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New staff appointed to lead project to secure a future for Gorgie City Farm

Since it was announced that EVOC was to lead the drive to find a sustainable community-led future for the Gorgie City Farm site, extensive work has been going on behind the scenes to deliver on that goal.

The Gorgie Farm Site Steering Group have now appointed a Project Manager to help lead this work and look forward to Suzanne Campbell taking up the role from mid-July. Suzanne comes with extensive experience in service management with a particular focus on children, young people and families.

Suzanne Campbell (Project Manager) commented: “I am delighted to be appointed Project Manager of the Gorgie Farm Site Development and am looking forward to working with the Gorgie community, local organisations and a range of other stakeholders to develop a strong sustainable plan for the future of the site.

“The immeasurable passion, connection and impact Gorgie City Farm has had on people and the community is already clear to me and I cannot wait to capture more stories and get started.”

Cat Young will be working alongside Suzanne in the role of Partnership Facilitator, leading on participation and engagement for the project. Cat has a range of experiences to bring from her time working with Thrive Edinburgh – the innovative new strategy for improving the mental health and wellbeing of all citizens in Edinburgh.

Cat Young (Partnership Co-ordinator) said: “As a Gorgie resident I know first-hand how important this community-led project is and I look forward to working closely with Suzanne to continue the conversations that have already started around securing the site’s future.

“A key priority for the Steering Group is looking at ways to allow people to benefit from this green city space while the project develops. As a first step, Gorgie Farm Gardeners Group have been able to come back and start work on the gardens – bringing it back to life.”

In the meantime the Steering Group has been meeting monthly to to discuss operational and strategic matters. Working with Bridie Ashrowan, EVOC’s Chief Executive, they have been responding to offers of help and interest and building connections with both local and citywide organisations, businesses, and networks – particularly in Gorgie and Darly, where there is a long-standing network of local community organisations.

Bridie Ashrowan commented: “It has been a hugely busy couple of months managing a range of safety and maintenance issues on the Gorgie City Farm site, but the offers of help and levels of interest in the project have been really moving.

“Now that we have Suzanne and Cat on the team we can move onto the next phase of the project – they both have lots of experience helping people and communities to influence the design of community spaces and services, and will play a key role in working towards a sustainable and visionary future for the site.

“We are planning some engagement events for the local community to help do that and will share details of these very soon.”

Regular updates about the Gorgie City Farm site project are available on the EVOC website including a set of frequently asked questions.

Minister visits new Perinatal Befriending Service

Aberlour Children’s Charity was delighted to welcome the Minister for Mental Wellbeing, Maree Todd MSP to the new Perinatal Befriending Service at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh this week.

The new service, launched six weeks ago, offers vital emotional and befriending support to parents impacted by neonatal experiences. Aberlour’s Perinatal Befriending Service is for families living in the Lothians whose babies are born at 34 weeks’ gestation or later and have received neonatal care through the NICU.

Following a pilot in the neonatal unit last year, the charity concluded that whilst becoming a new parent can be an exciting and challenging time – parents whose babies have needed specialist neonatal care are at greater risk of increased anxiety and isolation. It is estimated that parents of babies with a neonatal experience are 40% more likely to develop perinatal mental health difficulties. Parents with neonatal babies born at 34 weeks’ or later were identified as a cohort requiring enhanced support.

Funding secured from the National Lottery Community Fund, East Lothian Council, William Grant Foundation and the Charles Gordon Foundation has enabled Aberlour to establish the new Perinatal Befriending Service. It aims to connect with parents at the earliest opportunity both in hospital, community or home settings, building relationships to support parents and babies throughout pregnancy and in the first year of baby’s life.

Working in parallel with the charity’s NHS partners, the service offers in person support from a Perinatal Coordinator, a 1:1 match with a Perinatal Befriender and bespoke digital support all of which connects parents, improves emotional wellbeing, reduces isolation and supports positive relationships between parents and babies. It also recognises the significance of sustaining wider family relationships.

Perinatal befrienders are dedicated trained volunteers who are matched to parents and offer emotional listening support and help accessing services and activities in the community.

The launch of the service coincides with the launch of Aberlour’s Perinatal Connections app. As a result of listening to mums and gathering data, a gap was identified in mental health support services outside normal working hours for new and expectant mums. The app has been developed to offer a safe, facilitated space for new and expectant mothers supported by Aberlour to connect with each other and access information and resources whenever they wish.

Maree Todd, Mental Wellbeing Minister Maree Todd said: “Looking after our mental health is more important than ever before and we are committed to improving the mental health of mothers, fathers, carers and infants throughout pregnancy and during the postnatal period.

“I was pleased to visit Aberlour’s service and learn about their crucial support for families whose babies are receiving neonatal care. I am impressed by this service that offers vital emotional and befriending support to parents impacted by neonatal experiences.”

Emma Cashmore-Gordon, Assistant Director at Aberlour, said: “We were thrilled to welcome Maree Todd in her new capacity as Minister for Mental Wellbeing to the new Perinatal Befriending Service.

“It’s great to demonstrate how we are able to provide greater support with all the strands coming together – our Perinatal Co-ordinator, Perinatal Befrienders and the new app. Knowing that we can help families who have received neonatal care, in particular parents of babies born 34 weeks+ who really will benefit from the enhanced support is amazing”.

Megan, parent of Rosie, said: “The help I got from the service and the relationship with my befriender was unique.

“When I look back, I’m a totally different person now, when I have rough times, I can get through a day at a time”.

Jo Farrell will be Police Scotland’s next Chief Constable

The Scottish Police Authority has announced that Jo Farrell will be Police Scotland’s next Chief Constable following Sir Iain Livingstone QPM’s decision to retire this August.

Jo Farrell has been Chief Constable of Durham Constabulary since 2019 having been Deputy at Durham since 2016 and having served in Northumbria Police since 2002.

Chief Constable Farrell joined policing as Constable in Cambridge in 1991 after a degree in business at Sheffield Polytechnic.

Chief Constable Farrell said: “This really is a day of mixed emotions. I am immensely proud to have served as Chief Constable of Durham and equally proud of everything the force has achieved over that time.

“Over the last six years, I have worked with some extraordinarily talented and committed people, dedicated to keeping County Durham and Darlington safe, and it has been a very difficult decision to leave.

“But as Chief Constable of Police Scotland I have been offered a unique opportunity to take on one of the most exciting and challenging jobs in UK policing.”

Chief Constable Farrell’s appointment was made by the Scottish Police Authority and approved by Scottish Ministers in accordance with the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 and follows a robust assessment and selection process.

The appointment will be for a fixed term of 4-years with the possibility of extension in line with legislation.

Martyn Evans, Chair of the Authority and the Selection Panel who interviewed candidates for the role, said: “I am delighted to have had such a strong calibre of applicants to this important role and now announce the appointment of Jo Farrell as the next Chief Constable of Police Scotland.

“Jo is an outstanding and highly experienced senior police leader who has made an exceptional contribution to policing over her extensive career. With a proven history of innovative policing, Ms Farrell has led Durham Constabulary for the last 4-years where it was graded as ‘outstanding’ for its disruption of organised crime and how it achieves value for money. She also has UK wide experience heading the demanding Digital Data and Technology portfolio for the National Police Chiefs’ Council.

“As Chief Constable of Police Scotland, Jo Farrell will bring exceptional professionalism, building on the high level of policing operational stability and effectiveness achieved in recent years and further accelerate the culture change programmes. I look forward to working with her.”

In February Sir Iain Livingstone QPM, who was appointed Chief Constable in August 2018 and served as Interim Chief from September 2017, announced he would retire from policing after 31 years.

Sir Iain said: “I congratulate Jo Farrell and look forward to working with her to ensure an effective handover that will maintain stability in Police Scotland.

“Leading our outstanding officers and staff as Scotland’s Chief Constable is an enormous privilege. I have great confidence Jo will continue to develop our service to protect and serve our fellow citizens.”

Justice Secretary Angela Constance has welcomed the appointment of Jo Farrell as Police Scotland’s first female Chief Constable.

The current Chief Constable of Durham Constabulary, Ms Farrell was appointed by the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) following a robust six-week assessment process and will take up the post later this year, replacing Sir Iain Livingstone QPM, who is retiring in August.

Ms Constance, who approved the SPA’s appointment, said: “I am delighted that Jo Farrell has been appointed as Police Scotland’s new Chief Constable following the Scottish Police Authority’s rigorous selection process.

“Jo is the first women to be appointed to this role. As the force marks its 10^th anniversary year, she has shown she has the skills needed to lead the service into the next decade and meet the challenges ahead.

“Thanks to the dedication and work of the police, recorded crime rates overall are at record low levels and we have a service that is unique in the UK with an embedded human rights focus.

“Policing will continue to be an absolute priority for this government, as evidenced by the £1.45 billion we have allocated to support it in 2023-24. I look forward to working with the new Chief Constable as the service continues to build on its significant strengths.

“I also want to pay tribute to Sir Iain for his bold leadership and wider service to keeping communities safe during a lengthy, distinguished career in policing. He leaves Police Scotland in great shape after leading it through unprecedented times.”

Read the full SPA announcement here.

Witness appeal following serious assault in St Marks Park

Detectives in Edinburgh are appealing for witnesses after a 39-year-old was seriously assaulted in St Marks Park yesterday (Wednesday, 14 June, 2023).

The incident occurred around 12.30pm and took place near to the play park.

The man was taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh with serious, but not life-threatening injuries.

Detective Constable Christina Yeoman, from Gayfield CID, said: “This attack took place in broad daylight, within a busy area, so it is likely that members of the public either witnessed the incident or may have seen those responsible.

“We are asking for anyone with information to please come forward. If you believe you can assist our enquiries, please call police on 101, quoting incident 1997 of 14 June, 2023. Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, if you wish to remain anonymous.”

Scottish Plant Names reveals amusing and sometimes absurd names given to common plants throughout history

The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh publishes dictionary demonstrating the important connections between plants and language

If you heard someone talking about stink Davie, witch gowan or doon-head clock would you know what they meant? These are just three of the many different names found across Scotland for the humble dandelion.

In his book published at the end of the month by the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, botanist Dr Gregory J Kenicer explores the brilliant, descriptive and often amusing ways in which language has influenced plant names through the ages.

Scottish Plant Names is a small book of wondrous plant names presented in dictionary form and covers a variety of flower, fungi and mosses. From the almost completely forgotten Pictish, to the North East dialect Doric, Scotland’s vocabulary is as varied as its flora.

Released on Thursday 22 June, this book delves in to the botany of language, and although the focus is very much on Scots, Gaelic and English, the influences of many other tongues can be seen throughout.

Beautifully illustrated by Hazel France, artist and horticulturist at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Scottish Plant Names depicts some of the plants as they appear in the wild, and other drawings are a literal take on some of the weird and wonderful names that they have been given throughout history.

Marsh-marigold as ‘demon water-horse’s shoe’, foxgloves as ‘witches thimbles’, bluebell as ‘crows toes’, and the rose as ‘itchy coos’, some names are descriptive, while others speak of the use of the plant and some are poetic and poignant.

Some names have religious origins or roots in wider folklore, whilst others are very recent inventions. Scottish Plant Names demonstrates the power of observing, classifying and naming, and gives us an insight into the past, people’s relationships with plants and ways of looking at the world.

Speaking about the publication of Scottish Plant Names, Greg Kenicer said, “It has been a joy to research this book. The diversity and evolution of plant names is intricate, so delving in to the etymology and uncovering the stories behind them has been fascinating.

“Over the years, plants have been named in a variety of ways – from the simple changes in spelling from existing names to naming for similarity – for example the slender, curving stems of bramble are one of several plants called ‘leddy’s garters’ in Scots, or ‘lady’s garters’ in English.

“I came across some scurrilous names in my research too, often with political undertones For example, there are several smelly plants called ‘stinking Billy’ in ‘honour’ of William of Orange.

“Names are very powerful things. They are a crucial part of the way that we see and classify the world around us. Humans instinctively group things, compare them and identify them, but it is only by giving these things a name that we can truly communicate them to others.

“These common names are wonderfully varied even across short geographic distances, hence we use scientific names to help keep things standard wherever you are in the world.”

Scottish Plant Names is published by The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh on June 22 and is available on pre-order now at rbgeshop.org

Record number of school leavers in work, training or study

Gap narrows between most and least deprived areas

A record number of young people were in work, training or further study less than a year after the end of the school term.

The latest Follow-up Leaver Destinations statistics show 93.5% of those finishing school in the last academic year (2021-22) were progressing their studies or careers after nine months – up from 93.2% the year before.

The number of school leavers in work has also reached a record high of 31.8%.

The gap between those from the most and least deprived areas in work, training or further study has also narrowed to a record low of seven percentage points – down from 18.7 percentage points in 2009-10.

Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said: “I am greatly encouraged to see we have a record number of young people in work, training or further study less than a year after leaving school. These figures are testament to the hard work of learners across the country.

“We know the pandemic had a significant impact on our education system, but Scotland’s teachers and support staff are clearly preparing young learners for the next stage in life very well, whether that be work or further study.

“This Government has prioritised tackling the gap in achievement between the most and least deprived areas, so I am heartened to see this gap continuing to close.

“As we start to embark on a programme of education reform in the months ahead, it is clear that we will be building on a very strong platform.”

The annual Summary Statistics for Follow-up Leaver Destinations publication provides a snapshot of the destinations of 2021-22 school leavers from publicly funded mainstream schools approximately nine months after the end of the school year.

Calls for capital’s LGBTQ+ community to take part in pioneering campaign

A HISTORIC new project is calling on young people from the LGBTQ+ community to share their life experiences for a first of its kind project.

The campaign, (Un)Seen (Unheard), a pioneering social history project to capture young people’s lived experience and preserve it in the national archives, comes to Edinburgh Pride on 24^th June and Porty Pride on 8^th July.

LGBT Youth Scotland working in partnership with the National Library of Scotland, will be hosting Past, Present and Proud workshops across the country during pride which aims to encourage people from a range of different generations to share messages of hope to their younger or older selves.

Ali Kerr, Head of Partnerships at LGBT Youth Scotland believes that this project is an important way for young people to be a valuable part of history in the making. She said: “It has never been more important to give LGBTQ+ young people hope and a sense of pride in who they are.

“ Writing a message to their past or future self will allow them. to communicate their lived experiences on a national level and feel like an equal part of Scotland’s heritage.

“Bridging the past and present through stories will not only place LGBTQ+ experiences at the heart of local communities, but it will also help us all make Scotland a place where all young people can flourish and thrive.

“Our hope is that this project will not only connect with a new audience but will also inspire not-so-young people to get involved and foster intergenerational relationships within Scotland’s LGBTQ+ community.”

This year marks LGBT Youth Scotland’s 20th anniversary as an independent charity, priding itself in playing a leading role in the provision of quality youth work to LGBTQ+ young people, promoting health and wellbeing.

The campaign will have presence at three other pride events in Scotland over the coming months: Mardi Gla (Glasgow), Highland Pride (Inverness) and Pride Outside (Glasgow). Each with stalls and opportunities to engage with the archive project.

Along with collating stories from these pride events, the charity launched a campaign video on 1st June that showcases conversations between young and older members of the community, reflecting on what has changed and what we could still do better.

LGBT Youth Scotland is Scotland’s national charity for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer & Questioning and Intersex (LGBTQ+) young people aged 13-25. LGBTQ+ young people face unique and additional barriers to realising their potential and that is why LGBT Youth Scotland exists.

They believe Scotland can be a place where all young people can thrive and flourish, and they work alongside young people to remove those barriers; working with young people individually, and amplifying their collective voices to influence change.

If you are interested in submitting your story to the (Un)seen, (Un)heard archive or would like to know more about the project, email unseenunheard@lgbtyouth.org.uk.

For more information on LGBT Youth Scotland, visit: https://www.lgbtyouth.org.uk/

A different kind of Friday night out

Looking for an alternative Friday night out?

The Bongo Club are hosting an evening of yoga, dance and music with Dee McQueen Yoga – Breath & Movement.

Join them for DUSK, where you can experience a new wellness movement. Move your body through a glorious yoga practice to a DJ, reclaim the dancefloor, and still be home in time to pop your feet up on the sofa and get up early the next day. Or if you’re really feeling it, you could continue to party the night away!

Friday 16th June

7pm

The Bongo Club | 66 Cowgate | Edinburgh

Find out all about it on The Bongo Club website.

thebongoclub.co.uk/event/dusk/

Another Minister joins the payroll as Scottish Cabinet roles revised

Changes ‘ensure policy plans of this Government can be pursued with vigour’

The Transport portfolio will be restored as a Cabinet position as First Minister Humza Yousaf changed Màiri McAllan’s Cabinet Secretary remit to ‘Transport, Net Zero and Just Transition’.

Alongside this change, experienced former Cabinet Secretary Fiona Hyslop re-joins government as the new Minister for Transport. The range of experience Ms Hyslop brings to the role extends across the era of the Scottish Parliament, having held multiple ministerial roles, including responsibility for the economy.

The move will see Ms McAllan take a greater day-to-day role in the transport brief. Responsibility for the Green Economy will move from Ms McAllan to Richard Lochhead, who will report to her for these issues, freeing Ms McAllan to take on a greater role in transport. Mr Lochhead’s new title will be Minister for Small Business, Innovation, Tourism and Trade.

In addition, the First Minster has also amended the role of Gillian Martin, adding responsibilities to her remit and changing her title to ‘Minister for Energy and the Environment’. She will report jointly to the Cabinet Secretary for the Wellbeing Economy and to the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands.

Subject to agreement by Parliament and approval of His Majesty The King Ms Hyslop will, on appointment will be reporting to the revamped Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Net Zero and Just Transition.

The First Minister said: “I am pleased to announce that I am strengthening the ministerial team on transport.

“I have taken two steps: first, by changing Màiri McAllan’s remit, I am freeing her to take a direct day-to-day role in transport, effectively bringing transport explicitly back into Cabinet.

“Second, I am bringing one of the most experienced politicians in the Scottish Parliament – Fiona Hyslop – into the role of Minister for Transport. Her return to government means she can bring her decades of experience across government to bear on the challenges that exist, not least around ferry services.

“Finally, I am using this opportunity to also bring some extra support to the rural portfolio by expanding Gillian Martin’s role, and ensuring that Richard Lochhead’s title reflects his responsibilities supporting business across Scotland. This will ensure that the significant policy plans of this Government can be pursued with vigour.”