Local Round-up: Sign up to help native plants survive

A GREEN-FINGERED group is appealing for local volunteers to help to conserve Scotland's native plants including bluebells.

Local volunteers are also needed in North Edinburgh on June 15 and July 26 to help remove the invasive weed Himalayan Balsam.

The two events are being run as part of the Innertube project.

The groups are meeting today between 2.30pm and 4.30pm and on July 26 between 6.30pm and 8.30pm. The meeting point is on Ferry Road, next to George Heriot's Astroturf.

Group thanks board for funds

A GROUP which supports mental health patients at a city hospital has thanked NHS Lothian for renewing project funding.

The Royal Edinburgh Patients' Council will now be able to continue its work in Morningside on advocacy for young and elderly patients at the hospital.

Charity indoor beach party

There will be an indoor beach party to raise money for the National Association for Colitis and Crohns Disease on June 17.

The event at Woodburn Miners Club in Dalkeith is suitable for all ages and starts at 7.30pm.

Tickets are 4 on the door for those in fancy dress, and 5 without.

Car boot sale at annual fair

Magdalene Community Centre will hold its annual fair on Sunday. The event will raise money for the charity's summer programme for children and young people. It will include a car boot sale, with pitches for 10. The fair runs from 12pm to 4pm. Contact Jacqui on 0131-468 2020.

Cafe's party stops George Street traffic

TRAFFIC was banned from one side of George Street as the city's Hard Rock Cafe held a party to celebrate 40 years of its first London branch.

The road was closed to westbound traffic yesterday afternoon between St Andrew Square and Hanover Street.

Lesley Ross, the Edinburgh marketing and sales manager for Hard Rock Cafe, said the party was a "day of fun and celebration".

West Lothian artist's exhibition to open in city

AN EXHIBITION by a West Lothian artist will take place in the city next month.

Leo du Feu's Scottish Landscapes by Rail exhibition will open at Over-Seas House on Princes Street on July 5.

It will run until September 16 and is open each night between the hours of 6pm and 8pm.

The artist from Linlithgow, who has repetitive strain injury (RSI) in both his hands, will also be exhibiting at the Jungle City exhibition in the Capital during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.