We are now recruiting for the new Childcare Academy, which starts on Monday 23 February.
Please see the attached poster and standard information.
February 2015 CA Publicity Poster 18
Childcare Academy Standard Information
Audrey O’Neill, Training Administrator
North Edinburgh Childcare
18b Ferry Road Avenue, Edinburgh EH4 4BL
Tel: 0131 311 6931 Fax: 0131 315 4420
Scottish Chamber Orchestra: Music Workshops
North Edinburgh Arts
Friday 30 January
5 – 9 years (2 – 2.45pm)
1 – 4 years (3 – 3.45pm)
Free
Sir Scallywag and the Golden Underpants
When King Colin’s golden underpants go missing and the royal bottom is bared, it’s Sir Scallywag to the rescue! Brave and bold, courageous and true, he’s the perfect knight for the job… and what does it matter that he’s only six?!
Join the SCO team for an afternoon of music making. Hear the story and learn songs and actions featured in the SCO’s upcoming Family Concerts with the help of the workshop leader and SCO musicians.
All children must be accompanied by a parent/carer.
A snack will be provided after each workshop.
Places are limited. The workshops will run from North Edinburgh Arts, but to book tickets contact SCO directly:
Telephone: 0131 478 8342
Email: anna.hainsworth@sco.org.uk
or on their website: www.sco.org.uk
The kitchen can be the most dangerous place in the home
Two separate kitchen fires in Edinburgh last weekend have prompted a reminder from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service: take care and pay attention when you’re cooking.
A man was treated in hospital for burns to his arms and face following a small kitchen fire at Adams Well on Saturday night, and crews were also called to a grill pan fire at Lady Menzies Place on Sunday evening. Two casualties were led to safety by firefighters, one of whom needed treatment from the Scottish Ambulance Service for smoke inhalation.
Group Manager for Prevention and Protection in Edinburgh, Steve Gourlay said: “The kitchen can be the most dangerous place in the home. Fire can cause damage not just to your property, but more seriously can put family at risk.
“Many kitchen fires happen when people are not paying attention, leave things unattended or from the careless use of electrical appliances but there are several things you can do to prevent fires in the kitchen.
“Don’t leave pans unattended. Take them off the heat if you have to leave the room. Fire starts when your attention stops. When you have finished cooking, make sure the cooker or oven is turned off. Don’t clutter your work surfaces with combustible materials.
“SFRS crews routinely conduct free home fire safety visits to help householders identify risks and take the simple steps needed to reduce the chance of fires. If you or someone you know could benefit from our free home fire safety visit then get in touch.”
Anyone can join Scotland’s fight against fire and register for a free home fire safety visit by calling 0800 0731 999, texting ‘check’ to 61611, filling out a form at www.firescotland.gov.uk or by contacting their local fire station.
For more information on keeping safe in the kitchen visit /your-safety/for-householders/kitchen-safety.aspx
Council strategy aims to balance safe drinking with economic development
A report that highlights the need to reduce alcohol-related harm in Edinburgh while supporting economic development will be presented to councillors next week.
The report to the City of Edinburgh Council’s Health, Social Care and Housing Committee on January 27 2015 will state that in the capital:
‘it is the people of Scotland who will determine if these proposals go far enough’ – John Swinney
Prime Minister David Cameron will meet Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon in Edinburgh today to discuss the next stage of devolving more powers to the Scottish Parliament. The visit comes on the day the UK government publishes draft legislation on powers it intends to transfer to Holyrood.
However Deputy First Minister John Swinney has warned that the UK Government’s proposals for more powers for Scotland must deliver the recommendations of the Smith Commission in full.
During today’s announcement the Prime Minister is expected to say the draft legislation proves the ‘vow’ of new powers made by the unionist parties before the referendum has been delivered ahead of the Burns Night schedule.
Speaking ahead of the publication, Mr Swinney said: “The proposals which Mr Cameron publishes today must live up to the word and spirit of the Smith Commission. Scotland should not – and will not – accept anything less.
“While the Smith Commission recommendations did not go as far as we wanted, and do not live up to the ‘Vow’ made before the independence referendum, we welcome them, and they must now be delivered in full.
“There is a long way to go before these proposals are put into law. What we have today is the start of the process to develop a Westminster Bill which has widespread support for introduction shortly after this year’s general election.
“We will be working closely with stakeholders to ensure these proposals are right for Scotland and that they reflect the views of ordinary people. The Scottish Government is focused on securing economic growth, tackling inequality and protecting our public services, and the new powers being delivered must help deliver those goals.
“We will carefully examine today’s paper, because anything which backtracks, waters down or falls short of what Lord Smith recommended would be unacceptable – and ultimately it is the people of Scotland who will determine if these proposals go far enough.”
GOOD LISTENERS SOUGHT BY EDINBURGH-BASED HELPLINE
An Edinburgh based helpline for stressed parents and carers is looking for volunteer call takers. ParentLine Scotland took more than 4000 calls from anxious mums, dads and carers from across the country last year.
The charity offers a helpline, email and web-chat service, for anyone caring for or concerned about a child. It is run by CHILDREN 1ST which works to ensure every child and young person in Scotland has a happy, healthy, safe and secure childhood.
Helpline Manager Jill Cook said: “Our volunteers make an enormous difference to the lives of mums, dads, carers, and professionals just by being there to listen and reassure. It’s a vital service and we ensure they’re ready for the role with 40 hours of high quality training. They also have back-up from a supervisor.”
Volunteers at ParentLine Scotland give a minimum commitment to a year after training. The charity says it’s looking for caring, non-judgemental people who are interested in the wellbeing of children and young people. Calls can be about all sorts of issues from bullying to separating families, teenage behaviour and toddlers tantrums.
Volunteer Janin Pohl (40) said: “Whatever people call with we take it seriously, it’s not trivial. In that time they are valued. You don’t often find out how things go but at the time you have that sense that there is now a bit of light at the end of the tunnel.”
The next volunteer training course starts on 31 January. To find out more contact parentlinescotland@children1st.org.uk
ParentLine Scotland is open 365 days a year on 08000 28 22 33. You can also get in touch by web-chat at www.children1st.org.uk/parentlineor by email parentlinescotland@children1st.org.uk
Volunteer Profile
Janin Pohl (40) from Edinburgh has been a ParentLine Scotland volunteer for three and a half years. She was born in Germany and travelled before settling in Edinburgh seven years ago. She is trained in counselling and shiatsu massage. Janin is blind.
How did you get involved?
“When I saw the advert for ParentLine Scotland I came at it from the perspective of a child. There are so many things that aren’t talked about in families. They’re swept under the carpet or people never say how they are feeling and I thought maybe it’s like that for adults too. Plus I’d done counselling training and this was a way I could use my skills. I’d been volunteering from home and I thought it would be good to go to an office with a team and a supervisor and be with people.”
Why do you think ParentLine can help even when friends and family can’t?
“You can decide when you want to talk and the caller is in control. They can say things they would never say at home. Some people do have support but find it easier to talk to a stranger who will not judge them or their situation.”
How do you cope with calls that are upsetting?
“If I have a difficult call the most important thing is to acknowledge how it is making me feel. If I feel sad then I am sad. If I need to I can get support from the supervisor and we can talk about it.”
What would you say to someone considering volunteering?
“I’d say it’s always good to give something a try. You don’t need to have a family of your own. As someone from outside of the family you have perspective. It’s about being there with them accompanying the person in what they are going through.”
UK’s largest amateur cultural award opens for nominations
RUN by Voluntary Arts, the Epic Awards recognise and reward excellence and innovation in the amateur cultural sector. The 2015 Epic Awards are now open for entries and groups have until 16 March to nominate themselves.
Previous Scotland Epic Award winners include a Paisley drumming group set up to promote good mental health, an arts festival in Braemar that encouraged new people to get creative, a craft group on the Isle of Barra that invited people around the world to send bunting, and a tapestry created by 1,000 volunteer stitchers.
Across the UK and Republic of Ireland over 60,000 voluntary arts groups provide regular opportunities for cultural engagement in their local areas – the Epic Awards shine a spotlight on their achievements.
All voluntary-led arts groups are eligible to apply. Entries might include:
Application forms can be downloaded from www.epicawards.co.uk
Closing date for entries: 16 March 2015.
Edinburgh College Big Band to showcase student talent
The Edinburgh College Big Band will demonstrate the talents of music performance students in a showcase at the Edinburgh Festival Theatre next month.
The Edinburgh College Big Band showcases the next generation of musical talent at the college, and will present a new programme of big band favourites on 4 February, from Sammy Nestico to Bob Mintzer.
The Edinburgh College Big Band comprises some of the best music students currently studying at Edinburgh College. It is only open to students studying music performance as the level and demands on band members are exceptionally high. The band is led by two of the college’s music lecturers, saxophonist Allan Glen and guitarist Robin Robertson.
Allan Glen said: “It’s a real privilege to work with each and every one of the students in the big band. The music is difficult and the rehearsal schedule demanding but every member always rises to the challenge and, most importantly, they enjoy it.
“Performance is at the heart of a student’s musical education and having the opportunity to present a new programme of music at a venue such as The Studio is a great thrill not only for the members of the band but also for myself and Robin.”
The band has performed in numerous venues in Edinburgh and Glasgow, including the prestigious Queen’s Hall.
The showcase will take place on 4 February at 7.30pm in The Studio at the Edinburgh Festival Theatre. Tickets are £15 for adults, £12 for concessions.
Tickets are available from the theatre box office on 0131 529 6000 and at www.edtheatres.com/bigbandshowcase
Macmillan Cancer Support was the top charity brand of 2014, analysis from YouGov’s CharityIndex has shown. Macmillan is named the research company’s best charity brand for the second year running.
YouGov’s 2014 CharityIndex, which is compiled using data on the public’s perception of charities on a daily basis, ranked Cancer Research UK in second place (up from third in 2013), and armed forces charity Help for Heroes in third (down from second).
The rest of the top five is rounded off by the British Heart Foundation in fourth position (which moves up from sixth place last year) and the Royal British Legion in fifth (which drops by one).
Across the top ten charity brands last year only one, the Royal British Legion, increased its average year-on-year ‘buzz score’. It’s score rose by 0.6 points following the hundredth anniversary of the start of World War One which generated heightened media coverage. One other, Marie Curie Cancer Care, stayed exactly the same. However, all of the other charities in the top ten had lower average scores across 2014 compared to 2013.
CharityIndex measures the public’s perception of charities on a daily basis across a range of measures. YouGov’s 2014 rankings were compiled using Buzz scores from across the year. Buzz scores measure whether people have heard good versus bad news about a charity in the previous two weeks.
YouGov’s 2014 end of year charity brand Buzz rankings (2013 rank in brackets):
1 (1) Macmillan Cancer Support – 18.3
2 (3) Cancer Research UK – 12.8
3 (2) Help for Heroes – 11.2
4 (6) British Heart Foundation – 7.6
5 (4) Royal British legion – 7.3
6 (8) British Red Cross – 6.7
= (5) RNLI – 6.7
= (9) Dogs Trust – 6.7
9 (12) Marie Curie Cancer Care – 6.6
10 (7) Guide Dogs– 5.8
Briony Gunstone, Associate Director at YouGov, said: ‘This is the second year we have released end of year charity brand rankings and Macmillan Cancer Support once again heads the list. It is notable just how stable the top ten is. Clearly these charities are all still engaging in activity that is achieving cut through among the public.
“One area that is worth watching over the next 12 months is that – with just two exceptions – there has been a small decrease in the scores across the charities on the list. It could be a small wobble that will right itself next time. If it continues into next year’s figures, though, it could speak to a wider problem among the sector.”
Earlier this month Macmillan Cancer Care released a study that showed there will be a record high 2.5 million people living with cancer in the UK in 2015, an increase of almost half a million people over the last five years.
‘disabled people must have a say in how the service is designed’ – Mark Lazarowicz MP
Mark Lazarowicz MP has responded enthusiastically to a report by the Scottish Accessible Transport Alliance (SATA) on the way ahead to make transport more accessible for disabled people.
The Scottish Accessible Transport Alliance (SATA’s) Accessible Transport Strategy and Action Plan for Scotland is the first and most comprehensive such strategy and plan for Scotland. It covers the period 2015 to 2020 and includes all transport modes and services, the transport environment, information provision and staff training. It addresses the need to consult and involve disabled people at all levels and all stages in reviewing what is lacking and what should be done (see link to full document, below).
It’s an issue the North and Leith MP has campaigned actively on, and he said: “I warmly welcome this report which aims to make transport accessible for everyone: accessible transport must be at the heart of any new public transport development and disabled people must have a real say in how it is designed.
“Accessible transport benefits everyone: tackling problem parking which forces people out into the street to get by, audio-visual announcements on buses, access at Waverley station are all issues I have campaigned on which especially affect disabled people, but not just them.
“Making transport more accessible for disabled people is a key way to enable them to lead more independent lives but it can improve everyone else’s quality of life too.”
Mark Lazarowicz campaigned strongly against the current UK Government’s decision to axe its own advisory body on accessible transport and it was forced into a u-turn.
Last summer he introduced a Bill to devolve the power to tackle irresponsible parking, working closely with the voluntary organisations, Guide Dogs and Living Streets. It forced the Government to consult with all the interested parties and make a commitment to make the change by Executive Order.
He has also highlighted that more work needs to be done to make Waverley station properly accessible for disabled people after its closure to vehicles but there is also a problem for pedestrians and cyclists as well who have to share the pedestrian footway from Waverley Bridge.
Accessible Transport Strategy Action Plan Scotland
Five broad principles are adopted in SATA’s strategy:
The Plan sets out seven strategic objectives:
Ensure that the Equality Act requirements are met and affordable adjustments are made so that accessibility for disabled people is a condition of public money being spent on all new public transport investment;
Develop an integrated and fully accessible public transport system in partnership with key stakeholders which will enable disabled people to travel in safety and in comfort and be able to move easily between modes;
Enable disabled people to travel using cars and other means of private transport;
Address a lack of awareness and understanding that prevents or discourages disabled people from using transport services and facilities that are available to them;
Ensure that information in a range of formats is available for all public transport services to enable disabled people to plan and make these journeys easily; and
Provide help with travel costs and offer practical assistance to enable disabled people to use the transport services available to them.
Consultation on the strategy and plan closed on Friday (16 January).
You can find the North & Leith MP’s formal response here
