There is no doubt, that there is a team of over 11 AMAZING regular #volunteers behind a huge success of our project.
We are very proud of them and happy that they have been recognised by Volunteer Edinburgh and received an Inspiring Volunteering Achievement Award!
Granton Goes Greener
Over 1,000 British Gas workers in Scotland will begin five days of strikes from 00.01 hours this morning (Thursday 7 January) as part of the biggest dispute seen in the sector for over forty years.
In a direct response to the ‘fire and rehire’ plan for British Gas operations laid-out by Centrica Plc Group’s Chief Executive Officer Chris O’Shea, over 10,000 GMB members across the UK four nations will take part in the action.
O’Shea has refused to accept efforts by GMB to negotiate a way forward for the business. Instead, after months of talks, workers have been told to accept the slashing of wages and conditions, or face being sacked.
All British Gas divisions and services, including Service & Repair, Electrical Services, Smart Metering, Installations, and Customer Services will be impacted.
GMB Scotland Senior Organiser for Commercial Services Hazel Nolan, blasted Centrica’s executives for their role in creating their own company crisis and exploiting workers during the COVID-19 pandemic:
“Today is CEO pay day, Chris O’Shea will take home a pre-bonus wage of £775,000, and Centrica have recorded a £901million operating profit for 2019.
“While GMB members in British Gas acted as emergency workers during the COVID19 pandemic, Chris O’Shea & the Senior Millionaires Team of British Gas were busy plotting how to slash workers terms & conditions.
“In the grip of a global pandemic, Chris O’Shea’s anti-worker, ‘fire and rehire’ agenda would set a dangerous precedent for major UK employers, opening the floodgates for widespread attacks on workers’ jobs, pay and conditions. This is not how a country builds back better.
“GMB members are being told they’ll be sacked and then forced to accept new terms and conditions – across the board cuts in wages pensions and leave. Take it or leave it. Centrica are turning a once great British industrial institution into a cowboy contractor.
“We have no choice but to fight-back.”
Centrica says contingency measures are in place.
Due to the pandemic restrictions the main North Edinburgh Arts venue will remain closed, but the NEA Pantry (in the old Co-op building on Pennywell Road) is open today from 10-2pm for new members, resuming usual hours from next Wednesday 13 January.
FRESH START PANTRY
New opening hours for Fresh Start Pantry on Ferry Road Drive
If you need help or advice, please call our North Edinburgh phoneline on 0131 356 0220 and we will help or signpost to who can!
GRANTON:HUB PANTRY
The first pantry of the New Year took place yesterday (Wednesday 6th January) from 11 – 12pm.
The pantry will continue to run on Wednesday’s on a fortnightly basis – next one will be Wednesday 20 January.
Thank you for the produce supplied by FareShareRoyal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and Edinburgh Food for Good/Refugee Community Kitchen.
For more information contact community@grantonhub.org
There’s also daily food support from Leith-based Empty Kitchens Full Hearts:
Following the latest coronavirus guidelines announced on Monday, Granton Information Centre staff are working from home and our office on West Granton Road will remain closed for the foreseeable future – BUT PLEASE BE ASSURED THAT WE ARE STILL OPERATING!
You can contact us by email at info@gic.org.uk or by calling 0131 551 2459 or 0131 552 0458.
Any messages left on our answering machine will be dealt with as soon as possible – please ensure you clearly leave your full name and telephone number when leaving a message.
Let’s all play our part in keeping each other safe, stopping this terrible virus and getting life back to normal!
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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
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.
