Around town: 'Fawkes-y' ladies lunch set to sparkle

Stephen Jardine and Elaine C Smith will be ensuring the newly-named "Fawkes-y" Ladies Lunch organised by the Children's Hospice Association Scotland goes off with a bang.

Tickets are available for the sparkling lunch on November 4 at the Prestonfield House Hotel from noon until 4pm.

Last year, it raised 20,500, with all profits benefiting Scotland's only charity providing hospice services to children and young people with life-shortening conditions.

College gains Fringe benefit

THE Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh is to transform itself into a venue for this year's Festival Fringe.

The college will convert its Quincentenary Hall into a state-of-the-art venue for Space UK. The college will have five theatre spaces for 85 different performances.

Championship is piping hot

THE final preparations are being made for Sunday's inaugural Edinburgh Pipe Band Championship.

The showpiece event will take place at the Royal Highland Centre at Ingliston, marking the first time since 1995 that a pipe band competition has been held in the Capital.

Brush up on Venetian artwork

THE work of a Venetian artist is to be discussed in the Capital.

Dr Patricia Allerston, head of education at the National Galleries of Scotland, will explore the paintings of Francesco Guardi.

The free talk is being held today and starts at 12.45pm.

Charity hails cinema over autism film

A CHARITY supporting people with learning disabilities has praised the screening of a film on the issue.

Quarriers said the Wester Hailes Odeon's decision to show Mr Popper's Penguins - which is about autism - would help highlight the issue.

Cinema general manager Colin Bayes added it had worked with the organisation Dimensions to show the movie, starring Jim Carrey.

It will screen on August 11.

School kicks off rugby tour with 10k donation

A GROUP of 32 students and four teachers from Edinburgh Academy Senior School will visit South Africa next month for a 15-day rugby trip.

In preparation for the visit, the 16 and 17-year-old students have raised money for their own kit and food, and for PCs for youth centres in Riebeek Kasteel, South Africa.

They raised a total of 10,000 for the South African Goedgedacht Trust charity, which will enable them to purchase ten computers for the local children.