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Daily Record
a day ago
- General
- Daily Record
Edinburgh unveils floral clock for 2025 celebrating 200 years of braille
The floral clock, made with over 35,000 plants, took six weeks to complete and blooms until October Edinburgh's Lord Provost Robert Aldridge has officially unveiled this year's floral clock in West Princes Street Gardens. The colourful timepiece is a vibrant tribute marking 200 years of braille and celebrating the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB). The iconic clock, crafted with over 35,000 flowers and plants, took three gardeners six weeks to complete. Featuring species such as antennaria, crassula, echeveria, sedum, saxifrage, and annuals like pyrethrum, begonias and geraniums, the colourful display will bloom until October. Joined by RNIB representatives and visually impaired community members, Mr Aldridge expressed hope that the design would inspire reflection on the vital role braille plays in the lives of those who use it. The capital's Lord Provost Robert Aldridge said: "Seeing the floral clock take shape is a wonderful annual tradition and this year doesn't disappoint, with a beautiful display in honour of a worthwhile cause. "The RNIB provides essential support to blind and visually impaired people, and in 2025 they mark a real milestone with the 200th anniversary of braille. I hope the clock's design will give people pause to reflect on just how important braille is to all those to use it. "Thanks to the hard-working parks team who have spent the past six weeks creating the clock, which will be enjoyed by many thousands of people throughout summer." The RNIB, the UK's leading charity for sight loss, supports blind and partially sighted individuals along with their families and carers. This year, it marks the bicentenary of braille, the tactile six-dot code that revolutionised literacy and communication for people with sight loss. James Adams, director of RNIB Scotland, described it as a great honour for the organisation to be featured. 'It marks the 200th anniversary of the invention of braille which opened up opportunity for blind and partially sighted people to be able to access the written word, and with that came the liberation of being able to also receive information that is taken for granted by wider society,' he said. 'Braille is a system that endures, and continues to transform the lives of blind and partially sighted people, offering them privacy, independence, and opportunity.' "Therefore, we are delighted to have Braille200 so prominently marked in the heart of Edinburgh and give everyone the opportunity to celebrate braille and include accessibility in their lives." The floral clock has a rich heritage, first created in 1903 by Edinburgh Parks superintendent John McHattie, making it the oldest of its kind in the world. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Initially featuring just an hour hand, a minute hand was added in 1904, followed by a cuckoo clock in 1952. It was mechanically operated and wound daily until 1972. Since 1946, the clock's designs have honoured numerous organisations and figures, including the Girl Guides Association, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Queen Elizabeth II for her Golden Jubilee. In its centenary year, 2003, it won a gold medal at the Royal Horticultural Society Chelsea Flower Show.
BBC News
3 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Edinburgh's floral clock celebrates 200 years of braille
Edinburgh's Lord Provost has officially opened the newly completed floral clock in the city's West Princes Street year the landmark celebrates the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) and 200 years of braille, the tactile code allowing blind and partially sighted people to read by Provost Robert Aldridge was joined by RNIB representatives and visually impaired members of the community to mark the completion of the new design, which takes three gardeners six weeks to than 35,000 flowers and plants are used in the clock, which will be in bloom until October. Plants in the clock include antennaria, crassula, echevaria, sedum and saxifrage and annuals such as pyrethrum, begonias and Aldridge said he hoped the clock's design would give people pause to reflect on how important braille is to all those to use RNIB is the UK's leading sight loss charity which offers practical and emotional support to blind and partially sighted people, their families and year, the RNIB is marking the 200th anniversary of the invention of braille, a code based on six dots used to represent the alphabet and Adams, director of RNIB Scotland, said it was a great honour that RNIB had been chosen for this year's floral said: "It marks the 200th anniversary of the invention of braille which opened up opportunity for blind and partially sighted people to be able to access the written word, and with that came the liberation of being able to also receive information that is taken for granted by wider society." "Braille is a system that endures, and continues to transform the lives of blind and partially sighted people, offering them privacy, independence, and opportunity."The floral clock was first created in 1903 by then Edinburgh Parks superintendent, John McHattie, and is the oldest of its kind in the initially operated with just an hour hand, with a minute hand added in 1904, followed by a cuckoo clock in 1952. Until 1972 the clock was operated mechanically and had to be wound 1946 it has been designed in honour of various organisations and individuals, including the Girl Guides Association, Robert Louis Stevenson and the Queen, for her Golden the clock's centenary year in 2003 it won a gold medal at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
Edinburgh Reporter
12-06-2025
- Automotive
- Edinburgh Reporter
The costs of the Lord Provost's two new cars
There are two new cars at the City Chambers for use by the Lord Provost, the Depute Lord Provost and also by visiting royalty. The cars which are driven and maintained by city officers, have been purchased to replace two 11-year-old vehicles. The cost of £64,620 per vehicle, is lower than the budget in the approved replacement programme for fleet set out in November when the council agreed to spend £56.8m of capital investment on new vehicles. Some of this expenditure was required due to the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) in the city centre, with all vehicles (with just a few exemptions) required to comply with emission standards. The council said the intention is to retain the cars for a period of 10 years so as to achieve maximum benefit from the expenditure. Civic Regalia The council also said that due to considerations of security, reliability, and cost, civic cars are the most suitable mode of transportation, throughout the year for the Lord Provost, Cllr Robert Aldridge, who wears the 18 carat gold and diamond civic regalia on official business. He is often accompanied by the Provost Consort. The chain made by Messrs Brook and Son on George Street is 46 inches long, and weighs between 40 and 50 ounces. It is decorated with 470 brilliant and 22 rose diamonds. Transportation expenses are also included in monies already approved by the Council in its budget. In 2024/25, the Office of the Lord Provost conducted 639 engagements which is made up of 413 civic events and 226 routine business meetings. The Lord Provost's registration plates are SO 1 and SO 10 and these are in the process of being transferred to the new vehicles. The Green group on the council have in the past called for such assets to be sold, with the value of the plates estimated at around £500,000 each. The last time the sale of such assets was discussed, the disposal was again not approved with City Centre councillor, Jo Mowat saying in autumn 2024: 'This is not a man wandering around the city in a necklace. This is the Lord Provost wearing the chain of office, representing our city. 'We demean the role if we regard it in other ways. 'These are chains of office that belong to the city and they link us back to our past. They are part of the visible thread that connects us back through the 900 years and the history of this council.' The Lord Provost has two new cars – which will bear the official registration numbers when these are transferred The Rt Hon Lord Provost conducting the judging at the Edinburgh Taxi Outing PHOTO Alan Simpson Like this: Like Related
Scotsman
06-06-2025
- Health
- Scotsman
New Edinburgh centre will help people with dementia experience health benefits of nature and the outdoors
A new centre which aims to unlock the power of nature to help people living with dementia has been officially opened in the grounds of Edinburgh's Lauriston Castle. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... It follows the success of the UK's first outdoor dementia resource centre at Badaguish in the Cairngorms National Park. Edinburgh Lord Provost Robert Aldridge was joined for the opening by the late Barbara Windsor's husband Scott Mitchell and Henry Simmons, chief executive of AlzheimerScotland, which is behind the initiative. The new centre will encourage people living with dementia, their families and carers to experience the mental and physical benefits of spending time outdoors. Picture: Neil Hanna. | Neil Hanna Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The East Enders legend was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease in 2024 and Mr Mitchell, who was married to her for 20 years before her death in 2020, was her carer for the last six years of her life. The new centre will offer a wide range of activities to help people with dementia connect with nature and the outdoors, such as gardening, cycling, walks and outdoor yoga. And it also aims to help families and carers to experience the mental and physical benefits of spending time outdoors. Lauriston lodge, in the castle grounds, has been restored to its former glory, with dementia-friendly design throughout. And the garden includes a red phone box and a bus stop designed to stimulate memories and conversation. Lord Provost Robert Aldridge and the late Barbara Windsor's husband Scott Mitchell cut the ribbon at the official opening. Picture: Neil Hanna. | Neil Hanna Mr Simmons said: 'People living with dementia can often become socially isolated, or struggle to access the outdoors, but our Lauriston centre will help to bring the benefits of nature directly to them. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'It has taken a lot of work to restore and adapt the old Lauriston lodge but it now looks fantastic. A special thank you goes to the former Forget-Me-Not Trust and Edinburgh City Council who helped make this project a reality." The Badaguish centre in the Cairngorms National Park opened two years ago as a flagship project of the Cairngorms 2030 programme, which aims to create the UK's first net zero national park and inspire communities across Scotland and beyond to take climate and wellbeing action. Lauriston Lodge as been extensively renovated and designed to be dementia friendly. | supplied Kenny Wright, manager at Badaguish, said: "We began our outdoor work with people living with dementia in the autumn of 2017, launching a pilot project based in a tipi tent near Loch Morlich once a month. Local people living with dementia clearly had a passion for connecting with nature - we could see there was scope to grow this idea. 'In 2022 we secured funding through the Cairngorms 2030 programme. This enabled Alzheimer Scotland to set up what might be the world's first dedicated outdoor resource centre for people with Dementia at Badaguish Outdoor Centre. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad "We've really put our roots down there and branched out into local communities. Our colleagues at Alzheimer Scotland have really nurtured this idea and have now invested in this second outdoor dementia resource centre at Lauriston Castle. 'I'm delighted to see green health flourish within Alzheimer Scotland and become an important part of how we support people to live well with dementia across Scotland." David Clyne, head of Cairngorms 2030, said: "The project has become a supportive and vibrant community for people living with dementia and their loved ones, offering therapeutic nature-based activities and tailored support. "The creation of a second Outdoor Dementia Resource Centre in Edinburgh is a fitting legacy of Cairngorms 2030 and I wish the team at Lauriston Castle every success as they bring this pioneering green health initiative to a new audience."
Edinburgh Reporter
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Reporter
Celebration reception to honour winners of Edinburgh 900 writing competitions
A celebratory reception was held on Thursday at the City Chambers to honour the winners of two Edinburgh 900 themed writing competitions. Hosted by the Lord Provost Robert Aldridge, the event recognised the creativity and talent of local writers who submitted original works inspired by Edinburgh's remarkable nine-century history. The two featured competitions included the Green Pencil Award 2024, aimed at school-aged children (P4 to S3) attending Edinburgh schools or home-educated in the city, and a city-wide poetry writing competition organised through Edinburgh's library network, open to adult residents. The Edinburgh 900 initiative commemorates 900 years since the Royal Burgh was established by King David I around 1124. In honour of this historic milestone, residents were invited to share their reflections, memories, and love for Scotland's capital through poetry and storytelling. Lord Provost with Highly Commended Green Pencil entrant Marcus Osborne Lord Provost with Highly Commended Green Pencil entrant Sofia Brown (wearing green jumper) and her family Lord Provost with overall Green Pencil Award winner Ema Mene and her family Lord Provost with overall Green Pencil Award winner Ema Mene Lord Provost with Highly Commended Green Pencil entrant Isobel Rhys-Davies and her family Both competitions highlighted Edinburgh's rich heritage, cultural vibrancy, and strong community spirit. Six winning entries from the poetry competition will be immortalised on exclusive bookmarks to be distributed across Council-run libraries throughout the city. The winning poets will also be filmed reciting their work, with the recordings shared across the Council's social media channels and preserved as part of the Edinburgh 900 archive for future generations. The winners are Shasta Hanif Ali, Eric Robinson, Rory Allison, Tricia Ronaldson and Suzanne Smith. The Green Pencil Award encouraged young people to express their voices creatively in written form, with entries limited to one side of A4 and open to stories or poems in any style. Twenty finalists were selected, with one crowned the overall winner and presented with the prestigious Green Pencil Award trophy and winner's medal. The Green Pencil was awarded to Preston Street Primary 7 pupil Ema Mene for her poem 'To Edinburgh She Went'. Highly commended: Isobel Rhys-Davies, Cargilfield School (P6); Marcus Osborne, Bruntsfield Primary School (P6B); and Sofia Brown, James Gillespie's High School (S1). The Lord Provost Robert Aldridge praised all entrants for their enthusiasm and passion: 'Creative writing ensures our stories are told and remembered. Edinburgh 900 is not only a celebration of the past but also a platform to inspire the future. These competitions show how deeply people care about the city and its legacy. 'Edinburgh has long been a city where literature thrives, as we mark 900 years these wonderful written pieces provide another meaningful way to honour the city's legacy through the words of its people. My congratulations to our fantastic winners.' Like this: Like Related
