The Corstorphine Grapevine March/April 2023 edition

Useful Numbers

Corstorphine Library: 0131 529 5506

Corstorphine Community Centre: 07580 659 676

City of Edinburgh Council: 0131 200 2000

East Craigs Medical Practice: 0131 339 6670

Ladywell Medical Centre East: 0131 334 5000

Ladywell Medical Centre West: 0131 334 3602

Parkgrove Medical Centre: 0131 312 6600

Royal Infirmary: 0131 536 1000

Western General: 0131 537 1000

Sick Kids Hospital: 0131 536 0000

NHS 24: 111

Police - Non Emergency: 101

Crimestoppers: 0800 555 111 Airport: 08444 888 333

National Rail Enquiries: 03457 48 49 50

Gas - Emergency: 0800 111 999

Scottish Water (24hr): 0800 0778 778

Next Deadlines

20th March

Murrayfield Grapevine

April/May

2023 edition

Welcome to the first edition in 2023 of your local business directory The Corstorphine Grapevine.

Isn’t it lovely that the days are already getting lighter and the bulbs are starting to pop up.

I hope that you find the information in this edition of use, and the articles of interest to you.

I am delighted to include many local businesses. If you would like to be included please don’t hesitate to contact me.

As usual dates for your diary and holiday information for the Easter holidays are listed - see page 40 of this edition.

Throughout the directory you will find local community information regarding things to do, clubs to attend, plus church information regarding Easter services. If you are involved in a local club or service and would like to highlight a fund raiser or what you can offer then please contact me at the email address at the foot of this page.

murrayfield carpets & interiors

We are currently the only shop in Edinburgh with a stand for Coretec LVT click system. Its 100% water proof and is guaranteed for life.

20th April

Corstorphine Grapevine

May/June 2023 edition

(see website for full details)

Whilst every care is taken in preparing this booklet to ensure accuracy, the publishers cannot be held responsible for loss, damage or omission caused by an error in an advert. Artwork is accepted from advertisers on the condition that it is legal and copyright free and that the advert is fair and accurate. The publishers cannot accept responsibility for the accuracy of claims made by advertisers or the views expressed by contributors, nor do the publishers necessarily share such views. We reserve the right to refuse articles and advertisements. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is strictly prohibited.

Please remember that the clocks spring forward in the early morning of Sunday 26th March, so you lose an hours sleep that night.

The next edition is May/June so we will be looking forward to summer.

Best wishes, Jill

The Corstorphine Grapevine is printed by Cowan Print Tel : 01236 821177

To advertise tel: 07999 869 760 Email: anne&jill@corstorphinegrapevine.co.uk

Do you suffer from:

Back or neck pain

Joint, ligament or tendon sprains

Muscle tears or strains

Work-related arm pain (RSI)

Frozen shoulder

Tennis or Golfer’s elbow

Arthritis or generalised joint pains

Headaches

Stiffness following fracture or injury

1:1 & 1:2 pilates sessions NOW AVAILABLE

Forth Physio clinics offer high quality physiotherapy & healthcare services in Edinburgh city. We have experienced Chartered Physiotherapists specialising in musculoskeletal problems, neurological disorders and Care of the Elderly as well as Women’s health and occupational health.

formerly JW Physiotherapy

Our two clinics are convenient for residents in the west of Edinburgh. Our headquarters are in the historic South Queensferry and our satellite clinic is in South Gyle which also has parking, disabled parking and is close to buses, the tram and an easy walk from the Gyle shopping centre.

We are available for face-to-face and virtual appointments.

COVID safe

We comply with all required regulations relating to Covid 19 infection control

Hidden phrase:

SUDOKU

How to play: Fill in the grid so that every row, every column, and every 3 x 3 box contains the digits 1 through 9, with no repetition! You solve the puzzle with reasoning and logic - there is no maths involved and no adding up.

Not all eye exams are the same…

At Gibson & Syme we take your vision as seriously as you do.

Unfortunately, having perfect vision does not mean you have healthy eyes. Your brain can compensate for your vision loss a great deal before you finally notice it. Don’t think an eye exam is just a prescription for glasses with a Gibson & Syme Enhanced Eye Examination we check so much more.

Introducing the Eye Health Check on the front line: Did you know we have invested in a hospital grade eye scanner?

We currently have the only 4D Heidelberg Spectralis OCT in Edinburgh, other than the Princess Alexandra Eye Pavillion. Being even more advanced than the 3D scans that are available on the High Street, it enables our optometrist to detect the very earliest signs of eye disease.

Catching a disease early and getting treatment is key to preventing sight loss, so that’s why we decided to invest in our new eye scanner for our patients.

Would you like to book a 4D HD Eye Health Check? Call 0131 553 9000.

Solutions on Page 56

ALL ASPECTS OF SLATING l TILING l LEAD WORK l GUTTERING

ROOF REPAIRS l RENDERING l FLAT ROOF SPECIALISTS

ALL EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL PAINTING & DECORATING

Garden tidy’s & maintenance both residential and commercial

Fencing, decking, raised beds installation & repairs on a wide selection of fencing styles

Tree work - including crown lifts, pruning, reductions & removals

Planting - fully designed, supplied and installed

Turfing - lawns and wildflower meadows

“Edinburgh’s award winning service”

CORSTORPHINE FLORAL ART CLUB

Enjoy Floral Demonstrations by Qualified Demonstrators

Meets on the 2nd Monday of each month from Sept –May

In St Thomas’s Church Hall Glasgow Road Meeting starts 7 for 7.30pm

For further information please contact Irene Young 01968 674064

The annual Crufts dog show will be taking place this year at the NEC Birmingham, from 9-12 March. Organised and hosted by The Kennel Club, it is the largest show of its kind in the world. Crufts is named after its founder Charles Cruft. Having no interest in joining the family jewellery business after leaving college in 1876, Charles decided instead to take employment with James Spratt who had set up a new venture in Holborn, London selling ‘dog cakes’.

Charles Cruft was ambitious and a relatively short apprenticeship as an office boy led to a promotion to travelling salesman. This brought him into

St Thomas’ Church, Corstorphine 3rd to 6th April, 10am -1pm

Games, Activities, Singing & a daily story from the Bible

For children from P1 to P7

To book a FREE place or for more information contact: churchoffice@saintthomas.org.uk 0131 285 8782

Or our youth worker, Phil Taylor phil@stt.church

contact with large estates and sporting kennels. His next career move with Spratts saw him travelling to Europe and here in 1878, French dog breeders, perhaps seeing entrepreneurial talents in Cruft, invited him to organise the promotion of the canine section of the Paris Exhibition. He was still just two years out of college.

Back in England in 1886 he took up the management of the Allied Terrier Club Show at the Royal Aquarium, Westminster. It was in 1891 that the first Cruft’s show was booked into the Royal Agricultural Hall in Islington with a total of 2437 competitors, and 36 breeds.

Crufts now attracts over 18,000 competitors alongside hundreds of thousands of visitors each year and is broadcast to an international television audience.

WE ARE NOT KNOWINGLY UNDERSOLD FREE - Delivery, Door plates, Measuring & Grippers

We will move furniture, uplift and dispose off old carpets if required

Charles Cruft

again everyone,

With summer approaching fast most damaged roofs and leaks go unnoticed and untreated, however summertime is the perfect time to get someone out and inspect the most important part of your home.

You may wonder why this would matter as there is no leak or visible damage, with the majority of our bigger jobs the issue has come from a small problem that unfortunately develops into a bigger one. Leaving your roof with no inspection can cause further damage and most importantly can be incredibly pricey.

Here at DM Duncan and son we offer FREE inspections whenever necessary to make sure this does not happen to your home. How might I go about getting one? You may ask, well it couldn’t be simpler, you can either send us an email, give us a call, or even send us a message on Facebook and our receptionist will get back to you as soon as possible with a date for inspection.

We have been serving the Corstorphine/Edinburgh community for over 130 Years, and we understand that it can be difficult to trust certain companies/tradesman, but we aren’t going anywhere, and our number one priority is making sure that our customers are happy with the works carried out, so why not give us a call, and get your free inspection booked in.

Lastly, the Dm Duncan and Son team would like to give a big thank you to Jill at the Grapevine for giving us the opportunity to reach out to you all again.

Take care, until next time……

TWO HOUR Pack Walk

Inspirational reads to mark International Women’s Day and great gift ideas for Mother’s Day.

All You Ever Wanted – Susan Elliot Wright

A dark and sinister tale of toxic family relationships, full of secrets and lies. Life is hectic when new mum Emily returns to work, so when she meets Anna, she’s grateful to find someone who can calm her down. Anna soon becomes part of the family but Emily can’t help feeling something isn’t right: someone is keeping a big secret from her – and they know her lifechanging secret too…

You’ll Never Walk Alone – Rachel Kelly

The Sunday Times best-selling author brings you a lovely collection of inspirational poetry, designed to help you through every occasion, on good days and bad, and to bring poetry into your life. One for every week of the year, the 52 poems are organised into seasons – from the dark and wintry to the spring-like and hopeful – with insightful notes from the author.

Whatever Next? Lessons from an Unexpected Life – Anne Glenconner

From Maid of Honour at the late Queen’s coronation in 1953 to Lady in Waiting to Princess Margaret, Anne Glenconner (the author of The Times Memoir of the Year, Lady in Waiting), brings her bracing honesty, characteristic wit and courage to reflect on – and reveal more – about her fascinating life and the hard-won lessons learnt in diplomacy, marriage and motherhood.

Deliciously Vintage Baking & Desserts

The novelty of retro foods has spiked since lockdowns, with consumers returning to nostalgic recipes for a dose of comfort food and for the enjoyment of traditional baking. And it’s not hard to see why some cakes and bakes become classics, with family recipes handed down through the generations. From cookies and cakes to pastries and desserts, Victoria Glass charts the delicious range of some of our much-loved classics, guaranteed to hit all the right notes of nostalgia and deliciousness.

Good for a Girl – Lauren Fleshman

One of the most-decorated distance runners in the United States, Lauren Fleshman tells of how she fell in love with running as a girl and shares her own running journey – from being pushed to her limits and succumbing to devastating injuries to daring to fight for a better way for female athletes. It’s a powerful look at how competitive sports is designed for men and boys and routinely fail female athletes, leading to injuries, eating disorders, and mental-health issues.

The London Séance Society – Sarah Penner (out 21st March)

1873. At an abandoned chateau on the outskirts of Paris, a dark séance is about to take place led by acclaimed spiritualist Vaudeline D’Allaire, known for conjuring the spirits of murder victims and revealing their killers. Although sceptical, Lenna Wickes has come to Vaudeline for answers to her sister’s death and agrees to become her assistant. When the pair travel to London to help solve a high-profile murder, they begin to suspect they are not merely out to solve a crime, but are perhaps entangled in one themselves...

Corstorphine Churches

Websites

Carrick Knowe www.ckchurch.org.uk

Corstorphine Community Church www.corstorphinefaith.org.uk

Corstorphine Old Parish www.corstorphineoldparish.org.uk

Craigsbank www.craigsbankchurch.org.uk

St. Andrew’s www.clermistonstandrew.wixsite.com

St. Anne’s, 1, Kaimes Road, Corstorphine www.stannescorstorphine.org.uk office@stannescorstorphine.org.uk

St. John the Baptist and St. Kentigern www.ssjohnbandkentigern.org.uk

St. Ninian’s www.corstorphinestninians.org.uk

Spot the difference!

There are 10 differences between the two images below. How many can you spot?

St. Thomas’ www.saintthomas.org.uk Solution on Page 56

Easter services at St. Ninian’s

You are warmly invited to join us celebrate Easter at St Ninian’s

6th April - Maundy Thursday

7:00pm communion service

9th April - Easter Sunday

8:00am early morning service on Corstorphine Hill (meet at top of Kaimes Road at 7:45am)

10:30 morning worship in St. Ninian’s

Contact Us: 0131 316 4777 office@st-ninians.co.uk find us on facebook

More information on our website at: www.corstorphinestninians.org.uk

Easter Services at St Thomas’ Church

Glasgow Road.

You are warmly invited to join us as we celebrate Easter together. We meet:

Sunday 2 April 10.30am Palm Sunday - Worship for All Ages

Thursday 6 April 7.30pm Maundy Thursday – Holy Communion

Sunday 9 April 6.30am Easter Sunrise - Holy Communion (outside on the lawn if the weather is fine)

10.30am Easter Day Worship - The Lord Is Risen!

Find us online at: www.facebook.com/stthomasedin www.youtube.com/@stthomasedinburgh www.twitter.com/StThomasEdin

More information on our website at: www.saintthomas.org.uk

Sunday 2nd April - 11am

Palm and Passion Sunday Service in St Anne’s

Holy Week

Monday 3rd April

6pm Held in St Anne’s Corstorphine

Tuesday 4th April

6pm Held in St Ninian’s Corstorphine

Wednesday 5th April

6pm Held in St Andrew’s Clermiston

Maundy Thursday

Thursday 6th April

6pm ‘Bring & Share’ meal & Holy Communion in St Anne’s

Good Friday

Friday 7th April

Noon-3pm Vigil in St Anne’s

Easter Sunday

Sunday 9th April

9.30am Early Outdoor Service at St Anne’s (followed by Breakfast)

11am Morning Worship including the Sacrament of Holy Communion in St Anne’s

Palm Sunday, Holy Week & Easter Services

All Welcome

Easter at Corstorphine Old Parish Church

Monday 3rd - Friday 7th April

Holy Week services each morning in various Corstorphine churches See website or Facebook page for details

Thursday 6th April - Maundy Thursday

7pm Joint service of Holy Communion at Craigsbank Church

Friday 7th April - Good Friday 7pm Joint Corstorphine Churches service at the Old Parish Church

Sunday 9th April - Easter Sunday

9.40am ‘Wee Service’ Easter egg hunt for families with young children

10.30am Easter Sunday service

Online Worship Weekly reflections are available to view online via our website: www.corstorphineoldparish.org.uk or via our facebook page: www.facebook.com/CorstorphineOld

Spring-flowering plants – choose wisely

The sap is flowing! Peer closely at a few twigs and you will find buds galore. You can’t fail to have noticed beautiful bulbs are already brightening up the borders. There are wonderful hellebores that never fail to enchant, ravishing rhododendrons and azaleas, elegant camellias, and marvellous magnolias, bergenias and a host of other early spring beauties.

Don’t assume that you can grow anything, anywhere, however. Plants are like people in that they have their own particular needs and dislikes.

Rhododendrons and azaleas were once categorised as separate species but they are now grouped together. There are subtle differences. Azaleas are always evergreen, whereas some rhododendrons are deciduous. They all need slightly acidic, moist soils and prefer dappled shade and sheltered conditions

The leaves of a rhododendron are thick and leathery, but azalea leaves are generally smaller, often with fine hairs covering the surface. Rhododendrons produce large trusses of multiple flowers whereas azalea flowers appear at the end of the stem, in smaller numbers. The range of colours within this genus is impressive, from the purest white flower, through to yellows, oranges, reds, lilacs and purples. These shrubs were introduced to the UK way back in the sixteenth century and are currently enjoying a revival in popularity.

Camellias are newer arrivals, having been brought here early in the eighteenth century. These evergreen shrubs also need an acidic soil and they like dappled shade, sheltered from wind. Avoid an east-facing position where

morning sun can scorch the winter and spring flowers. It is important to keep these flowering shrubs well-watered in summer when they are forming next year’s flower buds. Use rainwater, where possible, because tap water is generally too alkaline.

Magnolias are shrubs with shapely forms and wonderful creamy-white and pink spring flowers. Some of these are giants but they are often shoehorned into spaces that are too small. The resulting pruning tends to spoil their shape and often promotes a wild growing frenzy that makes matters worse. Many magnolias produce goblet-shaped flowers, whilst others delight the season with glorious star-shaped blooms. It’s important to appreciate that their ancestors inhabited primitive, ancient forests. This tells you that they like a little shelter, even though the modern cultivars can tolerate city living and even bright sun.

Hellebores are woodland-edge plants that like dappled shade and moist (but not boggy) soils. They can thrive in most types of soil, provided it is nutrient-rich. Give them the right conditions and they need very little care, save a mulch to help retain moisture within the growing position.

Bergenias are brilliant ground-cover evergreens that can grow almost anywhere, even though they prefer slight shade and moist soil. Elephant’s ears, as they are commonly known, are great perennials for the beginner as they also help to supress weeds. The early spring flowers are generally pink but can also be red, lilac or white. These are held on stalks and they create a truly uplifting scene at a time when colour is scarce.

By Caroline Knight

Bergenias and daffodils

King Charles III: a monarch for modern times

When the coronation of King Charles III takes place on 6th May at Westminster Abbey, the ceremony – which will be conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury – will be rooted in longstanding traditions and pageantry. However, it will also reflect the monarch’s role today, and look to the future.

Then and now

The Queen’s coronation on 2nd June 1953 was one of the greatest events of the twentieth century. More than 8,000 guests filled the abbey to witness the crowning of the young mother, while crowds lined the route that took her and the Duke of Edinburgh to and from the abbey. Millions more were lucky enough to watch the event on the still novel phenomenon of television, this being the first time the event had been televised.

It has been speculated that King Charles will have a toned-down affair with reduced costs, with suggestions of it lasting just one hour and with around 2,000 dignitaries in attendance.

Break with tradition

The date of 6th May was reportedly chosen in consultation with the government, the Church of England and the Royal Household. However, the date does have some symbolic references to family members:

During the ceremony the King will be anointed with holy oil, receive the orb, coronation ring and sceptre, and be blessed and then consecrated by the Archbishop. Monarchs traditionally sit in the fourteenth-century King Edward’s Chair, and Charles will be crowned with the St Edward’s crown, becoming the fortieth British monarch crowned at the Abbey since William the Conqueror in 1066.

Camilla, Queen Consort, will also be anointed and crowned, as was the Queen Mother when George VI was crowned in 1937.

Man and boy Charles will be 74 at the time of the ceremony, the oldest ever new monarch. In 1953 the thenPrince Charles was just four years old when his mother was crowned.

As with royal ceremonies, there had been behind-the-scenes preparation and practices in the lead up to the big day. Charles’ boyhood memories include how, the night before, the Queen came to say goodnight wearing the St Edward’s Crown as she was trying to get used to its 5lb weight. He also recalled being kept awake by the “thousands of people gathered in The Mall outside Buckingham Palace chanting: ‘We want the Queen’”.

Royal author Robert Jobson says: “Charles has adapted to his new role very well and is out connecting with people, which sadly the late Queen wasn’t able to do towards the end of her life.”

Corstorphine News

by John Barrettformer local Member of Parliament and Councillor

Founded in 1880, the Corstorphine Literary and Geographical Society (familiarly known as The Lit) was strongly supported by the Corstorphine community for many years, with good turnouts to their weekly meetings to hear illustrated talks on a wide variety of subjects. It now needs new people to volunteer to get involved and to help run it.

If you can help, or would like more information, please give me a ring on 0780 1057 446. I suggested that weekly meetings were too much for many people and that they should change to a monthly format on the first Monday of each month . This is being tried from March to June and hopefully by then some volunteers will have stepped forward. The opening meeting is in St. Ninian’s Church at 7.45pm on 6th March and is a talk about my life after stepping down as an MP. (well, I did offer to help!) The following monthly meetings will be on Historic Corstorphine, The Corstorphine Witch Hunt and a musical evening by the Corstorphine Singers in June. A £3 voluntary donation on the night will help cover any costs. All welcome. There will also be a Council by-election in the Corstorphine/Murrayfield Ward on 9th March. To avoid a low turnout of voters in the local by-election, hopefully, all candidates will engage with the public between now and then and a strong local champion will be elected. It is important to elect people, regardless of party, who will be an effective representative of the local community.

The late Donald Gorrie, who was a local champion, would have been 90 this year. He was a long term Corstorphine Councillor and my predecessor as Member of Parliament in Edinburgh West

There will be a dinner on 14th April in Corstorphine to celebrate Donald ’s life and work and I was delighted to be asked to speak at it along with the current Lord Provost, MP and MSP. Anyone wishing to find out more about the event should email Devin Scobie at devinscobie@hotmail.com

John Barrett

Cleland Roofing Solutions Ltd started up at an office right next to Turnhouse Golf Club. We have 4 vans with 4 squads working covering all of Scotland. All carry out all roofing works and roughcasting which include:

SLATING AND TILING

BUILT UP FELT SYTEMS

GUTTER REPAIR AND RENEWAL

VELUX SUPPLIED AND FITTED

ALL LEAD WORKS

RENDER AND HARLING

MEWP WORKS

ROPE WORKS

All the tradesmen are City and Guilds qualified. We have IPAF and PASMA certificates.

We are members of Safe Contractors, Confederation of Roofing Contractors and Federation of Small Business. (SeeBelow) Fully insured for all working at height, gas and rope works.

Head Office: 6A Lothian Street, Bonnyrigg, EH19 3AD Office: 146/2 Turnhouse Road Edinburgh EH12 0AD 07738 659 959 or 0131 364 4212

George@clelandroofingsolutions.co.uk

www.clelandroofingsolutions.co.uk

George Cleland -Managing Director

We have over 100 years combined experience in the trade

Serves 4

Preparation time 10 minutes

Cooking time 15-25 minutes

Ingredients

• 400g firm tofu

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

• Toasted sesame seeds and sliced spring onions, for sprinkling

For the sauce

• 100g soft light brown sugar

• 3 tbsp water

• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

• 3 tbsp soy sauce

• 1 glove garlic, crushed

• 1cm piece fresh root ginger, peeled and grated

• 1 whole star anise

• 1-2 tsp hot sauce, such as Sriracha

Reduce your Stress Burden

Pay attention when people talk about the sudden onset of bizarre and unusual ailments. This is especially true at this time of year. The answer can be found in a little word with big implications: stress. Our bodies endure stress, which can be simply defined as anything that causes a reaction. There are three main areas in which we experience stress: physical, emotional and chemical. Stress involving any of these areas can affect us profoundly. Here are some of the common signs of stress, along with ways to reduce your stress burden.

STRESS SIGNAL S

Unusual fatigue: Stress weighs on you physically, emotionally and mentally. It wears you down and drains you. Can’t get out of bed in the morning? Stress may be what’s keeping you there.

Sleeplessness: You may feel like sleeping for a day or two, but stress tends to keep you up at night.

WAYS TO REDUCE STRESS

Work it off: Find the time to exercise. Whether it’s a quick trip to the gym, a peaceful run or a brisk walk with family or friends, exercise puts the focus somewhere else for a while. Biochemically, exercise has a big anti-stress benefit. It helps reduce levels of the stress hormone (cortisol) and increases your “feel-good” hormones, endorphins.

This tofu snack is served with a savoury umami-flavoured caramel sauce. You can also serve this with steamed rice and pak choi as a light meal.

Method

1. Drain the tofu and sandwich it between several sheets of kitchen paper. Press down to drain any excess liquid, then pat dry with more kitchen paper. Cut the tofu into 12 cubes.

2. To make the savoury salted caramel sauce, put the sugar and water in a heavy-based pan over a low heat. Tilt the pan so the water covers and dampens the sugar.

3. Watch carefully as the sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally, then turn up the heat and cook until it starts to turn a golden amber caramel. As soon as this happens, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, star anise and hot sauce. Set aside.

4. Heat the oil in a frying pan set over a medium-high heat. Add the tofu and cook, turning occasionally, for 4-5 minutes until golden and crispy all over.

5. Reduce the heat to medium and add the sauce. Cook, basting the tofu occasionally with the sauce, for 2-3 minutes, until the sauce reduces slightly and glazes the tofu.

6. Serve the glazed tofu (we left the star anise for decoration only) sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds and spring onions.

Impulsivity: If you find your eating habits changing suddenly, you may be turning to comfort foods to deal with stress. The same is true with impulse buying, particularly when it involves items you don’t really need.

Anger/impatience: Stress can make you short-tempered and easily roused to anger, even if your demeanour is normally calm, quiet and reserved. Lack of concentration/forgetfulness: Stress usually occupies our mental time, so much so that we can have trouble remembering things or make more mistakes. Never forget your keys in the morning? When you’re stressed, you just might.

Physical ailments: Back pain, neck pain and pain in general that doesn’t have a clear cause (e.g., an injury) is often related to stress. The same is true for colds and flu; stress can lower your immune system, increasing your risk of developing illness.

Get away from it: This can be challenging, but doing what you can to distract yourself can go a long way toward reducing stress. Schedule a holiday, visit old friends, take a long walk; whatever it takes to remove yourself from your stress environment.

Smile about it: It’s much harder for stress to exist in a fun, laughter-filled environment, so put yourself in a position to smile when you’re under stress. After all, laughter truly is the best natural medicine. Talk about it: When you’re stressed, your mind can be a continual stream of negative, overwhelming, stressed-out thoughts. Don’t keep it all to yourself; sometimes the best way to reduce your stress is to vent about it and get a neutral perspective, rather than staying in a bottled-up, stressed-out state.

Ross McDonald & Rebecca Vickery Registered Chiropractors

Extracted from The Salted Caramel Cookbook by Heather Thomas (HarperNonFiction, £9.99 Hardback), with photography by Joff Lee.

Salted Caramel Tofu

Local Medical Centres

Ladywell Medical Centre West:

Tel: 0131 334 3602

Ladywell Road Mon - Friday 8am-6pm

Closed every Monday - Friday between 1-2pm for staff training

*Mar : Wed 15th from 1pm for staff training

*Apr : Closed all day Good Friday 7th

Closed all day Easter Monday 10th

For further information please refer to our website www.ladywellwest.co.uk

Ladywell Medical Centre East:

Tel: 0131 334 5000

26 Featherhall Avenue Mon - Friday 8am-6pm Closed every Monday - Friday between 1-2pm for staff training

*Mar : Wed 15th from 1pm for staff training

*Apr : Closed all day Good Friday 7th

Closed all day Easter Monday 10th

For further information please refer to our website www.ladywelleast.co.uk

Parkgrove Medical Centre:

Tel: 0131 312 6600

22B Parkgrove Terrace Mon - Friday 8am - 6pm

Closed every Monday - Friday between 12-1pm for staff training

*Apr : Closed all day Good Friday 7th

Closed all day Easter Monday 10th

New registrations welcome

For further information please refer to our website www.parkgrovemedicalpractice.scot.nhs.uk

MARCH

Mothering Sunday

March 19th

British Summer Time Begins

Clocks forward 1hr Sun 26th

APRIL

Good Friday Holiday

April 7th

Easter Monday Holiday

April 10th

School Easter Holidays

Local Schools

Mon 3rd – Fri 14thApril (incl)

Return to school Monday 17th

Edinburgh Academy

Mon 3rd – Mon 17th April (incl)

Return to school Tuesday 18th

Erskine Stewart’s Melville

Mon 3rd – Mon 17th April (incl)

Return to school Tuesday 18th

St George’s Mon 3rd – Fri 14thApril (incl)

Return to school Monday 17th

Edinburgh Science Festival 1st –16thApril

0131 334 5046

0783 461 8625

thomas@keylandscapes.org

Key Landscapes provide all hard landscaping work; including fencing driveways patios

walling and artificial grass.

We also offer advice on products, landscape design and have an extensive portfolio of work.

All work is guaranteed and we are fully insured.

Barclay Medical Practice East Craigs: 10 Bughtlin Market Mon - Friday 8am - 6pm Closed*: Apr : Closed all day Good Friday 7th Closed all day Easter Monday 10th

Tel: 0131 339 6670

Dates for your

* Dates correct at time of printing

Please remember to ensure that you have organised your repeat prescriptions to cover holiday periods.

Many serious health conditions can go unnoticed for months – and even years – but health screenings can help us to identify any underlying issues, so we can significantly reduce our risk and improve the prognosis of any illness. After all, prevention is better than cure.

Cervical screening

Cervical screenings, also known as ‘smear tests’ are offered to all women and people with a cervix aged between 25 and 64. It’s designed to check the health of cells in the cervix, to prevent cervical cancer from developing in the future. It’s offered every three years for those aged 25 to 49, and every five years between the ages of 50 and 64.

Breast screening

If you’re registered as a woman at a GP surgery and aged between 50 and 71, you’ll be offered an NHS breast screening (mammogram) every three years. A mammogram checks your breasts for signs of cancer, and save around 1,300 lives each year in the UK.

Bowel cancer screening

The NHS’s bowel cancer screening (which is a home test) is offered to everyone aged between 60 and 74. If you fall within this demographic, you’ll receive a screening every two years. However, the programme is currently in the process of expanding to make it available to people aged over 50.

Diabetic eye screening

From the age of 12, all people with diabetes are offered an annual diabetic eye test to check for early signs of diabetic retinopathy – which can lead to sight loss if left untreated.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) screening AAA screenings are offered to men during the year they turn 65 to detect abdominal aortic aneurysms. This is a bulge or swelling in the

aorta, the main blood vessel that runs from your heart down through your stomach, which if left untreated could burst causing dangerous bleeding inside the stomach.

Pregnancy screenings

The first screening is for sickle cell and thalassaemia, offered before 10 weeks, followed by blood tests for HIV, hepatitis B and syphilis. Mothers will be offered screenings for Down’s syndrome, Edwards’ syndrome and Patau’s syndrome between 11 to 14 weeks, before a final check of the babies’ development between 18 to 21 weeks. As with any screening, you can choose which tests, if any, are right for you.

Newborn screenings

Newborn babies’ tests start with a physical examination straight after birth that covers the eyes, heart, hips and testes (if the baby’s a boy), closely followed by a hearing test.

When a baby is about five days old, they’ll be offered a blood spot test to check for nine rare but serious health conditions.

Private screenings

While the tests outlined above are looking for specific conditions, many private screenings are often more of a preventative nature. A health adviser will review your weight, fitness, mobility, blood pressure and even mental health.

If anything comes up as a result of the test, the service will often work with you to ‘coach’ you for a time through a combination of online tools and follow-up calls.

All types of Fencing Work undertaken

Wooden Decking

Cleaned and re-stained

All paintwork

Fences, sheds, wooden gates, garden furniture

Garden sheds to specification supplied and assembled

Power Washing

Pointing Work

Paths, patios, walls

For a no obligation quote please call George Currie on 07956 352 338 or 0131 337 2697

EH Dental Care

Our very popular hygienist service is now extended - appointments now available on Wednesdays and Fridays

Hygienist service available to non-members of the practice (minimum appointment time 30 minutes)

Expert Hearing Care at Home

Introductory Rates

Almond & Western Voluntary Sector Forum

The Almond and Western Voluntary Sector Forum produce a monthly Voluntary Sector activity Programme leaflet for West West Edinburgh.

This project is funded by the Western Edinburgh Neighbourhood Network. Copies of the leaflet are available in local Community Centres, libraries and various other venues in the area.

Any West Edinburgh Voluntary Organisation wishing to have information included in the May edition should contact tommy.awvsf@gmail.com by 20th April.

By Karen Bruce

100 YEARS

Wembley Stadium in London opened (as the British Empire Exhibition Stadium, commonly known as the Empire Stadium). It was demolished in 2003. The new Wembley Stadium opened on the same site in March 2007.

90 YEARS

The first modern sighting of Scotland’s Loch Ness monster was reported in the Inverness Courier.

70 YEARS

New Zealand mountaineer

Edmund Hillary and Sherpa

Tenzing Norgay became the first people to reach the summit of Mount Everest.

The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey, London. This was also the first event where the British TV audience (20 million) was greater than the radio audience (12 million).

50 YEARS

1.6 million British workers took part in a oneday general strike to protest against the government’s pay restraint policy and price rises.

50 YEARS AGO (1973)

• The average price of a property in the second quarter of 1973 was £8,144 (c. £92,000 at today’s prices). This compares with an average UK price of £296,000 today.

• Chart-toppers in the music singles charts included “Can the Can” by Suzi Quatro and “Rubber Bullets” by 10cc.

• Sir Edward Heath was Prime Minister (Conservatives), staying in office until 1974.

40 YEARS

Around 70,000 anti-nuclear weapons protesters formed a fourteen-mile human chain in Berkshire, England. They linked the U.S. airbase at Greenham Common, the nuclear research centre in Aldermaston and an ordnance factory in Burghfield.

The first cordless telephone went on sale in Britain. British Telecom’s Hawk could be used up to 100 metres (330 feet) from its base station.

30 YEARS

The recession of the early 1990s was officially declared over in Britain as new figures that showed the first economic growth for more than two years.

25 YEARS

The world’s first solid-state portable digital audio player (MP3 player) went on sale in Japan. The MPMan F10 could hold 8 songs (32 Mb version) or 16 songs (64 Mb version). It was not a commercial success.

British woman Diane Blood, who won a two-year legal battle over her right to be inseminated with her dead husband’s sperm, announced that she was pregnant. The baby was born in December. A second was born in July 2002.

Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary. Jamling Tenzing Norgay, CC BY-SA 3.0

Corstorphine and Murrayfield Community Policing Officers

PC Sam Davison

PC Susan Fulton

Please contact us at: EdinburghCPTNorthWest@scotland.pnn.police.uk Or

Tel. 101

Officers attend or provide reports for both Corstorphine and Murrayfield Community Council meetings.

Police activity updates can also be seen on Twitter: Edinburgh Police North West @EdinPolNW

Please report crimes via 101 or 999 in an emergency.

The right fragrance can lift your mood, boost your confidence and (pardon the pun) really put a spring in your step. Now that we’re heading into spring, you might prefer a lighter, fresher fragrance than the one you wore over winter. It’s worth considering some of the newer fragrance houses. Shay & Blue, for example, offer a wide range of genderneutral, modern fragrances at affordable prices. Their Tallulahs Camellia is a particular highlight. It’s floral without being overly sweet, with notes of bluebell, gardenia, lily and white tea. £55 for 100ml is great value, and the subscriber offers are also worth checking out.

Perfumes can be expensive, but even the priciest ones usually work out at just a few pence per spray. Still, you’ll want to choose wisely. When you’re trying perfumes on in a shop, spray them onto cardboard tester strips first. Consider how each scent makes you feel. Keep hold of the strips and smell them again in an hour. Fragrance is made up of top, middle and base notes. The top notes are lighter and evaporate quite quickly, so the scent changes subtly over time. Which fragrance do you like best? Head back to the counter and spray it onto your skin. Again, check whether you still like it after an hour. If you do, you’re onto a winner.

On a tight budget? It’s worth checking discount stores like TK Maxx, www.perfumedirect.com and www.thefragranceshop.co.uk. We found Calvin Klein’s Euphoria reduced to £24.99 for 30ml (RRP £42) at Perfume Direct, and Gucci’s Guilty reduced from £57 to £34.20 for 50ml at The Fragrance Shop.

It’s also worth considering dupes. While they won’t smell exactly the same as the original, they’re often a pretty close match, at a fraction of the price. Lidl’s Suddenly Madame Glamour, for example, is very similar to Chanel’s Coco Mademoiselle, but costs under £5. And many of Primark’s fragrances are remarkably similar to those of top brands.

If you have your heart set on a particular designer fragrance, you can save money by buying the eau de toilette version rather than the eau de parfum. However, as there’s a lower concentration of fragrance in an eau de toilette, it wears off much quicker, so you’ll need to spray it more often.

Easily bored? Consider buying a discovery set rather than one full-sized bottle. The Floral Street Discovery Set, for example, gets you eight miniatures for £16. You won’t get many sprays from each 1.5ml bottle, but if you don’t wear perfume every day, it’s a fun way to mix things up. Shay & Blue also offer discovery sets, and they’re often on offer.

No idea where to start? Some fragrance brands offer online quizzes or free virtual or in-person consultations. Search online or just ask in-store.

Central

Repairs,

Power

CORSTORPHINE

Landlord’s Certificates

24 Hour Emergency Call Out

Repair . Maintain . Install

All

Do

PS You Got This, £2, Primark

The Mayor of Kalymnos

The Mayor of Kalymnos is a new book by former Edinburgh West MP and regular Murrayfield Grapevine columnist, John Barrett.

Set on the small Greek Island of Kalymnos, this work of fiction sees a retired MP looking for a quiet escape to write his life story. Progress with his writing slows down and eventually stops, when a group of locals, who have had enough of the corruption and nepotism on the island and who want to see things change for the better, approach him to ask him to stand for election as the Mayor of Kalymnos.

The Mayor of Kalymnos is available now from D & S McLean in Corstorphine High Street, Pippin Gifts at 30 Haymarket Terrace, and from Amazon, or go to the website www.themayorofkalymnos.com to find out more.

Breast Feeding Support Group

Meet Tuesdays 11.15am -12.15pm

Rannoch Centre

6 Rannoch Terrace

Edinburgh EH4 7ES - just behind Drumbrae Hub

Tea Dance

Saturdays 2pm - 4pm March 25th & April 22nd

The Corstorphine Astoria Centre

18 Kirk Loan

Tickets on Sale from our Charity shop

This is a group for mums and babies experiencing breastfeeding challenges.

Please do come!

We are very excited to be back and would love to see you and your baby

For more information call 0131 286 5023

(Stewart Team)

Please buy tickets in advance from Corstorphine Community Centre, 5 Kirk Loan Mon - Fri 10am to 3pm

Youth Worker

Corstorphine Community Centre

5 Kirk Loan

• Sessional Post

Thursday Evenings 5.30pm -8.30pm

£12-£14 P/H dependent on experience

•

Role

Corstorphine Community Centre (CCC) is a charity running a shop and Hub collaborating with other local organisations to provide a range of activities across the local area. We are looking to fill the post of sessional Youth Worker

Are you:

• Experienced in working with young people?

Available to start with immediate effect?

• Committed to being a champion for young people's rights?

• Able to forge strong, authentic relationships, whilst keeping boundaries?

• Enthusiastic, confident and supportive?

To be considered for this opportunity, you will need:

• To be flexible in your approach to work

• Proven experience of working effectively with young people 12+yrs

If you are community minded, able to work on your own initiative and have the skills and experience we are looking for, please email: youthwork@ccchub.online to request the application pack

Alternatively follow the link to download https://www.corstorphinecommunitycentre.org.uk

Completed application forms need to be received by 1pm on Thursday March 23rd 2023

Successful candidates will be subject to PVG screening

Interviews will be held in the afternoon/ early evening of Thursday 30th March 2023 (in person) Young people will form part of the interview panel

PUZZLE SOLUTIONS

Hidden phrase: Happiness is a form of courage. Holbrook Jackson

SUDOKU PAGE 10 WORD SEARCH PAGE 10

C. S. Gardening & Landscaping

Established 2005

For all your gardening needs, including tree & hedge cutting, grass mowing, slabbing, fencing, turfing, contract work, general maintenance & much, much more. Free estimates.

Family business with over 20 years experience

job too small and all work guaranteed

All blockages cleared Outside tap fitted

CROSSWORD PAGE 28

Hidden phrase: Happiness is a form of courage. Holbrook Jackson

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE PAGE 24

1. Boy hat different colour

2. Seed packet in box missing

3. Clouds in sky missing

4. Mum’s garden fork change to trowel

5. Boy mouth different

6. Mum hair band different colour

7. Watering can different colour

8. Mum scarf missing

9. Zip on boy fleece missing

10. Mum eyes shut

Contact: Colin Spence

21 Broomhall Gardens, EH12 7QA

Phone: 0131 334 8602

Mobile: 07720 843446

Email: csgardening92@yahoo.co.uk or csgardening@fsmail.net

Accountant

Hollis Accounting

C o m e a l o n g , t r y n e w t h i n g s - m e e t n e

JDS

Gardening Hard Landscaping

Gardening Supplies/Services

Shop Open

Book Nook- Coorie in, keep warm & have a cuppa

Babies Group (birth to 2 years)

Men's Shed Social (space available) workshop- full English support homework club (12-19yrs)

Digital Support for phones, tab ets and laptops

Book a slot: Call - 07580 659 676

Gentle Seated Exercise- Waiting List

Lunch Club - Waiting List

Morning Craft Group

Afternoon Craft Group- Waiting list

Walk ng Group (8km)

Sporting Memory Group -Wait ng List

Men's Shed Workshop (Full)

Crochet and Knitting Group

Youth Group (S1- S6)

D o y o u w a n t t o : R u n a g r o u p , W o r k i n t h e c h a r i t y s h o p , J o i n t h e C o m m i t t e e ? C o n t a c t V o l u n t e e r s @ c c c h u b . o n l i n e

Art Group

Music, songs and fun- 5yrs and under Community Shed workshop

Gentle exercise, walks and warm ups

G r e a t r a t e s f o r c l u b s , g r o u p s , c l a s s e s , a n d p a r t i e s . E m a i l F i o n a : b o o k i n g s @ c c c h u b o n l i n e f o r a b o o k i n g f o r m o r c o m p l e t e o n l i n e a t c o r s t o r p h i n e c o m m u n i t y c e n t r e . o r g . u k