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Housing Minister welcomes Varcity North tenants

Housing Minister Margaret Burgess welcomed new tenants to the first completed phase of Miller Homes’ Varcity North development in North Edinburgh yesterday.

In total, 89 new apartments, consisting of one, two and three bedrooms, will be available at mid-market rental rates at the development.

In 2011, Miller Homes, the City of Edinburgh Council and Scottish Futures Trust (SFT) created a limited liability partnership (LLP) as part of the National Housing Trust’s initiative (NHT), aimed at fast-tracking the delivery of new homes for mid-market rental throughout Scotland.

The LLP is working with managing agent Places for People to manage the completed properties, identify potential tenants and manage the rentals over the contract term.

Rent First@Varcity North will be available for rent to selected tenants, (employed on a minimum salary of £10k per annum, but struggling to find an affordable home to rent).

Under the NHT initiative’s rules, homes must be available to rent for a five year period, following which, tenants will have the choice to purchase their house at the market value or move on. Should tenants select not to buy, Miller Homes will sell the property on the open market.

Housing Minister, Margaret Burgess said: “It is fantastic to see house developers like Miller Homes embrace the opportunities offered by the Scottish Government’s pioneering National Housing Trust initiative. These new homes at Varcity North will go some way towards providing much needed affordable rented accommodation for Edinburgh residents.

“The initiative has been hugely successful, with deals secured with 13 developers to deliver over 1000 high quality homes for families throughout Scotland at very little cost to the taxpayer. A vibrant, expanding housing sector stimulates growth and protects and creates jobs in the construction sector and wider economy.”

David Knight, Managing Director, Miller Homes Scotland said: “We are delighted to bring the mid-market rental homes to market slightly ahead of schedule. Securing affordable housing in Edinburgh remains difficult and the challenging lending environment also means that buying is still out of reach for some households.

“The 89 apartments will go some way to helping those in employment secure an affordable rental tenancy. The apartments are developed to Miller Homes’ high standards of the quality of the build, fixtures and fittings and will form part of vibrant, modern development, which is quickly establishing its own sense of community.

“Rent First@Varcity North provides much needed homes at affordable rents for key workers and has also created vital local employment opportunities within the house building industry.”

Rents per month are set at £457.20 for a one bedroom, £594.39 for a two bedroom en-suite apartment and a limited number of three bedroom apartments available. Further details are available from Miller Homes.

Councillor Norman Work represented the city council at the event. He said: “The affordable homes available at Varcity North are a welcome addition to the market in Edinburgh. We continue to tackle the shortage in affordable homes and look for opportunities like the LLP with Miller Homes and Scottish Futures Trust to bring these very welcome homes to fruition.

“With around one half of the national uptake of NHT being in Edinburgh that gives us a sizable amount of homes available for rent. Not only will it enhance the local community, it will also offer a significant boost for those who are in work, who can’t afford to rent at full market rent.

“It is a great model to increase availability of the number of homes for rent in the city and gives people a real opportunity to become tenants and secure a home of their own and save for the future.”

Christa Reekie, commercial director at Scottish Futures Trust said: “I am delighted that the first phase of homes is now complete, providing hundreds of people in the capital with high-quality homes at affordable rents. We are pleases with the high standards of the Varcity North development which has already attracted a great deal of interest.”

Miller Homes purchased the Varcity North site as part of a larger transaction from Telford College, which comprised three campuses (Telford South, Telford West and Telford North). The development of Telford West campus for Home Scotland Housing Association (40 affordable dwellings) was completed in 2010.

Telford South is now known as Varcity South and has become one of the city’s – and Miller Homes’ – flagship developments. The last campus, now known as Varcity North, comprises 327 apartments within five new build blocks and a possible converted building. The apartments under the NHT initiative are within the Dundas Campus and the Dean Campus.

New Varcity North tenant Claire Wilson chats to Housing Minister Margaret Burgess

Centipede jumps for joy following grant news

Go For It, Centipede! Funding boost for Muirhouse Project

Muirhouse Centipede Project has received a grant of £60,000 from the Church of Scotland to build on it’s successes over the last year. The local project’s founder Linda Dunbar takes up the story:

The Centipede project has received the great news that we have been awarded £60,000 over three years from the Church of Scotland’s GoForIt Fund. This will enable the Centipede to continue on its journey and explore more activities. We are incredibly grateful for the support of the church in recognising the collaborative work already undertaken, and the value and potential of the people of the area. We still have to raise more money and are in the process of fund-raising – we would like to be able to match the £60K grant. The steering group has a planning day coming up in June where we will be figuring out how best to hear the voices of the community, and what THEY want to see the Centipede doing. If anyone has suggestions they can email them in to:

centipedeproject@gmail.com

If anyone would like to offer financial support to the project, they can get in touch via the same email.

On a personal note, can I thank the folk of Muirhouse for their enthusiasm for the community and their great spirit. It has been a joy to work with them all, and I look forward to the new centipede events, whatever they turn out to be. If folk want to see a short film highlighting just some of the Pilot Project events they can find it at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCcd8BQg13U&feature=youtu.be

Local BBs beat retreat

Sixty young people from The Boys’ Brigade (BB) took part in the annual Beating Retreat ceremony at Edinburgh Castle last Saturday (11 May). The event, now in it’s 56th year, featured the pipes and drums, bugles and trumpets of The Edinburgh, Leith and District Battalion, The Central Band of the Boys’ Brigade, 3rd Johnstone Flute Band and 13th and 44th Dundee Pipe Band.

The ceremony saw each band march across the drawbridge and perform a short routine on the Castle Esplanade to the delight of the gathered crowd of spectators and dignitaries. Chief guest was Mike McCormick, Assistant Chief Constable, Police Scotland.

Alastair Chalmers, CEO, Edinburgh, Leith and District BB, said: “The young people came from BB bands from across Scotland and did us proud. Their professionalism and talent shone through. Luckily, the weather was on our side too and we managed to attract a large number of tourists to the event.”

Beating Retreat is a military ceremony dating back to the 16th century, first used when drums were used as signals in the battlefields. Beating the Retreat was a signal for troops to retreat from battle as light faded.

Summer NEN

When will the next print issue of North Edinburgh News hit the streets? NEN’s voluntary board of directors met on Monday evening and agreed to aim for a summer edition – if advertising revenue can be assured the NEN will be out again at the end of June.

Our last print version was last distributed across North Edinburgh in February, and while NEN continues to have an online presence there are many local residents who do not have computer access, so receiving a copy of the print issue remains just as important as it always has.

To enable us to produce another newspaper, however, we must raise funds. The NEN receives no core funding, so to produce our newspaper we need to raise enough advertising revenue or sponsorship to cover our production costs.

Earlier this year NEN received community grant funding from both Forth and Inverleith Neighbourhood Partnerships to support efforts to improve income opportunities. This piece of work is now well underway – databases have been developed and over the coming weeks we will be contacting all local organisations, charities and businesses large and small to let them know how they can support North Edinburgh’s community newspaper. We’ll be casting the net further afield too – after all, the folk of North Edinburgh don’t only shop or access services in North Edinburgh! The aim of the exercise is not only to raise funding for another edition but to secure regular commitment from potential advertisers and sponsors to ensure the NEN’s longer term future.

This is not going to be a quick or easy task, so in the meantime, if you would like to advertise in NEN’s June issue or you would like any further information about advertising or sponsorship, please get in touch – through this blog, by email at northedinnews@gmail.com or telephone 07925 405 972.

We look forward to hearing from you!

June return for Stockbridge Duck Race

The Annual Stockbridge Duck race is set to return on 30 June following a forced sabbatical last year due to the Water of Leith flood prevention works.

The first race was held 25 years ago after being founded by local resident Susie Gregor who had seen a similar event on another river and it has grown into a much loved and eagerly anticipated spectacle ever since. The race is held on the stretch of river between The Stockbridge and Falshaw Bridge further downstream with thousands of rubber ducks taking part.

The concept is a simple one – entrants (humans, not ducks!) purchase rubber ducks from local shops for which they will receive a duck’s number on a raffle ticket with the proceeds going to charity. On the day the rubber ducks are released into the Water of Leith on The Stockbridge and race all the way down to Falshaw Bridge, with the winners receiving prizes donated by local Stockbridge businesses. Along the course the ducks are marshalled by volunteer “Duck Wardens” to ensure that every duck that enters The Water of Leith leaves the Water of Leith!

This spectacle of colour that draws large crowds and raises a lot of money for local charities was sorely missed last year after health and safety concerns arose from the flood prevention works being carried out on that stretch of river and no safe or fun alternative possible.

Ducks will be available soon – and any help or prizes you can donate would be greatly appreciated. For further information please contact The Bailie Bar.

Info & pic courtesy of StockbridgeEdinburgh.com

Free compost at Broughton High School today

The City Council is giving away free bags of compost in Edinburgh today (15 May) to thank residents for recycling using the garden waste recycling service. The local venue is Broughton High School’s car park, where bags of compost stocks will be handed out from 3.30pm until stocks are exhausted. Please note that access must be from Fettes Avenue, NOT East Fettes Avenue.

You can claim one 20kg bag at the event, but supplies are limited so it will be on a first come first served basis – and be aware that the bags are heavy so please be prepared! The council’s recycling team will be on hand to provide information on all recycling services.

The compost is made from the materials collected in the garden waste bin, to find out more please visit the city council’s garden waste page.

Walk the Walk with Fresh Start

Homelessness resettlement charity Fresh Start is urging fundraisers to walk ‘The Walk’ when its sixth annual sponsored walk takes place on 31 May – and walkers are being urged to sign up today! Last year a record 62 people walked the eight mile route together and the charity is hoping to beat that this time.

Fresh Start Director Keith Robertson, said: “Providing a roof over a family or an individual’s head is the first step in ending homelessness but making sure they keep it is the next challenge. That’s where Fresh Start comes in. We help people get the fresh start they deserve in life – and all money raised from the sponsored walk will go towards our work helping people who have been homeless resettle into the community.”

George Banks, from Ebenezer United Free Church in Edinburgh, who volunteers at Fresh Start, helping prepare the charity’s Starter Packs, said: “Last year was my first year on the walk which I enjoyed so much I am doing it again this year. Some friends of Fresh Start have been walking The Walk for a number of years and I’m delighted to take part again. The Walk takes you through some fascinating bits of Edinburgh and when you get tired there are plenty of places to have a wee seat – all in the knowledge that there is a huge welcome at the finish line and that you are doing it for a great cause.”

The 2013 walk follows its traditional eight-mile route along the Water of Leith to Colinton Dell, where we go on to the Union Canal towpath and head back into town towards the finishing line at Lochrin Basin, Fountainbridge.

The walk sets out from Dean Parish Church at 10.00am, with lunch and refreshments being served on the Re-union Canal boat.

Everyone is welcome to join in the fun. There’s no fee to take part however each walker is asked to raise a minimum of £25. For those wishing to raise money, a new Just Giving site has been set up at

http://www.justgiving.com/freshstartedinburgh

To register your interest, telephone Fresh Start offices on 0131 476 7741

New course will take music into communities

Edinburgh College is blazing a trail by offering Scotland’s first further education course in Music for Wellbeing, which promotes the enormous benefits of taking music into the community.

Research shows that music can have a wide range of health and social benefits, such as improving communication, managing stress, expressing feelings, enhancing memory – and even alleviating pain and promoting physical rehabilitation.

Jess Abrams, an American-born community musician, youth worker and singer, is leading the new course in Music For Wellbeing, which starts in August. Jess (pictured below, far left) said: “This is a fast-growing sector and will appeal to people with a love of music who want to use music as part of their livelihood.”

Community music projects take place in a range of settings, including arts centres, community centres, schools, hospitals and residential homes.

“There can be considerable social benefits for people taking part in community music projects, such as learning to create music as part of a group and working with others. Music can elicit emotion from people and we need to understand and manage that better. Playing music in a group is a feel good experience and triggers the same pleasure centres in the brain as eating chocolate. And as well as the health and social benefits, participants might learn some musical skills too!”

There are just 16 places available on the one-year course, a National Progression Award delivered with Skills Development Scotland that covers a very broad range of skills.

Jon Buglass, Head of Creative Industries at Edinburgh College, said the course was designed to widen the employment opportunities open to musicians. “We realised there were limited options – you might be in a function band or if you’re lucky, make it as a rock star. Yet there are lots of opportunities in community music – but no course to prepare people for that. It seemed sensible to design a course directly linked to employment opportunities.”

Mr Buglass developed the course with colleagues and SQA (Scottish Qualifications Authority). Although several Scottish universities offer modules in community music as part of broader courses, this is the first time an entire course in Scotland has been devoted to this specific area – and the first community music course offered by a college in Scotland.

“If you have well-developed musical skills, that’s great – but this course might also appeal to community and youth workers as it is as much about taking music into the community by using different personal skills,” said Jess. “You need to show confidence, leadership, team-working – and perhaps most importantly, to be able to build a rapport and relationships with different groups of people.

“Historically, community musicians have come up through a more grassroots approach to the field, but as the sector expands there is a growing demand for training. There is great value in learning by doing and the course will have a very strong work experience element. Students will spend at least 100 hours on placement, learning from people already working in community music.”

“There will be a strong emphasis on ‘before, during and after’,” added Jess. “Planning and designing community music sessions, workshops and events, evaluating their success and where improvements might be made as well as reflecting on our own practice.”

Jess, who is also the Development Manager for the Edinburgh Youth Music Forum, an organisation that works to support community musicians in continuing professional development, hopes the course can act as a catalyst to encourage even greater interest in community music. Jess Abrams has a long connection with North Edinburgh – some readers may remember Jess from her involvement in the acclaimed ‘Oyster Wars’ community drama production staged at North Edinburgh Arts back in June 2003.

Stevi Manning, Principal Officer Arts and Learning at City of Edinburgh Council, said: “This is an exciting new course offering fresh opportunities for people in Edinburgh who have a passion for music – and want to help others to both share that passion and benefit from it.”

To express an interest in the course, email info@edinburghcollege.ac.uk or apply online at www.edinburghcollege.ac.uk

Digging deep to resolve Pilton’s problems

Final workshop pitch

Pilton Community Health Project has been speaking to people in North Edinburgh about issues affecting their lives and what they think is important in the local area.

Many of the same themes come up again and again – safety, dog mess, no motivation, no sense of community.

Lets look at things in a different way; get underneath the issues and work together to come up with inspiring solutions that really change things!

We invite you to join us in some inspiring and thought provoking sessions thinking in a different way to resolve problems and issues and make Pilton a more active community!

What it will be:

Fun, interesting, thought provoking, possibly it may even transform your life.

We will provide:

Food, drink, prizes, childcare and fun for 2 x 5hr sessions on:

Wednesday 29 May

Wednesday 5 June

from 10am-3pm

at West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre

For more info call Lianne or Clare on 551 1671, email: moveit@pchp.org.uk

Young Muirhouse artists show a lot of bottle!

Zoo Arts, a creative project led by artist Alice Betts based at North Edinburgh Arts, will be installing another piece of exciting contemporary public art in Muirhouse Shopping Centre on Wednesday (15 May) at 5pm.

Light will shine through recycled plastic bottles filled with coloured water turning a grey space into a playful symphony of colour. This eyecatching piece of work has been created by local young people who have participated in creative outreach sessions supported by Muirhouse Library and Muirhouse Youth Development Group.

Zoo Arts aims to encourage and support young people to develop their contemporary art skills, install temporary public art and undertake professional art commissions. The project works with local young people (9 – 14 years) who have an interest in visual art and are keen to develop their creativity. This project hopes to inspire future creative collaborations, locally and city-wide.

For more information go to www.northedinburgharts.co.uk or to dicuss the project further contact Angela Austin on 315 2151, email marketing@northedinburgharts.co.uk