More than 50 Christmas trees have been donated and are now ready for collection, following a community-wide appeal by Ocean Terminal and The Leith Collective to ensure no one misses out on having a place to leave their yuletide presents this year.
The Gift a Tree initiative launched last month aims to find new homes for artificial trees no longer needed and following a period of quarantine – and a quick inspection by Santa – the trees are available to any family, for free, to bring a bit of extra festive cheer into their living rooms.
There are also a limited number of baubles and other decorations that have been kindly donated alongside the Christmas spruces.
The collection point is from The Leith Collective store on 1st floor of the shopping centre, open 10am-6pm Monday to Saturday and 11am-5pm Sunday.
Michelle MacLeod, General Manager at Ocean Terminal, said: “People in the community have been extremely generous and I’m delighted that we have so many trees that can now be re-homed with a new family.
“Every little helps and this form of recycling does everyone some good. The trees have been kept under COVID safe conditions and are ready to bring a bit of joy into a new home.”
Sara Thomson of The Leith Collective, added: “Giving a helping hand to another family and helping to recycle surplus trees and unneeded decorations is a great way to support the local community.
“I would like to thank everyone who has made a donation – we now have 50 trees ready to be re-homed and re-loved.”
Regeneration firm Urban Union is donating £1,500 to support homeless charities across Edinburgh this festive season.
Crisis in Scotland will receive a cash boost from the developer behind Pennywell Living, to support people homeless in Scotland this Christmas. The donation has been made in lieu of the firm’s annual staff Christmas party, with Turning Point also being recipients of the donation.
Crisis in Scotland will be using the money to help its front-line team and 250+ volunteers provide people with hot meals, personalised wellbeing packs, online activities (including entertainment, learning and wellbeing) and a telephone befriending service throughout December.
Urban Union has also embarked on a new partnership with Invisible Cities, an Edinburgh-based social enterprise that trains people affected by homelessness to become walking tour guides.
Work is currently underway on a new tour celebrating the rich history of Glasgow’s Gorbals area which is home to Urban Union’s first development, Laurieston Living.
Neil McKay, Managing Director of Urban Union, said: “Our focus at Urban Union is to not only build new homes, but to create strong relationships and support the communities in which our developments are based.
“We are pleased to be able to support Crisis as well as work with organisations like Turning Point and Invisible Cities, who carry out brilliant work supporting the displaced and vulnerable across Edinburgh and Glasgow.
“We hope our donations will allow them to continue to provide crucial and important services through what are difficult times for many over Christmas.”
Crisis’ Edinburgh Skylight centre provides expert support and advice to homeless people to help them leave homelessness behind for good. How Crisis helps someone depends on their individual needs and situation, so it could be that they help someone to find a home and settle in, work together to help them gain new skills and find a job, or improve their overall health and wellbeing.
Kirsty Potter, Fundraising Manager from Crisis in Scotland, said:“We are very grateful for this generous donation from Urban Union which will make a real difference to people in Scotland without a home this Christmas.
“It will help bring comfort and dignity to people being supported in hotels, BnBs and other forms of temporary accommodation this Christmas. Everyone deserves a home, and donations like this will help people in incredibly challenging situations access the support they need to end their homelessness for good.”
City of Edinburgh Council’s Convener of Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work, Councillor Kate Campbell said: “We’ve worked together to put our most vulnerable residents first during this crisis – but the biggest challenges are still to come.
“Making sure people can access the right support when and where they need it is an absolute priority. So it’s great to see these funds going to Crisis and Turning Point to help them help others. Particularly at this time of year”
Urban Union will also be donating funds to Turning Point Scotland which provides support for people who are dealing with mental health conditions, learning disabilities or are homeless.
The charity has led the way in its introduction of the Housing First approach to homelessness in Scotland – by granting secure accommodation as a first step in addressing the issues that led to the situation, rather than the last and being given as proof of recovery.
In addition to the donations, the regeneration specialist has partnered with Invisible Cities to train up to eight people who have experienced homelessness and develop a new walking tour proposed to launch in early 2021.
The group will undertake training to help with confidence building, public speaking and customer service skills and have the opportunity to become an official Invisible Cities guide or access further support to pursue a career path of interest to them.
Urban Union regenerates areas across Scotland to create revitalised communities through building new, high quality, affordable homes.
Across each of its developments, Urban Union aims to deliver sustainable long-term benefits to the new and surrounding neighbourhoods, with job and training opportunities, ensuring the community will benefit from the projects for years to come.
Cyrenians FareShare depot based in Leith, have distributed 1,300 tonnes of food to beneficiaries across the South East of Scotland, creating over 3.1 million meals, since the beginning of the covid-19 pandemic in March.
The Edinburgh based charity tackle the causes and consequences of homelessness, of which food poverty is a large part.
Cyrenians FareShare Service Manager Lynne Collie said, “Since the beginning of covid-19 we have seen an increased demand for access to food in a quick, dignified manner.
“At the height of the pandemic we were supporting over 200 Community Food Members – all of whom are organisations in their own right, serving their local community.
“Our model is two-fold; we prevent unnecessary food waste by working with large supermarkets and food networks to prevent surplus food being sent to waste, whilst helping organisations like Empty Kitchens and Eildon Housing Association to redirect funds into essential frontline work by providing nutritious food at low costs.
“At the beginning of the pandemic the Scottish Government, in partnership with FareShare UK, purchased food in bulk to distribute throughout our network allowing us to really step up our operation. We were in a unique position to provide additional support over the past 9 months because of that network; we were already connected to thousands of individuals who were likely to be even further impacted by the negative effects of covid-19.”
Head of Service Neil Hay added, “The logistics were the most difficult aspect – with an increase in stock we had to consider storage options, staff rotations, physical distancing measures – all of which impacted how we usually operate.
“We’re based in a small warehouse on Jane Street, with a team of volunteer drivers and a handful of staff.
“We have been fortunate to have received additional volunteer support from Edinburgh University over the past few months, helping us to keep our teams safe while continuing to support as many people as we can.”
Cyrenians FareShare Team are still supporting 156 community food members across the South East of Scotland. Demand continues to grow, with 3.1 million meals distributed already this year compared to 1 million the previous year, they need your support more than ever.
To find out more, or donate to support their work, visit www.cyrenians.scot
A Scottish housebuilder is transforming a former Edinburgh industrial site into 77 new homes, thanks to a £5.8million funding package from Bank of Scotland.
MNM Developments has started construction on The Tayworks, a new £12m development located in the city’s popular Leith area, on West Bowling Green Street.
The new development consists of 77 one, two, and three-bedroom apartments, with 14 of these already reserved. Housing association, Places for People, has also acquired 14 of the 77 properties to market as affordable housing.
The housebuilder is headed up by sibling trio, Marc, Nathan, and Michaela Teague. In addition to The Tayworks, the family-run firm recently completed The Market development in Bonnyrigg and has sites underway at Willowbrae Road in Edinburgh, and Castlemains in Dirleton.
Over the past five years the firm has built over 100 properties across Edinburgh and the Lothians and has developed a reputation in providing a quality build at affordable prices.
Despite the Covid-19 pandemic halting construction of The Tayworks for four months, the firm has managed to adapt its original build plan and is now only five weeks away from its original completion date. It will welcome its first homeowners from October 2021.
Bank of Scotland provided the business with a £5.8million development loan, supporting the firm in the build of the site. The development itself also created around 50 jobs for local sub-contractors.
Marc Teague, managing director at MNM Developments, said:“We were just breaking ground at The Tayworks site when Covid-19 hit. Despite the pause in operations, construction is now back underway, and the response so far has been brilliant.
“Leith is an increasingly popular area to live and work, and there’s been a great deal of redevelopment in this area in the last decade. It was also named one of the coolest places to live recently by Time Out so we’re confident these properties will sell quickly.
“As a family business, we’ve had a long-standing relationship with Bank of Scotland. The financial support and guidance the bank has provided has been invaluable in bringing The Tayworks to the market, and we look forward to welcoming the new homeowners next year.”
Douglas Spowart, relationship director at Bank of Scotland, said:“The past eight months have been extremely difficult, including for firms in the construction sector. So it’s heartening to see some firms turning these challenges into new opportunities.
“Property prices in Leith are up 5% on last year such is the demand to relocate to this vibrant area of Edinburgh. This is why it’s encouraging to see firms like MNM Developments capitalise on these positive market trends in order to grow, despite this year’s challenges.
“At Bank of Scotland, we’re working by the side of businesses across all sectors to help support them on the road to recovery.”
NHS Lothian’s official charity, Edinburgh and Lothians Health Foundation (ELHF), have been proud to work with Hibernian FC, Warner Music and The Proclaimers on the reissue of Sunshine on Leith which was announced last week.
This special edition, pressed for the first time on 7″ clear green vinyl, is due for release on 29 January 2021 – pre-orders opened on 3 December.
The money they raise will help Edinburgh and Lothians Health Foundation continue to provide additional support for NHS Lothian staff during one of the largest global health crises of our lifetime.
It will also enable them to put in place a programme of longer-term, sustainable wellbeing support that will address the lasting effects of the pandemic, both in the recovery phase and beyond. In aid of this, The Proclaimers also released 100 limited edition signed copies, exclusively through Hibernian Direct.
Jane Ferguson, Foundation Director of Edinburgh and Lothians Health Foundation, said: “We are delighted that The Proclaimers and Warner Music have re-released Sunshine on Leith to support our partnership with Hibs and help our amazing NHS Lothian staff as they respond to the ongoing challenges of the Coronavirus pandemic.
“Funds raised will enable Edinburgh and Lothians Health Foundation to continue to provide additional support for our NHS Lothian colleagues, providing a fast and flexible response to meet any urgent and emerging needs, as well as supporting them in their long term recovery from the profound impact of the virus on their physical and emotional health and wellbeing.”
In a statement Craig and Charlie Reidsaid: “We’re very happy to be supporting NHS Lothian during this challenging time for our people and health service.
“The NHS is very much loved by both of us and we have much reason to be grateful to it.”
Hibernian Captainand Scottish Cup hero David Gray added: “”Sunshine on Leith is a phenomenal club anthem and I’ll never forget it ringing out around the east stand of Hampden during the celebrations of the Scottish cup final in 2016, it was a proper hairs on the back of your neck moment.
It’s such a powerful track and whenever I hear it I always get a buzz thinking back to that day.
“This limited edition version of the track is a fantastic gesture from The Proclaimers in support of The NHS and Edinburgh and Lothian’s Health Foundation and it’s great to see them partner with the club for such a great cause. Our NHS heroes have been brilliant during this pandemic and even before then and we wear the ‘Thank You NHS’ message on our shirts with pride.
“I’m sure our fans will snap up this limited edition version and raise plenty money for the charity. I’ll be after one as well!”
Staff at Forth Ports have provided a vital cash boost to this year’s Cash for Kids Mission Christmas campaign in Edinburgh.
The company was scheduled to become a co-sponsor at this year’s Cash for Kids Sparkle ball, but the cancellation of the event due to COVID-19 restrictions, failed to stop team members from digging deep for young people in need of support.
The company has handed over a cheque for £2,000 to Charity Manager Victoria Hendry as a ‘pre-pledge’. Meanwhile, staff at Forth Ports bases in Leith, Rosyth and Grangemouth have already raised more than £400 through their own Just Giving page and are promising to raise even more and help as many children as possible throughout December.
Cathy Ilett, Learning and Development Manager at Forth Ports, said: “We’re delighted that Forth Ports has the opportunity to continue to contribute to Cash for Kids and support children and young people affected by poverty, abuse, neglect, life-limited illness and those who have additional needs.
“We know that our pre-pledge will go directly into having a positive impact in their lives and our community. We take pride in our role within the community and our people fully embrace the opportunity to participate in fundraising throughout the year, but especially at Christmas.”
In addition to fundraising, staff members from Forth Ports have volunteered to assist with the herculean effort of collecting and sorting the thousands of gifts that have started arriving at Mission Christmas HQ in Edinburgh’s Gyle Shopping Centre.
Victoria Hendry, Charity Manager at Radio Forth’s Cash for Kids, said: “Last year, through a combination of gift drop-offs and cash donations, more than £1.1 million worth of toys were handed out in Edinburgh and the east of Scotland, helping a staggering 25,386 children.
“COVID-19 really hampered our fundraising drives throughout 2020 and we were worried Mission Christmas might not be able to go ahead. Thankfully, its all systems go, with a raft of additional safety measures in place.
“We wouldn’t be able to do any of this if it wasn’t for the support of volunteers and businesses like Forth Ports. In addition to offering an amazing initial donation, they’re helping us with the huge operational task of ensuring no child in the region wakes up on Christmas Day without a gift. We’re eternally grateful to them.”
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
Creative Bourach is a craft collective based in north Edinburgh. It started meeting in February 2020 and has been doing so online throughout COVID-19.
Supported by First Port’s What If…North Edinburgh? programme which encourages local people to establish social enterprises, it is a peer support network for crafters.
They are holding their first pop up Christmas market stall at Leith Police Box on Leith Walk on Sunday December 6th.
The name Creative Bourach means Creative Mess, Bourach being Gaelic for mess.
“It made us laugh when the Gaelic-speaking member of the group suggested it,” said Julie Smith, the programme manager. “Actually the group are very organised and thrilled to be having their first pop up Christmas stall.
“It’s been a pleasure working with them, they all have jobs and do this in their spare time, throughout the whole period. The work is a really high standard”
“There are knitters and sewers, textile crafters, jewellers, painted glassworkers, felters – a whole range. It can be really hard and isolating doing this work on your own in your own house. Bringing people together meant they could share expense of market stalls, learn tips from each other and hopefully – have visits to other crafters when we can travel!”
“It would be lovely for people to come and buy some Christmas presents while supporting local craft makers. We have everything from £5 to £95!”
Port of Leith Housing Association is proud to be one of 17 north Edinburgh charities, community groups, schools and other organisations who have joined forces to support people most likely to be hit hardest by coronavirus and associated restrictions this winter in a new collaboration, called Leith Gives.
The Leith Trust is coordinating the campaign which seeks to provide tailored food hampers and other household essentials to vulnerable individuals and families in the run up to Christmas and again in late January.
It also plans to provide gifts and other items people may need to celebrate Christmas, Diwali, Hanukah and other festivals, and to offer practical help to get people online and connect with loved ones or support groups.
Heather Kiteley, Group Chief Executive, Port of Leith Housing Association, said: “The first wave of this pandemic showed just how much we all need each other to get by. Our tenants, the people of Leith and north Edinburgh, charities and community groups, have already demonstrated great resilience and perseverance.
“Now as we head into winter, we’re thrilled to help harness that collective dedication through Leith Gives to spread hope and offer practical support over the festive season and into the New Year.”
Police in Edinburgh are appealing for information following an assault and robbery in Leith.
At around 2.10pm on Tuesday (24 November) two men and a woman forced entry into a property on Buchanan Street where a 45-year-old man was assaulted and various personal items were stolen.
He was taken to The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh for treatment of serious but not life threatening injuries.
The first suspect is described as a white man, around 5ft 10in tall, of a large build and in his 20s. A second man is described as white, around 5ft 7in tall with a thin build and in his 30s.
Both men were wearing dark clothing, black beanie hats and black surgical masks.
The female suspect is described as white, around 5ft 5in tall with long hip length auburn hair. At the time of the incident, she was wearing a red and black checked shirt, pink trainers and spoke with a local accent.
Detective Sergeant Keith Taylor, of Edinburgh CID, said: “We are appealing to members of the public who may have seen anyone matching these descriptions around the time of the incident.
“The three suspects headed off in the direction of Iona Street towards Easter Road.”I would ask if you were in the area and noticed anyone acting suspicious that you contact police.
“If you have any CCTV, mobile phone or dashcam footage the could assist with our investigation, please get in touch with officers.
“Police can be contacted by calling 101 and quoting incident number 1641 of Tuesday, 24 November, 2020 or by calling Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”
