Day: November 10, 2014

LOOPS phone support for older people

LOOPS

Last month Volunteer Centre Edinburgh launched a new dedicated phone line for people aged 65 and over living in North West and South East Edinburgh, giving easy access to information on a huge range of activities available to them.

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Using a dedicated direct dial number 0131 603 8311, lines will be open from 10am to 2pm Monday to Friday with a call back service outside of these times.

There are trained friendly volunteers taking calls and chatting through options along with an email service on loops@volunteeredinburgh.org.uk.

People are living longer and the new phone line aims to help people maintain a good quality of life by giving access to information on activities which can help keep us happy and healthy as well as giving us a great excuse to socialise.

The phone line is part of the Local Opportunities for Older People, or LOOPs initiative which is piloting a variety of innovative, new services across Edinburgh aimed at encouraging people 65 plus.

The phone line is hoping to reach out to as many as possible. We are hoping you will be able assist with the distribution of information to people that would benefit from the service and pass on information so that we can reach as many people as possible and tackle the effects of loneliness and isolation while improving the quality of life.

The LOOPS Newsletter can be seen on http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=0b38cc2994553b30f6e3d8565&id=2ded133f71&e=bd92abb693

Heather Yang, LOOPs Development Officer

New exhibitions at North Edinburgh Arts

Please join us to celebrate the opening of two very creative and imaginative exhibitions here at North Edinburgh Arts.

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Imagination Mill
Opens Tuesday 11 November, 5.30-7.30pm

Imagination Mill is a collection of work by a group of creatives who met serendipitously through attending Edinburgh College of Art. All are recent graduates or current postgraduates. Here, in the gallery of North Edinburgh Arts, you are invited to explore these works of fictional vision and be inspired to use your own, individual imagination mill.

 

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Everybody kens Everybody
Opens Wednesday 12 November, 4.30pm

A showcase of documentary style photographs taken of local people from Muirhouse over a period of 3-4 years. Borja Prada’s discerning portrayal is a celebration of the diverse community that live in the area.

 

Keir welcomes trams announcement

Colin Keir MSP for Edinburgh Western has welcomed the news that the Edinburgh Tram Inquiry has been converted from a non-statutory to a statutory Inquiry.

trams messThe Scottish Government has placed the enquiry on a statutory footing which will compel those involved in the Trams project to give evidence following a request from the inquiry chair Lord Hardie.

Mr Keir said: “This is great news that the Scottish Government has acted on the advice of Lord Hardie to convert the Edinburgh Tram Inquiry from a non-statutory to statutory status.

It is shocking that there has been a lack of co-operation by some of those who were involved in the project, this is clearly unacceptable. As the cost has risen to frightening levels over the years, surely the residents of Edinburgh – as well as taxpayers beyond the city boundaries – are entitled to know why this project became a financial liability and embarrassment to the city.”

The Edinburgh Tram Inquiry will convert from a non-statutory to a statutory inquiry following advice from the Chair Lord Hardie. On Friday, Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon instructed the conversion under the Inquiries Act 2005 after Lord Hardie advised that the Inquiry is not receiving the participation it requires.

Making the Inquiry statutory will allow Lord Hardie to compel the production of evidence, the participation of witnesses and enable a robust final report to be prepared. It is not anticipated that the change in status will affect the cost or timescale of the Inquiry.

Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “It was the view of the Scottish Government that a non-statutory inquiry with the co-operation of those with knowledge of the project was the simplest way to ensure the swift answers that people want.

“Lord Hardie has however now reported a lack of co-operation by some, which is clearly unjustifiable. I have therefore given the Inquiry the statutory powers he has requested to ensure that the necessary evidence is secured and a robust final report produced.

“Lord Hardie has assured me that converting the Inquiry to a statutory basis will not increase the costs and time required as he had intended to apply similar procedures. I continue to attach great importance to an inquiry that is quick, efficient and cost effective.”

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The Inquiry’s terms of reference are threefold:

  • To inquire into the delivery of the Edinburgh Trams project (‘the project’), from proposals for the project emerging to its completion, including the procurement and contract preparation, its governance, project management and delivery structures, and oversight of the relevant contracts, in order to establish why the project incurred delays, cost considerably more than originally budgeted for and delivered significantly less than was projected through reductions in scope.
  • To examine the consequences of the failure to deliver the project in the time, within the budget and to the extent projected.
  • To otherwise review the circumstances surrounding the project as necessary, in order to report to the Scottish Ministers making recommendations as to how major tram and light rail infrastructure projects of a similar nature might avoid such failures in future.