01/10/2014 – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

Edinburgh’s Christmas programme launched – and it’s a cracker!

It’s October, so we can start using the ‘C’ word now, right?

Edinburgh’s Christmas programme has been revealed and it promises to be bigger, better and more affordable than ever – especially for families and Edinburgh residents.

The Council has worked with event organisers, Underbelly, to ensure city residents get the best value for money this winter.

If you have an EH postcode, you will receive a 20 per cent discount on all shows, rides and events. There will also be special family prices available for most attractions – which Edinburgh residents can get on top of their 20% discount -plus new family attractions in East Princes Street Gardens for between £1 and £4.

The desire to offer value has been achieved without any compromise on quality – with the Starflyer, Big Wheel and Paradiso Spiegeltent all returning along with an expanded Santa Land and, the community opening event, Light Night on George Street.

You can find out more about the programme and tickets at Underbelly’s Edinburgh’s Christmas website, through Facebook (facebook/edinburghschristmas) and Twitter (@EdXmas).

Programme highlights include:

Light Night on George Street returning on 23 November with 60 school and community groups confirmed to perform on a series of stages up and down George Street to the theme of ‘Christmas Songs and Carols’. Last year, over 26,000 people took to the streets to enjoy this community event
A truly unique ice rink in St Andrew Square around the Melville Monument
The Paradiso Speigletent returns with a programme of world class entertainment including Scotch and Soda, the internationally acclaimed circus show direct from sell out runs at the Sydney and Brisbane Festivals, Stickman, comedy superstar Al Murray for 3 nights only and Edinburgh’s favourite all male burlesque troupe, Briefs
Santa Land in East Princes Street Gardens with the very successful Christmas Tree Maze, Santa Train and Santa’s Grotto, all seen in 2013, joined by a series of affordable family attractions priced between £1 and £4
Other attractions in East Princes Street Gardens include the Big Wheel, the Star Flyer, the Ice Rink on the East Princes Street Gardens terrace and the double decker Carousel

Last year (Christomas 2013/14), over 387,000 tickets were sold for Edinburgh’s Christmas and 73 per cent of people from Edinburgh said that Edinburgh’s Christmas was the sole or an important reason to come to Edinburgh that day.

Edinburgh’s Festivals and Events Champion, Councillor Steve Cardownie, said: “Edinburgh is always a special city during winter and this year, the Capital is certainly the place to be to celebrate Christmas.

“Our festive programmes are the envy of the world. The line up this winter with Underbelly will be bring back some of the city’s classic attractions such as Santa Land – which will be bigger than ever before – and the spectacular Light Night on George Street which returns for its second year. Not only will the East Princes Street Gardens ice rink make a return, after receiving well over 30,000 visitors last Christmas, but a new bespoke ice rink in St Andrew Square will be opened for the very first time.

“I am especially pleased that after feedback from Edinburgh residents and a concerted decision to tailor the programme to suit even more local people, this year’s programme offers a big range of free events and a selection of great value attractions from as little as £1.

“Our Christmas events provide a great boost to the Edinburgh economy, and this year’s offering is set draw residents and visitors of all ages into the city centre.”

Charlie Wood and Ed Bartlam of Underbelly said: ”We’re delighted to be presenting Edinburgh’s Christmas for the second year. Last year we re-imagined the event and brought record breaking numbers of people to Edinburgh.

“We’re very excited about this year’s innovations, including the new ice rink in St Andrew Square around the Melville Monument; the expanded Santa Land in Princes Street Gardens with more affordable attractions; and the new family prices and the 20% EH residents’ discount across the board.

“We want this to be a Christmas for all of Edinburgh and we think there’s something for everyone – from Scotch & Soda in the Spiegeltent to our Stained Glass project where 24 Edinburgh primary schools will show off their creations in Princes Street Gardens. Our ambition is to make Edinburgh the best place to spend Christmas, whether you’re a resident or a visitor. It maybe early to say this, but we are wishing Edinburgh a “Happy Christmas”.

New minimum wage rates come into force today

Over one million of Britain’s lowest-paid workers are set to benefit as new National Minimum Wage (NMW) rates come into force from today.

The rate rise to £6.50 per hour, the first real terms cash increase since 2008, follows the recommendations from the independent Low Pay Commission (LPC) in March this year and the call for faster, affordable rate rises by Business Secretary Vince Cable.

The National Minimum Wage rates from 1 October 2014, as recommended by the LPC, are:

a 19p (3%) increase in the adult rate (from £6.31 to £6.50 per hour)
a 10p (2%) increase in the rate for 18 to 20-year-olds (from £5.03 to £5.13 per hour)
a 7p (2%) increase in the rate for 16 to 17-year-olds (from £3.72 to £3.79 per hour)
a 5p (2%) increase in the rate for apprentices (from £2.68 to £2.73 per hour)

The rate rise will mean more than 1 million people are set to see their pay rise by as much as £355 a year.

Business Secretary Vince Cable said: “The National Minimum Wage provides a vital safety net for the lowest paid, ensuring they get a fair wage whilst not costing jobs. This year’s rise will mean that they will enjoy the biggest cash increase in their take home pay since the banking crisis, benefiting over 1 million people in total.

“I believe it is vital that the Low Pay Commission’s recommendations – not political considerations – should set national minimum wage rates. As signs of a stronger economy start to emerge, we need to do more to make sure that the benefits of growth are shared fairly across the board. The Low Pay Commission will continue to advise government on future wage rises and ensure the minimum wage keeps pace with inflation.”

Earlier this year the Business Secretary asked the LPC to extend its expertise to help government and business understand how we can deal with the issue of low wages in the economy. In particular, he asked it to look at what economic conditions would be needed to allow the National Minimum Wage to rise in the future by more than current conditions allow, and restore its real value.

The Business Secretary welcomed the LPC’s assessment that 2014 will mark the start of a new phase of bigger increases, provided economic conditions continue to improve. It is the first time the government has been provided with a broader evaluation of the issues that affect low pay.

Paying any less than the minimum wage is illegal. If employers break the law the government will take tough action, including enforcing steep financial penalties and publicly naming flouters.

Anyone who feels they are being exploited should contact the free and confidential Pay and Work Rights Helpline on 0800 917 2368.

More Scots are cutting it out

Thousands more quit smoking but still work to be done

The number of Scots who successfully gave up smoking for at least a month has exceeded targets by more than 50 per cent. Figures released yesterday by ISD Scotland show the smoking cessation target to deliver 80,000 one month quits were exceeded by 56 per cent with 124,734 people giving up the habit between 1 April 2011 and 31 March 2014.

A target of 48,000 quits in Scotland’s most deprived areas was also exceeded, with 70,162 saying they had given up.

In total, across NHS Scotland there were 332,285 quit attempts made over the last three years with 195,355 of these attempts made in the 40 per cent most deprived areas.

Over the three year period, 13 of the 14 NHS boards met their target with some exceeding it by more than 60 per cent.

Michael Matheson, Minister for Public Health, said: “Giving up smoking is the single best thing anyone can do to improve their health. That is why we welcome these latest figures, showing NHS smoking cessation services are continuing to deliver positive results.

“While it’s encouraging to see target numbers exceeded, we are not complacent. Smoking rates are higher in deprived areas, contributing to health inequalities. We will continue to work to reach out to people in these communities and to help them to quit. We have also introduced a new target for NHS Scotland to support successful quits in our most deprived communities.”

Smoking has long been recognised as the biggest single cause of preventable ill-health and premature death. The Scottish Government is tackling the harm caused by tobacco use and last year set out a challenging Tobacco Control Strategy create a tobacco-free generation by 2034.

Have you managed to kick the habit? How did you do it? Let us know!

Stolen Lives: Forthview pupils produce WW1 poetry anthology

A series of emotional First World War poems written by Forthview primary school children have been transformed into a new book.

Forthview Primary School P and P7 pupils saw the National Theatre’s superb production of War Horse at the Festival Theatre earlier this year, and they were so inspired by the show they decided to write a series of poems based on the experiences of Scottish people during the war.

These have now been turned into an anthology, Stolen Lives, which was recited for the first time at a special launch event at the Festival Theatre yesterday (Tuesday 30 September).

The poems were read out by actors from the critically-acclaimed First World War play Regeneration, which is currently on a week long run at the King’s Theatre in Edinburgh.

The pupils watched War Horse as part of the START project run in conjunction with the Festival Theatre which aims to make cultural venues more accessible to young people. They were then helped in turning their poems into a book by author Mary Turner Thomson – and it was during one of her workshops that P7 pupil Demmi-Leigh Brammer came up with the title Stolen Lives.

Demmi said: “We wrote our poems after seeing War Horse and hearing some World War 1 poems. I thought of the title, ‘Stolen Lives’ because the soldiers were killed by complete strangers as if their lives were being stolen from them.

“I am really excited about the launch. I think it’s going to be really fun but, at the same time, I am quite nervous about singing in front of lots of people.”

Forthview Primary School Head Teacher Eileen Littlewood said: “The pupils were inspired to write these wonderful poems after seeing War Horse as they were captivated by the story of Joey and the historical events of the First World War. The pupils really are very talented writers and thanks to their excellent teachers they’ve succeeded in writing very beautiful, atmospheric poems.”

Mary Turner Thomson said: “I was very impressed with the pupils’ poetic endeavours and felt they had put a lot of effort and emotion into their contributions. This whole project has been an amazing experience and a reminder of the horrors the people who fought in the war went through.

“It’s good that a whole new generation of our children are inspired to think about their sacrifice 100 years since it began. These young poets, seeing their work in print within their very own book of poetry, will now remember and pass this on to the next generation as well.”

Cerin Richardson, Learning & Participation Manager at the Festival and King’s Theatres, said: “Watching the inspirational War Horse led the pupils to taking part in some artist-led music, dance, puppetry and poetry workshops in school, as part of the START project funded by the Princes Foundation for Children and the Arts.

“The children produced some extraordinary work and this encouraged them to write the poems included here in their book, Stolen Lives. The Festival Theatre is delighted to have been part of the process which has led to this wonderfully imaginative and beautifully written book of poems.”

Today’s launch also coincides with Historic Scotland, who run Edinburgh Castle, launching their new school project ‘Learning about Scotland’s First World War’.

Craig Fletcher, Senior Learning Manager at Historic Scotland, said: “We are delighted to be working with Forthview Primary School and other partners on this new project which allows young people to explore their local heritage, whilst learning more about the war and its impact on Scottish people.

“Historic Scotland will work in partnership with local schools during the commemorative period for the First World War. Pupils will visit historic properties to explore buildings, museums and objects as they investigate and discover the impact of the War in Scotland and discover real people’s stories. They will also have the opportunity to participate in interactive workshops enabling them to reflect on their learning experiences.”

Special thanks also go to officers from the City of Edinburgh Council’s Integrated Literacy Strategy team and students/tutor from the Illustration Department of Edinburgh College of Art who worked with the pupils to illustrate their poems.

Building New Futures: maybe this time?

Regeneration’s back on the agenda as conference hears of ‘growing optimism’

It was one of Europe’s most ambitious regeneration programmes – an opportunity to clean up a massive brownfield site, create new communities and link Edinburgh’s city centre with the sea. Hotels, new homes, schools and small businesses were to be built on the old industrial waterfront, all served by a modern, efficient tram network. There was even talk of a floating island – but then came the recession …

That was six years ago, but the economy is recovering at last and there’s growing optimism that Edinburgh’s waterfront can now fulfil it’s undoubted potential.

Forth Neighbourhood Partnership and local community councils organised a community conference at Edinburgh College on Granton’s waterfront last weekend to inform local residents about what’s happening now and what plans are in place to regenerate the waterfront area. Around sixty delegates attended the ‘Buiding New Futures’ event and heard speakers outline plans that could see North Edinburgh transformed over the coming years.

It’s well known that Edinburgh has a severe housing shortage, and with growing pressure on Edinburgh’s cherished green belt the opportunity to build new homes on brownfield sites must be seized. Speakers from National Grid and the city council outlined plans to build thousands of new homes along the waterfront, and highlighted prospects of local employment opportunities as the regeneration gathers momentum.

A major house building initiative is already well underway in the area: as part of the 21st Century Homes programme, the Council is about to let their first new homes in a generation. Work is also underway on the former Craigroyston High School site which will form the first phase of plans to build over 700 new homes for sale and rent over the next eight to ten years in Pennywell and Muirhouse.

People living in these new homes will need services, of course, and health provision in the area is already under strain. NHS Lothian Partnership Development Manager Steven Whitton outlined the latest plans for a major new health facility, the North West Edinburgh Partnership Centre – that’s only a working title, mind, there’s got to be a catchier name than that!

The £12m Centre in Pennywell (above) will focus on child health and family support services and will house a new GP surgery, community nursing and midwifery services, dentistry, podiatry, physiotherapy and child health services. The centre will also provide facilities for social work and some voluntary sector organisations and is expected to open in September 2016.

Given the sheer scale of the regeneration project – the many different elements of the area’s development and the number of partner organisations involved – it was impossible to cover all aspects in minute detail, but the conference provided a timely update to local residents and Forth Neighbourhood Partnership plans to work with the local community councils to ensure that neighbourhoods are kept informed and involved as work progresses.

Forth Neighbourhood Partnership’s chairperson Councillor Cammy Day (pictured above) said: “I was pleased to see a great turnout at the event, and the diverse groups of people who are keen to take part in shaping their new and existing neighbourhoods.

“The conference provided a fantastic opportunity for the community to get to know more about regeneration taking place and to meet with key landowners and developers. This is not just about much-needed affordable homes, but the creation of jobs and training opportunities, leisure facilities and attracting investment into this area.

“This event isn’t a one-off either, I will be establishing a local development group where the community, council, developers and landowners in Granton Waterfront can get around the table, discuss plans at an early stage to shape and influence proposals, where possible, to meet our needs. It was a great start to what I hope will be a long-term partnership between the community and all those involved in regenerating this part of North Edinburgh.”

West Pilton & West Granton community councillor Willie Black, who was involved in organising the event, said: “The conference gave the community the opportunity to hear all the major players outline their plans for the regeneration of the waterfront and beyond – and to have their say. Everyone who was there though it was useful, but where now? A new regeneration forum group is to be set up and over the next few weeks community organisations will be invited to join and help build on the conference.”

Granton Improvement Society’s Barbara Robertson said: “Our stall attracted a lot of interest, particularly in the proposed Garden Festival and artisans’ village, and we’re pleased Cammy supports our project and wants to see it included in the area’s regeneration. The success of the conference showed the enthusiasm of the community to be involved in planning the regeneration of their area and paved the way for a new forum for the community to have their say.”

Some cynics will say ‘we’ve heard it all before’, but what about the next generation? Members of North Edinburgh’s Young People’s Forum attended the event and their feedback was very positive. Among their comments: ‘Feels like most of us if not all of us now know more about what is happening in the area’, ‘it’d be great to have more events like this to feed back on plans and what has been done’ and ‘feel more involved in what is happening and with what is going on in the area’. One suggested: ‘it would be good to say what has been done in relation to what the community has asked for – like a ‘you said – we did’ kind of thing’. Oh, and not so many big words next time please!

Building New Futures? Maybe this time …