OPEN

Open List is designed to cover public events not covered elsewhere in the magazine. We welcome submissions, which will be included subject to space, to reach our Edinburgh ottice not later than seven days betore publication.

' FESTIVALS

Monday 1—Sunday 14

I Edinburgh International Science Festival Various yenues. tickets and into from the [{lSl‘boxoflice. liS'llHigli Street.l22ti

513Slort’romyenues.illminsbetore eyents start. ’l he third testiy al ol its kind.

with talks. demonstrations. lotsol ‘hands-on‘ eyents and exhibitions. this

year focusing on the theme ot‘ the human

body. Also events on the city ironment.

robotics. golf and Black l‘or'cst

gateauxl '.’). See programme tor lull

details.

TALKS & WORKSHOPS. Ffiday22

I Easter Egg Painting Maryhill Arts Centre. (iaii braid Ayeniie. (ilasgow'. 945 3995. ltl.45am--lpm. L2 (Ll ). A workshop introduction to Various egg-painting techniques. All welcome.

Saturday 23

I The Ethnobotany ot the Amazonian Indians llunterian Art (iallery. ( ilasgow L'niyersity. lnto 33H 5431. l lam. Free. A talk by Professor ( ihillean Prance. who will presumably explain what ‘ethnobotany' is. among othcrthings.

I Shiatsu Evening lch Meeting 1 louse. Victoria Terrace (access via 1 'ppcr Bow), Edinburgh. lnto l‘rances 443 2837. 7.30pm. £3 (members £2). A session organised by the Edinburgh and lothians Yoga Association on this ancient acupressure-based massage technique. Wear loose comfortable clothing.

Sunday24

I The Romans in North Scotland Theosophical (VCITII‘L‘. ZS ( ireat King Street. lidinburgh. 55o 5385. 7 Sllpm. Free. A talk on the history and archaeology oi the area from this period by Ian Kcillar.

Monday 25

I Glasgow Royal Concert Rail Tours Royal (‘oricert l iall. 2 Sauchiehall Street. Glasgow; lriio 332 (3633. box olice 553 3123. Daily. eyery houron the hour lliam 4pm. £1 (5llp). Startingtoday.a chance to see behind the scenes at the new showcase yenuc. Party discounts for schools and other groups (up to twenty in party i; disabled and toreigri language tours on request. Places can be booked through the box office

Tuesday 26

I Looking Behind the Scenes ot the Natural

History Unit Art (iallery and Sliiseum.

Kelyingroye. (ilasgow. Info 357 3929.

7.30pm. Free. A talk organised by the

(ilasgow Natural History Society . All

welcome. but non-members should contact (ieotl' l lancock on the aboye

number to rcscry'e places.

I Milestones and Memories ( 'entr‘al Halls.

Tollcross. l1dinburgh. intooti‘lt‘).‘~l 22b

5922. 7.30pm. £2 7 tickets trom National

ll Trust Scotland. 5 (‘harlotte Square. A

58 The List 22 March 4 April 1991

CITIZENS’ WRONGS

' l3

With a recession well underway, with redundancies, unemployment and debt all rising steadily, now would notseem the best time to axe a cost-etlective,

comprehensive wellare rights service

with twenty years” experience. That,

however, is what Lothian Regional I Council are proposing, with their plans

to close the Citizens’ Rights Ottice in Edinburgh, as well asthe Unemployed Workers‘ Centre, and replace them with a ‘one-stop' advice shop which will supposedly otter the same range at services.

Ros Pettigrew. one at the workers at the CRO, doesn't see how this is

Another problem is that the proposed advice centre is not due to open until October atthe earliest. while the CRO is supposed to close at the end of June. ‘Where are people meant to go in the meantime?’ asks Ros Pettigrew. ‘Also, we've got about three hundred ongoing cases which arejust going to have to stop—what are those people meant to do?‘ She believes that part otthe

reason torthe plans is that the council

possible. ‘At the UWC they do computer courses,they‘ve gotacreche, baths and showers, a cate tor homeless

people. We give advice on benetits,

debt, housing, immigration, employment law and disability rights. We've got twenty years ol contacts and materials- magazines and periodicals

a mine at information which will just

be lost. We also do training we run three courses a year, each tor twenty volunteers, mostly claimants, who

often go on into jobs in wellare rights or

related lields. And because they're working here, it means we‘re very responsive to what‘s happening to claimants, it‘s ditterenttrom somebodyjustgoing in and talkingtoa paid worker—they know we'll be sympathetic and won'tpatronise them.‘

wants greater control over advice services. ‘I think it‘s because we‘re independent, we can decide our own policies. For example we have positive discriminationtowards women—in a matrimonial breakdown we‘ll advise the woman and notthe man. because we teel women have less access to legal services and so on. We generally take the side of people who are disadvantaged, and I don‘t know whetherthe council likes that or not.‘

While angry and concerned at the proposed closure, she has been encouraged by the support the CRO has had in its campaign to reverse the decision. ‘We’ve got about 2500 signatures on the petition in the space ol a week and we've had lots of letters at support. All we can do is keep campaigning until the last minute. lt people want to help, the bestthing is to write to the councillors— Keith Geddes, the leaderot the Labour group, Paul Nolan, chairotthe Social Work Committee and Brian Kavanagh, the vice-chair, describing the service they've had lrom the CRO. It'll be public opinion, it anything, which changestheirminds.‘ (Sue Wilson) The Citizens' Rights Ottice is at 43 Broughton Street, Edinburgh, 557 3365, open Mon and Fri 10am—4pm; Tue—Thurs1—4pm.

The address tor councillors is Regional

Chambers, Parliament Square. Edinburgh.

The next picket is of the lull council

meeting on Tue 26. loam in Parliament Square.

lecture by the National Trust Scotland. thisyearcelebratiiigits Diariiondlubilee.

Wednesday 27

I Scottish Wildliie Trust Open Day lloly'rood Lodge Visitor ( 'entre. lidinburgh. lnto 32(34fill2, ] 3pm. Free. A chance to find out about the 'l'rust's work. I You Become What You Think About'l'hc Mcetingllouse. 7 Victoria'l'crrace (access y‘ia l'pper Bow ). “..‘~tlprii. L2. A talk on ‘how to talk your way tosuccess and how to understand your brain'. organised by Izmin Scotland.

Wednesday 27 and

Thursday 28

I Scottish Conservation Projects Midweek Groupst‘ilasgow; meet (ieorge Square. to be picked up at 9. 15am lnto 419M919. liclinbur‘gh; meet at St 'l’ otlice :4 lanaik Road tor 9am pick-up or W ayer‘lcy Bridge tor'9.3llarii. lnto Sarah 455 “(S5 Return around 4.3llpm. Weekly expeditions aimed at practical rialiire consery .‘lllttll tree-planting. pond and burn clearing. drystarie dy king and the like for unemployed people orothers withsome spare time. Wear strong shoes and waterproot clothing.

Thursday 28

I Past and Present \lc‘l ellari ( itillc‘l‘ic‘s. Saticliieliall Street. ( ilasgow. lrilo Andrew l’atr‘i/io 351 154. “.fillpm. l'rce. Dr Duncan .‘ylac.\lillan. author ot Scouts/i .Alrt Hot; [991/ w ill expand on some ot the

themes ot the Scot/(mil ( 'reiires exhibition.

looking particularly at how modern Scottish artists connect with those ot the past.

Tuesday 2

I Sleuthing With Science Royal ( ollcge oi Physicians. 9 Queen Street. Izdinbiiigh. lrilo and tickets Imelda 'l'oppiiiglVI 45" Sti5ti ext 29". 5pm and “pin. l-ree. ltoesa cririiirial always leay c ey iderice at the scene ot a crime I’ ( 'an scientists alw ay s Llc'lccl any c'y lclcllcc'.’ l low is science Usetl in eyidence’.‘ Protessor Ray Williams w ill talk on these and related subiects a chance to pick up a tew tips tor the pertcct crime.

GAY/BISEXUAL '

Saturdays

I Early Birds at Club XChange 23 Royal szchange Square. ( ilasgow . le4 4599. A new club organised by Stratliclyde

lesbian and ( iay Switchboard. S ll.3llpm

women only; ll .‘illpm .~.5l|am mixed.

OPEN EX- BA

Saturday 30

I Antiques Fair Assembly Rooms. ( ieorge

Street. lidinburgh. lnto Sill-1345.

lllam 4.3llpm. 5llp

I Painting, Poetry and Photography Competitions ( )rgaiiised by ltcliribuigli District (‘ouncil tor the Spring l-ling. on the theme ‘liistruiiieiits ot ( 'liaiigc‘, with

yarious trophies and prize money totalling

oy er Lllititlon otter. l-or more detailsand an entry torm. phone Kari ( iiay 335 2424 ext N135.

I Families Anonymous isascli-lielp organisation set up to siippoitpeople

w hose relatiycs or triends hay e a drug problem. .‘yleetiiigs aie held in y arioiis

y ciiues around the country. .‘yleiiibership is tree and coiitidentiality assured. 'l o tiiid

out about your nearest gioiip and recciye a tree iritormation pack. phone the l lelpline

llfll 4.5l .15.“-‘.\\L'L‘l\tlil\ .lllcllitiiins. IWomen lnto Public Lite Course: Discussion Day I eitli ( ‘omriiuiiity (‘entie tin the ls'irkgate Shopping ( 'entrc. loot oi leith Walk l. ltdiiiburgh. Sat leApr. lllam 3.30pm. l~ree. Adult education classes in political organisational ,skills tor women in l‘dinbiirgh are currently being planned with the aim ot helping women gain the knowledge. skills and corilidence they need to take an actiye part in campaign groups. trade unions. political parties or other organisations. 'I’lic discussion day isinteiided to tiridout what areas women would like such a course to coy er anyone interested is welcome l-or littit'c initit'tttalltitt or to reser'y c a place contact Sue or Isabel l 5.57 H955 ) of Barbara Smith at the WitA, Riddles (‘oiirt. l.dinburgh. 23o 345o. by l‘fl 5 Apr.

“‘7