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Category: Davidsons Mains
Cole-Hamilton Seeks Walk-In Vaccine Centres for Constituency Hot Spots
Edinburgh Western MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton is seeking walk in coronavirus vaccination centres in the Lothians today, after an outbreak in his constituency which forced the temporary closure of a local primary school.
Last week, Mr Cole- Hamilton, raised concerns over the temporary closure of Davidsons Main Primary School within his constituency, after 12 out of the 19 classes were required to self-isolate. Health Secretary Humza Yousaf responded to Mr Cole-Hamilton with the assurance that an extra effort would be made to ensure appropriate testing measures would be in place to keep the virus under control.
Mr Cole-Hamilton believes that more immediate action must be taken, using an opportunity in the Holyrood chamber to ask if the Health Secretary would make drop-in vaccination clinics available for constituents over the age of 18 who have yet to have their first jag or face a long wait for their second in local hotspot areas across Edinburgh, as he had done in Glasgow over the weekend.
Unable to give a definitive answer, Mr Yousaf did promise to raise the merits of walk in centres during a meeting with NHS Lothian that will take place tomorrow.
Mr Cole-Hamilton said: “I am pleased that the Cabinet Secretary understands the value of walk in vaccination centres, and there are many examples of the appetite for them across the United Kingdom.
“If we have learned anything from this pandemic it is the tragedy of being slow to take action. If the city of Edinburgh is to avoid a situation like the one Glasgow has been facing for the last eight months, then walk in vaccination clinics must be set up as soon as possible.
“It is of the utmost importance that local outbreaks, just like the ones in Davidsons Mains and Silverknowes, are dealt with swiftly, to avoid further harm to our to both our health and economy.”
‘Far from Over’: Cole-Hamilton presses Health Secretary over Davidsons Mains Covid outbreak
Liberal Democrats Health Spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton has used a Scottish Parliament debate on Covid-19 to highlight the need for caution as Scotland begins to move out of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Mr Cole- Hamilton, who represents the Edinburgh Western constituency, raised concerns over the temporary closure of Davidsons Main Primary School within his constituency. He said that events at the school were a stark reminder that the pandemic was far from over.
The School has been forced to temporarily close on Tuesday, after over half of the after 12 classes were forced to self-isolate.
Mr Cole-Hamilton seized an opportunity to ask the Cabinet Secretary for Health Humza Yousaf, for reassurance that the Scottish Government will work to tackle the appearance of Covid hotspots across the Lothians.
Although unable to give a specific answer, Mr Yousaf assured Mr Cole-Hamilton that he will look at the data in the community of Davidsons Mains to ensure that accurate and appropriate testing measures were in place to keep the covid-19 virus under control.
Mr Cole-Hamilton said: “I am pleased that the Cabinet Secretary has appreciated the seriousness of the outbreak at Davidsons Mains Primary, and I am grateful that he plans to take action to ensure our community is kept safe and faces as little disruption as possible.
“The situation in Davidsons Mains is a stark reminder that our communities are by no means rid of this virus. But I hope that the willingness of the Cabinet Secretary to treat this outbreak seriously will be of some comfort to worried pupils and members of the school community.
“Tributes must be paid to the school staff, who have worked quickly and efficiently to respond to this challenging set of circumstances. They’ve applied every infection control protocol to the letter since this first started but community transmission of this very virulent strain has seen cases increase.
“I look forward to seeing the school gates reopen at the start of next month.”
Covid forces closure of Davidsons Mains Primary School
Davidsons Mains Primary School has been closed due to increasing numbers of Covid cases.
In a statement on the school’s website yesterday, Head Teacher Astrid Gracie told parents and carers:
Dear Families,
Thank you for your support over the past 8 days. Unfortunately, we continue to be notified of new positive cases, affecting more classes in the school. I will be in touch with the families of close contacts in the latest classes affected very soon and provide guidance around isolation dates and PCR testing.
Following further consultation with the Health Protection Team, NHS Lothian & City of Edinburgh Education and Environmental Services we have had to make the difficult decision to return to remote learning for all pupils until the end of this week and close the School and Nursery to all children.
This is because cases are continuing to spread and further steps, including self-isolation of close contacts and closing the school are considered necessary by the Health Protection Team, to reduce the risks of transmission of the virus.
We recognise that this will be very challenging for many families and I can assure you that it is not a decision that has been taken lightly.
Remote Learning Provision
Learning tasks and live classes will take place on TEAMS, as happened during the recent lockdown. Class teachers will post further information on TEAMS. Nursery staff will provide learning at home tasks via Learning Journals for our Nursery children. Should you need to borrow a digital device to access the online content please email or call the school and we will make arrangements for you to collect this tomorrow.
Free School Meal Provision
Pupils in P1-7 (who meet free school meals entitlements) will be able to collect their meal from the main gym hall/dining room door (currently P4/5 entrance). If your child is entitled to free school meals and their class have been asked to isolate, we will contact you to arrange delivery.
Please only attend at the times noted below to allow us to distribute meals safely. You will receive a refund should your child be in P4-7 and you have paid for their meal:
Primary 1 – 3: 11.45-12.00
Primary 4 -7: 12.15-12.30
Hub provision for Key Workers
The return to remote learning is a response to the number of cases in the community and the number of classes and staff self-isolating. We are therefore unable to offer key worker provision.
After School Provision
As a result of the return to remote learning breakfast club and after school provision will not be available this week.
Review of School Closure
We continue to work closely with the Health Protection Team, NHS Lothian, Senior Education Leaders and Environmental Health Services to closely monitor the spread of the virus. Our next review meeting is on Friday 28TH May.
We are committed to re-opening the school as soon as it is considered safe to do so. I will send updated information after the meeting.
PCR testing
We continue to ask that all close contacts and those displaying COVID symptoms take a PCR test. Walk-in test centres are open at Drumbrae and Ainslie Park. A drive-through centre is at the airport. Test results are received fairly quickly, so if you do not hear back within 36 hours please call the NHS to check if the test has been misplaced.
The following links may be helpful:
- Book a test here if you are a close contact or have symptoms: Get a free PCR test to check if you have coronavirus (COVID-19) – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- You can order Lateral Flow Test kits here: Regular rapid lateral flow coronavirus (COVID-19) tests – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
Should you have difficulty getting to a test centre, please email the school at admin@davidsonsmains.edin.sch.uk
I would like to thank you for your ongoing support throughout this turbulent year. Throughout, we have continued to work in partnership and to look out for all in our community.
I know that if we continue to pull together, to follow FACTS and each play our part in sticking to the guidance, it won’t be long before we can welcome our children back in to the school building.
Best wishes,
Astrid Gracie
Head Teacher
Appeal following assault in Davidson’s Mains Park
Officers are appealing for information after a teenage girl was assaulted in Davidson’s Mains Park this morning.
Around 8am on Friday, 30 April, the 14-year-old was walking to school on a footpath through the park when she was assaulted by a male suspect. She was not injured and ran off, on the path through the wooded area, towards Barnton Park Avenue.
The male suspect is described as white, around 6ft tall, aged late 30s to early 40s. He is described as being clean shaven with short brown hair. He was wearing a long-sleeved black hooded top, a yellow high visibility vest and black combat style trousers.
Inspector Keith Forrester, of Corstorphine Police Station, said: ” Thankfully the victim was not injured, however understandably this was an upsetting incident for her.
“It happened near to a local school just before the start of the school day and so there may have been numerous people in the area at that time. I am therefore appealing to anyone who was in the Davidson’s Mains Park area this morning, and saw a man matching this description, to get in touch.
“If you were driving past the park at the time and have a dashcam, I would ask you to check back to see if you have captured footage of the suspect.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101, quoting reference number 1081 of 30 April, 2021
Community appeal as Lauriston Farm beer garden ‘trashed’
During such a hard time for closed businesses, it comes with great sadness and disappointment that our beer garden has been left in this state 
.
Last night between 9.30pm – midnight, a group of 4 have been caught on cctv completely abusing the area, breaking and throwing garden furniture, trying to smash down the smoking shelter, dumping all their trash as well as risking their own safety by climbing onto our restaurant roof.
We would kindly ask the community to share this and help it reach the people involved, before we have to forward the faces (who from cctv look as if they have visited before) to the police .
Attached are some photos of the mess. Thank you for your support.
Team Lauriston Farm
Silverknowes fires: man charged
A 30-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with a series of fire raising incidents in North Edinburgh.
He has been charged in connection with a number of fires in the Silverknowes area in the early hours of Wednesday, 27 January and he is expected to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court later today (Thursday, 28 January).
Police appeal following deliberate fires in Silverknowes & D Mains
Police in Edinburgh are appealing for information following a series of fires in Silverknowes and Davidson’s Mains early this morning
A number of incidents were reported to Police Scotland in the area between 4.55am and 5.55am.
These included four vehicles on Silverknowes Eastway, Silverknowes Avenue and Cramond Road South as well as within a property of Main Street, Davidson’s Mains and a post box on Silverknowes Road.
Nobody was injured in any of the incidents. Each of the fires is being treated as deliberate and enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances.
Detective Sergeant Dougal Begg of Edinburgh CID said: “Our enquiries into this series of incidents are ongoing and we are working to establish the full circumstances.
“We would urge anyone who may have seen any suspicious activity to come forward as soon as possible.
“In particular we would be keen to speak to anyone with dashcam footage or private CCTV in the area.
“If you have any information which help our investigation please call 101, quoting incident 0341 of 27 January, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”
Local groups receive awards for Keeping Scotland Beautiful
The efforts of 14 Edinburgh groups have been acknowledged by environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful at an online seminar yesterday.
North Edinburgh is well represented among these green-fingered groups, with awards for Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre, Fresh Start Growers, Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden, Friends of Lauriston Castle Estate, Friends of Starbank Park and North Edinburgh Arts Gardening Group.
The other capital groups to receive awards are Balerno Village Gardeners, Craigentinny Community Gardening Project, Craigentinny Primary Parent Council, Friends of Morningside Cemetery, Friends of Saughton Park, Inch View Care Home, Inspiring Hillside and Northfield Community Growing Group.
Annually Keep Scotland Beautiful runs two community environmental improvement programmes in partnership with the Royal Horticultural Society; the competitive Beautiful Scotland campaign and the It’s Your Neighbourhood initiative.
A full list of the 14 groups from Edinburgh can be found in the attached table (below).
Faced with the challenges of 2020, there has never been a more important time to recognise and celebrate the achievements of communities and individuals across Edinburgh.
Throughout lockdown and the following months, groups have worked tirelessly to improve their communities through horticulture, environmental responsibility and working in partnership for the benefit of residents, visitors and our natural environment.
Despite circumstances this year, 47 new entrants were welcomed to the network, and although judging and mentoring visits were not able to take place due to restrictions across Scotland, groups were still supported with online seminars, networking events, question and answer sessions and a weekly e-newsletter.
Barry Fisher, CEO of Keep Scotland Beautiful said, “We know that lockdown resulted in many people reconnecting with green and blue spaces local to them. Yet, it has also been a particularly challenging year for the communities who strive every year to protect and enhance the places they live and work in.
“I’d like to thank all the groups in Edinburgh for the efforts they have made to keep Scotland beautiful this year.”
Although many of the groups had to stop or curtail their planned activities for the year, we have been blown away by what they have managed to achieve – whether that be setting up a food bank, encouraging and supporting others to grow their own, creating virtual garden tours, connecting their members through online catch ups and keeping their neighbourhoods bright and cheerful.
If you’d like to join the network in 2021, check out the website for inspiration and details on how to get involved:
www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/BeautifulScotland or www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/IYN
Take a stand for Lauriston Castle
Lauriston Castle is in danger from it’s Trustees who have mismanaged Lauriston Castle over many years, say Friends campaigners.
The castle and grounds were left to the Nation in 1926 by Mr & Mrs Reid. There are rooms in the Castle that the public have not been allowed to see contrary to Mr & Mrs Reid’s Will and Trust Deed.
There are treasures that the Trustees have allowed to significantly deteriorate/be damaged and not restored.
· why there is only £42,000 in the endowment fund when the Trustees were left the equivalent of over £2,000,000 and the potential to increase that amount?
· why over £190,000 of Council Taxpayers money is not recorded in the Lauriston Castle Trust Accounts?
· when are the Trustees going to restore Lauriston Castle Glasshouse (above) and other historic monuments?
· when are the Trustees going to restore the grounds to their former glory envisaged by the donors, Mr & Mrs Reid?
A stand needs to be made to restore Lauriston Castle to it’s rightful glory.
To this end you may wish to join Friends of Lauriston Castle where you can have your say and hear of action that needs to be taken: