard before

that they planned to turn it into

a car park.”

Cllr Neil Gardiner said: “This is

an interesting initiative from the

local community using SNP

government legislation to

support community

empowerment.”

Cllr Ricky Henderson said:

“I am aware of the community

asset transfer for the former

janitor’s house, and I am very

supportive in principle of this

taking place.”

Currie said “The MCCPP is delighted to

partner with Foundation Scotland to

support local charities that promote

diversity and inclusion, or social and

environmental sustainability. The

programme was established in 2020 and

focuses on the communities where we

live and work by partnering with and

building deep and lasting relationships

with organisations who are well placed to

help us deliver Martin Currie’s goal to

improve lives.”

THE MELTING POT

The Melting Pot is Scotland’s Centre for

Social Innovation. Based in Edinburgh’s

city centre on Calton Road, the

organisation runs a large co-working

hub, meeting venue and events

programme for charities, social

businesses, campaigners, and freelancers.

Foundation Scotland has supported

The Melting Pot for over 15 years.

The organisation received its first award

back in 2006, and has received £120,000

from a number of different funds to

support their growth and development

since then.

Claire Carpenter, Founder and CEO of

The Melting Pot, said: “Foundation

Scotland have been an instrumental

investor for me and The Melting Pot.

They’ve been part of the birthing story

- twice now! Back in the 2000s when

“co-working” wasn’t a thing you could

Google, they saw the potential in my big,

novel and very practical idea to better

support our sector, in all its diversity.

Then, due to Covid, the landscape

changed once again – for good. We’ve

been able to play to each other’s strengths

to help #BuildBackBetter. I’m looking

forward to seeing how together we

co-create the conditions for social

innovators to thrive in the years ahead.”

From grantmaking to social

investment opportunities, legacies to

bursaries, Foundation Scotland is

continually developing innovative and

effective ways for donors to help

Scotland’s communities thrive.

www.foundationscotland.org.uk/

---

8 NEWS

Polish piano

comes back to

square one

International politicians at the Botanics

Delegates dig in

World leaders promote biodiversity at Royal Botanic Garden

By OLIVIA JAMES

DURING COP26, while the eyes of the world

were on Glasgow, international delegations from

Nepal, Malawi and the Ivory Coast were also

addressing the impact of the biodiversity crisis

and climate emergency at the Royal Botanic

Garden Edinburgh (RBGE).

Welcomed by Simon Milne, MBE, Regius

Keeper and teams of scientists and

horticulturists, the global leaders planted trees,

symbolising the development and growth of

these important global partnerships.

Returning from the World Leaders Summit in

Glasgow, Nepal’s Prime Minister Sher Bahadur

Deuba and the Minister for Forests and

Environment Ramsahay Prasad Yadav, met with

Simon Milne MBE, Regius Keeper and Dominic

Fry, Chair of the Board of Trustees.

At the centre of the Himalaya, Nepal is classed

as a Global Biodiversity Hotspot. Home to a

third of all Himalayan species, its ecosystems are

crucial to all life across Asia and sustain the

everyday needs of Nepal’s largely rural

population. However, the country is experiencing

alarmingly rapid melting of glaciers and snow

cover of the Himalayan mountains as part of the

increasing frequency of extreme weather events.

Having worked in the region for more than

200 years, over the last two decades, RBGE has

become a yet closer partner of the Nepal

government and its key environmental agencies.

The quest is to help Nepali partners build their

own ability to undertake plant biodiversity

research and to scientifically document the

natural capital of their country. The Flora of

Nepal is the first comprehensive record of the

estimated 7,000 species of flowering plants and

ferns found in Nepal.

The Garden also welcomed His Excellency,

President Lazarus Chakwera, President of the

Republic of Malawi in a celebration of the

long-standing friendship between the country

and RBGE.

During their visit, the President and First

Lady Mrs Monica Chakwera planted a

Widdringtonia whytei or Mlanje cedar, a species

of conifer found only in Malawi. Now critically

endangered in the wild, the cedar was grown

from seed collected in 2019 as part of RBGE’s

International Conifer Conservation Programme.

Ivory Coast delegation

Historic preserved specimens of the species

Aframomum, originally from the Ivory Coast,

helped to illustrate the work of the Herbarium

when the Honourable Mr Alan Donwahi,

Minister of Water and Forests, Republic of the

Ivory Coast and Her Excellency, Madame Sara

Amani, Ambassador of the Ivory Coast in the

United Kingdom, visited RBGE.

On their first visit to the Garden, the

delegation discussed possible projects and hopes

for the creation of a new partnership between

RBGE and the Ivory Coast.

At RBGE, scientists and horticulturists are

building a global network of people to help

conserve the planet’s natural capital and enable

the sustainable use of plants. Visits by leaders

during COP26 help to strengthen these crucial

international collaborations.

The President and

First Lady of Malawi

A SQUARE piano owned by musician Felix

Yaniewicz has been restored and brought

home to Edinburgh to the Polish Ex-

Combatants House on Drummond Place.

Yaniewicz lived nearby on Great King

Street until he died in 1848.

Yaniewicz is credited with founding the

first Edinburgh Music Festival in 1815. He

led the orchestra in an ambitious

programme featuring Haydn’s Creation,

Handel’s Messiah, and symphonies and

concertos by Mozart and Beethoven.

Later he was Edinburgh’s chief concert

promoter, establishing a series of morning

chamber music concerts. Today,

Yaniewicz’s music is little known outside

Poland, despite his impact on British

musical life – his numerous compositions,

most notably the 5 violin concertos,

significantly contributed to the repertoire

of the Georgian period.

The piano dates from around 1810.

Above the keyboard, a cartouche with

painted flowers and musical instruments

bears the label Yaniewicz and Green with

the addresses of premises in fashionable

areas of London and Liverpool.

Inside the piano, a signature in Indian

ink has been matched with those on the

marriage certificate and surviving letters of

Felix Yaniewicz.

The piano was found by a descendant of

the musician, Josie Dixon, who noticed an

advert for the newly restored piano which

had turned up 20 years earlier in a private

house in Snowdonia. Then in a dilapidated

condition, it was bought by the early

keyboard expert Douglas Hollick, who

painstakingly restored it to its former glory.

Yaniewicz’s style was a unique fusion of

classical influences from Haydn and

Mozart, with elements of Polish folk music.

His early career took him all over Europe to

Paris, but he was forced to flee because of

the French Revolution. He sought refuge in

Britain and began performing in

Edinburgh in 1804.

The project to bring the piano back to

the capital has been paid for by The

Friends of Felix Yaniewicz in partnership

with the Scottish Polish Cultural

Association. Music and Migration in

Georgian Edinburgh: The Story of Felix

Yaniewicz is planned for summer 2022.The

piano will be the centrepiece of this

exhibition at the Georgian House.

www.yaniewicz.org

---

9

Light up the night cycle ride

Cycling without fear is priority for campaign group

JL Preece

By KIRSTY LEWIN

I LOVE CYCLING. It is a fantastic way to get

about. It’s fast, clean, and good for my mental

and physical health. Most importantly, my

cycling is good for Edinburgh. Cities with a

high proportion of trips made by cycles have

cleaner air, safer streets for children, quieter

residential areas, and thriving local high

streets. Edinburgh has ambitious plans to

improve cycling infrastructure to make

it easier and safer for everyone who wants to

cycle to be able to do so.

However, current infrastructure is poor and

not fit for purpose, particularly for women.

Many women say they would cycle but they are

afraid of traffic, and they fear the off-road

routes in the dark. Some women cycle to work

regularly, and when the clocks change in the

winter they stop cycling and start driving or

taking the bus. Many of us talk of the dilemmas

we face trying to choose the safest route as the

Kirsty Lewin hopes many people

will join the ride on 10 December

days get shorter. Do we risk a dangerous

junction, and roads renown for speeding and

close-passing drivers? Or do we use an off-road

isolated path that has no escape routes and

reports of anti-social behaviour, abuse, and

even assault? As transport expert, Dr Caroline

Brown said: “Male violence doesn’t just affect

the women victims, it affects the behaviour of

all women who weigh the risk of every decision

they make. Off-road paths shouldn’t count as

cycle infrastructure if they’re not safe for

everyone every time.”

We must reshape our city so that women and

girls can cycle without fear. On 10 December at

7.30pm, people from across the city will gather

at Middle Meadow Walk to cycle around

Edinburgh’s city centre. The date is significant.

The Light Up The Night Cycle Ride is on the

last day of the UN’s 16 Days of Activism against

Gender-Based Violence. The ride will highlight

the urgent need for night-time cycling

infrastructure that is safe for women. We are

calling on the council to prioritise safe and

comfortable protected or off-carriage way cycle

infrastructure on well-lit routes; provide

well-signed routes that are permeable and

always have a way out, and to develop routes

which use natural surveillance where possible,

for example streets with high footfall.

Search for Light Up the Night Cycle Ride on

Facebook for joining details or turn up on the

night. All welcome.

---

10 NEWS

ADVERTORIAL

Have a greener Christmas...

...to help cut impact on the environment – says Cllr Adam McVey

THE COUNCIL’S NEW Green Christmas

campaign encourages Edinburgh folk to

consider their impact on the environment by

having a less wasteful Christmas.

The recent COP26 climate conference in

Glasgow brought to our attention just how

much of an impact the climate crisis will

have on our everyday lives– from the food

we eat and the buildings we use, to our

health and wellbeing.

Our new ‘Green Christmas’ campaign will

build on the interest in climate action and

momentum gathered by COP26 by

encouraging people in every part of

Edinburgh to buy more responsibly and

avoid waste where possible over the

festive season.

And, with four out of five people in

Edinburgh agreeing that we all have a

responsibility to cut down on waste this

Christmas, there’s lots we can all do to make

a difference from choosing local suppliers

and products, asking for pre-loved or

homemade gifts and cutting down

on food waste.

The Edinburgh Reuse Map, which was

developed in partnership with Changeworks

is also a fantastic way to discover where

items can be sourced second hand, or for

free, fixed, donated or even upcycled –

helping to cut down on waste.

And then there’s the questions we can all

stop and ask ourselves such as; How

sustainable is this item? Can I find this

second hand? How long will it be loved for?

And, do I really need it? All of which will help

to make sure that any purchase we make is

good for the planet.

These changes do add up, and, as well as

being good for the environment, can often

save you time and money too. For example,

planning your meals ahead of time, so you

only buy the food you need can help save

you up to £437 a year.

Cllr Adam

McVey, Leader

of The City of

Edinburgh Council

So why is this important to the city?

Edinburgh was the first city in Scotland to

declare a climate emergency in 2019, and

has set a goal to become net zero by 2030.

It’s a really ambitious target, and one which

will benefit our health and wellbeing, reduce

the impact that our every day actions have

on the environment and help us play our

part in tackling the climate crisis. And the

message is clear – there’s lots to do and we

all have a part to play in helping create a

cleaner, greener city for future generations.

Look out for the billboards, the bus shelter

ads, the Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and

Nextdoor content about this – there will be

lots to see in the next few weeks.

There’s also helpful information and tips

available on our website including details on

recycling and Christmas tree uplifts, plastic

free and second-hand shops across the city

and inspiration on how to buy less, choose

well and make things last. And, to all of you

who do choose to make these positive

changes and cut down on your waste over

the Christmas period, thank you. Together

we can make a difference.

---

11

CANDERSONS SWEET SHOP

TOM DUFFIN 2022 CALENDAR

LEITH WALK POLICE BOX

LOVE YOUR BUSINESS

BIRTHLINK THRIFT SHOP

Debbie Anderson invites you to take

yourself back to your childhood with

all the traditional jars of sweets in her

shop. Chewits and fudge will take you

back a decade or two. Open from

10am except Mondays.

102 Leith Walk EH16 5DT

0131 554 1401

Buy the 2022 calendar by Edinburghbased

photographer Tom Duffin.

Included are 13 unique images of

Edinburgh, the Forth Bridges and East

Lothian in all seasons to interest you

throughout the year. Calendars mailed

worldwide.

tomduffin.com/2022-calendar

Very reasonable rates allow start-ups

to use this small pop-up space as the

first rung on the ladder. From food to

political parties and all manner of

organisations in between. Have a look

at their pop-up garden when you visit.

Croall Place EH7 4LT

hello@leithwalkpolicebox.com

Love Your Business networking club is

relaxed, informal and good fun, and is

now online on the last Thursday of the

month with a host of inspiring

speakers sharing their entrepreneurial

journeys and invaluable business tips.

www.lybnetworking.com

Facebook/howtolyb

Donate unwanted items to the shop

on Gilmore Place knowing that they

will find a new home. Very little ever

goes to landfill. Visit the shop to pick

up a copy of our latest paper and also

to admire their innovative and

ever-changing window displays.

birthlink.org.uk

NEWSPAPER SUBSCRIPTION

DI GIORGIO’S CAFFE & BAR

SCHOP

CRAIG BANKS TAILORING

FOODS FACTS FRIENDS

Subscribe today and have your own

copy of The Edinburgh Reporter

delivered to your front door from next

month. - in a compostable envelope. A

payment of £30 a year will help to

support local independent news.

ter.ooo.subscribe

Di Giorgio’s have lots of cakes and

slices, coffee with a smile and pasta

and lasagne to go. Morning rolls and

ciabattas are also available, but this is

brownie heaven and do ask about

their birthday cakes.

Open 7 days 10-4pm

1 Brandon Terrace EH3 5EA

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 - saving you the journey.

schop.co

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 or

working from home very stylish.

0131 226 7775 • 45 Thistle Street

EH2 1DY • craigbankstailoring.com

This Midlothian charity is urgently in

need of supplies to keep their food

bank going as well as a new van to

collect much-needed supplies. A

Christmas toy appeal has also just

been launched to help those who

have been most affected by Covid-19.

www.foodfactsfriends.org.uk

SOMETHING FISHY

INDEPENDENT WINE COMPANY

EDINBURGH SKETCHER

ART & CRAFT COLLECTIVE

THE COBBLED ROASTERY

Independent fishmonger, Daniel,

provides quality fresh and cured fish.

Last year there was some question

over availability - but this wee shop

has kept going. Use Schop to have

your fish delivered.

16a Broughton Street EH1 3RH

0131 556 7614

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 personally. Free UK delivery

- same day delivery to Edinburgh

available. www.independent.wine

The Sketcher’s style of painting the

world around him captures more than

the view. Catching a moment in time

that evokes memories of a place, the

movement, noises, smells, and a

fondness for a location. A commission

creates a unique image and ideal gift.

www.EdinburghSketcher.com

A unique gallery and gift shop in

Edinburgh’s Southside - a cornucopia

of all forms of art. Buy handmade art

and craft from independent artists.

Linsay says: “If we don’t have it, we can

probably find it for you.”

artcraftcollective.co.uk

0131 629 9123

Vlad and Scott have a unique style at

48 Thistle Street with great coffee and

above average chat. The pair celebrate

a year in business on 18 December at

their city centre micro roastery. Coffee

also available to order online if you are

working from home.

cobbledroasters.co.uk

ARDGOWAN DISTILLERY

BROUGHTON PLACE HAIR

THE WATERSHED

STOCKBRIDGE MARKET

PTASIE MLECZKO EDINBURGH

Get ahead with Christmas shopping.

Buy Ardgowan Shipwright online -

described by whiskymaker Max

McFarlane as “a sumptuous dram”.

Special offer includes free Glencairn

glass and a either whisky marmalade

or a slate coaster while stocks last .

shop.ardgowandistillery.com

A luxurious, elegant salon with a very

happy and friendly atmosphere where

the aim is to make your experience

relaxing, enjoyable and glamorous.

Appointment essential.

0131 556 4478

2a Broughton Place EH1 3RX

www.broughtonplacehair.com

The floating café with outdoor seating

is owned and run by Lindsay and sits

just next to the Leamington Lift Bridge

on the canal. With their range of

smoothies and coffees accompanied

by macarons and a host of other treats,

it is not to be missed.

EH3 9PD

You may know about Leith (Saturdays)

and Stockbridge (Sundays) Markets

but did you know that you can order

online and pick up all of your shopping

at once? Using the NeighbourFood

site you simply choose what you want,

pay and then collect your shopping.

www.neighbourfood.co.uk/markets

“It’s as if mousse and marshmallow

had a baby and then you dipped it in

Belgian chocolate.” For a special gift

choose from the delicious selection of

fresh, artisan MallowMousse treats. A

variety of mouth-watering flavours

dipped in Belgian chocolate.

pmedinburgh.co.uk

---

Roll back the y

12 RETROSPECTIVE

LOOKING BACK over the year, it really has

been a year like no other. Usually every

weekend holds photo opportunities of all

kinds. This last twelve months they have been

few and far between, but when we got the

chance it was very much worth it. The most

colourful display at Edinburgh Diwali was a

tonic in November, and we have to hope that the glorious

sights and sounds of the Sir Walter Scott Pageant to mark

250 years since his birth will be repeated.

BY THE LEFT QUICK MARCH

At The Royal Scots Club they closed the street allowing the Band of

the Royal Regiment of Scotland to perform a Beating The Retreat

which is a military ceremony dating back to the 16th century.

CYCLE ON COP26

Hundreds of cyclists set off from Edinburgh to cycle in the rain to COP26

in Glasgow. It appears the message from Earley Panda got through.

THE CAPITAL’S COVID

COFFEE CULTURE

Scott Williams , left, and business

partner Vladimir Zadyraka

opened their micro

roastery in the middle

of the pandemic. A

year on and people

on Thistle Street

still wake up

and smell the

coffee.

A MESSAGE OF LO

The Global Rainbow lit up the skies

captured the seven parallel horizon

Yvette Mattern’s installation has pr

---

13

ear

The Edinburgh Reporter revisits the

last twelve months in pictures...

BADGER MOON

Photographer Tom Duffin captured

this marvellous Edinburgh image of

the Badger Moon behind a purplehued

Balmoral Hotel.

EDINBURGH DIWALI 2021

The city centre was lit up by the sights and sounds of Edinburgh

Diwali in November. The festival is open and free to all with its

procession along George Street, performances at the Ross

Bandstand and a fireworks finale in West Princes Street Gardens.

FREEDOM SOLDIERS

The Scottish and North Irish Yeomanry

based at Redford Barracks are to receive

the Freedom of the City. The soldiers

marched in the Sir Walter Scott pageant.

COLD AND LONELY

Historic Old Town - empty of people.

VE, HOPE AND KINDNESS

above Calton Hill in March and photographer Tom Duffin

tal rays of high specification laser light quite perfectly.

eviously been shown around the world, spreading the word.

JUMPIN’ JACK CLASS IT’S A PASS, PASS, PASS!

Izzy Campbell, Hannah Keenan, Olga Wawrzynczak, all BSc Graduates from the University of

Edinburgh who had organised their own graduation celebration, and had hired academic

gowns. Since the summer, universities have begun holding formal ceremonies once again.

---

14 NEWS

High fives for zoo

Fibre company stick their neck out supporting Giraffe About Town trail

CITYFIBRE, the UK’s largest independent full

fibre platform, has partnered with the Royal

Zoological Society of Scotland’s (RZSS)

Edinburgh Zoo as community outreach partner

for the charity’s Giraffe About Town trail.

The public art event will include more than

40 eight-foot-tall giraffe sculptures go on display

across Edinburgh next summer, with each

model designed and decorated by local artists

and community groups. After the trail, the

sculptures will be auctioned off to raise funds to

support RZSS wildlife conservation projects in

Scotland and across the world.

Activities with the community groups will

include an inclusive creativity workshop with the

zoo’s outreach team. The groups will also receive

free access to the Giraffe About Town activity

portal, an inclusive digital resource supporting

the trail. Meanwhile, CityFibre and Edinburgh

Zoo will work together in spring 2022 to identify

the potential community groups.

The wildlife conservation charity partnered

with the Giraffe Conservation Foundation

(GCF) and Glenmorangie Single Malt Scotch

Whisky to bring giraffes back to the capital in

May for the first time in over 15 years and

support vital work to protect the species in

the wild.

The five giraffes at Edinburgh Zoo, Ronnie,

Arrow, Gerald, Fennessy and Gilbert are all

Nubian giraffes (also known as Rothschild) and

live at the top of the hill in a newly built £2. 8

million giraffe house with high level walkways.

CityFibre’s support of the trail comes as it is

investing £100 million to roll out a full fibre

network within reach of almost every home and

business across the city. As community outreach

partner, CityFibre will have its very own giraffe

sculpture as part of the herd, and its vital

support will allow RZSS to work with seven

community groups across the city to decorate

their own small giraffe sculptures as part of the

Paul Wakefield, CityFibre’s City

Manager for Edinburgh and David

Field, chief executive at RZSS

schools and communities trail.

Paul Wakefield, CityFibre’s City Manager for

Edinburgh, said: “We are working across the city

to deliver our Full Fibre network to homes and

businesses, ensuring that communities across

Edinburgh can access the fastest, most reliable

broadband available. As part of this, we are

getting the chance to meet so many of

Edinburgh’s fantastic community groups – a

number of which we will be able to support

through this fantastic partnership.

“Improving social inclusion is something we

are passionate about, and this theme is at the

heart of the Giraffe About Town trail.

“Technology is a key enabler here, so we are

really excited to be working with an artist on our

own giraffe and being a key part of this trail,

which I’m sure will capture the hearts and minds

of both locals and visitors to our capital. You

could even say that, through this project, our

Full Fibre rollout programme will reach new

heights.”

David Field, Chief Executive at RZSS, added:

“We are thrilled to have CityFibre on board as

community outreach partner for Giraffe About

Town, giving us an opportunity to support vital

community work across the capital.

“It is particularly exciting to partner

with an organisation working to connect

communities. Fast, reliable full fibre broadband

will open up a whole new world for many of

Edinburgh’s residents.

“The past 18 months have been incredibly

challenging but they have shown us what can be

achieved when we pull together.

“Our tall trail is set to transform our city and

encourage our communities to get out and about

and fall in love with Edinburgh all over again.”

Paper Tiger

earns stripes

WEST END BASED business, Paper

Tiger, has won the RETAS award for

Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer

in Scotland.

Now in their 17th year, the RETAS are

the industry awards dedicated to greeting

card retailers of all shapes and sizes. With

one in six shops in the UK selling cards, to

win an award is a notable achievement.

The awards are decided following a poll

of greeting card suppliers, sales reps and

agents, which is then verified by a panel

of experts.

Paper Tiger owner, Michael Apter,

attended the awards lunch at the

Grosvenor House Hotel in London where

the ceremony was hosted by actor and

comedian Stuart Goldsmith. Michael said:

“I am absolutely delighted to be

recognised as the Best Independent

Greeting Card Retailer in Scotland. Being

nominated amongst so many great

independents is an honour, and

winning is heartwarming recognition of

the efforts that the whole Paper Tiger

team has made to ensure we have

maintained our standards throughout the

last difficult year.”

Progressive Greeting Magazine’s

co-owner, Jakki Brown, paid tribute to The

RETAS finalists and winners, highlighting

that in one of the most torrid times for

retailers ever, “so many showed their true

grit and determination, learning new

skills and instigating initiatives to enable

them to nurture their customers’ loyalty.”

Hidden stories behind The George

INTERCONTINENTAL

Edinburgh The George has

commissioned historians from

the University of Edinburgh to

explore the hidden stories

behind the building and

local area.

The tour is part of

InterContinental Hotels &

Resorts 75th anniversary

celebrations, in which the

world’s largest luxury hotel

brand marks special moments

that have taken place within

the walls of its hotels across

the world and looks forward

to continuing its journey of

innovation in the luxury

travel space.

To share these stories,

Take a picnic on the trail

InterContinental Edinburgh

The George has partnered

with VoiceMap to develop an

exclusive audio walking tour

guide for guests and visitors

to the city. Developed and

17 Heriot Row

narrated by Dr Esther Mijers

and Professor Ewen Cameron,

historians from the University

of Edinburgh, the tour

unlocks Edinburgh’s hidden

history, showcasing the

lesser-known stories of city.

Starting at The George, the

audio tour tells the lesser

known stories behind the

renowned hotel. During the

19th Century the hotel was a

collection of five prestigious

townhouses and home to the

well-known Ferrier family,

who boast a historical

connection to Scotland’s

literature scene

Sir Walter Scott and Robert

Burns were frequent guests,

while their daughter and

novelist, Susan Ferrier -

commonly referred to as

“Scotland’s Jane Austen”- was

somewhat of an unsung hero

in Scottish literature.

---

---

16 FOOD AND DRINK

Café review: Amarelo

CROSSWORD

Compiled by David Albury

Coffee stop at

Causewayside

Amarelo stirs things up on the Southside of Edinburgh

By CHARLIE ELLIS

SINCE OPENING at the start of

2018, Amarelo (102 Causewayside)

has quickly established itself as a

popular destination for coffee

drinkers and hungry lunchers in

Causewayside and surrounding areas.

Hayley Clarke and Ali Everitt built up

a loyal fanbase with their varied range

of freshly made salads, sandwiches

and wraps, as well as delicious soups.

Now under new management, the

place has maintained its standards.

Their pizza wraps are particularly

scrumptious, while their sandwiches

include classic combinations (tuna

crunch) and some more unusual

ones (such as coronation chickpea,

brie & crispy bacon). There are a

plethora of great veggie, vegan and

gluten free options. Gluten free

and vegan tray-bakes also feature

in their tempting baking section.

Look out for their red velvet cake,

Portuguese custard tarts and yummy

doughnut bites!

Amarelo’s excellent custom blend

coffee comes from local roasters Forth

(based in Newbridge). The idea was to

have “something original that you

can’t get elsewhere, something a bit

different”. Described as “sweet, cedar,

chocolate and spicy” it certainly

produces a consistently flavoursome

espresso. Their smooth and rich

cortado is particularly good. Also

popular is their flavoursome turmeric

latte. Amarelo also serve Shibui

leaf teas.

Though primarily a takeaway they

do have window seats from which

you can enjoy your food and drink

surrounded by lovely William Morris

wallpaper. Along with the Art & Craft

Collective and August 21 over the

road, Amarelo is part of a hub of

excellent local businesses in this part

of Causewayside. Less than five

minutes from the East end of the

Meadows, Amarelo is an ideal place

to pick up a tasty and healthy lunch

to take to the park.

Custom has picked up in

recent months as more people

return to the various offices

nearby and more tourists arrive.

The busyness of the place reflects

their fresh, tasty food and coffee and

good customer service.

www.facebook.com/amarelodeli

ACROSS

7 Royal horse meeting (5)

8 Requiring much work (9)

10 Two-piece swimsuit (6)

11 One who tends a flock

of sheep (8)

12 Neutral, not showing favour (8)

13 Unlit or mysterious (4)

15 Extreme feelings of pain (7)

17 Liquid metal and name

of a planet (7)

20 Detergent, cleansing agent (4)

22 Person who checks eyes and

dispenses spectacles (8)

25 The time by which something

must be completed (8)

26 False, a lie (6)

27 Tuneful (9)

28 Machine that gives off a loud,

wailing sound as a warning (5)

DOWN

1 The activity of spying (9)

2 Country ruled by a single person

or government (8)

3 The edge of a road (7)

4 Extremely lazy (4-4)

5 Code (6)

6 Hot Indian food (5)

9 Assists (4)

14 Club member in charge

of money (9)

16 Very open or clear in

explanation (8)

18 Drink made of various

ingredients (8)

19 Conceal, especially a mistake (5-2)

21 Very likely to win, better chance

than evens (4-2)

23 Vicious hooligan (4)

24 Put off, discourage (5)

ANSWERS

Across: 7 Ascot, 8 Laborious, 10 Bikini, 11 Shepherd, 12 Unbiased, 13 Dark, 15 Agonies, 17

Mercury, 20 Soap, 22 Optician, 25 Deadline, 26 Untrue, 27 Melodious, 28 Siren.

Down: 1 Espionage, 2 Dominion, 3 Wayside, 4 Bone-idle, 5 Cipher, 6 Curry, 9 Aids, 14 Treasurer,

16 Explicit, 18 Cocktail, 19 Cover-up, 21 Odds-on, 23 Thug, 24 Deter.

Have you had your fill?

THE REFILLERY - a plastic free

grocery and ethical goods store

has opened its third branch at

Waverley Market. Edinburgh’s

largest plastic free grocery store,

sells an extensive range of

wholefoods, herbs and spices,

detergents and bathroom

essentials that can be refilled in

existing packaging or in basically

anything you can carry it home in.

And they have organic fruit and

vegetables, delicious locally

baked bread, fresh milk in

returnable glass bottles and a

range of non-plastic grocery

items and ethical gifts.

In just under three years, The

Refillery’s customers have saved

over half a million pieces of

plastic by offering a range of

plastic free alternatives.

Founder of The Refillery, Kelly

Wright, said: “Waverley Market is

such a great location for us to

continue our mission to make

plastic free shopping accessible

to more people. I’m really

looking forward to opening

our latest store.”

---

17

Juliet’s food diary

Whisky wonderland

Naughty but nice festive experiences which should top your Christmas wishlist

By JULIET LAWRENCE WILSON

CONTRARY TO SANTA, you’re far more

likely to get a cracking gift if you’re on my

naughty list. What does make me feel like a

good woman, is when I’ve really nailed it

present-wise. Whisky lovers in my life may

find a Woven Tasting Trio under the tree

this year. Featuring three exquisite and

characterful blends, or “experiences”, as

they call them, it feels altruistic to support a

new and innovative Edinburgh business.

Based at The Biscuit Factory, their blending

studio has certainly been busy. Co-founder

and Blender, Peter Allison tells me that

their experiences stand out because they’re

sourcing much higher quality malt and

grain whiskies.

“We’re making very small batches, only

400 bottles at a time,” he said. “It’s about

paying more care and attention and

marrying the spirit for extended periods

of time.”

Here’s the science according to Woven:

the fats and acids in whisky take time to

fuse together. The longer the marrying

process is given, the more harmonious

the result and it creates “better mouth

feel”. Hmm, entirely like traditional

marriage then?

Excitingly, despite the Woven collective’s

extensive experience in the industry,

Pete tells me that although they follow a

process in blending, he’s entirely selftaught:

“You have to trust your own palate

and be prepared to write the story you

want to read.”

The impressive results aside, one thing

that makes the brand stand out for me is

(Top left) Woven

Whisky blends

(Top right) sweet treats

from Ptasie Mleczko

(Above) Carlo and Katia

of East Coast

(Above right) fruits

of the sea

that they’ll never try to make the same

blend twice. It’s certainly an initiative that’s

looking forward. “We want to build a

community around our products,” Pete

enthuses. “Whisky shouldn’t be

intimidating, it’s about bringing people in

so they can enjoy it as much as we do.”

The modern and minimalist packaging is

also appealing and the initial sample set

features three experiences. A keen cook,

Pete said that Experience 1 is brilliantly

suited to pair with stilton, as the smoky and

sweet notes cut through the acidity of the

cheese beautifully. Experience 2 is the

perfect accompaniment to a mince pie, and

Experience 3 is fantastic in a hot toddy.

When I first nosed Experience 3 my initial

thought was, it’s beginning to smell a lot

like Christmas, and can see how this would

work with honey, lemon and spices.

Although I’m a whisky lover, I’m by no

means an expert but I would attest that

these alchemistic concoctions are the

perfect tipple to broaden your palate and

appreciate for pure pleasure.

Santa may be making a longer stop off at

Chez Juliet this Christmas Eve. Woven’s

3x10cl Tasting Pack Trio costs £35. To

purchase visit wovenwhisky.com

On the subject of Christmas sweet treats

it can be annoying that most are so heavy.

Step forward Ptasie Mleczko Edinburgh –

try saying that after a few drams. These are

small batch, artisan, chocolate-coated

Mallow Mousse and are utterly exquisite.

As beautiful to look at as they taste, they

come in a variety of flavours and there are

also vegetarian and vegan options. Made by

Ed Janusz from Ed’s Supper club, who I

mentioned in our last issue, these would

make a perfect gift for the sweet-toothed.

Visit pmedinburgh.co.uk to order.

I’ve been fortunate enough to be invited

to a few Scotch Malt Whisky Society events

including the beautiful Queen Street

Garden Party and the decadent and full-on

glam Great Gatsby Evening. One of the

membership benefits is access to the

gorgeous Leith Vaults membership room.

Perfect for enjoying a few cosy evenings in

the winter chill. Membership costs £65 and

can be bought at smws.com

With more people moving out of

town, this has been good news for the

culinary offerings outside the city centre.

I recently enjoyed the fabulous seafood

restaurant East Coast in Musselburgh. The

contemporary space is warm, inviting and

reassuringly attached to a chippy that’s been

in owners Carlo and Katia’s family since the

1970s. We enjoyed some zingingly fresh

dressed crab on sourdough toast followed

by lobster and chips, both cooked to

perfection, and a sumptuous saffron risotto

with Parma ham rolled monkfish and a red

wine jus. You can always judge a restaurant

by its risotto and this was spectacular

Rounding off with a delicate tiramisu, it

was a generously portioned and delicious

meal. The service is friendly and personal

and the atmosphere buzzing. It’s certainly

worth heading out of town for. Carlo and

Katia also run East Coast Fish and Chip

shop next door. Please visit eastcoast

restaurant.co.uk for more information.

---

18 WHAT’S ON

CULTURE • LITERATURE • EVENTS • MUSIC • MUSEUMS...

New arrivals

Landmark exhibition spanning 110 years at Modern One

Top right, Marc

Chagall, L’Écuyère

Dali’s 1938 Lobster

Telephone, above

Far Left, France-Lise

McGurn’s Bachelorette

Left, Damien Hirst’s

Wretched War

Right, collage by

Wangechi Mutu

A NEW EXHIBITION at Modern One will run until

spring 2023, and will show off the gallery’s acquisitions

over the last five years. Some of these have been made

possible by bequests and gifts by supporters. Others

have come to the gallery through the Arts Council’s

Acceptance-in-Lieu and Cultural Gifts schemes, which

enabled the acquisition of Damien Hirst’s life-size

bronze sculpture Wretched War (2004); the first portrait

Oskar Kokoschka painted in Britain after arriving as a

refugee in 1939, and a remarkable set of 21 monotypes

by the great Russian Constructivist artist Naum Gabo.

Along with a Picasso, there are other works by

contemporary artists and new exhibits will be

introduced during the run of this important display

which will take up the entire ground floor.

Highlights of the exhibition will include striking and

vibrant woodcuts by Alberta Whittle, who will

represent Scotland at the 59th International Venice

Biennale; a large-scale diptych by France-Lise McGurn,

the Glasgow-based artist renowned for paintings

comprised of intuitive brushstrokes, and a painting by

the acclaimed Scottish painter and printmaker, Barbara

Rae, CBE RA RSA RE.

New Arrivals: From Salvador Dalí to Jenny Saville

27 November 2021 – Spring 2023.

Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art (Modern One),

75 Belford Road, Edinburgh, EH4 3DR

0131 624 6200 / nationalgalleries.org

Admission free, but advance booking recommended

#OurNewArrivals

‘A New

Language’

Exhibition at

Fruitmarket

Gallery

Howardena Pindell’s first

solo exhibition in a public

organisation in the UK

HOWARDENA PINDELL: A NEW

LANGUAGE is the artist’s first solo

institutional exhibition in the UK and

the second exhibition to take place in

the new Fruitmarket. It will run until

May 2022.

The artist has had a six decade long

career and showing her multifaceted

talents, some of her writings are

included in the exhibitor along with

works on paper, video and a

publication with her writing sitting

alongside newly commissioned essays

about her art.

Fiona Bradley, Director,

Fruitmarket, said: “It is exciting to be

able to bring an extensive selection of

Pindell’s work to the UK for the first

time, and to present her way of

thinking, art making and writing to

our audience. Working with

Howardena, looking at her work, and

reading her writing has been inspiring

and enlightening for me, and I cannot

wait to share her vision more widely”.

The exhibition is being staged in

collaboration with Kettle's Yard in

Cambridge and Spike Island in Bristol

and will tour to both of these galleries

in 2022.

Andrew Nairne, Director, Kettle’s

Yard, said: “We are delighted to be able

to work with Fruitmarket and Spike

Island to present the remarkable work

of Howardena Pindell at Kettle’s Yard.”

Robert Leckie, Director, Spike

Island, said: “For the last six decades,

Pindell’s fiercely experimental

approach to art-making has tested the

formal boundaries of art as much as

the structural inequities of the field. I

am thrilled that this collaboration

between Spike Island, Fruitmarket and

Kettle’s Yard will enable her potent

work and ideas to become more widely

known throughout the UK.”

Howardena Pindell: A New Language

Fruitmarket, Edinburgh, until 2 May

2022. Open 7 days.

Gallery spaces 11am–6pm

Bookshop and Café 10am–6pm

www.fruitmarket.co.uk

---

19

It’s a spectacle of light

Magical woodlands at Dalkeith Country Park shine bright for children’s charity CHAS

DALKEITH COUNTRY Park’s Spectacle of

Light and Santa Fun Run is an opportunity to

raise vital funds for Children’s Hospices Across

Scotland (CHAS) this month.

The park has been in a charity partnership

with CHAS since May 2019 raising money for

children with life limiting conditions through a

series of events and donations from across the

business. The partnership draws to a close on 31

December, allowing Dalkeith Country Park to

create opportunities with a different charity

next year, and the team at the park is determined

to raise as much as possible before the end of

the year.

The Park’s Santa Fun Run and the Rainbow’s

End feature within Spectacle of Light will be the

last two major fundraising drives when people

can help raise money for CHAS children and

families.

Stephen Begg, sales and events manager at

Dalkeith Country Park, said: “We know from

our colleagues at CHAS that the last year and a

half has been an incredibly difficult time for

CHAS families. Even more than in normal

times. To be able to raise money for CHAS

children through family focussed events like

Spectacle of Light and our Santa Fun Run brings

an extra dimension of meaning to Christmas at

Dalkeith Country Park.”

#dalkeithcountrypark

www.dalkeithcountrypark.co.uk

www.restorationyard.com

ESSENTIAL CHRISTMAS LISTINGS...

HERE IS A selection of what is on in

Edinburgh this month. (Look for

further details on Facebook before

finalising your plans). Remember the

year-round markets at Leith on

Saturdays, Stockbridge on Sundays,

the original Farmers’ Market at Castle

Terrace on Saturdays and the market

at Portobello on the first Saturday of

each month.

JACK AND THE BEANSTALK

Inverleith St Serf's from 1 - 4

December 2021 with the St Serf's

Players.

THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL

LIVE IN CONCERT

Usher Hall on 2 December.

CHRISTMAS BAROQUE BY

CANDLELIGHT WITH LONDON

CONCERTANTE

3 December 7.30pm at St Giles

Cathedral.

OUT OF THE BLUE (OOTB)

CHRISTMAS ARTS MARKETS

Saturday 4 and 11 December, from

11am - 5pm, £2/£1 Artwork and

crafts for sale direct from the artists in

the relaxed atmosphere of OOTB.

Over the two dates, more than 100

artists and makers will be selling their

work, ranging from paintings, prints

and photography through fashion ,

jewellery and textiles to ceramics,

soft furnishings and design . The

licensed Drill Hall cafe will be open,

serving delicious and wholesome

meals, snacks and refreshments.

GLOW SCOTTISH DESIGN FAIR

At Dovecot, 4 and 5 December.

Celebrating the best in local design,

GLOW is back again this December. A

curated selling event, GLOW is

brought to you by the producers of

CLOTH. This is the perfect

opportunity to support local makers,

take part in a creative workshop, and

pick up festive gifts, accessories, and

homeware. GLOW takes place on the

Tapestry Studio Viewing Balcony.

Admission: £3

SPECTACLE OF LIGHT

Dalkeith Country Park returns from 4

December and runs until 2 January.

CHRISTMAS DRIVE-IN TOUR AT

MURRAYFIELD ICE RINK

4 and 5 December £33 per car

Christmas is upon us, and we can’t

wait to showcase some of the best

festive hits, coming to a location near

you! Come and join us for a night of

quizzes, comedy and film! Our

contactless experience is seamless

enough for you to enjoy from the

comfort and safety of your car.

At Summerhall there are online

and in person events this year. Either

browse the Online Christmas Market

on their website, or head to

Summerhall on Sunday 5 December

for this year’s in-person market. This

year, Summerhall is offering you the

best of both worlds,

They have hand-picked 50 of their

favourite independent Scottish

sellers and makers, and will be

celebrating the local businesses

throughout the festive season. All

stallholders will keep 100% of their

profits.

CHRISTMAS MARKET MAKERS

Support the Makers, 5 and 19

December at Old Dr Bell’s Baths

A huge line up of super talented

Makers will attend the Christmas

Market from 10am - 4pm.

Showcasing a beautiful selection of

locally curated handmade products,

ranging from food, home wear,

jewellery, art, accessories & textiles.

Advance Tickets are on sale now.

Tickets also available at the door.

Children under 16 are free.

(And on 19 December at Bellfield

Porty. Search for Support the Makers

Christmas Market on Facebook.)

OCEAN TERMINAL

CHRISTMAS MARKET

5, 12, 19 and 23 December. Santa's

Grotto and a makers’ market with

handcrafted gifts on the ground floor.

LOVE ACTUALLY IN CONCERT

6 December Usher Hall. The film is

screened with live orchestra playing.

Ticketmaster to book.

HOPETOUN HOUSE

CHRISTMAS MARKET

10-12 December. The annual

Christmas Shopping Fair with

Afternoon Tea will return to

Hopetoun House on Friday 10th,

Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th

December from 10am – 4.30pm.

Tickets must be pre booked online

and in advance. All visitors will be

required to show a Covid passport in

order to gain entry to the event.

Online booking for Afternoon Tea in

the Carriage Room is now open and

you can book below. Make sure

you pre-book both the fair and

afternoon tea.

ST JOHN'S CHURCH POP UP SHOP

FOR CARDS FOR GOOD CAUSES

The U.K.’s largest charity Christmas

card retailer, is now open at St John's

Episcopal Church, Princes Street until

18 December.

FIVE SISTERS ZOO

From 1 - 23 December with Christmas

Zoo illuminations

THE NUTCRACKER AT THE

FESTIVAL THEATRE

Costumes plucked from the most

gorgeous chocolate box, and

Tchaikovsky’s score to transport you

to a land of dreams, with a story lifted

straight from the pages of a classic

fairy tale.

ROYAL YACHT BRITANNIA

You could have your own Royal

Christmas. Britannia is a magical

venue during the festive season and

is a stunning setting for dinners and

evening receptions, for either a

corporate celebration or private

occasion. They will serve traditional

Christmas Dinner for 40+ guests.

For the more modest enjoy a scone

and a cup of tea in their Tea Room

with your admission. Or try their sister

ship Fingal for breakfast afternoon tea

or dinner.

A longer comprehensive set of

listings can be viewed online at

theedinburghreporter.co.uk

---

20

WHAT’S ON

THIS MONTH AT THE QUEEN’S HALL...

SCOTTISH CHAMBER ORCHESTRA:

BRANDENBURG 5

2 December • 7.30pm

The glistening minimalism of Adams; the

grand invention of Mozart; and the captivating

entertainment of Bach. Maxim Emelyanychev

showcases the exceptional talents of the SCO’s

string and wind players – both separately and

together – in this striking concert bringing

together ancient and modern.

THE SWEET

10 December • 8pm

Above - Phil’s

Songbook is

usually a sell-out

gig

ROSS WILSON: BLUE ROSE CODE

3 December • 8pm

Ross Wilson returns to The Queen’s Hall with

his Blue Rose Code and, for all of us, too long

in exile from each other, we mark the end of

what has been a period of extraordinary

tumult and disconnection by coming together,

one more time for a communion of love and

light. The show will open with Fat Suit, a

genre-defying collective from Glasgow, whose

multi-disciplined cast of musicians from jazz,

folk, rock, and electronic worlds embrace a

seamless mix of musical styles.

SCOTTISH CHAMBER ORCHESTRA:

MYTHS & LEGENDS

9 December • 7.30pm

Vibrant Portuguese conductor Joana Carneiro

mixes together Ravel and Mahler in a glittering

storybook of musical fantasy: From ‘Sleeping

Beauty’ and ‘Tom Thumb’ to ghostly lovers and

St Anthony preaching to the fish.

Sweet will bring their ‘Hellraiser’ tour to

Edinburgh, with special guests, the popular

Thin Lizzy tribute band, Limehouse Lizzy. By

the early 70’s The Sweet were arguably the

hottest ticket in town with a string of top ten

records in the UK and Europe including

Blockbuster, Hellraiser, Ballroom Blitz, Teenage

Rampage’and The Sixteens. (Vaccine passport

/ exemption required)

20TH ANNIVERSARY OF FLAMENCO

GUITARIST AND COMPOSER DANIEL

MARTINEZ

12 December • 7pm

To mark his 20 year anniversary as a flamenco

guitarist, the award winning musician and

composer Daniel Martinez presents a truly

special flamenco guitar concert in Edinburgh’s

iconic Queen’s Hall.

DUNEDIN CONSORT: HANDEL -

CHILDREN’S ‘MESSIAH’

17 December • 4pm

Fun for all the family is guaranteed in our

interactive 45-minute concerts specifically

devised for children which will include all the

Rick Wakeman

(right ) promising

not to be too

grumpy

best tunes from Handel’s ‘Messiah’. You can

even expect an appearance from Handel

himself to introduce his most famous

melodies…! Free to adults with tickets for the

evening event.

DUNEDIN CONSORT: HANDEL –

‘MESSIAH’

17 December • 7pm

This extraordinary and enduring work has

become a staple of the Christmas season, with

its glorious arias and choruses ringing out in

concert halls around the world. But with

Dunedin Consort it never loses its magic.

Christmas just wouldn’t be complete without

it!

RICK WAKEMAN: NOT QUITE AS GRUMPY

AS LAST CHRISTMAS (almost sold out)

18 December • 7.30pm

Expect spellbinding piano music, side-splitting

stories and revealing insights into Rick’s

lengthy and varied career with an evening of

superb musicianship.

PHIL CUNNINGHAM’S CHRISTMAS

SONGBOOK

20 - 21 December • 7.30pm

Teeming with jovial anecdotes, modern and

traditional Christmas music and exquisite

musicianship that will tug at ones heartstrings.

Phil will be joined by some of the finest

musicians on the Scottish folk scene including:

Eddi Reader, Karen Matheson, John McCusker,

Kris Drever, Ian Carr and Kevin McGuire along

with a special guest Brass Band.

www.thequeenshall.net

A weekend gig for jazz aficionados

THE SCOTTISH JAZZ Weekend

will run from 10 to 12 December

and includes acts such as Criss

Cross Europe, the guitarist Nathan

Somevi, a bit of funk, soul and

R&B from Aki Remally, a jaunt

through the southern states with

Ali Affleck and a super group

formed by alto saxophonist,

Martin Kershaw, and trumpeter,

Colin Steele, playing the music of

Cannonball and Nat Adderley.

And a heads up that there will be

more music in February with The

Scottish Blues Weekend.

A digital weekend pass costs

£10 and you can watch the

concerts online as many times as

you like.

Some concerts during the

weekend will take place in person

at Assembly Roxy and others will

be available online.

To find out more visit:

www.edinburghjazz

festival.com/whats-on

---

GET IN TOUCH

TODAY!

For advertising and editorial

enquiries please email:

editor@theedinburgh

reporter.co.uk

21

---

22 NEWS

Blossoming Botanists

Fictional characters Elizabeth and Belle come alive with Sophie’s paintings

By STEPHEN RAFFERTY

THE TWO MAIN characters in author Sara

Sheridan’s historical romantic novel, The Fair

Botanists, have been “brought to life” and

feature in a winter art exhibition

Set in Edinburgh in 1822 around the time of

King George IV’s visit to the city and when the

Royal Botanic Garden moved from its original

Leith home to Inverleith, the book’s main

protagonists are widow and botanical

draughtswoman Elizabeth Rocheid and

vivacious and mysterious Belle Brodie.

The author’s friend and acclaimed artist

Sophie McKay Knight has translated Elizabeth

and Belle from the pages of The Fair Botanists

onto canvas, and they are on display at the

Velvet Easel Gallery in Portobello.

Velvet Easel owner, Jane Grant, said: “These

large canvases are painted in Sophie McKay

Knight’s distinctive style. The two paintings

are similar in their colour palate but both

very different in terms of the characters

they portray, and once you have read

the book you will understand what I

mean by that.

“It is fantastic to see art and

literature come together so wonderfully

in these evocative paintings, and

it was great to have a visit

from both the artist and the

author who came to see the

paintings in situ in

Portobello.

“It was unusual for

women to be interested

in botany at that time,

certainly very unusual

for them to get any

recognition, as it was a

very male dominated

profession. Both of these

Jane

Grant

paintings are available individually, or

as a pair, and I think they would

look stunning in an Edinburgh

house.”

Author Sara said: “‘I love

Sophie’s work - she is an artist

who truly makes magic. I

was blown away when she

decided to paint Belle and

Elizabeth, and she has

captured them so

beautifully. Belle is very

flirtatious - you can see

that straight away - and

Elizabeth is both vulnerable

and haughty. I love both paintings.

“Seeing them close up in the gallery was like

meeting these women, who exist in my

imagination, in real life. It's an honour that

they engaged the imagination of such a

talented artist.”

Artist Sophie revealed that Sara had no idea

she was creating the characters, which are

acrylic and screenprint on canvas.

She said: “I am often inspired by historical

and/or fictional characters, but my images are

usually fused with people I know or

developments from previous paintings.

“As soon as I 'met' Belle and Elizabeth in

Sara's book, they existed for me completely and

Walking in a Window Wanderland

Author Sara Sheridan

and her dog Dotty

with artist Sophie

McKay Knight

in a very real sense. The two women in Sara's

novel were so real to me that I absolutely had to

paint them as individuals.

“It is a credit to Sara's wonderful writing

and character conception that I was able to

do this. As soon as the paintings were 'born'

I had to show Sara, who had no idea I was

creating them.”

Elizabeth and Belle - and a wide range

of paintings, prints, ceramics, glass, jewellery

and gifts – feature in the Velvet Easel’s

winter exhibition until February. The gallery

at 298 Portobello High Street is open Thursday

to Sunday.

www.velveteasel.co.uk

Doing Wheelies

RESIDENTS IN Portobello are

being asked to dress up their

windows to create a winter

Window Wanderland.

The initiative, by Action Porty,

is encouraging occupiers to

design a festive window, and

to display it by leaving their

curtains open, for locals to enjoy

while wandering around the

seaside town.

People are encouraged not to

buy new materials but to

creatively repurpose plastic

bottles, cartons, coloured paper

and similar items. A small

number of art packs are available

free of charge for those who can’t

access materials.

Portobello Window

Wanderland runs from Friday 10

December to Monday 13

December from 5.30pm to

8.30pm, during which residents

are asked to leave lights on and

curtains open.

This year’s theme is “Heart Talk”

– something close to your heart

– which could mean nature,

community, your pet, your

favourite charity, your family,

home, music, sport, hopes for the

future – pretty much anything

that matters to you.

Residents taking part are asked

to register (no charge) on the

event Facebook page so that

others know the locations of

festive windows, which will be

shown on a map.

The winter window display will

be preceded by a late night

festive shopping initiative on

Portobello High Street on

Thursday 9 December with many

local traders extending hours

and encouraging people to shop

local for Christmas gifts.

For more information visit

www.bit.ly/3r3RqV2

LOOK OUT for three newly unveiled

National Transport Trust Red Wheels. These

plaques denote a site of transport heritage.

Baroness Annabel Goldie performed the

official ceremonies at Claverhouse, and the

site of the former Madelvic Car Factory in

Granton, and also at Holyrood Distillery at

the end of the Innocent Railway Tunnel.

Claverhouse was the Duke of Buccleuch’s

railway hotel at the southern end of a ferry

which sailed to Burntisland. Founded in

1898 by city astronomer, William Peck,

Madelvic developed electric vehicles,

powered by an extra fifth wheel

underneath. The Post Office had three vans

ferrying mail from Waterloo Place to Leith.

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SPORT

23

Green and white

Ian Jacobs

knuckle ride

New book by super-fan Colin Leslie

takes us through the highs and lows

at Easter Road during the 1980s

By JOHN HISLOP

STRUGGLING TO find a suitable

Christmas gift for the Hibs’ fan in

your life? Look no further. A new

book, Bestie to Beastie to Belgium,

is an absorbing account of a “green

and white knuckle ride” through

the 1980s, written by lifelong fan

Colin Leslie.

Why would any right-minded

Hibs’ supporter want to go and

dredge up the 1980s, asks the

author. No frills, no trophies,

precious few derby wins and

an alarming slide towards

near extinction.

That question is answered

in fine detail with tales of George

Best, arguably the finest footballer

to grace the beautiful game, the

golden generation of youngsters,

Collins, Weir, Hunter, Kane,

May, Roughie and Goram, and

Stevie Archibald who signed

from Barcelona after turning

down Liverpool.

The 1985 League Cup run

beating both sides of the Old Firm,

losing to Dundee United in the last

game of that season when a goal

60-miles away sparked mayhem in

the East Terracing, the battle of

Easter Road when Graeme

Souness’s multi-millionaires started

their journey, and European nights

returned to Leith.

The author has captured these

memorable days perfectly, and after

reading late into the night my

confused wife asked me in the

morning: “Who is Miller and why

must he go?”

Having watched Eric Stevenson,

Peter Cormack, Peter Marinello, Joe

McBride and Joe Baker grace the

Easter Road turf in the 60s and the

“best brand of football the world’s

ever seen” from the Tornadoes in

the 70s, then Keith, Franck and

Russell in the 90s, it’s easy to

dismiss the Trainspotting decade

but looking back, it wasn’t that bad.

As a football book aficionado

I am more than happy to

recommend this to fans of

all persuasions.

Colin told The Edinburgh

Reporter: “The Eighties may have

been tough to watch for Hibs fans,

particularly the derbies, but it was a

period of characters and characterbuilding.

I started off the decade

being lifted over the turnstiles at

Easter Road as a primary school kid

and finished the decade in my late

teens with a boozy trip to Belgium

following Hibs to Liège.

“There were plenty of great

memories, drama and classic

matches in between. It’s been a

pleasure to return to those

formative years and to speak to the

players who were my heroes, from

Gordon Rae to John Collins to

Mickey Weir. These guys gave their

all for Hibs and gladly gave their

time to contribute their insight to

this book.

“It’s also been a pleasure to

include so many stories from the

supporters - they were and continue

to be the lifeblood of Hibs and their

recollections prove that while the

Eighties were less than glorious,

they were rarely dull.”

Having lived through that decade

I have to agree - it was the

“George” Best of times, it was

the worst of times.

The book is available to pre-order

and order from the

Bestie2Beastie2Belgium website

and will be available in the

Hibernian Club Store from

Tuesday 14 December, when

the home fixture will be played

against Dundee.

Howzat! MES in UK cricket top 20

THE MARY Erskine School,

(MES) has been awarded a

place in the UK’s top 20

all-girls schools for cricket,

in The Cricketer Schools

Guide 2022.

The school has one of the

largest cricket programmes

for girls in Scotland, with over

160 girls playing the game.

It began in 2015 when PE

teacher, Pippa Johnston,

asked Cricket Scotland for

their help in starting a

sector-leading cricket

programme for girls in

the school.

Kirsty Nicholson, MES

Head, said: “We are

absolutely delighted. Cricket

is a popular sport among the

girls and our partnership of

dedicated staff and former

pupils has proved to be a

powerful one, giving every

girl the chance to learn and

enjoy cricket. We are deeply

proud of those pupils that

have represented their

country but the real success

is the sheer number of girls

who are now taking part in

this great sport.”

Extension for

Paul Hanlon

HIBS CAPTAIN Paul Hanlon has agreed a

contract extension that will run until the

summer of 2024.

The central defender is approaching

500 games for his boyhood favourites

after making his debut for the club on 12

January 2008, against Inverness

Caledonian Thistle in The Scottish Cup.

Signed from Hutchison Vale as an

attacking midfielder, he scored plenty of

goals in youth football, but he was

converted to a defender after he joined

Hibs.

His performances earned him 21 caps

for Scotland’s under-21 side and he was

named captain for the 2013 UEFA

European Under-21 Championship

campaign.

In 2016 he scored “that” goal at

Tynecastle to secure a replay and went

on to help the club win The Scottish Cup

for the first time in 114 years.

Hanlon received his first call-up to the

senior Scotland squad in November

2017, for a friendly match with the

Netherlands and was recalled to the

squad in October 2020. He made his full

international debut in a 1–0 win against

the Czech Republic.

He was named club captain following

the retirement of “Sir” David Gray.

Hanlon said: “I’m absolutely delighted.

Talks moved forward when CEO, Ben

Kensell came in and I’m really glad it’s

over the line.

“When I was younger, my main aim

was to just play for Hibs, which I’ve

managed to do, and everything else has

been a bonus. I’m delighted to represent

and play for my boyhood club for a

number of years.

“I feel like I’m coming into my peak

years as a central defender, and hopefully

more is still to come. It’s an honour to be

captain of this club and hopefully I can

be a successful one.”

Head coach, Jack Ross added: “It’s clear

to everyone how much this football club

means to Paul and equally how

important he is to this team.

“Paul is an outstanding professional

and sets standards on a daily basis by

how he trains and conducts himself.

“He is continuing to develop his

leadership qualities by having the

responsibility of club captaincy and I am

delighted that he will remain part of our

continued future progress.”

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