Edinburgh’s Equality and Rights Network (EaRN) are holding a free event on Saturday 10 February, from 2-4pm at Norton Park Conference Centre. Breaking Down Barriers: Disability, Visibility, Accessibility will be a fun-filled afternoon of poetry, song, music, dance and film aiming to give those who face barriers to access in Edinburgh an opportunity to tell their stories, how they want to tell them. Continue reading Breaking Down Barriers – EaRN event on Saturday 10 February
Three local women staged an exhibition of their artwork at Madelvic House on Saturday. Dee, Johan and are all involved in the Low Income Families Together (LIFT) project based at Muirhouse Millennium Community Centre.
The event proved to be a great success, and the women plan to follow it up with another exhibition in the Millennium Centre later this month.
Pictures: Pauline Nicol Bowie
A local charity has asked NEN to support their campaign to make a city community a better place …
Craigentinny: a community seriously going places
People Know How, an Edinburgh charity based near Meadowbank, has an invitation for everyone living in Craigentinny to put together plans and ideas for a great future for the area.
People Know How works with local residents to identify a community’s assets – all the good and positive things happening – to capitalise on them and realise everyone’s aspirations for the future. Putting together your ideas and skills with their support can bring about positive social change and real improvements to the lives of people.
They believe that by sharing our feelings and listening to each other, we can work to enable huge and exciting changes that communities like Craigentinny want and need. Supporting and helping local people to consult local people on what they think is the first and most important step in this project.
So – to plan this future with you – People Know How’s volunteers want to start a conversation, all over Craigentinny. That way we can all find out EVERYTHING people think and feel about Craigentinny – your hopes, your beefs, your plans, your dreams …
Here are a few ideas to kick the conversation off:
In the next few months there will be many chances to share views and to sound off with the People Know How team. You’ll probably see their volunteers talking to folk on street corners (and, no, they won’t be asking for your money), in pubs, clubs, churches, outside the school and shops. They’ll be asking more questions and discussing the answers through NEN and other local media.
And – this isn’t just another bunch of “clipboarders” doing a survey that you’ll see nothing from. People Know How PROMISES that when the conversation is running, they’ll share what’s being heard, and help you get the change you want.
They want to hear from you:
People Know How:
Phone: 0131 652 1315
Email: craigentinny@peopleknowhow.org
Twitter: @PKHinnovation
Facebook: /People Know How
Website: www.peopleknowhow.org
A Scotland-wide campaign to raise public awareness of the signs and symptoms of sepsis will be launched today by Health Secretary Shona Robison. The radio, print and social media campaign will reach more than 1.3 million people across the country, and every community pharmacy in Scotland will display posters warning of the signs of sepsis. Continue reading Sepsis awareness campaign launched today
Police are appealing for information following a serious road collision on Queensferry Road. The incident happened near the junction with Parkgrove Street at around 7:20pm on Saturday evening. Continue reading Police seek witnesses to Queensferry Road accident
The Scottish Affairs Committee will hold a one off session into delivery charges for online purchases on 27 February. The session will feature major online retailers, delivery companies and organisations that have looked into delivery charges, including Ofcom and Citizens Advice Scotland. Continue reading Scottish Affairs Committee to investigate online delivery charges
Churches in the UK are planning to distribute more than quarter of a million Easter stories inside Easter eggs this year as part of a national campaign to plug a gap in knowledge about the religious festival. Continue reading Churches eggciting campaign to reclaim Easter
Continue reading Knockout: tribute song to support Ken Buchanan statue camapign
Social Bite founder Josh Littlejohn is guest speaker at West Pilton and West Granton Community Council’s meeting on Tuesday (6 February) at 7pm in West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre. All welcome.
Small businesses in Scotland could save up to £8,000 on average each year simply by making energy efficiency improvements – and cut their annual energy consumption by a quarter. That’s the message from Zero Waste Scotland and the Scottish Government, who have announced a new ‘cashback’ scheme to help businesses in Scotland tackle rising energy costs and reduce their carbon footprint.
For a limited time only, eligible small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) applying for an interest-free, unsecured Scottish Government loan can receive 30% cashback on the value. That’s up to £10,000 in cashback on completion of their energy efficiency improvements.
Minister for Business, Innovation and Energy, Paul Wheelhouse, announced the cashback incentive today during a visit to Goldenacre Mini Market in Edinburgh. The convenience store is among more than 300 businesses in Scotland to have benefitted from an SME Loan in the past five years.
The SME Loan scheme has seen nearly £10million invested in the Scottish small business community since 2013.
Paul Wheelhouse MSP, Scottish Government Minister for Business, Innovation and Energy, said: “Improving energy efficiency is one of the smartest ways that businesses in Scotland can hold onto their hard-earned profits and make a real difference to the bottom line.
“In addition to benefits for individual businesses, reducing the environmental impact of Scotland’s energy needs will bring us closer to the low carbon energy future set out in Scotland’s Energy Strategy – generating benefits for Scotland’s economy as well as the environment.
“This fund is part of Scotland’s Energy Efficiency Programme (SEEP), which will support buildings across Scotland – both domestic and non-domestic – to improve their energy efficiency rating over a 15-20 year period.
“We will be publishing a SEEP Routemap, later in 2018, to set out our long-term ambition for the Programme and make our commitment to this agenda clear, given the more than £500 million we have which earmarked to the programme over this term of Parliament.”
The SME Loan 30% Cashback incentive is open to applications from SMEs with energy efficiency projects that demonstrate cost and carbon savings. These include, but are not limited to:
· investing in LED lighting,
· installing more efficient heating systems,
· improving the insulation of a building or investing in more energy efficient equipment, such as a state of the art oven or a more efficient refrigeration unit.
Eligible applicants will receive a dedicated expert advisor from Zero Waste Scotland’s Resource Efficient Scotland service, which is supported by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), to guide them through the process at no cost, helping them identify efficiency improvements with the greatest benefit to the bottom line.
Iain Gulland, Chief Executive, Zero Waste Scotland, said: “Our work with small businesses in Scotland tells us that companies want to do their bit for the environment – indeed, our advisors have already supported organisations in Scotland to identify over £42million worth of savings.
“We understand that with small businesses, the need to see fast return on investment and the time needed to complete lengthy application processes can preclude positive action. That’s why the SME Loan and associated support is designed with busy Scottish SMEs in mind – and with up to £10,000 cashback now available there’s even more reason to act and secure a more sustainable, cost-effective future for your business.”
Small business owner Aleem Farooqi runs the Goldenacre Mini Market on Edinburgh’s Inverleith Row. His successful application for the SME Loan in 2016, to upgrade the store’s lighting and refrigeration, has generated annual electricity savings worth almost £1,800.
Mr Farooqi said: “As a small business, keeping my energy bills to a minimum while also ensuring an excellent customer experience is paramount. Having operated Goldenacre Mini Market in Edinburgh for 15 years, I was delighted to have the chance to upgrade some of my older lighting and refrigeration equipment to more energy efficient models that are now saving me about 30% on my electricity bills. That’s money that I can put back into my business and continue to serve the community.
“I would recommend the SME Loan to any small business owner – and with an additional cashback element now available it’s a great opportunity for retailers to invest in the future of their business.”
To find out more about the SME Loan 30% Cashback incentive, and to apply, call Zero Waste Scotland’s Resource Efficient Scotland service on 0808 808 2268, or visit www.resourceefficientscotland.com/SMEloan
Zero Waste Scotland leads on delivery of the £73million Resource Efficient Circular Economy Accelerator Programme, which aims to improve the economic performance of SMEs while at the same time reducing the impact of economic activity on the natural environment, supporting Scottish Government and EU policies.
