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Pyjama parties pull in cash for kids

By Megan Berkley

Pyjama parties with a twist have been held in Edinburgh to raise money for children.

Oxgangs Primary School has been one of many to take part in fundraising for Children in Need.

On Friday both school children and teachers came dressed in their pyjamas for lessons.

Their donations raised a grand total of £159 between three infant classes.

As well as seeing their favourite teachers don their pyjamas the children learnt about disadvantaged youngsters their own age.

This week also saw the launch of New Pyjamas campaign, hosted by Jack McConnell and George Foulkes in the new Sick Kids hospital.

The money raising drive has a target of £15m for the hospital and has already pledged funds for a drop-in centre, helping to make it a centre of excellence in Scotland.

The money raised by the pyjama fund will go towards the building of the new hospital and the purchase of the best equipment.

Elaine McGonigle, director of the charity said: “It’s about doing something a bit different, and getting senior politicians wearing their pyjamas helps get more people in. Everyone quite enjoys it.”

The Charity organiser recognised the success of the event however hopes for even more support.

Ms McGonigle added: “We need everyone to get behind this, and if everyone in Scotland gave as little at £3, we would reach our target in no time.”

It’s hoped the new building should be completed around 2013.

Blogging has been claimed to improve literacy levels, experts say.

Why should we blog?

By Megan Berkley

It has been claimed this week, that internet tools could provide youngsters with educational benefits.

The National Literacy Trust claims it would provide kids with benefits such as greater confidence and a more positive attitude towards writing.

So, you may well ask, why do I as a journalist need to blog? The answer is that those of us who keep them or have profiles on social networking sites will be  more likely to enjoy writing and believe in yourself to be good at it.

Conversely, educational experts including Professor Tanya Byron, a clinical psychologist, have now warned about the dangers of children roaming the web unsupervised.

A recent study carried out by the European Union-wide, found 40 per cent of teenagers had been exposed to pornography online, 20 per cent had been bullied and 10 per cent had met someone in the real world they had “met” in a chat room or a social media site.

The National Literacy Trust surveyed 3,001 children from England and Scotland for what it said was the first significant study of young people’s attitudes to writing in the UK.

The report found that 49 per cent of young people believe writing is “boring”. In any case 57 per cent of those who used text-based web applications such as blogs, said they generally enjoyed writing compared to 40 per cent who did not.

Those who had a blog or profile on a social networking site (SNS) also appeared to be more confident in their writing ability: 61 per cent of bloggers and 56 per cent of social networkers claimed to be good or very good at writing, compared to 47 per cent of those who had neither.

A total of 13 per cent of children surveyed had their own website, 24 per cent kept their own blog and 56 per cent had a profile on a social networking site, which can be credited for encouraging children to engage more with traditional forms of writing.

Jonathan Douglas, Director of the National Literacy Trust said the study aimed to show there were benefits to children using the Internet as well as downsides.

He reckons that standards in writing have fallen behind in reading and its neither a skill which has been particularly well perceived by young people.

Council to spend 4k on Burn’s Night Grubb

Burn’s supper has come under attack!

By Megan Berkley

The Lord Provost’s proposed spend of £4,000 on a Burn’s supper has come under attack.
Councillors have called the feast “inappropriate” at a time of growing unemployment in Edinburgh.
Green councillor Steve Burgess said: “I feel that in the climate of cuts and school closures that the council are facing, it wouldn’t be appropriate to spend that on a dinner.”

This will be the second year that the council will host the “lavish” Burn’s supper, after last year’s 250th anniversary as part of the government’s Homecoming Scotland events. Grubb will invite councillors and business people to join him for the 2009 celebration.

Matthew Elliott, Chief Executive at the TaxPayers’ Alliance said: “While it is a nice idea to have a Burn’s Night celebration, lavish dinners should not be a spending priority at a time when taxpayers’ money is incredibly tight.”

Mr Elliot added: “Local and central government are facing the harsh reality of cuts in public spending, and entertainment costs should be the first to face the axe.”

The Lord Provost’s spokesperson said he was unavailable for comment 

The Lord Provost’s proposed spend of £4,000 on a Burn’s supper has come under attack.
Councillors have called the feast “inappropriate” at a time of growing unemployment in Edinburgh.
Green councillor Steve Burgess said: “I feel that in the climate of cuts and school closures that the council are facing, it wouldn’t be appropriate to spend that on a dinner.”

This will be the second year that the council will host the “lavish” Burn’s supper, after last year’s 250th anniversary as part of the government’s Homecoming Scotland events. Grubb will invite councillors and business people to join him for the 2009 celebration.

Matthew Elliott, Chief Executive at the TaxPayers’ Alliance said: “While it is a nice idea to have a Burn’s Night celebration, lavish dinners should not be a spending priority at a time when taxpayers’ money is incredibly tight.”

Mr Elliot added: “Local and central government are facing the harsh reality of cuts in public spending, and entertainment costs should be the first to face the axe.”

The Lord Provost’s spokesperson said he was unavailable for comment

Art student uses foil to encourage people to get friendly.

A creative and different way to get people talking.

By Megan Berkley

As we approach the festive season,  art Student Catriona gets everyone in Viewforth into the Christmas spirit, by using more than 250 metres of foil wrapped around the stair in her tenement, as part of a project to try and encourage her neighbours to get to know one another.

 A high silver funnel in the stair, has been created by the  year old to try and advertise attention to the space and draw attention to it,by directing light straight down from the cupola to the ground floor, where it hits a circular mirror.

She likens it to a giant periscope, with viewpoints from the top and bottom of the stair.

Ms Reid said: “I moved into the flat in summer and it dawned on me that I’d never spoken to anybody in the stair. I think there used to be more of a sense of community in tenements, and it’s so different now. People are spending far more time out working and it’s a wasted, non-space. I wanted to draw attention to the space and raise conversations about it.”

Two months ago, the first year postgraduate made a point of going to visit her neighbours in the Temple Park Crescent tenement in order to get their permission to set up the installation. Since then she has spent six days hanging foil sheets from the banister rails.

Neighbours last night were invited to her flat to talk about it and get to know one another. And today, after a week’s work, she will take it all back down.

Ms Reid, who studies at Edinburgh College of Art, said: “I’m pretty pleased with it. I’ve always been interested in space and light, and I wanted to make a site- specific work. I wanted to bring people away from the college, I didn’t want to make something that only artists would see.”

Temporary LED lights  have been installed on the stairs so people can find their way up and down while the sunlight is blocked, and neighbours’ initial responses have been positive, she said: “The most common responses from people is about the sound that it makes with people’s movement. I’ve watched the postman going up and down and he runs, and it has this ripple effect – you can see him without actually seeing him.”

Malcolm MacDonald, 52, a train conductor who has a flat in the stair, said: “It definitely makes the place something out of the ordinary. It’s difficult to envisage something until you actually see it, but it’s nice to have something like this for a change.”

Another neighbour, student Tania McNamara, 21, added: “I think it’s brilliant, very creative. It’s bringing people together. I’ll definitely go over to the flat tonight – it’s a good way of getting people to know each other.”

Ways in which young girls are affected growing up.

My 2009 Summer Experience.

By Megan Berkley

During the summer, I was away in America for three months. Having worked at a camp on Cape Cod, I was able to look at the ways which young girls are affected growing up, and what they can gain from going to a summer camp.

 One thing I did realise was that I think it helped having the girls in a single sex camp, with opportunities to mix only sometimes.

From what I remember in my school years, I was always too conscious of boys to truely enjoy myself and have fun  and found that clubs like Girl Guides and Brownies really supported me to really ‘be silly.’ 

 Camp Hayward seemed to show this, especially when the girl councillors joined in: showing children it’s not all about being made up to impress boys!

Although, if we were to have Summer camps over here in Britain, I  don’t think that it would really  work because children over there had much more respect for each other than children over here!

After all, the USA seems much more patriotic, as twice a day, you would need to stand with your cabin and salute the American flag and it’s all about ‘spirit,’ (which is what camp is all about) whereas us Brits just seem to ‘diss’ each other!

Also the great thing about camp, and especially Hayward is it takes all people from all walks of life and just lets them be children again and forget about all the stuff going on at home, children now seem to have alot more to deal with than when we were younger.

The camp experience  has totally enlightened me to how different kids are here in comparrison to over there. Our kids strive to grow up way quicker than kids over there, where the American kids listen to positive role models such as Taylor Swift with lyrics that are dreamy and about meeting prince charming, our kids however are listening to music that portrays reality in many cases. I actually really admired the US kids because of this as they were’nt rushing their child/teen years away which allows them to make the most of what can be some of the best years.

 Camp is a place where people can act themselves, its such a small community that allows people to mix, infact even for us staff- we actually had to mix, and the bonds that can be formed are absolutely amazing. Its a chance to meet people from different walks of life which opens peoples minds. I found so many people at camp so inspirational for a number of different reasons, I know the kids looked up to the staff too, some of the comments we all got were amazing.

I had a very enjoyable time during my summer work placement, at a summer camp, as it gave me the opportunity to experience such an  amazing adventure and journey that has changed my life and views for the better. It was my first time away from home for so long. It gave me the opportunity to meet so many awesome people from many countries. And it’s an incredible experience where people from Great Britain, Poland, Australia and New Zealand meet together in one place to work in America.

So if you haven’t worked at a summer camp yet, I suggest you sign up for 2010!

White Heath

New alternative music is brought to the city.

 

By Megan Berkley

 

This unique Edinburgh based five-piece band, are simply fantastic! And for them to be unsigned still, is a mystery. 

 

They have experimented on a wide range of styles, traditions and instrumentation to create an exciting and involving live experience.

 

The band of five friends first got together in 2008. Where they would sit and write songs  using piano, guitar, violin, trombone, percussion and vocals, and their aim was to write music with imagination and honesty, which is exactly what shines through.

 

They enjoy performing in any setting, from intimate venues like the GRV and Henry’s Cellar Bar to large-scale collaborations with the Scottish School of Contemporary Dance and the Edinburgh Charity Fashion Show.

 

There is something mysterious about their blend of space-rock and tribal noise, and they have captured all dimensions to establish themselves as one of the best ‘alternative’ acts in Edinburgh.

 

And they definitely know how to capture energy and emotion through their new album “The sea Wall” which was released in August of this year.

 

After a successful summer of recording, they made their festival debut at the Kelburn Garden Party.

White Heath have been popping up in most venues around Edinburgh and have a couple of gigs lined up in Glasgow after New Year.

 

They have definitely provided Edinburgh’s music scene with the kick up the arse it so sorely needs, and although their music may not be the most aggressive, White Heath are anything but soft. Their music has horns for sure; it’s just that a lot of the time the seething rock is soothed by something altogether more melodious.

 

From the moment opener ‘Wait Forever’ switches from its intense and menacing intro to a serene mid-section you realise this is going to anything but predictable.

 

Even when things start to level out mid-set, a pretty little tune called ‘When The Watchmen Leave Their Stations’ is thrown at you – it has a certain grace and pomp that wouldn’t sound out-of-place in a Victorian dance hall –yet again, White Heath stamp their mark on it in arguably.

 

This epic Edinburgh-based five piece are reaching for the stars and getting them. Unquestionably one of the best things I have heard this year.

 

You should track down a copy whatever you have to do.

http://www.isthismusic.com/white-heath

 

Or head over to Glasgow and see them perform live.

 

Tour Dates

Dec 8 2009 8:00P	Captain’s Rest w/ Kevin Devine	Glasgow, Scotland
Jan 15 2010 8:00P	Captain’s Rest	Glasgow, Scotland
Feb 11 2010 8:00P	Catapult @ Maggie May’s	Glasgow

 

 

 

Success of new store Urban Outfitters, Edinburgh.

New store has Princes Street back in fashion.

By Megan Berkley

American fashion chain Urban Outfitters opened its new store on 27th November, on a prime site in Princes Street.

The convener of economic development at the City of Edinburgh Council, Tom Buchanan talks about how the company is welcomed into the City and wishes it every success for the Christmas period.

He says: “We are  keen to ensure  that we have a wide range of retail offerings in the city of Edinburgh.

“One of the reasons is that we are particularly pleased to welcome Urban Outfitters, to the city.They are an iconic brand, for young people and it adds to the  breadth of brands operating across the city, with the potential for a new Primark store coming to Princess street as well, you get to see that there are opportunities for everyone.”

He thinks that is important  when  trying ot attract visitors to a city like Edinburgh, there is a need to be a different. So being able to  shop somewhere which is not  in your home town shopping high street, will be great for the city.

He couldn’t comment on how well he thinks the store will do, as  it depends on a number of factors which are out from his control.

But having viewed things elsewhere, he observes the success of  the Convent Garden branch, and comments:

“I think it has potential to do well, here in Edinburgh too .

“One of things for retailers in November  to be aware of, is that is the last pay date is usually before Christmas, so he stresses that  it is hugely important that retailers open  towards the end of November, early December at the latest.”

He adds that he has been trying to encourage business as best he can, when stores come on the market.

“We try to ensure those  who are interested, that they have a good mix of whom we would like to see in Edinburgh.

“Urban Outfitters doesn’t  have a great deal of  knowledge of the Edinburgh retail economy, so they come  to us and make sure what they are going to do will fit, just to ensure that Edinburgh is a  really top class retail environment.”

Urban Outfitters is to lease the store, which spans three levels and amounts to 15,588 square feet of retail space, from owner F&C Commercial Property Holdings.

The chain, targeted at the 18-30 age group, features designer clothing and quirky home items.

Urban Outfitters  can then be seen to be a  fantastic addition to Princes Street and will play a significant role in rejuvenating this great retailing destination.

Goodbye Lloyd.

Lloyd misses out on X factor semi.

By Megan Berkley

He may of received the least amount of votes and  is the latest act to be kicked off the X Factor last night. But Lloyd Daniels left unruffled when he was given the bad news.

His mentor on the show, Cheryle Cole announced that she was very proud of him, and that he has done very well to get this far.

She said: ” He needs to be proud of himself. He’s going to blossom into a little star.”

 He was pushed to breaking point after Louis Walsh predicted he would be in the bottom two on Sunday night, after his rendition of I’m still standing .

He said: “You’re just about standing…it was a little karaoke for me.”

It was thought that Joe stole the show, with his version of Take That’s Could It Be Magic and Elton John’s Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word.

Joe McElderry seems to be the bookies favourite and made it through the semi- finals along with Danyle Johnson, Olly Murs and Stacey Solomon.

The Welsh singer has said that  he won’t give up singing despite getting the boot from the TV talent show and is now looking forward to the X Factor tour.

Boyle’s debut album smashes sale records.

Britain’s Got Talent star Susan Boyle’s dream came true.

By Megan Berkley

 The once unknown, shy Scottish singer has completed her rocket ride from obscurity to worldwide fame by landing the fastest-selling album in Britain this year.

She dreamed a dream. Susan Boyles dreams are now coming true, since her debut album is one of the fastest selling in history.

Last week, more than 410,000 copies of a dreamed a dream were bought in Britain-a record for a female artist and for anyone’s first album.

Leona Lewis, was the previous holder of that record, back in 2007. Her album “Spirit” sold 375,000 copies on its first seven days on the shelves.

Susan’s success sold more than the rest of the top five albums last week combined, which is an amazing achievement. The album has been said to hit Stateside.

A spokeswomen said: ” In America, Susan is already outselling Rhianna, Lady Gaga and 50 cent with a projected first week sales figures of about 1 million.”

Hannah Wood, 25, of Edinburgh thinks that it is a great success and that she will make a point of buying Boyle’s album.

She said: ” The success could not have happend to a lovelier person. She did it her way and made a dream come true.

“In Britain’s Got Talent she opened her mouth and the world fell in love with her, which is probably why her album has been the fastest selling of any woman making her debut.”