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Simon Preston

@simonprestn

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Community engager | Dad | Edinburgh | Food Crusader

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New hobby… I’ve joined Capital Concert Band 🎺 back playing after a 40-odd year gap, and loving it.

This is my spot at rehearsals, in the middle at the back, nice view.

Our autumn concert is Chillers & Thrillers on Saturday 24 October, 7pm at St Andrew’s Church, Leith - Danse Macabre, Phantom of the Opera, Doctor Who, John Williams, War of the Worlds etc. 👻 £8 on the door. No pressure whatsoever to come and watch me counting rest bars at the back… but if you fancy, everyone welcome. taken in Leith St Andrew's Church by @simonprestn

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11 days ago

Second (and final) @edbookfest post, two lovely Spiegel Tent chats:

1. Perfect Friday night: a big whisky-loving crowd, a couple of drams, and a fast, funny, fascinating chat with Natalie Jayne Clark @natajayne about her debut novel ‘The Malt Whisky Murders’. It’s brilliant: original, warm, gruesome, Scottish-as-it-gets and soaked in fascinating whisky culture. I learned loads. Absolutely recommend it as a Christmas gift for anyone who loves whisky, and perhaps even more for someone who doesn’t yet. Book two is already on the way, which I eagerly await.

2. Special for me to be part of launch day this year. I’ve gone back to @askphilippa Philippa Perry’s ‘The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read’ more than once and still think it’s brilliant - so it was a pleasure to host ‘Ask Philippa’ in the Spiegel Tent. A lovely crowd too, who shared everything from family worries to the state of the world. Quite a rollercoaster. 🎢 by @simonprestn

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a month ago

Love going back to Elliott’s for @edbookfest each year, it’s such a gorgeous place. Meeting @helen_goh_bakes was a real treat, she’s a superstar. We talked philosophy and baking while she cooked and we tasted.

Her latest book, ‘Baking and the Meaning of Life’, is brilliant, as you’d expect. As she says, she’s “mined her life” for the stories and bakes that have created meaning for her, and might do the same for us. The ideas she weaves through it are compelling, and the recipes are surprising, clever and, I can vouch, delicious.

Lovely audience too. An unforgettable event. Thank you, @jess_elliott_dennison , for everything and the photos/video by @simonprestn

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2 months ago

Last days of summer, a weekend in the West 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 💚 taken in Lunga Estate by @simonprestn

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2 months ago

My brilliant birthday cake, by James. Mango and Lime - spectacular! 🙏🏻😊🥰 by @simonprestn

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2 months ago

Final summer hurrah, quick escape to Holland while John is on summer camp. Beautiful Haarlem, cool Den Haag, Voorlinden Museum, cycling, dunes, fabulous 💛 by @simonprestn

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2 months ago

After chinooks, fire engines, diggers, footballs… John’s 2026 request for a “White chocolate Kinder ice hockey puck birthday cake” was simples … well done James 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 by @simonprestn

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3 months ago

Post #2 Loads of hoofing around Scotland this Summer as John does Duke of Edinburgh, skiing lessons, Sea Cadets offshore trip and ice hockey summer camp. So many beautiful places - Pitlochry, Findhorn, Pentlands, Dingwall, Loch Ness, Arbroath, Dundee, Carnoustie, Forres, Glamis. by @simonprestn

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3 months ago

Post #1 Loads of hoofing around Scotland this Summer as John does Duke of Edinburgh, skiing lessons, Sea Cadets offshore trip and ice hockey summer camp. So many beautiful places - Pitlochry, Findhorn, Pentlands, Dingwall, Loch Ness, Arbroath, Dundee, Carnoustie, Forres, Glamis. by @simonprestn

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3 months ago

Spent a couple of days in Dingwall this week for The Town is the Menu, a project for the Dingwall 800 celebrations.

Over two very full days I spoke to school pupils, parents, grandparents, farmers, bakers, butchers, volunteers, business owners and all sorts of other folk. People were so generous with their time, their stories and their memories.

I’ve come away with a notebook full of ideas. Vikings, cattle drovers, football, cycling, farming, friendship, community celebrations, local legends, freedom, belonging… and quite a few stories I definitely wasn’t expecting to hear.

I’m back next month to start working with local chefs on the next stage of the project, turning some of these stories into dishes for a community meal inspired by the town and its people.

In the meantime, thanks to everyone who took the time to chat, share memories, point me in interesting directions, and make me feel welcome.

What a lovely couple of days. @feisrois @dingwall800 taken in Dingwall by @simonprestn

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4 months ago

🏒 Last hockey post of the season. promise.

This weekend was the final tournament of the year, held at Auchenharvie, with Murrayfield U14s up against five teams from across Scotland.

The team played brilliantly - won three, lost three, every game close, John scored the only goal in one of the wins 🙌🏻 and, for the sake of completeness, also enjoyed his first-ever visit to the sin bin 😇😈.

Back in the autumn they were taking some tough defeats. By the end of the season they were competing toe-to-toe with some of the strongest teams in Scotland. A couple of weeks ago they made it all the way to the St Andrews Cup Final, and this weekend they pushed every team they faced right to the limit. One game was decided literally on the final second as the whistle blew. Another semi-final ended 2-1, with Murrayfield coming within inches of an equaliser at the death.

For John, it’s been a big year - joining the U14s a beginner and now moving up to U16s because he turns 14 next month.

They’re great bunch of players and coaches - now we’re ready for a break 🏒 by @simonprestn

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5 months ago

🏒 Last night at the Murrayfield Juniors awards night, John came home with the Rookie of the Year trophy for 25/26 🥹

Exactly a year ago he’d done a few Learn to Play sessions and was a complete beginner. This season he’s played for the U12s and U14s and ended up standing on a stage collecting this.

People will know just how much work has gone into hockey this year. Endless skating sessions, camps, early mornings, road trips all over Scotland, kit bags the size of small cars 😅 But mostly just the sheer amount of effort John has put in himself.

The head coach said he’d never seen a player go from beginner to valuable team member so quickly, and that it was all down to attitude and hard work - it’s fantastic that all John’s determination, positivity and graft has been noticed.

Very happy dads ❤️

Now somehow we’re already talking about U16s next season 👀 by @simonprestn

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5 months ago