There were mixed fortunes for the two local clubs in Saturday’s Scottish Cup second round ties. The Spartans suffered a 2-0 defeat at home to Wick Academy, but Civil Service Strollers go marching on into Round Three following a fine 4-0 victory over Newton Stewart.
Civil Service Strollers welcome Spartans to Marine Drive in an East of Scotland League match this Saturday (1 September) at 2.30pm.
A 43 year old man has been rescued after getting into difficulty while trying to rescue a dog that had swum out to sea.
The man became stranded on rocks in the Firth of Forth at Cramond, behind the old Commodore Hotel early on Sunday morning.
Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service said they received a call-out just after 10am.
By the time fire crews arrived on the scene the dog, believed to be a Gordon setter, had swam back to the shore, but the man was trapped on the rocks.
He was rescued using a rope and checked over by an ambulance crew at the scene.
A spokeswoman for the fire service said the man did not require hospital treatment.
A reminder – if you’d like to find out more about the new CLD/ North Edinburgh Social History Group ‘Power to the People’ course, the group is holding an information session at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre in Pilton Drive North next Tuesday (28 August) from 9.45am.
The free course, which is supported by Workers Education Association and North Edinburgh Arts, will use film, literature, photography, song and theatre to explore many of the struggles waged by ordinary people – from the Highland Clearances and Red Clydeside to the Poll Tax and the road to the Scottish Parliament -, and is for anyone who has an interest in Scotland’s history and the fight for social justice.
If you can’t make Tuesday’s information session but you’d like to find out more, call CLD worker Lynn McCabe at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre on 552 5700 or email lynn.mccabe@ea.edin.sch.uk
Former Edinburgh West MP Donald Gorrie has died aged 79.
Mr Gorrie represented Edinburgh West at Westminster before becoming an MSP for Central Scotland after devolution. Indeed, over a long political career spanning many decades Mr Gorrie represented the Liberal Democrats at every level of government save the European parliament.
A constant critic of the Holyrood building project, Gorrie was not afraid to upset his Party’s heirarchy – he was an outspoken critic of the Lib Dem’s coalition deal with Labour. He was also one of the first politicians to call for tougher alcohol laws.
A quiet and polite man, Donald Gorrie was respected across the political spectrum. He leaves behind his wife Astrid and two sons.
“I was saddened at the news of Donald Gorrie’s death. He was on Edinburgh Council for 12 years at the same time as me, and he was always respected for his straight talking and his hard work for his constituents. Above all, he was a great champion of Edinburgh and he was always ready to work with his political opponents to support projects and initiatives to benefit the city.” – Edinburgh North and Leith MP Mark Lazarowicz
“Donald Gorrie was a traditional Liberal who was respected by his political opponents and worked hard on behalf of his consituents. Only last year while I was canvassing in Edinburgh West his name would be mentioned on a number of occassiobs as the person who would ‘get action taken on our behalf’. My thoughts are with his family at this time.” – Councillor Lesley Hinds
I was very sad to hear of the death of Donald Gorrie. Donald was the dominant figure in Edinburgh Liberal politics from his election to the then Town Council in 1971 representing Corstorphine. He first came to public prominence as an athlete – the 880 yards was his distance and he competed for Scotland at this level.
Donald served in local government between 1971 and 1997 when he was elected as the first ever Liberal Democrat MP in Edinburgh and the first Liberal since WWII.
Donald was the Liberal group leader on both district and regional councils when I was first elected to the region in 1994; he was a man who had a strong sense of morality and his
politics were very much shaped by his sense of right and wrong. He had so much in common with the great Liberal hero Gladstone in that regard and like the Grand Old Man he became more radical the older he got.
I always like to tell people that I have more fingers in pies than I have fingers. Donald made
me look like a beginner in that regard! He was involved in everything. President of the Edinburgh Athletics Club, he was involved with the Association of Youth Clubs, Diverse Attractions and he was a great champion of youth, setting up the hugely successful 6VT Youth cafe when he was a councillor.
In 1997 Donald finally was elected to Westminster but served only one term before going
on to serve in Holyrood from 1999 until 2007 – his main reason for getting elected to Westminster was so that he could help set up the Scottish parliament.
He made an instant impact being named as the new parliament’s first Backbencher of the Year and busied himself with various issues from the Holyrood building fiasco to raising the issue of sectarianism and ensuring that this was finally tackled. I also recall he was the first politician I ever heard raising the issue of Hospital Acquired Infection.
He retired in 2007 but then was involved in more local groups. He became the secretary of the Friends of Corstorphine Hill and chair of the Corstorphine Dementia Project. The list of groups Donald helped is too numerous for me to list, as are his many achievements. He was so energetic – a real force of nature.
Personally as a young activist and then councillor his counsel was always worth listening to. He was perhaps the most influential figure in my development as a politician. A great man, a giant of Edinburgh Liberalism and a man who was always more interested in doing things than being things. Scottish politics has lost one of its most colourful and principled characters.
Councillor Paul Edie
I knew Donald Gorrie at both Westminster and the Scottish Parliament and thought he was an outstanding parliamentarian who always spoke his own mind and wassn’t afraid to depart from his party’s line.
Malcolm Chisholm MSP
The summer break’s over and Drylaw Telford Community Council’s regular monthly meeting will be held next Wednesday 29 August at 7pm in Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre.
The Agenda:
1. Welcome (Chair)
2. Attendee’s
3. Apologies for Absence.
4. Minutes of the last meeting & Matters arising, (27th June)
5. Zero Waste Scotland, Application for Fly-tipping Grant – Ian Greenhalgh
6. Groathill Roundabout – Update.
7. Reports.
7a Action Groups
8. Correspondance. Mark Borthwick (Mr & Mrs J Lamb, Lease of Land EDP).
9. Any other New Business.
10. Date of Next Meeting.
All welcome
Tenants & Residents in Pilton (TRIP) meet next week on Wednesday 29 August at 7pm in West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre.
The Agenda so far:
– Stair cleaning complaints
– Neighbourhood partnership
– Edinburgh Tenants Federation fuel poverty meeting
– Muirhouse tenants group update
– Fortnightly bin collections
Open to all West Pilton and West Granton residents.
For further information see TRIP’s blog at http://piltonresidents.org.uk/
The West Pilton and Muirhouse Community Gala is almost upon us and organisers are keeping their fingers crossed for some Sunday sunshine – the current forecast is for sunshine with showers later in the day, so if the showers are after 4pm that should be just perfect for everyone!
The event opens at midday and Forth One’s Grant Stott (below) will officially get the party started at 12.30pm – then there will be loads of fun activities for all the family throughout the afternoon.
One of the daftest of them all is Muirhouse Centipede Project’s Peculiar Planter Competition. The challenge is to take a plant in a planter along to the Gala – the dafter container the better – along with a postcard telling your container’s story. Your planter will be judged on its creativity, its ingenuity and its ridiculousness for the purpose! You will also gain points for the “story” you tell on your postcard about why you chose this particular planter.
The winner will be judged at the Gala, but you can get some pre-Gala help potting up your potty planter at Muirhouse St Andrew’s Church Fayre on Saturday morning from 10am – 12 noon.
Other Gala highlights and fun events include dancers, races, live music, inflatables, beat the goalie, refreshments, tug of war, award-winning baton twirlers, face painting, information stalls and bouncy castles – and much more too!
And the Gala has produced one lucky winner already! The Gala Committee organised a special prize to be drawn from the people who signed up to ‘Like’ their Facebook page, and a delighted Karen Hogg was the winner of a family pass for Sunday!
Forthview Primary School’s P5A class is collecting stamps to raise money for charity – and they could use your help.
New teacher Ian Holden explained: “Since the holidays we’ve carried out some learning about stamps and the Olympics and on Tuesday we were visited by Roberto Catto, the General Secretary of the Edinburgh Philatelic Society. Roberto brought in his collection of London 2012 stamps, including all the stamps issued by Royal Mail following on from Team GB Gold medals.”
Ian went on: “The class will also be collecting used stamps which we will then sell to an auctioneer and give the raised funds to a charity of the children’s choice (not yet decided). If NEN readers would donate any used stamps to Forthview Primary School – for care of Mr Holden and P5a – we would be very much obliged.”
So don’t throw away those used stamps – drop them off at Forthview Primary in West Pilton Place – and remember, philately will get you everywhere!
Muirhouse and Pennywell will be regenerated as part of the council’s 21st Century Homes initiative, but Muirhouse resident Robert Pearson has written to the city council expressing concerns over the current state of the area:
I feel it necessary and appropriate to email you. I have lived in Muirhouse for eight years and have seen a steady decline in the area. Most recently the flats on Muirhouse Avenue were brought down to make way for the so called 21st century homes. No work has started since these flats where demolished months ago, instead you felt it necessary to plant some sort of wild flowers. These have never been maintained and as a direct result we now have a large open area which has now been taken over by weeds in excess of 4ft in height. If maintained correctly the area could be used by local children until such time the building work starts.
I made contact with my councillor regarding this matter but I feel I need to chase it up myself; I fail to understand why 21st century feel its appropriate to leave the area in such a mess. I know Muirhouse is not the most pleasant area but you’re certainly not helping.
There is a path which kids are expected to walk along to and from school which runs from Muirhouse Park to Muirhouse Avenue; this is overrun with weeds either side, flies, slugs and snails. Whilst I understand this can’t be totally prevented, this is something I would expect on a nature trail not on a walk way in the middle of a housing estate. So why is this happening, I ask? I’ll explain why: it’s because we have substantial amount of weeds either side.
I truly believe that we live in a forgotten estate, I think it would be beneficial for you to visit the area to understand my concerns. Simple resolution: cut the weeds down and a general clean up of area.
I am more than happy to meet up and discuss in person, I have photographic evidence if you require.
I await a prompt reply
Robert Pearson
The August NEN’s now at the printers and will be distributed over the next few days. But if you just can’t wait to see the latest edition:
