There will be food, music, fun and games – we can’t wait to see you there!
Please RSVP on Eventbrite to help us plan for numbers: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/community-renewal-turns-20-celebration-tickets-635374772047?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=ebdsshwebdesktop
It’s the summer holidays! Woohoo! 
We’ve got lots of fun wee events on to keep yous busy, so come down to the college and see us or catch us out and about at our Bookbug sessions.
See below for the different events on throughout the week. All events are completely free and run as a drop in so come along whenever suits!
LOCAL ARTS ORGANISATION REACHES 80% OF FUNDING TARGET
North Edinburgh Arts has been awarded £250,000 from the UK Government’s Community Ownership Fund to support the Millan Hub project.
The announcement marks a significant step forward in NEA’s capital development journey, bringing the organisation closer to achieving their fundraising target: they have now reached 80% of their total goal.
Communites across the UK will benefit from over £50 million in funding to support community ownership of local assets.
North Edinburgh Arts was one of eight successful applicants in Scotland at this stage of the process. Another Edinburgh applicant was Portobello’s campaign to renovate their Town Hall. They receive £90,000.
This £250,000 awarded to NEA will be added to funds already secured for the ambitious build from Foundation Scotland, The Garfield Weston Trust, The William Syson Trust, The Robertson Trust, The Binks Foundation, and the Scottish Government Regeneration Capital Grant Fund.
Reaching four fifths of the target gives a real boost to NEA’s Board, team, participants, visitors, and volunteers alike.
A NEA spokesperson said: “We are grateful for the overwhelming support we have received from our local residents, with over 96% backing our mission to keep NEA at the heart of a creative, connected, inspired, and inspiring community.
“Your unwavering belief in our vision has been the driving force behind this achievement. Thank you for your ongoing support!”
NEA is a well-loved and well-used venue but we had outgrown our building. To meet the needs of current and future generatons of North Edinburgh residents it needed to be redeveloped.
As part of the new MacMillan Hub the NEA capital programme will:
Increase the footprint of NEA by 380m2, adding two foors of studio and work/ space
Extend the café to look/ into MacMillan Square, and ofer enhanced community facilites
Provide bespok/e work/shop space for the ommunity Shed
Reduce the carbon footprint through beter insulaton, lightng and environmental design and constructon
Be a fully owned community asset.
With the build scheduled for completion early in 2024 NEA has set up a welcome cabin in front of the site to ensure local residents can find out more about the build, join up as NEA members (htps://northedinburgharts.co.uk//membership/) and share their aspiratons for the space.
The refurbished, redesigned and expanded venue will be a welcome space for all, ofering local residents high quality culture, arts, enterprise and meetng spaces. In additon, our venue will link, on site, to the city council’s new Library, new Learning and Skills Hub, new Early Years Centre and social housing.
Lesley Hinds, Chair of North Edinburgh Arts said: ‘North Edinburgh Arts is delighted to receive funding from Community Ownership Fund.
This funding from the Westminster Government shows the confidence they have in NEA and its future in the expanded facilities at MacMillan Hub.’
For more information, visit northedinburgharts.co.uk/development/
Brian Eddington died last month at the age of 74 years. A North Edinburgh man through and through, he was born in Leith but spent most of his childhood and early years in West Pilton after his family were rehoused there (writes LYNN McCABE).
Brian lived in Drylaw for a number of years and then moved down to Muirhouse where he lived for more than 2 decades. He returned to Leith a few years ago when he was unable to return to his flat in Muirhouse after having part of his leg amputated.
Brian loved his community and was involved in many different groups, classes and local initiatives over the years. He was a creative person and found a second home in Muirhouse Festival Association (MFAC) where he developed a passion for community arts.
He was a member of the local drama group and was actively involved in the annual panto and gala. Brian was also involved in the Greater Pilton Print Resource (GPPR) (later Greater Pilton Design Resource/Source) and North Edinburgh News (the NEN), which provided so much rich source material for the Never Give Up project which Brian helped to produce along with fellow activists.
Brian had a passion for photography and history and he was able to bring together his local knowledge and his skills to document the ongoing changes and developments in Muirhouse which he witnessed first hand as a local resident. His photographs tell their own story about the process of regeneration and the impact this has had on his community.
In 2009, Brian joined North Edinburgh Social History Group along with Roberta Blaikie, Anna Hutchison, Brian Robertson and Ian Moore with a mission to record the history of activism in North Edinburgh.
Brian was a great person to have on board and relished trawling through 40 years worth of back copies of the Commune and the NEN and long forgotten photos, leaflets and posters which had been stored in dusty store cupboards and filing cabinets in local projects waiting for someone to find a use for them.
During the project, Brian was sufficiently movitated to get over his aversion to computers and managed to pick up some IT skills along the way which enabled him to access photographs of the area which had been digitalised by the Scotsman.
The project was a long hard slog and took 2 years to complete but the Never Give Up publication, exhibition and film gave Brian, the group and the wider community a great deal of pride in seeing their community accurately represented for a change.
It is an important piece of work documenting the rich history of North Edinburgh and the important role played by local people in their fight for social justice – a fight which continues until this day.
Following the launch of the Never Give Up project, Brian was involved in helping to establish a new adult education class called Power to the People : an introduction to the history of Protest in Scotland.
The class ran for a number of years and brought together new activists alongside people who had been involved in local and national politics. Inevitably perhaps, the focus of the class moved from studying politics and protest to actually doing it!
The Power to the People group were involved in many local issues over the years including cuts to local services and the campaign to stop the eviction of local families from their homes.
Brian’s love of history and politics continued until the end with his daily blog on facebook about important Scottish figures and events.
I’ll finish with a wee quote from Brian from the Never Give Up publication where he is talking about his time in Muirhouse drama group:
“We used to do street theatre about different issues. We did a thing about the poll tax where someone got arrested for not paying their poll tax. They got sent to a privatised jail.
“We basically done it any place where we could find people standing about. Folk thought it was hilarious. We handed out leaflets about the poll tax at the same time – that was the serious part of it. It was a good way to get across a serious message”.
Brian’s funeral service takes place this morning at 11.30 at Warriston Crematorium’s small chapel.
Bookbug Week is taking place this week (15–21 May), encouraging little ones and their families to dance to their favourite songs and rhymes and then cosy up with a story.
This year’s theme is Bookbug’s Big Shoogle and the week will focus on the benefits of movement and dance for early years development.
Dance and movement are not only fun for little ones, but play an important role in their development. Movement helps young children to build strength and mobility. The tactile elements of many songs and rhymes help them to learn about different parts of their body.
Bookbug is a national programme run by Scottish Book Trust, a charity changing lives with reading and writing. All children in Scotland receive four Bookbug Bags full of books and activities between their birth and first year of school.
Families can also share songs and rhymes in fun Bookbug Sessions in local libraries and community groups and through the Bookbug app. The Scottish Government has been supporting Bookbug since 2010.
This year’s Bookbug Week celebrations will include a partnership with BBC Tiny Happy People, a free-to-use website with fun activity ideas to help support 0–4-year-olds’ speech, language, and communication development.
They will be adding some brilliant activity idea films to the Bookbug app for one week only, which highlight the importance of parents and carers talking to their little ones as early as possible. BBC Tiny Happy People will also be joining Glasgow Life at the Mitchell Library on Wednesday 17 May for a day of Bookbug Sessions and fun activity events for families.
Popular children’s entertainers Sprog Rock will be premiering their brand-new music video, featuring children from Forbes Nursery in Leith, on Tuesday 16 May. Also online, Scottish Book Trust is running a competition to win a special selection of 10 books, a musical instrument kit and a space hopper.
There are Bookbug Sessions taking place across the country, with some local authorities putting on extra activities: Aberdeen libraries will be setting up shaker-making stations, science educators Mini Professors will be running sessions in Fife libraries about sound waves, and little ones in South Ayrshire can practice their fine motor skills through robotics app Osmo in their local libraries.
Children and Young People Minister Natalie Don said: ‘I am very excited for this year’s Bookbug Week and their special Bookbug’s Big Shoogle theme.
“Initiatives like this can help encourage an early love of books among children in addition to providing great opportunities for parents and their wee ones to spend time together whilst having fun and learning.
‘Both reading and being active have multiple benefits for children, including supporting positive mental and physical health, relationships and improved attainment.
‘I’m delighted that the Scottish Government are able to provide increased funding for 2023/24 of £1.8 million for the continuation of the Bookbug programme.’
Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said: “We’re excited to share Bookbug’s Big Shoogle with families across Scotland this year, celebrating the benefits of movement and dance.
“Our thanks to Emma Melchor for designing this year’s brilliant Bookbug Week illustration.’
Locally Bookbug sessions are on Tuesday at Granton Library at 11am or Pilton Neighbourhood Centre at 10.30, and on Friday at Granton Library at 11am or Muirhouse Millenium Centre at 10.30 am!
Check out the libraries facebook pages for more details. 
Road Policing officers in Edinburgh are appealing for information and witnesses following a serious crash on Ferry Road involving a car and a motorbike.
The incident, involving a silver Hyundai Ioniq and a purple Suzuki GSR, took place at the junction with Muirhouse Green, around 8.40pm on Wednesday, 10 May, 2023.
As a result of the incident the 32-year-old male rider was taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh where his condition is described as critical.
The male driver of the car and a male passenger were also taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh for treatment. The other two passengers were checked over at the scene.
The road was closed for around five hours to allow investigations to be carried out and re-opened around 1.30am.
Sergeant Stephen Quinn from Edinburgh Road Policing said: “We are appealing for anyone who was in the area around this time and who witnessed the crash or the vehicles involved to contact us.
“We are particularly keen to hear from the occupants of a grey SUV which was on the road around the time and who may be able to assist us.
“I would also ask anyone who was on the road at the time and who may have dash cam footage which could assist us to get in touch.”
Anyone with any information is asked to contact 101 quoting reference 3943 of 10 May, 2023.
Please see details attached for two new posts we are recruiting, Link Up community development workers, 12hpw and 35 hpw fixed term to March 2026.
I would be grateful if you could share these widely amongst your networks, freelance colleagues, and participants to ensure as wide a constituency as possible is aware of the roles.
With thanks in advance
ARTISTIC EXPRESSIONS FROM NORTH EDINBURGH AND WESTER HAILES
29th – 30th April 2023, 11am – 6pm (daily)
Opening event: Friday 28th April, 6pm – 9pm
Venue: Granton Hub (Madelvic House, Granton Park Avenue, Edinburgh EH5 1HS)
Join us for ’Rooted in Community: Artistic Expressions from North Edinburgh and Wester Hailes’, an exhibition showcasing the work of local artists as part of Create Community Wealth – a collaborative community wealth building project, delivered in partnership between WHALE Arts, North Edinburgh Arts, SCOREscotland and Passion4Fusion.
The project aims to support local people living in North Edinburgh and Wester Hailes to explore their creative and enterprising ideas, to tackle social exclusion and improve wellbeing and local economic prospects through creativity.
The exhibition, ‘Rooted in Community’, is a celebration of community and diversity, highlighting the unique experiences and diverse cultures of people living in North Edinburgh and Wester Hailes.
Through their work, the artists explore themes such as community, identity, grief and mental health, inviting us to reflect on our own experiences and engage with the world around us.
From colourful paintings to representative photography, sculpture, portraits and pencil drawings, we invite you to take a journey through the works on display, each one telling a different story about life in North Edinburgh and Wester Hailes.
Through their art, these talented individuals demonstrate the power of community and the importance of self-expression.
For many of the artists featured, this is their first exhibition, and the Create Community Wealth team are delighted to support them in showcasing their work publicly.
The exhibition is a testament to the importance and power of community, providing a platform for emerging artists to showcase their talent and connect with a wider audience.
As we come together to celebrate the creativity and diversity of our community, we hope that this exhibition will inspire us to continue to support and uplift one another, as we work towards building a more inclusive and equitable society.
We hope you’ll be able to come along!
Additional support totalling £848,123 is being provided from the Scottish Government’s Regeneration Capital Grant Fund (RCGF) for a trio of flagship regeneration projects in the city.
The Leith Community Croft, Macmillan Hub and West Shore Studios are being delivered by the City of Edinburgh Council in partnership with three keystone charities.
The Leith Community Croft project is transforming a former tennis pavilion at Leith Links into a new multifunctional community hub run by the environmental charity Earth in Common.
It will be used for events, training, and promoting local food production and will receive £159,123 of the additional funding.
The Macmillan Hub in Pennywell will feature a library, an early years centre, affordable housing, and a new enterprise, workshop, learning and creative studio space to be run by the local charity North Edinburgh Arts.
The Hub forms part of the wider strategic regeneration of Pennywell-Muirhouse and will receive £500,000 of the additional funding, to be used to help deliver the creative space.
Forming part of the Council’s sustainable regeneration of Granton Waterfront, West Shore Studios will transform a disused 1970s former industrial unit at 20 West Shore Road into a vibrant new creative and community hub that will be operated by the charity Edinburgh Palette.
The project will deliver workspaces for artists and micro-businesses along with a new home for the popular Pitt Street Food Market. The project will receive £189,000 of the additional funding towards the renewal of doors and windows along with essential utilities work.
Welcoming the news, Depute Leader of the City of Edinburgh Council Mandy Watt said: “This funding is very welcome as these projects will play a key role in the ongoing regeneration and enhancement of Granton Waterfront, Pennywell, and Leith in north Edinburgh.
“The funding will help the projects in their goals to bring new jobs, training courses, and recreation opportunities to the communities of all three areas. I look forward to visiting these projects in future to see how they are benefitting local people in the years to come.”
Community Wealth Minister Tom Arthur said: “I congratulate these projects on making progress and supporting jobs, investment and wider opportunities. Regeneration of Scotland’s more disadvantaged communities is a key Scottish Government priority to help transform the economy.
“This extra Scottish Government funding will help deliver fairer and more prosperous local districts.”
MYDG turns 25 years old and we want to celebrate with the community!
Wednesday 29th March 2023 from 6 – 8pm at Muirhouse Millennium Centre
Everyone is welcome to come along, share stories of MYDG, look at old pictures and videos, have food and celebrate.
Let us know if you are able to make it along and it would be great to see young people and their families, staff and volunteers past and present and anyone that has contributed to making MYDG what it is today 
