The Edinburgh Reporter September 2023

15

Lothian welcomes

new engineers to

training programme

By STAFF REPORTER

RESIDENTS AND GUESTS at Strachan House

care home were entertained at an Edinburgh

Fringe Cares event in August.

Residents and families enjoyed a spectacular

performance from Edinburgh Fringe

performer’s Octovoce, who took the

audience through a magical journey of a

cappella style singing.

The promotional event was one of four

sponsored by Barchester Healthcare and staged

in collaboration with the Edinburgh Interfaith

Association showing how the Edinburgh

Fringe should be made accessible to everyone

in care homes.

Organiser Professor Joe Goldblatt said: “Last

year my wife Nancy and I sponsored one

performer and I was amazed when residents

who had not spoken for months suddenly burst

forth into song, in French, when a Fringe

performer began to sing the Edith Piaf popular

song La vie en rose.

“As they sang along I was speechless and in

awe of the power of musical memories to

inspire their strong positive emotions and

awaken their senses.”

The Fringe Cares Fest is coordinated by the

Edinburgh Interfaith Association and its

founding sponsor is Barchester Healthcare.

Mandy, Head of Activities at Strachan

House, said: “This was a fun event to do.

Staff and residents loved getting on board

by dressing up in character and our chefs

prepared a themed menu of goodies for the

special occasion.

“The home was transformed into a colourful

castle of colour as our residents were taken on

a magical afternoon of music. But the biggest

success has been to showcase how every home

in Edinburgh can do this. We hope that this is

something that will continue for years to come

for everyone living in a care home. Putting this

event together and having the residents on

board with all their ideas has been amazing and

to support them to bring it all together has

been an honour.

“Working with Professor Joe Goldblatt who

created the idea behind Edinburgh Fringe

Cares has been truly inspiring.”

General Manager, Gordon Philp said: “Our

residents and staff have been very excited about

this event and the team worked so hard behind

the scenes to ensure it is was great success. We

do our best to provide a wide range of activities

and entertainment at Strachan House as part of

the lifestyle enrichment programme for

residents, and this was will certainly be

outstanding, and certainly will be remembered

for years to come.

“Our aim was to demonstrate to other care

providers how this can be achieved and the

benefits of delivering it within a care home

setting.”

W Hotel open

to the public

this November

Edinburgh Fringe Cares took entertainment to local residents and guests

Festival at home

By STAFF REPORTER

LOTHIAN HAS taken on a new

group of first-year apprentice

engineers to the company’s

Engineering Apprentice

training programme.

The bus company welcomed

eight new apprentice engineers

onto a four-year training course,

underpinning Lothian’s investment

in bringing through and

developing home-grown talent.

Throughout their apprenticeship,

the team of trainee engineers will

be supported by the company’s

dedicated Training and Apprentice

Manager and engineering

management team.

Colin Barnes, Engineering

Director for Lothian, said: “At

Lothian, we understand the

importance and value of helping

develop technical skills for our

industry. Our apprenticeship

programme allows our trainees to

draw from the experiences of our

dedicated engineering team and

receive vital on-the-job training to

help ensure their skills are

well-rounded.

“We are delighted to be able to

welcome another group of

apprentices into the business this

year and I’m sure they will go on

to have successful careers within

the company while helping to

futureproof Lothian for years

to come.”

Apprentices will train in all

aspects of bus and coach repair

and maintenance including vehicle

servicing, MOT preparation,

removal, replacement and overhaul

of major components and electrical

fault diagnostics.

Working with Glasgow Training

Group, apprentices are also given

opportunities to develop their

skillset in a modern, purpose-built

training centre and at the end of

their training, participants will

achieve either an SVQ in Bus and

Coach Mechanical/Electrical or

SCQF Level 6 in Bus and Coach

Body Cladding.

By STAFF REPORTER

THE W HOTEL AT St James Quarter will

open to the public in November 2023

with bookings for residents open now.

The new luxury hotel will be a draw for

those who want a little luxury during

their stay, or for eating and dining or an

energetic space for socialising.

From the Ribbon Building to James

Craig Walk and the Quarter House each

of the 199 rooms and 45 suites with

many outdoor terraces it will offer a new

perspective on the city.

Justice + Whiles the interior designers

are behind the Scottish design which has

locally rooted influences.

Agnieszka Rog-Skrzyniarz, Vice

President Luxury Brands, Europe,

Marriott International said: “With an

unrivalled wealth of culture and vibrant

arts scene, Edinburgh matches W Hotels

legacy of embracing local creativity and

talent. This property is set to be a

stand-out destination hotel unlike

anything else in the city, igniting guest’s

curiosity and attracting locals drawn to

the unique energy of the W brand."

LOOKING OUT

On the top floor the SUSHISAMBA

restaurant, Joao's Place cocktail bar and

terrace, the chef's table and outdoor

terrace will offer 360 degree views of the

city's skyline.

The W Lounge will feature Gaelic

cuisine day and night and there will be

access to the W deck.

Ken Millar, General Manager, W

Edinburgh, said: “W Edinburgh does

more than put you at the centre of

Scotland’s historic and culturally rich

capital city – it immerses you in the spirit

of the festival capital of the world. We

can’t wait to introduce our new, luxury

offering to guests and locals alike as we

open the hotel for bookings."

The state-of-the-art event spaces are

the perfect platform for inspiration and

the world-class Sound Suite empowers

musicians, podcasters, to take a stance

and be heard, creating a buzz that’s right

here, right now. With more details to be

announced over the coming months, W

Edinburgh is anticipated to become an

evolutionary heartbeat of the city with

detail-driven design and impactful

programming, coupled with an Away®

Spa and FIT® fitness centre.

Professor Joe Goldblatt (in the gold jacket) had the

initial idea to take the festival into care homes