Mandela book of condolence at City Chambers

A Book of Condolence has been opened in the City Chambers for those wishing to pay their respects to Nelson Mandela. Members of the public can sign the book between 7am and 7pm until Friday (13 December) or they can leave a message through the council website.

Lord Provost Donald Wilson was the first to sign the book on Friday. He said: “I was greatly saddened to learn of Nelson Mandela’s passing last night. But I also felt a sense of relief that he can now be at rest.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends but also with the people of South Africa as they come to terms with their great loss.

“Edinburgh has a long and close association with South Africa and its struggle for equality and, of course, with Nelson Mandela himself.

“I would encourage people to sign the Book of Condolence and to reflect upon his great courage, strength and determination. His legacy and everything it represents will live on for generations to come.”

The Lord Provost has submitted a motion to this week’s council meeting calling for a report that explores how Edinburgh can create a lasting tribute to Mr Mandela.

Keep animals safe this winter

The Scottish SPCA is urging owners to keep animals safe this winter. Scotland’s animal welfare charity has issued advice to pet owners, farmers and wildlife enthusiasts as the first winter weather arrives.

Scottish SPCA Chief Superintendent Mike Flynn said, “Freezing temperatures and deep snow can be very dangerous for domestic pets, equines, farm animals and wildlife.

“We always urge dog owners to keep their pets on the lead near frozen waterways and people must never go after their dog if it walks out onto the ice. Each year we hear of incidents where people have tried to rescue their pet from a frozen river or lake, often with tragic consequences, and we’re keen to make sure both animals and owners stay safe this winter.

“Cat owners should also make adequate provisions for their pets by ensuring they have access to somewhere warm when the temperature drops. All animals kept outdoors should have shelter, extra food, plenty of bedding and must have access to unfrozen drinking water.

“In the worst winter weather, owners of rabbits and other pets kept in outdoor hutches should move them inside where possible. The level of snowfall and treacherous conditions can make it hard for farmers to monitor their animals but, again, it is vital that they have access to unfrozen drinking water and food.
It is also kind to feed wild birds at this time of year as their natural food sources will be scarce.”

Anyone who finds an animal in distress over the winter period is encouraged to contact the Scottish SPCA for help and advice.

Chief Supt Flynn added, “Last year we dealt with a large number of wildlife casualties such as underweight hedgehogs found struggling to survive and orphaned or injured seal pups. Anyone who spots a sick, injured or distressed animal should call our Animal Helpline on 03000 999 999.”

Reliance on food banks show that the economy’s not working – Larazowicz

Edinburgh North and Leith MP Mark Lazarowicz says the growing number of families turning to food banks for help is an indictment of the Chancellor’s autumn statement claim that his ‘economic plan is working.’

The MP recently helped local church volunteers from the Leith Food Bank with a food collection at Tesco in Leith. The food collection was organised in conjunction with food bank charity the Trussell Trust and food redistribution charity FareShare. Tesco donated an extra 30% to the food bank, on top of the goods given by customers.

Mark Lazarowicz said: “The Chancellor’s economic plan is certainly not working for the families who will be forced to look to food banks for help this Christmas. Initiatives like this one in Leith show the strength of community spirit here in Edinburgh but it is an indictment that they should be needed at all.

“The Chancellor talked of ‘difficult decisions’ on spending and ‘living within our means’– parents struggling to meet fuel and food bills are all too familiar with that.

“According to Citizens Advice Scotlandhalf of those helped by food banks are in work – they will be much less sure than the Chancellor that the economy is heading in the right direction.”

The North and Leith MP is also backing the campaign by Unite, the Daily Mirror and the Trussell Trust to raise funds for food banks to help families in crisis this Christmas and to call for a Parliamentary debate on the issue.

Leith’s food bank was launched in October as the result of an initiative by local churches – the number of UK Food Banks has trebled since 2009.

Citadel Arts to stage free panto

Citadel Arts Group, a Leith-based theatre and living memory company, are to perform ‘McScrooge’, a free family panto, at the Kirkgate Community Centre later this month …

We’re performing a pantomime, ‘McScrooge’on 20^th December at 1.30pm in the Kirkgate Community Centre. It’s a free show for all the community and to mark the launch of a book of living memories, ‘You Never Forget the Stories’ – reminiscences of Leith and beyond’.

All the participants live locally or have strong Leith connections. The group includes a Newhaven celebrity, Ron Cattell, who directed the Gang Show and the ‘Children’s Hour’ shows in the Ross Bandstand for years. Some of his fascinating stories are in the book.

We’re also inviting members of the Leith Drama Team, our youth drama group, to the show to lead the shouts of ‘He’s behind you!’ – it’s a traditional panto lasting just half an hour.

It would be great to see you!

Liz Hare

www.citadelartsgroup.co.uk

Vulnerable groups urged: get vaccinated

Scotland’s senior health professional has called on people with underlying health conditions in the Lothians to get protected from flu following the release of new figures showing that over half of people in this group were still to be vaccinated this year.

Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer, Sir Harry Burns made his plea as new figures were released for flu vaccination uptake since the campaign started on 1 October 2013. The figures show that a number of people have yet to be vaccinated in the Lothians NHS area, including:

– 54 per cent of people under 65 with underlying health problems such as

asthma and diabetes

– 58 per cent of pregnant women

– 56 per cent of two and three year olds

Getting protected from flu is important for individuals with underlying health conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, cystic fibrosis, MS and other heart, lung and liver problems and those suffering from lowered immunity) as well as pregnant women. These groups can be hit harder with flu and can suffer more serious complications, even if they previously felt fit and healthy.

Catching flu can cause unnecessary worry for friends and family as well as posing a risk of spreading the virus.

Sir Harry said: “Flu strikes suddenly and it’s important to be prepared. If you have a long-term medical condition, the best way to protect yourself is to get the vaccine. It is not too late for those who have not received their flu vaccine to do so.

“The flu vaccine only takes a few minutes, but will offer protection for around 12 months.”

“It is equally as important to ensure that if your child is invited to get vaccinated against flu, you take up the offer as children are unlikely to have built up immunity from previous infections. In fact, youngsters are two to three times as likely to be ill with flu than adults.

Dr Lorna Willocks, Flu Immunisation Co-ordinator at NHS Lothian, said: “Flu survives better in a cold environment and flu viruses will circulate across Scotland as we move deeper into winter. People need to be aware that flu is much worse than a bad cold and can make adults and children very unwell.

“If you are in an eligible group then it’s very important to ensure that you are vaccinated to reduce the risk of you catching flu and suffer serious complications. I would like to urge all remaining local people who are eligible for the flu vaccine to speak with their GP practice to arrange to get their free vaccination.”

If you would like to find out more information about the flu vaccine, contact NHS Inform on 0800 22 44 88 or log on to www.immunisationscotland.org.uk

Winter Open Day at Redhall tomorrow

Redhall Walled Garden is holding a community Winter Open Day tomorrow (Sunday 8 December) from 12-5pm.

To summarise what’s on offer :-

Spot the snowman quiz & trail
Children’s Activities
Holly Wreaths for sale
Cream Teas
Beautiful garden

Jan Cameron (Team leader)

Redhall Walled Garden

97 Lanark Road, Edinburgh EH14 2LZ

0131 443 0946

The garden is open to the public Monday- Friday 9am – 3:30pm

To find out more about Redhall see our video on Youtube click on

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGLGSksilX0

or attend our Information day on the first Wednesday of every month – phone to book.

City protesters say no to sanctions

City protesters to take action against benefits cuts and austerity

Protesters opposing benefits sanctions and work-for-your-benefits schemes are set to take action in Edinburgh city centre tomorrow (Saturday 7 December). Edinburgh Coalition Against Poverty (ECAP) have called people to gather at noon in Festival Square on Lothian Road to “say no to sanctions, workfare and austerity.”

The demonstration is part of the Britain-wide Boycott Workfare Week of Action against benefits sanctions and the government’s controversial “work-for-your-benefits” schemes.

“580,000 sanctions were imposed in the 9 month period up until June 2013 – that’s over half a million people (thousands of them officially recognised as sick or disabled) denied even the pittance of benefit payment in the sixth richest country in the world,” said Ethel MacDonald of ECAP.

“Jobcentre workers are being threatened with disciplinary action if they don’t sanction more claimants. People are being left penniless for absolutely no good reason. This week a man who had arrived on time for his fortnightly signing was delayed within the Jobcentre by the absence of staff – and then had his money stopped for being allegedly two minutes late!

“Another claimant had his benefits stopped because he had not written down the name of every single job seekers website he had looked at. When he started to tell the adviser the names of the websites, she claimed that was not good enough and his money would be stopped.”

“Unemployed people are being forced to work for nothing on schemes like the Work Experience scheme, Mandatory Work Activity and the Work Programme. Research has shown these schemes do not help people find jobs. In fact they increase unemployment – why should employers pay people if they can get free labour?

“People are actually being told they have to stop doing voluntary work at charities, in order to work for nothing at another charity! Even people on Employment and Support Allowance who have been found unfit for work are being forced onto the Work Programme – with their benefits stopped if they are unable to comply. We have been supporting a claimant whose official diagnosis is “chronic intractable pain “ who was without benefits for months due to sanctions. He was too ill to attend the Work Programme but the DWP and private workfare company Ingeus combined to leave him penniless and dependent on food banks.

“Workfare, the DWP’s sanction campaign, ATOS’s hounding of the sick and disabled, and the vile narrative of scroungers and work shy, are all part of the State’s campaign to drive down the cost of labour so companies can make more profits, ” said Ethel MacDonald of ECAP. “We call on everyone, in or out of employment, to take a stand against policies which are robbing the poor to make the rich even richer.

“Following Britain-wide protests, many charities and companies have already pulled out of the workfare schemes, and we urge those still involved to do the right thing and stop exploiting claimants.”

Edinburgh Coalition Against Poverty www.edinburghagainstpoverty.org.uk ecap@lists.riseup.net
Boycott Workfare www.boycottworkfare.org

Port of Leith Christmas Fayres raise over £1700

Port of Leith Housing Association’s (PoLHA) sheltered housing complexes raised over £1,700 at their Christmas fayres. St Nicholas Court on Ferry Road raised £1,000 and Jameson Place £730.

All funds raised will go towards supporting activities for residents including day trips, theatre trips, exercise classes and lunch clubs.

The complexes had an array of stalls including a raffle, tombola, home bakes, bric-a-brac, books and toys.

Maureen Tait Senior Sheltered Housing Co-ordinator with PoLHA manages the St Nicholas Court complex. She said: “The annual Christmas fayres are always great fun for the staff and residents and a great chance for us to interact and have a good time with the local community.

“We’re delighted to have raised over £1,700 and are grateful to the all those people who came along to support us. Many of our residents are young at heart and really enjoy getting out and about on trips and these fundraising events helps make it happen for them.”

Letter: Socialist solution to self-interest

Dear Editor

We are living in a capitalist society where most places of work are privately owned, in which the first priority is to maximise profit. The owners are also free to close down places of work if they feels profits are not enough, regardless of the effect on the workers and their families.

By it’s very nature the capitalist system is based on the owners’ self-interest, whether dealing with national workforces or international workforces.

Modern technology and knowhow is now able to solve the scourge of starvation, poverty and ill-health worldwide, but owners of industries are not willing to set aside their self-interest.

The capitalist system has amassed unbelievable wealth but in the UK cannot or will not solve the problems of jobs, housing, pensions, health, care of the elderly, education and social services. They cannot or will not treat the preventable diseases that kill millions of children worldwide for the sake of the few pence per head needed to do so.

In the knowledge of all this, the arrogance of language and policy used by political supporters in support of capitalism is breathtaking. Replacement of such a useless system is long overdue, being replaced by one working for the benefit of all – SOCIALISM.

A. Delahoy

Silverknowes Gardens

Full house for North Edinburgh’s Big Night Out

There wasn’t a spare seat in the theatre for North Edinburgh’s Big Night Out, organised by local group Power to the People, at North Edinburgh Arts last week. Over a hundred people from North Edinburgh and beyond enjoyed an evening of song, poetry, dance and drama.

Power to the People evolved from North Edinburgh Social History Group, local people who trawled through a huge volume of archive material to produce ‘Never Give Up’, a history of community activism in North Edinburgh.

Power to the People took this a stage further, and last Friday’s event was not only a celebration of the succesful conclusion of the course but also an opportunity to encourage wider activism.

Guests and visitors had an opportunity to visit art and photography exhibitions and view a video slideshow in North Edinburgh Arts’ galleries and cafe area before taking their seats in the theatre

There was a raft of strong performances on a special evening. North Edinburgh’s very own Timebank Choir got the show off to a rousing start and this was followed by poetry from Ian Moore and Anna Hutchison, two founding members of both the Social History and Power to the People groups.

If the early part of the programme was dominated by North Edinburgh’s more mature activists, the stage belonged to the next generation when students from Craigroyston Community High School performed a medley of music, prose and drama which almost brought the house down. The future’s bright …

The Craigroyston kids were a near impossible act to follow, but North Edinburgh’s Womens International Group did just that with a moving interpretation of a work by Pastor Niemoller.

The evening was not limited to performers from North Edinburgh, of course, and Scots machair Liz Lochhead was a very welcome guest. Scotland’s national poet remains as popular as ever and national treasure Liz delighted an appreciative audience with some of her earliest poems as well as her latest epistle – written especially for a cinema opening the following evening and hot off the press. North Edinburgh heard it first!

The talented Penny Stone brought a memorable evening to a fitting finale by leading the audience – young and not quite so young – in a medley of popular protest songs.

CLD worker Lynn McCabe, who supports the Power to the People group, said: “The group wanted the Big Night Out to achieve a number of things: celebrate the end of the Power to the People course and share what we’ve learned with a wider audience. We also wanted people to have a good night out and to enjoy the entertainment.

“The Big Night Out also gave us an opportunity to promote the arts and to raise awareness about the Referendum – we hope the event will promote further discussion and debate.

“It was great that the young people from Craigroyston played such an active part on the night and we would like to attract more young people as well as others of all ages who are not already involved.

Our hope was that the audience would leave feeling inspired, motivated to get involved and more committed to equality and defending what’s important. The Power to the People group wanted to get the message across that change is possible, that there is an alternative and that we can change the world!”

The group would like to thank:

Jade and Subie for giving up their free time to produce their art work for the big night out (this was done on a voluntary basis outwith their course)
Helen Foster at Scran and Claire the IT tutor at Royston Wardieburn for supporting the Power to the People group learn how to use this important resource to prepare the exhibition
The Scotsman Publications, Gerry McCann and Duncan Brown for allowing us to use their photos for free
Craigroyston Community High School for encouraging and supporting their pupils to participate in this community event
The timebank choir
All the staff at North Edinburgh Arts
Royston Wardieburn Community Centre for paying for the transport to get people here and back tonight
CLD for providing worker support and finance towards the cost of the event
Plton Central Association
Liz Lochhead for giving up her time to join us here tonight
Joel Venet for filming the event
Dave Pickering, MC for the night
And finally, the Power to the People group for organising the event

The group will evaluate the Big Night Out when they next meet – changing the world may take a little longer!

Some Big Night Out pictures:

STOP PRESS: Joel Venet has prouced a short Big Night Out highlights video. You’ll find it on YouTube at North Edinburgh Fights Back – it’s called Celebrate2

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