This newsletter should get the circulation going. Here’s a sample of Scottish Asian poetry, a new Polish memorial (with or without Wojtek the bear) and a bonfire party at Redbraes. Plus our heartwarming harvest at Persevere garden, Frances Kahembwe on climate change in Africa, a Red Eye film club take on US politics and Scotland’s first Living Library with volunteers from Leith lining up to tell their story. We hope you enjoy it all.
Whoever wins on Tuesday, Red Eye film club takes a hard look at US politics on Friday 7 November. As organiser Mike Cowley comments: “Robert Redford’s ‘The Candidate’ will screen at a telling moment in US history. Can a black politician espousing liberal values win in the country of the free? And will that victory be a pyrrhic one, as Redford’s character Bill McKay discovers?” Continue reading “Red Eye Friday: focus on US politics”
We are about to dig up the potatoes we planted on one of the coldest and wettest midsummer days on record. Come and join us for the Persevere Tattie Harvest from 12noon on Saturday 11 October. Continue reading “One potato, two potato…and maybe even more at Persevere open day”
Make a note. If it’s the first Friday of the month it’s Red Eye Friday. The new radical film club opened in September with Who Shot the Sheriff. This month’s screening in Pilmeny Youth Centre on Friday 3 October offers a UK Cold War thriller Defence of the Realm which teeters on the brink of nuclear disaster in the days of dear old Ronald Reagan. Continue reading “Red Eye Friday”
Don’t miss the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning. We are all invited to join Mark Lazarowicz and Malcolm Chisholm, our MP and MSP, at the mammoth annual fundraising event which raised more than £7 million last year. Thanks to Tony Crolla of Vittoria’s the proceeds from every cup of coffee sold at the Edinburgh North and Leith event will be donated to Macmillans who are aiming to raise £8.5 million this year! Continue reading “The world’s biggest coffee morning: in Leith”
There are no right or wrong answers. But the questions speak volumes. For the first time the Scottish government is setting out to discover the diversity of Muslim communities in Scotland and how much they may be affected by Islamophobia. Questionnaires which will help to shape future policy on Islamophobia are now due in next Friday (19 September) so there is still time for you to take part. Continue reading “Research into Islamophobia in Scotland”
Here’s a bumper edition for you. Look for the Red Eye film club on Friday, listen to the Wind and Bamboo podcasts about Chinese culture in Edinburgh, catch a glimpse of China (and a very tall cellist) in Ocean Terminal, find Poetry in St Andrew Square (on Friday lunchtime), discover why we need gardens and green space more than ever and catch up with Opening Doors as we enter the climate change debate…if summer was a wash out there’s lots to look forward to in the autumn!
News just in from Francis Kahembwe, our Opening Doors participant, who is beginning a two month placement with Scottish Environment Link. That means (apart from climbing a lot of stairs to the office in the wonderful tower building on the Royal Mile) a fascinating glimpse of what it is like to be an environmental lobbyist. As Francis explains in his email, the first week started with the hottest issue of the moment, Climate Change… Continue reading “Opening Doors: an autumn of hot debate”
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”
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”