The FREE Create to Escape Exhibition is open at the Drill Hall in Dalmeny Street until TODAY – Friday 8th September!
Hurry – this excellent exhibition closes at 2pm!
PICTURES David Bishop/ArtSquat
NORTHERN AND LEITH MSP URGES ADDITIONAL ACTION TO PROVIDE MORE SUITABLE TEMPORARY ACCOMODATION AND SOCIAL HOUSING IN EDINBURGH
Ben Macpherson, constituency MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith, raised Edinburgh’s housing crisis during Question Time with government ministers at Holyrood today.
The local MSP welcomes actions in the Scottish Government’s newly published Programme for Government 2023/24, with a Housing Bill that will deliver a New Deal for Tenants, the introduction of a system of long term rent controls and new duties aimed at the prevention of homelessness.
However, the current pressures in the capital city are significant with around a 20% increase in homeless applications, growing waiting lists for social housing and high demand for private rented accommodation. The Council have also stated that there is a shortfall of approximately £480m in grant funding over the next five years, in their affordable housing supply programme.
The Edinburgh Northern and Leith MSP asked the Scottish Government if more can be done to assist the City of Edinburgh Council with the delivery of the Strategic Housing Investment Plan, and if more can be done to help secure the appropriate accommodation required to tackle homelessness, given the significant increase in those presenting as homeless and the continued population growth in Edinburgh.
Commenting, Ben Macpherson MSP said: “The affordability and availability of housing in Edinburgh is a very serious issue.
“The current situation is deeply worrying and I will continue to raise concerns with both the Scottish Government and City of Edinburgh Council. Collaborative and urgent action is required to deliver more social housing, tackle homelessness and achieve new solutions.”
Question in the Scottish Parliament – General Questions, 7 September 2023:
Ben Macpherson MSP: “To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support the City of Edinburgh Council and other organisations to provide suitable temporary accommodation and more social housing in Edinburgh. (S6O-02480<https://archive2021.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx?SearchType=Advance&ReferenceNumbers=S6O-02480>)”
Minister for Housing, Paul McLennan MSP: “We are investing £752 million this year through the Affordable Housing Supply programme to support the delivery of more social and affordable homes towards our 110,000 target affordable homes by 2032.
“Working with social landlords to make best use of existing homes and implementing targeted partnership plans with local authorities facing the greatest pressure. Since 2007, we have supported delivery of 6255 social homes in Edinburgh.
“I have met with Edinburgh’s Housing Convener several times to discuss the council’s proposals to improve temporary accommodation and increase housing supply, which will inform a partnership plan.”
Ben Macpherson MSP: “I am grateful for that answer and welcome all of it. However, the Minister will be aware of the severity of the situation here in Edinburgh. Shelter Scotland have called it an emergency and I am increasingly concerned about the correspondence I am receiving from constituents.
“Homelessness applications have increased by over 20%. Therefore, can the Scottish Government provide any additional help to City of Edinburgh Council and other relevant organisations to provide more suitable temporary accommodation?
“And can the Scottish Government do more to fund and prioritise building and delivering more social housing here in Edinburgh, Given the current pressures and projected population growth?”
Minister for Housing, Paul McLennan MSP: “Our aim is to prevent homelessness. However, when it does occur, we are taking housing led response to provide households with settled homes as quickly as possible.
“We provide local authorities with annual allocations of £8 million RRTP funding to support people into settled accommodation and with 30.5 million with their work to prevent homelessness with Edinburgh receiving over £3.8 million in 23-24 during this Parliament to maximise the delivery of social and affordable homes to support Strategic Housing Investment Plan priorities, we are making a record £230 million available to Edinburgh with an additional £10 million this year being allocated.”
CONSULTATION TO BE LAUNCHED THIS SATURDAY
There’s an online consultation coming soon for an Activity Hub at Leith Links!
Come along to the disused bowling greens adjacent to Links Pl at Leith Links this Saturday 9th September anytime between 10am – 4pm to discuss the plans with us.
Find out more here: https://www.thrivinggreenspaces.scot/…/leith-links…
TENTH ANNIVERSARY PARTY THIS SATURDAY
We can’t wait!
Workshops, Singing, poetry, herbal walk, drop-in kids crafts & so much MUSIC!
ALL Workshop tickets -£PWYC
12:30-4pm – Book FREE tickets 4pm-10pm –
Book £PWYC tickets
Calling all Leithers 
Exciting news ahead – we’re currently working on a new project called “Community Meals”
Our goal? To cook up a safe, cozy haven where Leith locals like YOU can chat up fresh ideas, spruce up our area, and enjoy a sip of tea or a scrumptious meal with your awesome community. 
But here’s the twist – we’re handing you the reins! 
What sparks your interest for these gatherings? 
Fancy entertainment, thought-provoking discussions, or something entirely different? Let your imagination run wild and share your thoughts! 
Join the conversation below – your ideas could be the secret ingredient to making these events truly spectacular! 
Primary school pupils in Leith have helped create colourful solutions to parking issues in the area, which they unveiled yesterday (Tuesday 22 August).
St Mary’s (Leith) RC Primary School P5 class shared a series of posters they’ve created to discourage people from parking in an area blocking communal bins on Links Gardens. Links Gardens is a ‘School Street’ where traffic is restricted at the beginning and end of the day to help people walk, wheel and cycle to school safely.
They also helped celebrate the completion of a vibrant public artwork on the street, installed as part of Leith Connections, a project making changes across the area to support safe and easy walking, wheeling and cycling.
The colourful on-street painting is one of three installations designed in collaboration with the community, local school children and Scottish art firms Bigg Design and Fun Makes Good.
Similar artworks have popped up at Leith Primary School on St Andrew Place (another School Street) and John’s Place, where a new public space has been created for people to relax and play.
Designs across the three sites have been inspired by Leith’s heritage and natural attributes and feature local wildlife, references to the area’s shipbuilding history and Leith’s ‘Persevere’ motto, amongst other elements.
The project is being funded through Places for Everyone, an active travel infrastructure programme funded by the Scottish Government and administered by Sustrans.
Councillor Scott Arthur, Transport and Environment Convener, said: “We really want to bring the local community along with us to enjoy and interact with the changes introduced through Leith Connections, so it’s great to be able to involve the youngest generation to help brighten up the area.
“As well as contributing to these fantastic artworks, St Mary’s (Leith) RC pupils have also been thinking about the impact of irresponsible parking in their School Street. I’m sure their striking posters will have a real impact on all road users.
“By creating safer, more welcoming spaces to walk, wheel and cycle in Leith, as well as for spending time with friends or visiting local businesses, we want to benefit everyone who lives in and visits Leith.”
Simon Strain, Head of Programme, Sustrans said: “Making it easier and safer for children to travel independently to and from school is of the utmost importance. The simple crossing improvements and road layout changes delivered as part of Leith Connections not only deliver more accessible everyday journeys but also provide new creative spaces for children and adults to enjoy.
“It’s great to see the creativity and talent of these local pupils now on show. We’d like to thank the school and the wider Leith community for their support in making this project a success.”
Primary 5 pupil Leon added: “We as a class made lots of different designs for the pavements and posters. We had this piece of paper and we were drawing our designs and seeing which ones were the best.
“The road paintings are really cool, I think it’s really nice that we made them.”
Changes implemented as part of Leith Connections include improved pedestrian crossings, pavement decluttering and planting and seating in newly created pedestrian spaces.
This is alongside new traffic layouts in several streets to prioritise people travelling by foot, wheel or bike. Under the scheme Sandport Place Bridge has been closed to motor traffic, bus gates introduced at the Shore and Links Place and measures added to prevent through traffic in some areas. All residential and business properties are still accessible by motor vehicle, while blue badge parking will be unaffected.
Leith Connections designs draw from two years of engagement with the community and local stakeholders, encompassing online co-design workshops, public drop-in sessions and focused meetings. Some of the measures, around Leith Links, will be implemented on a trial basis under an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO).
We’ll be taking a wander around Leith Links again this evening (Thursday 17th) from 6pm til 7pm. Come and join us. The weather looks to be dry and sunny. Gentle exercise, conversation, and fresh air.
Meet in our car park at 5:55pm.
We’re on Google Maps here > https://goo.gl/maps/KaAin1exaZPLZZTB7
At Collective, on Calton Hill, and coinciding with their EAF performance, Tarek Lakhrissi presents I wear my wounds on my tongue (II), exploring desire, language and queerness.
Inspired by the work of the late poet, essayist and performance artist Justin Chin, the installation features newly commissioned sculptures and sound work. Also at Collective, Rabindranath X Bhose’s installation work, DANCE IN THE SACRED DOMAIN, is a bog made up of sculpture, poetry, performance and drawing, emerging from time spent meditating on bogland in Scotland.
Further into Leith, at Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop, a new presentation, tense, by Glasgow based Adam Lewis Jacob will be displayed alongside A New Face in Hell, in which Sebastian Thomas draws inspiration from the mythological fable of the Golem, a being constructed of inanimate material that often ends up becoming uncontrollable.
Travelling Gallery, a contemporary art gallery in a bus, presents a new exhibition by Gabecare, a collaborative art project between Rachel Adams and Tessa Lynch investigating the domestic mess of 21st century living, which will travel across the city for the duration of the festival.
Sierra Metro presents an exhibition of new work by award winning Australia-based artist, illustrator and animator, Haein Kim. For Kim’s first solo show PAIN2POWER the artist presents a series of prints exploring the modern woman’s psyche, materialism and puppies for a show that captures her unique use of colour, humour and honesty.
Initiated by The Common Guild, Edinburgh Art Festival will co-present an illuminated artwork by Rabiya Choudhry at Leith Library.
The design is based on a painting by Choudhry, part of the artist’s ongoing project Lost Lighting – a series of lighting artworks for public places intended to ‘act like a vigil in the dark’ Taking shape as illuminated signs, they repurpose Andrew Carnegie’s flaming torch motif; a feature found on many Carnegie library buildings
In Choudhry’s work, the torch is encircled with the words of African-American civil rights activist Ella Baker (1903–1986) who worked to instigate societal change. Baker’s words ‘give light and people will find the way’, are a manifestation of power for ordinary people. The public artwork runs across the full festival dates, visible 24 hours a day.
Initiated by The Common Guild, EAF will co-present an illuminated artwork by Rabiya Choudhry at Leith Library. The design is based on a painting by Choudhry, part of the artist’s ongoing project Lost Lighting – a series of lighting artworks for public places intended to ‘act like a vigil in the dark’ Taking shape as illuminated signs, they repurpose Andrew Carnegie’s flaming torch motif; a feature found on many Carnegie library buildings In Choudhry’s work, the torch is encircled with the words of African-American civil rights activist Ella Baker (1903–1986) who worked to instigate societal change. Baker’s words ‘give light and people will find the way’, are a manifestation of power for ordinary people.
The public artwork runs across the full festival dates, visible 24 hours a day.
BELOW: Edinburgh Art Festival – Full Programme
SUNDAY 3rd SEPTEMBER 11am – 3.30pm
Redbraes Community Garden (off Bonnington Road, just North of Leith Walk) is having an open day on Sunday 3rd September.
Lots of fun and inspiration on offer, including a skillshare workshop for any aspiring, budding or flourishing community gardener. All free!
Come and have discover this hidden haven of peace and tranquillity.
This Monday 14th August we’re having a wee event for kids aged 3 to 6. Come along with your grownup to our Story, Craft & Play: Nature Explorers session.
We’ll read a brill story together about three young girls who go on a hike. Then we’ll learn a bit about nature while exploring Leith Links.
Will we spot butterflies and bees? Maybe a squirrel! There’s lots of beautiful trees and flowers to discover too. We’ll also be getting crafty as you make your own notebook and bag.
Session runs from 10am until 12 noon and is £2 per child.
If the weather is bad, we’ll adapt the session where it will all be indoors.
More info, booking and payment options here > https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/682101151907
In partnership with Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust
