Around Edinburgh: Women's Day event asks questions

THE achievements of female entrepreneurs were set to be celebrated at a business event in the Capital today.

The Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce was hosting the event at Surgeon's Hall to mark the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day. The event, compered by comedian Susan Morrison, was to look at whether the rise in the number of women setting up as self-employed has been enough. Speakers included enterprise minister Jim Mather.

Journey's End for Capital

JOURNEY'S End, acclaimed in the West End and on Broadway, is coming to Edinburgh as part of a tour.

The play, which is set in the British trenches at St Quentin in 1918 and directed by David Grindley, will be shown at the King's Theatre from March 15-19. For tickets call 0131-529 6000.

Buckstone at the bank

PUPILS from Buckstone Primary School in Edinburgh have launched a school bank.

It will be run by pupils who have received cashier training from RBS. Financial education managers worked at the school as part of RBS's MoneySense for Schools programme.

Blue is the colour for readers

BOOKSELLERS will be exhibiting rare books, maps, manuscripts, ephemera and prints for sale as part of this year's Edinburgh Book Fair. The free event will take place at the Radisson Blu Hotel on Friday and Saturday, from noon to 7pm and 10am to 5pm respectively.

Slam poet gets ready for Paris

EDINBURGH poet Young Dawkins has won this year's Scottish Slam Poetry Championship.

It was only the third slam poetry contest in which Dawkins has participated.

The poet won a cash prize and will compete in the World Slam Poetry Championships in Paris in May.

Dawkins won his place in the recent championship in Glasgow after winning the Utter's Got Talent contest in last year's Free Fringe.

Bedtime stories for mums made as easy as Pi

NEW mums have been encouraged to get back into reading following the birth of their child.

The Pregnancy and Parents Centre in Tollcross was to give away 40 copies of Yann Martel's 2001 novel Life of Pi as part of World Book Night on Sunday. The centre's reflexologist, Gaye Cleary, is donating the books and said: "Having a child can be very demanding on your time and it is easy to forget the pleasure that reading can bring, and also how useful it is a way of relaxing when the little one has gone to bed."