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Primary care – Travel Safe Charter launched

A new resource to help improve road safety education has been launched in primary schools across Edinburgh, the Lothians and Scottish Borders. The Travel Safe Charter is a unique approach to promoting safe road practises to young people, seeking a commitment from schools and other agencies to develop curricular activities and partnership working.

Scotland’s national Road Safety Framework aims to reduce road deaths by 50 per cent through 2020 and the Travel Safe Charter has been designed to promote these key visions to all Pl – P7 year groups within our schools. The Charter provides advice and guidance on a range of policies, practices and procedures while encouraging and rewarding individual efforts. It will fit within the existing Curriculum for Excellence framework.

Travel Safe will reinforce and consolidate current good practices, whilst highlighting partnership working, parental input and involvement from the local community. All schools will submit evidence demonstrating that they have achieved the goals set within the Travel Charter framework and will be acknowledged accordingly through the award of a Charter certificate. The schools adjudged to be meeting these criteria will be given Travel Safe accreditation, which will be reviewed after three years.

Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill showed his support and helped launch the campaign at Duddingston Primary School yesterday.

Police believe Travel Safe will be a very useful tool to ensure a more sustainable approach to road safety education in primary schools. Chief Inspector Jim Royan from Lothian and Borders Police Safer Communities said: “As part of the Edinburgh Road Safety Partnership’s commitment to education, the Travel Safe Charter has been introduced to assist primary schools developing road safety education as a more vital part of the curriculum. Too many lives are lost needlessly on our roads each year and the earlier we can educate young people on road safety issues the better.

” School is where children receive the vast majority of their education and it’s appropriate for schools to play a key role in promoting road safety to their pupils. However, they are not alone in this project and police and partner agencies will provide all the necessary support and guidance schools require when adapting their curricular programme. We are also keen to get parents more involved and would encourage anyone who would like to assist with road safety education to respond to local school appeals for volunteers.”

Duddingston Depute Head Teacher Sara Webster said: “We are very excited about being part of the new Travel Safe Charter. Road safety is a skill for life which we feel is part of our responsibility asking children to assess and manage risk to protect themselves in the 21st century.”

Letter: Building barriers is not the answer

Dear Editor

I am writing express my anger regarding the proposal from residents of Silverknowes asking to brick up three access points leading to Muirhouse following incidents of antisocial behaviour being blamed on Muirhouse residents. While I disagree with vandalism and antisocial behaviour, blocking pathways will not be the solution to this problem. This could have the adverse effect on the problem. Unfortunately lots of this behaviour is happening all over the city.

I recall this same group opposing the building of the new Craigroyston High School close to their homes . What do these people want? A Berlin Wall within North Edinburgh? They are not an elitist group who can dictate what they want. The majority of people from Muirhouse are decent people who strive to improve their community and retain good links with surrounding neighbourhoods. Perhaps the answer is getting activists groups together within the neighbourhood to consult with each other . This could hopefully help to resolve the problem. Building barriers between communities is not the answer.

Anna Hutchison (by email)

Barriers — SILVERKNOWES EASTWAY ‘barriers not the answer’

Paralympic torch coming to Sainsbury’s

Sainsbury’s Blackhall customers will have the chance to see the Paralympic Torch as it goes on a special tour across the UK. Sainsbury’s Blackhall will welcome the torch on Friday 19 October, when customers will have the opportunity to see, hold and take photographs of the iconic torch between 1 – 3pm.

The Sainsbury’s Paralympic Torch Experience will see the Paralympic Torch travel to 400 Sainsbury’s stores across the country – the Torch’s epic journey begins at Sainsbury’s Bradford Upon-Avon and ends at the retailer’s Lampeter store on Thursday 1 November.

The Torch is one of 620 Torches used in the 24 hour Relay which took place from Stoke Mandeville in Aylesbury, the home of the Paralympic Movement, to the Olympic Park in Stratford, London on Tuesday 28^th to Wednesday 29^th August. 101 stores from other areas across the country previously saw the Torch ahead of and during the Games, and now the retailer – and first ever Paralympic Games-only sponsor – is extending it to the rest of the country.

Sainsbury’s Blackhall Store Manager David Bainbridge said: “We’ve really enjoyed playing our part in raising awareness of the London 2012 Paralympic Games in Blackhall. For our customers, it’s a once in a lifetime chance for them to see the Torch and feel the buzz of the Paralympic Games, which we’re proud to have sponsored.”

The local Sainsbury’s store is also responsible for another Olympic legacy, with two local high schools sharing in the success of the 2012 games thanks to donations from Sainsbury’s. The Royal High School received a donation of London 2012 sports clothing which they aim to use for team events, and organisers of Broughton High School’s recent Septemberfest were delighted to use Sainsbury’s London 2012 merchandise for prizes.

The store hope the donation will help maintain the positive momentum and feeling created by the London 2012 Games. Sainsbury’s Blackhall Store Manager David Bainbridge said: “Our colleagues and customers have really got behind all Paralympics GB and Team GB athletes and we wanted to celebrate the success of the London 2012 Games by providing The Royal High School and Septemberfest with a lasting memento of what has truly been a year like no other.”

Living Well welcomes new manager Sandra

Living Well North Edinburgh (formerly PROP Stress Centre) has warmly welcomed new manager Sandra Walkingshaw (pictured above).

Sandra said: “I am delighted to have joined the Living Well team as the new manager. I am really looking forward to working with all our members, staff and volunteers on continuing the excellent work that is currently going on and also planning for the future aims and goals of Living Well North Edinburgh.”

Living Well North Edinburgh are currently presenting ‘The Journey Within’, an exhibition of members’ arts and crafts, at North Edinburgh Arts Centre as part of the Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival 2012. The exhibition runs until 2 November.

PYCP happy to receive Wooden Spoon!

Scots rugby legend Chris Paterson was the special guest at Pilton Youth and Children’s Project (PYCP) annual general meeting on Friday 28 September. Chris was representing rugby’s Wooden Spoon charity, whose donation of £10,000 helped PYCP turn a little-used storeroom into an all-singing, all-dancing dance studio!

Unveiling a plaque to opening the new facility at PYCP’s Greenhouse, the record 109-times capped star said: “I’m an awful dancer with two left feet, but if I’d had something like this … well, I think I’d probably still be a pretty rubbish dancer!”

Thanking Chris and representatives of the Wooden Spoon charity, PYCP chairperson Clare Halliday said: “This really is a tremendous space for our young people to enjoy. The room has been transformed – it’s incredible to think that this was just a storeroom, more or less a dumping ground for lots of equipment. Many thanks to Wooden Spoon for supporting PYCP – we really do appreciate it.”

Young dancers from Edinburgh’s Dance Base were first to put the new Wooden Spoon studio to the test, entertaining guests with an energetic routine – Chris Paterson was not tempted to join in!

Some pictures:

PEP Talk

Pilton Equalities Project (PEP) annual general meeting will take place on Friday 26 October at 11am in PEP’s West Pilton Park office – and it’s time to get your nomination papers in if you want to be a director.

PEP is a community-run and managed organisation, with a voluntary management board, and welcomes nominations for membership of the Board of Directors from people who live in the community and representatives of local organisations who have an interest in the work of the project.

The maximum number of members of the Board is eleven, with a majority of members being elected from groups or activities associated with the Project. If more than 11 nominations are received in time for the Annual General Meeting there will be a vote at the AGM. A further four co-opted places will be available for those who have experience and/or skills which could be of assistance to the directors.

Interested? For further information call 315 4466 or email pepequalities@btconnect.com

Completed nomination forms must be received by Friday 19^th October.

Mela’s G-Code crew launch album

Edinburgh Mela is based at North Edinburgh Arts Centre, and the organisation has been working with young people in North Edinburgh on various projects that were first performed at the Mela festival in September. The Mela’s G-Code project has been running on Thursday evenings, working with young local musicians on developing new music.

The G-Code project has flourished over the past few months with the young people taking part in a variety of performances including performing alongside Tinderbox Orchestra at the Dalai Lama’s World Peace event.

The participants also wrote and produced two tracks – ‘Inner Peace’ and ‘Journey’ – and the young musicians showcased their musical achievements at North Edinburgh Arts Centre last Friday where they hosted an album launch, music event and exhibition before being interviewed by young people from Muirhouse Youth Development Group.

For more information about the Mela G-Code project contact Angela on 0131 315 2151.

North Edinburgh needs YOU tomorrow …

… and maybe the next day, and the one after that … Robert Pearson explains why.

North Edinburgh Needs You!

Do you want to help your community? Are you free on Tuesday 9 October? Any hours between 10am – 3pm?

Yes, we hear you shouting – well read on and come join us on the day!

Muirhouse Youth Development Group (MYDG) and the wider North Edinburgh community are looking for as many volunteers to join us to complete an exciting brand new project which we started on 25 September at Gypsy Brae.

This exciting adventure was made possible when MYDG negotiated a lease from City of Edinburgh Council and they decided to turn this land into Cyclone, The Biggest Bike Track (360 mtrs) in Edinburgh! Since the work started over fifty volunteers have risen to the challenge and have worked through some challenging weather conditions.

Completing this bike track will let children, families and adults practice their mountain biking and downhill skills on a great one-way circuit, with purpose-built tight bends, bumps and humps. Open all year round, members of the public can use it at their own risk but MYDG will also run regular sessions to develop the riders’ skills.

If you’re able to spare the some time on Tuesday we are meeting at Craigroyston Community High School on Pennywell Road for 10am. Lunch will be provided – hope to see as many people as possible on the day!

For more information please contact peterairlie@mydg.org.uk

Dads Rock’s coming to Granton!

Dads Rock, the free fun playgroup for dads and their kids, is coming to Granton. It’s almost a year to the day since Thomas Lynch and David Marshall dreamed up the idea of starting a playgroup for dads and their kids, and Dads Rock has since gone from strength to strength.

Dads Rock’s weekly fun sessions for under-fives at Sighthill’s Gate 55 have been very popular since they were launched last November, and the group has gone on to attract both local and national press coverage – last month the group was featured in a photo exhibition at the Scottish Parliament. Dads Rock is now very excited to be coming to The Prentice Centre on Saturday mornings – the big launch is Saturday 27 October from 10 – 11.30am.

Group founder Thomas Lynch said: “It’s amazing the difference a year makes! We’ve had brilliant meetings at The Prentice Centre and it’s a great venue. We’re really looking forward to starting there on Saturday 27th at 10am – we’re hoping for a great turn out, so spread the news!”

No sooner said than done …

Lean on Me: North Edinburgh Time Bank launches this Thursday

North Edinburgh Time Bank will be launched in song by the Time Bank’s very own choir at North Edinburgh Arts Centre this Thursday evening – and everyone’s invited!

Time banking is a scheme where people earn time credits for every hour they spend helping someone in their community. People sign up and offer whatever skill, knowledge and experience they have – from doing DIY to teaching guitar – and in return they get help for what they need from other members. The North Edinburgh Time Bank has been up and running since May 2012 and has 13 members to date.

Julie Smith, the time bank broker who co-ordinates the project explained: “It’s a simple idea which people really get into. We don’t all have cash, but we all do have time – and what we do with that time can be extremely valuable to others and our communities. Time Banking uses time as a means of exchange instead of money. So, for every hour you spend say, helping someone move house, you get the equivalent in time credits. Which you can then exchange for a favour from someone else – or donate to someone else who might need a hand. Timebanking says, look, we all need someone to do wee things for us at different times in our lives. And we all want to be useful and help other folk out. This scheme lets people be useful and puts them in touch with folk who can help them when needed.”

One of the first people to join was local mum Karma Lennon, who said: “It’s not always easy to get to know folk, especially if you’re new in the area. A time bank is a way of folk getting to know their neighbours – of trusting the people around you. I got help with my garden – we discovered a hawthorn tree growing in it which I didn’t know was there!”

Jan Moore is another timebank member, and also the volunteer administrative worker with North Edinburgh Time Bank. She says: “It’s really easy to feel useless because you’re not in a job that pays well, or you’re looking after people, or you’ve been ill yourself. You can feel you’ve got nothing to offer. Time Bank is brilliant because it clearly says everyone has something to offer. If you can offer company to someone for an hour, help someone fill in a form – be a good listener – we are all valuable to our communities. And we’ve formed a timebank choir to get the message out there in song – so come along to the launch and hear our anthem!”

How can you resist?

Thursday October 11

6pm – 8pm

North Edinburgh Arts Centre, 15a Pennywell Court Edinburgh

And as the great Sir Cliff Richard himself may just have sung: ‘Congratulations!’