Page 121 - Microsoft Word - Guiding lights final version 0841 1007 big print.doc

Kelloe and later by Karen McCormick. Guiding was shared by participants; Dr Con Gillen contributed Geology and on the islands local Blue and Green Badge guides did the guiding. All guides gave their services free of charge and coaching was provided at a reduced rate. Under Mary Kemp Clarke’s chairmanship, the Edinburgh branch, still relying on paper newsletters rather than emailed versions, had a competition to name its newsletter to re-start it after a few years in the doldrums.
The winning title was 'Capital Quips' and this newsletter began to be produced regularly and effectively. With emails becoming the norm, the cost of producing these newsletters went down considerably, but for a long while, it stubbornly had members who only wanted their news in paper format.
Capital Quips ran until 2014 and included reports of the many talks, guided walks and visits organised for members.
It also featured articles on subjects ranging from the History of Newhaven to a six-day CPD trip to the Outer Hebrides. The Editor until 2005 was Nicky Sanderson and then Kirsten Griew took the reins for the next nine years.
The November 2005 edition included a report on one of the regular meetings between the Edinburgh branch and Historic Scotland’s Edinburgh Castle staff.
It also reported on a new EU directive on seat belts in coaches with a fine of up to £2500 where an operator fails, and a lower fine up to £500 if the driver fails, to provide the necessary notification about wearing them. When Pat Blain was chair in 2008 she reported in Capital Quips that Carlton Hill had been closed to coaches as the result result of a coach reversing into a pallet of stone and more stone having to be ordered at extra expense.
The branch also produced Capital Info which provided guides with useful information about Edinburgh attractions and restaurants.
However the advent of Facebook changed the way guides communicated and now most information is exchanged between members on the internet.
One of the functions of the association is to represent the interests of members on issues that might affect them and in 2013 the Edinburgh branch committee and the national STGA Board were involved in lobbying Edinburgh city council on its proposal to stop traffic along parts of the Canongate.
In the end the council decided not to stop traffic but in 2019 it introduced an experimental ban on traffic on sections of the Royal Mile and the issue is far from closed.
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