Day: December 20, 2012

Christmas vote for turkeys at Rainbow Club!

Rainbow1 They always tend to do things a wee bit different at Rainbow Club Christmas parties, and so it proved again this year. In the past we’ve had plays and pantomimes, but yesterday guests were treated to a very unusual fashion parade.

A collection of seasonal supermodels took to the catwalk in Drylaw Parish Church, and partygoers were asked to choose their favourite from a prime selection – a penguin, a Christmas cracker, a fairy, a reindeer or Santa, perhaps? Nope, the popular choice was … the turkey!

Let’s hope the poor bird enjoys what little time he has left!

Rainbow Daycare manager Jackie Brown said: “I was a great day and a lot of fun. I’d like to thank State Street (volunteers are pictured below), entertainer Stevie Desmond, all clients and carers for donations to the raffle and local businesses for kind donations. And a special thanks to the staff and volunteers for all their efforts.”Rainbow3

Santa puts icing on the cake for Dads Rock

dadsrockSanta

Dads Rock have had a memorable year and last week’s Christmas Party put the icing on the cake.

After a lot of fundraising and preparation the group held their first ever Christmas party on 15 December. More than than forty kids were there, and when you add dads, mums, grandparents and friends – and one very special guest (pictured above)! – over 110 people attended.

It was a perfect end to a remarkable year for Dads Rock.

“From Dads Rock point of view it was very humbling and a great way to end the year – to see the joy on the kids faces was priceless! We’ve delivered 48 sessions this year – that’s 72 hours of playgroup and had over 80 dads come along, and 90 kids.  We’ve reached over 5000 people on Facebook, had over 10,500 hits on our blog and have nearly 800 twitter followers.  It’s been Amazeballs!”dadsrock_santa[2]

Anti-Violence Initiative This Weekend

Lothian and Borders Police will deploy extra officers in communities across the Force area this weekend, as part of an ongoing effort to deal with incidents of violence and disorder over the festive period.

Arrangements have been made for officers who normally fulfil departmental roles to be deployed in front-line response roles to bolster the police response to such incidents on one of the busiest weekends of the year.

A range of enforcement and preventative activity will be undertaken, with officers focusing their efforts on targeting domestic assault and alcohol-related violence across Edinburgh, the Lothians, and Scottish Borders.

Chief Superintendent Malcolm Graham, from Lothian and Borders Police, said: “As part of our ongoing effort to tackle all forms of violence in local communities, we are deploying substantial numbers of additional officers within communities across the Force area this weekend.

“The extra officers will provide a visible presence on our streets, and will help police deal swiftly and decisively with incidents of violence. There will be a particular focus on domestic abuse as part of this activity, in line with the ongoing Lothian and Borders Police campaign against domestic abuse over the festive period.

“Likewise, we are conscious that this is one of the busiest weekends of the year due to the numbers of revellers enjoying a night out with friends or colleagues before Christmas, and the deployment of extra officers will ensure that we are well equipped to deal with incidents of alcohol-related violence and disorder.”

Police

The Centipede could run and run (and run and run and …)!

The Centipede Project are busy putting together a funding proposal to try for full-project funds when the Pilot project ends with a spectacular bash on Easter Sunday (31 March 2013).

Thanks to the hard work of many individuals and groups – not least of which was Edinburgh City Council in facilitating the bulb planting on the brownfield site in a very smooth and easy way – we are looking forward to a spectacular show in the spring.

Plans are in hand for a mini-glala style day, with local groups having stalls and displays; more planting to compliment our Hollywood Style ‘Muirhouse’ big buld plant; free BBQ; Easter Egg rolling … and who knows what else!

Before that, there will be the photographic display – if you have still to send in your photos taken on 12/12/12 get emailing: centipedephotos@gmail.com

 

Muirhouse Centipede Project

centipede

MOVE award for Oaklands

Jim AndersonOaklands School received the prestigious MOVE quality mark on Monday (17 December).   The presentation was made by Paralympic swimmer Jim ‘The Swim’ Anderson OBE (pictured above), who unveiled a flag to mark the event.

Nigel Carter, CEO of The  MOVE Partnership was extremely  impressed with the results of the assessment of Oaklands School and how it has  developed and integrated the MOVE programme as well as the impact it has had on  the pupils.  He said “Oaklands School showed the best evidence of good practice  I have ever seen”.

Councillor Paul Godzik, Education,  Children and Families Convener said, “This really is an outstanding achievement  for Oaklands and I would to congratulate everyone involved for this and all the  hard work put in by pupils, staff and parents.  To be the first in Edinburgh to  receive this award is a fantastic achievement I and hope other schools will look  to follow in their foot steps.”

The assessment took place on the 18 September last, to  assess the implementation and quality of the MOVE programme in the school.  It  is an inclusive award that recognises good practice and progress in the MOVE  principles. Consequently, Oaklands was awarded the MOVE Quality Mark and invited  to become a MOVE Regional Centre of Excellence, the 18th in Europe  and 3rd in Scotland.

Nigel Carter, CEO of The  MOVE Partnership said, “When we visited here to assess the school in September I  was really impressed; Oaklands School showed the best evidence of good practice  I have ever seen.  We have awarded them the quality mark to recognise this and I  would like to commend them for their efforts as we look forward to working  together further in the future.”

Jim Anderson, former  paralympian swimmer was on hand to help with the unveiling of the MOVE flag  today and spent some time speaking with pupils and staff after the  event.

MOVE (Movement for Learning  and Life) helps children who have complex disabilities to:

  • Acquire and maintain  increased independence in sitting, standing, walking and transferring,
  • Learn, gain and maintain  more mobility through transference of skills and
  • Experience better health,  enhanced personal dignity, improved communication skills and access to  education.

Increased abilities in  sitting, standing and walking decrease the burden of care for families and care  providers. These increased abilities also bring new opportunities for greater  participation and involvement in family life and for inclusion into the wider  community.

MOVE is a programme shown  to improve functional mobility skills and empower children and adults who have  complex physical and learning disabilities to better direct their own lives. The  MOVE Programme uses a family/person centred approach to develop functional  mobility, based on current theory and research in education, therapy,  biomechanics and motor science.

Oaklands Head Teacher Maureen Mathieson said: “This is a very special day for Oaklands and we are all absolutely delighted to receive the MOVE quality mark.”

MOVEflag