Welcome to the November/December issue of Spotlight Magazine!
W
ell, we’ve nearly made it to the end of another challenging year. I hope you are able to celebrate the end of 2021 however and with whomever you like. Also, let’s hope that we all remain free to go about our lives without too many restrictions in place. To help you do this, we have a very special edition of Spotlight for you that celebrates the best of business in the local area and (hopefully) inspires you with some Christmas gift ideas for the special people in your lives.
A warm welcome to Oir - the latest subscriber to join the Spotlight family. Have a look at pages 26 & 27 to see some of the fantastic, luxury organic soaps that are available from this new business. Like many local enterprises, it is run passionately by Jolene Roberts, a lady with a mission to make great soap that is kind to the planet by reducing single use plastic in its packaging. As we have witnessed, the recent COP26 has brought issues like this to the front of everyone’s mind so it is great to see change happening at a local level. As always, we have a thought provoking article in this issue by Rev David Cameron that touches on these themes, entitled No Earthly Good?
There has never been a better time to Shop Local than now. It saves you time (no waiting for deliveries or making trips to out of town retail parks), it supports the local economy and saves on transportation and fuel as theres often no postage or shipping involved! Better yet, as this issue demonstrates, there are some wonderful gifts available to buy on your doorstep! Check out our special features on pages 21-23. Bear in mind that there is also a late night shopping event planned for the 2nd and 3rd of December on Queensferry High Street when many of your favourite local shops will stay open late for you to shop after work.
Once more, last month, we hosted, courtesy of our friends at Ferguson’s Carpeting & Flooring, another Spotlight Social evening. With refreshments supplied by The Little Parlour this was event designed to bring all business and community magazine contributors to see how we can best support each other in our day to day lives. This might be through a business referral or sharing valuable knowledge and experience. It is great example of how Spotlight is so much more than a printed magazine. To take part in the next one, you simply need to be a Spotlight subscriber.
Spotlight continues to work with our community partners at Queensferry Parish Church, The Rotary Club of South Queensferry and the Queensferry & District Community Council to bring you news of what is happening in the area. In this issue, we are also reporting on a new initiative, Queensferry Community Development Trust, and Friends of South Queensferry Cemetery and the Vennel Kirk’s Church Burial Ground. I’m delighted to also feature Kirkliston’s Village Hall Association which, although is not new, is being featured here for the first time. If you run an organisation or charity that would benefit from being featured in Spotlight, just drop us a line at spotlight@wordsandpicturesUK.com and we’ll happily discuss your requirements. We’re especially keen to hear from more groups in Kirkliston, Newton and Dalmeny.
As the year draws to a close, our thoughts naturally turn to the year ahead but perhaps, like me, you have given up trying to predict what will happen next in this crazy world! So maybe it is best to simply take each day at a time. Let’s limit our focus to just another day, a week and maybe month, one by one. I wish you good health and happiness for 2022 and would like to thank all our readers, contributors, advertisers and distributors for having helped Spotlight go from strength to strength over the last year. Please submit your contributions for the January / February edition by Friday 31st December at the very latest. Alistair Pryde Spotlight Editor
Special thanks: Special thanks to all our contributors, contact details are listed with features where appropriate.
Advertising sales & enquiries: spotlight@wordsandpicturesUK.com
Whilst every care is taken to ensure the accuracy of this publication, Spotlight Magazine is not responsible for 3rd party content submitted in good faith from contributors. Due to Covid-19 restrictions in place, readers should check with advertisers directly before making bookings or purchases. Spotlight Magazine is a Words & Pictures publication. Write to us at 48 High Street, South Queensferry, EH30 9HN.
Back issues available online at: www.wordsandpicturesUK.com/Spotlight
Keep your stories coming: spotlight@wordsandpicturesUK.com
Cover picture: Christmas Tress decoration, available from Allium photographed by Alistair Pryde. Editorial & pictorial enquiries: alistair@wordsandpicturesUK.com
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