Sounds like charity success at Broughton!

Just a note to let you know that the ‘Sounds Like Saturday’ cafe at Broughton High School on a Saturday morning raised £136 for Red Nose Day.

The cafe is run by volunteer parents, staff and pupils from Broughton High School on a Saturday morning as the school is very busy with lots of sports classes, adult education classes and the Council’s music lessons for P5-7s (Sounds Like Saturday).

Usually the money goes to help the school but this week they decided to donate the money to Red Nose Day.

Naomi Crowley

N-ice support from emergency services

It was smiles all round at Police Scotland’s Fettes HQ earlier today when The Sick Kids Friends Foundation was presented with a cheque for £1175. The sum was raised at an ice hockey match held last month between teams from Police Scotland and UK Firefighters in aid of the Edinburgh charity.

It was a clash to remember for the players of Police Scotland who eventually triumphed at Murrayfield Ice Rink with a hard-fought 8-3 victory.

Detective Sergeant Martin McKay helped organise the event and was delighted with the final total raised. He explained: “Both teams are delighted with the amount of money raised for such a worthy cause and I would like to say a big thank you to everyone who came down and showed their support.

“But of course, talking from the viewpoint as a proud member of the Police Scotland team, I have to say that I was also delighted with the final score!”

Victoria Watson of the Sick Kids Friends Foundation added: “It has been absolutely fantastic to work with Police Scotland and the UK Firefighters. This was a successful event and all the money raised will go towards helping sick children and their families across Scotland.”

Also attending the cheque presentation were Riley Emmerson and Kyle Flemington of the Edinburgh Capitals – and charity mascot PJ Bear.

Don’t let DIY = Don’t Injure Yourself this Easter

As many Scots prepare to make the most of the Easter holidays and the onset of spring by reaching for the tools or lawnmower, a major health campaign is urging DIY and gardening enthusiasts to be prepared.

As part of the NHS Scotland Be Health-Wise This Easter campaign – which features the wise Dr Owl – DIY and gardening enthusiasts are being urged to take care and be prepared to deal with any minor accidents before tackling those all-important home and garden improvements.

By taking a few simple steps and knowing when their GP surgery is open, re-stocking their medicine cabinet and first aid box if needed, and using local pharmacies to seek advice and to treat any minor cuts, bumps, bruises and scrapes, any enthusiastic painters, builders and gardeners can help ensure they stay healthy this Easter weekend.

Sheena Wright, Executive Director of Nursing and Care at NHS 24, said: “Every Easter we see an increase in calls resulting from DIY accidents and we would encourage Scots to be prepared before they open the toolbox or garden shed.

“With the onset of spring this weekend and the clocks going forward, many people will be taking advantage of the extra hour of daylight to catch up with those jobs in the house and garden.

“We are encouraging DIY enthusiasts to keep treatments for minor injuries, such as plasters and antiseptic, in the first aid box, visit their pharmacist for health advice and know when they can get an appointment at their GP surgery.”

“With many GP surgeries closed for four days over the Easter weekend, these are a few simple steps people can take to stay healthy.”

Although many GP surgeries will be closed at Easter, hundreds of GPs will be working throughout this period supporting out of hours services across Scotland.

General advice and information on how to stay healthy this Easter can be found at www.nhsinform.co.uk or contact NHS inform on 0800 22 44 88.

The four key steps recommended by Be Ready for Easter are:

Check you have cold and flu remedies

Common ailments such as colds can often be effectively treated at home with readily available medicine such as pain relief, cough mixture and cold remedies. Parents are reminded to restock their medicine cabinet with child-friendly remedies.

Use your local pharmacy

Your pharmacist can offer advice or help if you need over-the-counter remedies or have run out of any prescribed medication. You can also pick up plasters and antiseptic creams to prepare for any minor accidents.

Make sure you have enough repeat prescription.

If you or someone you care for requires medicines regularly, make sure you order and collect repeat prescriptions in good time to ensure you have enough medicine to last over the holiday period. Only order what you need.

Know when your GP surgery will be open

Your local doctor’s surgery may be closed for four days during the Easter weekend from Good Friday to Easter Monday (April 4 – April 7).

See city streets exhibition

A touring exhibition tracing 100 years of town planning in Edinburgh opened at the historic Museum of Edinburgh on Saturday.

The 100 Years of Planning temporary display, which launched at the city council’s Waverley Court headquarters in September before touring different corners of the city, takes the visitor through ten decades of the Edinburgh skyline from 1914 to the present day.

From the father of modern town planning, Sir Patrick Geddes, to the man who designed Edinburgh’s iconic police boxes, Ebenezer James Macrae, the exhibition takes a look at the personalities who have made significant contributions to the cityscape of the Capital.

Providing a remarkable insight into the changes which have occurred in the city over the last hundred years, the exhibition presents the opportunity to learn lessons from the past. As Edinburgh adapts to the changing social and economic conditions of the future, Sir Patrick Geddes’ concept of ‘Conservative Surgery’ – keeping the best from the past whilst improving the environment of the city for the future – will remain an important consideration for planning.

Edinburgh was at the forefront of town planning many years before the establishment of the Royal Town Planning Institute, and the New Town of Edinburgh, built between 1765 and 1850, is considered to be a masterpiece of city planning. Along with the Old Town, this area of Edinburgh is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Councillor Ian Perry, Convener of the Planning Committee, said: “This exhibition offers a fantastic opportunity to take stock of planning in Edinburgh over the last century. Our Edinburgh World Heritage site is part of the city’s international status and the display provides visitors with a great insight into how this has been achieved.”

Councillor Richard Lewis, Convener of the Culture and Sport Committee, added: “Above the entranceway to the Museum of Edinburgh there is a an old Latin inscription which translates as Today to me, tomorrow to thee. To me, this sums up Edinburgh’s streets and buildings which change and grow as the city gets older and is inherited by new generations. A timeline will run through the exhibition so that visitors can understand the city’s architecture and streets in context with other events that took place in the city and the wider world over the last 100 years.”

The Museum of Edinburgh is housed in a series of 16th to 18th century buildings arranged around a close off the Royal Mile, making parts of the site up to 500 years old. The exhibition is free to enter and will remain in the Museum until 20 June 2015.

Visit the exhibition to find out about some of the important personalities that have shaped the streets and skyline of Edinburgh

1920s: Sir Patrick Geddes – Edinburgh is fortunate to be so closely associated with Geddes, the father of modern town planning in the 1920s.

1930s: Ebenezer James Macrae – Macrae was influential, both as an early adopter and promoter of the idea of conservation, and as the creator of large swathes of inter-war Council house schemes, numerous schools, and the iconic Edinburgh police boxes.

1940s: Sir Patrick Abercrombie – Patrick Abercrombie was an extremely influential figure in UK planning. Abercrombie’s proposals for Princes Street included the creation of three separate decks. The upper level was to be a service road with all traffic diverted from it. The middle level, in the gardens, to be a car park and promenade area, with traffic restricted to a tunnel a level underneath.

1950s: Councillor Pat Rogan – Rogan was a prominent campaigner in the move to improve slum housing in Edinburgh. He took Harold Wilson on a tour of the slums, and the future prime minister pronounced them the worst he had ever seen.

1960s: Sir Basil Spence – was one of the most important and versatile British architects of the post-War period. He is associated with many buildings of the period including the design of residential blocks on the Canongate (1961-69), Mortonhall Crematorium (1967), and Edinburgh University library on George Square (1965).

1970s: Desmond Hodges OBE – Desmond Hodges became the first Director of the Edinburgh New Town Conservation Committee (ENTCC) in 1972. During his 22 years overseeing the project, the ENTCC carried out over 1,200 repair projects and offered over £7.5 million in grants.

1980s: Sir Terry Farrell – An architect, he has been influential in Edinburgh’s modern changes and was responsible for the Edinburgh Exchange District as well as designing the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.

1990s: Professor David Begg – Professor David Begg was a Convenor of Transport who promoted innovative transport policies in the 1990s. His policies included giving buses priority on key ‘greenway’ routes, such as banning cars from driving along Princes Street. Many people strongly disagreed with his methods, but they set out the transport agenda that is still pursued today.

2000s: Enric Miralles – Miralles was a Spanish architect and graduate from the School of Architecture Barcelona, whose largest project came in the form of the Scottish Parliament Building.

Free local playgroups with Dads Rock

More homes available at Varcity North

The penultimate campus at Miller Homes’ Varcity North development is now taking reservations for completions in December 2015.

Released now, the Stafford Campus is sixth block redeveloped within the former development and offers one, two and three bedroom apartments over five floors, with prices from £118,000 to £176,000.

Ten apartments have already been reserved, reflecting the highly desirable location, coupled with the extensive open plan living on and value for money on offer at Varcity North.

Anne Marie Britton, Scotland Area Sales and Marketing Director at Miller Homes, said: “Varcity North is a fantastic development, which has proven to be extremely popular location, with a range of buyers including investors for the buy-to-let market and young couples settling into their first home.

“Attractively priced, the open plan living is ideally suited to the market and does not compromise on space throughout the apartments. The apartments released now are already being snapped up for entry later in the year, so early viewing is a must.”

Situated near Crew Toll and with excellent transport links Varcity North combines stylish city living with spacious, practical and affordable homes.

For more information, go to www.millerhomes.co.uk or call 0808 250 6468.

A King’s ransom: joy for the Junction

Leith-based The Junction youth project has been awarded £30,000 from The King’s Fund. The Junction is the only Scottish project among ten recipients of a GSK IMPACT Award, which recognises excellence in health and wellbeing – and The Junction is one of a very select few to have won the award TWICE!

The GSK community investment programme has been running for 18 years, during which time it has awarded more than £5 million in unrestricted funding to charities across the UK. This year’s winning organisations were selected from more than 350 charities who applied for the GSK IMPACT Awards, which are run in partnership with The King’s Fund.

Winning charities are also given access to a free training and development programme and are invited to join the GSK IMPACT Awards Network. This Network offers previous winners the opportunity to develop their staff and provides a forum to share and learn from each other’s experiences and expertise.

This year’s winners will join more than 60 previous winning organisations from across the UK, who have committed to ongoing professional development, collaboration and delivering outstanding services to patients and communities.

An overall winner, who will receive an additional £10,000 in funding, will be announced at an award ceremony recognising all winners to be held at the Science Museum in London on Thursday 14 May 2015.

The winners were selected by a judging panel of health and charity experts including broadcast journalist Fiona Phillips; Gilly Green, Head of UK Grants at Comic Relief; Sir Christopher Gent, Chair of GSK; and Sir Chris Kelly, Chair of The King’s Fund.

Katie Pinnock, Director, UK & Ireland Charitable Partnerships at GSK, said: ‘These awards recognise charities that make an incredible difference to many people’s lives right across the country. The programme has grown immensely since we started in 1997, and we are extremely proud of the way it has brought people together, enabling them to share knowledge and learn from each other. Each year we are impressed, inspired and moved, not only by the innovation and talent in the work our winning charities undertake, but by the commitment and dedication of everyone involved.’

Sam Anderson, director at The Junction, said: “We are delighted at being a 2015 GSK Impact Award winner. Being a GSK Impact Award winner in 2009 provided the Junction with the platform to celebrate our strengths, develop and deepen. The 2015 GSK Impact Award offers fantastic recognition of all we have achieved in the six years since and provides us with both significant funding and development opportunities which will ensure we are able to continue to flourish.”

Lisa Weaks, Third Sector Programme Manager at The King’s Fund, said: ‘Charities provide important services and support in our health and social care system. These winners show just how much can be achieved with relatively limited funds, through the passion and dedication of the organisations and their volunteers. Their work spans the whole of our lives – they can help prevent young people from making detrimental decisions like taking up smoking, or provide support for people at the end of their lives so they can make the right decisions for them and their family. Their energy and commitment is inspirational.’

A Junction spokesperson added: “We have been named a winner of the GSK IMPACT Awards, and in fact we’re one of the rare organisations that have won twice! Not only is this a huge honour but it is a great way to recognise how The Junction has continued to strive for excellence year after year.”

The ten winners are:

Alzheimer’s Support – a charity improving diagnosis and support for people with dementia in Wiltshire
CoolTan Arts – based in Southwark, helps improve the lives of people in mental distress through creativity, self-advocacy and volunteer opportunities
Cut Films Project/Deborah Hutton Campaign – based in Islington, helps prevent smoking among young people through peer-to-peer education and campaigns
Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust – based in Islington, is the only UK charity supporting women affected by cervical cancer and cervical abnormalities and focuses activity on raising the profile and understanding of the disease and ways to prevent it
National Council for Palliative Care – a members’ organisation campaigning to help everyone approaching the end of life have the right to the highest quality care and support
Neuromuscular Centre – a Cheshire-based charity that provides physiotherapy, training and employment opportunities for those with degenerative neuromuscular conditions, as well as assistance for their carers
Off the Record – a Bristol-based charity helping young people to improve their mental health and wellbeing
RESTORE – an Oxford-based charity supporting people with mental health problems to gain or maintain employment
The Junction – this is the second award for this Leith-based charity, which helps children and young people make positive choices that promote their health and wellbeing and reduce harmful behaviour
Wave Trauma Centre – a Belfast-based charity offering care and support to anyone bereaved, injured or traumatised through the violence in Northern Ireland.