Yes, it’s that time of year again – time to get growing! Join Pilton’s community gardeners tomorrow morning – lets get those tatties planted!
Category: North Edinburgh News
Edinburgh’s egg-citing for kids this Easter!
‘Mum, I’m bored!’ Don’t despair – help is at hand!
With the school holidays well underway, parents are planning how to keep their youngsters ones entertained for the next fortnight.
The City of Edinburgh Council, which offers a wide variety of entertaining and educational activities for children and young people, has created a ‘best of’ list to help families stay occupied on a budget.
Councillor Richard Lewis, Culture & Sport Convener, said: “The Easter break is a chance for families to try something different and experience Edinburgh’s great selection of museums and school break activities. The challenge of balancing budgets and keeping the kids entertained is no easy task for any parent, and I encourage those of all ages and interests to take in the wealth of attractions in the city centre, many of which are free.”
The City Art Centre has been transformed into a science playground as the Edinburgh International Science Festival launches with a full programme of events, exhibitions and experiments until 19 April. Children can visit the Market Street centre for six floors of science lessons including classes on potion making and monster hunts . Day passes are £7 for adults, £9 for children over 7 and £6.50 for children aged six and under.
The Museum of Childhood on the Royal Mile hosts a treasure trove of toys the whole family will love. Children can learn what it was like to grow up in other eras and gaze at a range of toys and games, while adults can enjoy a trip down memory lane. The latest exhibition to open at the Museum is a celebration of the classic children’s gift, the Annual. Entry is free.
Also on the Royal Mile is the Museum of Edinburgh. Housed in the beautifully restored 16th Century buildings on the Canongate, it is the city’s principle museum of local history where children can dress up in replica costumes from Georgian and Victorian times and follow an activity trail around the Museum to learn about Edinburgh’s Old and New Towns.
Adults and older children can enjoy the museum’s newest attraction, Historic Edinburgh From Above, an aerial photography exhibition exploring the dramatic changes to the Edinburgh skyline over the 20th Century. Entry is free with spotlight guided tours taking place at 1:00pm and 3:00pm on Thursdays and Saturdays.
The beautiful grounds of Lauriston Castle, laid out by William Henry Playfair in the 1840s, are worth a wander – especially on Saturday 19 April from 10:00am when the Castle staff host their annual Easter egg hunt. Entry is £7 per person. Afterwards, why not stay for afternoon tea and a game of croquet? Further details and other workshops are available from the website. Guided tours of the Castle take place every day at 2:00pm except Friday.
For when the weather makes a turn, the City’s 28 community libraries will be open for borrowing – and much more besides. Visit the libraries’ website for further details or contact your local library for details of special holiday events.
For active kids, Edinburgh Leisure has a range of dedicated holiday activities for ages 3-13 years running throughout the fortnight, from free tennis tasters at Leith Links to trampolining at Meadowbank. Until the 21 April, Edinburgh Leisure is also offering free swimming to all primary school children at Dalry, Gracemount and Ainslie Park Leisure Centres. This year marks the first time the free sessions will be open to any public swim session at participating pools. Visit the website for further details.
After taking in the city, where better to enjoy the breathtaking views of Edinburgh than by climbing to the top of the tallest tribute to a writer in the world, the Scott Monument in East Princes Street Gardens. Equally impressive is the Nelson Monument on Calton Hill.
At night, take the scenic route home passing through the spectacular Field of Light which will remain in St Andrew’s Square until 27 April. Entry is free.
There’s got to be something among that lot to keep the little dears happy?
Quality! Edinburgh College cares
Edinburgh College has been awarded a national Buttle UK Quality Mark for its commitment to supporting young people from care backgrounds.
The college was given the honour in recognition of its support for young people in and leaving care. Buttle UK – a charity that supports children and families living in poverty – recognises colleges and universities that make exceptional steps in helping young people to succeed in their studies and reach their true potential.
The award coincided with a college event organised by Edinburgh College Students’ Association (ECSA) to support students from care backgrounds. The Care Leavers’ Event underlined the college’s commitment to supporting care leavers and saw current students from care backgrounds take to the stage to share their stories and break the stigma attached to those who have been in the care system.
Two Edinburgh College students and another young person with a care background spoke in front of a large audience including Colin Beattie MSP, senior managers and guests from other local organisations including universities. Colin Beattie sits on the Education and Culture Committee, which was instrumental in passing the Children and Young People Bill that addresses looking after children in care and care leavers.
The event was held in partnership with the young people’s voluntary organisation Who Cares? Scotland, and saw the college and ECSA both sign the Who Cares? Scotland Pledge. This, along with the Buttle award, strengthens the long-term support Edinburgh College will provide to students with care backgrounds.
The Buttle award recognises the quality of the financial, pastoral and educational support Edinburgh College offers to young people in and leaving care. The college’s holistic approach to support, as part of its Transitions for Young People Leaving Care (TLC) project, ensures that additional help is not just offered by student support teams but is also embraced by all teams at the college. This approach, as well as working closely with Edinburgh City Council and ECSA, raises the aspirations of care leavers and gives them equal opportunity.
Myra McCabe, head of Student Services at Edinburgh College, (pictured above with Kelly Parry) said: “Edinburgh College strives to reach some of the most under-represented and hardest-to-reach groups in our local communities. There is no doubt that the challenges facing young people leaving care are great, which is why we want to offer as much support as possible to give young people the chance to succeed.
“To be recognised by this national charity is a great endorsement of what we have achieved. Together with our recent Times Educational Supplement award in widening participation, we are pleased to be able to offer opportunities to those who need them the most or who would not normally consider college as an option. We are now one of only a handful of colleges in Scotland with the Buttle UK Quality Mark and we are delighted to have received the recognition for the real difference the college makes to our students and the local community.”
Kelly Parry (above), student president of ECSA, said: “I am delighted that the college has been awarded the Buttle UK Quality Mark. Care leavers are one of the most marginalised groups in society and are often overlooked and ignored. Over the last year, Edinburgh College Students’ Association and Edinburgh College have been doing some fantastic work to empower care leavers and give them the same chances and prospects as everyone else.
“The Care Leavers’ Event was unique because it was organised by care leavers for care leavers. By coming together to share stories and successes we send a strong message to other young people in care that they have the potential to achieve in education. This was the first time the students had addressed such a large and influential audience and they did brilliantly, speaking clearly and with passion.
“Signing the Who Cares? Scotland pledge is just the first step for us. We want to keep moving forward and to inspire other colleges and associations as well as wider society to really start delivering for care leavers and start transforming their lives.”
Twenty three-year-old Health and Social Care student Nathan Sullivan (pictured below) was one of the key speakers at the Care Leavers’ Event.
He said: “I’ve been through many different types of foster care – from foster care to respite to living in a residential home – and the reason for this was because my mum had a number of different illnesses. She passed away when I was 14 years old and at this point I was placed into a residential care unit. I was passed from from pillar to post, was confused, upset and angry because I had no stability in my life at that time.
“I then started studying at Edinburgh College, joined the Edinburgh College Students’ Association and realised that I wanted to be a social worker. I’m doing all that I can to achieve this and, with the support from the college and the Students’ Association, I have now set up a peer group for care leavers to help to support many others like me in the future.”
Citadel performs Leith at War
Residents from Port of Leith’s Hermitage Court sheltered housing complex and pupils from St Mary’s Primary school were treated to a wartime play presented by Citadel Arts Group last week.
‘Leith at War’ is about a Leith-based family living through World War II. Brother and sister Eck and Frankie are living with their grampa, a WWI vet. As schools temporary closed during the war, and lessons held in pupils’ homes, this gives Grampa the chance to talk to the class about the War in Leith.
Cast members Rob Flett, Nicky McCabe, Iona Soper, and Nick Cheales entertained the audience with a performance that rekindled memories of the dark days of war for many members of the audience. It also offered an opportunity for youngsters to hear wartime experiences war from people who lived through it.
Liz Hare, Artistic Director at Citadel Arts Group, said: “We’ll be performing the play at Leith Festival in June and hope to get some useful ideas and feedback from our inter-generational audience today.
“The school pupils and tenants enjoyed a chat after the show in which they talked about the older people’s own war memories, and after Easter the children will come back to Hermitage Court with some of their own scenes based on Leith at War.”
Susie Connery, Scheme Co-ordinator at the Port of Leith Housing Association’s Hermitage Court sheltered housing complex, said: “The residents really enjoyed the performance as it gave them the opportunity to talk about their memories and experiences, whereas it was educational for the pupils learning what happened on their doorsteps over 70 years ago.”
Happy birthday, Bedroom Tax?
North & Leith MP joins anti-bedroom tax protest
On the first anniversary of the introduction of the so-called ‘Bedroom Tax’, Mark Lazarowicz MP has reiterated the pledge that a future Labour government will scrap the legislation altogether. The Welfare Reform Act, to give it it’s proper name, has hit over 4,600 people in Edinburgh and over 71,000 people across Scotland.
Mr Lazarowicz spoke at a protest organised by Unite trade union outside Westminster to mark the anniversary earlier today.
The Scottish Labour and the SNP Scottish Government reached agreement in February over funding to protect tenants in the social rented sector in Scotland from eviction as a result of the Bedroom Tax alone but that is only an interim solution as the extra funding has to come from elsewhere in the overall budget.
Mark Lazarowicz MP said: “Getting on for 5,000 people in Edinburgh have been hit by this cruel and costly tax with arrears totalling £5 million according to the Scottish Housing Regulator.
“Those affected are often amongst the most vulnerable people in society: Citizens Advice Scotland found that two-thirds of people coming to them for help because of the Bedroom Tax were disabled and another one in ten cared for a disabled person.
“Scottish Labour took the lead in campaigning for the Scottish Government to provide additional funding, and I am glad that the SNP government eventually agreed to do so. It should have done so earlier, but I nevertheless welcome the fact that it did so. The long-term answer, however, is to axe the Bedroom Tax, and Labour is fully committed to do that.
“The Government said the Bedroom Tax would save money but the housing benefit bill continues to rise. It won’t listen to reason, Labour is clear: we will scrap the Bedroom Tax.”
Girl hospitalised following Gypsy Brae fall
A ten year old girl was treated in hospital following a fall from a zip line at Gypsy Brae on Sunday night.
Firefighters from Crewe Toll, Tollcross and Newcraighall responded to reports that a 10 year old girl had fallen from a zip line at Gypsy Brae, off West Shore Road at around 9pm.
Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s line rescue specialists lowered themselves down to reach the girl and secured her to a stretcher before lifting her to safety.
The child suffered a suspected broken arm and was attended by Scottish Ambulance Service staff before being taken to Royal Sick Children’s Hospital for treatment.
Welfare cuts: the worst is yet to come?
Reforms to the welfare system could see Scottish welfare spending reduced by around £6 billion over the six years to 2015-16, according to new analysis published today.
The reforms will see a reduction in support for families, children and those with disabilities.
The majority of the total reduction in welfare expenditure in Scotland, nearly 70 per cent, is expected to be in 2014-15 and 2015-16, with the largest reductions in expenditure brought about by changes to how benefits are uprated, tax credits and child benefit.
Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said:
“We are committed to mitigating against the harmful effects of Westminster welfare reforms where we can – but the majority of the cuts are still to come.
“These changes to the budget will not only impact on the most vulnerable in our society, they will also set our progress on tackling poverty back by at least ten years.
“Child Poverty Action Group has suggested that, after housing costs have been taken into account, 100,000 more children in Scotland will be pushed into poverty by 2020 because of these reforms.
“And according to the Trussell Trust, the number of people using food banks is increasing with 56,000 people needing help between April 2013 and February 2014.
“We want to develop a society that not only provides fair support and decent opportunities for all but also protects the vulnerable in our society. The only way to guarantee that is to have possession of the powers to deliver it. Only then can we finally stop these reforms from harming people who need our help.”
Speaking yesterday, Work and Pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith defended changes to the welfare system, saying they would save the taxpayer £50 billion by the end of this Parliament.
Mr Duncan Smith said: “I think the work programme is now for the first time ever working with people, who were once on sickness benefits and who are now not, going back to work.”
Mary Erskine’s to represent city in referendum debate
Mary Erskine School will fly the flag for Edinburgh in the final of a TV schools debate on Saturday.
Eight secondary schools from across Scotland will battle it out on STV in the final of a national debating competition next Saturday (12 April at 1740).
The half hour programme, Referendum: The Next Generation, sees four pupils from each school take part in knock out rounds before the winner of the final debate picks up the trophy.
The other schools to compete are the Nicolson Institute (Western Isles), Douglas Academy (East Dunbartonshire), Montrose Academy (Angus), Lockerbie Academy (Dumfries & Galloway), St Andrews Academy (Renfrewshire), Grove Academy (Dundee) and St Josephs Academy (East Ayrshire).
STV teamed up with Debating Matters in 2013 to give secondary school pupils from all 32 local authority areas, many of who will be eligible to vote in the referendum on independence, the opportunity to research and discuss issues which will affect the future of Scotland.
The Scotland wide competition was open to secondary five and six pupils who had a chance to compete with other schools in their local authority area last summer before taking part in eight regional heats in November 2013. The final of the competition was held at The University of Glasgow and the programme is hosted by STV’s Gordon Chree.
Elizabeth Partyka, deputy director of channels at STV, said: “This programme is the culmination of a series of lively debates between secondary schools throughout the country. We are committed to providing a platform for debate on all the big issues and it is fantastic that secondary school pupils have the opportunity to research and discuss issues that matter to them. We hope people tune in to see which school picks up the winner’s trophy.”
Claire Fox, Director of the Institute of Ideas, said: “Debating Matters is delighted to have worked in partnership with STV to provide an intellectually demanding and rigorous platform for students across Scotland to engage in serious discussion of the big philosophical, cultural and political questions relating to Scotland’s future direction society, and to debate the key issues around the Scottish Independence referendum. The Institute of Ideas values substance over style and emphasises the complexities beyond the headline and beyond sound-bites, so important when young people are considering something as important as the future of Scotland constitutionally. Based on the debates we saw in the autumn and this spring, those young Scots we met rose to that challenge more than admirably.”
Good luck, Mary Erskine!
Simply Great! Award for Leith housing development
Port of Leith Housing Association’s (PoLHA) Great Junction Street development has been named as one of Inside Housing’s top 50 affordable housing developments.
The 32 affordable homes, made up of nine one bedroom and 23 two bedroom properties, have been built for social and mid-market rent and are will be officially opened later this month.
Twenty of the flats are available for social rent, priced at £323 for a one bedroom flat and £358 a month for a two bedroom flat. The remaining 12 homes, available for mid market rent, are priced at £445 a month for a one bedroom and £555 for a two bedroom property.
The ground floor has been designed as a large retail unit which is currently leased to local Edinburgh community group The Junction.
Keith Anderson, Chief Executive of PoLHA, said: “We’re delighted to have been recognised as one of Inside Housing’s top 50 affordable housing developments from across the UK.
“High rents in the open market and tough mortgage criteria to buy a house make it increasingly difficult for people to access and live in good quality homes. We recognise the variety of housing requirements for people in Edinburgh which is why the Great Junction Street development will help meet a wider range of needs.”
Free swimming for kids at Ainslie Park
Yes, it’s the Easter holidays … no money for trips and kids bored already? Well, holiday activities needn’t be too expensive – and sometimes they’re even FREE!
There’s free swimming for Primary School children this Easter break (5 – 21 April) when Edinburgh Leisure are running free swimming sessions for primary school children at three Edinburgh Leisure swimming centres.
This month, Primary School children can swim for free during ANY listed Public Swim session at Ainslie Park, Dalry and Gracemount (Wester Hailes Education Centre is offering free swims too).
Remember the earlier you get there the more fun you can have so Edinburgh Leisure recommend arriving no later than half an hour before the Public Swim session’s finish time.
Telephone Ainslie Park Leisure Centre on 551 2400 for more information – see below for pool programme details