New campaign ‘Leith Gives’ appeals for help to ease pressure of pandemic over winter months
Seventeen North Edinburgh charities, alongside community organisations, local schools, rugby clubs and others brought together by the Leith Trust, have joined forces in a bid to support people most likely to be hit hardest by coronavirus and associated restrictions this winter as a new collaboration, Leith Gives.
With food banks at risk of being overwhelmed and people likely to feel more isolated during winter months, Leith Gives is hopeful that, with successful fundraising, they will be able to do everything possible to support vulnerable people in December and January.
John Evans, Leith Gives, (above) said:“Leith Gives is seeking support to raise funds for vulnerable households facing a challenging lockdown amid the second wave of the COVID pandemic. This will allow us to provide tailored food hampers and other household essentials to vulnerable individuals and families in the run up to Christmas and again in late January.
“We also plan to provide gifts and other items people may need to celebrate Christmas, Diwali, Hanukah and other festivals, and to offer practical help to get people online and connect with loved ones or support groups.
“People in Leith and north Edinburgh are well known for looking out for the most vulnerable members of our communities and I’m confident that with their support and the collective knowledge and expertise of all the members of Leith Gives, we can spread some hope during what is likely to be a testing winter.
“We believe this approach to be impactful and innovative in its collaboration and every penny raised goes to help the people we support.’’
The efforts of 14 Edinburgh groups have been acknowledged by environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful at an online seminar yesterday.
North Edinburgh is well represented among these green-fingered groups, with awards for Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre, Fresh Start Growers, Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden, Friends of Lauriston Castle Estate, Friends of Starbank Park and North Edinburgh Arts Gardening Group.
The other capital groups to receive awards are Balerno Village Gardeners, Craigentinny Community Gardening Project, Craigentinny Primary Parent Council, Friends of Morningside Cemetery, Friends of Saughton Park, Inch View Care Home, Inspiring Hillside and Northfield Community Growing Group.
Annually Keep Scotland Beautiful runs two community environmental improvement programmes in partnership with the Royal Horticultural Society; the competitive Beautiful Scotland campaign and the It’s Your Neighbourhood initiative.
Faced with the challenges of 2020, there has never been a more important time to recognise and celebrate the achievements of communities and individuals across Edinburgh.
Throughout lockdown and the following months, groups have worked tirelessly to improve their communities through horticulture, environmental responsibility and working in partnership for the benefit of residents, visitors and our natural environment.
Despite circumstances this year, 47 new entrants were welcomed to the network, and although judging and mentoring visits were not able to take place due to restrictions across Scotland, groups were still supported with online seminars, networking events, question and answer sessions and a weekly e-newsletter.
Barry Fisher, CEO of Keep Scotland Beautifulsaid, “We know that lockdown resulted in many people reconnecting with green and blue spaces local to them. Yet, it has also been a particularly challenging year for the communities who strive every year to protect and enhance the places they live and work in.
“I’d like to thank all the groups in Edinburgh for the efforts they have made to keep Scotland beautiful this year.”
Although many of the groups had to stop or curtail their planned activities for the year, we have been blown away by what they have managed to achieve – whether that be setting up a food bank, encouraging and supporting others to grow their own, creating virtual garden tours, connecting their members through online catch ups and keeping their neighbourhoods bright and cheerful.
Heart of Newhaven Community (HoNC) continues to work towards acquisition of the Victoria Primary School site and despite the impact of Covid 19, our timetable for completion remains the same: as soon as the children move to their new school, we will move in, hopefully in the autumn of next year, 2021.
To acquire the building, which we have permission from City of Edinburgh Council to purchase, we need to find £700,000. To this end, an application to the Scottish Land Fund (SLF) has already been submitted.
With the current SLF funds geared towards applications with more immediate needs, particularly those who have Covid-related issues, we have decided to pause our application until the next round of grants which will bring it more in line with our expected purchase date.
This comes on the recommendation of the SLF itself, who consider our application a very strong one but have advised us that such a pause would make our case even stronger. They are continuing to support us and helping us fund our preparation.
So fear not if you see headlines about the next community projects to have gained SLF grants later this month and no mention of HoNC. We are confident we have a strong case, made even stronger by this hiatus. Our plans for purchase and our timetable remain the same.
To help our case, we need even more members of our SCIO to show support within the community. Numbers are increasing steadily but if you haven’t already applied to be a member, please do so as soon as you can. In this case, size really does matter! Membership is free and it gives you a say in what happens.
Equally, we need volunteers and not just for the long-term. At the heart of our project is the well-being of the community we serve. Covid 29 has not only put the brakes on the construction of the new school, it has affected so many in our community, in so many ways.
If you can sign up as a Newhaven Neighbour to help the isolated and vulnerable within our community, perhaps by collecting prescriptions, doing shopping, tidying a garden, delivering Christmas boxes, making an occasional phone call to check on the isolated, then we would welcome your help. Check our website for a form to fill in.
Become a Newhaven Neighbour. Get in touch. Add your name. The community will be the stronger for it.
An update to the final business case for the Trams to Newhaven project, which reflects the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, concludes that the economic case for the scheme remains positive.
The review aims to assess the impact any changes in public transport demand as a result of the crisis could have on the economic and financial case, first approved in March 2019. On Thursday (12 November 2020) members of the Transport and Environment Committee will be asked to consider the updated final business case (FBC) and to approve continuing with the construction of the project.
The Council’s economic advisers, have developed a series of possible scenarios to stress-test the findings in the original FBC. These range from a return to business as usual to a permanent reduction in demand, taking into account short-term COVID-19 impacts and views on future growth. In each of the scenarios, modelling suggests that the economic case for the project remains, with a benefit-to-cost ratio of above one.
Financial assessment has found that the project can still be delivered within the budgeted £207.3m and that, in all but one of the scenarios, the impact on Council reserves if the project is cancelled would be greater than continuing construction. While it is possible there could be a future call on Council reserves to support financing costs as a result of COVID-19, in each scenario the scheme will finance itself, albeit in different timeframes.
The refreshed FBC also highlights that the completion will play a key role in the future growth and development of the city. Delivering the tram line to Leith will unlock a large area of the city for housing and economic development, while providing a low-carbon, clean mode of transport to densely populated communities.
Transport and Environment Convener Councillor Lesley Macinnes said: “It’s clear that the events of this year have had an unprecedented impact on the way we travel and that we’ll continue to feel the effects for the foreseeable future. In light of this, it’s essential that we assess the potential economic and financial impacts on such a significant transport infrastructure scheme.
“I’m pleased that the economic and financial cases for Trams to Newhaven hold up despite the ongoing pressures resulting from COVID-19. The delivery of this project is essential for the Capital’s green recovery, providing sustainable, low-carbon travel to one of the city’s most densely populated areas. We now have reason to be cautiously optimistic as we progress with construction.”
Transport and Environment Vice Convener Councillor Karen Doran said: “The Trams to Newhaven project is exactly the kind of investment we need post-COVID-19 to ensure Edinburgh is a thriving, forward-looking place for people to live and work in and to deliver much needed housing, jobs and investment into north Edinburgh.”
An updated programme shows that the project is still working towards Spring 2023 for completion and is forecast to be delivered within the agreed budget.
Over recent months, Edinburgh has experienced a significant drop in demand for public transport, with long-term consequences expected including a decline in income to the tram service.
The review of the FBC takes this into account, with even the most optimistic of scenarios projecting that passenger numbers won’t return to pre-COVID levels until the mid-2020s. Finally, the review of the FBC acknowledges the impact of COVID 19 on Lothian Buses and does not rely on any further payment of the extraordinary dividend which was anticipated in the original FBC.
Since March 2019 several local and national strategies have emerged to further support the introduction of high capacity, high quality public transport in the city. While Scotland’s National Transport Strategy 2 (NTS2) envisions ‘sustainable, inclusive, safe and accessible transport’, Edinburgh’s draft City Mobility Plan strives for a greener, safer and connected transport system.
The tram will support the delivery of transport policies such as City Centre Transformation, which proposes a series of interventions to provide a more liveable, people-friendly city centre and requires a mode shift to public transport to help deliver a 10-15% reduction in city centre car traffic in the medium term and a 25-30% reduction in the longer term.
While the city council pushes ahead with the trams project, the Inquiry into the Edinburgh Tram project also continues – albeit at a snail’s pace.
The inquiry aims to establish why the original Edinburgh Tram project incurred delays, cost more than originally budgeted and through reductions in scope delivered significantly less than projected.
The inquiry, under Lord Hardie, was set up in June 2014 but is yet to report any findings.
Back in June a spokesperson for the Edinburgh Tram Inquiry told the BBC: “The findings of the inquiry into why the Edinburgh Trams project incurred delays, cost more than originally budgeted and delivered significantly less than planned will be made available at the earliest opportunity.
“Lord Hardie’s remit is to conduct a robust inquiry and it will take as long as is necessary to get the answers required to fulfil the terms of reference.
“We continue to make good progress, including managing more than three million documents on the inquiry’s evidence database for handover to National Records of Scotland.
“A relevant set is also being prepared to be made available on the inquiry’s website to accompany the published report at the appropriate time.”
A scathing review by Audit Scotland in February 2011 noted the original tram project had been undermined by poor planning, cost underestimates, contract disputes and a lack of clear leadership by the council – a lengthy catalogue of calamities which has cost taxpayers £ millions.
‘This is about protecting both people and wild places’
Wild swimmers and environmental campaigners are leading an appeal, which includes a campaign film, song and petition, for Wardie Beach to be included in Scotland’s list of designated bathing waters.
In 2019, the Wardie Bay Wild Ones and Wardie Bay Beachwatch came together to make an application to SEPA for designated Bathing Water status for north Edinburgh’s much-loved and increasingly popular bathing site, Wardie Beach, situated between Granton and Newhaven Harbours.
Evidence of over 150 beach users across the bathing season, from 1st June to 15th September, was provided. The decision not to designate was made, not by the review panel, but by the Scottish Government. Feedback cited issues relating to a lack of appropriate infrastructure and facilities.
On 28th August 2020, SEPA offered the group the opportunity to appeal the decision, and the #WardieBay4BathingWater campaign was born.
A petition launched on 25th September received over 1000 signatures in four days. The appeal document was submitted on Friday 30th October. The review panel meets to confirm 2021 Bathing Waters in December, and a decision will be made by the government early next year.
Karen Bates, volunteer organiser of Wardie Bay Beachwatch said: “The community works so hard to look after Wardie Beach, which receives marine litter and sewage related debris on every tide.
“We don’t believe we should be penalised for a lack of existing infrastructure and protection from these harms. We believe people need water quality monitoring and deserve the same safety protections in Granton that other similar local beaches are afforded.
“Large numbers of people come to Wardie Bay anyway, because of the semi-wild nature of this place not despite it. We saw a huge rise in the number of bathers in 2020 due to the pandemic. We don’t want the unintended consequence that Wardie Bay loses its special character and precious wildlife because of a perceived need to develop it.”
The group’s campaign film, shot by Carlos Hernan in recent weeks, includes interviews with swimmers, swim safety coach Colin Campbell, health and ecotoxicology experts Kate Swaine and Professor Alex Ford, and illustrator Alice Melvin who recently published her ‘Book of Swims’. Alice Caldwell also created a beautiful song for the campaign.
Kate Swaine, local wild swimmer and nutritionist, said: “One of my big concerns, when I’m swimming all the time is, what exactly is in the water? We know that when there’s been lots of rainfall, there will be an increase in the number of parasites, viruses, bacteria that can get into the water through sewage, and some of these have the potential to cause sometimes severe symptoms …
“I would like for Wardie Bay to be monitored as other beaches are in Scotland, so that the swimmers who choose to swim here, the paddleboarders and other people that use the water, have an idea of whether the water quality is rated poor, average, good.
“That would be really useful for people so that we can just enjoy being in the water and getting all the benefits from it: the mental health benefits, the physical benefits and just knowing that we’re not possibly putting ourselves at any risk.”
A spokesperson for the Wardie Bay Wild Ones said: “It is a frequent occurrence that swimmers will ask one another in the group for advice or thoughts on water quality, either generally, or on a given day. At present the only thing anyone can do is guess.
“Even people who’ve been in the water that day have no way of actually knowing what the water quality is like, and how safe it is to swim. Having some kind of testing, or even informed estimates of water quality available publicly would make a huge difference to swimmers.”
Karen added: “There is remarkable biodiversity and natural history at Wardie Bay, especially for such a city location.
“Environmental monitoring isn’t just for the many children and adults that use the water for swimming or playing, vital though that is. It is also an indicator of the environmental harm that untreated sewage does to our coastal ecology.”
Dr Alex Ford, Professor of marine biology, ecotoxicology and parasitology at the University of Portsmouth, who took his PhD at Napier University, said, “The general public have been very good at adjusting their behaviours to how damaging plastic pollution can be.
“But one of the problems we have with the chemicals coming out through our storm water overflows is that they can’t be seen and they don’t need to be there in very high concentrations to damage wildlife and the many species we use for food.
“Within that effluent, you’ve got fertilisers, industrial chemicals, pharmaceuticals as well as the organic matter from faeces. With that pollution comes disease but also abnormalities in those coastal organisms’ development. There are also suggestions that us humans are suffering as well.
“During Covid-19, there’s been an extraordinary number of people to have taken up water sports which is absolutely fantastic for health and wellbeing, but that combined with this increase in sewage going into the water; it may have detrimental effects on our health as well.”
A designated bathing water profile would be a holistic investment for both our environment and society. It would result in Wardie Beach visitors receiving water quality monitoring across the bathing season, daily water quality predictions, information on the potential pollution sources and risks to water quality as well as feedback on the measures being taken to improve water quality at the site.
Karen added: “If the issue is under-resourcing of our Environmental Protection Agencies, we must emphasise that we need them now more than ever. Rainfall is going to intensify with climate change and consequently, damage to our oceans due to infrastructure that is increasingly unfit for purpose.
“Unless we monitor, record and report on environmental issues we can’t do anything to protect ourselves and perhaps more importantly, marine habitats.”
“What we are looking for is environmental protection, not just for swimmers, but for everything else that lives in these waters and might be affected by pollutants”, says swimmer Vicky Allan, member of the Wild Ones, and co-author of Taking the Plunge.
“Many of us swimmers love this bay not just for its access to water, but for its wildlife. This is about protecting both people and wild places.”
PICTURES: Karen Bates, Dr Mark Hartl, Carlos Hernan
Police have released CCTV images of two men they believe may be able to assist them with their enquiries following an assault and robbery which took place on Newhaven Place last year.
The incident happened shortly after 12am on Wednesday, 24 April 2019.
A man sustained minor facial injuries as a result of the incident, during which his Shih Tzu Westie Cross dog was stolen.
The first man is described as a white man, aged between 30 and 40, around 5ft 9ins to 6ft tall and of stocky build. He was wearing a black jacket with a white logo on the left sleeve, black trousers, black shoes and a black beanie hat. He spoke with a Glaswegian accent.
The second man is described as a white man, aged between 20 and 30, of medium build with short dark hair. He was wearing a dark grey long-sleeved top with black sides, black joggers and red trainers.
Detective Constable Ryan Lee of Edinburgh’s CID said: “I would urge anyone who may recognise these men, who knows the whereabouts of the dog or who has any information which could be relevant to this enquiry to report it as soon as possible.”
Those with information can contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 0087 of 24 April 2019, or report this anonymously via the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Both words are important in answering that question.
This 20 day Update is always about where we are now. It is not about where we hope to be one day when the keys are delivered and, like any prospective purchaser, we move in to see what state the previous owner has left us to clear up before we can move our own things in.
Don’t worry: that is not being neglected, but it would be boring to describe all the steps that are being taken to get us to that point. You can safely leave the tedious things to the SCIO board, who will make sure all the necessary tasks are done in the right way. There are much more exciting things to share now, not least because we know that moving-in day could be around a year away.
So what? What about now? What can you be expected to do other than to wait patiently? Is there a child in your house – or can you imagine a child after being cooped up with nothing to do – saying, “I’m bored! I don’t know what to do.” Well be bored no longer: There is something to do. It really will make a difference to the future and it will make it better.
There are two things that fit together: What troubles you as you cope with Covid 19? What ideas do you have that are worth sharing in order to help others cope?
As simple as that. Here is how we propose to match the need with the thought. It’s about sharing, which is the hallmark of community.
This Community, as you know by now, has a HEART. ❤️
Not merely a lot of boxes called houses or flats, in which we all keep ourselves to ourselves and suffer in silence.
We are about to launch an interactive programme of questions and suggestions, ideas and activities, encouraging you to become involved NOW with other people like you, helping each other create a better normal around our three themes you may know by heart:
Health Business Leisure Sport Puzzles Gardening Entertainment Advice
You can add to the list which is as long as you want to make it, because above all it is about YOU – which is US, ALL TOGETHER, helping each other.
Invite your friends to join in as well. Look out for details about to appear on our website and social media channels.
And don’t forget: if you have not already responded to the invitation to become a member of our Charity Heart of Newhaven Community SCIO making all this possible, do that NOW too, using the link here and following instructions.
Also keep checking the website and socials! In another 20 days we’ll tell you more precisely what we are going to do next.
Rodney Matthews Chair and Vision Facilitator The Heart of Newhaven Community
Where have the past two years gone? On 4th October 2018 in Victory Primary School there were lots of ideas on what the Community could do here once the children moved to their new school, then still in the planning stages.
We were warned that our dreams would take time and effort and there were delays. The new school building, first scheduled to be opened last August, will be completed one day despite, like so much else, being affected by Covid 19. We are working steadily on ways to promote a better normal as soon as we can. More on that next time.
Meanwhile the Heart of Newhaven Community with our iconic logo is steadily growing with people like you keen to support our programme of ideas.
This update comes hard on the heels of one you may have just received about Membership of our SCIO – Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation. It’s a bit technical, so I’ll try to explain.
We registered the Heart of Newhaven Community SCIO SC049919, as the first step to qualify for the Community Asset Transfer of Victoria Primary School.
Our SCIO constitution allows different categories of membership and the letter sent recently showed which one we think fits you as you register, as I hope you will.
Depending on which category you fall into, membership will give you a vote at meetings and so enable you to have your say in deciding what happens.
The “Asset” (the whole of the current school site) to be “Transferred” will belong to the Charity on behalf of the whole community: so the name Heart of Newhaven Community is apt.
But it’s not just a place. The beating pulse of the whole community already exists in people – YOU! – living human beings. A really good way to help create what the name shows is to register on the form you’ve hopefully been sent.
If you have any questions about membership, haven’t had a letter, or think you received the wrong one, then you can find out more HERE on the website. If you’re still in doubt, please feel free to contact me directly at chair@heartofnewhaven.co.uk and I’ll try to help.
But you will also continue to receive this more general Mailchimp email at least every month unless you unsubscribe if you no longer want to be bothered. Surely not! This is how you can keep up to date.
I hope the next one will be more exciting but we are definitely not just dreaming the time away and the next two years should be very impressive.
Rodney Matthews Chair and Vision Facilitator, The Heart of Newhaven Community
Police Scotland is pleased to confirm that a woman found seriously injured in Laverockbank Road, Edinburgh, around 5.30pm on Sunday, 27 September, has now been identified.
Officers would like to thank everyone who got in touch as a result of our appeal to find out her identity.
Enquiries are continuing to find out what happened and anyone with information can contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 3537 of Sunday, 27 September, or make a call anonymously to the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Yesterday’s Appeal:
Police are trying to identify a woman found seriously injured in Laverockbank Road in Trinity.
Around 5.30pm yesterday (Sunday 27 September), the woman was found injured by a member of the public lying on the pavement.
Emergency services were called and she was taken to hospital, where her condition has been described serious.
Detective Inspector Jon Pleasance, Edinburgh CID said : “We are trying to establish the identity of the woman and are needing the assistance of the public in doing so.
“The woman is described as being about late 60s, between 5’ 5” and 5’ 7” in height with short grey hair. She has a dental plate with four teeth.
“She was wearing navy coloured trousers, a white coloured vest top, a teal coloured cardigan all from Marks and Spencer. She had a navy coloured raincoat and was wearing black shoes with a Velcro strap.
“She was wearing was a yellow and white metal ladies watch – Lorus brand. The only other possessions she had were four keys, two mortice and two padlock type keys on a brown leather fob with the word ‘Traidcraft’ written on it.
“At present we are trying to establish how this woman came about her injuries. We need to find out who she is so we can let any family members know where she is and that she is very unwell. I would appeal to anyone who can assist in identifying her or was in the area of Laverockbank Road area of Edinburgh yesterday afternoon to come forward.”
Information can be passed to Edinburgh CID via 101 quoting reference number 3537 of Sunday 27 September. If you wish to remain anonymous, then call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Leith resident Annette West has helped to raise £2,250 for sight loss charity RNIB Scotland after taking part in the Virtual Kiltwalk last Sunday.
Annette (above, left)was one of eight people who walked six miles along the Water of Leith, in two groups of four to maintain social distancing.
“I have experienced sight loss for over 30 years but have always been helped and supported by RNIB Scotland,” says Annette (60). “I just wanted to do the Virtual Kiltwalk to help give something back.
“I found the walk very easy and relaxing. I also found that pathway easy to get around as there was not too many steps. Socially distancing was only a problem when the path was narrow and when people in the opposite direction were trying to pass by. I think the route is very popular for walkers on Sundays.
“It was really good to meet up and spend quality time with friends before we all went back to our own lockdown homes. It gave me a sense of freedom by being out in the open. I also felt re-connected with nature and that it was great to meet other human beings.
“After the walk I felt that my spirits had been lifted and that going back home, I was mentally and physically in a good place.”
