Parking changes on the way in Telford

TELFORD ROAD AND TELFORD DRIVE – EDINBURGH

PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO WAITING RESTRICTIONS AND PARKING PLACES

In accordance with the terms of the Local Authorities’ Traffic Orders (Procedure) (Scotland) Regulations 1999, I write to inform you that the City of Edinburgh Council proposes to advertise the Traffic Regulation Orders which will introduce a disabled parking bay, extend an existing residents parking place, remove residents’ parking places on Telford drive and introduce 24 hr waiting restrictions on Telford Drive and Telford Road (service road 107-219).

As a result of coronavirus and the need for physical distancing we are unable to display the documents relating to this proposal at Council Offices, nor are we able to display street notices on site at the affected locations.

Therefore, the proposals relating to this Order can be viewed online at the Council website www.edinburgh.gov.uk/trafficordersfrom 4 September 2020 to 25 September 2020.

You can also register for email or text alerts via the Tell Me Scotland portal at www.tellmescotland.gov.uk which also provides details of this proposal.

Should you wish to submit an objection to the proposal, please do so by 25 September 2020 quoting notice reference number TRO/19/60.

Community Council to act on fly tipping

Don’t Dump in Drylaw!

Drylaw Telford Community Council held their first meeting since lockdown last week.

Social distancing has made it impossible to hold normal public meetings, so Wednesday’s Zoom meeting was an opportunity to catch up and discuss the most pressing issues affecting the area.

Top of the agenda was fly tipping: illegal dumping is blighting the area, with hotspots in Wester Drylaw particularly affected. The community council plans to work with the local Neighbourhood team to address the issue over the coming weeks.

Problems associated with parking at Drylaw Shopping Centre were also discussed.

Zoom meetings are not to everyone’s taste, and it’s hoped that further relaxation in social distancing rules could see September’s community council meeting being a ‘new normal’ one in a community facility!

Scottish Engineer to extend food deal

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT from The Scottish Engineer

Following the incredible success of the government Eat Out To Help Out scheme we have decided that ending it on Monday 31st August is just a little bit too soon.

And with this mind we are thrilled to announce from Tuesday 1st of September we will be running our very own scheme – “EAT HERE TO HELP YOU” which will be running right through to the end of November!

In these difficult times, we understand money can be tight and as a business we wanted to support you, our amazing community as much as possible and this our little “THANK YOU” to you all.

Similarly to the government scheme, everybody dining with us Monday to Wednesday will be entitled the 40% discount off food and walk ins are always welcome, but with demand expected to be high and social distancing and safety always paramount, booking in advance is advisable.

We can’t wait to welcome you down!

Second COVID newsletter produced

North Edinburgh’s COVID-19 Food Share Consortium has produced a second newsletter.

The limited print run eight page publication will initially be distributed through the Group’s food distribution network and will also be available at local projects and offices.

For further information please email northedinnews@gmail.com

Mind, Body & Soul: SHE school programme

SHE new high school programme Mind, Body & Soul has launched.

SHE providing a blended learning approach with our educational partners.

Our groupwork programme supports young women (S1-S4) to manage stress and anxiety, develop techniques to improve confidence and self esteem and silence their inner critic.

Promoting self healing and improving skills to move forward and embrace life.

For more information please contact shescotland@outlook.com

Scran Academy announces merger with Prep Table Scotland

Scotland’s social enterprise and charity sector today sees the merger of two successful social impact organisations.

Scran Academy, the locally-based youth charity – which also today marks its third anniversary – has formally united with catering enterprise, Prep Table Scotland, whose mission is to make the food industry more open, fair and ethical for producers, suppliers, employees and customers.

The merger became an increasingly obvious move for both organisations as the dramatic events of 2020 unfolded.

Conversations to join forces were already underway before the Coronavirus pandemic hit the UK, but the Scran Meals Programme, developed to feed Edinburgh’s most vulnerable people during lockdown, was a real testing ground and the ‘accelerating force’ for integrating both organisations.

Today’s formal announcement comes following that period of joint operations for both organisations as they responded to the Covid-19 food crisis. The partnership’s pioneering Scran Meals Programme has produced and delivered over 112,500 meals to around 3,500 residents across the capital.

All core delivery, assets and staff will continue within the Scran Academy operations. This primarily includes the café that operates from the NHS Comely Bank Centre becoming the Scran Café (which will be a trading element that creates job placements for young people), securing employment for the Prep Table staff team and the Prep Table Scotland assets transferring to enable increased value for Scran Academy young people.

The merged organisation will retain the Scran Academy name.

John Loughton, Founder of Scran Academy, said: “The staff and Board at Scran Academy are delighted to welcome this merger with Prep Table Scotland. We see this as a mature and exciting move that helps us all collectively deliver better social outcomes than either of us could have alone.

“The epic response we were able to initiate in these last 4 months immediately proves how important it is for social enterprises to work together and embrace change. When things got really tough, we recognised we needed to collaborate, not simply compete.”

“We are honoured to take forward the impressive legacy Fiona Donaldson and the Prep Table Scotland team have built up using food for social change. We are fused by two core beliefs – the importance of empowering young people and communities, and secondly the transformational role of food to change lives and challenge norms.

“Our new increased capacity will see us continue to build a social catering business model that is better known, creates more jobs, enhances our impact and critically creates more life-changing opportunities for young people.”

Fiona Donaldson, Founder of Prep Table Scotland said: “Looking at what has been achieved by Scran Academy and partners since March this year, gives me great pride in an organisation I had admired for quite some time.

“In a culture which can be difficult to navigate, to find the core meaning and outcomes of, Scran has always had young people and their families as the engine that powered every decision they had to make.”

“Both organisations had concerns about losses incurred from the cancellation of income generating events, the closure of schools and the café. This decision has delivered a long-term plan for young people in Edinburgh, to flourish and to engage with their community. It has given hope to people who feared for their jobs in the catering industry and that’s a proud legacy of my organisation.”

“I look forward to joining the Scran Academy Board, with the great pride and excitement for what we will collectively achieve for years to come. I feel incredibly proud to have played a part in its most incredible rise.”

GIC advice sessions to resume at Muirhouse Medical Group

Granton Information Centre are delighted to announce that we are resuming our benefits/money/debt advice outreach service at Muirhouse Medical Group from the beginning of September.

The appointments are with our advisor Kay on Wednesday afternoons and can be made by contacting the surgery directly on 0131 202 4444.

Please be aware these appointments are for those people who are registered with Muirhouse Medical Group only.

Pot of gold for Drylaw’s Rainbow

Local DJ Jim Henderson – aka DJ Edinburgh – handed over a cheque for £900 to Drylaw Rainbow Club Day Centre’s Jacke Brown yesterday.

Jim staged a ‘Live Aid 2020’ event last month to support the Rainbow Club, who are part of an area-wide network of local organisations who are supporting our community’s most vulnerable people with food parcels and essential supplies during the coronavirus pandemic.

Feed The World Drylaw Telford! Well done, Jim!

What can you use the internet for? A digital survey

What If…North Edinburgh? (WINE) is a programme run by First Port to support local people to develop social enterprises to create jobs and do something worthwhile in the community. Run by the manager, Julie Smith, it has assisted people over the last year to start up businesses doing sewing and tailoring, running markets and making crafts.

WINE offers workshops, training and discussions on various topics from ‘what is a social enterprise’ to managing your finances. It started a digital training course for local people just before lockdown, to include things like using social media, creating your own posters, how to sell online. That had to stop, but Julie is keen to offer training, this time online. She wants to know what would be useful for people.

“I got a really good tutor in from an organisation called Mhor Collective”, Julie explained. “They do a lot of work around what people want to learn, their motivation etc and don’t just have a set course they deliver. It’s tailored to people’s needs.

“Since lockdown, we’ve all seen how important having access to the internet it. But it’s hard if you can’t afford broadband or data – and if you have to share one tablet or phone between a whole family. I know a lot of people will have been doing home schooling too online, a very new thing for everybody!

“I’m doing a survey of people in north Edinburgh to find out what they’d like to learn to do, or do better using technology. We can then put on a course based on those needs. It’ll be great to build on the skills people already have and maybe identify some digital champions locally who can then go on to support others.”

The survey is straightforward and shouldn’t take too long.

“It’s important we get as many views from as many people as possible. If you need a paper copy of the survey, let me know. And pass it on to others!’’

The survey can be found online here WINE digital survey

If you have any questions about the survey or the other work WINE is doing, please contact Julie Smith: julie@firstport.org.uk or phone 07763 869 556.

Support for Drylaw Dance School


Three projects across Edinburgh and the Lothians have received new funding to offer local young people the chance to get involved in traditional Scottish music and dance – and one of them is based right here in Drylaw.  
In partnership with Creative Scotland, The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Youth Development Fundsupports 5-26yr olds in the development of skills in piping, drumming, Highland dance and traditional fiddle playing.

 Edinburgh’s Amanda Kane School of Dance is getting ready to host a series of fun Highland Dance classes at Drylaw Parish Hall, while Midlothian’s KIC Arts Development Trust is offering affordable access to online tuition in Highland Dance, drumming and piping, culminating in a showcase concert planned for February 2021. 

Sharon Jones, KIC Dance, said: “Through our classes – which will now include live music - we’re delighted to be able to create exciting opportunities for young people in the area to have fun learning new music and dance skills; develop new friendships and build self-confidence at the same time.”  

East Lothian’s Dunbar Music School and Dance Discovery are coming together to createa new youth music and dance group. Through online classes and workshops, the group is already working on its first project – a new composition and choreography inspired by the events of The Siege of Dunbar in 1338, and the historical figure of Agnes Randolph.   

These three projects are among sixteen taking place across Scotland.

Rucelle Soutar, Chief Operating Officer, The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoosaid: “We’re delighted to see these wonderful projects being delivered from our 2019 Youth Development fund.

“At the Tattoo, celebrating Scottish traditional arts is a key goal, and we wish them the very best of success.”  

Colin Bradie, Head of Creative Learning, Creative Scotland said: “Whilst the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic are extremely challenging in so many ways and for so many people, it’s inspiring to see how these creative projects have been adapted to continue to offer engaging, high-quality opportunities for young people to create new and exciting work and increase accessibility across traditional Scottish arts.”