Author: davepickering

Edinburgh reporter and photographer

City hails success of crime crackdown

Police in Edinburgh have hailed the success of an operation targeting drug dealers and serious and organised criminals in the Capital. Operation Amend has resulted in the arrests of 25 people, along with the seizure of around £300,000 worth of drugs and almost £250,000 in cash.

The seizures included quantities of cocaine, crack cocaine and heroin, as well as a cannabis cultivation. Over £200,000 in cash was recovered from one address in Musselburgh alone.

Police Scotland’s Detective Superintendent Gareth Blair said: “There is no doubt that Operation Amend has struck a serious blow against drug dealers and serious and organised criminals operating in Edinburgh. We have arrested and charged a number of individuals with alleged drugs offences, and removed a significant quantity of drugs from the streets of the Capital.

“Police Scotland is committed to keeping people safe, and we will relentlessly pursue all those who we suspect of involvement in drug dealing and serious and organised crime. At the same time we will continue to work closely with our community partners in order to make our communities safer and secure.

“We would ask the public to play their part by providing us with information on drug dealers and serious and organised criminals operating in their community. Anyone with any information should contact Police Scotland on 101, or make an anonymous report though Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said: “While honest, hard-working members of the public struggle in these challenging financial times, it is galling and distressing to see drug dealers and those involved in serious organised crime flouting their ill-gotten wealth.

“It is thanks to vital information supplied by the public and the hard work of police that serious and organised criminals across Scotland are being identified and brought to justice. Ultimately, it shows that the combined efforts of communities, police, and enforcement agencies all contributes to making Scotland a safer and stronger place to live.”

Councillor Cammy Day, Community Safety Leader, said: “I am very pleased that Operation Amend has been such a success and believe this demonstrates how strengthening community links with the police can make our neighbourhoods safer. It sends a clear signal that drug-related crime will not be tolerated and I would like to thank all members of the community for their support of this very worthwhile initiative.”

Professor Alison McCallum, Director of Public Health and Health Policy, NHS Lothian, said: “We continue to work closely with Police Scotland, health services and other agencies throughout Lothian by providing a broad range of services to help and support individuals to address the causes and consequences of problematic drug use.”

Police

Granton next door neighbours band launch first CD

Two next door neighbours from Granton are part of a band who will be launching their first CD next Saturday (11 May, 7.30pm) at Hendersons St John’s on the corner of Princes St and Lothian Road.

Kite and the Crane are an indie-folk band who write songs about beauty in the everyday. North Edinburgh residents might well recognise some local scenes mentioned in their songs, especially in ‘Lights across the way’ which is about watching the planes coming in over the Firth of Forth.

Songwriter Hannah Kitchen said, “We’re really excited about launching our first 5 track CD and would love folk from North Edinburgh to make it along. Many of the songs were inspired by, written, practiced and recorded in North Edinburgh – thanks sometimes to the patience of our neighbours!”

Tickets are £4 or £3.50 concession from http://www.wegottickets.com/event/219051
You can listen to and download ‘Lights across the way’ at www.kiteandthecrane.co.uk

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Roll up, roll up: breakdance, circus and parkour project to launch in North Edinburgh

G Force, a breakdance, circus and parkour dance project, is to launch in North Edinburgh later this month giving the area’s young people the chance to participate in a six month project where they can train ans learn new skills with some of Scotland’s foremost performers and tutors.

The G Force Project has been developed by the Edinburgh Mela and Bright Night International and is supported by Cashback for Communities. The 16-25 year old participants will have the opportunity to join an intensive training programme culminating in a performance onstage at the Mela’s World Dance Feste tent , at the heart of the 2013 Edinburgh Mela programme. G Force will develop the young people’s skills and confidence, giving them the chance to work with some of the best dancers and performers in Scotland and enhancing their employability. Participants will be given opportunities to progress onto further learning, training and personal development, through existing connections to local organisations and practitioners.

Taster sessions are being held on four dates this month in partnership with North Edinburgh Arts Centre and Duncan Place Resource Centre. These are free of charge and are open to all those aged 16-25 with an interest in dance, acrobatics, parkour and circus.

G Force builds on the success of two key projects at the 2012 Edinburgh Mela: Bright Night International’s hiphop and parkour dance theatre piece 925 , which was creatively led and devised by leading Scottish hiphop artist Xena Gusthart of Xena Productions and commissioned by the Mela for their 2012 World Dance Feste; and The G Code Project, a seven-month collaboration between the Edinburgh Mela and North Edinburgh Arts Mela’s 2012 G Code Project, which offered diverse groups of young people the opportunity to develop their skills as music producers, hiphop artists, singers and rappers, and created a group which still meets and performs.

Free Taster Sessions Dates and Venues:

North Edinburgh Arts Centre, 15a Pennywell Road, EH4 4TZ

Tuesday 14th May 5pm to 8pm

Saturday 25th May 11am to 2pm

Duncan Place Resource Centre, 4 Duncan Place, Leith, EH6 8HW

Wednesday 15th May 5.30pm to 8.30pm

Wednesday 22nd May 5.30pm to 8.30pm

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For further information go to Bright Night International’s website at 
Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/brightnightint

Where’s the burdz? Volunteer opportunity!

RSPBlogoI am writing from RSPB Scotland, a UK conservation charity. We have a new volunteer opportunity that I thought members of the community might be interested in.

We would like to recruit some volunteers who are interested in helping us campaign for wildlife conservation. We will support them to write to, visit and lobby their local decision makers on our behalf as we prepare to launch a marine conservation campaign to protect seabirds at sea. We hope it will be a great opportunity for volunteers to meet people and gain new skills.

I attach the role description of the opportunity as well as the date of our welcome event. Although I realise that many of your members will already be involved in similar projects, if any of them would like to volunteer or attend the welcome event to find out more they can email champions.scotland@rspb.org.uk.

Please get in touch if you have any questions

Best wishes

Philippa Faulkner (Campaigns Co-ordinator Scotland)

RSPB Scotland

2 Lochside View

Edinburgh Park

Edinburgh EH12 9DH

Tel: 0131 317 4198

Mob:07568100922

Follow us on Twitter @RSPB Scotland

www.rspb.org.uk

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Get your votes in: Sainsbury’s seeks local charity partner

Local residents in North Edinburgh have the chance to find Sainsbury’s Blackhall a new local charity to support. It’s the fifth year of the retailer’s ‘Local Charity partner’ initiative, which gives local registered charities the chance to receive a year’s worth of fundraising and awareness support from store colleagues.

Customers and colleagues at Sainsbury’s Blackhall have played a big part in the success of the Local Charity partner initiative. Last year, their generous donations helped to raise £ 6,487.00 for St Columba’s Hospice.

Louise Stirton, Senior Fundraising Manager at  St Columba’s Hospice (pictured below with Sainsbury colleagues) said: “Working with Sainsbury’s Blackhall over the last twelve months has made such a difference to our cause. They have raised a fantastic amount of money which we are putting towards our new building.  A big thank you to all the staff and customers for their generosity.”

There are even more ways to vote this year. Alongside nomination forms and a drop-in box, now available in-store, customers can , for the first time, nominate online – either via downloading a voting form via Sainsbury’s website  www.sainsburys.co.uk/localcharity or by emailing their nomination to Local.charity@sainsburys.co.uk.

Sainsburys Blackhall Store Manager David Bainbridge said: “Our work with previous Local Charity partners over the years has been really successful in letting our customers have their say. We hope our customers can take the time to vote in the coming weeks and give a local charity that’s close to their hearts the chance for us to support them”.

The winning charity will be announced in June.

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TIPping point – Tenant Information Packs launched

Tenants and landlords in the private rented sector are to benefit from a new Tenant Information Pack (TIP) which will improve access to information on renting and help ensure that accommodation is good quality and well managed.

Launched by Minister for Housing and Welfare Margaret Burgess yesterday, landlords have a legal duty to provide the TIP to new tenants. The easy to read document, which has been made available on the Scottish Government website, contains a summary of legislation relevant to private tenants and landlords.

During a public consultation on its introduction, the TIP received broad cross-sector support as a means of providing consistent and reliable information to tenants, and the TIP will be reviewed on a regular basis to ensure that it provides an accurate, user friendly, summary of housing law.

The launch of the pack is supported by a new website which offers practical renting guides for tenants and landlords in Scotland’s private rented sector. Funded by the Scottish Government, the Renting Scotland website has been created by Shelter Scotland and industry partners and contains key tenant and landlord information on renting in the private rented sector.

Mrs Burgess said: “The Tenant Information Pack provides vital information for tenants and landlords in an easy-to-read format. There is already a lot of good information available to tenants and the pack is not intended to replace existing material, but to create a benchmark for information available across the whole sector.

“The introduction of the pack will contribute towards ensuring that the private rented sector provides good quality and well managed accommodation, where both landlords and tenants understand their respective rights and responsibilities. The Renting Scotland website, which went live today, is another important form of support, offering crucial advice to tenants and landlords.”

A spokesperson for the Scottish Association of Landlords said: “We are encouraged by the possibility offered by the Tenant Information Pack to improve and maintain landlord-tenant relationships. The pack is a helpful resource which will raise awareness of both landlord and tenant rights and responsibilities.”

Graeme Brown, Director of Shelter Scotland, said: “The introduction of the Tenant Information Pack by the Scottish Government is a positive step forward for tenants and landlords alike, who will be clear on their rights and responsibilities from the day a tenant moves in. By improving access to key information, Tenant Information Packs will build trust and respect on both sides. It will help avoid problems at an early stage and empower tenants as consumers should something go wrong.

“An informed tenant is a good tenant, and likewise a landlord who is aware of their rights and responsibilities can better manage their property to anticipate and avoid problems, allowing both parties to get off to a good start.”

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And a song for May Day

North Edinburgh activist Willie Black has been immortalised in song!

Lifelong socialist Willie (pictured below), who’s from Granton, hit the national headlines back in March when he famously harangued DWP minister Iain Duncan Smith at an Edinburgh hotel. The story made the national news broadcasts and proved to be a big internet hit, and the incident has now been captured in ‘The Ratbag Song’, which you can hear here:

It’s thought unlikely that Citizen Smart, the song’s composer and performer, will be appearing on ‘The Voice’ any time soon!

WillieBlack

In the light place?

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Street Lighting Issues: Wester Drylaw Place

After the recent footpath upgrade in 2012 and installation of a new street lighting system along the length of Wester Drylaw Place, Drylaw Telford Community Council was contacted  by residents of Wester Drylaw Place who said that they were unhappy with the new form of street lighting installed and asked if the Community  Council if they could take forward their grievances to the CEC Lighting Dept.

This we did and the outcome was after a meeting and a walkabout in the Wester Drylaw Place with a representative from  CEC Lighting Dept. it was agreed that CEC Lighting Dept. would for a trial period over the winter install other options of lighting along Wester Drylaw Place and then survey the residents as to their preferred option and this would then be installed.

This survey form was delivered on the 30April 2013 to all addresses in Wester Drylaw Place.

 Drylaw Telford Community Council urges all residents of Wester Drylaw Place to complete the survey form and return it; it’s Freepost or go online and complete it at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/EdinburghLights

This was a community-led initiative, so participation by all residents of Wester Drylaw Place in completing this survey form will go a long way in making Wester Drylaw Place a brighter and safer area to walk.

AlexDale

Alex Dale

Chair, Drylaw Telford Community Council

 

 

Volunteers required for litter pick this Sunday

Your community needs your help!

Following on from a residents email which TRIM received we have arranged a litter pick with the support of Muirhouse Linkup

We would be grateful if you could share this with anyone you know who might want to help

Sunday 5 May
Wooded area next to Silverlea Nursing home
at 1pm

We will have access to  St Andrews Muirhouse Church on the day for a wee cuppa and a piece of cake after the litter pick

Thanks!

Robert Pearson

Tenants & Residents in Muirhouse (TRIM)

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