You may not need your sunglasses, but today’s the day for the Old Kirk and Muirhouse Summer Fair. Get down for 10am to bag those bargains!
Author: davepickering
Edinburgh reporter and photographer
MP seeks assurances on St James Centre Post Office
Following confirmation that the Central Edinburgh Post Office will be moving from the St James Shopping Centre to Princes Mall, Mark Lazarowicz MP has called for the Post Office to make a commitment to seek to move back once the redevelopment of the St James Centre is complete – and in the meantime to make sure that the other post offices in the area are able to meet the needs of customers.
Mark Lazarowicz said: “Given the announcement that the redevelopment of the centre will now be going ahead I can understand the decision to move the central Post Office to Princes Mall but I believe that should only be temporary while the redevelopment takes place.
“I am urging the Post Office to make a commitment to seek to move back into the centre once it is finished and in the meantime to ensure that facilities in Princes Mall are as accessible as possible for elderly and disabled customers.
“Self-service machines could continue to be located in the St James Centre until the redevelopment begins and facilities at other post offices in the area like Elm Row and Frederick Street should be enhanced to ensure they can cope with larger numbers of customers if some people switch to using them instead.”
“A Post Office should be part of the plans for the new St James Centre if it is to meet all of the retail needs of local residents.”
The Post Office announcement confirmed its decision on the move after a consultation to which Mark Lazarowicz MP made a submission stressing these points. The consumer watchdog, Consumer Futures, also expressed its concern over the move, in particular over access at the proposed site in Princes Mall for customers with limited mobility needs.
Call for Scots to donate blood this summer
Scots are being urged to make an extra special effort to give blood in the run up to World Blood Donor Day 2014 on Saturday (14 June).
The call for people to give blood comes as it was announced that, from next month, O negative blood will be routinely carried by doctors from the Emergency Medical Retrieval Service (EMRS) on Scottish Ambulance Service air ambulance helicopters – enabling patients to be given a blood transfusion more quickly.
Public Health Minister Michael Matheson today welcomed this announcement as he met with consultants from the EMRS team at the Glasgow Donor Centre to encourage more people to give blood.
While visiting the centre, Mr Matheson also met with blood donors to thank them for making this life-saving contribution.
He said: “Whether you’ve given blood before, or have never managed to get round to donating, I’d urge you to make an extra effort this World Blood Donor Day and make that potentially life-saving contribution. The importance of making a regular commitment to donating blood is one that the EMRS team are all too aware of and I have no doubt they will have seen first-hand how giving blood can really help people in need.
“The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring the continued the future supply of blood tissues and cells, which is why we are investing £43m in a new National Centre of Excellence for the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS). This centre will help ensure the continued future supply of blood tissues and cells, as well as facilitating the effective introduction of new developments, products and safety measures in a flexible, state-of-the-art building.”
Dr Moira Carter, Associate Director, Donor Services, SNBTS, said: “World Blood Donor Day is kicking off an unforgettable sporting summer for Scotland. As we look forward to the World Cup, the Commonwealth Games, and the Ryder Cup, we anticipate donations may drop off by as much as 20%. However, the need for blood continues, so please do take time out from your schedule in this sporting summer to donate.
“Blood Donor Week is a fantastic opportunity for us to thank the 138,000 people in Scotland who have given blood in the past 12 months. We have been delighted to welcome 3,290 17 year olds who have started giving blood so far during 2014, but we need more to come forward. As the overall population ages, these young donors are even more important in making sure we meet the needs of patients in Scotland today and into the future.”
Dr Neil Hughes, consultant in Pre-Hospital Medicine, said: “The Emergency Medical Retrieval Service helps patients when they need it most. We will attend major trauma incidents in Scotland, to provide emergency care for patients who are critically injured at the scene. We also manage and transport critically injured patients with the Scottish Ambulance Service from remote and rural Scotland to centres which offer the care the patient needs.
“As O Negative is the only blood group that can safely be given to anyone in an emergency, a transfusion in these circumstances can buy precious time for critically ill patients. We would like to extend our thanks to all O Negative blood donors for making this possible.”
SNBTS are asking in particular those donors with blood types O+, O-, A- and B- to make a real effort to give blood in the next few weeks, to ensure blood supplies are well-stocked over summer.
To register as a blood donor or to find out where your nearest donation session is, call 0845 90 90 999, text ‘blood’ to 61611, or visit www.facebook.com/givebloodforscotland @givebloodscot #blooddonorweek2013
SSPCA plea: don’t leave dogs in hot cars
Dogs die in hot cars warning
The Scottish SPCA is urging pet owners not to leave their dogs in hot cars this summer, warning that last year a man in Scotland was convicted for doing so.
Concerned members of the public have already been contacting the
charity’s animal helpline after seeing distressed dogs left inside warm
vehicles.
The Scottish SPCA is keen to remind the public that they may be risking their dog’s life by leaving it in a hot car for even a short period of time.
Chief Superintendent Mike Flynn said, “Most people know what it’s like to get into a car after it’s been sitting in the sun. It’s unbearable and we immediately roll down the windows or turn on the air conditioning.
“Imagine being trapped inside a hot vehicle wearing a fur coat for minutes, possibly hours, and you are some way to understanding how a dog left inside a hot vehicle feels.
“Many people might not realise that even on warm, cloudy days, cars can
effectively turn into ovens and dogs can overheat in minutes. Leaving a window open or providing water is simply not good enough – dogs can’t sweat the way humans do and need to pant to cool down which can lead to severe dehydration and hyperventilation.
“We run our ‘dogs die in hot cars’ campaign every year but we continue
to receive a large numbers of calls from concerned members of the public
each summer and we fear some owners don’t fully appreciate the danger
they are putting their pets in.
“Causing an animal unnecessary suffering is an offence and last year a
54 year old man from Glasgow was convicted after leaving his two dogs
inside a hot vehicle in the height of summer. He was banned from keeping animals for ten years and his two jack russells were not returned to his care as a result.
“Thankfully these dogs made a full recovery after receiving emergency
treatment for heat stress but they could have died had we not
intervened. “We hope this case serves as a warning to other owners who may be tempted to leave their dogs in their vehicle on a warm day.
“Our advice is to leave dogs at home as it is simply not worth the risk.”
Scottish SPCA posters highlighting the dangers of leaving dogs in hot
cars are available to be displayed in local communities. To request copies please phone the charity’s Animal Helpline on 03000 999 999 and
select option 5.
Alternatively, email editor@scottishspca.org, providing the address you
wish your posters to be sent to and the number you wish to receive.
Local churches stage Saturday events
Davidsons Mains Pipe Band will be one of the highlights at St Serf’s Goldenacre Summer Fair this Saturday from 2 – 4pm.
The Capital Concert Band will be performing a 10th Anniversary concert at St Serf’s in the evening too – for tickets for the 7.30pm performance or for more information go to www.capitalconcertband.com
Also on Saturday, there’s a coffee/bring’n’buy event at Granton United Church on Boswall Parkway, again from 2 – 4pm.
Events students go bananas to raise charity cash!
Edinburgh College students have raised a whopping £5,000 for charity by organising a series of enterprising events, including a tropical-themed party.
As part of their coursework, the group of events students put their heads together and organised an imaginative programme of events to raise thousands of pounds for the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) and children’s charity When You Wish Upon A Star. As well as raising money, the projects gave them practical experience in managing real-life events.
HNC Events Management student Sonia Gruszczynska was part of the Tropical Escape team that organised the party, transporting guests to a tropical paradise in the city with the help of fruit headpieces, a full reggae and ska band, limbo competitions and Hawaiian hula dancing!
Sonia said: “It was fantastic to use our practical experience as events students to raise money for these worthwhile charities. You learn so much more about the practicalities of organising events when working on large-scale fundraisers such as this.
“The night before our event, the venue we had booked cancelled on us due to technical problems. Despite this massive dilemma, we found another venue within 24 hours and managed to tell our guests in time. The night was a success and, despite the enormous difficulties faced with the venue cancellation, we managed to pull off a great party and raised a lot of money for charity.”
Scottish SPCA animal rescue officer Lee Williams said: “We’re extremely grateful to the students from Edinburgh College’s HND Events Management course, who have decided to donate this money to us.
“As we rely solely on the generosity of the public to help us care for abused, abandoned and neglected animals each year, we’re very appreciative of every donation we receive. This was a fantastic gesture and we’d like to offer our sincere thanks to the students for choosing to donate half of the funds raised to the Scottish SPCA.”
Stephanie Donaghey, the Scotland regional fundraiser for When You Wish Upon A Star, said: “All of the events we attended were really well organised and it was great to be able to communicate our purpose as a charity to such a wide and diverse audience. The significant donation from the college will enable us to grant more special wishes to children in Scotland with life threatening illnesses. We were extremely grateful for the opportunity.”
Edinburgh College events lecturer Caroline Patterson said: “We believe it’s crucial to give our students first-hand experience in organising and managing their own events. The events industry in Scotland is expanding and is incredibly fast paced, so in order to give our students the competitive edge when they graduate we know it’s important to make sure they have this valuable experience under their belts. We’re very proud of them all for raising so much money for charity and we have every faith that they will succeed in the future.”
As well as the tropical-themed party, the HNC Events Management students organised a host of events including a tapas bar crawl, a 90s-themed night, an art exhibition, the Wee Gig Night, a masquerade ball, a prohibition-themed night, a country hoedown, a ceilidh, a scavenger hunt and a late-night screening of the Rocky Horror Show. Over the last five years, the HNC Events Management students have raised more than £16,000 for a variety of different charities.
Inverleith Summer Programme revealed
The long school holidays are almost upon us, but Inverleith’s packed summer programme offers more than enough recreational, sports and outdoor events for children, young people and families to keep everyone happy (see below for details)!
Registration for all events requiring booking takes place next Monday (16 June) from 6pm at Broughton High School.
For further information email anne.brown@ea.edin.sch.uk or call 332 6316.
City carers champion: ‘vital that carers are looked after’
Edinburgh’s first ‘Carers Champion’ Councillor Norman Work marked his inaugural year in the role by setting out the capital’s priorities for supporting people who give unpaid care to family or friends.
Councillor Work launched the City of Edinburgh Council’s Joint Carers Strategy 2014-17 during an event to celebrate national Carers Week.
The Strategy, developed in partnership with NHS Lothian, the voluntary sector and carers, sets out priorities and outcomes for how their valuable work will be supported over the next three years.
It focuses on six priorities:
- identifying carers;
- information and advice;
- health and wellbeing for carers;
- short breaks and respite;
- young adult carers;
- personalised support for carers.
With around 37,859 carers looking after loved ones in Edinburgh, the estimated cost of providing replacement care in the capital is valued at around £771m a year.
Speaking at a celebration event for unpaid carers at the City Chambers, Cllr Work said: “These people do an extraordinary job of looking after a loved one and I cannot over-emphasise how much we value what they do.
“Many do not think of themselves as carers, and often fail to access the services and advice which is available to them through the Council, charities and relevant organisations.
“It is vital that carers, who can be of any age, are looked after, as there is a risk that their health and wellbeing can also suffer because of the stress and pressure caused by their role. The Joint Carer’s Strategy sets out how we plan to do this by building on our existing work.”
Pictured: (l-r) June Anderson, Zahira Hassan, Cllr Norman Work, Sarah Gundry, Calum Gundry amd Jeanette Scott.
Referendum Registration Roadshow’s at North Office tomorrow
The Scottish Independence Referendum takes place on Thursday 18 September. To take part you must be registered by Tuesday 2 September.
To make sure you use, and don’t lose your vote, why not come along to a Registration Roadshow? You can check if you are registered or update your details if you have moved home.
The events are taking place in the city council’s local offices:
10am – 2pm, Wednesday 11 June, North Neighbourhood Office
11am – 3pm, Tuesday 17 June, South West Neighbourhood Office
10am – 2pm, Tuesday 24 June, Leith Office
10am – 2pm, Wednesday 25 June, West Neighbourhood Office
11am – 3pm, Monday 30 June, East Neighbourhood Office
11am- 3pm, Wednesday 2 July, City Centre Neighbourhood Office
You can also register by contacting the Electoral Registration Office on
0131 344 2500.
Penny for your thoughts: cash to support North Edinburgh Theatre production
North Edinburgh Arts has been awarded £11,794.00 from the People’s Health Trust towards the North Edinburgh Theatre project’s 1d Tenement Opera, which will be performed in January 2015.
NEA’s Theatre Group will be hosting an information-sharing, discussion and fundraising session this Friday evening to support the exciting initiative.
The 1d Tenement Opera is a story based on the lives of people who have
lived in a tenement in Edinburgh over two centuries. The tenement
eventually becomes part of Edinburgh Corporation’s Slum Clearance
Programme: some of the tenements were sold for just 1d (a penny), and in 1959 one of the last tenements collapsed and a little boy was killed.
Local people told stories of being in the bath and the end of the room falling
away, others spoke of desperately trying to save their babies and children as the floor boards started to slope away from under them. This was known as the Penny Tenement collapse.
The 1d Tenement Opera is devised with the local people of North
Edinburgh, some of whose families had been living in the city centre
before the Slum Clearance Programme.
North Edinburgh Theatre project is delighted to be working with the
following artists for this project: designers Ali Maclaurin and Alice Wilson,
musical director Lynda Peachey, dancer and choreographer Monica de
Ioanni, and dramaturg Lynne Clark. Stephanie Knight is the project
director.
The North Edinburgh Theatre project was developed in 2011 after
research into the requirements of local people. The main finding of this
research was that local people wanted to make theatre again, after a
history of using theatre and other art forms to create work which
highlights their community and its needs and aspirations. In November
2011 North Edinburgh Theatre project developed Yes We CanCan – a
Cabaret of Resistance which was the cementing of the project.
Since then, North Edinburgh Theatre project has participated in a
number of performances including Theatre Uncut in 2012 & 2013 and the
project regularly offers Sharing-of-Work and Work-in-Progress events.
The opportunity to develop 1d Tenement Opera through the support of
the People’s Health Trust is an exciting and important development for
North Edinburgh. It supports the participants’ aspirations and hard work
for well-being and full creative lives, making strong contributions to their
own communities as well as participating in the North Edinburgh Theatre
project.
The funding includes additional resources to develop the Theatre Skills:
Life Skills course that is currently running in parallel with workshops and
preparations for the performances.
‘Kate Wimpress, Director at North Edinburgh Arts, said: “The enthusiasm and commitment shown by the participants of the North Edinburgh Theatre group has been overwhelming for the staff team here at NEA and it was fantastic news when the project won the support of HealthShow, part of the People’s Health Trust.
“We are sure the 1d Tenement Opera will bring out a renewed sense of pride in the participants and their community and look forward to being able to
share this with everyone during the performances in January 2015.”
The North Edinburgh Theatre project invites you to the short Sharing-of-Work, discussion and fundraiser this Friday (13 June) at 7pm. There will be tea and cakes for sale, with funds going towards the 1d Tenement Opera production.
The Health Lottery is operated for and on behalf of 51 Community
Interest Companies across England, Scotland and Wales, all holding
society lottery licenses issued by the Gambling Commission.
www.healthlottery.co.uk
People’s Health Trust is an independent charity addressing health
inequalities across Great Britain. It works closely with each Community
Interest Company distributing grants. www.peopleshealthtrust.org.uk