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A growing need for green space: planners and developers take note!

Volunteers digging for fun at Redbraes. Greenspace helps make people healthier and happier and builds stronger, safer communities too.

You may have noticed that gardens are beginning to take up more space in Leith Open Space newsletters. Perhaps that’s not surprising. According to a recent survey by Greener Leith, more people want to use the space in Leith Links for gardens and childrens play areas than for football, golf or, indeed, any other sport. But will the opinions of local people count for anything with planners and developers? Continue reading “A growing need for green space: planners and developers take note!”

High (and dry) in Ocean Terminal

He’s done it again. Following the spectacular show in the Botanics on that cold, wet midsummer night, Kimho Ip (that’s him on the right) brought music and dance to another unconventional venue as part of this year’s Mela festival. But this time it could rain as much as it liked because the performance took place in the shelter of Ocean Terminal. And, no, you are not imagining things, Louise Martin the cellist is enormously tall. With a little help from stilts hidden beneath that dress. Continue reading “High (and dry) in Ocean Terminal”

Poetry afloat in St Andrew Square

Wring the Scottish rain clouds dry…Ron Butlin

Some hope. It rained of course but the sun shone too so Edinburgh’s new Makar, Ron Butlin, brought the perfect poem to launch Poetry in St Andrew Square: A Recipe for Whisky, laced with all the elements of Scotland’s weather. Come rain, hail, sleet or sun, the poetry garden is now open for business and waiting for you to help it grow… Continue reading “Poetry afloat in St Andrew Square”

Red Eye opens on Friday

Definitely not racist, FOUND loving music at Cabaret Voltaire

Red Eye is the great name for a new film club opening in Leith on Friday 5 September (great whether you are suffering from four long weeks of festival or not). Don’t miss the first night’s screening of Who Shot the Sheriff with fantastic footage of the Clash, Misty in Roots, Estelle, Ms Dynamite and Hard-Fi among others. This history of Rock against Racism (now Love Music Hate Racism) kicks off at 7pm in Pilmeny Youth Club, 44 Buchanan Street. It’s just off Leith Walk and it’s free! Continue reading “Red Eye opens on Friday”

It’s a wrap: Return of the Soul needs a helping hand

It took a lot of helping hands to install Edinburgh’s most powerful festival exhibition, Return of the Soul: the Nakbah project by Jane Frere. Now more volunteers are needed for the massive task of unhooking more than 3,000 wax figures from the Patriothall Gallery in Stockbridge when the show ends on Monday. “That will involve bubblewrapping the figures and sending them on their way to Lebanon,” says Nick Gardner, one of the volunteers (read his review on Leith and North).

If you would like to help email returnofthesoul@gmail.com or call in at the gallery.

Return of the soul

“This isn’t political, it’s humanitarian.” Jane Frere.

Each one is different. You can’t be sure of course, it would take a long time to study each of the 3,000 figures suspended from the ceiling of Patriothall Gallery. But although it’s the mass of humanity that you notice when you first walk into the gallery, I think it is the individuality of each small figure that makes Return of the Soul so very moving. Continue reading “Return of the soul”

The magic of Redbraes

Grassroots, the Zimbabwean band, bring the festival spirit to Redbraes

“I keep smiling thinking about it,” says Becky and her pictures tell the rest of the story. After months of hard work Redbraes community garden opened to the public on Saturday with a party that even the sun enjoyed. Continue reading “The magic of Redbraes”

Police raid Botanics for Redbraes Open Day

Caught greenhanded! PC Simon Daley (that’s him on the right), raids the nursery of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh – with a lot of help from nursery supervisor Pete Brownless (that’s him in the middle) and PC Ian Penicuik. Continue reading “Police raid Botanics for Redbraes Open Day”

Spoilt for choice in the Festival of Politics

Pop stars, pundits and politicians – with events featuring Annie Lennox, Dennis Healey and Evan Davies, we are tempted to book tickets for everything in this year’s Festival of Politics programme. As many events are free, that would not break the bank. And even the celebrity spots cost just £6 which compares favourably with Fringe events. Continue reading “Spoilt for choice in the Festival of Politics”

Not just singing in the rain…

A week later, it is still hard to believe that last Saturday’s event in the Botanics was such a wonderful experience for audience and performers alike. If the morning forecast was bad the evening weather was much worse. This was no midsummer magic. Yet people queued patiently in the downpour to get into the Temperate Palmhouse for the opening improvisation between FOUND, Shanghai Jazz and Korphai, and then out again (maybe a little reluctantly) to follow a watery trail to the Chinese Hillside. Continue reading “Not just singing in the rain…”