Times are tough but NEN fights on

NENagm2 — Eddie Thorn explains the fascinating details of the NEN accounts!

North Edinburgh News is fighting hard to stay afloat, attendees at the community newspaper’s annual general meeting heard last week. Chairperson Martin Hinds said that every effort is being made to attract the funding needed to keep the paper alive. The mood at the meeting was considerably brighter than that at the NEN’s previous AGM – where the organisation was wound down and staff said their goodbyes.

A small but select audience (!) heard that NEN was forced to close when the city council ‘disinvested’ in community newspapers in March last year. Three members of staff were made redundant, and to meet the organisation’s obligations to make redundancy payments the board sold off the NEN’s Crewe Road North office. After redundancy payments were made and outstanding bills paid the Board used the residue of cash raised from the sale of the office to try to resurrect the NEN in a ‘slimmed-down’ form late last year.

The NEN is now run with costs cut to the bone – the organisation has a desk at Telford College on West Granton Road, with part-time freelance editorial support and no staff. Despite this, the NEN hit the streets again earlier this year and has continued to produce, albeit now on a bi-monthly basis to keep costs down. The NEN’s online presence has also been beefed-up and is attracting more and more visitors – last month the online NEN passed 50,000 visitors and now attracts an average of 300 readers daily.

So, while the NEN’s future is far from secure, there are reasons for optimism. Martin Hinds told the meeting: “We have held productive talks with local councillors and hope that with their support we can we can forge a plan for the NEN’s longer-term survival. The NEN continues to have strong support within the community, and we need to build on that support. The NEN Board is made up of local people who all give up their time as volunteers, and we have worked very hard to keep the NEN alive – we remain totally committed to ensuring that the NEN will remain at the heart of the community.”

Treasurer Eddie Thorn went on to give a breakdown of the NEN’s finances before a general discussion on how the NEN can raise income to meet the challenges ahead. However at thirty years and counting, financial challenges are nothing new to NEN. You can’t help but feel we’ve not reached the end of this particular story yet!

OneOak: new exhibition at Botanics this month

OneOak is an educational project devised by the Sylva Foundation, a charity working to revive Britain’s woodland culture. The fascinating exhibition follows the full life story of an oak tree, and features no less than fifty items crafted from that one oak tree.

The exhibition opens in the John Hope Gateway on Friday 12 October and runs until Sunday 2 December. Free admission.

For more information on the OneOak project visit www.sylva.org.uk

Goodbye, Telford – hello, Edinburgh!

Telford no more, but new College is a class apart!

The vision to create a bigger, better and stronger college that will serve Edinburgh and the Lothians long into the future became a reality today with the launch of Edinburgh College. The new College is set on a clear path to provide improved opportunities and outcomes to everyone who walks through its door – and in turn help to kick-start the regional and national economy by delivering skilled people to those industry sectors where Scotland enjoys a competitive advantage.

New Principal Mandy Exley said the potential of Edinburgh College, both for students and for Edinburgh and Lothians, is limitless. She said: “This is a significant landmark in the history of education provision in Edinburgh and the Lothians. By being bigger and better, we can combine strengths and resources to give our students high quality skills that will allow them seize life-changing opportunities. Equally we will work hand in hand with businesses to ensure we are not just providing a curriculum of varied courses – but are actually focused on training future staff to work in those key industry sectors where there is high demand or in those sectors which have been identified as growth areas for Scotland. We want to be an economic powerhouse for the Edinburgh and Lothian region – helping to drive growth and prosperity to benefit both the local and national economy.”

The creation of Edinburgh College also marks the end of an era for three of Edinburgh’s most recognisable educational institutions – the College being a product of the merger of Edinburgh’s Telford College, Jewel & Esk College and Stevenson College.

Edinburgh College, which as a £60m business makes it the biggest FE college in Scotland, will accommodate more than 35,000 students – the biggest student body in Edinburgh. The College will employ around 1300 staff operate from four main campuses; Granton, Sighthill, Milton Road and Midlothian.

Mandy added: “In many respects today’s launch is just a start of a journey. We know there is a lot of hard work ahead to deliver our vision for the college. However, the depth and breadth of our staff talent and resources is enormous. By working together and ensuring staff and students play a key role in the decision-making, we can make Edinburgh College a real success story; a college that is inclusive, innovative and excellent. We know that this is a sad day for some as three institutions from Edinburgh’s educational landscape disappear. However, as Edinburgh College starts to deliver on its aims, I am confident it will become a name that will have real resonance across Scotland, the UK and internationally.”

The college in particular will look to focus on developing and promoting ‘centres of excellence’ in key learning fields; including engineering and construction (particularly renewables), hospitality and tourism services, creative industries, service industries, care professions and performing arts.

Ian McKay, Chair (Elect) of Edinburgh College, said the new Board will be looking to set the management team some tough targets both in the first year, and more crucially, in 2013-14, which will see the new college’s first full curriculum being rolled out.

He said: “Edinburgh College will be challenged to support economic growth by delivering the right people for real jobs through a high quality and evolving curriculum. It has an enormous role to play in offering hope and opportunity to our young people and providing the skills needed to benefit the regional and national economy. To achieve that, we will be looking to agree a series of objectives matched against positive outcomes that the college team can be measured against to ultimately demonstrate that Edinburgh College can deliver on its promises.”

Education Secretary Michael Russell said: “As one of Scotland’s largest colleges, Edinburgh College will have a key role to play across the country and particularly in Edinburgh and the Lothians. I believe it will offer new and greater opportunities for students and help make sure they have the skills and knowledge they need for jobs in the area. I know a lot of work has been required to deliver the new college and I am confident the college, staff and students will reap the rewards of this.”

Named after one of Scotland’s finest civil engineers, Telford College opened on Crewe Road South in 1968. The former Ainslie Park Secondary School was added as an annexe as the College population grew and space became an issue, and the College moved to it’s present – and final – custom-built home on Granton’s waterfront in September 2006.

Your Future, Your Police at Broughton High School

Lothian and Borders Police are holding an event in Broughton High School to find out what teenagers want from the police. Around 200 teenagers from a wide range of backgrounds will take part in the ‘Your Future, Your Police’ session at Broughton. Tourrettes sufferer John Davidson, who was the subject of an acclaimed documentary, is guest speaker at the event.

Using workshops and discussion groups, the 15-17-year-olds will be given the chance to give their views on how they think the police should interact with teenagers, and what relevance the new Police Service of Scotland will have to them. This is the fourth in a series of sessions to be held across the Lothian and Borders Force area.

John Davidson, subject of the 1989 QED documentary ‘John’s Not Mad,’ is guest speaker. He will talking about how having severe Tourette’s syndrome led to misunderstandings with the police in his teens, and how this was remedied through open and ongoing communication.

Deputy Chief Constable Steve Allen, said: “The best thing about this type of event is that it allows us to engage with our young people in a positive environment, and gives us the opportunity to listen to what they have to say. We will record their views and opinions of policing in the Lothian and Borders area and use them in shaping the future as we move forward to the Police Service of Scotland.”

City rivals team up with Pilton filmmakers

They’re bitter rivals on the pitch, but city rivals Hearts and Hibs have put hostilities on hold and have teamed up with a Pilton film project to help young people find their voice by making short films.

Screen Education Edinburgh (formerly Pilton Video) will work in partnership with Heart of Midlothian and Hibernian Football Clubs on ‘Xpress Yourself’, a short film making programme targeting city teenagers with priority given to those resident in areas of deprivation. The initiative is funded through the Cashback for Creativy scheme.

Free taster workshops will take place at Tynecastle and Easter Road, giving participants the opportunity to write, shoot and act, giving them a taste of the filmmaking process. The first session takes place on Friday.

From these taster sessions the most interested young people will move forward to form core filmmaking groups based at each club, with intensive training and support provided by Screen Education Edinburgh to enable the young people to produce short films.

Graham Fitzpatrick, Screen Education Edinburgh’s Creative Manager (and Hearts fanatic!) said: “We are delighted to be partnering for the first time both Big Hearts Trust and Hibernian in the Community to deliver another exciting opportunity for youngsters in the Capital. Learning all the aspects of short film-making, from screenwriting to final edit, the young people participating will devise and produce four short films, followed by longer term support from SEE to enhance their skills and knowledge further, enabling them to pursue an interest in film-making.”

Councillor Paul Godzik, Education, Children and Families Convener, City of Edinburgh Council said: “Screen Education Edinburgh provide some fantastic opportunities for young people to learn about filmmaking and put their creative sides into action. I’m really pleased that both Hibs and Hearts are on board and I would encourage 12-19 year olds who haven’t tried something like this before to give it a go.”

Stewart McGuire, Operations Manager, Hibernian Community Foundation said: “This programme is a terrific way to equip young people with skills and tap into their interests through filmmaking. We are pleased to be working in partnership with Screen Education Edinburgh to unleash the imagination and energy of young people as they gain confidence working together.”

Keir MacCulloch, Project Co-ordinator, Big Hearts Community Trust said: ”We are delighted to be working with Screen Education Edinburgh for what promises to be an excellent project and a brilliant opportunity for young film makers in Edinburgh”.

The taster workshops are being held on Friday 5 October from 1.30 – 4.30pm at Easter Road Stadium and at Tynecastle on Friday 12 October, again from 1.30 – 4.30pm. Bus fares will be reimbursed to the young people and snacks will be provided.

Interested? Young people should contact Sarah Drummond at Screen Education Edinburgh – mail sarah@screen-ed.org or telephone 07827 292 379.

Cashback for Creativity (formally Creative Identities) is Creative Scotland’s programme that provides young people across Scotland with access to high quality dance, film and music activities, funded by the Scottish Government’s CashBack for Communities programme which reinvests the proceeds of crime back into communities to benefit Scotland’s young people.

EasterRd — EASTER ROAD the place to be this Friday

Letter: Calling all crafters!

To all the crafters in North Edinburgh:

I’m a local resident and enjoy crafting. Crafting can be a really satisfying but lonely hobby at times – I run a small craft club as part of my volunteering at Muirhouse Millennium Community Centre on a Friday from 11am-3pm. It’s the type of club that you can bring your own crafting to do at your own pace over a cup of tea and chatting to others – it’s friendly, welcoming, informal and fun. We do have a supply of crafting goodies if you want to just have a go at something and there is always our supply of craft magazines to thumb through to get inspiration and ideas from!

All it costs is £1 – only £1, and that includes the tea/coffee and biscuits!

If you would like any more information why not drop into the Muirhouse Millennium Centre and speak to me, give me a call on 467 3578 or if you prefer email enquiremuirhouse@gmail.com is where I am!

Eileen Carr

WIG to host Women’s Health Day event

North Edinburgh Women’s International Group (WIG) invite you to our very first Women’s Health Day on Thursday (4 October) from 10am – 3pm in Royston Wardieburn Community Centre, Pilton Drive North.

Come along and try out gentle exercise, Zumba, relaxation techniques, pamper sessions and much more – and all activities are free!

The Centre cafe will be serving a cheap, healthy lunch between 12 noon – 1pm.

Give yourself a break for a couple of hours, try out something new, meet other local women and help us raise some money for Macmillan Cancer Trust (there will be a raffle, ‘nearly new’ table and a guess the weight of the cake competition).

For more information call Lynn or Lydia on 552 5700 or email Lynn at lynn.mccabe@ea.edin.sch.uk

Womens International Group

Stockbridge Library celebrates reopening

Stockbridge Library celebrated their reopening on Friday when they welcomed Macastory’s Ron Fairweather (pictured above), who entertained visitors with lively Scottish stories and songs.

Stockbridge Library was forced to close in the smmer following flood damage and Friday’s event was an opportunity to say ‘thank you’ to all of the teams and partners who helped Stockbridge Library run its temporary service over the summer – not least Lifecare, who allowed the library service to deliver its service from their centre.

The library is now fully open and happy to welcome customers old and new!

Thanks to Kathy Softley for the information