The Edinburgh Reporter June 2023 issue

8 NEWS

Favourite route - Edinburgh to Roslin loop

Lifecare offering home hairdressing with a sprinkling of care

Charity is a cut above^ THE 75TH annual Edinburgh Taxi
Drivers Outing takes place on 13 June.
Watch out for water pistols and lots of
balloons. The usual route goes along
Princes Street and then past the City
Chambers, out to Abbeyhill and London
Road in the morning on the way to
Archerfield Walled Garden in East Lothian.

THE SCOTTISH Companion Animal

Welfare Group (SCAWG) has been formed

to act as a collective voice to improve the

health and welfare of companion animals

in Scotland. Made up of Dogs Trust, Blue

Cross, Scottish SPCA, PDSA, Cats

Protection, One Kind, and Edinburgh Dog

and Cat Home, the group is working with

MSPs to highlight the services available

for their constituents to ensure the welfare

needs of pets across Scotland are met.

Speaking on behalf of SCAWG, Lauren

Wards from Dogs Trust said: “Charities

across the animal welfare sector are

experiencing incredibly high levels of

enquires from owners struggling to meet

the needs of their pets. However, there is

help available, and we have joined forces

with other charities in Scotland to

promote all the services available to pet

owners who need a helping hand.”

SCOTLAND’S CHARITY Air Ambulance

is now ten, but the anniversary was a time

for reflection and sadness as charity

founder John Bullough died suddenly last

month. CEO David Craig dedicated the

anniversary to his memory. He said: “We

thank everyone involved in ensuring

those most seriously ill or injured have

paramedic or doctor attention as quickly

as possible and are airlifted in the fastest

possible time.

“John was one of the visionaries behind

the charity and he would be first to

recognise the contribution of all those

involved.. He called it ‘The People’s

Helicopter’ – funded by the people of

Scotland, for the people of Scotland.”

NEWS IN BRIEF...

By STAFF REPORTER

FOR PEOPLE LIVING with dementia trips

to the hairdresser are often impossible or

overwhelming. However Edinburgh charity

Lifecare recognised that the benefits are

significant - a haircut usually makes us all

feel better.

The charity has set up its new Forget-Me-Not

hairdressing service which involves an

experienced, caring and dementia-trained

mobile hairdresser visiting people in their

homes. Haircare improves appearance and

impacts on the way the clients feel.

It can be a unique multi-sensory experience

providing a valuable opportunity for touch and

physical contact which can otherwise be

missing outside practical necessities. Regular

visits and time for conversation can reduce

isolation and feelings of loneliness, which

self-worth is increased with a positive

self-image.The increased confidence may also

lead the clients to engaging more in other

activities. And in addition, haircare is one of

those things to which certain smells are

attached, and these can be evocative.

James Wells, Chief Executive of LifeCare

said: “It’s sad and unfair that people living with

dementia struggle to access ordinary haircare

services that many of us take for granted. The

typical busy, hot and noisy hair salon

environment can just be too overwhelming for

some and a lack of understanding amongst

hairdressers can make the experience really

difficult for everyone. Mobility issues and

transport concerns also create problems.

“At Lifecare, we have a proud 80-year history

of providing essential care services for local

older people, ensuring no-one is left alone or

isolated and that everyone can continue to

enjoy the joy in their lives. So, we’re absolutely

delighted that we are now able to launch this

dedicated service which will make an

immediate positive and life-changing difference

to our older clients and their carers. We are

already hearing from clients how they “feel like

themselves again” and “can’t wait for their next

appointment”. I’m looking forward to hearing

more of these stories as the service continues

t o g r o w.”

Audrey McDonald, LifeCare’s dementia-

friendly hairdresser said: “It is an absolute

pleasure to be helping to deliver this fantastic

service. From my own personal experience,

I understand how frustrating it can be for a

person to be shut-out of these important

pleasurable activities. Even a small trim can

cheer a person up for the day. In just a few

short weeks, I have already seen how much

joy the service is bringing for local people.

Together we are enjoying a giggle, a chat

about old times and everyone is left feeling a

million dollars.”

http://www.lifecare-edinburgh.org.uk

By KIRSTY LEWIN

ONE OF MY favourite cycle

rides is a loop from Porty

through Whitecraigs, on to

Bonnyrigg then Roslin, and

back along QuietRoute 61.

Depending on how fit you are

you can do this in a couple of

hours or make a day of it. While

a section of the route is on

gravel, it’s suitable for most

bikes, even my old road bike.

There is a barrier at Maiden

Bridge by Newbattle Golf

Course which will prevent

access for some people using

adaptive cycles and trikes.

Lobbying for its removal has, so

far, been unsuccessful.

Pick up the National Cycle

Route (NCN) 1 on Brunstane

Road South. Follow the blue

NCN signs. Stop on the

footbridge over the Esk where

you may see a heron or a

kingfisher. Once you’re through

Whitecraigs you’ll follow the

tree-lined railway path all the

way to Dalkeith and from there

you’ll swing through housing

until Maiden Bridge and that

disgraceful barrier.

Ben Bught Wood is pretty,

particularly in the spring, but

mind out for the dogs. To avoid

the barrier in Dalkeith you’ll

stay on Newmills Road a bit

longer, turn left onto London

Road and left onto Lothian

Road/Abbey Road to pick the

route at Ancrum Bank. Ride

over the railway bridge at

Eskbank Station and it’s a

smooth off-road path to

Bonnyrigg. At Dundas Street

you leave NCN1, which turns

left, as you continue straight

onto the NCN 196. This is sealed

until you get to the roundabout

where it becomes a good

gravel path, although it can be

muddy in parts after heavy rain.

There are benches on the

way if you want to relax and

enjoy the birdsong. Turn right

off the path at Auchendinny

onto Old Dalmore Terrace, a

steep road on the right, just

before a tunnel. Turn right at

the top at the lights and follow

The Brae. It’s a steep climb up

through Auchendinny, but

once at the top it flattens out

(there’s pavement if the traffic

feels too fast for you on the

stretch after the village) and

you’ll turn right onto Oatslie

Road, a quiet rural road that

takes you to Roslin.

At Roslin you could visit

Rosslyn Chapel or have a pub

lunch before picking up

QuietRoute 61 back to the city.

The off-road path has stunning

views, particularly in the

summer. It’s worth stopping off

to visit Straiton Nature Reserve.

The pond was a working clay

pit until the 1950s and the

reserve is now a home for

wildlife including pike, perch,

mute swans, frogs, and newts.

From there you’ll cycle under

the bypass, and, once off the

path, you can either follow

QuietRoute 61 back to Porty or

elsewhere in Edinburgh.

Audrey keeps Bobby’s

locks looking good

Portobello to Roslin