Muirhouse Centipede’s going green!

A multi agency Steering Group has been formed which includes representatives from St Paul’s RC, North Edinburgh Arts, Fable Vision (Govan) and Link Up – and we are hopeful the representation will get wider.

We now have a plan of activities for the next nine months, kicking off with a Peculiar Planter Competition! We are looking for folk to bring along a potted plant (or plants) to the West Pilton and Muirhouse Gala on 26 August – but for the planters to be more than your bog standard terracotta pot – as the title suggests – the dafter the better! We want folk to write a few lines on a postcard, explaining their planter, or naming their planter, or telling up why they chose it. We will be working with local schools, nursing homes and community groups to ensure a big entry to the competition.

For those who are struggling for ideas, there will also be a chance to ‘plant up’ at the free Community BBQ and Summer Fair that will be held in Muirhouse St Andrew’s Parish Church the day before, Saturday 25th from 11am – 1pm. This will be the third year that Muirhouse have hosted a FREE community BBQ, but this year it will be enhanced by peculiar planters and summer fair stalls! Judging of the planters will take place during the Gala Day and prizes will be announced at 3.30pm.

This is just the start of a big programme of events – all made possible through Pilot Project Funding from the Parish Development Fund of the Church of Scotland. Also in the pipeline are:

‘A Time for Peace’ – a chance to step back and reflect on the peaceful sites within the Muirhouse and west Pilton Area – hosted by North Edinburgh Arts some time in October/November – date to be confirmed

12/12/12 Photo competition – take a digital photograph some time during the 24 hours of 12/12/12 that depicts one of the Advent themes of ‘love’, ‘joy’, hope’ or ‘peace’. In mid-late January there will be a display of the winning entries, again hosted by North Edinburgh Arts – date to be confirmed

Running over autumn and winter we will be engaging a community artist to design something ‘big and beautiful and spectacular’ in flowers or bulbs which we hope to work with the council in identifying one of the brown field sites within the Muirhouse area, to plant up (with the help of the community) and wait and watch for the grand display blooming in the spring.

In the church gardens, and elsewhere if we can identify suitable sites, we are going to install a labyrinth maze – we also hope to install small sensory/peace gardens at two or three sites in the area.

So – you can see the Centipede has got its boots on!

Folks can check out updates on Facebook’s Marvellous Muirhouse Page, and on www.centipedeproject.co.uk