Walk Leader training at PCHP

PCHP are running some Walk Leader training for anyone wanting to become a walk volunteer. The training will be run by a Paths for All trainer and will be on Monday 26th September 10am – 4pm.

PCHP are running a new pilot walking group with NW Carers and are looking for willing volunteers to help lead walks with people who are affected by dementia. There will be additional training in dementia for those who wish to become walk leaders with this project.

Here is the Course Overview for the walk leader training:

A one day course to enable volunteers to lead safe and effective Health Walks in a community setting as part of a Health Walk Project.

Learning Outcomes:

After attending this course, you will be able to
•Outline the main benefits to be gained from becoming more active
•Recognise moderate intensity physical activity
•Be able to describe a Health Walk and know what makes a suitable route for a Health Walk
•Outline the roles and responsibilities of a Walk Leader
•Have an understanding of risk assessment and recognise potential hazards on a Health Walk.

Please contact Clare Symonds at claresymonds@pchp.org.uk or 0131 551 1671 for a place.

Green Tease: creative solutions to temporary sites

Green Tease: Creative Solutions to Temporary Sites

Date/time: Tuesday 30 August 4 – 6pm

Venue: North Edinburgh Arts, 15a Pennywell Court, Edinburgh EH4 4TZ

Centipede Project, based in North Edinburgh, are offering a guided tour of and discussion about their three public spaces in Muirhouse all within a 1 km of each other, developed in collaboration with local residents, businesses and schools, and latterly in partnership with City of Edinburgh Council.

These brownfield interventions include a huge grass labyrinth, a natural play area, and a former low rise housing block site now under development into a wildflower meadow, and natural play area. We will also include their most recent construction, a 25m rammed earth Amphitheatre and stage. During the session we’ll learn about the different values that creative practices can bring to sustainable brownfield sites and public space developments.

This event will appeal to those working in areas including: urban planning and regeneration, green and brownfield space development, community development, landscape architecture, urban playground development,creative practices. It is run as part of our Green Tease Open Call Fund.

Find out more and register here: http://www. creativecarbonscotland.com/ event/green-tease-creative- solutions-temporary-sites-2/

—
Joanne McArthur
Project Coordinator
0131 315 2151

centipedeproject.wordpress.com

The cost of going back to school

Getting a child ready to return to school can be an expensive business. The cost of uniform, coat, shoes, bags and PE kit soon adds up. Despite this, the amount of financial help offered to low income families varies massively, with some local authorities offering as little as £20 per child for the whole year.

CPAG in Scotland want to make sure all local authorities pay an adequate minimum school clothing grant and that the Scottish Government is doing all it can to help families cover the costs of school clothing.

This year, the Scottish Government has a new power to set a minimum school clothing grant for the whole of Scotland – and we want them to use it.

Take 5 minutes to message your MSP and tell them what it really costs to clothe a child for school and explaining why you think every child in Scotland has the right to start term warm, comfortable and ready to learn.

To get started, enter your postcode and click “Participate”.

School Costs is a new short film jointly sponsored by the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) and CPAG in Scotland. Directed by Iain Henderson, winner of the BAFTA Scotland New Talent Award 2015, the film highlights the struggle of families on low incomes to meet the costs associated with their children attending school.

The testimony of the parents involved is drawn directly from qualitative research conducted as part of our Early Warning System.

Watch the film here

David Dickson: an appreciation

DAVID DICKSON 26.12.1950 – 8.8.2016

David was Manager of North Edinburgh childcare for over 10 years. He joined as the founding manager and developed the organisation from an ambitious local project to a thriving social enterprise with partners and connections across the city and beyond.

He lived and breathed youth and community work and had a wide and varied background from a range of both voluntary and statutory provisions. He developed many strong connections during his time at the Centre – some becoming lifelong friends, including his Chairperson Betty McVay.

In his latter years as Manager, David “commuted” to his home in Skye and took early “retirement” at the age of 55. He was a keen hillwalker and traveller and planned to mix spending time with family with heading further afield for adventures. It was during one of these adventures that David took ill unexpectedly in New Zealand and after an emergency operation found out that he had cancer and his time may be limited.

Once home, in true David fashion, he pushed boundaries and even after being told he couldn’t travel outside the UK, managed a trip to the Scilly Isles – a place he had always wanted to visit at almost the furthest he could go without leaving the UK.

He is survived by his wife Pat, (who he met while working at the Childcare Centre), his children Jenny and Justin and grandchildren Ossian and William.

David was a great story teller over a good meal and a bottle of wine and had many interesting stories and fond memories of his time with the centre.

PAT ARMSTRONG

DAVID DICKSON

I am saddened to have to pass on news of the death of David Dickson, who many may remember as the first manager and driving force behind North Edinburgh Childcare Centre (now North Edinburgh Childcare). David sadly passed away last Monday.

A quietly determined, always courteous man, David played a huge role in shaping North Edinburgh’s very own dedicated childcare facility, a centre of excellence which seen as a model for others to follow.

It’s hard to over-emphasise the importance of the Childcare Centre to the people of North Edinburgh. The Centre not only offered an opportunity that enabled local people to return to education and employment, but also offered training and employment opportunities too.

Children were cared for and educated in a warm, loving and learning environment, which meant that parents and carers could happily leave their bairns knowing they were in safe hands. Crucially, the childcare costs were affordable and many thousands of local people children and their families – have benefited over the years from the marvel that is North Edinburgh Childcare.

At the helm over the crucial early years was David Dickson, who worked closely with his management committee and created, shaped and nurtured a very special – indeed, unique – facility. David’s legacy is a North Edinburgh Childcare which continues to thrive and develop today.

So many people have so much to thank David for: in his own quiet and determined way, he has made a real difference and improved the quality of life for thousands of local people. How many of us can say that?

A quiet and modest visionary. Goodbye, David.

David’s funeral will be held on Thursday at 3pm at Warriston – and afterwards all invited to Dalriada at Portobello