As many of our listeners know, ELFM was recently awarded a grant to help us upgrade our studio. We wanted to increase our space to make it easier to accommodate visitors, bands and guests whilst improving our disabled access and creating a more suitable environment for our hardworking volunteers.

Our project is going to plan and our new premises in Tranent, East Lothian are gradually taking shape. There was one bit of news we kept back though.

When we move to Tranent, East Lothian FM will become Radio Saltire.

We think the new name better describes our aims and objectives. The Salitre is an icon of Scotland so is relevant to our many overseas listeners but it is also synonymous with East Lothian. Our county was the birthplace of our national flag so we think it is a great symbol to represent a station listened to globally but born in East Lothian.

Whilst the name East Lothian FM celebrates our locality, it doesn’t acknowledge our global audience. We believe Radio Saltire will help our audience recognise our brand worldwide whilst maintaining our local roots.

 Keep Up With Our News

Radio Saltire already has a Facebook Page and Twitter account. These are live now and will start filling with news tonight. Our website will be ported across to our new address (http://www.RadioSaltire.org) over the next few weeks.

So please bookmark these addresses and drop us a comment or tweet if you want to get in touch.

If you’d like to get involved or just want to find out more, you can use the Contact Form on this site or email info@RadioSaltire.org

Links

• Website: www.RadioSaltire.org (Under Construction!)
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/RadioSaltire
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/RadioSaltire

ENABEL Founder, Susan Dow with her son

A new support group has been created in East Lothian for families.

Their aim is to support families/guardians with children who have Autism/Aspergers, ADHD, social, sensory and behavioural difficulties.

Diagnosed or not, the group want to welcome any families going through these challenges. They support one another through shared experience, advice and friendship, with an emphasis on developing regular meet-up/drop-ins and small interest groups for all members (parents, children and siblings) alike.

Founder Susan Dow says:

It can feel very isolating at times for any family with a child who has a different rule book to what is deemed normal. Being part of a community who can share their experience and appreciate these challenges and differences can only be a good thing.

I thought a lot about this and searched many times over the years to find something that would help us. I realised that East Lothian has a great need for this sort of community, to help bring our families together and that it had to fit with every member of each family if it was to be suitable in meeting these needs and benefit everyone as much as possible.

Struggling along alone can be a very lonely experience and Susan often thought that she would like somewhere to go, someone to talk to and a place where her son could share friendship. A place where the family could feel supported, accepted and cared for. She wanted these things and needed support but she also wanted to share experience, learn from others and an opportunity to find solutions.

Extra Needs Altogether East Lothian

Since she couldn’t find such a group in East Lothian, Susan decided to create it herself, using Facebook as a means to reach out to others. The initial response was good and the group quickly gathered new members.

After some discussion with new members coming onto the page, we changed the name to reflect the holistic intentions of the group and the aims, thus, Altogether Better East Lothian – ABEL became Extra Needs Altogether Better East Lothian – ENABEL

We are simply families and care-givers who have children with Extra Needs and we are working Altogether to make things Better for us all.

Join ENABEL on Facebook or give Susan a call on 01875 870569 and leave your details – she’ll get back in touch.

ENABEL are holding a Drop-In session on Friday 24th May between 10am and 12 Noon at Musselburgh East Community Learning Centre, Levenhall, Musselburgh. Pop along to find out more, join the group and meet lots of new people.

Links

ENABEL on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/323440201117948/

The incidents all took place between the 9th April and 16th May at the Parish Church in Aberlady.

Officers were alerted yesterday (Thursday) following the most recent theft, which happened between the 9th and 16th May.

The other offences are believed to have occurred between the 5th and 10th May, and sometime around the 9th April.

On each occasion a small quantity of lead flashing was taken from the roof and has now resulted in water leaking through into the church.

Officers are investigating whether these thefts are linked and are urging anyone who can assist with their enquiries to come forward.

PC Kristian Flucker said:

The church staff and parishioners are deeply upset that their place of worship has been repeatedly targeted in recent weeks and we are working closely with the local community to bring those responsible to justice.Anyone who remembers seeing any suspicious activity in or around the church in the past month is asked to contact police immediately.

Similarly, anyone with information that can help identify the thieves is also asked to get in touch.

Those with information can contact Police Scotland on 101 or alternatively, the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

We received a rather desperate call for help this week from Tranent Colts. Their annual Football Festival is this Saturday and they’d been let down at the last minute by the people that had promised to provide the PA.

Apparently, another Community Radio Station in East Lothian had agreed to do the job for free. But on Monday, when the Colts emailed to check the details, they were stunned to hear that the station now intended to charge them!

Tranent Colts is a Children’s Football Club. How fair is it to ‘move the goal posts’ with only 5 sleeps to the big day?

Luckily, our volunteers were delighted to come to the rescue, even at short notice. For some, it will come as a welcome break from the hard work they’re doing getting our new Tranent studios ready!

So if you’re going to be in Tranent this Saturday, head up to the Ross High Rugby Fields for the Festival. They’re expecting over 650 players. It should be a good day.

And Remember – give our guys a wave. We’re really proud to have them on board!

East Lothian FM have never charged to attend a Community Event, and we never will.

The Valuation Day will be held in Pinkie House, the home of Scotland’s longest Painted Gallery, and is one of several events marking the 400th anniversary of the building.

To commemorate the anniversary, Loretto have published a special illustrated booklet explaining the history of the Painted Gallery and they are offering our listeners the chance to secure a copy.

Free Booklet for ELFM Listeners

All you have to do, is mention East Lothian FM when you book your appointment at the Valuation Day. The first 100 people to do so, will each receive a copy of the booklet free of charge.

Appointments can be booked by email (events@loretto.com) or telephone 0131 653 4473/4413 (leaving a contact number if you get an answer phone) but don’t forget to mention ELFM!

More information and a PDF booking form can be found on our calendar page for the event HERE.

If you didn’t get a chance to tune in, here’s another chance to listen to their chat.

Visitors came to view the tapestry, which was on display in the magnificent surroundings of the Painted Gallery-the earliest painted ceiling in Scotland, from as far afield as Glasgow and Newcastle. 700 school children viewed the tapestry from a number of local schools including Loretto School (Musselburgh), Law Primary School (North Berwick), Belhaven Hill (Dunbar), Borough Primary School (Musselburgh), Yester Primary School (Gifford), Loretto RC Primary School (Musselburgh), St Mary’s RC Primary School (Prestonpans).

The 104 metre Prestonpans Tapestry tells the story of Bonnie Prince Charlie’s journey from France to victory at Prestonpans in 1745. It celebrates the enduring triumph of youthful hope and ambition. The tapestry is the longest in the world and panel 92 shows The Prince staying overnight at Pinkie House after his victory at the battle of Prestonpans on 21st September 1745.

Organiser, Jonathan Hewat, Director of External Affairs at Loretto School, said:

We were almost overwhelmed by the number of visitors! I am so delighted that so many people were able to view this magnificent tapestry in a building closely associated with the leader of the Jacobite uprising, Bonnie Prince Charlie, and in this the 400th anniversary of Pinkie House

The highlight? Undoubtedly, the children of St Mary’s RC Primary School bursting into an impromptu rendition of ‘Hey, Johnnie Cope’! Magnificent!

The next event to be staged at Pinkie House is a Bonhams Valuation and Appraisal Day on Sunday, 14th July. Further details of this event can be obtained by contacting Mr Jonathan Hewat on 0131 653 4413 or email jhewat@loretto.com

If you’d like to see more images of the Prestonpans Tapestry, East Lothian FM’s Craig Gordon popped down with his camera. You can find his photos here.

Two men called at an address in Albert Terrace and offered to carry out work on the property.

They received a cheque for a five-figure sum for the work completed, which was later discovered to be sub-standard.

The cheque was subsequently cancelled without any payment being made.

One of the men is described as white, around 30-years-old, 5ft 10ins tall, well-built, with blue eyes, and cropped hair.

The other is described as having a sallow complexion, around 5ft 11ins tall, medium build, with dark brown hair.

Detective Inspector Raymond Brown, from Police Scotland, said:

Luckily the two men did not manage to gain financially from the sub-standard work they carried out on the property, and we are appealing for any information that can help us trace them.

Anyone who recognises their descriptions, or who received a similar approach at their own home last week, should contact police.

At this time we would advise anyone who receives an unsolicited call at their property by anyone offering to carry out maintenance work to refuse, unless they are absolutely certain of their credentials.

Anyone with suspicions over the intentions of any cold caller should notify police immediately, by contacting Police Scotland on 101.

Marcella Detroit

Marcella started out in Eric Clapton’s band and together, they wrote the multi-million selling hit “Lay Down Sally”.

She later went on to form Shakespear’s Sister with former Bananarama member Siobhan Fahey. Together they released 2 albums, and multiple chart-topping singles, including the worldwide megahit “Stay”, which stills hold the UK record for the longest running Number 1 by a female artist.

Marcella has also worked with Aretha Franklin, Alice Cooper, Elton John, Bette Midler and Robin Gibb, amongst others, and co-written songs for Al Jarreau, Belinda Carlisle and Chaka Khan.

New Album – The Vehicle

Her new solo album “The Vehicle” is released on 22nd April.

The album is self-produced, mixed by the legendary Reggie Dozier, brother of Motown’s Lamont Dozier of Holland-Dozier-Holland, and features top musicians including drummer James Gadson (Marvin Gaye, Bill Withers, BB King) and bassist Reggie McBride (Stevie Wonder, Al Jarreau, Rod Stewart).

New single, “Good Girl Down”, is the first single taken from the album, and will be available for download on 21st April.

Join Graeme and Marcella

Catch Graeme Logan chatting with Marcella Detroit: Brunch on Thursday,9th May from 10am.

Links

• http://www.marcella-detroit.com
  
• https://www.facebook.com/mdetroit
• https://twitter.com/marcelladetroit

Our studio on Market Street, Haddington has always been small. It was big enough to get us started, but with an ever growing band of volunteers and an international audience that grows every day, it was never going to be our long term home.

The rooms in Tranent will give us much needed space and the flexibility to expand as well as improving disabled access and increasing comfort generally. In the short term we will create a custom built studio, with new equipment and space to accommodate guests and bands. In the longer term, we will have the space to create a second studio. This will give us facilities for training and recording.

East Lothian FM Chairman, Andy Morris said:

We are absolutely delighted to be awarded this grant. We have been planning a move to bigger premises for some time and with the help of Awards For All we can bring these plans to fruition.

This is just the start of a very exciting time for the station. The support we have received has been  phenomenal and I would like to thank everyone involved with the station as well as our local community for being behind us all the way.

Stay tuned to East Lothian FM and to the website for more announcements coming soon. When we get more details, we’ll post them here first!

Ever fancied hearing your voice on radio? East Lothian FM is a friendly organisation run for the benefit of the community and the enjoyment of it’s members. Want to find out more? Use our Contact Form to get in touch.

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