Konect Balerno December 2020/January 2021

DEC 2020 / JAN 2021

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LOCAL HISTORY:

WINE TASTING:

PLUS: MONEY MATTERS, PUZZLES, health & beauty, ‘THE NEW NORMAL’ and more inside!

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rap up, settle in: locked in or not, December’s going to be very different for most of us this year, but getting cosy in your Christmas jumper is definitely on the agenda. We’re wearing ours on the cover this month! Go ahead and top dress in yours for your vid calls – on Christmas Jumper Day on 11th December at least!

We launch a new regular this month which I think will be a favourite – wine tasting recommendations from Swirl Sip Socialise, based in Juniper Green. This month it’s, “The Season for Sensational Sherry” see page 43.

A very useful special edition of the Money Matters column this month steps us through the best financial advice for each stage of life.

It’s full of practical tips and is contributed by local independent financial advisors Personal Money Management. See pages 14-15.

And Suzanne’s playful take on social distancing in supermarkets made me smile this month – see her “New Normal” column on page 22.

My Christmas wish is for all our readers to stay strong and to be able to enjoy a safe and relaxing holiday period, whatever challenges it brings.

Thanks for reading Konect and supporting local businesses and organisations this year.

THIS ISSUE Local History: An Historical Pot Pourri................8 Money Matters: The 6 stages of finance........14 Health: Ask Your Pharmacist..............................17 Health: Peace and Love.......................................20 The New Normal: The social distancing game...........................................................................22 Turning Over a New Leaf.....................................29 Local Environment: Welcome to the undergrowth.............................................................40 Puzzles.......................................................................41 Wine Tasting: ‘Tis the Season for Sensational Sherry..........................................................................43 Local Lab: Engineering for the Future.............46

Konect is delivered to homes in Balerno, Currie, Juniper Green, Baberton and Ratho.

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STREET NAMES

– An Historical Pot Pourri The name of the streets we live in and use everyday is something we don’t normally think about at all.

Most of them can be explained by history, and it’s interesting to browse this list of names and learn a little about what’s behind them. Some of them have been named after significant local people, some got their names from what they were used for and the origins of some are lost in the mists of time. This is a selection of just a few, most of which we’ve covered in more in-depth local history articles.

Woodhall (Juniper Green) - the name of an ancient estate, first mentioned in the early fourteenth century. Woodhall House dates from around 1630 and was Junpier Green’s most important residence for many years.

Foulis (Juniper Green) - the name of the family who owned Woodhall House and estate from 1519. Sir James Foulis aquired the estate in 1519 and the estate was in the family for many years.

A certain Sir John Foulis recorded his time at Woodhall House in a diary. A country gentleman, he kept himself busy gardening, bee-keeping and managing a number of local farms and cottages. Tenants worked for him, filling his coal cellar, planting orchards, thatching his roof, or repairing his carriage. He, in turn, was a kind man, and contributed drink money to several local weddings. Sir John loved a good party and even had energy enough at age 67 to take on a fourth wife. When he wasn’t at work, a special treat would be hare-hunting with friends, a trip to the Leith races, or a smart new wig!

For a fascinating summary of Sir John’s diaries, see Liz Beever’s work at : www.junipergreen.org.uk/foulis-janfeb.html.

Thomson (Currie) - named after James Thomson, local poet 1763 – 1832. James 8 | BALERNO

DID YOU KNO W?

Thomson was an Edinburgh boy who was bought up in Currie by his grandparents. He joined his grandfather in his weaving business at Mid Kinleith at the age of 13 and was instrumental in turning the ailing business around. He married a Currie girl and they moved to the cottage between Mid and East Kinleith Farms, which he later named Mount Parnassus – presumably a reference to the lime bing for Kinleith Paper Mill. Life was hard with a large family to support and meagre income from weaving. Thomson composed poems in the evening, and was also somewhat of a musician.

Two volumes of his poetry were published to high critical acclaim at the time, and at the time of his death he was relatively prosperous. A third volume was published after his death.

Baberton Avenue Baberton – site of an ancient estate originally called Kilbaberton. The history of Baberton House dates back to the early 14th century.

Baberton Mains housing was built on the site of Baberton Mains farmland. @KonectMagazines

Stewart (Currie) – Named after Reverend David Stewart, minister of Currie 1898 – 1949.

it crossed the burn. The area Threipmuir is apparently named after this incident.

Lang Whang – the long stretch of the A70 from Balerno to Carnwath. Moorland most of the way, over 1000 ft above sea-level at several points, part of an ancient route linking Lothian to Strathclyde. Lang Whang means a long strap or ribbon.

Bryce (Currie) – named after the Bryce family who moved from Currie to Juniper Green in 1881 and set up a large and successful haulage business, as well as several other businesses locally. The family and the company took an active part in community life.

Station Loan (Balerno) – led to the Balerno passenger station, which took passengers between 1874 and 1943.

Threipmuir Reservoir

Balerno Station Weaver’s Knowe (Currie) – named after the workers who lived in the area, working in the local weaving industry. A knowe is a small hill.

Threipmuir (Balerno) – named after Threipmuir reservoir. William St Clair of Roslin was hunting with King Robert the Bruce in the Pentlands. The king had apparently often started a white deer but never been able to catch it. On this occasion he asked the nobles with him if any of them had hounds that they thought might be more successful. St Clair said he would wager his life that his two hounds would be able to catch the deer before it crossed the March Burn (the boundary between the two estates). The king took him up on this and wagered the forest of Pentland moor against the life of St Clair. St Clair threiped (Scots for “urged”) his hounds on, who were successful in catching the deer just before @KonectMagazines

Clayhills (Balerno) – this area is shown on a 1627 map as is apparently descriptive of the type of ground; it is reputed to be the site of a pottery. It is the also the site of a former farm and mill on the corner of Lovedale Avenue and Johnsburn Road.

Nether Currie (Currie) – was a small hamlet wiped out by a cholera epidemic in the mid 18th century. Nether means “lower.”

Dolphin (Currie) – The name of the ship on which a member of the Gibson-Craig family died, in 1930. Cadet Cummings was the son of Admiral Cummings and Lady Henrietta Gibson-Craig.

Lovedale (Balerno) – named after the Lovedale mission station in South Africa, founded in 1824 by the Glasgow Missionary Society. (A leading member of the society was Dr John Love). The Lovedale housing estate was started in the late 1920s, on land belonging to Mr Menzies of Larchgrove; Mr Menzies was keenly interested in missionary work, hence the naming of the estate after Lovedale Missionary Institute.

This article is an updated reprint of an article originally published in Konect in 2011.

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MONEY MATTERS

Financial matters can be confusing but some financial planning - whatever stage of life you are at - can make a huge difference to your wealth and ability to reach your goals.

So I have broken finance into six different stages of life.

STAGE 1: INVESTING FOR CHILDREN Every child is a potential taxpayer, but fortunately has a personal allowance. Any gift from grandparents should be invested in a product which pays dividends.

The dividends are taxable but fortunately this tax can be reclaimed.

Surprisingly, you can take out a pension for a child and get tax relief, even although the child is not paying tax.

STAGE 2: TEENS AND TWENTIES One of two things may happen.

A) They go to University.

Unfortunately going to university invariably means taking out a student loan but it’s not all bad - interest rates are relatively low and you do not need to pay anything back until you earn over £30,000.

B) They become employed.

When receiving your first salary cheque there are so many things to spend the money on, and saving for a rainy day is often well down the list. However, this is recommended to cope with future rainy days, or saving for a deposit for your first home.

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Your employer must have a pension scheme and you should join it as they will contribute into your pension plan and you will get tax relief on any contributions you make.

STAGE 3: YOUNG MARRIED Easily the most valuable asset owned by people is their home and it is their biggest and best investment.

Hopefully, you have saved the deposit and are now looking for a mortgage. A repayment mortgage means you pay the appropriate interest, and part of the capital is repaid, reducing your debt.

A “joint life” policy should be taken out to ensure that the outstanding loan is repaid in case of a premature death or critical illness.

Again, pension schemes should be a high priority.

Now that you own property you MUST make a will.

STAGE 4: THIRTIES AND FORTIES For many people the thirties bring on the urge to “go it alone” i.e. start their own business.

This is a high-risk strategy but has many tax advantages. @KonectMagazines

Pension should be a high priority. In a good year you can reduce your income tax liability by increasing your pension payments.

If you are in the fortunate position where income exceeds your expenditure then you should start an Individual Savings Account (ISA), or top up if you already have one. This will be useful when you retire as the income is tax free.

STAGE 5: MIDDLE AGE Middle age is the runup to retirement and the chance to build up a nest egg for your retirement.

It is worth emphasising that a pension is still the most tax efficient way of saving for the future. After pensions you should top up your investment ISA. All investments have some form of risk. Even if you put your money in a building society you still run the risk that inflation will erode the buying power of your cash. An ISA allows you to invest at a risk level you are happy with by investing in multi asset, multi manager funds.

In middle age you should start forward planning to avoid leaving your family with a large inheritance bill. By using a life policy written “in trust” large sums of money can be left to your heirs without attracting an IHT tax liability, as this money does not form part of your estate.

STAGE 6: RETIREMENT The longest holiday of your lifetime is your retirement and hopefully you are not relying on your state pension, because if you are your standard of living will fall sharply.

is inflation linked plus a tax-free lump sum.

With the tax-free lump sum, you should top up your ISA. With a personal pension you have total flexibility e.g. you can take 25% tax-free.

The rest will produce an income which can be varied. For example, if you were fortunate enough to be able to retire before your normal retirement age, then you could take a reasonably high income from your pension now. Then when the state pension kicks in you would reduce it. Any income would be taxed at your marginal rate.

On the other hand, with your investment ISA any withdrawal either as a lump sum or a regular income will be tax-free.

If, like many people in retirement, you end up “house rich cash poor” then you can avail yourself of what is called “Equity Release.” This means you release capital from your home to increase your income and hence maintain your standard of living - or perhaps supply a deposit for children or grandchildren’s first home. Unfortunately, it reduces the value of your home on death.

At this stage or even earlier you should consider obtaining a Power of Attorney (POA) which will enable your financial affairs to be administered for you by someone you trust in the unfortunate event you become mentally incapacitated and are unable to manage your financial affairs.

I am assuming you have up to date wills, but if not then this is your HIGHEST PRIORITY. The 6 Stages was written by Dr Peter Marshall of Personal Money Management, 188 Lanark Road West, Currie, EH14 5NX. Tel: 0131 538 7390

Assuming that is not the case, you have built up a pension fund and an investment fund.

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Wishing all our readers & customers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year Thank you for supporting local businesses and organisations

• If you have an interesting story relating to the local area or a local personality that you would like to share with the community, please contact us • If you run a business locally, stay visible and get new customers via our flexible local advertising packages Our contact details are on page 3

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ASK YOUR PHARMACIST

Remember your Pharmacist is here for you this Christmas With so much else to think about at this time of year, it’s easy to forget what health resources you might need over Christmas & New Year.

Here are some top tips from your local Lindsay & Gilmour Pharmacy Team to help keep you on track:

Nathan Soper

Repeat Prescriptions: Remember to order them well in advance of the holiday period and don’t order more than you need. Did you know Lindsay & Gilmour offer a handy, free, collection & delivery service? Find out more online at www.lindsayandgilmour.co.uk

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Know your opening times: Make a note of the opening hours of your GP Practice and local Lindsay & Gilmour Pharmacy over Christmas and New Year.

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HEALTH

We all know what it is like to have a soft tissue injury. Injuries such as a sprained ankle or an irritated tendon are so common that they account for up to 50% of all musculoskeletal injuries presenting to a GP. Of these, an ankle sprain is the most common.

Keen readers of Konect may remember in 2018 reading about POLICE – an acronym to remind us how to best treat an ankle sprain. The advice was to Protect the ankle from further injury, to consider Optimal Loading rather than complete rest to help the ligaments heal, and to use Ice, Compression and Elevation to treat any swelling. Recent research, however, has developed these principles. Blaise Dubois and Dr JeanFrancois Esculier writing in the British Journal of Sport Medicine, have advocated a new way of remembering how to best treat soft tissue injuries from immediate injury to full recovery - “Peace” and “Love”.

P - Protect the injury by restricting movement for 1 – 3 days to minimise bleeding from any damaged blood vessels and reduce swelling.

E - Elevate the limb to reduce swelling.

A - Avoid anti-inflammatory medication.

Our body is very good at repair and research has shown that this type of medication can disrupt this process, having a detrimental effect on long-term healing.

C - Compression with tape or a bandage to reduce swelling.

E - Educate – seek out the information you need to understand your injury, how long it should take to get better and how activity can help recovery. We now know that rest is useful when the injury is painful for the first few days then exercise really helps recovery. As a basic rule, a muscle injury will take 2 -4 weeks to fully heal and a 20 | BALERNO

ligament sprain 6 – 8 weeks. This may vary with the degree of injury and how old you are. Your doctor or Physio can advise.

PEACE will guide treatment for the first 3 – 5 days after an injury, then LOVE comes in as follows:L - Load – as soon as pain allows, loading the joint promotes tissue repair. For an ankle sprain this can be progressing from needing crutches to walk to starting gentle exercises while sitting then walking short distances followed by a phased return to sports.

O - Optimism – Remember that our body has an amazing capacity to heal and likes movement to do so. Fear and worry about the extent of injury can actually be a barrier to recovery.

V - Vascularisation – pain-free exercise improves blood flow in the injured area and helps healing.

E - Exercise. There is a lot of evidence that exercise will restore mobility, strength and balance reactions after an ankle injury and that this helps prevent a recurrence of the injury.

Soft tissue injuries, like us, need Peace and Love this Christmas and all year too.

Best wishes for Christmas and the New Year from all at McNaughton Physiogrange.

The health column is contributed by McNaughton Physiogrange, Edinburgh www.physiogrange.co.uk @KonectMagazines

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BALERNO | 21

THE NEW NORMAL

The social distancing game My initial experience of social distancing was traumatic. I thought I was obeying the shop’s rules, but I must have come too close to the counter. Immediately alarm registered on the face of the woman behind the till and her hand shot up as if to block me. “Back!” she commanded. It reminded me of that scene from Monsters Inc. where the hapless employee emerges from a child’s room with a sock stuck to him and the CDA (Child Detection Agency) rushes out to disinfect him! I looked up – thankfully, there were no men on ropes lowering themselves to the shop floor. I could pay and make a hasty retreat.

That was in the early lockdown days.

Doubtless that key worker was really afraid.

Maybe she didn’t want to come to work at all.

I pondered this as I walked home, realising the experience had shaken me. I felt as if my fingers had been smacked.

Soon videos began appearing on Facebook showing people carrying metal tape measures when they were out so that they could ensure everyone kept their distance.

I laughed at a video of a man dressed in a ridiculous costume featuring strips of two-metre foam that extended out from his body. But as the weeks passed we all became more skilled at social distancing and a sort of etiquette emerged: When someone is approaching you on the pavement, one of you checks for 22 | BALERNO

cars and steps out into the road. If the other person is elderly or disabled, is pushing a pram, or has a child, another adult or a dog with them, you should be the one to move. If none of these apply, stand your ground – but be prepared to move in case they don’t know the rules.

Social distancing in shops is almost impossible. And, with all of the new rules and stickers on the floor, shopping is like a board game. I queued outside until eventually I was at the starting point. From there I shook the dice, rolled a two and was in! I advanced from one coloured sticker to the next, and could only go in one direction. Suddenly I, and those behind me, came to a screeching halt because the player ahead was not proceeding: she was trying to decide which pasta sauce to buy. Didn’t she know the rules? One was meant to keep going, and expected to collect everything the first time round!

Eventually I rolled a four, which was enough to get me past the indecisive lady. But feeling stressed, I’d forgotten that I too needed pasta sauce. Now I’d passed it, and there was no going back. I’d be going against the arrows.

Noticing a staff member – who must have missed the memo about social distancing – I described my plight and asked how I could get the sauce.

“I’m sorry, ma’am,” he said. “I’m afraid you will have to go back outside, join the queue, and roll the dice again.”

The New Normal is contributed by Suzanne Green. Suzanne, a freelance writer/editor, lives in Balerno and writes regularly for Konect. She is married to Andy and they have two adult daughters. @KonectMagazines

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TURNING OVER A NEW LEAF

Christmas doesn’t need to cost the Earth Did you know that we create 30% more waste over the Christmas period?

I love Christmas, but it seems sad that such a magical tradition should have such a negative impact on our planet.

We have an artificial tree, loads of glittery decorations and a stack of shiny wrapping paper, none of which can be recycled. It’s tempting to throw them all away and start afresh. However, throughout this process I have resolved not to throw things away – after all that just adds to the waste. Instead, when they need replacing or restocking, I will remember the following:

subscription to a digital publication, eBooks or an annual membership to a favourite organisation or club. Adopt an Animal for animal lovers or give charitable gifts or donations supporting charities close to the heart. Homemade goodies such as festive biscuits or chutneys are always appreciated.

Plants are another great option or plant some bulbs in a pot and decorate the pot.

Choose a locally grown, real Christmas Tree, as artificial ones cannot be recycled.

Real trees can be made into wood chip for parks and gardens. If you already have an artificial tree like I do, keep using it as long as possible!

Give the gift of time. Resolve to phone isolated relatives more regularly or meet neighbours for a walk – especially valuable for those who are isolated.

When replacing tree lights, choose LEDs, which use 80% less energy than traditional lights. eCards create no waste, but if you prefer traditional cards, look for those printed on FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) approved card and choose those with no glitter so they can be recycled.

Choose brown paper to wrap presents instead of shiny, glittery paper which cannot be recycled, and make it look festive with pretty, reusable ribbon or string.

Alternatively, choose reusable gift bags, tins, boxes or fabric.

Shop thoughtfully. Many gifts will be unwanted and unused, which is a waste of money and they may end up in landfill.

Check out the Farmers’ Market and the Virtual High Street on Facebook for locally made gifts. Give vouchers for a local restaurant or shop. Gifts with less packaging and which are easy to send in the post include a @KonectMagazines

Use Christmas Day leftovers in a soup or Bubble and Squeak or freeze for another day.

If you do one thing this Christmas, recycle as much as you can. Up to 70% of our waste can be recycled. To identify recyclable wrapping paper, do the scrunch test – if it stays scrunched up it can be recycled, but if it bounces back it probably has some plastic coating on so can’t be recycled.

“Turning Over a New Leaf” is a new column contributed by Jo Johnson, a Balerno resident who aims to share her research and shopping choices each month for manageable steps to a greener life. (Artwork by Nikki Forrest of Memorybox Paintings) For more ideas, follow me on Instagram @anewleaf.balerno

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From Japan to Thailand and Currie Balerno Rotary Club:

A lesser-known Rotary activity Mako’s home is Kanagawa, just 15 minutes by train from Tokyo, where she lives with her parents and older brother. She went to university in Akita in northern Japan and she spent a year in Thailand as an exchange student.

She was sponsored by a Rotary Club in Japan to enable her to pursue her postgrad studies in Edinburgh. Her host Rotary Club in Scotland is the Rotary Club of Currie Balerno and she is one of three Rotary Scholars in the Edinburgh area this year.

Mako is studying for an MSc in Urban Strategies and Design at Heriot Watt University and at Edinburgh University’s College of Art. She had developed an interest in the need for balance between conservation and economic development as an undergraduate and this interest was heightened during her time in Bangkok, a city growing rapidly and experiencing heavy traffic and pollution.

She would have been more aware of the conflict between conservation, economic development and tourism in Edinburgh had it not been for COVID – “the city is kind of empty. It is like a theme park. The city centre is so much more beautiful than I expected

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Sponsored by a Rotary Club in Japan, Mako Tanaka was awarded a Rotary Scholarship to enable her to pursue her post-graduate studies in Edinburgh. and just walking around the city excites me.

I really like Edinburgh. It is a lovely city.”

Mako keeps in close touch with the Currie Balerno Rotary Club and she joins the members of the Rotary Club in wishing the readers of Konect the best possible Christmas and a more hopeful New Year.

This article is contributed by the Rotary Club of Currie Balerno, see www.cbrotary.org

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LOCAL ENVIRONMENT

Welcome to the undergrowth As I write this, the weekend is nearly over and there’s only one word to describe it - dreich (surely, it’s the best Scottish word). The mist has hung heavy making the air feel thick and the drizzle soaked us to the bone.

It’s not all bad news though, as the colours of autumn fade and we await the first snowfall there is still plenty for us to admire thanks to mother nature. During a cycle I was so dis-tracted by the way the cobwebs were weaving through the gorse bushes I cut it short near Armadale, returned home and promptly went out with the camera.

The work undertaken by the spiders was mesmerising and incredibly varied. The mist didn’t burn off like I’d hoped but somehow it seemed to make the cobwebs even more beautiful.

On top of that, I heard the high-pitched call of the long tailed tit as they bounced through the air followed by the goldcrest - what a discovery! The smallest bird in the UK was flit-ting between trees looking for insects but sadly evaded me for any 40 | BALERNO

decent pictures. The cycle path between Bathgate and Blackridge is an excellent place for bird watching, es-pecially as those who inhabit the territory will be used to people passing so frequently.

Next month we can’t wait to bring you a picture of the bohemian waxwings which have now made landfall in Scotland for winter. They’re just a wee bit too far north for us at the moment!

This column is contributed by Clare Harte and Kate Stevenson, who grew up in Edinburgh and now live in West Lothian. Together they run Scottish Sisters Photography and travel around the country to watch and photograph amazing wildlife and scenic landscapes. Follow them on Facebook @ScottishSistersPhotography @KonectMagazines

PUZZLES

CROSSWORD

Claylands Cottage Cattery ...for contented cats

Established in May 2006, we provide first-class holiday accommodation for up to 35 feline guests.

Single and double cabins, as well as large cabins for families, each comprises an upper sleeping area (heated in winter) with an exercise run below.

Solution in the February edition of Konect ACROSS: 1. Used for measuring (4), 3. Goes before (8), 9. Against (7), 10. Removes sensation (5), 11. Immediate environment (12), 14. Uncooked (3), 16. Edition (5), 17. To colour (3), 18. Very keen (12), 21. Not dead (5), 22. European country (7), 23. Simultaneously (8), 24. Happy (4).

DOWN: 1. Item of clothing (8), 2. Writing material (5), 4. Stick, cane (3), 5. Significant (12), 6. Broken (7), 7. Type of window (4), 8. Amazement (12), 12. Birds dwellings (5), 13. Received gladly (8), 15. Not losing (7), 19. Spin around (5), 20. Sour (4), 22. Farewell (3).

SUDOKU

A collection and drop-off service is available Fully licensed and insured

Proprietors: Pam and Bill Clark Phone: 0131 333 1636 Email: mail@claylandscottagecattery.co.uk Off Claylands Road, Newbridge, EH28 8LZ Conveniently situated near the airport.

Sudoku solution on page 44.

www.claylandscottagecattery.co.uk

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BALERNO | 41

To celebrate the near completion of the Colinton Tunnel Mural, the Charity behind the mural’s creation is running a photographic competition.

PHOTO CREDIT: www.colintontunnel.org.uk

The Mural, which lies along the Water of Leith Walkway from Spylaw Park, is full of amazing scenes and characters created by professional artists and the local community.

Visitors are challenged to take a snap of their favourite part of the Mural and submit it for a chance to win a ÂŁ50 voucher for Dantes Restaurant.

The winner and four runners-up will also see their images reproduced on selected Colinton Tunnel merchandise. The profits will be used to support ongoing maintenance of the Mural and future community engagement activities.

PHOTO CREDIT: www.colintontunnel.org.uk

Photographs must be from part of the Mural, in full colour and of high resolution.

Entries should be submitted via email to community@colintontunnel.org.uk no later than December 31st, 2020.

Please respect the latest Scottish Government Coronavirus guidance when taking your photo. For full competition rules, see the Terms and Conditions at www.colintontunnel.org.uk Happy snapping and good luck!

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WINE TASTING

THE SEASON FOR

Sensational Sherry

What do you think of when you hear the word ‘Sherry’? Is it the dusty bottle at the back of the kitchen cupboard, located somewhere behind the fish sauce and cider vinegar and occasionally glugged into an exotic culinary dish? Or the strange brown bottle brought out for Granny’s annual Christmas tipple?

This winter I suggest you explore what Sherry has to offer. It’s the most wonderful time of the year to buy Sherry. Retailers compete on price and new stock arrives in store. It’s time to step beyond Granny’s Harveys Bristol Cream (which, incidentally, is delicious poured through a large segment of fresh orange into a goblet of ice!) and look for those obscure labels off the beaten track. To start with go in search of Fino, Manzanilla, Amontillado, Oloroso or Pedro Ximenez.

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BIG Impact

To be included in Konect, please contact us. Our details are on page 3. @KonectMagazines

Fino; seasalt dry on the palate, it should be served chilled and treated like a white wine. Manzanilla means Camomile in Spanish and is so named because of its delicate flavour. Amontillado is an amber colour, dry and nutty. Oloroso has a rich, raisiny aroma on the nose but is dry and nutty on the palate. Pedro Ximenez is my favourite, a deep dark brown colour, dense with dried fruit aromatics and dark chocolate. It’s incredibly sweet. Viscous in the glass and so unusual, you’ll remember the first time you try it.

Enjoy in a glass or pour over your favourite vanilla ice cream, grab a spoon and fall in love.

The monthly wine tasting column is contributed by Joanne Frette. Joanne lives in Juniper Green with her 3 children. She is a Sommelier Wine & Spirit Specialist who runs Swirl Sip Socialise, an online wine tasting business which connects friends and family across the UK. BALERNO | 43

AWARD WINNER

THE ROLLING HILLS CHORUS VIRTUALLY HERE & THERE!

Despite not being able to regularly meet, to rehearse and to sing in harmony, the Rolling Hills Chorus have found solutions to Covid issues and challenges.

The Chorus continues to gather together each week on Zoom and enjoy a mix of warm-ups, song rehearsals, learning new songs and member spotlights. A virtual performance of Loch Lomond by some of the Chorus members can be viewed on the Chorus website (www.rollinghills.org.uk).

Regular Chorus Quiz’s for families and friends have helped raise funds of over £4000 to date for a mix of Charities including Prostate Scotland, St Columba’s Hospice, NW Edinburgh Foodbank, Crisis Scotland, Sistema Scotland and Alzheimer Scotland.

Enabling the continuation, the fun and magnetism of the Chorus is very much due to the Chorus Director, Rosalind Johnson who, together with her Music Team has inspirationally led the Chorus through sell-out Fringe performances and the UK Barbershop Conventions and of course Covid!

SOLUTIONS

The Chorus’s ‘Nick Hayes Barbershopper Of The Year’ award was presented by Anne Hayes to Assistant Chorus Director Geoff Stockham at Nick’s memorial bench at Leadburn Woodlands Walk, Penicuik. Geoff’s additional technical contribution has helped the Chorus survive pandemic disruption and prepare for their 2021 Fringe Performances at St Cuthberts Church and their subsequent bookings* (*Covid permitting).

This update was contributed by the Rolling Hills Chorus, see www.rollinghills.org.uk

SOLUTION TO NOVEMBER CROSSWORD

SOLUTION TO SUDOKU ON PAGE 24

ACROSS: 1. Decade, 4. Photos, 9. Plateau, 10. Label, 11. Rhyme, 12. Choices, 13. Destruction, 18. Chemist, 20. Ideal, 22. Ruins, 23. Opposed, 24. Degree, 25. Adults.

DOWN: 1. Depart, 2. Crazy, 3. Deepest, 5. Hello, 6. Tobacco, 7. Splash, 8. Punctuation, 14. Evening, 15. Tripped, 16. Scared, 17. Slides, 19. Issue, 21. Easel.

44 | BALERNO

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BALERNO | 45

LOCAL LAB

Engineering for the Future Picture in your mind what an Engineer looks like. Are they wearing a hard hat and looking at a complex schematic drawing? Are they wearing a lab coat and looking down the lens of a microscope? Or are they sitting in front of a computer writing code?

These might seem like different jobs, but they are all engineering.

In the UK there is currently a shortage of engineers and importantly within the current engineering workforce there is a lack of diversity. There have been several initiatives to attract teenagers to By the time study engineering, children reach the age of but they have 7, they have not been very already ruled successful. out career paths Research as not being for suggests that them – or not a reason for being for people this is because like them” by the time children reach the early age of seven, they have already ruled out career paths as not being for them – or not being for people like them e.g. based on gender, ethnic or socio-economic background, or perceived cleverness.

Dr Helen Bridle, an engineer from Heriot-Watt University is trying Percentage to deconstruct old of Males & Females stereotypes about Employed what engineering is and who does engineering in her new project called Engineering Science Capital, funded by the EPSRC. She is bringing together engineers and creative arts professionals to design and run fun activities with children aged 3-7 to showcase the breadth and diversity in engineering.

46 | BALERNO

Working with nurseries, schools, parents and teachers, she hopes to inform and inspire about the wide range of engineering careers that exist.

Helen’s project will find out what activities and approaches work best to engage 3-7 year olds with engineering, and the results will recommend the best ways to include engineering in early years education.

By opening-up the world of engineering to children now, we will help build a thriving and diverse engineering sector in the future.

HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED AND FIND OUT MORE: • Teachers can access a classroom pack and curriculum-linked activities

• Families can receive ideas for easy, fun and low-cost activities to do at home

• Engineers can get help in communicating their work All the above is in development, please email Helen at h.l.bridle@hw.ac.uk for more details about the project, to find out when our new website will be launched and be the first to preview our Engineering song being developed with Hopscotch Songs.

Updates about the project will be posted on the HWU website and the Heriot-Watt Engage social media channels @hwengage The Local Lab column is contributed by Heriot-Watt University to engage the public in a range of their research projects. @KonectMagazines