07/08/2014 – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

Renewed appeal to trace missing man

Have you seen John Coleman?

Police in Edinburgh have issued a renewed appeal to trace a man reported missing in the Capital five years ago.

As part of Police Scotland’s commitment to the continued review of missing person cases, officers are currently looking at the disappearance of John Coleman, who was last seen in Leith Street on 1st May 2009.

The 57-year-old (52 at the time he went missing) was known to visit various areas of Scotland including Montrose, Aberdeen, Inverness, Dundee and Perth, as well as Northern Ireland. However, no positive sightings have ever been confirmed to police.

Officers are now urging anyone who believes they know of John’s current whereabouts to come forward.

He is described as white, around 5ft 9in tall with a medium build, brown eyes and medium-length brown hair. He speaks with a Glasgow accent, and was last seen wearing a beige jacket.

In addition, he also has the word “John” and a rose, dagger and Irish harp all tattooed on his left arm.

Detective Inspector John Kavanagh said: “We have never given up with our efforts to trace John and will continue to review his disappearance.

“Several years have now passed since he was last seen however, I would ask anyone who believes they have information that can assist with this enquiry to contact police immediately.

“In addition, we continue to urge John to make contact with friends, family or police and let us know he is safe and well.”

Those with information should contact Police Scotland on 101.

Contact Details

Call 101 for non-emergencies and general enquiries, in an emergency call 999. If you have information about a crime you can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Protecting the Arctic: local MP signs declaration

Mark Lazarowicz MP has signed a declaration calling for the Arctic to be safeguarded from a rush to exploit its natural resources.

This exploitation could speed the melting of the Polar ice cap, which would have severe consequences not only for the environment in the Arctic itself, but climate change in general by transforming weather patterns.

The marine biologist Sylvia Earle, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Richard Branson and leading NGOs are supporting the Declaration which has also been passed by the European Parliament. It can be found at http://www.arcticdeclaration.org/

Mark Lazarowicz was one of the MPs behind a pioneering report on protecting the Arctic published in September 2012 and he said: ““I am very pleased to see this Declaration highlight the dangers facing the Arctic if unrestrained commercial exploitation such as drilling for oil is allowed to go ahead.

“The long Arctic winter would make any clean-up operation extremely difficult – that’s why an environmental sanctuary over at least part of the Arctic is essential before we consider commercial exploitation on any scale.”

“The ice cap is already melting at an alarming speed and safeguarding it should be one of the key parts of any strategy to tackle climate change.”

The Declaration and its demands will be presented – along with a petition of five million names – to global leaders and to the foreign ministers of the Arctic States (USA, Russia, Canada, Norway and Denmark).

SSPCA: Think twice before buying a bunny

Next week is Rabbit Awareness Week – but you knew that, right?

The Scottish SPCA fears more rabbits than ever are being neglected, mistreated and forgotten about after rescuing a record breaking number of bunnies. Scotland’s animal welfare charity is growing increasingly concerned at the number of animals arriving in their care and is urging members of the public to think very carefully before buying a bunny.

As part of Rabbit Awareness Week, which runs from 11th – 17th August, would-be owners in Edinburgh are being asked to consider taking on a rescue rabbit.

Chief Superintendent Mike Flynn, said, “In 2013 our Balerno based rescue and rehoming centre took in 170 rabbits, a figure which has been increasing year on year. “This worrying trend demonstrates why we need to raise awareness of the hardships many pet rabbits face.

“Some rabbits arrive in our care in a terrible state having been denied basic nutrition and veterinary attention, while others are sadly forgotten pets children have grown tired of.

“Thankfully, the severe cruelty cases are in the minority. The biggest issue is rabbits being put in a hutch and left at the bottom of the garden, with many enduring a life of solitude and boredom.

“Often the only interaction they have is a brief visit from their owner to bring food and water. Many owners even find this to be a chore and it is these rabbits which tend to be dumped outdoors or handed into one of our Rescue Centres unwanted.

“While we never encourage taking on a pet on impulse, we currently have a number of rabbits in our care looking for good, permanent homes.”

Superintendent Flynn added, “Anyone thinking of rehoming a rabbit should ensure they have the time, commitment and financial ability to provide a happy and healthy life.

“Rabbits are highly intelligent, sociable and can make fantastic family pets, though we strongly advise parents that they and not their children need to take responsibility for their welfare. Pets are not toys and should never be given on a whim or as a gift.

“We’d be delighted to welcome potential owners along to our Centre to meet the rabbits we have waiting for a fresh start in life and loving new homes.”

The Scottish SPCA’s Edinburgh Animal Rescue and Rehoming Centre is open from 10am to 4pm daily.

For more information call 03000 999 999 or visit scottishspca.org/rehoming

Case Study

Minnie (above) is a Continental Giant who was found abandoned at Roslin Glen Country Park.
She has a very gentle nature and would make a great addition to any household looking to take on a larger breed of rabbit.

Due to her size, Minnie will need a good size hutch or shed with access to a large run or, ideally, a free run of a safe enclosed garden. Minnie could also be neutered in her new home and introduced to another large breed neutered rabbit.

Travellers: know before you go!

Don’t get caught out by local customs: advice to holidaymakers from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office:

Every year British nationals risk getting caught out by local laws and customs when travelling overseas. From driving a dirty car in Russia, to wearing camouflage clothing in Barbados, travellers could end up with a hefty fine or may even be arrested if they are caught unaware.

According to new research issued by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, while 70% of people believe that researching local laws and customs would make their holiday more enjoyable, less than half would actually make this part of their preparations when visiting somewhere new. For those visiting places they had been to before, just 40% said they would do this research, despite the fact that local legislation and even local customs can change at any time.

In 2014, the following changes in local law were introduced:

fines were increased to $500 for swearing publicly in certain parts of Australia
new requirements were introduced for parents travelling with children in or out of South Africa
e-cigarettes are now banned from being brought into the United Arab Emirates
from January 2015 tourists must have passport valid for at least 60 days from expiry date of their visitor visa when travelling to Turkey

FCO Minister Mark Simmonds said: “It’s easy to throw caution to the wind when on holiday but it’s important to be aware of the local laws and customs before you set off. We want people to enjoy their holidays so we encourage them to be prepared. Laws and customs vary widely from country to country and visitors should respect them to avoid causing offence or even being arrested. Spending five minutes reading our travel advice may save travellers a lot of time in the long run”.

Just last year, two British tourists were arrested for swimming in the Emperor’s moat at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. This might sound like a bit of harmless fun, but their actions were the equivalent of attempting to break into Buckingham Palace – and being arrested in Japan for even a minor offence can mean remaining in custody for 23 days while awaiting an investigation.

Jaywalking in the USA, the Czech Republic and Poland; entering churches or mosques with arms or legs uncovered in Italy or Turkey; and leaving the beach still in swimwear in Mallorca and Barcelona; are just a few examples of common laws and customs broken by foreigners who didn’t research their destination before going on holiday.

How many cigarettes can you legally bring into Thailand? What equipment should you carry in your car when driving in France? What is appropriate attire to wear in public in Saudi Arabia? Wherever you are going, the FCO’s travel advice pages have a laws and customs section for each destination and are a great place to begin your research. Also take a look at our Local Laws and Customs visual graphic (below) for some interesting examples from around the globe.

J3089_Local_Laws_and_Customs_Infographic_Final_AW

Autumn/winter courses at North Edinburgh Childcare

We now have dates in place for all the short courses that are taking place through September to December – see poster (below) for details.

Workers Short Courses September to December 2014

If you would like further information on any of these courses please do not hesitate to contact me.

Thanks

Audrey O’Neill
Training Administrator
North Edinburgh Childcare
18b Ferry Road Avenue, Edinburgh EH4 4BL

Tel: 0131 311 6931
Fax: 0131 315 4420

www.northedinburghchildcare.co.uk

Judgement time for Edinburgh!

Judges from across Europe took a closer look at Edinburgh’s parks, streets and gardens yesterday on a tour of the city. The panel assessed the capital for this year’s Entente Florale, Europe’s biggest environmental competition.

This is the first time the capital has represented the UK in the prestigious awards, following it’s success in Britain in Bloom earlier this year.

Each summer more than 22,000 cities, towns and villages enter the contest, which judges entries on horticultural achievement, community involvement and responsibility for the environment.

The jury spent a full day in the city centre, scoring Edinburgh on everything from the built environment in the High Street, community input in Dunbar’s Close Garden and the Cowgate Nursery’s outdoor learning strategy.

Lord Provost Donald Wilson will host the judges, who have travelled from as far afield as Austria and Croatia, during their stay. He said: “We are honoured to be representing the UK in the Entente Florale this year and are delighted to be able to showcase the hard work carried out by the Council, partners and local groups to the jury.

“It’s not hard to see why Edinburgh is such a popular place to live and visit, and this is the perfect opportunity to celebrate the natural and built environment that makes the city what it is.”

Among the criteria to be assessed for the award are sustainability, landscape, green spaces and tourism and leisure.

As well as the management and design of the city’s parks and green spaces, judges focus on aspects like the city’s active travel strategy, its attitude to recycling, tourism and leisure and the work of bodies like Historic Scotland, Essential Edinburgh, University of Edinburgh and various community and Friends of Parks groups.

Among the initiatives visited by the judges was the Grassmarket Community Project, a charity which works with homeless and vulnerable people to develop skills in horticulture, cooking and woodwork.

Workshop manager Tommy Steel explained: “We involve participants to grow a herb garden in Greyfriar’s Kirk and we use the herbs in our training kitchen. By developing their skills in these areas they’re also developing self esteem and confidence.

“Being part of Entente Florale gives them a focus. Taking part in the judging day has given them a real sense of achievement, as they see the fruits of their labour.”

Find out more about Edinburgh’s involvement in the Entente Florale on the Council website, www.edinburgh.gov.uk

Bon chance, Edimbourg!

PATS training at PEP

Who’s PAT, and why is he training at PEP? Read on, all will be revealed …

Accredited (PATS) Passenger Assistant Training

Tuesday 2 September 2014
9.30 -2.30 at the PEP Centre, West Pilton Park

Pilton Equalities Project (PEP) is registered with the Community Transport Association funded through the City of Edinburgh Council and recognised as the community transport operator for the North Edinburgh quadrant. We are a partner of the Edinburgh Community Transport Operators Group (ECTOG) PEP, Dove Transport, SEAG, LCTS, & Handicabs.

PATS means Passenger Assistants Training Scheme – PATS is a development of MiDAS and has a similar structure.

PATS has been developed for those people who undertake the role of passenger assistant, sometimes called escort. The PATS programme is relevant for passenger’s assistants working in cars, minicabs, taxis, minibuses, large buses and coaches.

PATS is open to any organisation that employs uses or supplies passenger assistants. An organisation does not have to be a member of the MiDAS training scheme in order to use the Passenger Assistant Training Scheme. It is also open to any organisation that uses volunteers as passenger assistants.

As places are limited, for further information on any of our courses call our trainer:

Theodora Hidalgo on 0131 315 4466

email theopepequalities@hotmail.co.uk

pepequalities@btconnect.com

MiDAS PAT’s Publicity

Theodora Hidalgo
Learning and Training Officer, Pilton Equalities Project

Fast Forward to Clydeside

Mhairi Smith is volunteer co-ordinator at Leith-based youth project Fast Forward. Mhairi has just completed some volunteering of her own – she was a Clyde-sider at Glasgow’s ‘pure, dead, brilliant’ Commonwealth Games.

Click on the link below to read her story:

As a Commonwealth volunteer I danced with Rod Stewart, stood next to the Queen, and got proposed to by a Ghanaian athlete.

via As a Commonwealth volunteer I danced with Rod Stewart, stood next to the Queen, and got proposed to by a Ghanaian athlete.