Konect Balerno June 2021

JUNE 2021

CHARITY:

LOCAL WALK:

SPOTLIGHT:

BALERNO’S WAFFLE QUEEN

PLUS: MONEY MATTERS, HEALTH & BEAUTY, puzzles, and more local features inside!

T

here’s plenty to appreciate and celebrate this summer, especially life’s little pleasures that were denied us for so long. So what better way to celebrate than to meet up at one of our local cafes, bars and restaurants?

Carlyle’s on the Main Street in Balerno is the perfect place for a relaxed catchup during the day, and they have a new mouth-watering waffle and crepe menu.

I met their new chef and baker, who is also a local resident, see page 11. The Railway Inn in Juniper Green also has new breakfast and dinner menus, and free desserts for Konect readers.

The Citizen’s Advice Bureau is looking to raise awareness of the hidden problem of gambling addiction that affects our communities, and are offering free training sessions to groups who want to learn more about it, see pages 8-9.

All our usual columns are here from our wonderful local contributors and experts, along with updates from a number of local community organisations.

I hope you enjoy this issue, as ever, please let me know what you think.

THIS ISSUE

P12 Charity: Gambling Awareness..........................8 Wine Tasting: English Country Garden....... 10 Spotlight: Balerno’s Waffle Queen................ 11 Walk: Discovery Trails at Heriot-Watt........... 12 Health: Tips for healthy eyes & vision.......... 16 Health: Would you know if you had “Bursitis”?............................................................. 18 Money Matters: Fail to plan or plan to fail... 28 The New Normal: Keep Moving!................... 32 Local Environment: Dippers........................... 34 Turning over a new leaf: Food Waste........... 37 Interiors: Get in sync with summer................ 41 Puzzles.................................................................. 44

COVER IMAGE: Balerno’s Waffle Queen at Carlyle’s.

See our feature on P11.

All enquiries, E: editor@konect.scot M: 07854 492638 @KonectMagazines

Konect is delivered monthly to homes in Balerno, Currie, Juniper Green, Baberton and Ratho. It is also available online: konect.scot/subscribe BALERNO | 3

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BALERNO | 7

UNCOVERING THE HIDDEN PROBLEM –

GAMBLING AWARENESS IN EDINBURGH

It’s a hidden problem – one that you have to know the signs to look for, and one that sufferers are very secretive about.

Alastair Ramsay of the Citizen’s Advice Bureau is on a mission to raise awareness of problematic gambling, teach people how to spot it in their friends and loved ones, and signpost to the help that is available for anyone struggling with a gambling problem.

“It presents most commonly as a debt problem initially,” explains Alastair. “People tend to come to the Citizen’s Advice Bureau or other organisations for help when their debts get out of control as a result of gambling.

Our advisers generally have to draw the information out of them about the root cause so that we can signpost to the right help.”

It’s an issue that affects all ages and walks of life, from young people who get drawn in via certain mechanisms within video gaming, all the way through to older people and more traditional forms of gambling. The impact on our communities is huge, and it’s a growing problem.

Gambling is any activity where you to risk losing money or belongings based on chance. There are many types, with varying degrees of social normality and acceptance.

It includes arcades, betting, bingo, casino, lotteries and gaming machines. More recently, emerging technologies have blurred the line between gambling and other forms of digital entertainment such as gaming, via mechanisms such as skin betting, loot boxes and smartphone premium games.

It is normalised around sport, and a lot of gambling is common and socially acceptable (for example, buying a lottery ticket). In the UK approximately half the population gambles in one way or another. You can gamble 24/7 on just about any platform.

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However, some people are vulnerable to gambling harm. When it becomes an addiction, it leads to a host of personal and financial problems that are destructive in every sphere of life. Harms include anxiety and poor health, neglect of family, relationship breakdown, absenteeism or poor performance at work or study, financial hardship, debt and ultimately sometimes theft and crime.

Tragically, it sometimes leads to suicide.

The Gambling Commission estimates that of the 2 million adults in the UK who experience some gambling harm, 340,000 are problem gamblers. Problem gambling is when the level of harm becomes disruptive and damaging to you or your family. And for each problem gambler an estimated 5 – 8 other people within their circle are affected.

HOW TO TELL IF SOMEONE MAY BE STRUGGLING WITH GAMBLING Potential signs include: • declined credit • agitated and upset for no apparent reason • household valuables missing • multiple cash withdrawals • unexplained expenditure • arrears with bills • being secretive or defensive about money • missing work, school or college • being late, not answering calls The lockdowns since the beginning of the pandemic have led to a significant increase in online gambling. There are many easy and accessible ways of gambling online, it’s been used as entertainment and online socialising for many people stuck at home. For a percentage of people though, it has become problematic and as lockdowns lift, the problems persist.

There is a lot of help available! A strategy by the Gambling Commission to reduce gambling harms is bringing health bodies, charities, regulators and businesses together in partnership. The first step is for people to recognise the problem and seek help for themselves or loved ones. @KonectMagazines

WOULD YOU LIKE A GAMBLING AWARENESS PRESENTATION FOR YOUR GROUP? (virtual or in-person)

Alistair Ramsay is available to deliver gambling awareness training to any groups, charities or organisations in Edinburgh who wish to raise awareness of the issues, help people spot problems and know where to find help. Anyone can know someone who potentially has a problem.

If you would like a presentation, either in person or via Zoom, please contact Alistair at Alastair.Ramsay@ CABWestLothian.casonline.org.uk or call him on 07842 303203 to arrange.

GAMBLING HELP RESOURCES

National Gambling Helpline provide 24/7 support on freephone 0808 8020 133 or visit the BeGambleAware.org website for more advice and to speak to an adviser on live chat.

• GamCare and partners is a moderated online forum, live chat, daily online group chat rooms and one to one treatment - online, face to face or telephone. gamcare.org.uk • Gordon Moody residential treatment, recovery housing and retreat counselling programmes. www.gordonmoody.org.uk • Gamblers Anonymous Scotland a fellowship of men and women sharing their experiences. www.gascotland.org • Gam Anon. This is a site specifically for partners of those with a gambling addiction. Helpline is 0370 050 8881. www.gamanonscotland.org This article was written by Helen-Jane after speaking with Alistair Ramsay of the Citizen’s Advice Bureau, working with organisations in the Lothians, Fife and the South of Scotland. Helen-Jane is the editor of Konect.

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WINE TASTING

A client asked me to create an English food and wine tasting for her birthday.

I was a little sceptical; I worried a line up of ‘plain Jane’ wine from England would be dull, insipid and tricky to pair food with. I was wrong – the English wines were beautiful! Each one well made with a delicate but firm character and sophistication to rival wines of Europe.

Oxney Organic Sparkling Rose NV, made in the Champagne style, started the tasting. The wine was so good you could be forgiven for thinking it came from a top Champagne house!

It was remarkable with its structure and character.

Concerned the white wine would be a too acidic and the fruit washed out, I was again

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pleasantly surprised! Simpsons Gravel Castle Chardonnay was excellent; clean with perfectly balanced fruit and acidity. Very like a French Chablis with minerality, a citrus palate and hints of lees complexity. I paired it with smoked trout.

The barely there tannins and subtle spice on the finish made the Chartham Vineyard Pinot Noir the perfect partner to cold cuts of beef and duck. Light and delicate, I served it chilled.

My favourite was Biddenden Schonburger Dessert Wine. I honestly was not sure what to expect: would it be thin and insipid or sticky and sickly? As soon as I nosed it, I was enchanted! An English Country Garden in a glass! Delicate, floral blossom on the nose, sweet and fragrant not sticky or cloying. I paired this with Bakewell Tart – delicious!

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.

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BALERNO’S WAFFLE QUEEN AT A new post-lockdown focus for Carlyle’s called for a new chef and baker. And Balerno resident Red, with an impressive hospitality CV that includes developing the bakery at Edinburgh Castle, is a perfect match for our local village cafe.

“Like many people, I realised during lockdown that I didn’t want to resume the daily commute into Edinburgh to work at the Castle. I knew Steve and Sharon Carlyle as neighbours in Balerno. Sharon spotted I’d got a new puppy, deduced that I was looking for a lifestyle change, and approached me about working for them!”

Red isn’t one to mess around with making decisions. She came to Edinburgh on a whim nine years ago, from the Lake District, after her youngest son left home. She packed what she could fit in her van, put the rest of her possessions on Ebay and drove up to Edinburgh looking to experience city life. “I loved it so much I stayed,” she says simply.

Her CV and experience quickly landed her employment at Cuckoo’s Bakery, before being head-hunted by Historic Environment Scotland for the Castle’s cafe.

Moving to Balerno from the city centre two years ago, now, shortly after being approached

by Sharon, Red has her sleeves rolled up at Carlyle’s and is the Balerno Waffle Queen, creating the most incredible sweet and savoury offerings for local residents, hill walkers and anyone else lucky enough to chance by.

Carlyle’s are focusing 100% on being a daytime cafe, specialising in a waffle and crepes menu, along with soups, salads, smoothies and hot drinks.

Everything is handmade from scratch on site.

The waffle maker is accompanied by a new ice cream bar, an expanded range of cakes and biscuits, and a build-your-own waffle dessert. @KonectMagazines

RIGHT: Carlyle’s new Chef and Baker, Red.

ABOVE: Breakfast waffles include Stornaway black pud, Portobello mushroom, Cumberland sausage, beans, tomato and egg. Menu includes vegetarian options.

It’s all about being a fun and interesting cafe menu that is great for kids too.

“Balerno’s evening meal offering is well covered on the Main Street, so we are focusing on being a relaxing place to hang out during the day,” explains Sharon.

They are a quintessential village cafe and perfect for walkers coming to and from the hills, parents waiting for nursery pick-up times, for catching up after a dental or hairdressing appointment on the Main Street - or purely of course to experience the excellent food and drinks.

There is more to Red than bakery and deli.

She has a degree in fine art, and a peep at her celebration cakes portfolio reveals an exquisite attention to detail that betrays her artistic background. Carlyles will soon be offering celebration cakes, watch this space…

For a warm friendly welcome, and food and coffee second-to-none, visit Carlyles between 10am - 4pm Tues to Fri, and from 9am - 4pm Saturdays.

36 Main Street, Balerno.

This article was written by Helen-Jane after visiting Carlyles. Helen-Jane is the editor of Konect.

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It has been wonderful to see so many members of our local communities enjoy the beautiful Heriot-Watt campus, which spans 380 acres. The campus is a lovely place to go for a walk in amongst the trees, but have you ever wondered what goes on across the many research buildings? Or about the heritage of the University?

As part of the University’s Bicentennial celebrations, we are launching a new series of trails to share more about our research, heritage, trees and more! The initial trails will be launched on 12th June, with additional trails and associated activities coming later in the year.

The Discovery Trail will take you all over our campus, allowing you to explore the ongoing research across our faculty buildings. We have researchers that explore everything from marine life to urban cities, from micro to macro scale, local to global. Our research activities and collaborations are constantly expanding to support transformations across both society and economy.

As well as learning more about the research taking place, the Trail will also offer fun facts and activities for the whole family. You’ll be able to see inside some of our labs with help from video tours, hear more from

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our academics, as well as learning about some of the buildings’ namesakes and the research that has happened over HeriotWatt’s 200-year history!

The Discovery Trail consists of 20 stopping points, all of which contain a post linking to web content through QR code navigation. They’ll also be brass rubbings on each post for extra family fun! We hope you enjoy exploring and learning more about Heriot-Watt research! To find out more, check out www.hw.ac.uk/trails.

Coming later in 2021 will be our 3km and 5km routes set out in 500m intervals. But don’t let that delay stop you as our campus already welcomes runners and walkers who enjoy the splendour of our beautiful campus. Look out for Parkrun restarting soon as well as taking advantage of our outdoor exercise stations that are already installed in our campus trail.

This article was contributed by Heriot-Watt University. Public engagement with research at Heriot-Watt is supported by the HW Engage team, who support research staff and students to build links with their communities and public for mutual benefit.

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EYE HEALTH

Tips for healthy eyes & good vision Healthy diet - Foods high in anti-oxidants are great for the eyes. Green leafy vegetables such as kale, broccoli, spinach are especially good for macular health, especially if there is Macular Degeneration in the family. Omega-3 from oily fish and Vitamins A, C & E are also beneficial as well as keeping cholesterol low.

Regular breaks with visual tasks - With people using screens for long periods of time, eyes can fatigue. Looking at something 20ft away for 20 seconds, every 20 minutes is a good benchmark.

Protect your eyes from UV light - UV protection in glasses is very important, whether clear or sunglasses. UV light is associated with various ocular diseases. Children are more susceptible to damage at an early age. It is

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always good to have UV blocking glasses/ sunglasses for children.

Stop smoking - Smoking gives you a higher risk of eye disease such as cataract and macular degeneration (AMD). Cataract is treatable but AMD generally reduces sight with time. It is often not easy to stop but help can be received by your GP or Pharmacist.

Family History is important. It is a risk factor in conditions such as Cataract, AMD, Diabetes, Glaucoma, High Cholesterol and Hypertension.

All of these can affect your vision.

Wearing your glasses - This can alleviate symptoms of eye strain, make driving safe, reduce falls in the home etc. It is always best to keep this up to date.

Reference: AOP

This article was contributed by Jonathan Jennett, BSc (Hons) MCOptom MOptScot Prof Cert Glauc Prof Cert Paed Eye Care, Optometrist Director at Clearvue Opticians, Currie

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BALERNO | 17

HEALTH

Would you know if you had

“BURSTIS”?

Working in a Physiotherapy Clinic can sometimes be like waiting for a bus – you don’t see a particular condition for months then three come along on the same day.

This happened last week with bursitis. Three people had painful swellings, two at the elbow and one at the knee. All were interested to hear about bursa, how they get injured and what to do to help them get better.

A bursa is a fluid filled cushion or sac located between our bones and our muscles, tendons or ligaments. It has the important job of protecting our soft tissues from rubbing on our bones as we move which would cause damage. We have about 160 bursae within an adult body and they will vary in size and shape depending on our own size and shape. Not all bursae are present at birth and they can develop where they are needed to reduce friction as we get older, depending on the stresses and strains of our job or sport. We classify bursae as superficial if they are located between bones and tendons or skin and deep if they are between bone and muscle.

Inflammation of a bursa is called Bursitis.

This inflammation can be the response to minor repetitive impact to the area. An example of this could be what used to be called “Housemaid’s Knee” where the bursa over the knee cap becomes swollen and sore in response to repetitive kneeling to wash floors. These days we see this Prepatellar Bursitis more often in gardeners after prolonged weeding while kneeling or in carpet fitters who kneel a lot at work. Knee pads can be useful to prevent this condition.

Inflammation can also be caused by a 18 | BALERNO

sudden impact such as bumping the tip of your elbow on a door as you go past. This is known as Olecranon bursitis.

Bursitis is common in adults especially after the age of 40 and particularly affects the bursae at the shoulder, elbow, knee, hip and heel. Symptoms include discomfort, pain, swelling that may be warm, and difficulty moving the joint. Initial treatment is aimed at reducing the swelling with rest, ice, elevation and compression. Compression with a tubular bandage or a splint can help, as can over the counter anti-inflammatory medicines if they are safe for you to take. Physiotherapy can help to give you advice on initial management followed by the correct exercises to strengthen the muscles in the area and regain movement as the bursitis settles.

Do be wary of other reasons for a swollen bursa. If you have a very hot, red swollen joint that is difficult to move, have a fever, or feel generally unwell, do contact your doctor. It is possible to have an infected bursa perhaps after an insect bite or an injury such as a thorn piercing the skin while gardening.

Bursae do an important job for us to protect and cushion our soft tissues at points of stress – they are worth looking after!

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

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MONEY MATTERS

FAIL TO PLAN OR PLAN TO FAIL We are all aware of the enormous financial impact the Coronavirus pandemic has had on the national finances, both here and abroad. At some point, the Treasury will need to alter its focus from previously unthinkable levels of spending to replenishing the UK’s finances.

Speculation will continue as to how exactly that is achieved, but in the meantime the need for financial planning has never been greater.

Dealing with today, planning for tomorrow Whatever stage of life you are at it pays to make a financial plan for the reassurance it brings that you are managing your money well.

Paying off debt before building savings.

Paying into a private pension or increasing the amount you pay at present. Even if you are already drawing a pension there are options that can increase how much you receive.

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Consider more rewarding alternatives to traditional investments e.g., Venture Capital Trusts or Enterprise Investment Savings.

These are not for everybody but in the right circumstances can produce income tax and inheritance tax savings.

Managing your tax liability by considering switching assets from a high paying spouse to a lower paying spouse or considering reducing income tax by pension contributions or the aforementioned VCTs or EISs. Help your children or grandchildren with university expenses and/or help them get on to the property ladder.

Sorry to bring this up but it is useful to establish your life expectancy, this can be estimated on the latest data from the Office for National Statistics.

Finally, if your affairs are more complex then an Independent Financial Adviser will be able to help you manage the above steps efficiently.

The Money Matters column is contributed by Personal Money Management. This month’s article is by Dr Peter M Marshall.

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BALERNO | 31

THE NEW NORMAL

Keep moving!

Did you exercise before lockdown? Before the government suggested you engage in some form of physical activity once a day?

For me – and, I suspect, many others in the community – exercise was one of those things on the to-do list.

There was a time, a few years ago, when I was doing quite well with my Fitbit. I was getting those 10,000 steps in every day.

Friends would see me regularly walking round Harlaw Reservoir and comment, “You really are committed to fitness these days, Suzanne.

Well done!” One cheeky man asked, “Have you lost your dog?”

But eventually the insurance company’s healthy living initiative came to an end – the one that got my hubby and me free tickets to the cinema every week as long as we did the required number of steps. I returned to my old habits, admitting that it was film that had kept me walking, not a desire for fitness. I did believe in exercise … but I didn’t do it much.

And then the first lockdown was announced.

Suddenly, my attitude changed. In this strange new pandemic-stricken world, the government was recommending I exercise. So maybe I’d better do it. And if I was allowed only one good walk every day, one short reprieve from being stuck in the house, I was jolly well going to take it! Other people were obviously of the same mind. Everyone seemed to be out walking – not just the dog owners!

My daughter and I started doing the loop round Balerno most days, encountering friends along the way. We all smiled and joked, politely observing the two-metre 32 | BALERNO

rule. There was a “we’re all in this together” atmosphere. Others started or increased a running routine or got on their bikes. Those who were furloughed needed to find some way to use up their energy.

More than one friend confessed to me they’d left the house for exercise twice in the same day. (I didn’t tell.) I think everyone realised that the extra eating and drinking that seemed to come with lockdown meant it was more important than ever to burn those calories!

And there were benefits to mental health too.

During lockdowns two and three, the novelty of our exercise routines wore off and the number of walkers and cyclists dwindled -- it was dropping well before gyms started to re-open. Where did everybody go? Back to the couch?

But some people established new habits! I’ll leave you with an inspiring story from a Ratho friend: With gyms closed, my daughter, Olivia, asked on social media if anyone had an unwanted bike. Kind neighbours supplied one, and she started cycling on canal routes. She also tried mountain biking, and began power walking at lunchtime. She progressed to hiking in the Pentlands after work, and when restrictions eased last July she bagged her first Munro. Olivia has now done 26 Munros and can’t wait to get back out this summer. Lockdown helped her discover a new hobby.

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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BALERNO | 33

LOCAL ENVIRONMENT

Photographed on the River Avon in West Lothian

Found across the whole country, these blackbird sized birds are Britain’s only aquatic songbirds and are the stars of fast flowing rivers.

Dippers have the ability to walk under water as they search for food, but can mostly be found on rocks performing the move which gave them their name, the dip. They bob up and down (for no apparent reason) before flying up the river looking for food.

When you’re walking along a river, look out for their droppings on the rocks as this is a sure sign dippers are in the area. They blend in well with the river banks as they have dark brown feathers and a white chest.

They’re quite vocal as they fly and have a beautiful song, which is what makes them so remarkable. Nests can be victims of predation or flooding but thankfully the pair I’ve found have nested high up on the rocks, well out of harm’s way!

They’re definitely smart little birds.

They’re early breeders and as I write this, the pair I’ve been watching have already had their first brood and are working on their second. Even as they were providing for the original clutch, they were building the second nest just a few metres away.

The chicks are fully independent 11-18 days after fledging, before moving on to find their own territories.

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

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TURNING OVER A NEW LEAF

We all know that we shouldn’t waste food. As well as being a waste of money, there are many people who do not have enough to eat. But did you know there is also an environmental cost?

Scotland wastes around 988,000 tonnes of food each year, according to a report by Zero Waste Scotland, with almost 60% coming from household waste. This equates to each household throwing away over £400 a year.

Food waste is also bad for the planet.

Growing, processing, packaging and transporting food around the globe uses energy and produces carbon dioxide. That energy is wasted if the food ultimately ends up in the bin. More energy is then required to transport and process the waste. Worse still, as food decomposes in landfill it releases methane, a greenhouse gas more harmful than carbon dioxide.

The good news is that it is easy to reduce our carbon footprint and save money by following some simple tips:

KEEP FOOD FRESH Fruit bowls look attractive, but fruit does not remain fresh. Most fruit and vegetables last longer if kept in the fridge, along with dairy produce and meat. Other food is best kept in a cool, dark cupboard, including potatoes, onions and bananas.

Place newly purchased food at the back of the fridge or cupboard and consider an ‘eat me first’ drawer in the fridge to show which needs eating first.

Freeze food you are not likely to eat – check the label first.

READ FOOD LABELS ‘Best Before ’ dates indicate the period that food is at its freshest, and therefore its most tasty and nutritious. However, most food can be eaten long after the best before date, especially if packets are sealed. Food should not be eaten after the ‘use by ’ date as invisible bacteria can cause food poisoning.

RECYCLE FOOD WASTE We are not perfect; there will be waste. Put waste food in your food caddy, not the general waste bin. This ensures it is used to produce energy or fertilizer instead of releasing methane in landfill.

This month, reduce the amount you waste, and your carbon footprint, by spending half an hour each week planning your meals and writing a shopping list. Check out the Zero Waste Scotland website for tips, leftover recipes and more ( www.zerowastescotland. org.uk/reduce-food-waste ).

PLAN YOUR MEALS

Check what is in your cupboards, then make a meal plan for the coming week, using up food that will not last. Make a shopping list and only buy what you need. The more food you buy, the more likely it is that some will go to waste.

USE LEFTOVERS

Measure how much rice or pasta you need per person instead of guessing. If you cook too much, try using it in a salad the following day for lunch. Leftover pasta sauces, curry, chilli and soups all freeze well, so if you are unlikely to eat them the next day, label them and pop them in the freezer. @KonectMagazines

“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 Facebook www.facebook/anewleaf

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How to ge

ync with ns

our home i ty

In the dim and distant past, we humans lived immersed in the natural world. As a species, it was all we knew and life was completely driven by the seasons.

Fast forward to the modern-day and there’s still a part of our brain that craves those seasonal cues. Modern indoor living, with its lack of mandatory adherence to the rhythms of the year, can actually stress the prehistoric part of our brain. But you can soothe it with a spot of seasonal decor!

So can switching up your home accessories with the seasons really improve your sense of wellbeing? I absolutely believe that it can goodness, I created a whole business to help people do just that! So how about giving it a go this summer? Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Change up your colour - What colours say ‘summer’ to you? Pastels? Brights? Anything light? Cushions and throws are the obvious spots to add a pop of colour but how about some summery bed linen? Bright bathroom towels? These can often be forgotten spots but bedlinen and bath towels can really make a splash.

Display summer memories - How about changing up your photos and artwork to anchor you in the season? Pick your favourite summer snaps and get them on display. Treasured travel pics? Best-loved beach days? Create a memory montage as the ultimate mood booster.

Cookware & Crockery - Invest in a couple of pieces of crockery that give you a summer vibe.

Maybe something Mediterranean or Moroccan @KonectMagazines

in style, pieces that evoke that summer holiday feeling. Or maybe something from closer to home - I have several Scottish Islands pottery mugs and a few pieces of traditional blue and white stripe Cornishware that I only bring out in the summer months for that very reason.

Summer platters work well too and are a lovely touch when entertaining. Here’s hoping we can finally have a houseful very soon Bring the outdoors in - Without a doubt, one of the easiest ways to inject life into your decor during those mid-year months is to decorate with plants. If you’re not blessed with green fingers then just go faux! There are so many fabulously realistic options just now, in both artificial greenery and floral stems, you’re sure to find something to suit.

Go on, pep up your place this summer. Your brain will thank you for it!

The Seasonal Touch column is contributed by Lynn McMurray, Balerno resident and enthusiast of all things ‘home,’ serving the local community and beyond with her home & gift business The Seasonal Touch. www.theseasonaltouch.co.uk BALERNO | 41

42 | BALERNO

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BALERNO | 43

The committee hope all readers are keeping well and have been enjoying some time in their gardens as the days have lengthened.

Over the year of lockdown many of you have turned to working in the garden for exercise, judging by the lovely displays of plants that could be seen whilst walking around the area.

As we are not able to resume the organisation of our Annual Show for the end of August this year, we propose a virtual event in the form of a Photographic Show.

All members of the community are invited to submit photographs which will be displayed on our website. There are five categories: 1. Flowers, 2. Fruit and Vegetables, 3. Baking 4. Crafts, 5. Junior.

Photographs can take the form of whole area of flowers as well as individual species. Judging wouldn’t be possible from photos but it would be very pleasing for us to see what you all manage to grow in your gardens and could make to show when we next are able to ‘Grow to Show.’

For the craft people we should also like you to photograph what you have been crafting over lockdown, as your work is not so obvious is it?

Same goes for those who bake. If you make something of which you are very proud please photograph it for our exhibition before it is demolished by your families!!

Photos should be submitted during July until mid August via email at: • currieshow@gmail.com • www.currieshow.org We wish you all a good summer and fruitfulness in your gardens with perhaps a bit more normality?

This article was contributed by Sheila Mason, Show Secretary, Currie Horticultural Society.

44 | BALERNO

CROSSWORD

^^^ Solution in the July edition of Konect ACROSS: 1. Seats (6), 4. Burst (6), 9. Reduce in length (7), 10. Moves rapidly (5), 11. After sunset (5), 12. Before (7), 13. Marvellously (11), 18. Cultivate (7), 20. Hurry (5), 22. Arrogant (5), 23. Terminates (7), 24. Sibling (6), 25. A sign (6).

DOWN: 1. Place for gambling (6), 2. In the midst of (5), 3. Turned (7), 5. Senior (5), 6. Incomplete (7), 7. Large arid area (6), 8. Halted (11), 14. Apparent (7), 15. Sad (7), 16. Adjusts (6), 17. Container (6), 19. Narrow shelf (5), 21. Rub hard (5).

SUDOKU ^^^ Solution in the July edition of Konect

Currie Horticultural Society – VIRTUAL SH W

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BALERNO | 45

THE

Balerno Music Festival

IS BACK! 25TH September – 10TH October 2021 Good News! The BMF committee is working hard to bring you the 14th Balerno Music Festival with concerts and events for all the family.

We'll soon be in touch with details of a smaller but exciting programme featuring a wide range of talented musicians who are ready, eager and standing by to entertain you this Autumn.

Look out for our important announcements in July: event dates and venues in the C&B News, Konect, Facebook and Twitter etc.

Booking information will be available via our website www.balernomusicfestival.org later in the summer.

Our committee members will be available at the Farmer's Market and, hopefully, at our Pop-up desk to answer any questions you may have about the Festival, tickets etc.

We can't wait to see you relax and enjoy the live music you love in our own local area.

This article was contributed by the Balerno Music Festival 46 | BALERNO

YEARS OLD The Rotary Club of Currie Balerno celebrates its 40th anniversary in June.

Founded in June 1981 with 36 members – all men – it now has 37 members and a lady President, Theresa Douglas. Five of the founder members, including Founder President Bill Strang, are members today.

The Club has produced an anniversary booklet recording the Club’s achievements over the 40 years and notably the Club’s contribution to the local communities and to Rotary’s international work. Locally the Club has done much to encourage the development of young people and to support local charities and community organisations.

Internationally the Club has contributed substantially to Rotary International’s aid to disaster areas across the world and to its campaign to end polio world-wide.

The free booklet will be widely available from 1 June.

For information about the Currie Balerno Rotary Club go to: • www.cbrotary.org • www.facebook.com/cbrotary1020 • www.twitter.com/cbrotary1020 This article was contributed by the Currie Balerno Rotary Club @KonectMagazines