Christmas is always a busy time at Pilton Youth and Children’s Project, but this year, as well as the usual Christmas parties for different age groups (see below) PYCP are also hosting an Open Afternoon for the wider community to enjoy.
On Friday 20 December we’re promised special performances, Christmas storytelling, food and fun so PYCP’s Green house is the place to be from 12.30 – 2.30pm! All welcome.
The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RGBE) has announced the appointment of Simon Milne MBE (pictured above) as its new Regius Keeper.
Mr Milne will succeed Professor Stephen Blackmore following his retiral later this month and will become only the 16th person to hold the post since it was created in 1699.
Simon Milne (54) is currently Chief Executive at the Scottish Wildlife Trust in Edinburgh, a post he has held since 2004. Prior to this, he was Director of the Sir Harold Hillier Gardens, Hampshire for four years, preceded by a distinguished 20-year career as a Royal Marines officer.
Sir Muir Russell, Chair of RBGE Board of Trustees paid tribute to the new appointee: “I am delighted to have someone of Simon’s calibre joining us to continue the excellent work done by Steve Blackmore. Simon is familiar with many of the issues facing us, particularly our hot topics of conservation and biodiversity, and we will benefit hugely from his extensive experience in senior leadership roles. I very much look forward to working with him in the future.”
Mr Milne said he was thrilled to be offered the opportunity to take up such a prestigious and important role, adding: “I had a fulfilling and enjoyable time leading the Scottish Wildlife Trust; it was an honour to work with so many committed staff, volunteers and members to help protect and restore our precious wildlife and wild places. The role of Regius Keeper at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh offers me an opportunity to return to the remarkable world of plants. I am looking forward with relish to new challenges and the opportunity to play a crucial role in developing appreciation, education, knowledge and conservation of the plant kingdom.”
The new Regius Keeper will take up his post in February.
The Scottish Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Justice has congratulated six young people who have completed an 18 week work placement programme.
Kenny MacAskill MSP (Scottish Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Justice) handed out completion certificates to the Training Opportunities in Lothian (TOiL) graduates at a ceremony held at the City Chambers on Monday (9 December).
He said: “I congratulate all the young people for completing this TOiL programme and TOiL and Port of Leith Housing Association for contributing to their success.
“We have made a commitment that every school leaver under the age of 19 will be offered the opportunity of a place in meaningful learning or training. One way we are meeting this commitment is through the creation of 25,000 Modern Apprenticeships each year along with £25 million Youth Employment Scotland funding to support 10,000 young people into employment.
“As the Cabinet Secretary for Justice, I am particularly aware of the importance of such opportunities in providing positive futures for young people and their communities. I wish these young people well as they take the next step towards their future career.”
TOiL offers paid six-month work training and placements. Operated by Port of Leith Housing Association (PoLHA), the programme was established in 2004 and since then has helped almost 450 young people aged 16 to 24 into work and training.
Keith Anderson, Chief Executive at PoLHA, said: “We are very grateful to the Cabinet Secretary for Justice for attending our ceremony. Young people are the lifeblood of the economy and it’s imperative there are projects, such as the this, to give them the required skills to get on the career ladder.”
One of those graduating was 18 year old Ben Hughes of Drumbrae. Ben has secured permanent employment as a direct result of the programme with J. Smart’s builders on completion of an 18 week placement with the firm. He said: “I really enjoyed the TOiL programme and the courses were great. I now have a job I love.”
Also graduating on the day were Michael Bryce, Connor Kerr, Mac Cruikshank, Danielle McGill and Lauren Edwards.
John Murray, who manages TOiL, said: “Congratulations to all the young people who have graduated and we look forward to continuing to support them as they progress in their early careers.”
As well as the young people graduating, the ceremony also honoured those involved in TOiL and there were awards for Partner Organisation of the Year which went to RTL, Award of Recognition for Good practice which went to Lothian Gas and Employer of the Year which went to CCG (Scotland) respectively.
If you are a young jobseeker or employer interested in learning more about the TOiL programme, call 554 0403.
All the latest from Fresh Start, the resettlement charity based in Ferry Road Drive:
Edinburgh’s leading resettlement charity is calling on city residents to dig deep this Christmas to ensure previously homeless families can have a ‘HO-t, HO-t, HO-t’ meal.
Fresh Start has ‘ignited’ its annual Cookers for Christmas appeal and is calling on 2,400 Capital residents to donate just £5 to help the charity provide cookers for 150 families and individuals. The charity needs less than 1% of Edinburgh residents to donate just £5 to its annual Cookers for Christmas Appeal to ensure it meets last year’s total.
Keith Robertson, Managing Director at Fresh Start, said: “Help make someone’s Christmas. If one if every 200 people in Edinburgh donated just £5 to our appeal, we’d be able to provide cookers for 150 families.
“This year, thanks to our new cookers re-use project, we’ll be able to help more people than ever before – but we’re only able to do this with your help.”
He added: “Dickensian as it may sound, there will be families and individuals in Edinburgh this Christmas who sit down to a cold Christmas dinner. For families who have recently been housed, a cooker is often too expensive. But with your help we can ensure some of those households don’t have to sit down to a cold meal again.”
Keith Robertson added: “Help make someone’s Christmas by donating on our Fresh Start Cookers for Christmas Just Giving Page, and spread the word through social media using #cookersforchristmas”
The charity’s new innovative cooker re-use service means it will be able to help many more people than in previous years. Historically the Cookers for Christmas donations have used to buy new cookers but Fresh Start have opened a new service – The Food Station.
Launched in September, The Food Station hosts a new Electrical Workshop where the charity can now test donated cookers which will be passed onto clients, meaning it can increase the number of people it can help.
The Food Station is a wider project aimed at addressing health inequalities, with new Food Packs being prepared there, cooking and budgeting classes, and an allotment to provide food for the cooking classes.
Nearly 600 food packs have already been distributed to Edinburgh families and individuals since the launch of the new service to ensure previously homeless households can enjoy a hot, home cooked meal when they move into their new home.
The decision to deliver the new services around food came after people who had been homeless said they struggled to provide home cooked food for themselves and their families when they moved into a new home, due to the costs involved in setting up a house.
The charity also said the current economic climate played a big part in people facing difficulties feeding themselves and their families.
Speaking at the launch of the Food Station service, Keith Robertson said: “I am delighted we can build on the services we already have at Fresh Start and develop them under one roof. Thanks to funding from a variety of sources, we can now reach out to even more people who are going through the transition from being homeless to getting a new home.”
The innovative new services received praise from the Edinburgh’s Lord Provost Councillor Donald Wilson, who said: “Fresh Start has long been a part of the homelessness services in Edinburgh since it was set up in 1999, delivering a handful of packs to people who were homeless in the city.
“Since then it has become significant part of the solution for homeless people looking to settle into a new house, delivering around 2,000 Starter Packs each year and providing a range of services. This new Food Station and Food Pack service is an innovative development and will help people who have been homeless have a home cooked meal from the off, as well as teach them a range of new skills.”
The service will be run from new premises at Harrison Place, Edinburgh, which is owned by the Phoenix Club, a small charity supporting people with disabilities. The Food Station will house:
· A new Electrical Workshop to test donated cookers, which will then be passed on to clients.
· A new Food Packs service which will give individuals and families the basics to make a hot, cooked meal in the first days of moving into a new house. This service is an extension of the current Starter Packs service operated by Fresh Start.
· The charity will also deliver cookery classes to help people learn to cook meals on a small budget.
· An allotment has also been created in the garden, which will provide food for the cookery classes.
Fresh Start’s new Development Worker, Angus Maclean, who comes from a homelessness and care services background, will oversee the project at Harrison Gardens.
Keith Robertson added: “The transition between being homeless and moving into a new home can often bring challenges such as financial burdens so we want to give people the best possible start in their new lives by providing them with the essentials as well as offering them support with cooking, food budgeting and training opportunities. The support from our funders and other local community projects has been a key to enabling the Food Station to open its doors.”
Fresh Start hopes to help over 60 people a year learn new cooking skills. The charity also aims to give around 150 people a cooker so they can cook for themselves.
The charity has received funding from the National Lottery Grant, NHS Lothian, Zero Waste Scotland, Rotary Club of Edinburgh and Hibbert Family Foundation. They have received help from Lloyds Banking Group, Bield Housing Association, John Redpath Electrical Contractors, G A Helmore Electricians, and CitySprint.
Fresh Start will work closely with Bethany Christian Trust and City of Edinburgh Council to ensure cookers and food reach the people that need them most. The cookery classes will be delivered and developed in partnership with Edinburgh Cyrenians Good Food Project.
To donate visit Fresh Start’s Just Giving Page:
http://www.justgiving.com/Fresh-Start-Cookers-for-Christmas-2013
