PEP volunteer Tony Delahoy highlights a local community organisation which marks an important milestone this year:
Nationally, this year many important dates and events will be recalled with mixed emotions – they should not be passed over in silence. Locally in North Edinburgh, an important milestone was reached in February.
Pilton Equalities Project (PEP) will have been providing many services for older and other vulnerable adults for 25 years, encouraging independence and reducing isolation.
Over 180 people take part weekly in PEP’s activities: most are transported to and from their homes by PEP’s minibuses. The buses are fully accessible for wheelchair users and are staffed by drivers and escort volunteers.
PEP work is supported by some funding from the City of Edinburgh Council, to whom grateful thanks are expressed by all involved with PEP.
The following activities are on offer:
- Five Day Care Clubs with places for 100 people, with entertainment and classes arranged,
- Arts and Crafts,
- Computer Instruction and Internet,
- Lifelong Learning, Literacy and Numeracy,
- Exercise,
- Cooking,
- Entertainment and Outings,
- Shopping trips twice weekly to various locations,
- Neighbourhood Group four days a week (mental health support),
- Weekend Resource Centre (for aged fifty-plus isolated people),
- Learning difficulty class.
During the summer PEP runs a programme of outings to places of interest outside Edinburgh, and PEP also offers a gardening and handyman service.
As you may imagine many volunteers are need to keep things going: last year over 7500 hours were volunteered! PEP’s services for the people of North Edinburgh are invaluable – at present we have 900 people on our database; without volunteers and funding, services would be denied them.
The name Pilton Equalities Project does not mean that services are restricted to Pilton itself – the actual areas covered takes in Granton, Royston Wardieburn, Trinity, Leith, Drylaw, Muirhouse and Silverknowes.
Our address is:
Pilton Equalities Project
PEP Centre
3 West Pilton Park
Edinburgh EH4 4EL
Telephone 0131 315 4466
Fax 0131 332 4817
Email: pepequalities@btconnect.com
Website: www.pepequalities.co.uk
An event to celebrate our 25 years of service to the people of North Edinburgh will be held in July in Edinburgh College Granton Campus – details will be published as soon as they are confirmed.
Tony Delahoy