Category: Leith
It’s Power of Food Festival weekend!
It’s here! Edinburgh’s community gardeners take centre stage this weekend as The Power of Food Festival takes place at venues and locations across the city.
For further info visit https://poweroffoodfestival.wordpress.com/
TOiL expands east with funding boost
TOiL aims to match last year’s record of success
Port of Leith Housing Association’s (PoLHA) training programme for young people Training Opportunities in Lothian (TOiL) has secured over £200,000 funding which will allow it to expand its services into East Lothian.
The TOiL Programme provides 18 week, paid work experience placements to young, unemployed people alongside in-house training and career guidance. Training placements are with local firms in a variety of sectors and occupations.
The increased funding will enable up to 85 young people to participate in the TOiL Programme in 2015/16. It will also support PoLHA tenants with employability issues through the continued funding of an employabilty officer post. An additional employability officer will also be recruited to take on the role of working with adults who face employment barriers due to disability or ill health.
John Murray manages the TOiL programme. He said: “We are delighted to have received this significant sum of money to continue to support young people into sustainable employment.
“In 2014/15 TOiL supported 76% of trainees into employment, modern apprenticeships or further education against a national average of 44% which is our most successful year to date. It is TOiL’s ambition to deliver a similar level of success with a greater number of individuals this year.”
Skills Development Scotland’s Employability Fund, the City of Edinburgh Council’s Improving Employability Fund and The People and Communities Fund have provided the funding.
Tram to Newhaven?
The city council is to consider taking the tram network into Newhaven, Ocean Terminal or the foot of Leith Walk.
The line currently stops at York Place, but councillors will consider options to extend the route from the city centre along part of the originally planned route – a plan scaled down when the project ran into financial difficulties -at a meeting next week.
Extension cost estimates are £144.7m to Newhaven, £126.6m to Ocean Terminal and £78.7m to Leith Walk.
Transport Convener, Cllr Lesley Hinds, said: “I am extremely pleased with the progress of the business case, which already shows the clear economic impact the extension of the tram line could have on the city.
“In the tram’s first year of operation we have seen passenger numbers increase, demonstrating a growing demand for public transport in Edinburgh and making the case for extending the tram to benefit people elsewhere in the city.
“But we don’t want to make any rash decisions about the future of the project, and that’s why further due diligence is required to ensure a robust financial case that can be used as a basis for an informed judgement. We will also be exploring all avenues for funding, and considering a series of new and innovative options with a view to delivering best value.
“It is essential that we learn from our past mistakes and I am confident that this process will deliver thoroughly researched, strategic options for a tram extension.”
Further work is now to be carried out, including a formal market consultation, testing and auditing of the financial model and an investigation of alternative funding options, ahead of the final decision in autumn.
Read more about the Edinburgh tram project online.
Edinburgh’s tram service began running in May last year, six years late and costing more than double (£776 milion) the original £375m price tag – and that price was for a trams network not just a single line.
A public inquiry was set up last year under Lord Hardie to establish why the Edinburgh Trams project ‘incurred delays, cost more than orignally budgeted and through reductions in scope deliverd significantly less than projected’.
A formal call for members of the public to provide written evidence was issued on 12 May this year and a list of issues has been published. An online survey has also been created to give people an easy way to submit this evidence.
For more info visit http://www.edinburghtraminquiry.org/
Edinburgh Guarantee spells success for school leavers
More school leavers than ever in Edinburgh are moving into work, education, or training, thanks to the strong partnership that has developed between the public and private sectors through the Edinburgh Guarantee.
Figures published by the Scottish Government today show that the success rate of school leavers in Edinburgh achieving and sustaining a positive destination are at the highest rate ever. The figure is up 10 per cent since the Edinburgh Guarantee began four years ago and is now at 93.1 per cent. The Capital is now the best performing city in Scotland and is 12th out of all local authority areas, which puts us well above the national average.
The statistics show that more school leavers in Edinburgh are getting into jobs compared to September 2013 with over one in four of school leavers in employment at the snapshot taken in March. Just over 40% are getting into and sustaining places in Higher Education while over a quarter of school leavers opt for Further Education.
The majority of schools improved their performance since September 2013.
The largest increase was at Craigroyston Community High school up 13.1 per cent (see separate article), Currie performed extremely well with their figure now sitting at 97.9 per cent, and Firrhill and Gracemount were up by 6.8 per cent.
This success has been underpinned by the active support of the city’s employers in recruiting young people into their businesses, with 350 opportunities offered since April 2015.
Sue Bruce, Chief Executive, the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “Today’s figures will be welcomed across the city by young people, employers in the private, voluntary and public sectors and those working in education. Giving young people the best start they can have in life is a key priority and I am delighted that the Edinburgh Guarantee is playing such an important role in securing the future success of our young people in the city.”
Cllr Paul Godzik, Convener of the Education, Children and Families Committee, said: “Whether it’s employment, apprenticeships or training, young people need to move out of school and into a positive destination quickly. It is really encouraging that there has been such an improvement in the figures this year as moving on to make a new start in life is the boost young people really need to raise their self esteem at this critical point in their lives.”
Cllr Frank Ross, Convener of the Economy Committee, said: “Ensuring that Edinburgh’s young people have opportunities is vital for the economic success of our city. These year’s figures demonstrate that initiatives such as the Edinburgh Guarantee are making a real difference to many young lives. I am confident that with sustained investment we’ll continue to drive up this figure and see many more young people taking a positive next step in their lives.”
Stephen Ramsay (pictured top) , panel beater modern apprentice at DSL Motors, said: “When I was at Craigroyston High School I was invovled in a Formula 1 project and I really enjoyed it. My career advisor helped me with an interview for Edinburgh College and I am now a modern apprentice doing a four year course in Automotive Paint Refinishing. As soon as I left school I wanted to get involved in this trade and I want to work in this field until I retire.”
A positive destination is defined as a place in Higher Education, Further Education, a job, paid apprenticeship, or work-focused training.
Click here for a short video featuring Cllrs Burns, Godzik and modern apprentice Stephen Ramsay.
Exhibition showcases the talents of our local women
North Edinburgh’s Women’s International Group invite you to their new exhibition which celebrates the many achievements of local women in this community.
The exhibition opens on Thursday at 10am in Royston Wardieburn Community Centre; there’s a free creche and lunch is provided too (please book creche place in advance to avoid disappointment).
For further information contact Lynn on 552 5700 or Rachel on 07891 525 663.
Getting together. Making a difference.
Leith pensioner attacked and robbed in his home
An 80-year-old man has been assaulted and robbed in his home in Leith. The attacker forced his way into the pensioner’s home in Buchanan Street at about 9:20 on Saturday morning.
Police Scotland said the attacker then assaulted his victim before stealing a sum of cash and making off.
The robber is described as a white male in his 30s, about 5ft 6in tall with a medium build and short brown hair.
Police have appealed for witnesses. Detective Inspector John Kavanagh said: “This was a distressing incident for the victim. We are eager to trace this suspect as a matter of urgency.
“Anyone who saw a male matching the suspect description in the Buchanan Street area yesterday, or has any other relevant information, is asked to contact police immediately.”
Leith Festival: follow the parade
Leith Festival gets underway at midday today with the traditional pageant and Gala Day …
Leith Festival set to kickstart summer
Sunny Leith’s all set for nine days of festival fun
Nine days of fun, entertainment, exhibitions and performance kicks off in Leith tomorrow with the Gala Day and pageant from midday.
There’s been a festival in Leith for over a hundred years and this year’s programme is as bold and ambitious as it’s ever been with a range of events and activities to suit all tastes.
Dave Carson, Chair of Leith Festival, said: “Leith is one of the largest community festivals in Scotland, with a regular attendance of between 11, 000 – 15,000 local people and families participating on Gala Day, and many more besides during the following week of activites in our comunity.
“Leith Festival celebrates and reflects the cultural diversity amd richness we have in Leith, acting as a facilitator to celebrate our community assets and seeking to promote a sense of community, neighbourliness and connectedness with each other.”
To see the full Leith Festival programme visit
www.leithfestival.com
Happy birthday, city libraries!
Edinburgh’s library service began 125 years ago today
Edinburgh’s library service is celebrating its 125th birthday by serving up a feast of special events to mark the landmark anniversary.
A big birthday bash, readings by children’s authors, a rare glimpse of Japanese art and a debate on the future of libraries are all examples of the packed programme of events taking place this month.
The Central Library was the first to open in the Capital to the public on June 9th, 1890, and now a total of 28 across the city welcome 3.4 million visitors each year.
Lord Roseberry officially opened it after previous attempts to set up a free public service failed as it would “put an unnecessary burden on the ratepayers”!
Andrew Carnegie offered £50,000 to establish the iconic library on George IV Bridge and less than a year later he laid the foundation stone.
In the space of 15 years, Edinburgh opened a substantial number of branches in the north, south, east and west districts, as well as a library in Portobello Town Hall.
The Council has continued to invest in new buildings in the 21st century, with a new library for Muirhouse in 2000 and the most recent community hubs opened in Drumbrae and Craigmillar in 2012.
Recent upgrades have been carried out at Stockbridge, Leith, McDonald Road, Morningside and Central.
Councillor Richard Lewis, Culture and Sport Convener, said: “Libraries have been serving the people of Edinburgh for well over a century and I’m delighted to be part of the birthday celebrations.
“Our library team can keep a large group of toddlers entertained at Bookbug sessions, support the ever-changing population of Edinburgh through community language collections, help people to get connected digitally, and also open up a world of heritage, history and information. I’d like to thank staff for all of their hard and imaginative work.
“There’s a wealth of information and services mainly for free at our fingertips through libraries – support your local branch by keeping them going for at least another 125 years by paying a visit today.”
Edinburgh’s libraries – something to shout about!