West Granton Community Trust Management Committee Decision
WGCT has issued the following statement:
At a meeting of the West Granton Community Trust Management Committee on Monday 18th June, the decision made on 27th June to wind up the Trust was confirmed. This will mean the permanent closure of the Prentice Centre.
It has been reported in the press that the City of Edinburgh Council were considering providing us with a one off grant of £50,000, however with no confirmation of the process to secure this funding nor the timescales involved, the Trust has been left with no alternative but to proceed with the winding up of the Trust.
This is to ensure the orderly transfer of the premises to another charitable organisation and to meet our responsibilities to our tenants, staff and the community.
This is in line with the Constitution of the Trust and the legal requirements associated with the closure of an organisation with charitable status.
The Management Committee would like to thank our loyal members for their support over the years and assure them that we have done everything within our power to avoid this situation.
Given our current financial situation and with no guarantee of long-term funding for staff and overheads, we can no longer operate as a Trust.
Following the suspension of activities at the Prentice Centre on 1 July, there will be no further access for community use. Staff will remain on site until mid-October to care for the building and to manage the process of winding up the Trust.
A sad day indeed for staff, management committee, members, patrons and the wider North Edinburgh community …
WATSON previewed at Edinburgh Fringe last year, being enthusiastically received and achieving sell out shows. Now, refreshed and revised, Tim Marriott returns as Watson to Edinburgh before touring in the UK and internationally.
The play is a classic Sherlock Holmes tale of long buried secrets, betrayal and death. There is a shadow in the gutters, a spider’s web of poisonous intrigue plagues the city and Watson must face his greatest ever challenge.
The year is 1894. Watson is alone. Sherlock Holmes and his beloved Mary are both gone. London seethes with false reports and rumour. It is time to set the record straight. So Watson tells his tale and the intrepid detectives must face their nemesis, the Napoleon of Crime, Professor Moriarty. But as Watson takes us on a journey across Europe to the Reichenbach Falls, is the game really over?
“Impressive! A damn fine play” – Weekend Notes
“Brilliant. A must see” – Edinburgh Review
“A grippingly fine display… outstanding” – Broadway Baby
Watson: The Final Problem is created in collaboration with and directed by Bert Coules, the BBC’s head writer on adaptations of the Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, who says “Watson is often overlooked, but is more than Conan Doyle’s alter ego. Deeply affected by the effects of war in Afghanistan and appalled by dishonesty and falsehood, he is a remarkably contemporary character to bring to life on stage.”
90s sitcom star Tim Marriott played ‘Gavin’ in 7 seasons of the BBC sit-com The Brittas Empire. After a second career in education, he returned to the stage in 2018, travelling to festivals around the world with acclaimed productions of his PTSD awareness play Shell Shock and Holocaust themed Mengele.
BOOKING DETAILS
Time:13.10
Venue 20 – The Drawing Room, Assembly Festival, George Street
Dates: Aug 3-15, 17-28
Running Time: 60 mins
Tickets and Info: https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/watson-the-final-problem
Union members’ rights are under ferocious attack by bad employers like P&O Ferries and by a government intent on hindering workers’ ability to demand better pay and conditions (writes TUC’s NINA REECE).
This will look familiar to trade unionists David Wilson and Terence Palmer who, 20 years ago, defeated hostile bosses and a Tory government in a long-running case that made it to the European Court of Human Rights.
Their court victory is marked with the publication by the TUC of ‘Building Worker Power’, a collection of essays by leading lawyers, politicians and trade unionists. Their contributions outline the importance of the landmark Wilson and Palmer case, the challenges facing those fighting for union rights today and what modern collective rights would look like.
In 1989, Daily Mail journalist David Wilson received a letter from his employer: it was not going to renew its recognition agreement with the National Union of Journalists.
On top of this, any journalist who signed a contract of employment with the company before the agreement was due to end was given a 4.5 per cent pay rise.
Meanwhile, RMT member, Terence Palmer worked for the ports in Southampton.
His employer was also offering new contracts, this one coupled with a 10 per cent pay rise, on the condition that the workers would no longer be represented by his union, the RMT.
This was union busting, plain and simple. The employers were withdrawing from collective bargaining and offering workers bribes to enter into personal contracts. Anyone who chose to remain within the collective agreement was denied the increased pay.
With the support of their unions, Wilson and Palmer took their cases to industrial tribunal. They argued that the actions of their employers violated their rights: “the right to form and join trade unions for the protection of [one’s] interests”, an aspect of freedom of association protected under article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
In his essay, Professor Keith Ewing reflects that this was not easy. There was a long legal battle and the Conservative government intervened, tinkering with the law to make it easier for employers to derecognise a union and remove the protections they afford.
Eventually, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) held that by permitting employers to discriminate against trade unionists, British law had violated the ECHR.
In response to the 2002 ECtHR ruling, Section 145b of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act (TULRA) was established by a new Labour government. This meant that union members now had the right to not receive employer offers which, if accepted, would stop their terms and conditions from being determined by collective bargaining.
David Wilson and Terence Palmer had won and the law had been changed. But this ruling had even further reaching consequences.
In their essay, barristers Michael Ford QC and Stuart Brittenden show how in 2021, Section14b of TULRA was used again, when Unite members Dunkley and others won against Kostal UK Ltd at Supreme Court to establish that bosses can’t just ignore recognition agreements then claim that, even if they had ignored the collective procedures, they could not be penalised as they had not decided to do so permanently.
Today, labour activists and law defenders continue the fight for our right to trade union activities.
UNISON’s Shantha David, and Thompsons’ Rachel Halliday show in their essays that government attempts to undermine human rights principles in UK law could make it far harder to advance collective rights.
The proposed Bill of Rights would weaken the government’s obligation to ensure UK law reflects our convention rights and could leave workers with no choice but to challenge attacks on those rights at the ECtHR in Strasbourg, a costly and complicated process.
New plans have also been announced to allow agencies to supply workers to perform the duties of employees who are on strike, making it harder for working people to organise collectively and defend their jobs.
In her foreword, Labour’s Angela Rayner makes a positive point: progress can be made by strong union organising and a robust legal strategy.
The Wilson and Palmer case proves that workers and our unions can win. We need to be just as determined as they were.
Download ‘Building Worker Power: Essays on collective rights 20 years after the Wilson and Palmer case established the right to be represented by a trade union’ here.
Holiday childcare prices jump by 5%, amid cost of living crisis, as parents working full time struggle to find the childcare they need
Families across Britain are bracing themselves for a difficult summer as a sharp rise in holiday childcare prices and patchy availability of places hits working parents, Coram Family and Childcare’s 17th annual Holiday Childcare Survey has revealed.
Coram’s report finds that, amid the soaring costs of living, holiday childcare costs have jumped by 5% since 2021. The average place at a holiday club now costs £148 a week – more than double what parents pay for an after-school club during term time.
Families will now find themselves almost £900 out of pocket for six weeks of holiday childcare for each school age child, nearly £500 more than they would pay for six weeks of term time childcare before and after school. Some 42% of local authorities across Britain have reported that the pandemic had caused an increase in prices.
The survey also found considerable regional variation in prices across Britain, with parents in inner London paying an average of £161 per week compared to £135 in the West Midlands, an 18% price difference. There are also huge price differences within the same area, with some holiday childcare places in inner London costing 92% more than the average, while others cost 44% less.
Alongside the financial strain, parents are struggling to find the childcare they need, with only 27% of English local authorities having enough holiday childcare available for parents in their area who work full time, down 6% on last year. Parents of disabled children face the most acute challenge with only 7% of local authorities having enough holiday childcare for these families, plunging from 16% in 2021.
Other notable gaps in England include holiday childcare for children whose parents work atypical hours and children living in rural areas, with only 10% and 15% of local authorities respectively reporting they have enough childcare availability for these groups.
Ellen Broomé, managing director of Coram Family and Childcare, said: “Families across Britain are reeling from record inflation and this steep rise in holiday childcare will push many further into financial distress.
“Many parents, particularly mothers, will have no choice but be locked out of work altogether or struggle to pay for basic necessities such as food or rent.
“Holiday childcare is key economic infrastructure. The lack of childcare places for working parents is a serious problem – not just for families but for the country’s economic output. Children have experienced such disruption throughout the pandemic, and holiday childcare offers them a safe and fun space to stay active and connect with their friends while also helping to tackle the summer learning loss.”
Coram Family and Childcare is calling on the UK, Scottish and Welsh Governments to:
Reform Universal Credit so it does not lock parents out of work – by increasing the maximum amount of childcare costs paid under Universal Credit and guaranteeing support for upfront childcare costs.
Increase support for Family Information Services to provide good quality holiday childcare information and broker access to local provision that meets families’ needs.
Expand provision of the Holiday Activities and Food programme to improve access to affordable, high quality childcare for all children who need it.
Support local authorities to ensure they have a comprehensive overview of the cost and availability of holiday childcare in their area to identify and plug gaps in provision.
Looking for something fun to do with the wee ones during the school summer holiday?
Why not pop along to a Fun Family Drop-in at the McDonald Library, Edinburgh, on Saturday, July 23, for some arts and crafts, balloon modelling, face painting and loads more.
The event has been organised as part of a campaign that was launched two years ago by the city’s Child Protection Committee and NSPCC Scotland.
All of Us was set up to help people find out where to get support and advice with parenting or other worries about family life and where to turn if they have concerns about a child.
The partnership wants to help parents and carers, who may be struggling, and signpost them to where they can get advice and support before reaching crisis point.
Stalls at the event, which runs from 1pm to 3pm, will include NSPCC Scotland, Home Start, Children’s Health Scotland, Venture Scotland, Edinburgh and Lothians Regional Equality Council (ELREC) and The Junction.
There will also be arts and crafts from Polymorphics, a Bookbug session, snacks and drinks, a face painter, balloon animals, and the Institute of Physics, a professional body which strives to make physics accessible to people from all backgrounds.
Gail Sayles, NSPCC Scotland local campaigns manager, said: “Looking after a child can be challenging for all parents and carers at times, and it is so important that people feel they can seek support and know where to turn for help.
“Everyone is welcome to come along to this event to find out what support and activities are available where you live.
“Don’t forget the NSPCC Helpline is also there for anyone who wants advice or knows a family that needs support.”
The campaign has also been raising awareness among communities and professionals about the early signs of child neglect and how to help families who are struggling.
Jackie Irvine, Chair of the Edinburgh Child Protection Committee, said: “Many organisations will be on hand to offer advice and provide practical support to parents and carers at this fun free drop-in at McDonald Road Library.
“This campaign was first launched just weeks before the pandemic struck and highlights the very real issues around child neglect. The past couple of years have really driven home the importance of raising awareness among communities and professionals so they are alert to the signs of child neglect.
“I would encourage as many people as possible to come along to find out more information about what is available.”
The Family Fun Drop-In is being held at the McDonald Library, McDonald Road, Edinburgh, from 1pm to 3pm.
The campaign has also been raising awareness among communities and professionals about the early signs of child neglect and how to help families who are struggling with online workshops and seminars.
For parenting advice and support visit NSPCC helpline or call 0808 800 5000, weekdays 8am to 10pm and weekends 9am to 6pm. People can also contact Social Care Direct on 0131 200 2324, their health visitor, GP or child’s school.
Police have released images of a man they wish to speak to as they believe he may be able to assist with an investigation into an assault in the city centre.
The incident took place around 8pm on Friday, 6 August, 2021, on South St Andrew Street. A 36-year-old man was assaulted and sustained a facial injury but did not require hospital treatment.
The man pictured is described as white, aged 25-30 and had facial hair.
Detective Constable Moran, of Gayfield CID, said: “The victim was subjected to an attack which left him with a facial injury. I would urge anyone with information relating to the man in the CCTV images to contact police as soon as possible.”
Members of the public can contact Police Scotland via 101, quoting reference number 3319 of 6 August, 2021, or if they wish to remain anonymous, they can call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
This year Edinburgh International Book Festival is hosting several Communities Programme events as part of the August Book Festival, as well as organising several off site visits and screenings.
Read on to find out more about how you can get involved …
With Edinburgh International Book Festival starting in just a month, we are looking forward to returning to Edinburgh College of Art for a summer packed with events, performances, interviews and workshops.
We will be welcoming authors from all over the world to the Festival, with over 600 events planned, many of which are hybrid and can be watched online for free. There is going to be something for everyone!
Our full programme is now available to browse online, but in this post, we wanted to focus on how the Communities Programme is shaping up over the month of August. As always, we are planning to do a series of events inspired by the themes of our Citizen project, which explore community, place, identity, belonging and what citizenship can look like in today’s world.
Through our Story Nation programme, we are taking the joy of the Book Festival to those who otherwise cannot access it, through a weekend of events at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People as well as author visits to six Scottish Prisons, a local high school and the Streetreads Library, a dedicated place for readers who are experiencing homelessness.
The Birks Cinema in Aberfeldy will be screening five of our events for free to their local audiences, as a way of counteracting digital exclusion in rural areas.
We are also delighted to present our Scotland’s Stories Now project each and every day at the Festival, and we are so grateful to EventScotland for funding this project as part of their Year of Stories 2022.
We are really looking forward to welcoming many of our Communities Programme participants from across Scotland to celebrate their creativity with us the Book Festival.
Monday 15 August, 7.30 -8.30pm
Stories and Scran
We are delighted to announce the return of Stories and Scran for its third year. The Scran Academy will be catering a meal for our community participants before they take to the stage for a special showcase of the creative and thought-provoking writing they have created over the past year.
Event attendees will also get to sample some delicious sweet treats while they enjoy a diverse showcase of readings, poetry and song from communities in North Edinburgh and Musselburgh.
While sitting on a train, bus or tube, have you ever wondered about all of the complicated stories of your fellow passengers’ lives unfolding around you?
One Day Ticket takes this idea and elaborates it, creating a series of narrative snapshots as seen from a train carriage with an unknown destination. This collaborative work for the stage is written by Citizen participants with our Communities Writer in Residence, Eleanor Thom.
The cast of this collection of poignant and humorous human stories will perform with scripts in hand.
Everyone has a story to tell; through stories we can make sense of our world. Earlier this year writers Andrew O’Hagan, Eleanor Thom, Ryan Van Winkle, Mae Diansangu, Roseanne Watt, Bea Webster and Siân Bevan collaborated with community groups across the country to collect Scotland’s Stories Now.
At the Festival, we are sharing the tales, poems, conversations and words from the people who took part, as well as several of the stories submitted to our Open Call, inspired by the prompt ‘On This Day’.
Following two years of disruption in schools, we’re bringing together education pioneers to imagine the creative, bespoke settings needed to support young people.
Our panellists include founder of The Black Curriculum campaign, Lavinya Stennett; Emma Easton, school manager at The Spartans Alternative School, Ian Midwinter, CEO of Scran Academy, and Alexander Boys, a former member of The Citizen Collective, our writing group for 16-18 year olds.
What would the planet look like if you designed it? This is the question Ryan Van Winkle, our Schools Writer in Residence, has been exploring with local pupils at St. Thomas of Aquin’s RC High School as part of Citizen.
Drop in anytime between 11am at 5pm to explore the world they created in a multi-media installation, or come and join our free 30-minute tours at 11am, 2pm or 4pm. Featuring work from Natalie Doyle, Faith Eliott, Lotte Fisher, Caitlin Hynes, Seamus Killick, Emily Randall and Natasha Russell.
This year, we asked people across Scotland – of any age, background or ability – to submit their own stories responding to the prompt ‘On This Day’.
What resulted was a fascinating portrait of Scotland in the here and now. Throughout the Festival, different contributors from around the country will be sharing their snapshots of life through the power of words. Join us to hear their illuminating stories in a free daily session at 5pm in our Storytime Yurt.
We hope you enjoy the Book Festival this year and look forward to welcoming you at Edinburgh College of Art, 74 Lauriston Place, Edinburgh, EH3 9DF, or chatting to you online in the event chat and Q&A sections, if you are planning to join us virtually.
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Citizen is our long-term creative programme working in partnership with organisations across Edinburgh and Musselburgh, offering local people a platform to explore identity, connection and place. It is supported by the players of People’s Postcode Lottery and the PLACE Programme administered by Creative Scotland.
Our Story Nation project aims to bring the spirit of the Book Festival to audiences who, for various reasons, cannot access our physical events. It aims to combat isolation and create rich opportunities for engagement with the written word among vulnerable or unheard communities, enthusing and empowering readers across Scotland.
Scotland’s Stories Now is supported by EventScotland, as part of the Year of Stories 2022.
100 BILLION piecesof plastic packaging are estimated to be thrown away by UK households every year
81,272 pieces of plastic were thrown away in one week by 1240 households in Edinburgh, according to the UK’s largest ever survey of household plastic waste.
For one week in May, just under 100,000 households across the UK – nearly a quarter of a million people – counted their plastic packaging waste and sent their results to Greenpeace and Everyday Plastic as part of The Big Plastic Count.
On average, each UK household threw away 66 pieces of plastic packaging in one week, with Edinburgh households being in line with this average. UK-wide, this amounts to an estimated 3,432 pieces per household when applied over a year.
Therefore, nearly 100 billion pieces of plastic packaging are estimated to be thrown away by UK households every year, with just 12% likely to be recycled in the UK. More of the UK’s household plastic waste (17%) is being shipped overseas than being recycled at home.
Almost half (46%) of the UK’s household plastic waste is being incinerated whilst the remaining 25% is buried in landfill.
83% of the plastic recorded was from food and drink packaging waste, with the most common item being fruit and vegetable packaging.
Marlena from Leith said: “I’m horrified to learn that just 12% of the plastic we produce is likely to be recycled, and that the rest ends up as pollution.
“I sort my plastic waste and recycle what I can, but it’s clear that this system can’t cope with all our waste, and that it’s up to Government and big brands to reduce the amount of plastic being produced in the first place.
“According to my plastic footprint, I use around 50 bits of plastic a week. 89% of that is for food and drink alone. Most of this plastic is designed to be used once and then thrown away. If supermarkets reduced the amount of fruit and vegetable wrapping, we could really cut down on plastic waste.”
This year, the government is starting to decide on legal targets to reduce waste. Greenpeace Edinburgh is calling on the Government to set legally binding targets to almost entirely eliminate single-use plastic, starting with a target of a 50% cut in single-use plastic by 2025.
Alternatives should be affordable, reusable and accessible, including to those with disabilities. Greenpeace Edinburgh volunteers are also calling for a ban on the dumping of our waste onto other countries, and for a UK-wide moratorium on new incineration capacity.
Graphics to illustrate the findings of the Big Plastic Count. The country’s largest ever survey of household plastic waste can reveal that nearly 100 billion pieces of plastic are binned in the UK every year, with just 12% likely to be recycled.
Marlena continued: “When we were out and about in the Meadows and Portobello talking to local residents about The Big Plastic Count, people were really keen to take part, and to find out what really happens to the plastic they put into the bin or to the recycling bag.
“So I’m pleased that Edinburgh North and Leith MP Deidre Brock spoke at the results event in Parliament this week, and urge all of our local MPs to call on the Westminster Government for the ambitious plastic reduction targets that we urgently need”.
