Category: Stockbridge

Local SNP politicians visit new anti-flooding bridge

Edinburgh Central MSP Angus Robertson and Inverleith Ward Councillor Vicky Nicholson visited the newly completed bridge crossing the Water of Leith at Bell Place, which can be raised during high water periods. The bridge was completed recently by the City of Edinburgh Council flood prevention team.

Increased incidences of high water in recent years have caused stress for residents and damage along the Water of Leith, including to the old bridge. The new rising bridge forms one part of the flood prevention team’s work to bolster defences.

Levels in the Water of Leith can rise from ankle-deep to 5 metres in a matter of hours. 

Along with the rising footbridge, Edinburgh Council’s flood prevention team have been installing removable flood barriers that can be inserted on top of existing walls to prevent water breaching. 

Angus Robertson MSP said: “The work City of Edinburgh Council flood prevention team are doing is really impressive. The rising footbridge means water will not be caught and diverted over the side by the bridge and, having spoken to a constituent on our visit, I know the insertable walls are giving peace of mind to residents. 

“Councillor Nicolson and I have been working hard with locals, the council and other groups to ensure the risk of flooding is reduced all along the Water of Leith in our constituencies and I am very thankful we have such an expert and dedicated flood prevention team to help tackle the issue.”

Councillor Nicolson said: ‘We are seeing more and more bouts of heavy rain and, consequently, there is an increased risk of flooding in many areas along the Water of Leith.

“Gordon McOmish and the whole flood prevention team are doing a brilliant job making sure the City is better prepared for these events, and I can’t thank them enough for the work they do. 

“Angus Robertson and I remain available to constituents who are concerned about water level risk and we will continue to work with all to ensure no one has to go through the awful experience of being flooded and our public areas are better protected from damage.”

Award-winning artisan cheese shops up for sale

Specialist business property adviser Christie & Co has been instructed to market George Mewes Cheese, two high turnover artisan cheese shops in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

George Mewes Cheese was first established in 2010 when former chef, George opened his Glasgow store, followed by a store in Edinburgh in 2015. Since then George has built an award-winning business which sources the finest cheeses from Britain and Europe, working closely with Hervé Mons, a top affineur based in France, and British affineur Neal’s Yard Dairy of London.

As well as the thriving retail business, George Mewes Cheese has built a reputation as a leading wholesaler, supplying cheeses to prestigious Scottish hotels and restaurants.

These profitable stores are ideally positioned in affluent areas of both cities. George Mewes Edinburgh is located on Dean Park Street, in the vibrant area of Stockbridge while George Mewes Glasgow is situated on the cosmopolitan and eclectic Byres Road in the West End.

Having successfully navigated the Covid pandemic, and now generating consistently high sales in-store and online, George believes the time is right to pass over the reins to a new owner who can build on the current success.

Liam Bain, Business Agent at Christie & Co’s Scottish Retail team, is handling the sales process comments, “I am excited to assist George with selling the business he has worked tirelessly to build over the last 13 years.

“With two fantastic sites in Edinburgh and Glasgow, I’m sure this will pique the interest of business owners and entrepreneurs across both retail and hospitality sectors and beyond.”

Stockbridge charity’s services are a cut above!

LifeCare Edinburgh launches new dementia-friendly hairdressing service helping local older people “feel like themselves again”  

COVID restrictions taught us all how much we value a visit to our local hairdresser to help us feel like ourselves, boost our self-esteem and to simply enjoy a chat and a catch-up with a friendly face.  

Sadly, for people living with dementia this lockdown experience can be a permanent feature in life as visiting an everyday salon can be inaccessible, overwhelming, and without the right training, difficult for a hairdresser to deliver well.  

However, things are changing in the capital as local charity LifeCare has launched the city’s first dedicated dementia-friendly hairdressing service providing essential haircare services for people living with dementia and their unpaid carers.

LifeCare’s new ‘Forget-Me-Not’ hair service involves an experienced, caring and dementia-trained mobile hairdresser visiting people in their homes so that they can continue to experience the joy of a haircut.  

The benefits of a hairdressing experience for a person living with dementia can be significant.  Haircare helps people to maintain their appearance but also impacts how they feel, their personal identity, and their overall self-esteem.

For a person living with dementia, hairdressing can be a unique multi-sensory experience providing a valuable opportunity for touch and physical contact which is often missing outside of practical interactions.

Regular visits and time for conversation can reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness. Feelings of self-worth and positive self-image are boosted and this increased confidence can mean people are more likely to be motivated to attend other activities and stay engaged with their community.

Evidence shows haircare services support reminiscence activities as scents and experiences involved can be incredibly evocative and personal appearance can relate to people’s life stories and relationships. 

James Wells, Chief Executive of LifeCare said “It’s sad and unfair that people living with dementia struggle to access ordinary haircare services that many of us take for granted.  

“The typical busy, hot and noisy hair salon environment can just be too overwhelming for some and a lack of understanding amongst hairdressers can make the experience really difficult for everyone. Mobility issues and transport concerns also create problems.   

“At Lifecare, we have a proud 80-year history of providing essential care services for local older people, ensuring no-one is left alone or isolated and that everyone can continue to enjoy the joy in their lives.  So, we’re absolutely delighted that we are now able to launch this dedicated service which will make an immediate positive and life-changing difference to our older clients and their carers.

“We are already hearing from clients how they “feel like themselves again” and “can’t wait for their next appointment”. I’m looking forward to hearing more of these stories as the service continues to grow.” 

Audrey McDonald, LifeCare’s dementia-friendly hairdresser said: “It is an absolute pleasure to be helping to deliver this fantastic service. From my own personal experience, I understand how frustrating it can be for a person to be shut-out of these important pleasurable activities.

“Even a small trim can cheer a person up for the day. In just a few short weeks, I have already seen how much joy the service is bringing for local people.  

“Together we are enjoying a giggle, a chat about old times and everyone is left feeling a million dollars.” 

The charity relies on support from its funders to deliver all of its essential services.  The Forget-Me-Not Salon has been made possible thanks to financial support from Age Scotland’s About Dementia project in partnership with the Scottish Government.   

Head of Dementia at Age Scotland, Dr Kainde Manji said “We are excited to support LifeCare in their delivery of a dedicated haircare service for people with lived experience of dementia, and we recognise the importance of this type of community-based support in enabling ordinary activities that make a big difference to individual wellbeing.

“We know that increasing wellbeing and tackling social isolation can empower people with lived experience of dementia to take a more active role in their communities.” 

The “Forget-Me-Not” hair service has been initially set up as pilot project offering the service to clients for free to ensure that it is accessible to all.

If you know of someone living in the north of Edinburgh who could benefit from the service contact 0131 343 0940 or visit www.lifecare-edinburgh.org.uk/services/home-salon.  

To donate or find out other ways to help visit https://www.lifecare-edinburgh.org.uk/  

Tomorrow: Future-proof your home!

Happening this Wednesday evening, 7pm at Stockbridge Parish Church!

Find out how you can make your tenement flat or house more energy efficient, find funding to support you, and save money on your bills.

👉

Register here: http://bit.ly/StockbridgeEvent

Get shoogling for Bookbug Week!

Bookbug Week is taking place this week (15–21 May), encouraging little ones and their families to dance to their favourite songs and rhymes and then cosy up with a story.

This year’s theme is Bookbug’s Big Shoogle and the week will focus on the benefits of movement and dance for early years development.

Dance and movement are not only fun for little ones, but play an important role in their development. Movement helps young children to build strength and mobility. The tactile elements of many songs and rhymes help them to learn about different parts of their body.

Bookbug is a national programme run by Scottish Book Trust, a charity changing lives with reading and writing. All children in Scotland receive four Bookbug Bags full of books and activities between their birth and first year of school.

Families can also share songs and rhymes in fun Bookbug Sessions in local libraries and community groups and through the Bookbug app. The Scottish Government has been supporting Bookbug since 2010.

This year’s Bookbug Week celebrations will include a partnership with BBC Tiny Happy People, a free-to-use website with fun activity ideas to help support 0–4-year-olds’ speech, language, and communication development.

They will be adding some brilliant activity idea films to the Bookbug app for one week only, which highlight the importance of parents and carers talking to their little ones as early as possible. BBC Tiny Happy People will also be joining Glasgow Life at the Mitchell Library on Wednesday 17 May for a day of Bookbug Sessions and fun activity events for families.

Popular children’s entertainers Sprog Rock will be premiering their brand-new music video, featuring children from Forbes Nursery in Leith, on Tuesday 16 May. Also online, Scottish Book Trust is running a competition to win a special selection of 10 books, a musical instrument kit and a space hopper.

There are Bookbug Sessions taking place across the country, with some local authorities putting on extra activities: Aberdeen libraries will be setting up shaker-making stations, science educators Mini Professors will be running sessions in Fife libraries about sound waves, and little ones in South Ayrshire can practice their fine motor skills through robotics app Osmo in their local libraries.

Children and Young People Minister Natalie Don said: ‘I am very excited for this year’s Bookbug Week and their special Bookbug’s Big Shoogle theme.

“Initiatives like this can help encourage an early love of books among children in addition to providing great opportunities for parents and their wee ones to spend time together whilst having fun and learning.

‘Both reading and being active have multiple benefits for children, including supporting positive mental and physical health, relationships and improved attainment.

‘I’m delighted that the Scottish Government are able to provide increased funding for 2023/24 of £1.8 million for the continuation of the Bookbug programme.’

Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said: “We’re excited to share Bookbug’s Big Shoogle with families across Scotland this year, celebrating the benefits of movement and dance.

“Our thanks to Emma Melchor for designing this year’s brilliant Bookbug Week illustration.’

Locally Bookbug sessions are on Tuesday at Granton Library at 11am or Pilton Neighbourhood Centre at 10.30, and on Friday at Granton Library at 11am or Muirhouse Millenium Centre at 10.30 am!

Check out the libraries facebook pages for more details. 🙂

Dementia book launch at Stockbridge Library

Are you interested in learning more about dementia and how to support those who are affected by it? Do you have dementia and have questions about what it all means? A new self-help book, “FAQs on Dementia” written by Tom Russ and Michael Huddleston comes out today!

To celebrate this exciting release, there will be a book launch event at Stockbridge library on Friday 5th May, from 3.30pm-4.30pm. The event will feature the authors, and some friends and colleagues with dementia. Representatives from Alzheimer Scotland, Brain Health Scotland, the NRS Neuroprogressive and Dementia Research Network will be there to share information.

The Golden Hare bookshop will be in attendance to sell the book, so you will have the chance to buy your own copy at the event.

Here’s an extract from the blurb:

Will my partner stop loving me now they have dementia?

Does my mum have to go into a home now?

Is dementia a terminal illness?

All these questions, and hundreds more, are covered in this short but powerful, helpful, practical guide to understanding the nature, and impact, of dementia. Read at your leisure, or dip in and out when you most need the support or to shine a light on the issues and concerns that are making you uncomfortable or unhappy, and to bring them out of the shadows so you can understand and accept them.

little dobbies’ Stockbridge store announces local Helping Your Community Grow winner

YMCA Edinburgh encourages votes to be national winner

little dobbies’ Stockbridge store has announced its local Helping Your Community Grow winner, seeing YMCA Edinburgh receive gardening resources to enhance their garden space.

YMCA Edinburgh empower young people, children and their families through mentoring, youth activities, sports and family support. The charity is needs led and delivers activities and supports to help ensure families, irrespective of challenges faced, have the scaffolding in place for children to grow up loved, safe and respected.

YMCA Edinburgh now invites local residents to cast their vote to help the charity be crowned the national winner and receive additional funding and support.

This will include advice, gardening products and plants. Dobbies’ own-brand peat-free multipurpose compost, recycled and recyclable containers, UK-sourced plants and safer pest control products are among the many products the garden centre will donate.

Mike Kerracher, YMCA Edinburgh Association Manager said: “We are hugely grateful for the support from little dobbies Stockbridge. Resources will be used for gardening activities in our outdoor learning sessions with kids and in our Women’s Wellbeing sessions.

“We are well aware of the therapeutic benefits of gardening and this donation will help community members, including those who have experienced trauma and/or do not have access to a garden, feel the benefits of gardening.”

Deirdre Rutherford, General Manager at little dobbies Stockbridge said: “We are delighted to be supporting YMCA Edinburgh and are looking forward to helping them with their gardening activities by donating gardening equipment, plants and compost.”

To cast your vote for YMCA Edinburgh visit Helping Your Community Grow | Dobbies Garden Centres

Votes are open until Tuesday 25 April. There is only one vote per person. The project with the most votes across the UK will be the national winner. 

Constituents meet Deidre Brock MP at Warm This Winter mass lobby

‘I felt that Deidre was listening to us and shared our concerns’

Edinburgh North and Leith constituents met with their MP Deidre Brock at Stockbridge Library as part of the nationwide Warm This Winter mass lobby yesterday.

Four constituents spoke to Deidre Brock MP during her surgery hours, and other locals and volunteers from Greenpeace Edinburgh came along to support the campaign for Government-funded insulation, investment in renewable energy and further assistance for vulnerable households during the cost of living crisis.

Volunteers also delivered messages written to Deidre Brock by her constituents over the past few weeks. This event was one of more than 80 taking place across the UK this spring [1]. 

Ian, a constituent from Leith said:  ‘People from Edinburgh North and Leith met Deidre Brock MP in Stockbridge on Friday and shared the messages we’ve collected from other local people about how they are experiencing the cost of living crisis and that they want solutions such as home insulation.

“I felt that Deidre was listening to us and shared our concerns. I voiced my exacerbation at the UK’s woeful record on insulating households – and she was very much in agreement. Deidre also provided helpful advice on an individual basis as to where we could go to access more support to deal with high fuel costs and insulate our leaky properties. 

‘We’re really pleased that, at the meeting, Deidre Brock MP pledged to call for the expansion of Government-funded home insulation schemes, heat pump installation, more investment in renewable energy, and further support for vulnerable households with their energy bills.

“We look forward to hearing from her soon about how they’re pushing for the Energy Bill to work for the constituents of Edinburgh North and Leith and make our homes warmer and bills cheaper.’ [2] 

The recent Spring Statement failed to commit any new money to keep homes warm, and the Government’s promised ‘Green Day’ [3] (30th March) turned into yet another failure on climate action.

Greenpeace Edinburgh volunteers are calling for £5.3bn in new cash for home insulation, £14bn of emergency support for households struggling with bills, and £3.3bn to roll out cheap, clean heating in our homes to get the UK off gas once and for all.

We also need to triple renewable energy by 2030, and stop new oil and gas extraction. The Energy Bill is the next opportunity to legislate for these measures and build a secure energy future, with cheaper bills and warmer, greener homes.  

  1. Map showing events organised in constituencies for the Warm This Winter mass lobby. 
  2. List of MPs who have pledged. 
  3. Read Greenpeace’s full ‘Green Day/ Energy Security Day briefing here.