Local news: Gas workers help out at riding centre

Each year, every SGN employee is given half a day's paid leave to carry out community or environmental voluntary work.

A team spent a recent afternoon at the Edinburgh region Riding for the Disabled Association centre, in Drum Wood.

Team member Colin Nairn said: "We managed to tackle a number of jobs including painting walls and doors, fixing soap dispensers to walls and putting signs up outside."

Pub puts on Scottish night

A PATRIOT pub quiz, a feast of Scottish cuisine and live music will greet visitors at a popular Lasswade inn this St Andrew's Day.

The Laird and Dog Inn will be a hive of Scottish culture on Tuesday with staff serving traditional dishes of haggis, neeps and tatties or steak pie. The pub quiz starts at 8pm.

Girls school choir sings way to prize

GIRLS from St George's School in Edinburgh have taken a prize in a choir competition.

The first Scottish Girls' Schools choral competition was held in Glasgow on Thursday.

The St George's Singers choir won the senior category, receiving a trophy donated by the Bothwell Philharmonic Choir. The girls sang an a capella programme, including an arrangement of 'Lullaby of Broadway'.

Care homes in cooking contest

TWO city care homes have shared first prize following a cooking contest based on a popular TV show.

Tower Care Home and Clovenstone House shared the award following the Come Dine With Me event.

Clermiston House finished in third.

Keep Scotland Tidy challenge for snappers

BUDDING photographers are being asked to enter a competition run by Keep Scotland Beautiful and Rotary International.

The theme of the Rotary Young Photographer Competition 2011 is "Have some pride - keep Scotland tidy."

Donna Hegarty, programme Manager at Keep Scotland Beautiful, said: "This is the third year running we have been involved, and we were extremely impressed with the level of entrants in the past."

More details can be found at www.rotary-ribi.org

Authors talk on blogs

AN event exploring how blogs and the online world are changing the literary scene is taking place in the Capital today.

'Blogs Rule!' will be held at McDonald Road Library from 3-4pm, and will feature authors Stuart Kelly and Rosy Barnes.

For a free ticket, call 0131 529 5636.