Learn to Play Day

FREE music lessons for all initiative coming to Scotland

Learn to Play Day – a free national event to encourage everyone in the UK to start making music – is coming to Scotland this March.

Supported by Jools Holland OBE, and run by charity Music for All, the 2020 Learn to Play Day will take place on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th March, and will see music shops, teachers, venues and schools throughout the county partner with leading musical instrument brands to offer thousands of FREE music lessons.

So far, participating venues include:

Eiger Music at Windsor Community Hall in Glasgow
Acoustic Music Workshop in Perth
Loch Leven Music Tuition in Kinross
Musicroom Edinburgh
Music Broth in Glasgow

Further venues are set to be announced over the coming weeks.

Since being launched nine years ago, the Learn to Play Day initiative has helped thousands of people pick up and play a musical instrument. Many had never played before, while others played as a child but gave up.

Held in partnership with the Musicians’ Union, the ‘Take It Away’ scheme and Making Music, the Learn to Play Day initiative has been growing in popularity with a record 10,000 free lessons held during last year’s event.

Jools Holland said: “As Patron of the Music for All charity, I’m delighted to lend my support to National Learn to Play Day on March 28th and 29th.

“It’s a pleasure to be able to share the joy of music, and this special day allows thousands to get involved as venues all over the country offer music lessons for free.”

Fellow artist Jamie Cullum added: “National Learn to Play Day gives everyone a chance to play an instrument, even if they’ve never played before.

“This wonderful day introduces thousands to the magic of music making, and often reunites people with a lost passion for playing. Get involved and perhaps discover a skill you thought you didn’t have!”

Paul McManus, CEO at Music for All, concluded: “While we all may have different tastes and preferred genres, there is no doubt that music is something that is universally loved around the world.

“Our Learn to Play Day events are all about spreading the joy of playing a musical instrument and inspiring those of all ages to take up something that will not only have health benefits for the future, but that also brings so many people together.”

To find a FREE music lesson near you, simply visit https://musicforall.org.uk/learntoplayday/

New childcare academy course starts next month

THE CHILDCARE ACADEMY IS AN EMPLOYABILITY FUND STAGE 3 PROGRAMME WHICH WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO:

Undertake free training requiring attendance of up to 30 hours weekly within a safe, friendly environment
Gain significant experience of working with children by undertaking a quality supported work experience placement within an early years care and education setting or an out of school care setting
Gain 2 Accredited SQA Units from the Social Services (Children and Young People) SVQ Level 2 Award
Gain employment in the childcare sector
Access a Young Persons Allowance of £55 per week for eligible 16 to 18 year olds (for a max of 26 weeks)
Progression onto our Modern Apprenticeship programme to gain the SVQ Level 3 Social Services Children and Young People Award.

Our next Childcare Academy starts on MONDAY 2^nd March 2020

Why not come along to our Childcare Academy information session on Tuesday 25 FEBRUARY at 1pm?

This will last approx. one hour and will give you the opportunity to find out what is involved in our Academy programme, ask any questions and take away an application pack.

If you would like to find out more, please contact Audrey O’Neill (our Communications & Compliance Officer) on 0131 311 6931 or e-mail audrey.oneill@northedinburghchildcare.co.uk

Plans unveiled for Finance House on Orchard Brae

A former finance centre on Orchard Brae could be converted into 170 flats under plans to be submitted to the council by Queensferry Properties.

The developers have submitted a Proposal of Application Notice (PAN) and plan to convert Finance House on Orchard Brae and add a new block to the rear to provide the flats.

The office block, which housed a Lloyds Black Horse call centre, has been lying empty since November 2018.

The site is being acquired by Queensberry Properties, a joint venture between housebuilders Cruden Homes (East) and land and property experts Buccleuch Property.

Queensberry Properties say together the converted building and the new block will create around 170 apartments, 25 per cent of which will be affordable housing.

Parking spaces on the site will be reduced from the 166 used by Lloyds to about 60 spaces, which the developers say will cut traffic flow through neighbouring streets. They have also committed to liaise with the City Car Club to explore the potential for new car club parking spaces on site.

Queensferry Properties held an exhibition of their plans at Orchard Brae House on Queensferry Road on 6 February. Around 150 residents attended the event.

A further exhibition is planned for March 19 when local residents and community organisations will have a further opportunity to view and comment on the proposals. Almost inevitably, traffic issues are likely to feature prominently.

Queensberry Properties director Steven Simpson said: “We’re delighted to have had the opportunity to put forward our proposals to the community and would like to thank all those who attended.

“Getting feedback from them and having their assistance in shaping the development going forward is vital.

“This is an exciting set of proposals to regenerate this derelict building. The site sits on a brownfield site at a time when there is a desperate need for housing, and the city council is looking for a greater focus on development on brownfield sites.

“We welcome all feedback from the community and look forward to ongoing engagement.”

The full description of the proposed development is:

‘Part demolition and conversion of existing building and erection of new development for residential accommodation with associated business, commercial, leisure, ancillary uses, public realm, hard and soft landscaping, access arrangements, parking and infrastructure’.

Gail digs deep for LOVE Gorgie Farm

Gail Porter met staff and volunteers to help out yesterday in advance of LOVE Gorgie Farm reopening on 29^th February. Edinburgh-born Gail, like many, has fond childhood memories of the farm.

A call for volunteers was issued earlier this month to assist in bringing the former Gorgie City Farm back to life, ahead of the farm re-opening its doors to the public as LOVE Gorgie Farm on Saturday 29^th February.

LOVE Learning, an education and social care charity that supports vulnerable children, young people and adults by using innovative ways to engage them in learning. It announced it was taking over the city farm in January after the farm went into liquidation in November 2019.

Gail said: “It was a pleasure to meet Lynn, the new team at LOVE Gorgie Farm and the volunteers, all of whom are working so hard to bring the farm back to life.

“Like many people in Edinburgh and Scotland, I was saddened to see Gorgie City Farm go into liquidation last year after having made so many memories in the farm as a child.

“I am very happy that a charity like LOVE Learning decided to take over it and can’t wait to see LOVE Gorgie Farm reopen again.”

Lynn Bell, CEO of LOVE Learning said: “We are delighted to have welcomed Gail into the farm ahead of our grand reopening and glad to have learnt how much the site meant to her.

“We know how treasured and important the farm was the community and we want to bring this back to the people of Edinburgh as soon as possible.

“We are overwhelmed with the positive support LOVE Gorgie Farm has received from everyone since we announced we were taking over it last month. We are still looking for volunteers to come next weekend as there is a lot of work to get done prior to opening the farm doors on the 29th of February.”

Interested volunteers can still help on Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd February and those looking to do so should email Gorgie@l-o-v-e.org.uk

More money for Parental Support

An additional £7 million is to be invested in the Parental Employability Support Fund this year.

This additional funding will provide intensive employability support for parents both in and out of work, helping to tackle in-work poverty, and enhance links between local employability services and the expansion of Early Learning and Childcare in all 32 Local Authorities

The measures outlined in the 2020-21 draft budget will mean more than £16 million will be invested by 2022 to support low income parents address barriers to employment and to upskill while in work.

Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell said: “In Scotland we have set in statute our ambition to eradicate child poverty and we are taking firm action to deliver progress.

“Last week’s budget included £7 million of additional investment for the new Parental Employability Support Fund which will be delivered in partnership with local authorities across Scotland.

“This investment will deliver new and enhanced services, providing parents with tailored holistic employability support and linking with the opportunities that our massive expansion of Early Learning and Childcare bring.

“Increasing household incomes from work and earnings is one of the keys ways to effectively tackling poverty – our investment will help ensure parents can access the jobs available and progress within employment.”

Pups all set to say ‘I do’!

The countdown is on for a special ceremony for two pups at a city centre hotel – and the canine couple recently visited the hotel to discuss the final touches of their big day.

Dachshunds Nova and Ottis won a social media competition to be models at a Wedding Showcase event this month at the SKYbar at DoubleTree by Hilton Edinburgh City Centre.

The winning couple have been given the full wedding treatment as the hotel team have helped to plan their furry-tail day. Both pups enjoyed a specially catered dog-friendly afternoon tea menu tasting and finalised details during a meeting with Euan, the hotel wedding planner.

Nova and Ottis are due to celebrate their love at SKYbar against the picturesque backdrop of Edinburgh Castle and the cityscape on Sunday 23^rd February 2020 at the showcase event. Many newly engaged couples will be witnesses as they tour the hotel and SKYbar as a prospective venue for their own special day.

Marcello Ventisei, General Manager of DoubleTree by Hilton Edinburgh City Centre, said: “Our Wedding Showcase event is a great way for couples and families to view the venue in various setups and discuss plans with our experienced team.

“We’ve loved this journey with Nova and Ottis and we can’t wait to see the response from our guests attending the event later this month.”

You can follow the journey of Nova and Ottis on social media with #skyBARKwedding.

www.rbhmanagement.com

New ‘KIDS’ health website provides a wealth of information

Finding information on how to self-manage children’s health and well-being couldn’t be easier with the development of Kids Independently Developing Skills (KIDS), a new website and social media resource produced by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde which offers a range of support for children and their parents.

This wonderfully rich resource is a single point of reference for parents, teachers, healthcare professionals and young people themselves looking to access an extensive range of information on self-help. It is supported by a dedicated team of occupational therapy staff.

KIDS aims to help children and young people reach their potential and can be accessed at www.nhsggc.org.uk/kids or on Facebook and Twitter @nhsggckids,

The website, which now has an average of 24,577 hits every month and rising, offers a range of support for children: from a video on how to tie shoelaces to activity sheets for parents and nursery staff to support children gain early writing skills.

It also includes information on supporting the development of children’s communication skills as well as advice on how to manage postural care for children and young people with physical disabilities.

Parents can access information on the development of their child from birth to five-years-old. There is information on language skills, learning to sit, roll, crawl and walk, the use of their hands to grasp, hold and draw, learning independence skills, nutrition and emotional development.

Meadowbank Masterplan submitted

The Masterplan for the Meadowbank redevelopment has been lodged. Surrounding the city’s new state of the art Meadowbank sports centre, the council says the development has been designed in collaboration with members of the local community.

This approach has involved a substantial programme of public engagement since June 2018, including 15 events and workshops and 680 consulation responses. Together with an independently chaired Meadowbank Sounding Board, which has met six times, this has enabled local residents, community representatives, elected members and Council officers to work in partnership to shape the plans.

The Masterplan which has now been submitted features proposals for a low car, sustainable development which pays tribute to the site’s sporting and industrial heritage. It prioritises pedestrian and active travel through its network of paths and roads.

The plans have been designed to protect rare Wheatley Elms in the area and they incorporate a number of play and park spaces, a rain garden and plans to plant more trees.

Around 600 modern low carbon energy-efficient homes are proposed in the development plan, with a minimum of 35% affordable homes. The plans also include space for a GP surgery and other community facilities.

The Masterplan for Meadowbank is is likely to be considered by members of the Development Management Sub Committee this summer. It’s one of the major developments planned as part of the Council’s citywide placemaking programme, which also involves the regeneration of Fountainbridge, Pennywell, Granton, Craigmillar and Leith.

Councillor Kate Campbell, Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, said: “A huge amount of work has gone into producing this Masterplan for Meadowbank. We’ve been listening to the local community throughout the process and I’d like to thank everyone for helping to shape these designs. I’m confident this plan reflects their priorities and needs.

“We’re proposing that over a third of the homes we build at Meadowbank will be affordable – with most of those for social rent. To support our ambition to be a carbon neutral city by 2030, we’re also going to create great public spaces for children to play and people to meet, walk and cycle through. We’re prioritising people over cars and keeping parking to a minimum as well as building high quality energy efficient homes.”

Further details on the plans are available

at www.edinburgh.gov.uk/meadowbank

and a model of the proposals can be viewed at Piershill library.

The construction of the new Meadowbank Sports Centre is currently well underway with handover of the new building to Edinburgh Leisure expected in the Autumn.

Four jailed for drug supply

Police Scotland has acknowledged the sentencing of four people who have admitted involvement in the supply of drugs in Edinburgh.

John Lloyd, 21, Humaysa Khan, 20, and Jordan Allan, 22, all pleaded guilty to supplying heroin and cocaine worth around £123,500 in Edinburgh between 20 July and 20 August, 2019.

Etima Udottong, 35, admitted supplying cocaine worth approximately £120,000 in the city on 2 October, 2019.

All four were sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow yesterday.

Allan was jailed for three years and nine months, Khan for four years and four months, Lloyd for three years and nine months and Uddotong for three years and two months.

Detective Inspector Gary Reid said: “These convictions serve as another example of our commitment to target anyone we suspect to be involved in the supply chain of illegal drugs.

“This hopefully sends a clear message that whoever you are and wherever you are from, we will continue to proactively target anyone suspected of being involved in bringing illegal and harmful drugs into our communities.

“Lloyd, Khan, Allan and Udottong were all identified during an exhaustive investigation into their activities.

“People involved in the drug trade often exploit the most vulnerable members of society so we all have an obligation to help protect each other by reporting any suspicious or harmful behaviour that may be happening in local areas.

“We are grateful to the public for every piece of information we receive which is used to disrupt the trade in drugs and bring those responsible for supplying to justice.

“If anyone has any concerns regarding the abuse of controlled drugs, or anyone who may be involved in the supply of controlled drugs, they are urged to contact Police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111”

Broadband: Get the Message!

New Which? research has found that two-thirds of current broadband deals see customers hit with substantial price hikes when their contract ends, as new rules requiring operators to tell people when their deal runs out come into force today.

The consumer champion analysed current deals with the major providers and found more than two-thirds (68%) had a price increase after the end of the minimum contract period – with some going up by as much as 89 per cent.

Millions of consumers are at risk of being hit by these price increases – as Which? found six in 10 (58%) broadband customers have been with their current provider for two years or more.

As broadband contracts are only up to 24 months long, anyone still with their provider after this period who has not asked for a better deal could be paying an average of £120 more a year, according to Which? research.

Until now, there has been no requirement for providers to remind customers that they are reaching the end of their contract – and no warning that their bills may go up as a result. Instead, it has been up to consumers to know when their contract is up and to take the initiative to either take up a new contract with their current provider or take their business elsewhere.

However, as of today, broadband, pay-TV, mobile phone and landline providers must tell customers when their contracts are about to end and inform them about their best alternative deals.

All operators will also need to share information about the best deals they offer to new customers – typically the cheapest on the market – however not all providers have committed to making these tariffs available to longstanding customers.

Those with contracts ending soon should get an ‘end of contract notification’ as of today, while operators will have a few months to stagger notifications to those customers who are already out of contract. This group should still contact their provider to push for a better deal as they could be overpaying in the meantime.

End-of-contract notifications are the latest in a series of initiatives, which Ofcom says are aimed at making the telecoms market fairer for consumers.

Other measures include automatic compensation for problems such as service dropouts and a broadband code of practice, which seeks to improve transparency around broadband deals at the time of purchase.

While end-of-contract notifications will help customers know that they are moving onto a rolling contract and their monthly tariff may change, it is important to note that customers will still need to take action – either by contacting their provider to take up the new deals offered by their current provider or switching away. If they do nothing they could still end up paying too much.

Which? believes that Ofcom will need to monitor and review the progress of this initiative to ensure it is truly working for consumers.

If it is not having the effect of encouraging consumers to review their broadband contract and ensure that longstanding customers are not paying too much, the regulator will need to take further action to make sure all customers are being treated fairly when it comes to this essential service.

Natalie Hitchins, Which? Head of Home Products and Services, said: “Our research shows that far too many people are paying more than they need to for broadband, so this rule change to ensure people are notified before their contract ends – and potentially before their bills go up – is a positive step.

“Anyone who thinks they are out of contract, paying too much or not happy with their current service should not wait until they receive a notification, you might find you save yourself hundreds of pounds a year if you haggle or switch.”