AGENDA

Sick kids appca

Early September saw the launch of the public phase of an appeal to provide urgently needed specialist lacilities at the Royal Hospital For Sick Children in Edinburgh. At that stage, some tiiteen months after the appeal olticially began, £6 million had been raised at the £10 million needed for the new extension. It is hoped that the target will be reached by the time the appeal closes in April 1992 when construction is due to begin.

The shift is now away trom private trusts, companies and associations and onto the public, with donations

lISSTAKE

being encouraged through press and television advertising. On top of that, the proceeds from a new charity shop in Edinburgh’s Castle Street (open Mon-Fri noon-5.30pm; Sat 9am—1pm) will go towards the appeal, as will the royalties from an illustrated book called The Bear Brigade (Mainstream, £4.99), compiled by Jocelyn Stevenson, who tor years was co-writer with Jim Henson on the Muppets, Sesame Street and Fraggle Rock.

The hospital opened almost a century ago in 1895 with a mere 118 beds and treated 400 children in its first year; now it treats 8,500 in-patients and around 100,000 out-patients annually, lrom an area covering the Highlands and Islands, the East Coast and the Borders. The new wing will house a centralised intensive care unit, tour new operating theatres, a 24 bed surgical ward, a day care unit and an essential research unit for Edinburgh University’s Department of Child Life and Health, which will keep the city at the forefront of medical research and ensure that Scottish children will receive the most up-to-date treatment. Donations should be sent to The Task Appeal, Freepost, Edinburgh EH9 0L2 or made at any branch of a Scottish bank.

THOSE SNP/NAZI DIFFERENCES IN FULL

There’s still no date for the election. but our run-in to polling day starts here. answering some ofthose troubling questions that are confusing the electorate. This issue: the SNP and the Nazis.

Nazrs

A National socialist party.

Led by opportunistic refugees from other parties employing rabble-rousing rhetoric.

Fuelled by hatred ofa minority believed to hold an economic

stranglehold and be racially inferior.

Wearers ofstrange angular emblems.

Singers ofsentimental ballads about the fatherland.

The sort of people who read The Sun.

Burnt the Reiehstag.

Fond ofWagner.

It's OK. they'll never have any power. will they?

l

SNP A socialist National party.

Not led (at the moment) by Jim Sillars.

Fuelled by hatred of the bastard English.

Look. it‘s only a logo. for Christ’s sake.

Singers of Flower oj'SC()!/and.

The sort of people who write columns for The Sun.

Nicked the goalposts from Wembley.

FondofRunrig. Err. . .

V CLIPPINGS

I Glasgow For People: Local voluntary group Glasgow For People. who had their appeal against the Secretary ofState‘s approval ofa motorway plan for the city rejected by the Court of Session (The List 139). is fighting for survival now that the Scottish Office and Strathclyde Regional Council have decided to pursue the organisation for court ' costs.

‘We raised a vital matter of public interest the right ofthe public to be consulted on major new road proposals.‘ said David Holgate. Vice Chair of GFP. ‘What sort oflegal system do we have where people are financially deterred from pursuing a just cause in case they lose'."

The organisation relies on voluntary donations to carry out its important activities asa watchdog on transport and planning issues. Considering the disparity of resources. the decision by the authorities to pursue costs seems to be a heavy-handed attempt to stamp out opposition. Donations should be sent to Glasgow For People. 3 Royal Exchange Court. 85 Queen Street. Glasgow GI 3DB.

I World Record: An attempt to break the World Record for the Largest Dance will be mounted as part of Edinburgh University’s Freshers' Week 1991. The organisers are hoping for a turnout of25.000 in order to beat the existing record of 23.094. Fast and furious ceilidh dancing will begin in The Meadows at around 5.30pm on Fri 4 Oct. and proceeds from a voluntary coin collection will go towards the Sick Kids Appeal.

I Alternative Health Festival: Over a hundred stalls. talks and workshops will make up the programme of the 1991 Alternative Health Festival. to be held at the City Hall. Candleriggs on Sat 5 and Sun 6 Oct. Admission will be £250 (£2 concessions). and a creche will be available. The Festival. run by the people who produce Connections magazine. will include relaxation classes and talks on acupuncture. the Alexander

é Technique and homeopathy.

Further information is available on 0-11 334 5846 638 2946.

1 I Charioke Competition: Tickets go 3 on sale soon for what promises to be Britain‘slargest charity karaoke

competition. the proceeds ofwhicb

will go towards the Leukemia and : Cancer Children‘s Fund. The grand final.withticketspriced

£4.50—£7.50. will take place at the Playhouse Theatre. Edinburgh. on Sun 26 Jan after a series of local heats. The outright winner. judged by a panel ofcelebrities and talent scouts from Leslie Crowthcr's Stars In Their Eyes. will be sent on a holiday for two in Cyprus. Pubs. clubs or any other venue can register

for the competition by contacting PK

Promotions at Ecosse House. 26 Whitehall Road. (ilcnrothes. KY6

2th ((131 331 34780592630981)

and entrance fees will go into the charity fund.

I SHIP Launch: Stirling Hearing Impaired People (SHIP). a new group which aims to campaign for better services and facilities for the deafand hard of hearing. will be launched in Stirling on Sat 28 Sept at the town’s Highland Hotel. Special guests will include Brenda McKay from BBC’s See Hear and freelance artist Pat Keysell. formerly ofTV’s Vision On. Admission to the stalls. workshops and discussion sessions is free. and an induction loop system will be available. as well as the services of a Iipspeaker and sign language interpreter. Further details are available from the Equal Opportunities Officer. Stirling District Council. Municipal Buildings. Stirling (0786 79000ext 2089).

I Animation Workshop: A three-day course for young people wanting to learn the basic principles of animation will be held at the Edinburgh Film Workshop Trust at 2‘) Albany Street (031 557 52-12) on Sats 5. 12 and 1‘) Oct. Each day will include screenings ofsome of the best animated work made at the Workshop in recent years. The cost of the course is £20 (£10).

I Scott Monument: Permission to stone-clean the Scott Monument has been refused by government agency Historic Scotland despite Edinburgh District Council having spent £250.000 on a 18-month-long study to prove cleaning could indeed be carried out without damaging the 150-year-old landmark. The decision by Historic Scotland seems to be based on information in the council report. although a spokesman for consultants Hurd Rolland. who prepared the report. said the company's findings strongly recommended cleaning. As Historic Scotland must give its consent to work on any Grade A listed building. the council‘soiny option now is to appeal to the Secretary ofStatc. At the moment. security cover at the scaffold-wrapped monument is costing £700 per w eck.

J.

The List 27 September~ 10 October WW 5