Month: May 2013

June blitz on drink or drug drivers

DON’T RISK IT!

Tomorrow (1 June) sees the launch of a summer campaign to keep Scotland’s roads safer.  Police Scotland’s four-week initiative aims to reduce the number of road traffic collisions and associated injuries on Scotland’s roads by reducing the number of drink or drug drivers.

The majority of road users are aware of the hazards relating to driving whilst unfit, yet a minority of people are still driving whilst under the influence of alcohol or drugs.  Latest figures from Reported Road Casualties in Scotland 2011 shows there were an estimated 750 casualties on Scotland road in a single year as a result of a collision whereby one of the drivers was over the drink drive limit.

Inspector Ian Martin, Trunk Road Patrol Group, Road Policing, said: ‘‘Our commitment to dealing with drink and drug drivers lasts throughout the year. This four-week initiative provides us with the opportunity to remind the public of the dangers of driving under the influence or drink or drugs.

“During the summer months there are many social events such as barbecues for family and friends or larger organised events such as town shows or village galas.  All are perfect opportunities to socialise in relaxed surroundings and many people will take the opportunity to have an alcoholic drink.

‘‘However it is important to remember that the measures of alcoholic drinks consumed at social events can be significantly more than pub measures. Unfortunately, people can get caught up in the moment and unintentionally or otherwise over-indulge in alcohol.

‘‘If you are planning to drive, then you have an individual responsibility to ensure that you do not over-indulge. The best advice is to abstain completely – DON’T RISK IT.’’

Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said: “The message is clear – if you choose to drink or take drugs and drive, you choose to lose your licence. Scotland takes a tough stance on drink and drug driving, if you risk it you will get a driving ban, a large fine and a criminal record, and you could face a prison sentence and lose your vehicle for good.”

drinkDrive

Four to appear in court following Waterfront drugs raid

Four men have been arrested and charged after police recovered Class A drugs on Edinburgh’s Waterfront yesterday. Officers discovered £2500 worth of crack cocaine when they carried out a search of the Waterfront property yesterday (Thursday).

The men, aged 28,28,25 and 20, are all scheduled to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Monday 3 June.

DI Stuart Harkness said: “Drugs can have a devastating impact on our communities and as a result of police enquiries, we were able to recover this crack cocaine before it could be distributed on our streets. Police Scotland is committed to keeping people safe and removing drugs from our communities.

“Anyone with information relating to drug crime in their area can contact their local policing team or alternatively, make an anonymous report via the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

Police

Letter:Reality

Dear Editor
From and including the times of Thatcher there has  been a steady campaign to depict the ‘working class’, 90% of the population, as uneducated, fairly lazy  and undeserving. What is behind this campaign – such a sustained attack must have motives?
The 1other 10% of the population, the wealthy class, have always feared a united people striving for and getting major improvements to their lives and gaining control over decision-making; this, they had to stop. This unity had to be broken,
First they had to break any resistance by people’s organisations, launching a
vicious attack on the trade unions, following this  by wholesale closing of industries, from shipbuilding, ports, coal mines, printing, car & aircraft  production, steelworks etc, destroying scores of thousands of people’s  lives.
What better method could there be to break this unity, by pitting one against another in a scramble for a job while at the same time propagating the possibility of  individuals climbing up the ‘social ladder’ and becoming ‘middle class’!!
The 90%, if opportunities are available, have  differing levels of skill, giving differing levels in quality of life, but nevertheless are still of the working class in  which everyone depends on everyone else to maintain their quality of life. The 90%, have the values of decency and thoughtful  caring in wanting society to be organised and run for the benefit of all.
The same cannot be said of the remaining 10%, their  campaign of vilification of the working class goes on; the recent  past and present times are  witnesses of their intentions.
Tony Delahoy (by email)
thatcher

Broughton event to showcase partnerships

Partnership Showcase 2013

Thank you to everyone who has confirmed their attendance at Broughton High School Showcase Event on 5 June 2013 at 2pm.  For those who may have missed their initial invitation there’s still time to confirm your attendance.

The event is a celebration of all the excellent partnership opportunities BroughtonHigh School has had with our diverse partners.  We hope this event will stimulate even more opportunities for our students and staff to work with external partners on a variety of projects.

Refreshments will be provided and there is an opportunity to view a short film showing our students promoting the benefits of working with our external partners.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Best regards,

Partnerships School Improvement Group

Broughton High School

BHS

 

June NEN: deadline tomorrow

Hi Everyone

You may recall an earlier post saying that we planned to publish a June edition – but only if sufficient advertising revenue was generated to cover the costs of producing the newspaper?

Well, we’re tantalizingly close to reaching our advertising target but we’re not there yet, and this is a reminder that tomorrow

Friday 31 May

is the deadline for advertising copy, so if you want to advertise in the June edition you really had better get your skates on!

If you’d like to advertise in the June NEN or you require further information please email northedinnews@gmail.com or telephone 07925 405 972.

NEW NEN AD RATES 2013

 

 

Letter: Wealth and Power

landownerDear Editor

Have you ever wondered how the wealthy made their money in the past?

Do you think most of today’s wealthy got it through inheritance?

Do you agree that wealth gives rights of power, privilege and decision-making?

Interesting questions, worthy of some research – but how deep?

We ll know about the appalling exploitation and working conditions of men, woman and children who worked in mills, factories, coal mines and on the land, making vast fortunes for the owners. This in itself begs the question: how did these people become owners in the first place? Owners who were also law-makers, magistrates and lords of the manor to whom everyone had to defer.

Today, a great part of land is still in private hands, although landowners derive massive wealth from leasing.

The wealthy industrialists have now moved their money, mostly into speculative financial stocks and bonds both nationally and internationally; they still hold positions of power beyond ‘one person one vote’ and weald great influence on all aspects of our lives.

Despite these positions of strength, tremendous struggles throughout history by men and women in groups, organisations and as individuals have taken place – and will no doubt continue to change society and make it work for the good of all.

A Scottish miner was carrying home a brace of pheasants when he met the landowner, who told him that he owns the land and the pheasants are his too.

“Your land, eh?” asks the miner.

“Yes, and my pheasants”, replies the laird.

“And who did you get the land from?”

“Well, I inherited it from my father”

“And who did he get it from?” the miner insists.

“His father, of course! The land has been in my family for over 400 years!” the laird splutters.

“Okay, so how did your family come to own this land 400 years ago?”

“Well – well – they fought for it!”

“Fine@, replies the miner. “Take off your jacket and I’ll fight you for it now!”

 

Tony Delahoy, Silverknowes Gardens

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sorry, folks: council set to pull the plug on Leith Waterworld

The city council looks set to accept a £1m bid to convert Leith Waterworld into a soft play area, only months after agreeing to work with local campaigners to reopen the leisure pool as a community enterprise.

The decision will be formally made at tomorrow’s full council meeting, but speaking earlier today Culture and Leisure convener Councillor Richard Lewis said the “difficult decision” to support a proposal by Glasgow-based A&G Property Group to create a soft play and leisure centre at Waterworld had been taken.

Leith Waterworld closed in January last year, but supporters have campaigned to have the popular facility reopened ever since. Campaign group Splashback have worked tirelessly to get the facility reopened as a community asset – and felt they might be on the verge of success when councillors voted to support a feasibility study earlier this year – council officers have even been working alongside the Splashback group to firm up proposals.

However campaigners were concerned when news of the A&G bid emerged last week and Councillor Lewis’ comments today has confirmed their worst fears.

Councillor Lewis said: “This has been a very difficult decision and one that this Council does not take lightly. Firstly I’d like to thank Splashback for the work and commitment they have demonstrated in progressing the community bid. However this coalition feels that the potential purchaser will create a high quality leisure facility that will greatly benefit the community in Leith and the wider Edinburgh area.

“In recognition of Splashback’s commitment to creating affordable and accessible swimming opportunities for young people in the community, we’re proposing to commit £125,000 towards free swimming for primary aged children in Edinburgh.

“Ultimately this option ensures that the community in Leith has an accessible leisure facility for many years to come, that swimming opportunities are available and also that the Council gets best value for the taxpayers of Edinburgh.”

In a statement on their Facebook page, Splashback campaigners told friends and supporters: “Outraged to report to all our wonderful supporters that Coalition Motion for tomorrow’s Full Council meeting is to pull the plug on Waterworld and accept the other bid. We have, however, been working frantically behind the scenes in the last 24 hours to salvage SOMETHING for the city’s families.

“Consequently, the motion includes a commitment to ring-fence the £125,000 they promised us in the first year for a Council-led ‘programme of free swimming opportunities for primary aged children in Edinburgh, and other free swimming initiatives; and that the impact of these programmes will be monitored and assessed.’ SORRY FOLKS, that’s the best we could do …”

Commenting on the council’s decision to sell Leith Waterworld, Lothian Green MSP Alison Johnstone said: “This decision sends the worst possible message to communities trying to come together to protect services and improve facilities in their area. Despite all the warm words we hear on community empowerment and people power, when a developer comes along with a wad of cash, community efforts seem to count for little.”

She went on: “Families in Leith and right across the city made it very clear that they valued Waterworld as a unique leisure pool, and just five months after giving everyone hope that it would reopen, the Council have pulled the plug and campaigners will be feeling totally gutted.”

Waterworld2

The snow’s stopped – so it must be hayfever time!

With snow settling on the hills again only this week, thoughts of seasonal illness are still more focused on winter coughs and colds – even at the end of May. And while Scots are looking forward to the arrival of some real summer weather, there is bad news for hayfever sufferers now that the grass pollen season is almost here – this time of year marks the peak of allergic reaction for 95% of hayfever sufferers and can often last until the end of September.

Unfortunately there is no cure for hayfever but there are a range of things that we can try to minimise our suffering. NHS 24’s health information service, NHS inform, has lots of tips and advice we can follow – from preventative measures to the types of treatments that are available.

NHS 24 Medical Director, Professor George Crooks, says people should try and be prepared for the season: “Most people who suffer with hayfever understand their own allergies and what triggers them. They’ll also know how to minimise the impact of an attack which, although perhaps not serious, can have a huge impact on a person’s quality of life.

“The severity of reactions can change because of all kinds of environmental influences so it’s important that people keep up to date with the Met Office’s pollen count. We have lots of tips available on www.nhsinform.co.uk and I would recommend that people take a look and perhaps try new techniques to help minimise their symptoms.

“It’s always worth reviewing how we minimise an allergic response since, like the things that cause it in the first place, it does change and evolve over time. I know from my own experience as a GP that patients can benefit from a fresh approach to dealing with the annoyance of hayfever to stop it ruining whatever summer we might get.”

Advice that’s not to be sniffed at!

hayfever

 

Addiction issues? Think SMART

North Edinburgh Drug Advice Centre (NEDAC) is to launch a new service at Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre next month. The SMART Recovery programme offers support to people who feel they may be drinking too much and individuals whose compulsive or addictive behaviour is causing problems.

Sessions will be held in Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre every Friday from 10 – 11.30am, with the first one taking place on Friday 28 June. For further information call Kennedy at NEDAC on 332 2314.

Smart Recovery Poster