Category: Muirhouse

Mental Health and Wellbeing Support in North Edinburgh

Local organisations have put together a booklet listing mental health & wellbeing support services in North Edinburgh (see below).

If you need support call the new Community Wellbeing Helpline on 0131 332 8773.

Setback for North Edinburgh Arts

North Edinburgh Arts’ plans for McMillan Square in Pennywell received a setback yesterday when city ouncillors rejected their proposals for a community-led hub at the heart of the regeneration area.

North Edinburgh Arts plans had strong community support and Muirhouse Salvesen Community Council submitted a letter of support to the council’s Policy and Sustainability Committee.

Community council chairman Roy Douglas said: “Muirhouse Salvesen Community Council has not been consulted on this and the council have not consulted the community on their plans for at least a year, if not longer.

“The NEA proposal for the last phase of McMillan Square has had extensive consultation and their proposal has wide community support. We therefore support NEA’s community asset transfer bid and their exciting plans for the regeneration of McMillan Square.

“This will ensure visibility for North Edinburgh Arts and the Library, a good building which will attract people to visit McMillan Square.”

Despite community support – and the support of local politicians – councillors failed to back North Edinburgh Arts development bid for consideration under the Scottish Government Regeneration Capital Grant scheme.

While it’s undoubtedly a setback, North Edinburgh Arts will come back and resubmit amended proposals. Board chairperson Lesley Hinds issued the following statement last night:

“Today we learned The City of Edinburgh Council Policy and Sustainablity Committee decided, at this time, not to submit the North Edinburgh Arts development bid for  consideration under the Scottish Government Regeneration Capital Grant scheme.

“North Edinburgh Arts is, of course, disappointed with this outcome. However with the positive support from Councillors and officers at the committee, NEA will continue to work in partnership with the Council and community to deliver a Community Hub, as the final phase for the regeneration of McMiillan Square in Muirhouse.

“North Edinburgh Arts is at stage 2 of both a Community Asset Transfer bid, and related Scottish Land Fund bid to transfer North Edinburgh Arts fully into community ownership, and to enable the organisation to lead on the development of a creative and community hub; much needed by the local community pre-Covid, arguably more in the period to follow, post pandemic.

“NEA has wide support with 96% of local residents consulted fully supporting the plans, alongside cross-party support from local, Scottish and UK elected representatives following briefings early this year, tabling our vision and full business case.

“The Busines Case, architect sketch, and development timetable will be presented again to officers and Councillors over the coming weeks, with NEA working to ensure the next report considered by the Council achieves a positive outcome, for NEA, for McMillan Square, and for our local community.”

North Edinburgh’s Food Share group updates city councillors

North Edinburgh’s Covid-19 Foodshare Group has written to city councillors to update them on the work of the local coalition:

Elected member,

Since the setting up of North Edinburgh Covid-19 Foodshare Group we have kept elected members informed of the work the community organisations, volunteers and funders have been carrying out in these very challenging times.

Attached is a newsletter which, by the end of this week, will be delivered, by volunteers, to 14,000 households in North Edinburgh. Please circulate this to any individuals or groups who will find the information helpful.

NEN_8pp_A4_MAY20_2

Over the past six weeks (20 April – 25 May 2020) North Edinburgh organisations have:

· Produced 58,258 Food Items/Packed Lunches/Packs

· Gifted 23,888 Food Items/Packed Lunches/Packs to other organisations

· Delivered 79,171 Food Items/Packed Lunches/Packs

· There have been specific deliveries for Milk, Butter, Vegetables,Toiletries and Fruit.

· Passion 4 Fusion are providing culturally specific foods for BAME communities in the area.

Of the 919 postcodes supplied by agencies, 582 residents lived in Deciles 1&2, which means we reaching some of the most vulnerable in North Edinburgh.

63.3% of Food Items delivered are reaching those who need it most.

Please get in touch if you want further information, regarding the work of North Edinburgh Covid-19 Foodshare Group.

Willie Black

Chair, North Edinburgh Covid 19 Food Share Group

Newsletter deliveries resume this morning

Volunteers will be hitting local streets once again today to deliver the NEN Coronavirus special edition newsletter across North Edinburgh.

An enthusiastic team of volunteers delivered thousands of newsletters across Drylaw and Telford, Muirhouse, Salvesen, West Pilton, Granton and Royston Wardieburn last week, and a final push will see the last of the newsletters delivered this week.

If you would like to lend a hand – full guidance and protective equipment will be issued – teams will be leaving from the following locations from Tuesday – Thursday this week:

Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre, Groathill Road North at 11am

Fresh Start, Ferry Road Drive at 11am

Pilton Community Health Project, Boswall Parkway at 11am

Ainslie Park Leisure Centre car park, Pilton Drive North at 2pm

The newsletter contains helpful information and key telephone numbers to help local people get through the pandemic.

The North Edinburgh Covid-19 Foodshare coalition would like to thank our magnicent volunteers who have done so much to support the community dring these most difficult of times.

Thanks also to the following organisations for their terrfic support:

Funders:

Cash for Kids,

Inspiring Scotland,

North Edinburgh Community Councils,

Muirhouse Housing Association,

Pilton Central Association (PCA),

SCVO,

STV Appeal,

The National Lottery for Communities,

West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre

Cairn Energy

Cramond FC

Edinburgh City Council

Lindsay’s Charitable Trust

Martin Lewis Foundation

Murray Foundation

National Emergencies Trust

Neighbourly Community Fund

Places for People Foundation

Port of Leith Housing Association

Queensberry House Trust

Richardson and Starling

Scottish Government

Stewart Investors.

Food, supplies and support have kindly been donated by:

Baillie Gifford, Chand & Co Group,

Edinburgh Academy,

Fettes College,

Mathieson’s the butchers,

Morrisons,

PrepTable Scotland,

Porto & Fi cafe,

Scottish Gas,

Social Bite,

Tesco,

TB McKay Energy Supplies

Investec

Neighbourly Community Fund.

We couldn’t do it without you – THANK YOU ALL !

 

Newsletter deliveries continue this weekend

Deliveries of the NEN Covid-19 Special Edition newsletter continue over the weekend – whatevever the weather! – and new volunteers are more than welcome.

Managed by members of North Edinburgh’s Covid-19 Food Share Group team, volunteers are delivering an informative newsletter to Drylaw, Pilton, Royston Wardieburn, Boswall and Granton.

Volunteers are given a route map and delivery instructions and are also issued with hand sanitiser, protective gloves and a contact number should they encounter any problems during the distribution run.

Meeting times this weekend:

Saturday 6th June and Sunday 7th June:

WEST PILTON / WEST GRANTON

11am – 1 hour delivering

Meet at Fresh Start, Address: 22-24 Ferry Rd Drive, EH4 4BR

Phone: Willie Black : 07515686421

GRANTON / BOSWALL

2pm: – 1 hour delivering

Meet at Ainslie Park Leisure Centre car park, 94 Pilton Drive, EH5 2HF

Phone: Willie Black: 07515686421

If you wish to deliver in your own time, call Lesley Hinds on 07778413792 or Willie Black on 07515686421.

Our thanks to the volunteers who have helped with distribution so far

Call for volunteers to support newsletter distribution

ONE OFF TASK from Wednesday 3 June to Sunday 7 June.

This will get you fit and help the residents of North West Edinburgh access services!

Newsletter Distribution in NW Edinburgh

This is a one off opportunity managed by NW Edinburgh Team who will take responsibility for managing all the volunteers to deliver a informative newsletter to Drylaw, Salvesan, Pilton, Royston Wardieburn, Boswall and Granton.

We envisage you distributing for about one hour in total.

There is a route map that you will follow and will be handed out at the distribution point along with hand sanitiser and gloves and a contact number of the person offering the instructions at the beginning so you can contact them if there are any incidents or you are not sure.

WEST PILTON / WEST GRANTON

Wednesday 3rd June – Sunday 7th June 11am

Meet at Fresh Start, 22-24 Ferry Rd Drive, EH4 4BR

Phone: Willie Black : 07515686421

 

DRYLAW / TELFORD

Wednesday 3rd June – Friday 5th June: 11am

Meet at Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre, 67B Groathill Road North, EH4 2SA

Phone: Roy Douglas: 07801971892

 

WARDIEBURN / ROYSTON

Wednesday 3rd June – Friday 5th June: 11am:

Meet at Pilton Community Health Project, 73 Boswall Parkway, EH5 2PW

Phone: Helen Scammell: 07847476612

 

GRANTON / BOSWALL

Wednesday 3rd June – Sunday 7th June: 2pm:

Meet at Spartans, Address: Ainslie Park, 94 Pilton Drive, EH5 2HF

Phone: Willie Black: 07515686421

If you wish to deliver in your own time. Please make contact with Lesley or Willie to determine where to deliver to.

Phone: Lesley Hinds: 07778413792 or Willie Black: 07515686421

This will require a minimum of 6 volunteers for each session working in pairs on each side of the street to put newsletters through people’s letter boxes in stairs that are accessible.

At the end please report back to the contact detailed for your distribution point.

Please wear comfortable shoes and appropriate clothing and bring a bag that is suitable for holding 100-150 leaflets.

Thank you for your interest in this and your contribution is invaluable.

Please contact Lesley or Willie if you have any further questions.

Heather Yang

Core Services Manager, Volunteer Edinburgh

 

Free School Meals: It’s not too late to claim

FREE SCHOOL MEALS 

information for parents and carers

from GRANTON INFORMATION CENTRE

Families of children from P4 to S6 who receive Free School Meals, and those in P1 to P3 who are entitled to clothing grants, will receive a fortnightly electronic payment during term time and the Easter Holidays equivalent to the cost of a school meal.

Payments are £22.50 per child every fortnight until further notice from 23 March.

All children in primary 1 to 3 receive free school meals if they are attending school, but not free milk or a clothing grant.   In the present circumstances, those families won’t receive the £22.50 fortnightly payment unless they are eligible to get the clothing grant and free milk due to low income.

The criteria is the same as for P4-7s.

IT’s NOT TOO LATE TO CLAIM

Parents may still apply for the current academic year and, if eligible, awards will be backdated to 23 March, the start of school closures. 

The eligibility for free school meals and/or substitute payment (including P1-3s) depends on the family’s income and they need to be in receipt of one of the following benefits:

  • Universal credit (with monthly earnings up to £610)
  • Income Support and Income Based Job seekers Allowance or Employment and Support Allowance
  • Child Tax Credits only with gross income up to £16105
  • Child and Working Tax Credits with gross income up to £6900
  • Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

Some families will get an automatic award for 2020-21 but others will have to apply when the time comes (they are not receiving applications yet).

Clothing grants applications closed on 31 March but will reopen for the next academic year later.

For more information and keep up to date with possible changes please visit www.edinburgh.gov.uk/schoolgrants

https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/food-clothing/free-school-meals-school-clothing-grants/1