The Edinburgh Minute ⏰ Thursday 13 June 2024
CodeClan to return, Swifties cause seismic activity, haar hit by Icelandic volcano plume + local TV producers set off for Euros adventure
🌤️ Good morning Edinburgh. Here’s Thursday’s Edinburgh Minute.
💻 The CodeClan software development course is returning in a new format as part of a pilot between three colleges. The tech skills academy went into administration last year. Now staff say the relaunch ‘is in response to high levels of industry demand for software development and data science expertise, a requirement for addressing the digital skills gap.’ - More details about how to get involved are here.
🏟️ Construction work will start next year on the city’s first ever large indoor concert arena, after councillors voted yesterday to approve the build of a new 8,500 capacity venue at Edinburgh Park. - Kevin Quinn, Evening News.
🕯️ A silent vigil will be held on the Mound tomorrow from 5.30pm to mark the seventh anniverary of London’s Grenfell tower disaster, the UK’s deadliest residential fire since World War II. The vigil is being arranged by local members of the Fire Brigade Union, Living Rent and Edinburgh TUC, with all welcome to attend. - More details via Edinburgh EIS.
👨🚒 More details of the Royal Infirmary's recently reported fire safety problems, relating to the alarm system, safety doors and cladding, are published by Kris Gourlay in Edinburgh Live.
🚔 Three people are in hospital after a crash between a car and a motorbike on Liberton Road yesterday afternoon. It happened between Gilmerton Road and Kirk Brae - Caitlyn Dewar, STV News.
🚨 Police investigating a 3am ‘serious assault’ on South Charlotte Street have released a CCTV image of a man they want help to identify. - North Edinburgh News.
⚽️ The Leith-based Studio Something team are putting the spotlight on Scotland’s traveling football fans with a new TV show programme broadcast nightly from Germany during the Euros. - Studio Something’s Ian Greenhill talks about the show to Hugh MacDonald of Mail Online.
🌋 Remember that really misty couple of days two weeks ago? Researchers have revealed that the North sea haar on the morning of 31 May contained a record-breaking level of sulphur dioxide. It could have been due a recent Icelandic volcano eruption, according to a report published last night by the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology:
“Edinburgh, no stranger to an occasional haze, experienced an unprecedented atmospheric event on 31 May, unlike any seen over the past 30 years. While sea haar from the North Sea often blankets Scotland’s capital, the haze observed that Friday felt distinctively different. UKCEH researchers are currently investigating if this haze can be attributed to a volcanic plume that transited the UK following an eruption in Iceland.” - Read more from the UKCEH.
🎤 Last weekend’s Taylor Swift concerts ‘made the earth move’, according to the British Geological Survey. Their monitoring stations detected seismic activity from 6km (3.73 miles) away. - BBC Scotland News.
🎤 I wasn’t planning to still be writing about last weekend’s Taylor Swift concerts four days later. But after yesterday’s newsletter reported on the singer’s financial gift to the Edinburgh Food Project, a few people asked me how much money the singer donated. So I asked. They kindly got back to me to explain that they agreed not to disclose the amount, but that the cash will go directly towards running their seven foodbanks across the city that support 6,000+ people in crisis every year. Director Bethany Biggar said:
“We are thrilled that Taylor has decided to support the foodbanks and leave a lasting impact on Edinburgh. Things are really tough for a lot of people right now, so it is lovely to see someone like Taylor spreading such positivity.” - Director Bethany Biggar.
⮑ Another local charity riding a wave of coverage for their cause is Cyrenians. Writing in this month’s Third Force News magazine, Chief Executive Ewan Aitken said:
“One the more left field media interviews I have done recently was in response to the revelation that people experiencing homelessness were being removed from hotels because of the huge influx of Taylor Swift fans coming to Edinburgh for her Murrayfield concerts. This was in relation to a story which Third Force News broke exclusively. I was quick to say this has nothing really to do with the American singer and everything to do with the existential crisis in our housing system. A system so broken that the Scottish Parliament was galvanised to declare a nation-wide housing emergency. The housing emergency did not happen overnight… This is an emergency. So we need an emergency response.”
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📌 “Mon 17th June - Enjoy a heartfelt, fun concert of eclectic music-making with Love Music Community and Junior Choirs, Edinburgh Guitar Orchestra and Scottish baritone Andy McTaggart. You’ll travel through the ages with music from Sweden, America and Greece, landing back in the UK with some classic pop and soul. Expect to leave this concert with a smile on your face!” - More details here, sent in by Love Music.
📌 “17 June - Wine Club at The Green Room is looking for new members. 17th June 6.30PM £35/pp 5 Wines plus nibbles.” - Event details here, via Ghislain Aubertel - Co Owner of The Green Room.
📌 “No plans for Father’s Day? Don’t flap! This Sunday 16th June from 09:00 -11:00am, Edinburgh Zoo are hosting a family fun breakfast and crafts session followed by an exclusive animal antics show.” - Details here from Edinburgh Zoo.
📌 “Please join us at the Edinburgh Canal Festival on Saturday 15th June 2024, 12-5pm. Residents and visitors are invited to explore the Union Canal between the Lochrin Basin and Harrison Park and to meet some of the great organisations that operate year round on and near to the canal. There will be loads of free activities and entertainment as you travel along the canal in the heart of Edinburgh.” - Fountainbridge Canalside Community Trust.
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I wonder why the FFB members haven't demanded that the food bank reject Swift's donation in protest of the amount of fossil fuels she burns on her private plane trips across the world. Apparently if you receive money from a cute blonde girl you can keep it, no matter her connections to fossil fuels, Amazon, apple, etc, but if you're a book festival receiving money from an organization not well understood by artist/activists, you have to refuse it.