Latest news with #Midlothian
Edinburgh Reporter
4 days ago
- Health
- Edinburgh Reporter
Walking Rugby team to put best foot forward in France
Midlothian Walking Rugby are travelling to Strasbourg to play an exhibition match at a Cheminots Rugby Club tournament which they hope will spread the word about the concept. The mid-summer exhibition on 21 June stems from Midlothian member Duncan Seymour previously visiting Cheminots and developing a relationship with the rugby club. Drawing on players from Dalkeith, Lasswade and Penicuik the Midlothian club started in May 2016 as part of Midlothian Council Ageing Well Project to help promote the benefits of being active. Now a constituted club, there is a growing membership of over 30 and as part of the constitution money has been raised for Midlothian foodbank, Ukraine's Disaster Emergency Committee and other worthy causes. There are 24 members travelling to Strasbourg to help promote walking rugby. With a history of being the first club in Scotland, the first to hold a walking rugby tournament in this country and pioneers of a Scotland v England 'Auld Calcutta Cup' game with friends from Kendal RFC's 'Auld Greys' in 2020, the aim is to keep spreading the word. Midlothian walking rugby touring squad who are bound for Strasbourg later this month. Ian Thomas, club president, said: 'Walking rugby is much more than just exercise – it's friendship, support and companionship. Over the years we have developed friendships old and new throughout the country and with the tour to Strasbourg we hope to take it to an international level.' Like this: Like Related
Edinburgh Live
28-05-2025
- Health
- Edinburgh Live
No plans for Midlothian drugs consumption room amid 'community disquiet' in Glasgow
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Midlothian has no current plans to introduce a drugs safer consumption room for drug users amid concern about 'community disquiet' surrounding Scotland's first one in Glasgow. A meeting of the council's SNP administration cabinet last week heard the performance of the Glasgow facility was being monitored by social work and health professionals in the county. However their chief social worker Nick Clater said while there were plans to trial a second room in Edinburgh, Midlothian was not currently considering it. He said: "There are plans to pilot one in Edinburgh and funding is available with the decision to be made by Edinburgh Alcohol and drugs Partnership, "There are no plans to do something similar here for two reasons - one is financial - it would mean stopping something else - and second is the economics and space required to do it. "A third reason is emerging - community disquiet in the area in Glasgow where it is currently being piloted. We are waiting to see the outcome of the pilot when it is fully assessed." Glasgow opened the UK's first safer drugs consumption room , called The Thistle, in January this year. It says the facility can combat drug-related deaths and improve public health by offering a clean, safe place for people to inject their own drugs - obtained elsewhere, not provided or purchased on site - under clinical supervision and access a wide range of treatment and support. At last week's Midlothian cabinet meeting, members heard that while a similar facility was not currently in the pipeline, current work with substance use in the county was progressing with its treatment standard among the best "if not the best" in the country. A report revealed that over the last year 100 per cent of users referred for treatment were seen within the 21 days target set by Scottish Government. And it shared feedback from one of its groups established by Midlothian mental health and substance use service which revealed up to 100 per cent of users said it had found it strongly helpful and were treated with respect and listened to.
Edinburgh Live
25-05-2025
- Edinburgh Live
Midlothian pensioner warned 'you're not James Bond' as she hunts for stolen bike
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A Midlothian pensioner is now living in fear after a thief swiped a motorbike from her back garden. Writer Jo Foster, who is originally from Poland but is staying in Bonnyrigg as she writes a memoir about travelling around Scotland on her bike with a tent, also hit out at Police Scotland for failing to respond to confirmed sightings of her bike. The 68-year-old reported her sentimental Honda C90T (1999) stolen on May 5 2025. The alleged theft took place between midnight and 6am. Determined to get her bike back, Jo shared information about the theft to local Facebook groups. Within hours locals had shared sightings of the alleged thief riding the stolen bike in Penicuik. Members of the Facebook group, 'Stolen Motorbikes Edinburgh', rallied around Jo and organised regular searches, working together to try to find her stolen vehicle. Something she said she is eternally grateful for. Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sentstraight to your messages. But despite several reports being made to police, Jo claimed they did not send officers out, and she was met with a patronising response. One sighting she claimed was reported to police, spotted the alleged thief riding the bike past a local police station. 'It really floored me, the whole experience made me feel horrible,' Jo said. 'Somebody knocks on my door and I'm scared, outside I'm looking around as I feel I was targeted. 'I have a lot of anxiety, it has been awful. It was a terrible shock but the worst thing was dealing with the police, they were hopeless. 'At around 5pm on the day of the theft there was a reported sighting in Penicuik, the bike was observed for one hour in this one area, close to the police station but no police came. I called 999 and was told 'we are not sending anyone yet because you reported your bike stolen this morning.' 'So I decided to deal with it myself, I grabbed my riding gear and my helmet, and got a family member to drive me to Penicuk to retrieve my bike. We drove around the area until dark when my family member told me 'you're not James Bond.' 'They were worried I was dealing with an organised gang and I could be stabbed and killed. Sadly I returned home with nothing.' Jo went on to claim her bike was spotted 15 separate times on May 8 by members of 'Stolen Motorbikes Edinburgh' as well as by locals in Bonnyrigg. 'Locals recognised the thief and some called 999 with others calling 101 to report him,' she said. 'I called 999 and also waited 30 minutes for 101 to answer to report the sighting. 'Police said since I did not know each individual person who reported it, there was no way I knew it was a genuine report. They then started asking how I knew it was my bike and started saying 'there are many red and white bikes on the road, it doesn't mean it was yours.' 'They said again this is not an emergency. We can't go door to door as we don't have enough officers to look for it.' 'I was told the only way they would send someone out is if they had the full address of where the bike was being kept. I asked if it was up to an almost 70-year-old crime victim to confront a criminal to locate her bike? 'Later that day they said they would patrol around the man's house, so he was clearly known to them. But they never got back to me.' A day later Jo said another member of the public saw the rider on her bike and was parked up locally outside of a pub. She claimed photos were also provided but she ran into problems again were reporting her stolen vehicle. 'I was told by 101 to call 999 if there were any sightings,' she said. 'When a local contacted me about seeing the man, I called 999 only to be told 'this is not a life emergency, we have other priorities, call 101.' 'I screamed on the phone and told them I couldn't care less about their priorities and my bike was a priority as they had all of these sightings over the past five days and did nothing. 'They eventually requested the photos and details and said they would attend. About two hours later - an email arrived: 'We have completed the search of the area, and there was no sign of your motorcycle.' 'Despite having a heart condition and warnings about the dangers, I walked for miles, looking for my bike.' Jo was devastated she was unable to secure her bike but she praised the volunteers from the 'Edinburgh Stolen Motorbikes' group for dedicating hours of their time searching for her vehicle. Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox 'I'm very grateful for these people because it made me feel that somebody genuinely cared about me and my ordeal,' she said. 'It would have been so much worse without their support, frequent phone calls and understanding. 'I will be eternally grateful to them and to the members of the public who went out of their way to show kindness to a lone visitor to Scotland. This isolated incident will never alter the way I feel about Scotland and her wonderful people. 'Over the years, I have travelled thousands of miles on my motorbike in Scotland and have encountered nothing but friendliness, a willingness to offer help, and kindness.' Jo originally bought her bike 13 years ago after failing a pilot's medical test. She travelled the length of Scotland camping and gathering stories for her travel memoir. But sadly 11 days after her sentimental bike was stolen, police told her the case was closed. Police Scotland have been approached for comment.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Yahoo
Tragedy as Edinburgh police find body in search for missing Midlothian man
A body has been found on the outskirts of Edinburgh in the search for a missing man from Midlothian. Alan McMillan, 53, was reported missing on Wednesday, May 21, and was last seen on Penicuik's Bog Road. An urgent search was launched in an attempt to trace Alan and on Friday evening at around 8.15pm the body of a man was recovered on Society Road, South Queensferry. READ MORE: Tragedy as Edinburgh man suddenly dies at Princes Street premises READ MORE: Worried Edinburgh locals tell how their sleepy street got dragged into gang war Police say formal identification if yet to take place, but Alan's family have been informed. There are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances surrounding the death. A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "Around 8.15pm on Friday, 23, May, 2025, the body of a man was recovered in the Society Road area of South Queensferry. "Formal identification is yet to take place, but the family of Alan McMillan, 53, who had been reported missing from Penicuik, has been informed. There are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances." Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages.
Edinburgh Reporter
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Edinburgh Reporter
Multiple marathon man on his marks to remember Michelle
They say the best things come in threes and so far as Midlothian man Garry Jones is concerned that will include marathons completed back-to-back this weekend. On Friday, 23 May, at 5pm Garry, 50, will set out of his massive endurance effort covering 78.6 consecutive miles. And it is all being done in memory of his late sister-in-law, Michelle Connor, to mark the third anniversary of her passing on account of breast cancer and to raise funds for a memorial bench she always wanted to see place outside Bonnyrigg Health Centre. And with Garry earning his living as a driver on the rail network it could be said that training has long been part of his life! Sorry…. 'I've ran a few Edinburgh marathons but after a few wines back in January I decided I would try to surpass those efforts on the weekend of the official Edinburgh marathon. 'I'll start off at 5pm in Bonnyrigg – Michelle worked as a home help in the town and was always in and out of the Health Centre for various reasons – and expect to complete my task around 1pm the following day at the home ground of Whitehall Welfare football club.' Among those due to accompany Garry for part of the run is Michelle's brother, Paul Sheerin. Paul has just moved to Hearts as an assistant manager to Derek McInnes whom he worked alongside at Kilmarnock. Also, he is known for having scored for Inverness Caledonian Thistle in their celebrated Scottish Cup victory over Celtic which spawned the 'Super-Cally-Go-Ballistic-Celtic-are-attrocious' newspaper headline. With two days remaining Garry has been pledged over £7,200 having set the target of raising £2,500 for the charity, Miles for Michelle. Also set to benefit are the Make Seconds Count charity synonomous with Karen Henderson, a Midlothian patient champion for those with breast cancer which eventually claimed her own life. Garry adds: 'I'm overwhelmed by the amount of donations and those willing to run alongside me for spells. Interestingly many of those volunteers want to run at night! 'I am by no means any ultra marathon, athletic, 'fitness freak' but pushing myself to raise funds. Michelle spoke about having a bench installed here after her trips to the pharmacy during the covid pandemic. I feel now it's only right to fulfil her wish. ' To donate go to: Like this: Like Related
