The Dell Directory May 2022

May 2022

THE DELL DIRECTORY

WIN! 60-minute Full Body Massage with Sophie Louise Health

P29

W

hen there is so much going on that I feel helpless in the face of – war, hunger and the many challenges in day to day living – my interviews with local people for the charity features in the Dell Directory uplift me. They help focus on the incredible kindness, care and resourcefulness of people quietly doing their bit right here to make things better, one life at a time. Based at the Port of Grangemouth and looking after a large minority of workers whom we absolutely depend on, mostly without giving them a second thought, the Mission to Seafarers Scotland is one such organisation; see the article on pages 8-9.

The celebrations for Union Canal’s 200th anniversary promise to be a lot of fun this month. There are various points along the canal you can join in - see pages 42-43 for details. Make a date for your diary too for the Big Lunch at Campbell Park! See page 40.

In the spirit of having fun, we’re running a Treasure Hunt in this magazine! The prize is pretty special – a 60 minute, full body massage at Sophie Louise Health, worth £60. See sophielouisehealth.com.

Find the 5 gold medallions hidden within this magazine, then head to our website konect.scot/win or scan the QR code on the cover to enter the draw. Full information and Ts & Cs are on our website.

Thank you for reading the Dell Directory. As ever, let me know what you think!

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

THIS ISSUE Charity: Mission to Seafarers.................................8 Health: Massage for expectant mums............14 Local Environment: Splish Splash....................22 Recipe: Cardamom Rose Cocktail...................28 Wine tasting: The Wine List.................................29 Spotlight: Edible Flowers......................................29 I love food: All kinds of teeth...............................30 Puzzles.......................................................................31 Community: Pesticide-Free Balerno................38 What’s On: Flotilla200............................................42 Lynne’s column: You’re Highered....................44 Clubs & Classes......................................................46

COVER IMAGE: The Union Canal - Flotilla200, see pages 42-43.

The Dell Directory is delivered monthly to 5,500 homes in the Colinton, Craiglockhart and Kingsknowe areas. It is also available online: konect.scot/subscribe THE DELL | 3

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Rev Tim Tunley, Port Chaplain at Grangemouth

95% of goods imported into the UK arrive via sea transport. There is a huge but invisible army of essential workers on the ships keeping the global shipping industry going, and as a rule we hardly give them a second thought.

Based at the Port of Grangemouth, Linlithgow resident Rev Tim Tunley is Port Chaplain for a charity dedicated to the welfare of people who work on ships – The Mission to Seafarers Scotland. I visited him at the docks just before he was going aboard a ship, to find out why there is a need for such an organisation and to learn more about it.

“Seafaring is a unique lifestyle which can be isolating and difficult. For young cadets in particular, launched in to an adult world - and an unusual one at that – finding themselves cut off from family and friends by long tours at sea is challenging,” Tim explains. They can go many months at a time with poor or no internet, other communication challenges and conditions which are often less than ideal.

“Our mission is about making life easier for seafarers, to look after their welfare and to simply be a friend, whatever their needs are,” says Tim. Besides emotional support and a listening ear, the mission provides practical help. Tim can find himself in the local Asda with a shopping list for things like Toblerone, crisps or other treats that have been requested; getting takeout pizzas or even, if there is time, taking crew to visit places of interest while the ship is in dock.

During covid, crews have not been able to go ashore so the chaplaincy is the only link with land. “We go on board the ship when it docks, introduce ourselves and hang out with the crew in the mess to see what they need most.” The most frequent request relates to help with communication – getting phone cards 8 | THE DELL

that work here, top-ups and so on. The irony of helping crew members often half his age with their phones and tech isn’t lost on Tim! But they are usually desperate to communicate with home and loved ones, so it sounds simple but supplying phone cards and top-ups at cost means a priceless call can be made.

“We’re providing Ukranian sailors with free phone cards and top ups at the moment. They have no idea what’s going on back home - they can’t even go back home - and are finding it very difficult to communicate with loved ones. Since 14.5% of the world’s seafarers are Ukrainian and Russian, there is a huge number in this situation at the moment.

Another 25% of the world’s seafarers are Filipino, and they are often supporting family members back home financially. “We provide Tagalog literature – whether or not they read it, it doesn’t matter,” says Tim, “it’s the gesture, the fact that someone cares enough to provide something in their own language while they are so far away from home and isolated.”

On one occasion group of young Filipino seafarers asked if Tim could take them to McDonald’s. So after sitting in the Grangemouth McDonald’s chatting for a couple of hours, he couldn’t help asking – “Why here?” Why, the other side of the world with so much to explore, would you want to visit a McDonald’s?

The answer was, “When the McDonald’s in Manila changes the menu, the McDonald’s in Grangemouth changes; it’s the best way of feeling close to home.”

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The origins of the charity are in a mission set up in 1836 by a minister in Bristol, England, who was struck by the loneliness and spiritual needs of seafarers. It developed into a worldwide organisation providing practical and emotional support to seafarers: worldwide day and night, 365 days a year, regardless of nationality, rank or gender. Mission to Seafarers Scotland is part of the worldwide organisation, but independent in that all money raised here is spent here. There are over 90 ports in Scotland, and at Grangemouth Tim boards around 60 ships per month. Alongside him a team of 20 local volunteers help with ship visits and running the Mission to Seafarers Centre – a building at the docks where crews are welcome for free wifi, hot drinks, games rooms and other facilities. All volunteers are accredited by the Merchant Navy Welfare Board (MNWB).

“We are the only people on board the ship who are not there for money,” Tim explains. “We have a good relationship with the shipping companies and senior crews, and are grateful for the support of Forth Ports.”

Tim has been Port Chaplain here for 12 years.

He trained as a minister in the Church of England, which presented a challenge when he wanted to move to Scotland, as he could not transfer to a Church of Scotland parish church. So when the opportunity came up in the Episcopalian chaplaincy at the Mission to Seafarers Scotland he jumped at it and clearly still loves the work which is varied, challenging and makes a huge difference to the (mostly young) seafarers they help.

“While the Mission is church-based, it’s a general support service combining counselling and practical help. The only question we ask is, ‘What is it like to be you today?’” he explains.

Seafarers are an invisible army without whom worldwide logistics would grind to a halt. Often overlooked and undervalued, many are at risk of loneliness, mental health issues and fatigue, to name just a few of the challenges they face.

Thanks to Mission to Seafarers Scotland, when they arrive at the Port of Grangemouth they are assured of a warm welcome and an unconditional offer of much-needed help and support.

Can you help?

The Mission to Seafarers Scotland relies almost entirely on donations to keep the service going, and is always grateful for any donations to support their work. If you would like to make a donation, or complete a challenge or fundraiser on behalf of the Mission, please use the JustGiving page at www.justgiving.com/missiontoseafarersscotland All donations are much appreciated.

If you are interested in volunteering with the Mission, please contact the Rev Tim Tunley on 07581 625941

For more information please visit www.mtss.scot or on Facebook @MTSS Mission to Seafarers Scotland is a charity registered in Scotland, No. SCO41938

This article was written by Helen-Jane Gisbourne after visiting the Rev Tim Tunley at the Mission to Seafarers Scotland, Grangemouth Docks. Helen-Jane is the editor of Konect magazines. @KonectMagazines

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THE DELL DIRECTORY • Flexible Advertising • Advertisement Design • Access over 45,000 readers in SW Edinburgh & West Lothian

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Pregnancy can be an exciting journey for women as they eagerly await their baby’s arrival, but alongside the joys of a new baby’s development come many changes to the mother’s body, placing increasing amounts of pressure on her joints, ligaments and organs, often leading to discomfort and pain.

This time of physical and emotional change can therefore be a challenging one for expectant mums, but fortunately massage can be a wonderfully beneficial treatment in helping to prepare the body for the changes that occur during this special time, promoting a healthy, happy pregnancy and easier labour and recovery.

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In addition to the many physical benefits of massage in releasing tension in the muscles and easing pain and discomfort, it can also be a wonderfully relaxing experience for both mum and baby, as endorphins released by the mother during the treatment are passed onto the baby, having a soothing and calming effect. Massage also helps to stimulate the circulation, helping to relieve tired and aching legs, and delivering essential nutrients to all of the organs in the body, especially the placenta, helping to feed and aid the healthy development of the baby.

If you’re in the second or third trimester of your pregnancy, and would like to find out more about the many benefits of massage for both you and your growing little one, feel free to get in touch and I’ll be happy to help.

This article was contributed by Sophie Louise, The Therapy Room, Woodhall Road, Colinton.

See www.sophielouisehealth.com

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LOCAL ENVIRONMENT

As I was pushing the definition of local when talking about the Isle of May (I just love puffins!) I’m bringing it as close to home as possible now, right to my back garden!

During lockdown 1.0, when we had that glorious weather I thought it would be good to provide the birds with a water source and my attention was turned to an old frying pan, which had lost its stick. In the interest of being sustainable, and not buying something new I excitedly filled it with water and put it out on the grass.

the house, which might otherwise end up in the bin and you will be rewarded with daily entertainment! Just remember to keep it topped up with clean water (birds have no bathing etiquette) and remove any layers of ice in the winter. Your visiting birds will thank you for it.

Like a moth to a flame, the birds flocked to it (pun very much intended) and they’ve used it for drinking, and having a wee bath ever since. Within the first few weeks, the juvenile starlings descended in their usual mob like fashion and took over. They were having a blast! Furiously splashing around, there was water everywhere. It was incredibly entertaining to watch and ever since, it’s frequently visited by sparrows, blue tits, and magpies who are all grateful for some water on a hot day.

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

It’s a great way to reuse something from 22 | THE DELL

Kate & Clare are currently featured in the Edinburgh Science Festival photography exhibition, “Wild Scotland”.

It’s located on Portobello Promenade and will run until the 5th May 2022. @KonectMagazines

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IAN HODGSON & CO PAINTERS & DECORATORS Established 1980

We offer a complete decorating service.

All our tradesmen have City & Guilds and are fully insured.

For a quotation without obligation from your local decorator Phone 0131 441 6524 Where Quality Counts!

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RECIPE

Cardamom Rose Cocktail Chefs and Mixologists have been using petals to add extra flavour and appearance to their dishes and drinks for a long time, but you’d be surprised at how many edible flowers you can find in your own garden.

If you’re in any doubt as to whether or not a flower is edible – DON’T EAT IT! NEVER use flowers that have been treated with pesticides

Pick early in the morning when it’s cool and store flowers in a sealed container in the fridge until use - Best fresh but most will keep a couple of days.

A few favourites:

• MARIGOLD - The flowers have a citrus taste, making them ideal for adding to salads, sandwiches or seafood dishes.

• NASTURTIUM - The flowers have a peppery flavour similar to watercress and add a spicy touch to salads. Try them combined with cream cheese in canapés.

• ROSE - As a general rule if a rose smells good, it will taste good and roses are very high in vitamin C. Crystallised petals or flowers make attractive cake decorations.

• VIOLA - With a wide variety of colours they have a lettuce like flavour and make a good decorative addition to salad or to garnish desserts.

Cardamom Rose Cocktail: • 50ml of gin • 10ml lemon juice • 20ml of rose syrup • 25ml of grapefruit juice

Rose Syrup:

• dash of bitters • soda water to top up • 1 Cardamom pod

• Combine equal parts sugar and water and gently bring to boil • Sprinkle a handful of petals directly into the syrup and steep • Strain into an airtight bottle • It should keep for up to two weeks in the fridge

Instructions:

• Put cardamom pod and the other ingredients in a cocktail shaker and then shake well with ice • Strain over fresh ice into your favourite tumbler glass and top up with soda water • Garnish with rose petal and thyme

Recipe provided by GREEN from Tatton Horticulture. GREEN are local horticulturalists producing edible flowers, herbs, microgreens and artisan salad grown in the heart of the Pentlands. See www.tattonhorticulture.co.uk 28 | THE DELL

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WINE TASTING

SPOTLIGHT

Edible flowers and artisan salads We recently spent a night at the beautiful Loch Melfort Hotel, a country house in Argyle. The views were spectacular. As the sun set we relaxed with a glass of one of my favourite Champagnes, Taitinger NV. We went to dinner and delighted at the menu which featured local produce, game and seafood. The menu was truly mouthwatering!

The wine list was extensive and varied and I was really excited to be handed it. Looking at the wine list, I can picture where the grapes were grown, how the wine was matured and the difference between French oak and American oak. In the past, prior to starting my wine education and learning to taste, the wine list was intimidating! My selection was made on price; not too cheap, not too expensive firmly middle of the road with little thought to quality or style.

If you are handed the wine list and are not sure which wine to select, ask the waiter for advice. Remember, they want you to have a great experience in the restaurant and will be happy to point you to the right wine to pair with your food.

My husband and I both had venison and I selected a red Burgundy. I made my selection based on the fruit character of pinot noir, the structured tannins that give the wine its beautiful texture and earthy notes typical of French red wine.

For breakfast I had kippers and was very happy not to have to select a wine to pair!

The monthly wine tasting column is contributed by Joanne Frette. Joanne lives in Juniper Green with her husband and three children. For wine recommendations, reviews and details of future tasting events, please go to swirlsipsocialise.com @KonectMagazines

Run by David & Jackie, GREEN is now in its third year of production and we have been on quite a journey from the conversion of small piece of scrub land to a viable herb nursery and market garden.

A family business focusing on small scale local production, we specialise in producing the finest local edible flowers, herbs, microgreens and artisan salad. Fresh, attractive, healthy and grown in the heart of the Pentlands just outside Edinburgh.

Regeneration of the land and local food systems is at the core of our business and is the driving factor in any choices and decisions we make. Our produce is always grown without the use of chemicals or pesticides and using sustainable peat free composts.

Our weekly ‘Salad Share’ delivery service has been a successful addition to what we offer, delivering a variety of packages to suit every household and budget and we are delighted to announce that Salad Share is returning from May 2022! In addition to Balerno, Currie and Juniper Green the Salad Share will now be available to residents in Kirknewton, East Calder and Colinton too.

Offering packages for weekly delivery made up of a selection of our best seasonal artisan salads, microgreens and edible flowers delivered free to your door. There is also the option to add on other farm items to your order each week.

Find out more or order at www.tattonhorticulture.co.uk THE DELL | 29

I  FOOD

How much of your day has to do with food? Thinking about it, buying it, preparing it, fretting about the fats or carbs in it, savouring it, dealing with leftovers, daydreaming about more food … I realised a long time ago that I was fairly consumed with what I consumed! Some people eat to survive. For others, like me, thoughts of breakfast get us out of bed in the morning!

All kinds of teeth When I eat out with my friend Christine she looks at the dessert menu first. And it’s only after she has chosen her pudding that she settles on a main dish. It’s as if she knows she has to have a hot meal because she is an adult, but she only really cares about the sweet treat afterwards. As for a starter, she is not really bothered.

I remember someone asking me once if I had a sweet tooth. “Honey,” I replied, “I have all kinds of teeth!” And it’s true. I think that must be the definition of a “foodie” – we love everything (or almost everything). I can get excited about nachos, brownies, paella, carrot cake, carbonara, cheesecake . . . It does not matter whether it’s sweet or savoury.

However, if I compare myself to Christine, I realise that savoury foods usually win when I have to make a choice. If I’m looking at a menu and deciding on two courses, I would normally go with a starter – something like breaded mushrooms and garlic mayo, or grilled halloumi with chili jam or bruschetta drizzled with pesto. Only occasionally do I depart from this: when a restaurant is known for its wonderful desserts; when a friend has chosen something sweet, and begs me to split it with her; or when cheesecake (and I mean proper cheesecake) is on offer.

There are other clues that my “sweet tooth” is not the dominant one. Of the two big-name 30 | THE DELL

colas, I prefer the one that’s not so sweet.

Do you know which one I mean? I like dry white wine. In fact, I really don’t care for sweet drinks at all. That orange-coloured fizzy drink – a source of national pride – tastes like liquid bubble gum to me! I like dark chocolate, rather than milk. And, as for white chocolate … what’s that all about?

My husband doesn’t eat cookies, biscuits or brownies. I have met other guys who are similar. In fact, at one point in my life it seemed to me that it was primarily women who like such things, not men. But since then I’ve met many males who regularly enjoy such treats (seemingly guiltlessly!) and many women who don’t seem to be at all tempted by them. So there goes that theory.

What about you? Are you like me: you just like everything? Do you prefer savouries to sweets?

Or are you more like my friend Christine, choosing your dinner courses backwards? If you have an obvious preference, what do you think made you that way?

It’s something to chew over.

I FOOD is contributed by Suzanne Green.

Suzanne is a freelance writer/editor. She is married to Andy and they have two adult daughters. @KonectMagazines

PUZZLES

MAY CROSSWORD

^^^ Solution in the June edition

ACROSS:1.Stove(4),3.Confessed(8),9.Remove(7), 10. Tall structure (5), 11. Current (12), 14. Married woman (3), 16. Smooth surface (5), 17. Perceive (3), 18. Clarifications (12), 21. Fine porcelain (5), 22. Passion (7), 23. Calamity (8), 24. Small room (4).

DOWN: 1. Conquer (8), 2. Devoured (5), 4. Small spot (3), 5. Road junction (12), 6. Defeats (7), 7. Terrible (4), 8. Butterfly larva (12), 12. Simple (5), 13. Private (8), 15.Aswinging time? (7), 19. Small fruit (5), 20. Not alkali (4), 22. Female sheep (3).

MAY SUDOKU

^^^ Sudoku solution on page 46

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Apply for grants now The Community Chest will be opened again this month, providing grants of up to £500 to local organisations for projects seen as of benefit to the local community.

The Chest is administered and funded jointly

by Currie Balerno Rotary and the Balerno Village Trust (BVT) with support from CALA Homes. Applications can be made up to the end of May and November each year for consideration in June and December respectively.

The Chest has made grants in response to a wide range of applications – from Brownies, Scouts and Air Cadets, from junior football and basketball clubs, from tennis clubs, from schools, from Currie Community Centre and Riding for the Disabled, from a dementia support group, from environmental projects and more.

Since its introduction the Chest has supported organisations in Balerno, Currie, Juniper Green, Colinton, Kirknewton, Ratho and Wester Hailes. Institutions and organisations in those areas are now invited to make applications with a closing date of 31st May. Information about the Community Chest and how to apply can be found on the websites of Currie Balerno Rotary and the Balerno Village Trust at www.cbrotary.org and www.balernovt.org.uk

Closing date for applications 31st May 2022

0131 477 1167 Fully stocked & fully trained professional Locksmiths 24 hours a day www.1stcall-locksmiths.com

This article is contributed by Currie Balerno Rotary, see www.cbrotary.org 32 | THE DELL

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WEIR GAS SERVICES Former Scottish Gas engineer

Tel:

07981 366 988

Central heating - service, repairs Gas fires, cookers, hobs installation, service & repairs General Plumbing services Garden taps, washing machines, dishwashers Landlord safety inspections email : lesweir@blueyonder.co.uk

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GERRY AITKEN Painter & Decorator Juniper Green

Get in touch for a FREE Estimate: T: 07798 565 321 • E: junigig@aol.com

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PESTICIDE-FREE LOCAL ENVIRONMENT We are delighted to update Balerno and other communities that the City of Edinburgh Council (CEC) have confirmed Balerno will be Pesticide Free for weed control in 2022.

We are thankful to CEC for listening to Balerno residents who wish to prioritise health and the environment.

This year CEC are also willing to support communities outside Balerno who do not want harmful pesticides used for weed control - where they live, work and play.

Please contact Pesticide Free Balerno if you would like information on how to take the first steps for a pesticide-free Colinton.

This is a great opportunity to make positive environmental change where you live and improve health in your own community protecting people, pets and planet.

The council will use safe alternatives and manual methods citywide in communities that request no glyphosate and support the initiative.

Balerno’s Environmental Volunteer Weeding Group will start up soon for 2022. To support the entirely voluntary initiative we kindly ask that if you are able, you safely take ownership of the small strip in front of your property. This helps us focus on helping other residents, main roads, car parks and public areas.

WAYS TO HELP • Manually remove the small amount of weeds outside your own home when and if appropriate • Help your less-able neighbours • Volunteer • Lend the use of your brown bin to volunteers • Contact the group with ideas!

Contact Pesticide-Free Balerno on:

Email: pesticidefreebalerno@gmail.com Text: 07979 717485 Instagram: pesticidefree.balerno Facebook: PesticideFree-Balerno This article was contributed by Pesticide-Free Balerno 38 | THE DELL

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Seagull Cruises are back! But….

The Ratho based canal charity Seagull Trust Cruises has restarted its trips for people with special needs, but is struggling to provide the pre-Covid level of service. After two years of no sailings on the Union Canal the Trust has lost some crew volunteers.

As Chairman David Mieras explains, the boats are ready and are beginning to welcome back familiar faces.

“As the bookings increase, which we hope they will, we need more volunteers to keep sailing. Ideally we aim to operate seven days a week, two or more times a day. Some crew members moved on and there are now vacancies.”

He is confident that the trips are safe for both crew and clients “Safety measures are already in place. We know many have missed coming out with us, so we want to meet that demand. We also look forward to greeting new organisations, groups or individuals who would benefit.”

The charity relies on donations to cover costs and operates solely using trained volunteers.

“It’s an important social service but it’s also enjoyable - meeting people and learning new skills on our lovely canal.” adds David.

If you’d like to volunteer (training is provided) or can offer a donation then contact David on 0131 445 2022.

If you’d like to book a trip then contact Carole on 07511 055 081.

2022 marks 200 years since the Union Canal was completed. To celebrate, a huge flotilla is planned for the weekend 20th22nd May, and everyone is invited to take part – both on the water and on the banks.

“Flotilla 200” will commence from both ends of the canal, with boats mustering at Lochrin Basin in Edinburgh and at the Falkirk Wheel, before setting out along the canal in each direction. They will converge on the Saturday afternoon at Manse Road Basin in Linlithgow, one of the original stabling and staging posts, where there will be an early evening celebration including BBQ & musical entertainment. There are various muster points along the way, giving everyone an opportunity to get involved in the festival atmosphere on the banks, as well as allowing you to join the flotilla on the water if you wish to at a point closest to you.

EVENTS INCLUDE:

Best Dressed Boat - Decorate your boat to reflect the 200 Theme or events from the last 200 years. There will be numerous prizes/ categories with the awards being presented at The Linlithgow Muster on the evening of 21st May.

Run, walk or cycle - Activity is not only on the water. Why not walk, run or cycle along side the flotilla (either individually or within your group or organisation).

Fancy dress - Have fun celebrating the 200th anniversary with us by dressing up in fancy dress to reflect the 200th Anniversary, or indeed anything else you like.

No boat ~ No problem - Jump on board your stand up paddle board, kayak, or any other form of water transport. The more the merrier.

This article was contributed by Seagull Trust Cruises www.seagulltrust.org.uk 42 | THE DELL

For more information on muster times and locations, and to register your boat, please visit flotilla200.live where you can also download a free booklet with full details of the weekend. @KonectMagazines

Originally built for transport as the industrial development of Scotland took off, the canal is a masterpiece of engineering which had a relatively short life as industrial infrastructure, as railways and roads started to take over in the decades after it was completed. It has been through periods of disuse and neglect, before being revitalised, mainly through volunteer activity, to the wonderful leisure facility that we enjoy today. It’s good to pause and look into the history of the hard labour that went into cutting the earth in the first place - many years before powerful machines could help.

Canal diggers – navigators – or “navvies” as they became known, in central Scotland were Irish immigrants and Highlanders lured by the prospect of steady work.

They worked on canal projects all over Scotland, following the work from project to project. The Union Canal, 31.5 miles long between Edinburgh and Falkirk, was dug in just 4 years between 1818 and 1822.

No accommodation was provided for the workers by the canal proprietors; they had to find lodgings and make do however they could. At either end of the canal in Edinburgh and Falkirk it wasn’t too difficult to find lodgings, but in between there was little or no accommodation to be found, and the families had to accompany the wageearner. A newspaper at the time reported: “Along the banks of the Union Canal certain edifices have been erected which strike the traveller with no little astonishment. These are huts erected

by Irish labourers upon some few vacant spots of ground belonging to the canal proprietors and are pointed out to strangers on the passage boats as great curiosities. Each, of course, is more wretched than than another, and presents a picture of squalid poverty which is new to the people on this side of the Channel.

One of them, with the exception, perhaps, of a few sticks, is composed entirely of rotten straw; its dimensions would not suffice for a pig-stye.” @KonectMagazines

Flotilla200 is organised by Scottish Waterways for All, working in partnership with Scottish Canals and numerous other organisations.

This article was written by Helen-Jane Gisbourne with information taken from flotilla200.live and scottishcanals.co.uk.

Photos provided by and used with permission of Scottish Waterways for All.

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The merry, merry month of May isn’t so for everyone as the spectre of exams looms large for many. My son is about to sit his Highers which has made me feel very nostalgic. I can recall sitting my Highers with a clarity which belies the fact that it was actually almost 40 years ago and only serves to re-enforce my certainty that someone, somewhere is messing with time.

I started the Easter holidays prior to my exams optimistically aiming to follow the punishing schedule I had painstakingly drafted up with a friend when we had met at her house to be “study buddies”. The rigidity of the beautifully presented timetable (we used rulers for the lines and everything!) went to the wall on the first morning so Day One was thus spent reworking the timetable.

Then there were the inevitable distractions.

When my parents went out for a walk to give me the house to myself, I commandeered the kitchen to make shortbread. I never baked or did much cooking so I fully understood their suspicion and surprise when they returned to a house that smelt of burnt biscuits. Although never a jogger, there also proved to be no more irresistible draw to donning running shoes and pounding the canal bank than the alternative of sitting in my room hitting the books.

I can forgive myself for this innately human trait – the desire to avoid doing one rotten activity by replacing it with another, slightly less rotten activity.

It’s a policy which my husband and I have used to great effect over the years

in order to divvy up the less-appealing domestic chores. Dirty dishes or dirty nappies? Wash the floors or take the bins out? You’d be amazed what you can get even the laziest of people to do if you limit their choices to suggestions of increasing levels of awfulness.

My son certainly hasn’t wasted any time and effort on creating timetables or a suitable workspace for his studies. It would be fair to say that his approach is rather more laidback than mine was and I can’t quite get my head around how he learns things but then I equally can’t get my head around how different modern school must be, especially since the last two years of lockdown and online schooling changed the face of education.

Essentially, I just want him to do his best but I veer wildly from lecturing him about how important good grades are to then emphasising how happiness and good health are more important than anything.

Good luck to everyone who has exams to sit this month. Give it your best shot (as you should with everything in life) but remember also that exam results alone do not define you. This is just one part of life’s amazing journey and there will be many, many more opportunities to shine in the future.

Lynne lives in Colinton with her husband and two children. She dreams of being a freelance writer when she grows up but mostly just avoids growing up!

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THE DELL | 45

SOLUTIONS

SPORTS, HOBBIES, LEARNING, SUPPORT GROUPS & MORE...

THE SWING CAFÉ - Colinton Parish Church, Dell Road, Colinton EH13 0JD. Tuesday to Saturday 10am – 4pm. Please come for breakfast (10am-12noon), lunch (12noon-2pm) or some delicious home baking (available all day). We also offer afternoon teas (2pm4pm), by pre-ordering on 07564 081472. There will be gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan and dairy-free options available. Under 12s are invited to enjoy a children's menu. Sit in or take away. We look forward to welcoming you.

DESTINATION JUDO @ CRAIGLOCKHART - Craiglockhart sports Centre. Wednesdays 3.45pm (5-8 year olds) and 4.30pm (9+ year olds). Judo is a dynamic sport based on a combination of balance, co-ordinationation and reaction. Most importantly judo helps children become more self aware, disciplined, and polite. Of course we teach all this in a fun way. For information please email callum@ destinationjudo.com or call 0131 467 9043.

COLINTON LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY - Want to know about local history? Visit: www.colintonhistory.org or Email: enquiries@colintonhistory.org COLINTON LITERARY SOCIETY - Our talks are postponed until October 2022. Keep up to date with latest news about the Lit on the Church website www.colinton-parish.com

APRIL CROSSWORD* O O P S O R W R O N G Y

*No, it wasn’t an April Fools joke!

A technical error meant that the April crossword was printed with the wrong puzzle board.

SOLUTION TO SUDOKU ON PAGE 31

COLINTON GARDEN CLUB - Club members share their love of gardening, gardens and nature, and work together to preserve and add value to our quality of life here in south-west Edinburgh. Monthly meetings on a Monday currently via Zoom.

For more information see www.colintongardens.org.uk or Email: membership@colintongardens.org

LUNCHCLUB - Every Wednesday 1pm – 3pm, 3 courses £4.

Spaces are limited, first come first served. Oxgangs Neighbourhood Centre, 71 Firhill Drive, EH13 9EU. Please visit: www.oxgangsneighbourhoodcentre.org.uk

PARENT AND TODDLER GROUP - Tuesdays, am session and pm session for two age groups (all under 5s). Oxgangs Neighbourhood Centre, 71 Firhill Drive, EH13 9EU. Contact for details Tel.: 0131 466 0678 or Email: oxgangsneighbourhoodcentre@gmail.com OXGANGS NEIGHBOUR CENTRE CAFE 10.00am to 1.00pm. Bacon rolls, baked potatoes, toasties, specials, teas, coffees and cake. Sit in or takeaway.

To include your Club or Class, please email details, up to 75 words, to editor@konect.scot Not-for-profit groups are FREE. There is a small charge for businesses. See www.konect.scot for information.

46 | THE DELL

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