An Edinburgh based charity that helps people who have been homeless get established in their new home has been announced as Lothian Buses’ Charity of the Year for 2015.
Throughout 2015, Lothian Buses and Fresh Start will work together on a number of projects including a special bus wrap advertising the work the charity do, visits for the charity’s families to the bus depots, fundraising through staff events and the opportunity for the company’s 2000+ staff to volunteer with the charity.
Tony Depledge, Chair of Lothian Buses said: “Supporting a local charity every year is really important to us. This year we decided to choose a charity that was significantly different to previous years and Fresh Start is exactly that. Homelessness can affect anyone and its great that we can highlight the important work that they do.
“We look forward to working with the Fresh Start team over the course of 2015, helping to raise the profile of the charity in our local community whilst having fun raising funds for this fantastic cause.”
Since 2012, Lothian Buses has appointed a Charity of the Year in order to help the organisation benefit from focused fundraising and awareness activities.
Keith Robertson, Fresh Start’s Managing Director commented “This is a great opportunity for us. For a local charity like ours working in the Edinburgh & Lothian area, it will raise awareness of what we do and what homelessness means. Being homeless can have a devastating effect on families and individuals. They lose not only their belongings, but their confidence and self-esteem. We help them to settle in their new home and back into the community. This partnership with Lothian Buses will enable us to reach more people than ever before.”
Lothian Buses’ previous charities of the year include The Yard, It’s Good 2 Give and Lothian Autistic Society.
Fresh Start grew from the desire of a small number of people to do something practical in response to the growing scandal of homelessness in Scotland’s capital city in the run up to 2000.
For more information please visit:
http://www.freshstartweb.org.uk
- Report commissioned by Edinburgh Airport outlines employment and economic benefits of 50% reduction in Air Passenger Duty (APD)
- Halving APD will create nearly 4,000 jobs and add £1bn to the Scottish economy by 2020
- Edinburgh Airport calls for the Scottish Government to outline a timetable for the reduction of APD
- Without action, Scotland could lose out on nearly one million passengers every year, costing the Scottish economy up to £68 million in lost tourism every year
Edinburgh Airport has today (Monday 09 March) published a report that suggests the Scottish Government’s promised 50% reduction in Air Passenger Duty (APD) will create 3,800 jobs by 2020 and stimulate £200m of economic benefits each year.
The airport’s Chief Executive, Gordon Dewar, has called on Ministers to act now and provide a timetable for the reduction of APD, to allow airlines and the tourism industry to plan for the change.
Mr Dewar said: “We‘ve long argued that APD is a tax on Scotland’s ability to compete with European airports of or size, and our economy is footing the bill in lost jobs and lost opportunities. It’s also damaging the ability for our passengers to travel and to take advantage of the amazing connectivity we have from Edinburgh.
“Our report shows that the economic benefit of a reduction will outweigh any lost tax revenues. It’s therefore reasonable for passengers, airlines and the tourism industry to have some certainty on when this regressive tax will be reduced, and to know whether it will eventually be scrapped.”
The report, produced in partnership with independent consultancy firm York Aviation, reiterates the findings of previous studies undertaken on behalf of Scotland’s airports and shows that APD is a significant barrier to growth.
Key findings include:
- A 50% reduction would provide benefits to Scotland worth £200 million per annum;
- A 50% reduction would bring considerable benefits to local communities across Scotland by creating 3,800 new jobs by 2020;
- Scotland will lose out on one million passengers a year if APD is not reduced;
- By 2020 (if not reduced), APD would be costing the Scottish economy up to £68 million in lost tourism expenditure every year.
Mike Cantlay, Chairman of VisitScotland, said: “Scotland is a must-visit tourism destination and, every year, we welcome millions of visitors from all over the world.
“There is no doubt, however, that Air Passenger Duty is acting as a major deterrent to many potential visitors. Few other EU countries levy APD, so this places Scottish tourism at a competitive disadvantage.
“We are pleased that, as of May, APD will no longer apply to under 12s and that fiscal authority for APD will ultimately be transferred to the Scottish Government, as recommended by the Smith Commission.”
Tristan Nesbitt, Chairman of the Edinburgh Hotels Association, said: “Edinburgh is a world-class destination and an international creative and cultural hub that welcomes over 4 million visitors per year. In order to remain competitive and to continue enticing more visitors to our city, it is crucial that Edinburgh is perceived as somewhere that offers great value for money.
“A reduction in Air Passenger Duty would make Edinburgh more competitive in all tourism segments, particularly in terms of business tourism which is key to driving year-round demand for the city. It would also ensure that the tourist industry continues to grow in Scotland, securing and generating more jobs within this important economic sector.”
Report – Edinburgh Airport APD study – March 2015
The CruiseForth Welcome Volunteers, a partner organisation of Forth Ports, has won the ‘Warmest Welcome’ award at the prestigious Scottish Thistle Awards. The award was presented to Ruaraidh Murray and Don Alexander by Stephen Carter of Visit Scotland at a gala dinner in Glasgow’s Crown Plaza hotel last night.
The Scottish Thistle Awards recognise outstanding work in the hospitality and tourism industry. The ‘Warmest Welcome’ accolade is awarded to an organisation leading the field in delivering extraordinary customer satisfaction and a real Scottish welcome.
The CruiseForth Welcome Volunteers are always on hand at the Ports of Rosyth and Leith and in Newhaven and South Queensferry to give a friendly welcome and advice to cruise passengers calling on the east coast of Scotland.
The group, all of whom are volunteers, provide local advice on unique ways for cruise passengers to spend their time, with directions to tourist attractions and historical points of interest as well as guidance on taxis, buses and train services.
Stuart Wallace, Divisional Director for Forth Ports, said: “We are absolutely delighted that the efforts of the CruiseForth Welcome Volunteers have been rewarded at the Scottish Thistle Awards. This award is very well deserved and recognises the excellent service that the Volunteers give at each of the ports which welcomes around 80 cruise ships in the River Forth each year. Congratulations to all the team.”
Peter Wilson, Project Manager for CruiseForth said “We are thrilled to have won this award. Our volunteers take great pride in their communities and want to share their enthusiasm for the area with visitors. We have all worked extremely hard to create a special welcome to cruise passengers who come ashore.”
Scottish businesses are poised to benefit from faster and more resilient connectivity as Data Centre & Cloud specialists Onyx Group announce a tenfold increase in capacity with their latest million-pound investment.
In a move designed to help facilitate their long-term plans of becoming a £100m a year business, Onyx Group will increase their core infrastructure to 10Gb through the installation of a brand new network, significantly reducing latency levels throughout their data centre and managed wide area network estate.
Neil Stephenson, CEO of Onyx Group, is delighted with the project’s completion and praised the company’s connectivity heritage; “This investment highlights our commitment to providing our customers with the most reliable, fast and secure network solutions available. Onyx understands that in an increasingly technological world, businesses now depend on reliable connectivity for their everyday business operations. This drives us forward to invest in our core infrastructure to ensure that we exceed the expectations of our customers.”
“As one of the first ISP’s to be established in the UK, we were true pioneers of business-to-business connectivity and throughout the last 20 years we have continuously invested in our infrastructure. The dedication and hard work of our team has led us to us owning an enviable estate that includes a network ranked in the top 3% of connected networks worldwide.”
As experts in the connectivity field, the Onyx team has the unrivalled skills and expertise to provide a fully managed network solution for any business, including the design, build and installation of the project. With Onyx Group’s Data Centres in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Yorkshire, London and both of their Newcastle Centres having access to the enhanced network, customers and businesses across the North East will have a network with the scalability required to support any future business growth.
The news comes hot on the heels of Onyx Group’s acquisition of Knowledge IT, a £10m move that established the company as one of the UK’s leading providers of IT services. The acquisition has bolstered Onyx Group’s existing infrastructure and will play a key role towards achieving Onyx’s ambitious plans to become a national £100 million revenue IT support and services business in the next five years.
Taking its gin offering to new levels, One Square has partnered with innovative Pickering’s Gin to produce its own-recipe gin in neighbouring micro-distillery. One Square, the vibrant restaurant and bar on Edinburgh’s Festival Square, has launched its own brand of small batch premium gin in collaboration with Pickering’s Gin at Summerhall Distillery, Edinburgh’s first gin distillery in over 150 years.
One Square Gin is based on a unique recipe that has been exclusively created by One Square’s team of gin experts, known as the Gin Concierge, working hand-in-hand with Matthew Gammell and Marcus Pickering, founders of Pickering’s Gin at Summerhall Distillery. Demonstrating true passion for their craft, the joint team perfected the recipe to create a small batch London dry gin that contains 15 carefully-considered botanicals including juniper, bog myrtle, pink grapefruit and Scottish heather. Mediterranean liquorice and orris root were added to produce a heady kick, while notes of lemon, lime and anise were combined to create a citrusy, easy-drinking gin. The gin has been distilled by hand and packaged in a stunning square bottle by Pickering’s Gin at Summerhall Distillery, situated just over one mile from One Square.
In celebration of the launch and the city of Edinburgh’s gin heritage, the Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa has created an exclusive Gin Package (from £230 per night based on two sharing) which showcases the hotspots in Scotland’s gin capital. This special experience features accommodation in a classic bedroom including full Scottish breakfast, a gin amenity on arrival, a guided tour of Summerhall Distillery where the One Square Gin is distilled, and the chance to gain some inside knowledge with a member of the Gin Concierge over a One Square Gin Cocktail in the bar. The Gin Concierge has also created an all-new gin discovery map which highlights some of Edinburgh’s must-visit bars, shops and venues for gin-enthusiasts. For those wishing to continue their gin immersion at home, One Square Gin is also available to purchase by the bottle in the bar (£49.95 for a 70cl bottle, 40% volume).
One Square, which launched three years ago, was one of the original bars in Edinburgh to develop its team with an expert knowledge of gin, ahead of the city’s gin renaissance. The bar offers more than 60 premium varieties of gin and hosts tutored tastings, with its coveted weekend and evening spots in high demand. Tristan Nesbitt, General Manager of the Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa said: “The One Square Concierge team boasts an exceptional knowledge of gin so the creation of our own One Square Gin seemed the natural next step. We are very excited about introducing this special new gin experience to our regular guests and local customers who share the bar team’s passion for gin.”
The Gin Concierge has captured the essence of One Square Gin with its Perfect Serve (£10.50) which is served over ice in a frozen balloon glass with delicious Fever Tree tonic and garnished with pink grapefruit peel and thyme. The distinctive One Square Gin Cocktail (£9.00) highlights the Scottish heather botanical with the addition of heather syrup which is served with Galliano L’Autentico in an old fashioned glass with a square ice cube and a gold-coated lime leaf.
Marcus Pickering, who worked alongside his co-founder Matthew Gammell of Pickering’s Gin and the One Square Concierge team to create and distil the gin at Summerhall Distillery, said: “We are delighted to be collaborating with One Square to create this bespoke gin and to welcome guests to the distillery to experience first-hand the distillation process. It’s a truly exciting time in the gin world and the more gin brands that are around, the more offerings are available for consumers. The popularity of the product continues to increase and we are thrilled to be part of producing traditional high quality Scottish dry gin that has an amazing taste.”
For more information on One Square Gin please visit www.OneSquareEdinburgh.co.uk/one-square-gin.
Escrivo is growing and are very excited to welcome Lisa Ferrara & George Payne to the team.Founded in 2002 with a clear objective to deliver professional internet consulting. Today they advise on and develop bespoke & innovative web based software solutions. Lisa Ferrara is the new Client Relationship Manager, and will provide a more strategic and data-driven approach to customer relationships. An experienced figure within the industry, Lisa has previously held senior posts with the Leith Agency, HUSH Communications, and Draft Worldwide. Lisa has worked with a range of blue-chip clients including VELUX, The Scottish Government, Visit Scotland, RBS & Standard Life.
George Payne, is the new Front End Developer and brings with him a creative flair and cross-sector experience of web & graphic design. His experience of designing, websites and mobile apps is key in future plans for Escrivo. Add in his experience of animation and film making, and he brings a skill set that supplements an already vibrant development team.
Escrivo are extremely proud of their new team members. Lisa’s extensive knowledge of digital & data marketing plus her experience of client account management is hugely important as Escrivo go forward. Combined with George’s creative & technical skills, Lisa & George are a great fit for Escrivo!
Asia Scotland Institute is delighted to welcome on board John Fulton, the latest distinguished member of our Board of Trustees. John is a senior partner in the law firm Anderson Strathern LLP and has been developing and doing business in the Far East since 1995. He has more than 25 years’ experience in property law work and as an adviser to major land owners and trusts. John, a Notary Public and an accredited mediator, is a non-executive Director of Asian Growth Properties Ltd, Trustee of the WS Dependants’ Annuity Fund, and a Founding Trustee of the Clark Foundation for Legal Education. He has also served as Treasurer of the Society of Writers to Her Majesty’s Signet. John said, “I am delighted to have been invited to join the Board of the Asia Scotland Institute, led with huge energy and drive by Roddy Gow.
“In a rapidly changing world, the work of the Institute of assisting others in advancing education and awareness of Asia and its people is of crucial importance and I am very pleased to be able to play a small part in this process.” Roddy Gow, Chairman and Founder of Asia Scotland Institute, said, “We’re delighted to welcome John to the board, bringing with him as he does considerable knowledge of Asia and a long and distinguished background working in the law. “His involvement will significantly enhance the work of the Institute.” John joins other notable figures on the Board of Trustees, including Elizabeth Linder, Facebook’s Government and Politics Specialist for Europe, Middle East and Africa, and Stewart Langdon, of LeapFrog Investments.
Truststream Security Solutions was set up by Paul Sullivan and Bryan Thomson in 2011. Both Directors are passionate about security and the service they provide to their clients. As experts in security they saw the need for a business that approached security in a practical and pragmatic way but was tailored to clients needs. There are many common misconceptions among SMB’s around security threats to their business that are placing businesses at undue risk, but the perennial perception of the threat is:
“It’ll never happen to me, I’m just a small business!”
I’m sorry but the simple fact is if you’re in business, you’re a target. If you’re business is connected to the Internet then you’re already under attack. It is no longer a question of if but rather when and how. Hackers are exploiting this misconception to greater extents. There has been a very definite paradigm shift in the tactics of hackers globally that has resulted in SMB’s becoming a greater target for attacks. As such, we work closely with you to understand your business and your appetite for risk. Reducing the complexity down to simple actionable information that can be communicated clearly throughout the organisation in a way that is relevant to you and your business.
This can take any number of forms from a full security audit, training and education of staff to full management and monitoring of cutting edge security products. Allowing you to get on with managing and growing your business comfortable in the knowledge that you have experts on hand to assist you at every step of the way. IT security can be a daunting subject – but it doesn’t need to be. The worst thing you can do is to bury your head in the sand and ignore the threat. We are always happy to have a chat over a coffee to discuss taking your first step towards making your business more secure. Truststream are offering a 1 hr complimentary security check for all members, contact Andrea Macdonald on andrea@truststream.co.uk or on 0131 618 8332 for further information.
The Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Queen Margaret University (QMU), Edinburgh, Professor Petra Wend, has been elected as Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.
Spanning the arts, business, and science and technology sectors, Professor Wend joins the Royal Society of Edinburgh in its work to place the advancement of learning and useful knowledge at the centre of public life in Scotland.
Keir Bloomer, Chair of the Queen Margaret University Court, said: “On behalf of the University, I’d like to congratulate Professor Wend on her newly elected position as Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. This prestigious accolade not only recognises her individual success as a higher education leader, but also as an inspirational figure for young people.”
President of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Professor Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell, said, “I am delighted to welcome such a wide range of outstanding individuals to the Fellowship. Each of our new Fellows is elected on the distinguished merit of their work. In joining the RSE, they strengthen our capacity to support excellence across all areas of academic and public life, both in Scotland and further afield.”
New Fellows are elected each year through a rigorous five-stage nomination process. The breadth of the Fellowship, which numbers over 1600 individuals from Scotland, the UK and abroad, enables the RSE to provide a wide range of leadership and expertise.
Heehaw is one of Edinburgh’s longest standing video production companies. Set up in the year 2000, we have built on our experiences via a thorough understanding of brands, marketing and audience awareness. We work for a wide range of clients including Standard Life and the World Health Organisation.
We are looking for vibrant team players to apply for the role of Office Manager / Accounts Administrator. This is an exciting opportunity to join a fun creative team working in the heart of Edinburgh. The role is part time 20- 25 hours per week, 9 – 12 month contract with prospects. Salary £25,000 per annum, pro rata.
For more information please email admin@heehaw.co.uk and we’ll send you a job description. Applications by CV.
