Day: February 12, 2013

Link Up makes things happen in Muirhouse

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The popular Pork Butcher’s shop on Pennywell Road reopened for just a week recently – not to sell meat, but as a community drop-in resource. Muirhouse Link Up project worker Julie Crawford explains all:

“The purpose of the week was to do a few things –

Promote Link up project which started in May last year. I work with local people in Muirhouse and West Pilton to identify activities that bring different groups of people together to take part and contribute on an equal footing. The activities could be anything, from people having a cup of tea together to taking part in an activity. We’ve been working with local people to develop a monthly bingo evening, which has seen over 60 people attend the last few months, supporting the Tenants and Residents In Muirhouse Group (TRIM), an Arts and Baking group at North Edinburgh Arts, establishing community cinema and much more.

During the week we had a huge map on the shop wall and local people were invited to write on it and give us views about places that are important to them, what people do in the community and things that they would like to see. Over the course of the week 250 people came through the door, which was fantastic. The highlight was seeing local artists using the space to work with young people doing light photography and some film-making. The shop window will be used by City of Edinburgh Council to advertise 21st Century homes and community activity – I believe there is massive potential to use the space by community organisations.

Link up will continue to work with local people to set up activities which they have skills or interests in, just get in touch! Local people are already running new activities this year, including chess and archery!”

To get in touch with Julie, call 315 6405 or email Julie@mydg.org.uk

You can also check out Muirhouselinkup on Facebook or ‘tweet’ @linkup11

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MBE for top teacher Tracey and more Forthview news

Our thanks to P5 teacher Ian Holden for keeping us up to date with everything that’s going on at Forthview Primary School:

We put out an appeal for used stamps last year and the response was really good – they were able to support a local charity called Pass It On, who help disabled children with access to computers, with a big donation. We’ll continue collecting until June, when we hope to sell the stamps to collectors and give the raised funds to The Sick Kids Hospital and Pass It On. I’ve tried to up the pace of our appeal now, contacting lots of local businesses to see if they can help – United Wire have already been helpful, as have City of Edinburgh Council and I am sure others will be too in due course. If you can help please get in touch!

Forthview’s P5a appeared at the childrens’ exhibition in the Mews at The Queen’s Gallery at Holyrood last month, one of four local schools involved. I’m also pleased to say that 16 pupils from my class won the best film category in the Children and Families department’s Safer Internet Day competition, designed to increase awareness of how to work safely online.

And last but definitely not least, Forthview’s Family Support teacher Tracey Berry received an MBE in the New Years Honours List for services to education.

Head Teacher Moira Heatly said: ‘Tracey Berry has been working with families at Forthview Primary and previously at Craigmuir for 18 years. As a teacher she took on the role initially as home link teacher but over the years that followed, the value of the role was recognised and it has since evolved to being a crucial part of Forthview’s school community. Tracey sees her role being about making the sure that the children are ready to learn and to do this she reaches out to all the parents, carers and families, many of whom did not have positive experiences at school, to help them to engage in learning with their child. Tracey is highly valued by the families at Forthview, who know that she always goes above and beyond to support them. They are happy to acknowledge the impact she has had on their lives. This award of an MBE is well deserved.’

Everyone at Forthview is very proud of Tracey – congratulations!

Ian Holden, Forthview Primary School

Tracey Berry
Tracey Berry

Follow your heart this Valentine’s Day …

… and book a First Aid Course!

Love hearts are a big part of Valentine’s Day so why not surprise your loved one this year with a truly inspirational, heartfelt present– a First Aid Course.  The First Aid courses provided by St Andrew’s First Aid provide the knowledge, education and confidence to deal with life’s little – and big – emergencies, including CPR.  Training is provided both within the community and at work and for February there are some really special offers on HSE approved First Aid training.  There is a massive 25% saving on all HSE approved First Aid at Work and Emergency First Aid at Work courses from St Andrew’s First Aid, including requalification.

Last year there were 10,135 reported injuries to employees in Scotland and over two million working days lost due to work related injury and ill-health.  St Andrew’s First Aid Training and Supplies Ltd will help manage your First Aid training, so that employees are prepared to respond quickly and effectively should an accident happen.

Mary McLuskey, managing director at St Andrew’s First Aid Training and Supplies Ltd said: “First Aid training can be about far more than the just the physical wellbeing of employees. As any employer who has been through this will tell you, dealing with an accident is both time consuming and can have an effect on staff morale and trust in managers. We’re here to help you.”

Established in 1882, St Andrew’s First Aid is a leading provider of First Aid in Scotland.  As a leader the organisation is promoting the Setting the Standard accreditation scheme which is aimed at helping Scotland’s businesses become more First Aid aware by recognising those who also take their guests or visitors into consideration in their First Aid planning. On completion of a First Aid needs assessment and with relevant HSE First Aid training in place the organisation will award a Setting the Standard in First Aid accreditation mark to display on your premises.

To find out more on the latest offers and the Setting the Standard accreditation scheme visit www.firstaid.org.uk.

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Malcolm Chisholm opens LOCAL exhibition

LOCAL 1Holyrood politician Malcolm Chisholm MSP was among the guests at the opening of LOCAL, a muliti-media contemporary arts exhibition, at North Edinburgh Arts last Friday. The local North and Leith MSP was impressed with the work, a collaboration between Contemporary Arts HND students from the Granton Campus of Edinburgh College ( i.e Telford!) and members of North Edinburgh’s Social History Group.

Mr Chisholm was joined by students, lecturers, members of the Social History Group and local community activists at the opening event.

LOCAL was the brainchild of course lecturers Jennie Temple and Alan Holligan, who wanted to work more closely with groups from the local community. A meeting with Community Learning and Development worker Lynn McCabe, who supports the Social History Group, proved to be the spark for the project and over four months HND students worked with members of the community group to research, develop and create their artworks for the LOCAL project.

Student Heather Lane said: ‘I was inspired by the people of North Edinburgh’s collective want for change, through their staging of protests and campaigns. I wanted to pay homage to their fight and let their message live on. Remaking the banners, placards and posters was about the overall notion of resistance against power, the protests dragging people back into the consciousness and inspiring them to become active in bringing about change, too.’

Her colleague Rhona Foster, who created artworks ‘Dog, sandwich, speech, shoes and snacks’ for LOCAL, added: ‘From the perspective of an outsider I saw North Edinburgh as having an entire culture of it’s own. As a means of research I interacted with the area and was inspired to make artworks about the people and things I encountered and engaged with.’

Drylaw’s Ian Moore, a member of the Social History Group, said: ‘It’s a fantastic exhibition with some amazing creations – the students have shown great imagination. The banners in particular brought back many memories – it’s incredible how some of these fights and campaigns are still relevant today.’

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LOCAL can be seen at North Edinburgh Arts until 23 February

Tuesday – Friday 10am – 8pm

Saturday 10am – 1pm

Free admission