Drylaw Telford Community Association – the organisation which oversees Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre – is holding it’s Annual General Meeting next Wednesday 19 November at 6.30pm in the Centre off Groathill Road North. All welcome.
See Agenda (below):
Category: Drylaw and Telford Community Council
Dancemasters Fun-draiser at Telford Arms
Dancemasters are holding a fundraising Kids Fun Day at the Telford Arms on Sunday 7 September from 10am – 1pm. See poster for details:
Happy birthday Nan!
DRYLAW’S NAN IS ONE HUNDRED
Born before the outbreak of the First World War, Drylaw woman Nan Macdonald celebrated her 100th birthday with family and friends at Drylaw Parish Church yesterday. Guests were entertained with jazz and traditional Scottish music and shared lots and lots of stories and happy memories.
Nan is quite fragile these days and she is currently in an Inverleith nursing home, but as ever Nan’s husband of 73 years Harry was never far from his wife’s side – looking particular dapper in his maroon jacket and proudly sporting his Foundation of Hearts tie!
The pair met in the late 1930s when Harry was a butcher boy and Nan was helping to look after her father’s house. They shared many interests, particularly cycling and spent many happy weekends together on bike rides up to the north of Scotland.
The Second World War intervened but didn’t end the couple’s courtship – Harry got leave during naval service and he and Nan were married in Stockbridge Church on February 22 1941.
After the war the couple set up home in Drylaw where the Macdonalds had three children – George, Henry and Evelyn. Since then clan has continued to grow and grow, and grandchildren and great-grandchildren came from near and far to join yesterday’s celebrations.
Harry, incidentally, has a wee while to wait for his telegram from the Queen – he claims he’s Nan’s ‘toy boy’ – he’s only 98!
Early start for Community Council
Just a quick reminder that tomorrow’s meeting of Drylaw Telford Community Council will start at the earlier time of 6.30pm in Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre.
Easter Drylaw’s Mhairi Curran will be presented with the Thomas Tierney Award for Good Citizenship at an informal reception following the conclusion of the normal monthly business meeting.
All welcome.
Mhairi to receive community award
Mhairi Curran is Drylaw’s Citizen of the Year. Drylaw Telford Community Council agreed that Mhairi should receive the annual Thomas Tierney Award for Good Citizenship at last week’s regular monthly meeting.
Community worker Mhairi has lived in Easter Drylaw all her life and has been actively involved in her own community for many years – firstly through the Drylaw Telford Action Group, North Edinburgh Social Reserach Group’s fuel poverty campaign and more recently as both an office bearer with Easter Drylaw Residents Association and a member of Drylaw Telford Community Council.
Community Council chairman Alex Dale nominated Mhairi. He explained: “I nominated Mhairi because she has been involved in many of the positive things that have been happening in the area over recent years. It’s recognition of her commitment to her community – her work with the community council on the open space sub group, her early contribution on the skatepark and her work with EDRA, especially last year’s campaign against dog fouling. I’m pleased that the community council supported Mhairi’s nomination.”
It’s likely that Mhairi will receive her award at a reception in Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre on 26 March. Congratulations, Mhairi!
Full agenda for community council meeting
Drylaw Telford Community Council members will have plenty to discuss at next week’s regular monthly meeting. The possible introduction of new priority parking regulations in Maidencraig and Telford, the 21st Century Homes planning application for the vacant site off Ferry Road, the community council’s website and The Thomas Tierney Award recipient for 2013 – carried over from last month – are all on the agenda for discussion. There may also be time to discuss this year’s community council elections and there’s likely to be an update on the De Vere planning application for Helix House at Crewe Toll.
The meeting wll be held on Wednesday 27 March at 7pm in Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre, and, as always, members of the public are most welcome to attend. Hope to see you there!
HELPFUL HENRY KEEPS IT IN THE FAMILY!
Drylaw man Henry MacDonald received Drylaw Telford Community Council’s annual award for good citizenship last night (Wednesday 27 April). Sixty-eight year old Henry was following in his father’s footsteps – dad Harry was the first recipient of the award which was established in 2000!
Drylaw Telford Community Council introduced the annual award for good citizenship following the death of local campaigner, activist and enthusiastic community councillor Tam Tierney in 1999. Since the launch of the award there have been dozens of nominations and eleven recipients, but father and son Harry and Henry are the first members of the same family to receive the award.
Drylaw Telford Community Council hosted a reception at Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre last night and Henry was joined by friends and family (including identical twin brother George and dad Harry), church members and community councillors at the celebration. Guests included Tam Tierney’s widow Cath and their son Thomas, and all four Inverleith councillors – Lesley Hinds, Stuart McIvor, Tim McKay and Iain Whyte – also attended.
Councillor Tim McKay, convener of Inverleith Neighbourhood Partnership, presented Henry with a plaque and said: “Henry was cited by six nominees for his work as a volunteer with Drylaw Church. His helpfulness clearly shines through, and Henry is obviously following in a family tradition! I am delighted to present this well-deserved award on behalf of the community council”.
Drylaw Parish Church minister Pat Watson added: “Since I arrived at Drylaw over five years ago Henry has just been so helpful. As well as welcoming guests to the church and preparing lunches Henry is always helping out – you can be sure that if anything is left lying around for too long our Henry will dispose of it! People dropping in will also be offered a cup of tea and a bacon roll, too, so as well as being warmly welcomed they will be well-fed too! Henry really makes a valuable contribution to church life just as Harry did. Harry kept the church grounds looking beautiful until just a couple of years ago and Henry is keeping up the good work – if Henry is able to do even half the work his dad did over the years Drylaw church will be well served for years to come. Many congratulations”.
It’s been quite a year for the local McDonald clan – as well as Henry’s award, mum and dad Harry and Nan celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary last month.
While he was delighted to receive the award, Henry won’t be resting on his laurels – on Sunday he’ll be putting his best foot forward when he takes part in an annual sponsored walk over the Forth Road Bridge for the Christian Aid charity. It’s an event Henry’s supported for many years and he took the opportunity to add quite a few names to his sponsor sheet at the Drylaw event!
Dave Pickering