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Ana is the people’s choice!

Ana’s composition is a real draw!

An Edinburgh College illustration student has won the people’s choice award in a competition to design a children’s book cover for city publisher Floris Books.

The Kelpies Design & Illustration Prize 2015 challenged entrants to design a new book cover for Allan Campbell McLean’s classic cold war spy adventure The Hill of the Red Fox.

Edinburgh College HND Visual Communication: Illustration student Ana Elez Rodrigo (above) won the People’s Choice award, receiving more than 1,200 votes in an online poll, and received a £75 cash prize. Fellow illustration student David Lymburn was also shortlisted in the competition.

Lewis Copland, a communication design student at Gray’s School of Art in Aberdeen took the top prize, with professional designer Brad Newsman taking the highly commended prize.

The winners were announced at a ceremony at Leith’s creative business hub Creative Exchange, run by Edinburgh College and the City of Edinburgh Council.

Anna’s design was praised by the judges for her use of a strong colour palette and textured background to depict a red fox against a rugged highland landscape. David was commended for his bold use of composition, colour and typography.

Anna said: “For my design I got inspired by the landscape in Skye and the north of the Highlands. I played with the title of the book to make this kind-of mysterious and intriguing fox.”

As the novel is set in the fifties, Anna used stylish colours of the time along with wrinkled paper to add texture. She said she was “excited and really happy” to have done so well in the competition.

Leah McDowell, design and production manager at Floris Books, said: “The shortlisted designs of Anna Elez Rodrigo and David Lymburn display great talent for two people in such early stages of their careers. Their interpretations of the competition brief show a good understanding of what was asked of them as part of this pressured live project.

“Floris Books felt that the Creative Exchange was the perfect place to host the shortlist exhibition, not only because of the qualities it encourages and represents – creativity, innovation and collaboration – but also because the ground floor space acted as the perfect environment to show off our contemporary children’s book cover designs.”

Image Caption: Overall winner Lewis Copland (front left); Anna Elez Rodrigo (front right); Edinburgh College entrant David Lymburn (second from right, white shirt)

The 12 shortlisted designs will remain on display at Creative Exchange, 29 Constitution Street, Leith until 30 April (Monday-Friday, 10am-5pm).

Edinburgh College offers a wide range of design and illustration courses from introductory to HND level. Students work on exciting and challenging briefs to equip them with the technical and creative skills associated with their chosen professionalism, and are encouraged to enter competitions to hone their talents and expose their work to a wider audience. Applications are currently invited for these courses and more than 900 other courses across the curriculum offered by the college and starting in August on its four campuses.

See www.edinburghcollege.ac.uk for more info on how to apply.

Getting crafty in Muirhouse

Muirhouse Community Centre Social Crafting Club

It can be said that crafters can never have enough crafting stash or time – that is a true statement for many crafters. It can also be said that crafting can be an isolating hobby because it is easy to start a project and completely lose hours at a time in the blink of an eye. Again something that crafters will recognise as true (writes club organiser Eileen Carr).

Here at Muirhouse Community Centre’s Social Crafting Club we aim to bring crafters together in an informal way to socialise with other crafters, to craft, learn new skills, discuss crafting (amongst other things), and build our confidence in trying new craft ideas and equipment.

The Craft Club is open from 11am-3pm on a Friday in the Youth Wing – you can stay for the 4 hours or even just pop in for ½ hour. We ask that people donate £1 a week towards the tea (biscuit/cake) fund and any extra money raised is used for craft equipment and ‘stash’ for communal use.

Although we do have a supply of craft ‘stash’ and equipment it is usual for people to bring their own craft projects and work on them whilst chatting to the other crafters, enjoying a cup of tea and demonstrating their skills. There is always something new to learn whether it’s a technique or how to use a piece of equipment.

Between us we are confident (in varying degrees) in card making, scrap booking, stamping, die-cutting, iris folding, colouring (using aqua markers/alcohol pens/spectrum noir pens and pencils), plaque decorating, general paper-crafting, book folding, knitting, crochet, jewellery making, beading, scented crafts, sewing and cross stitch and we are happy to help out where we can – as well as learning new things ourselves.

Come and join us – all welcome!

EPIC! Timebank Temptations shortlisted for award

Can the Timebank Temptations be The People’s Choice?

North Edinburgh’s Timebank Temptations choir has been shortlisted for a Voluntary Arts EPIC Award. Voting opens on Monday for the UK and Ireland’s largest amateur cultural award.

Run by Voluntary Arts, the Epic Awards recognise and reward excellence and innovation in the amateur cultural sector. Last year’s Epic Award winners included a drumming group who came together for the London 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony, an arts festival in a remote Scottish village, an Irish poetry group that held sessions in their local park and a Welsh knitting project that brought their entire community together – from farmers to ferrymen.

Across the UK and Republic of Ireland over 60,000 voluntary arts groups provide regular opportunities for cultural engagement in their local areas and the Epic Awards shine a spotlight on their achievements. All voluntary-led arts groups were eligible to apply, and entries this year were encouraged from:

groups that formed interesting collaborations;
projects that engaged with their local community or beyond;
creative activity that inspired others or increased participation;
groups that used new ideas in innovative ways.

The Timebank Temptations certainly tick a box or two – and now they need your support.

From Monday 20 April you can visit www.epicawards.co.uk and vote for Timebank Temptations as the People’s Choice!

Old hat? Tackle Edinburgh’s (nearly) new Vintage Trail!

Nostalgia ain’t what it used to be!

Fans of vintage goods will be able to track down their favourite vinyl, 50s dress and retro food and drink using a new Vintage Trail guide produced by the City of Edinburgh Council.

The guide, which takes you on a trip down memory lane, is packed with over 100 businesses. It includes retailers selling clothes, books, music, food and drink, clubs and markets, and was inspired by the number of high quality vintage outets in Edinburgh.

Cllr Frank Ross, Convener of the Economy Committee, said: “We’ve kept our definition of vintage as inclusive as possible and all of the entries are individual and unusual. The guide is also well indexed with handy maps to help you get around. It is one of many Council projects to help build stronger town centres and includes some areas out with the city centre.

You can create your own vintage trail whether you are heading for the beach at Portobello and South Queensferry or the hidden gems in Stockbridge, Leith and the Grassmarket.”

Robert Mullin of The Gently Mad on the trail, said: “The Gently Mad is a father and son business and we are passionate about, if not obsessed with, antiquarian and vintage books and have a particular interest in bookbinding and book restoration.

“Our bookshelves are crammed with hundreds of wonderful volumes specialising in children’s illustrated, natural history, and Scottish interest. Our small working bindery is on view to the public and we are always happy to discuss the traditional processes involved in repairing and making books.

“We are delighted to be included in the Edinburgh Vintage Trail 2015 brochure and hope that its readers will see that Edinburgh as a city has a lot to offer those with an interest in all things vintage.”

Pohela Boishakh পহেলা বৈশাখ,

North Edinburgh’s Bangladeshis celebrate New Year

North Edinburgh’s Bangladeshi residents held an event to celebrate the Bengali New Year 1422 at Granton Parish Church on Boswall Parkway this afternoon.

Edinburgh & Lothian Regional Equality Council (ELREC) is supporting the local residents group and they are plan to initiate various engagement activities with the local services and the wider community over the coming months.

Book your seat at PCHP exercise training course

This weekend (Sat 18th & Sun 19th April) Pilton Community Health Project (PCHP) are very excited to be piloting a brand new ‘Seated Exercise Training Course’.

This has been developed by PCHP’s Physical Activity Development Worker in partnership with Specialist Instructors and Physiotherapists, in response to long term local need in North Edinburgh (and beyond).

For a number of years the physical activity development work at the PCHP has identified (and attempted to fill) a gap in the provision of regular physical activity for older people in residential homes, sheltered housing and lunch clubs. We strongly believe that every older person should have access to regular and FREE activity sessions that will maintain functionality and improve quality of life.

Please share this around your networks, there are still 3 or 4 spaces available on the training and it would be a real shame to see them go to waste!

Furthermore, since this is the first pilot it is FREE OF CHARGE!

Do you or someone you know work with (or would like to work with) older adults in North Edinburgh?

Do you or someone you know have an interest in and appreciation of the importance of keeping active in later life?

Are you interested in learning about the effects of ageing on the body and how this impacts health?

Would you like to gain new skills and knowledge around leading activity sessions for specialist groups?

Would you like to volunteer to deliver seated exercise sessions in North Edinburgh that might improve the health of older people?

If you can answer yes to any of these questions then this training might be just what you are looking for!

The training will be taking place at Pilton Community Health Project as follows:

Sat 18^th April 9.30am-3.45pm

Sun 19^th Apr 10.00am-3.15pm

If you are interested in taking part then please get in touch with liannepipskyj@pchp.org.uk or call 0131 551 1671 asap to secure your place!

Healthy regards

Lianne Pipskyj (Development Worker – Physical Activity)

Pilton Community Health Project

73 Boswall Parkway Edinburgh, EH5 2PW

0131 551 1671

liannepipskyj@pchp.org.uk

www.pchp.org.uk

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Use it ot lose it – adult education classes resume at Craigroyston

Craigroyston Classes poster April 2015

Our adult education classes at Craigroyston Community High School start back from 27 April and if we do not have enough numbers, the council will cancel classes, so please do encourage people to sign up -use it or lose it!

Also some Lone Parent Scotland cookery classes ongoing at the moment :

Cookery class at Craigroyston Community High School
67 Pennywell Road, Edinburgh EH4 4NL
Run by Lone Parent Scotland

Wednesday 15 April 10am-12.30pm
Making healthy burgers and coleslaw (ingredients all provided) for vegetarians and beef burgers

Thursday 16 April 10am -12.30pm
Making chocolate birthday cake (ingredients all provided)

All lone parents welcome with their children

Fiona Henderson

Last encounter at Linear Park

For all you football fans St Bernards will play their last match at Muirhouse Millennium Community Centre’s pitch at Linear Park on Thursday (16 April) – kick off 6.30pm (writes James McGinty).

The pitch will then undergo the installation of a new drainage system which should allow many more matches to take place in the future.

Edinburgh’s Oliver is Student Photographer of the Year

Edinburgh College student crowned Calumet Student Photographer of the Year

An Edinburgh College student has won the UK-wide Student Photographer of the Year award from photographic equipment company Calumet. Oliver Henderson, who is studying for a HND Professional Photography at the college, beat more than 1,000 students from across the UK to the top spot and a prize of £11,000-worth of photography equipment. Oliver is the first winner of the new competition.

Oliver’s photo is of a woman in a red dress under a spotlight on a rooftop, set against an industrial background. The judges praised the imagination, passion, meaning and flair behind the photo.

Competition judge and managing director of Calumet Photographic UK, Jon Warner, said: “It was extremely difficult to pick a winner as the quality of entries was so very high, but we felt that Oliver’s image (below) not only employed a high degree of technical merit, it is also an image of great impact, creativity and style. The use of light, composition and storytelling really set it apart from some very worthy runners-up.”

Oliver said: “I feel very proud and thankful to the people who have helped me to achieve this, like the tutors at Edinburgh College who constantly push me to realise my potential – although I feel I still have far to go. My inspiration for the image was something my brother once said: “fashion is pure fantasy”, which made me think of science fiction. I loved the idea of aliens spotting this beautiful girl and wanting to try and get close to her in the only way aliens can – it’s kind of weird thought process but there you go! I would again like to thank Calumet Photographic for having faith in me too.”

Jon presented Oliver with his award at the Canon Student Conference at The Photography Show at Birmingham NEC. Canon’s product intelligence professional, David Parry, also judged the competition, alongside professional photographers Rory Lewis and Tom Barnes.

Calumet launched this new competition in January and, over the two-month entry time, saw an exceptional response. Students were given free choice of topic and style, so the competition was open to landscape, portrait, lifestyle and abstract photographers.

The award is in partnership with a host of major photographic brands, including Canon, Manfrotto, B + W, Lastolite, Veho, Rotolight, Bowens, ColorMunki, DxO Software and Eizo.

The winning photo and all of the runners-up can be viewed at www.calphoto.co.uk/studentawards

Edinburgh College offers a range of photography courses, from introductory courses to BA level. Applications are currently invited for these courses and more than 900 other courses across the curriculum offered by Edinburgh College and starting in August on its four campuses.

Visit www.edinburghcollege.ac.uk for more information.

Muirhouse Community Centre’s on a roll!

Our website may have been down for the last three months but we have not been forgotten by our public as the centre is inundated by new requests by groups and yes, even more birthday parties! (writes James McGinty).

The volunteers have had to step up the already huge hours they commit their time and talents to facilitate the additional activities, and the Centre remains open and staffed for even more late nights. This is a step forward in the effort to achieve our business plan as submitted to the City of Edinburgh Council.

This Month Bookings include :

5 Birthday Parties
3 days Fully booked with language students
Bingo
Improving Muirhouse and Pennywell Meeting (I.M.P.)
Job Club

Meeting bookings and birthday Parties up until March 2016:

Bookings in advance for meetings from Sacro – Carr Gomm – Tenants and Residents in Muirhouse –Family Support Unit – Muirhouse Housing Association –Community Council – Pilton Community Health Project – Muirhouse Youth development Group – North Edinburgh Community College –I.M.P. – Fresh Start –Community Renewal – Family decision Making – Glasgow Rented Housing Group.