Category: Leith

Don’t miss COLLECTOR exhibition

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Arcadeum’s Collector exhibition opened on Saturday afternoon at Whitespace Gallery on East Crosscauseway – and the exhibition has already attracted over one hundred visitors!

The fascinating exhibition features the personal collections of twenty residents and local workers from North Edinburgh and includes collections of model buses, spoons, toysoldiers, John Wayne memorabilia and  more …

The exhibition runs until Thursday and is open daily from 11am – 6pm – and it’s free. Don’t miss it!

More info at Facebook – Arcadeum Collectors Project and www.arcadeum.org/projects

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£eith Decides – again!

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From this weekend, people in the wider Leith area will be asked to decide how more than £44,000 of City of Edinburgh Council funding should be spent on projects that benefit their local community – and for the first time voters will be able to cast their vote online from Saturday 8 October until Saturday 22 October 2016. Continue reading £eith Decides – again!

Cash boost from Community Choices fund

Community cash for participatory budgeting initiatives

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Communities across Scotland are to benefit from £1.5 million funding which will give people more power to make decisions directly on spending in their local areas.

The Community Choices Fund is targeted at work in deprived areas, and for the first time community groups as well as public authorities, including local authorities, were able to apply for funding to organise their own Community Choices budgeting events.

The fund received well over 100 applications with 16 successful community projects and 12 public authorities spanning the breadth of Scotland. A full list of successful applicants is provided below.

The projects include:

  • The Joint Community Councils of Moray, £46,500 to use the Community Choices process to help tackle social isolation
  • Aberdeen City Council, £100,000 to target the 8 most deprived areas in the city to help reduce community isolation
  • Edinburgh City Council, £81,895 to support events on health and hate crime
  • North Carrick Community Benefit Company, £95,868 to recruit 8 community participation champions from underrepresented communities
  • Burnfoot Community Futures Housing, Hawick £39,000 to address social and community needs.

Leith Links Community Council was among the community projects to receive funding. The community council was awarded £20,869 to support their ‘CommUNITY links: Brightening Local Lives’ initiative.

Local Government and Housing Minister Kevin Stewart said: “It’s the commitment of this government to give communities more control to shape their futures. I am delighted to see communities applying for Community Choices funding and to read about the innovative and creative ways communities are working to address the issues that are important to the people in their community. It is also pleasing to see that we have engagement with Community Choices right across the country from Shetland to the Scottish Borders.

“The Community Choices Fund offers an opportunity for decisions to be made by people in their local communities who are best placed to know what their community needs.”

The Community Choices Fund builds on the Scottish Government investment in participatory budgeting over the last two years. More information about participatory budgeting is available at: http://pbscotland.scot

 

Government action to address fuel poverty

Over £9 million to improve energy efficiency

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Homes and businesses across 11 local authority areas will be warmer and cheaper to heat thanks to over £9 million of Scottish Government funding. Edinburgh will receive over £1 million.

Continue reading Government action to address fuel poverty

A grand gesture!

Local MSP digs deep to support Leith CAB

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Leith Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) is appealing to the local community to help raise £20,000 for its new office on Dalmeny Street. Edinburgh Northern and Leith MSP, Ben Macpherson, visited Leith CAB to pledge his support and made a personal donation of £1,000 to help the cause.

Leith CAB is an invaluable service for the local community and helps over 5,000 clients every year; with over 70 dedicated local volunteers offering their knowledge, skills and expertise free of charge, to help fellow citizens in need with essential, independent advice.

To help continue its vital service in Leith, Citizens Advice Edinburgh (CAE), a volunteer led independent charity, has launched a Crowdfunding campaign to fund Leith CAB’s move from its current office on Bernard Street to new premises on Dalmeny Street. Also supported by local musicians The Proclaimers, CAE aims to raise £20,000.

Yesterday Ben Macpherson MSP donated £1,000 to the campaign in response to CAE’s appeal to the local community to support the charity and help raise these vital funds.

The Edinburgh Northern and Leith MSP said: “The Citizens Advice Bureau in Leith provides vital support to many of my constituents as well as to residents right across Edinburgh. That is why I’m proud to support this appeal and to help raise awareness of this important fundraising campaign. Every donation, no matter how big or small, will make a meaningful difference.

“The advice provided by the Citizens Advice Bureau in Leith is, unfortunately, crucial. At a time of continued economic austerity, UK government welfare reform, and significant uncertainty around Brexit, many people in Leith and across Edinburgh are reliant on the free, independent and impartial advice provided by Citizens Advice Bureaus. I will continue to support Citizens Advice Edinburgh and wish them every success with this important fundraising campaign.”

Benjamin Napier, CEO, Citizens Advice Edinburgh said: “We are delighted to have the support of local MSP Ben Macpherson and are grateful for his very generous personal donation.  Citizens Advice Edinburgh work closely with all elected members, to help ensure we are dealing with the issues that impact on people’s lives in Edinburgh.  Our bureau in Leith is a vital part of the network of support we provide and we hope that others will be encouraged by Ben’s donation to offer whatever they can to help keep this valuable service in Leith.”  

Further information and details for anyone wishing to donate can be found at www.crowdfunder.co.uk/cableithfundraiser

 

MSP welcomes criminal cashback for local groups

“This funding will support Pilton Youth and Children’s Project and The Prince’s Trust Scotland to continue to provide valuable services to our young people in Edinburgh Northern and Leith” – Ben Macpherson MSP

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Ben Macpherson MSP has welcomed the award of Cashback for Communities funding to Pilton Youth and Children’s Project (PYCP) and The Prince’s Trust Scotland. The fund disburses cash seized from criminals, and this year the scheme will see almost £2 million given to community groups across Scotland to help young people in disadvantaged areas – often the areas that suffer most from crime and antisocial behaviour. Continue reading MSP welcomes criminal cashback for local groups

Hundreds of affordable homes set for Shrubhill

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Housing Minister Kevin Stewart marked the start of work on a new affordable housing development in the capital when he visit Shrubhill yesterday. Mr Stewart joined representatives from the City of Edinburgh Council and property developers Places for People, during his visit to the development which will provide 236 much needed affordable homes in the north of the city. Continue reading Hundreds of affordable homes set for Shrubhill

Latest phase of Leith Walk programme is underway

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Work has begun on the next stage of a major project to improve Leith Walk. Phase Four of the Leith Programme, between Pilrig Street and McDonald Road is now under way in September and will last around ten months. Contractors Land Engineering Ltd are now on site, with construction expected to end in summer 2017. Continue reading Latest phase of Leith Walk programme is underway