Category: Granton

Edinburgh College New Year Plans

The College closed for the festive break on Friday 18 December and staff will return to working from home on Wednesday 6 January. During the festive break, all campuses will be closed and staff will be taking a well-deserved break.

Plans for January 2021

The Scottish Government announced that all of mainland Scotland will move into protection level 4 from Boxing Day (Saturday 26 December), initially for a three-week period. This is expected to remain in place until at least Monday 18 January 2021.

To best protect the Edinburgh College community, online classes are planned to resume during the week commencing Monday 11 January. It is important that nobody comes onto any of our campuses unless they are told to do so.

Students are encouraged to use Wednesday 6 – Friday 8 January to re-engage with our online learning platforms, access student support services, and prepare for the new term.

We will provide more information for staff and students on plans for the start of term in the new year. Please continue to check our channels for updates.

Staying safe during the festive period

It’s important that we all take extra care to mitigate the risk of transmission of COVID-19 over the festive period.

We must all follow the latest advice and guidance provided by the Scottish Government on keeping safe during this time.

Find out more information about protection level 4 rules.

Looking after our wellbeing during the festive period

We know that this time of year can be difficult for some, please remember that you can access support during the festive break.

The SilverCloud mental health and wellbeing platform is available to all staff and students and offers a wide-range of self-help programmes for people who may need support during this time. You can access it here.

Click here for a list of a list of external organisations you can contact for various levels of support during the festive period.

Staying informed

Please continue to check our College Communications channels including College emails, the MyEC app, Edinburgh College website and social media for the latest updates from the College – in case the situation changes. We may also contact you via your personal email or text message for any urgent updates.

Still time to apply for Walled Garden development officer post

Granton Castle Walled Garden Development Officer (one year)

N.B. REVISED CLOSING DATE 8/1/2021

Are you interested in working with local volunteers and community groups to help protect and develop a late medieval walled garden in North West Edinburgh?

The Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden are looking for a Development Officer to coordinate plans for work in the garden and in the community over the coming year, a time when we will all hope to see a different world emerging.

£15 ph for an average of 24hpw on a self-employed basis.

Under the oversight of the Trustees, duties would include:

Developing our website, communications and social media with regular updates and monthly newsletters;

Reorganising our database to update our contacts, volunteers, members/friends and associates while ensuring GDPR compliance;

Fundraising for our strategic plan including future funding for administrator, gardener, green gym, Victorian greenhouse re-build, workshops and events, utilities etc.;

Coordinating volunteers, special interest groups and working parties, especially for gardening, workshops and events;

Strengthening links with educational and community groups and increase participation of local residents;Updating policies: eg H & S, Safeguarding, Volunteer Induction;

Exploring feasibility of installation of electricity and water.

Hours of work will vary due to garden seasonality, events, workshops, meetings and when volunteers are available and will include some weekend working.

Formal qualifications are not essential, but experience of communicating and networking with Council and community groups, good MS Office and fund-raising skills and expertise in social media and database development, preferably within an historic, horticultural environment, required.

Interviews will be held in January 2021 to start in March 2021.

For more information please see https://www.facebook.com/GrantonCastleGarden/

If interested, apply with CV and names and email addresses of 2 referees to:

grantongarden@gmail.com

OR

Chair, Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden,

23 West Shore Road, Edinburgh, EH5 1QB.

CLOSING DATE: Friday, 8th January

Revised closing date for Development Officer post

Granton Castle Walled Garden Development Officer (one year)

N.B. REVISED CLOSING DATE 8/1/2021

Are you interested in working with local volunteers and community groups to help protect and develop a late medieval walled garden in North West Edinburgh?

The Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden are looking for a Development Officer to coordinate plans for work in the garden and in the community over the coming year, a time when we will all hope to see a different world emerging.

£15 ph for an average of 24hpw on a self-employed basis.

Under the oversight of the Trustees, duties would include:

Developing our website, communications and social media with regular updates and monthly newsletters;

Reorganising our database to update our contacts, volunteers, members/friends and associates while ensuring GDPR compliance;

Fundraising for our strategic plan including future funding for administrator, gardener, green gym, Victorian greenhouse re-build, workshops and events, utilities etc.;

Coordinating volunteers, special interest groups and working parties, especially for gardening, workshops and events;

Strengthening links with educational and community groups and increase participation of local residents;Updating policies: eg H & S, Safeguarding, Volunteer Induction;

Exploring feasibility of installation of electricity and water.

Hours of work will vary due to garden seasonality, events, workshops, meetings and when volunteers are available and will include some weekend working.

Formal qualifications are not essential, but experience of communicating and networking with Council and community groups, good MS Office and fund-raising skills and expertise in social media and database development, preferably within an historic, horticultural environment, required.

Interviews will be held in January 2021 to start in March 2021.

For more information please see https://www.facebook.com/GrantonCastleGarden/

If interested, apply with CV and names and email addresses of 2 referees to:

grantongarden@gmail.com

OR

Chair, Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden,

23 West Shore Road, Edinburgh, EH5 1QB.

REVISED CLOSING DATE: Friday, 8th January 2021

Have your say on North Edinburgh’s active travel connections

Residents in north Edinburgh are being invited to help shape a key project to improve connections and public spaces in their local community.

The city council is asking people from across Muirhouse, Pilton, Granton and Drylaw to contribute to the future of Pennywell Road and its links to existing paths at Crewe Toll, Gypsy Brae, Silverknowes and West Granton Access Road.

Through the North Edinburgh Active Travel (NEAT) Connections scheme we’re proposing changes to Pennywell Road and the surrounding area. These include increasing space available for walking, cycling and wheeling, making it easier to access local shops and community spaces without the use of a car and working with members of the community to improve public areas and green spaces.

We’re seeking feedback from residents via a dedicated Commonplace map, a tool recently used as part of Spaces for People engagement, which attracted more than 4000 comments.

This will help to identify existing problem areas and opportunities for new crossings, green spaces or where other improvements could be made.

Transport and Environment Convener Councillor Lesley Macinnes said: This project will create a much more welcoming, relaxed environment for those travelling on foot, bike or wheelchair.

“We’ve already seen how temporary Spaces for People initiatives across the city have encouraged people to walk, wheel or cycle and we want to see this happen long-term, with the associated benefits to health and the environment.

“Of course, we want any changes to work for all the people who live and spend time in this area, which is why we want to hear what they think and where improvements can be made. By sharing their thoughts and ideas they can help shape the final design, which will make travel to nearby schools, shops and local areas much easier and safer for pedestrians and cyclists.

Interim Head of Infrastructure Delivery for Sustrans Scotland, Chiquita Elvin, said: “Despite being close to existing walking, cycling and wheeling routes, such as the North Edinburgh Path Network, it can be challenging to access them for Muirhouse and Pilton due to the volume of traffic and the focus on roads in the original design of the area.

“We want the local community to tell us how we can make walking, cycling and wheeling easier for them, be that with new path connections, wider pavements, dedicated space for cycling or new crossings. These changes have the potential to transform how people get around North Edinburgh and every opinion matters.”

As well as benefiting local residents, changes could make it easier for travel to Craigroyston Community High School, Craigroyston Primary, Oaklands Primary, Forthview Primary and the new civic centre being developed at the former Muirhouse Shopping Centre.

In addition to the Commonplace website locals can leave their feedback on maps displayed in the North Edinburgh Arts centre café. 

NEAT Connections has been funded through Sustrans’ Scotland’s Places for Everyone programme, with support from Transport Scotland.

Separate temporary measures to make cycling safer and easier on Pennywell Road, Muirhouse Parkway and Ferry Road are currently in place and have been implemented through the Spaces for People programme.

Motion of support for Wardie Bay swimmers

We are deeply grateful and delighted to announce that Councillor Ellie Bird has proposed a motion in support of our #WardieBay4BathingWater campaign, which will be delivered to Full Council today.

The meeting will be webcast live from 10am. We are item 9.2 so will likely be a little later. You can watch at https://edinburgh.public-i.tv/core/portal/home

Please continue to share and support our petition for water quality monitoring at Wardie Beach. #coastalcommunities #marinepollution #sewage #wildswimming

KAREN BATES

Wardie Bay Beachwatch

Work opportunity with Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden

Granton Castle Walled Garden

Development Officer (one year)

Are you interested in working with local volunteers and community groups to help protect and develop a late medieval walled garden in North West Edinburgh?

The Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden are looking for a Development Officer to coordinate plans for work in the garden and in the community over the coming year, a time when we will all hope to see a different world emerging. 

£15 ph for an average of 24hpw on a self-employed basis.

Under the oversight of the Trustees, duties would include:

Developing our website, communications and social media with regular updates and monthly newsletters;

Reorganising our database to update our contacts, volunteers, members/friends and associates while ensuring GDPR compliance;

Fundraising for our strategic plan including future funding for administrator, gardener, green gym, Victorian greenhouse re-build, workshops and events, utilities etc.;

Coordinating volunteers, special interest groups and working parties, especially for gardening, workshops and events;

Strengthening links with educational and community groups and increase participation of local residents;

Updating policies: eg H & S, Safeguarding, Volunteer Induction;

Exploring feasibility of installation of electricity and water.

Hours of work will vary due to garden seasonality, events, workshops, meetings and when volunteers are available and will include some weekend working.

Formal qualifications are not essential, but experience of communicating and networking with Council and community groups, good MS Office and fund-raising skills and expertise in social media and database development, preferably within an historic, horticultural environment, required.

Interviews will be held in January 2021 to start in March 2021. For more information please look at https://www.facebook.com/GrantonCastleGarden/

If interested, apply with CV and names and email addresses of 2 referees to:grantongarden@gmail.com, OR

Chair,

Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden,

23 West Shore Road, Edinburgh EH5 1QB,

by noon on Friday, 18th December 2020.

Sharing the Christmas sparkle across the Capital

Christmas 2020 will see more festive lights than ever across the Capital following a one-off funding boost that aims to spread some cheer at the end of a challenging year.

Thanks to savings identified in the Culture budget due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on festivals and events there will now be Christmas lights in every ward of the city, with the new provision being used to dress living trees. 

The traditional Christmas centrepiece is already illuminated following the switch-on of the 2020 Christmas Rainbow on the Mound to accompany the traditional Norwegian tree on Friday (27 November). The 18m wide rainbow pays tribute to frontline workers who have given so much during the pandemic. The programme of citywide installation has begun.

Culture and Communities Convener, Cllr Donald Wilson, said: “This has been a very tough year for all of us and as we now look ahead to a very different Christmas, it’s important to show that Edinburgh’s festive and community spirit is alive and well despite the challenges we’re facing.

“Along with our usual provision of Christmas lights and trees around the city we’re also making sure that we spread the Christmas sparkle where we can to parts of Edinburgh that have not previously had festive lighting provision and to make sure that is the case for several years. I’m delighted to confirm that from 2020 there will be lights in every ward of the city.

“With this one-off spend we’ll be ensuring all 17 wards have festive lights for around five years – the life span of the new lighting.”

Culture and Communities Vice Convener, Cllr Amy McNeese-Mechan, said: “To keep everyone safe we unfortunately weren’t able to have our usual community light switch-on ceremonies this year, but I hope this extra splash of festive sparkle across the city will boost spirits and can be enjoyed by residents safely.

“Our thanks to the team who had to work so quickly and explored ways to add lights to previously unlit areas. The task of plotting the best spots is not as easy as it sounds and I want to congratulate the team for researching the city and making sure we could find living trees that are suitable for lights. They had to be on Council land, big enough to accommodate lights without harming branches, in a visible spot or in area of high footfall and near a suitable power supply.

“The installation of the festive lights has started across our communities and I hope citizens enjoy the extra Christmas cheer they’ll bring to local neighbourhoods.”

New Christmas lights for 2020:

Rainbow on The Mound
Nativity Scene (East Princes Street Gardens)
Granton
Gracemount
Longstone
Currie
Balerno
Liberton
Sighthill
Oxgangs
Kirk Brae
Craigentinny
Portobello High School
Leith Walk
Duddingston
Meadowbank
Canongate
Leith – Bernard St Bridge
Meggetland Bridge

Winter Open Day at Scrapstore

The Edinburgh Scrapstore is having a Winter Open Day this Sunday 29th November between 11-2pm. Come along to stock up on your crafty bits and pieces for the winter. Why not try some of the lovely scrap fabrics available to wrap presents this holiday season?

As the weather is getting colder the open day will happen inside the hub. Therefore, to maintain physical distancing we will have 30 minute time slots available to book for free. Each time slot will be limited to a certain number of people. 

The time slots available are:

  • 11.00 – 11.30
  • 11.30 – 12.00
  • 12.00 – 12.30
  • 12.30 – 13.00
  • 13.00 – 13.30
  • 13.30 – 14.00

To book a time slot, please e-mail Toni at community@grantonhub.org with your preferred time slot (and if a household or bubble how many people are attending).  Toni will then confirm with you if your chosen time slot is available.

Cash only for purchases please. We are operating a one-way system within the hub. Please use the original main entrance (white door pictured below) to enter the hub. If you are able to, please wear a face mask inside and use hand sanitiser prior to entering the hub.

Green light for ‘town centre’ regeneration projects

Funding for Pennywell Culture & Learning Hub and Granton Station

Five projects across the city are to benefit from the city council’s Town Centre Fund. Gracemount public realm, Craigmillar town centre, Westside Plaza Phase 3, Granton Station, Pentlands Community Space and Pennywell Hub have all been chosen to receive a share of the £1.454 million being allocated.

The funding for all of these local projects was passed at today’s City of Edinburgh Council full council meeting.

The money is part of £3.567 million of total investment that the City of Edinburgh Council received, over two rounds, from the Scottish Government Town Centre Fund. The funding seeks to drive local economic activity and invest in inclusive growth which supports town centres to become more diverse and sustainable, creating more vibrant, creative, enterprising and accessible places for their communities.

Local MSP, Ben Macpherson, has said that “the £747,000 investment for the Granton Station project will create a new destination in the heart of North Edinburgh for locals and visitors alike, and is an exciting aspect of the wider Waterfront development.”

Edinburgh Pentlands MSP, Gordon MacDonald, was also delighted to see “two brilliant local projects in Edinburgh Pentlands receiving the backing they need to take them another step closer to becoming a reality” as Westside Plaza Phase 3 and Pentlands Community Space were confirmed as they received £300,000 and £75,000 respectively.

The projects receiving funding also includes the Craigmillar town centre project and their bid to receive £170,000.

This funding will support them to turn a vacant site in the heart of the Craigmillar regeneration area into a hub for the local community and provide spaces for new and existing businesses.

The Edinburgh East MP, Tommy Sheppard, has said “This is an imaginative project that can help stimulate business in Craigmillar in a way that works with the grain of social distancing. It’s the kind of smart, targeted investment we need to bounce back from the pandemic.”

Commenting on the city wide funding, Convener of Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work, Cllr Kate Campbell, said: “We know that the impact on businesses from the pandemic has been especially hard, and that jobs and livelihoods are at risk. It’s important that we are doing everything we can to boost economic activity in our town centres so this allocation of additional funding to the Town Centres fund could not have come at a better time.

“We’re investing in public realm in areas of the city that we know have high levels of poverty. These are communities that need this investment.

“Most of these projects focus on transforming public realm. At Granton and Craigmillar this is going further, and creating a space that can be used for outdoor markets and pop up food and drink stalls.

“I’m really pleased that we are creating economic opportunities in the communities that will really feel the benefit. It’s about quality of life – creating public space that is safe, well designed, pedestrian and cycle friendly, and a place that people want to be. When we create spaces like this, we encourage people to use their local town centres in a way that’s good for the community and good for local businesses.

“The other benefit of these projects is that they all involve construction – so at the same time as benefiting communities, and improving public space, we’re also creating jobs at a time when they are desperately needed.”

You buy one, Morrisons & McVitie’s give one to a local food bank

Morrisons and McVitie’s are joining up with customers to ensure that those who really need it get a treat this Christmas. 

For every pack of McVitie’s 600g Victoria Biscuits sold in store, Morrisons & McVities will donate another to a local food bank or community group.

The offer is available until 24th November and forms part of Morrisons drive to restock Britain’s food banks and ensure no one is left behind as many struggle with the economic fallout of COVID-19.

The 600g selection of milk, white and dark chocolate biscuits costs £3. 

Rebecca Singleton, Community Director at Morrisons, said: “Many people have had a really difficult year and everybody deserves a treat this Christmas. This Buy One To Give One offer means customers can brighten up somebody else’s day as well as their own.” 

Morrisons also offers ‘Pick Up Pack’ parcels in stores that customers can purchase, containing items requested by local food banks.

They are also the first UK supermarket to trial an online donation mechanism that goes straight into the pockets of local food banks. Customers can purchase £10 vouchers on the Morrisons Food Boxes website, which are then sent directly to one of 50 food banks nationwide.