Lorna Christine has joined Blackadders LLP as a Partner in the growing Private Client team.

Specialising in Private Client work since 2003, Lorna was previously a Partner in the private client team at Thorntons in Dundee.

She has a particular interest in Trusts and can give specialist advice on wills, inheritance tax, powers of attorney and succession planning as well as administration of estates.

Lorna said: “I’m thrilled to make the move to Blackadders. It is a really exciting time for the firm and there is a real sense of ambition in the team. I’m looking forward to helping the team grow.”

Lorna trained and worked in Edinburgh at Brodies and then Russel + Aitken. She is a member of the Society of Trust & Estate Practitioners and a former Tutor and Module Organiser on the Diploma in Legal Practice at Dundee University.

Laura McDowall, Head of the Private Client Team at Blackadders, said: “We are delighted to welcome Lorna to the firm. She brings a wealth of talent and experience and will be a huge asset as we continue to grow our business.

“Our main area of focus is how we treat our clients and the high quality of service we provide to all. Lorna will be a valuable member of the team and a great mentor.”

The Private Client Team at Blackadders is central to the firm’s growth plans and has invested significant time and resources in improving client service. With one of the best Private Client executry books in Scotland, the team strives to guarantee the best service possible.

The Private Client team operates across Scotland and specialises in:

• Wills
• Powers of Attorney
• Adults with Incapacity
• Trusts, Tax and Executries.

The Team acts for a diverse range of clients including individuals, families, trustees, executors, and businesses.

Blackadders’ Private Client solicitors are recognised specialists in private wealth law and this is underscored by the majority holding STEP membership and a number holding Law Society of Scotland accreditations. They also work closely with Blackadders Wealth Management LLP to provide a fully rounded legal and financial service to clients, often co-advising high net worth clients on inheritance tax planning, trust creation and asset protection.

A university in Edinburgh has developed a series of resources for use in educational settings to help enhance disability literacy.

Queen Margaret University (QMU), Edinburgh, will launch its new Toy Box Diversity Lab website of resources on 9th May 2024, which will help guide discussions between educators and their primary school learners about disability equality and representation in the school curriculum, as well as encouraging them to think about accessibility in their own environments.

Funded by the QMU Innovation Fellowship, the educational assets include an activities pack, instructional videos and a directory of other resources to encourage positive discussions in schools.

The University will also be launching an online short course on Disability Confidence for Educational Practitioners, running from September 2024.

Dr Clare Uytman and Dr Siân Jones, senior lecturers in the Division of Psychology, Sociology and Education at QMU, have led the three-year long project, establishing their own research group to do so.

The lecturers have tested their resources with almost 550 children in England and Scotland, as well as running focus groups to create the final products in collaboration with teachers, disabled adults and parents of disabled children.

Dr. Uytman, said: “Positive understanding, representation and discussion around disability is so important for achieving a more inclusive learning environment through imagination and play, which will help children understand the importance of these topics from an early age.

“It is so rewarding to see three years of hard work and thorough research come together with the creation of these highly beneficial resources which we hope will be of real value to the teaching profession and enhance disability literacy.”

As well as the website, the QMU lecturers have also been working in collaboration with activist not-for-profit organisation, ToyLikeMe, to ensure better representation of disabilities in children’s media, including toys, books and television programmes.

Dr. Jones, said: “There is growing evidence that toys representing disability give non-disabled children windows into the worlds of disabled children.

“We are building on this evidence base, using images of adapted toy prototypes, such as Barbie with a missing limb, or Olaf the snowman from Disney’s Frozen with a cochlear implant, and showcasing these to children through pop-up exhibitions and activities we have been trialing at schools to help them think and speak positively about disability.”

Scottish primary school teacher, Mhairi Ritchie, welcomed one of these pop-up exhibitions so that she, and her pupils, could sample the resources. She said: “Involvement in the project was a fantastic way to explore disability. The children learned new vocabulary and developed a new perspective around what it means to be disabled.

“The accompanying resources were highly engaging and thoughtfully designed, enabling an interdisciplinary approach to the learning. The great thing is that we can use the resources again in the future and we look forward to doing so!”

An event will be taking place both online and in the Halle Lecture Theatre on campus at QMU to coincide with the official launch of the website on 9^th May.

The launch event will take place between 4pm and 5.30pm at which attendees can learn more about the evidence-based research that has been conducted for this project, as well as more details on the resources on offer. Register for your place on or before 7^th May – https://www.tickettailor.com/events/queenmargaretuniversity1/1207938

Find out more about QMU’s online short course on Disability Confidence for Educational Practitioners here – https://www.qmu.ac.uk/study-here/short-courses/short-courses/disability-confidence-for-educational-practitioners/

Scottish businesses are being urged to take part in one of the country’s biggest fundraising events this summer.

The Forth Bridge Abseil, which is run by Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland in partnership with Network Rail and Balfour Beatty, takes place on Sunday, 16th June.

Adventure-seekers will abseil 165 feet from the iconic UNESCO World Heritage Site for good causes including Scotland’s largest health charity. The day also offers an ideal opportunity for team-building for businesses and a chance to raise vital funds for CHSS to help support the 1 in 5 people in Scotland living with a chest, heart or stroke condition and Long Covid.

Companies have the chance to follow in the footsteps of East Kilbride-based construction business akp.

A team of five took part in the abseil last year in memory of their colleague Neil Donnan who died in January 2023 after a heart attack and brain aneurysm. Together John Black, Phil Mycek, Colin McCready, Connor McBride and Roz Malcolm abseiled the Forth Bridge raised more than £4,300.

Moira Murdoch, Commercial Director at akp Scotland, said: “Neil was such a happy and positive person to have around.

“We were all so shocked when we heard that he had died and so we were pleased to be able to raise some funds in his memory and for all those others in Scotland that have been affected by these illnesses.”

Assistant Director of Fundraising at Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland, Jayne Forbes said: “It is fantastic to be bringing the Forth Bridge Abseil back for 2024.

“We had an amazing response to last year’s event with hundreds of people from across the country challenging themselves to raise vital funds for charities across Scotland.

“This event is a great opportunity for CHSS to raise funds which will help us to support people living with chest, heart and stroke conditions and Long Covid. I would encourage businesses across the country to consider taking part. It’s an ideal team building challenge and a fantastic way to give something back whilst experiencing a truly unique fundraising event.”

Alan Ross, Director of Engineering and Asset Management, Network Rail said: “We’re once again delighted to support the return of the Forth Bridge Abseil run by CHSS.

“It’s always such a fun day seeing so many thrill-seekers braving the heights and facing their fears to raise a fantastic amount of money for CHSS and all the other charity partners which take part.”

Colin Hardie, Construction Superintendent at Balfour Beatty, said: “We are delighted to have joined with Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland and Network Rail once again to open the doors to the iconic Forth Bridge.

“Since it launched over 20 years ago, the Forth Bridge Abseil event has raised millions for those living with chest, heart, and stroke conditions. We look forward to making this year’s abseil the biggest and most successful to date.”

Individuals and organisations can register their interest in taking part in June’s fundraiser by emailing FBA@chss.org.uk or at https://www.chss.org.uk/supportus/fundraise-for-us/events/forth-bridge-abseil/

Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland is Scotland’s largest health charity supporting people with chest, heart, and stroke conditions, including Long Covid, to live their lives to the full.

Its Community Healthcare Support Services are there for people at every stage of their condition.

CHSS provides a free advice line, organise peer support groups, offer health checks in local communities, and campaign to improve policies and services.

CHSS is Scotland’s largest volunteering organisation with over 4000 volunteers who help to deliver services, run 39 charity shops across Scotland, and raise vital funds to ensure people with our conditions can live life to the full.

Independent UK law firm Burges Salmon is proud to be celebrating its five-year anniversary in Scotland since the opening of its Edinburgh office in Atria One, on Morrison Street, in May 2019. Since then, the firm has continued to record strong organic growth and has established itself as a law firm of choice in the market, with the Edinburgh office playing an important part in how the firm is delivering on its purpose to ensure its clients, people and communities flourish.

Burges Salmon’s clients in Scotland include Royal Bank of Scotland, Santander, abrdn, McTaggart Group, William Grant & Sons, Ooni, Octopus, BayWa, and The Crown Commercial Service. The firm is particularly active in the Scottish renewables energy sector, having recently advised on nationally significant projects including Scotland’s largest airport-based solar project and the development of Coalburn 1, one of the largest battery energy storage systems in Europe.

 

The firm’s Built Environment sector group recently acted on the acquisition of Edinburgh’s iconic Caledonian Waldorf Astoria Hotel whilst the Estates and Land team worked with Oxygen Conservation on many acquisitions in Scotland to protect and restore nature.

 

Burges Salmon’s Corporate team has also been particularly active in the market, working with leading life sciences and biotech companies including Edinburgh-based Cytomos, Calcivis and Cumulus Oncology and guiding pioneering start-ups LIND and Danu Robotics through their next stage of growth.

The firm’s Scottish presence has gone from strength to strength, resulting early on in an increase of its office footprint with the acquisition of 3,000 sq. ft of additional space in Atria One. The expansion meant the firm could accommodate a growing team that today boasts over 80 people, including nine partners and five directors. Recent strategic hires have further enhanced the firm’s offering, notably the appointment of Energy partner Malcolm Donald and senior pensions lawyer Mairi Carlin, the latest in a series of new joiners in the firm’s Scottish-based Pensions and Lifetime Savings practice.

Reflecting on the past five years, Roger Bull, Managing Partner at Burges Salmon, comments: “As we continue to see ongoing positive growth across the firm, Edinburgh plays a fundamental part in our success story. Scotland has always had a rich legal heritage, and in the past five years we’ve demonstrated our ability to adapt, innovate and assert ourselves as a frontrunner in what continues to be a competitive market. Driven by an ambition to support our clients in Scotland and reaffirm our commitment to the local market, we’re proud of the strong team we’ve built here, who all contribute to, and build upon, the open and inclusive culture we pride ourselves on as a firm.”

 

Burges Salmon, which also has offices in Bristol and London, continues to have a strategic focus on ESG and has worked with the Scottish Wildlife Trust, the Royal Zoological Society for Scotland and Edinburgh Zoo, on initiatives that promote biodiversity, with the firm also home to two beehives on the rooftop of its Edinburgh office. To champion social mobility, the firm has also collaborated with IntoUniversity’s Edinburgh and Glasgow campuses to develop mentoring programmes.

 

Danny Lee, partner in the Corporate team and head of the firm’s Edinburgh office, adds: “Establishing an office in Scotland meant a lot more to us than just expanding geographically, and we saw it as an opportunity to be part of a vibrant ecosystem. Honing our skills and expertise, we work side by side with our clients, people and communities to support the delivery of projects that are set to benefit future generations in Scotland and further afield. We’ve woven ourselves into the fabric of the Scottish legal landscape, and we very much look forward to continuing to nurture relationships, develop homegrown talent and play our part in the community for years to come.”

St Columba’s Hospice Care is delighted to announce a new partnership with local professional golfer, Stuart McLaren. The partnership will see Stuart undertake a number of fundraising activities in the coming year, culminating in a corporate golf event at Edinburgh Bruntsfield Links in June 2025.

McLaren, who is competing on the 2024 Tartan Tour is asking his supporters to help him raise vital funds for St Columba’s Hospice Care by making a donation for every single birdie and eagle he achieves on the Tartan Tour, and throughout his 2024 season.

McLaren’s Grandfather, who he credits with introducing him to golf aged six, spent the last few weeks of his life in the Hospice in 2010, and just a year later, his mother also died in the care of St Columba’s. When his father died in 2014, Stuart, then 20, put his golf on hold to allow him to care for his sister, who was just 16.

After returning to golf, he won three times on the Scottish Amateur circuit, and has since won multiple times as a professional, including defending his title at the Scottish Showdown on the 2020 Pro Tour before winning the event in 2022. Through 2023, he played on the Tartan Pro Tour, as well as on The Asian Tour and the Challenge Tour in Europe.

St Columba’s Hospice Care Director of Income Generation Jon Heggie said;

“We’re very excited to be starting this partnership with Stuart McLaren. He knows first-hand about the work we do here at the Hospice, and how important our fundraising activities are. Stuart has already brought some great ideas to the table, which we look forward to developing in the coming year. We wish Stuart all the best for his upcoming competitions, everyone at the Hospice will be rooting for him!”

Stuart McLaren commented;

‘It means a lot for me to be able to announce the partnership with St Columba’s Hospice Care, I’ve seen for myself the amazing support they offer during some of the hardest times in people’s lives. Hopefully throughout my season I’ll be able to raise as much money as I can for the Hospice and I hope people can join me in doing so as well.”

Are you ready for it? In honour of global pop sensation Taylor Swift’s Eras tour hitting Edinburgh this summer, Le Petit Beefbar is launching ‘Taylor’s Version’ of its renowned cocktail menu.

The Taylor’s Version menu will be available from the 13^th May, when fans and cocktail enthusiasts alike will be able to enjoy a carefully curated selection of drinks inspired by the chart-topper’s iconic discography. From the nostalgia of Fearless and Speak Now, to the delicate storytelling of The Tortured Poets Department, the menu has something for everyone and every era.

Lovers of a sweet spritz can try Champagne Problems, made with Edinburgh Gin, fresh lemon and topped with Moët Rosé and a cloud of candy floss, and for a quick pick me up, the Bad Bloody Mary customised with your choice of spirit, is sure to hit the spot. The Lavender Haze is the vision of summer with flower syrup, gin and homemade Lillet Rosé soda, and for those partial to a mocktail, the Anti-Hero combines delicious Amarena Juice and sparkling Nosecco. To celebrate Taylor’s most recent album drop, the team have transformed their Beefbar Espresso Martini into a cocktail strong enough to spark the genius of any tortured poet.

While enjoying a pre-concert cocktail, Swiftie’s can also take advantage of the delicious bar snacks on offer, from the 45-day cured croque sando, to the baby quesadillas with Kobe karasumi and coveted tempura insane rock corn accompanied by sriracha mayo. All will be sure to set up concert goers for an evening of dancing until midnight.

To celebrate in style, bookings can be made at: https://beefbar.com/le-petit-beefbar-edinburgh/#reservations or by calling +44 131 240 7177.

For any media enquiries, please contact: LePetitBeefBar@stripecommunications.com.

Homelessness charity Cyrenians will receive the largest single donation made by The John Lewis Partnership Foundation in Edinburgh to date

Today Cyrenians is thrilled to announce that it will receive £120,000 to fund its work to support young people facing multiple disadvantages into college.

The money was awarded by John Lewis Partnership Foundation and is in part made up of the funds raised by the sale of carrier bags bought by customers at John Lewis & Partners Edinburgh.

Working in the areas surrounding the Edinburgh store, through projects designed to prevent people becoming homeless, Cyrenians’ work aligns with the John Lewis Partnership Foundation’s aim to invest in children and young adults, providing education and skills for meaningful employment.

Cyrenians takes a public health approach to tackling homelessness. This means getting upstream to prevent adverse experiences from happening in the first place. As part of Cyrenians’ early intervention work, they support young people at important transition points in their lives such as when entering or leaving care, supported accommodation or leaving school.

Working with school leavers across Edinburgh, the Cyrenians ‘Key to College’ programme provides one to one practical and emotional support to young people and their family and carers, helping them to navigate the college application, funding and enrolment processes.

This service is crucial for young people who are experiencing multiple disadvantages, especially those who are care experienced who are less likely to go on to further education after leaving school.

According to research conducted by the Scottish Government:

• 29% of school leavers who were in care in 2020/21 were not in further education, employment or training nine months later compared to 7% of all school leavers. [1]
• Scottish Government statistics indicate that care experienced young people have a 50/50

‘Key to College’ is an early intervention programme that supports young people before they leave school, not only improves their future work prospects, but also reduces the likelihood of homelessness further down the line. The programme is also part of Cyrenians’ wider commitment to ‘Keep the Promise’, Scotland’s national commitment backed by the Scottish Government to ensure care experienced children and young people grow up loved, safe and respected.

The response from young people, caregivers and teachers who have already been supported by the programme, has been overwhelmingly positive:

• “It is great to see her with a smile on her face and now looking forward to the future, that has all been down to your [Key to Colleges] input” – Parent
• “Thanks for your input, it is really appreciated. When he pops into the school he is really proud to go to college” – Guidance Teacher
• “The college visit was brilliant, I definitely feel like going even more now” – Young Person

Judith Hunter, Partner & Community Liaison Coordinator at John Lewis & Partners Edinburgh said:

“When John Lewis was set up, our founder wanted the shops to be able to support the areas they traded in.  I’ve been working with Cyrenians since I started this role, over 12 years ago, to ensure that John Lewis & Partners Edinburgh was able to do what it could to support its local community.

I am delighted to be able to present this funding to Cyrenians’ ‘Key to College’ programme. This service is so important because, sadly, we know that care experienced young people haven’t always got that person who can help them with their CV or encourage them to keep trying. We are delighted that this money will be going to young people in our community who are struggling, we need to nurture them now as they are Scotland’s future.”

Richard Thorniley-Walker, Skills & Development Manager at Cyrenians said:

“We’re excited to work with John Lewis to help some of our most vulnerable young people in Edinburgh to make their next steps after school. This can be a time of uncertainty and without support young people can be left behind which can have a negative impact on their future prospects. With John Lewis’s support, our skilled keyworker team can continue to have a truly positive impact on the young people’s and on Edinburgh’s future.”