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A performing arts academy in West Lothian has tripled its intake of students after moving to a new multi-million pound facility. The academy, which offers courses in music, dance, drama and theatre, has seen a surge in demand from young people who want to pursue their creative passions. A dream come true for the academy The academy, which was founded in 2015, had been operating from a rented space in Livingston until last month, when it moved to its new home in Bathgate. The new facility, which cost £3.2 million to build, features state-of-the-art studios, classrooms, rehearsal rooms and a…

A Scottish charity has delivered hundreds of gifts to children in Ukraine who are living in the midst of a war that has entered its third winter. The charity, called Aid Convoy, collected donations from schools, churches, and individuals across Scotland and transported them to the eastern region of Donbass, where a conflict between Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed separatists has been raging since 2014. A gesture of kindness and solidarity The gifts, which included toys, clothes, books, and toiletries, were wrapped in festive paper and labelled with the names and ages of the recipients. The charity said that the aim…

Edinburgh coach Sean Everitt has expressed his trust in Blair Kinghorn, who is set to play his final home game for the club against Benetton on Friday night. Kinghorn, who has been linked with a move to French giants Toulouse, scored two tries in his last appearance at Hive Stadium, but could not prevent his side from losing 22-24 to the Italian outfit. Kinghorn’s contribution to Edinburgh Kinghorn, who joined Edinburgh in 2015, has been one of the club’s most consistent and versatile players, featuring in various positions across the backline. He has made 115 appearances for the club, scoring…

Peter Kelly, the director of the Poverty Alliance, has criticised the Scottish Government for using tax avoidance as an excuse to make spending cuts in the upcoming budget. He argues that the government has a choice to invest in public services and social security, and to tackle the root causes of poverty and inequality. Tax gap widens between Scotland and the rest of the UK The Scottish Government has decided not to pass on a tax break for higher earners that was introduced by the UK Government in April 2023. This means that the tax gap between Scotland and the…

The Scotsman has published the first chapter of a new historical novel by Ross Macfarlane QC, titled The Supernal Sisters. The novel features Edward Kane, a young Scottish advocate who is drawn into a mysterious case involving two sisters who claim to have supernatural powers. The First Chapter: ‘Jesus Was Just Like a Ghost’ The first chapter introduces the reader to Edward Kane, who is attending a lecture by Professor James Young Simpson, a pioneer of anaesthesia and obstetrics. Kane is fascinated by Simpson’s experiments with chloroform and ether, and his discoveries of ancient artefacts and fossils. Kane also meets…

Starcatchers, Scotland’s national arts and early years organisation, has opened a new Baby Studio in Wester Hailes, Edinburgh, to offer free creative play sessions for families with babies and young children. The Baby Studio is the first of its kind in Scotland, and aims to provide a welcoming and stimulating environment for children from birth to five years old and their grown-ups. A transformation of an empty shop unit The Baby Studio is located in Westside Plaza, a shopping centre in the heart of Wester Hailes, a community that faces multiple challenges such as poverty, isolation and poor health outcomes.…

The Scottish Railway Preservation Society (SRPS), a charity that operates scenic railway excursions and museums, has announced that it will have to suspend most of its heritage train tours until it can raise £500,000 for safety upgrades. The SRPS said that new regulations from the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) require all its locomotives and carriages to be fitted with an automatic braking system called TPWS (Train Protection and Warning System) by the end of 2023. Without this system, the SRPS trains will not be allowed to run on the mainline network, which covers most of the routes they…

A house on the remote Scottish island of Hirta, which was once part of a thriving community before being evacuated in 1930, has been sold as a second home to a private buyer. The sale has sparked controversy among conservationists and locals, who fear that the island’s heritage and wildlife will be compromised. The history of Hirta and its evacuation Hirta is the largest and only inhabited island of the St Kilda archipelago, located 40 miles west of the Outer Hebrides. It was home to a small population of islanders who lived off the land and sea, mainly by hunting…

Survivors and relatives share their memories of the night Ten years ago, on 29 November 2013, a police helicopter crashed into the roof of The Clutha, a popular pub in Glasgow, killing 10 people and injuring 31 others. The tragedy shocked the city and the nation, and left many questions unanswered. Today, survivors and relatives of the victims shared their memories of the night and how they have coped with the aftermath. John McGarrigle Jr, whose father John McGarrigle Sr was one of the six people killed in the pub, said he still struggles with the loss of his dad,…