Peoples across the Earth make art to resist oppression, cruelty and exploitation. The citizens of North Edinburgh are no strangers to this work and they have a strong history of resistance and are rightly proud of their achievements over the last 50 years.
This commitment and its approaches and history have been exported all over the world, from the early days when the people of Muirhouse and Pilton began working with artists to learn and to make their ideas more powerful, and as a path to evoke change and to challenge and resist.
This production is a celebration of that work and is a consequence of 18 months’ research and development work with local people to create dialogues about what is important, what is precious, what hurts and destroys, what is worth fighting for.
The production explores the values and concerns of people trying to create a better life for themselves and their communities. It follows the journey of two Travellers who arrive in our urban landscape from rural Scotland and from Africa. It follows their loss, confusion and learning as they develop their insight and resistance to having their democratic relationships reduced to being consumers, profiled as “rabid and anti-establishment”, and denied their Human Rights.
Yes We CanCan: a Cabaret of Resistance uses dance, music, song, laughter, film and drama to create this exciting and special piece of work. One of the reasons it is special is that it is the first time for some years that the citizens of North Edinburgh are making theatre again, reclaiming their NEA theatre and using it as they had hoped when it was first built.
Come along and watch this great Cabaret show, be enthralled, laugh, perhaps shed a few tears and be proud of what the citizens of North Edinburgh have to say.
After 2 years of working from the Granton Youth Centre building on Granton Square, Volunteer Centre Edinburgh North (VCEN) moved premises at the end of September, to be based at the Community Renewal office.VCEN brings the services of the Volunteer Centre to North Edinburgh, giving people advice about volunteering opportunities both locally and across the city and helping them to overcome barriers to volunteering.
Volunteer Centre Edinburgh
Senior Development Worker Nick Woodhead said “A lot of people who come to see me are looking for work and volunteering is a great way to gain experience, practice skills, improve their CV, get a reference. But others just want to help out and use their spare time usefully. Whatever the reason people can drop in and arrange a chat.”
Community Renewal manager James Riordan said “As an employability organisation, we have referred many clients to the Volunteer Centre over the last 2 years. Volunteering has helped many people get back to work. It’s good to have him so close at hand!”
If you are interested in finding out more about volunteering, drop into the Community Renewal office and ask to speak to Nick or phone 0131 629 4202.
On Friday 16th March 2012 North Edinburgh will be hosting ‘The Yummy Food Festival’. The Yummy Food Festival is currently being developed and organised by a group of local women from West Pilton and Muirhouse who developed the ‘Its Yummy Mummy Cook Book’. They are now developing this unique food festival to celebrate healthy eating, cooking, local talented cooks and culinary delights found in North Edinburgh.
Pilton Community Health project
The festival will be held at North Edinburgh Art Centre and will be full of cooking demonstrations, food workshops, healthy eating information, a craft market, gardening tent, food story telling and art making, healthy eating workshops and so much more yummy and tasty delights.
There are various ways you can get involved.
Be come part of the planning group
Have a food stall or cake stall to raise funds for your community group or organisation
Are you a crafts group who wish to sell the jewellery, cards or other crafts that you make
Are you part of a cooking group? Would you like to do a cooking demonstration?
Do you run a gardening group? Would you like to show people how to grow their own pot of soup!
For more information or to get involved contact Lisa at Pilton Community Health Project on 551 1671
A knife attacker left a delivery driver with his insides “hanging out” during an attempted murder outside a Stockbridge shop.
Aaron Gray, 23, left Mark Miller, 26, bleeding heavily from wounds following the assault near Pizza Hut in Raeburn Place, Stockbridge, on 3 April.
Surgeons carried out an emergency operation on Mr Miller to repair his injured bowel and blood vessels.
Blood on the ground in Stockbridge following the attack. (Pic: Thomas Brown)
The judge deferred sentence on Gray until January for background reports.
Gray admitted attempting to murder Mr Miller.
He had changed his plea during a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh.
Mr Miller, a hospital worker who also worked as a delivery driver for the restaurant chain, said he was heading back to the outlet when he became aware of a male shouting, whom he did not know.
He said he had ignored him and the man left the scene in a car, but returned minutes later and emerged from a passenger door.
Mr Miller said: “He came running towards me. It happened that quick,” he said before the pair got involved in “a scuffle”.
He said: “I managed to get up on to my feet. I was still holding on to him. Then I just let go of him. Then I put my hand down on to my stomach and I realised I had been stabbed. My insides were hanging out.”
Police speak to locals following stabbing in Stockbridge. (Pic: Thomas Brown)
Advocate depute Graeme Jessop said Gray claimed he knew Mr Miller which the victim denied.
Mr Jessop said the surgeon was of the opinion that the injuries were actually life-threatening if it was not for the immediate medical intervention.
Police made attempts to trace Gray at several addresses following the attack, before he later handed himself in at a police station.
The victim suffered anxiety and depression following the assault. He said he now finds it very difficult to go out on his own and remains off work following the attack on him, the court heard.
A knife attacker left a delivery driver with his insides “hanging out” during an attempted murder outside a Stockbridge shop.
Aaron Gray, 23, left Mark Miller, 26, bleeding heavily from wounds following the assault near Pizza Hut in Raeburn Place, Stockbridge, on 3 April.
Surgeons carried out an emergency operation on Mr Miller to repair his injured bowel and blood vessels.
Blood on the ground in Stockbridge following the attack. (Pic: Thomas Brown)
The judge deferred sentence on Gray until January for background reports.
Gray admitted attempting to murder Mr Miller.
He had changed his plea during a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh.
Mr Miller, a hospital worker who also worked as a delivery driver for the restaurant chain, said he was heading back to the outlet when he became aware of a male shouting, whom he did not know.
He said he had ignored him and the man left the scene in a car, but returned minutes later and emerged from a passenger door.
Mr Miller said: “He came running towards me. It happened that quick,” he said before the pair got involved in “a scuffle”.
He said: “I managed to get up on to my feet. I was still holding on to him. Then I just let go of him. Then I put my hand down on to my stomach and I realised I had been stabbed. My insides were hanging out.”
Police speak to locals following stabbing in Stockbridge. (Pic: Thomas Brown)
Advocate depute Graeme Jessop said Gray claimed he knew Mr Miller which the victim denied.
Mr Jessop said the surgeon was of the opinion that the injuries were actually life-threatening if it was not for the immediate medical intervention.
Police made attempts to trace Gray at several addresses following the attack, before he later handed himself in at a police station.
The victim suffered anxiety and depression following the assault. He said he now finds it very difficult to go out on his own and remains off work following the attack on him, the court heard.
Funding has been awarded by The City of Edinburgh Council to enable Places for People, on behalf of Castle Rock Edinvar, to complete their development at West Pilton, just off the Granton Access Road. With the start on site being planned for Spring 2012 the build period is likely to be around 18 months, and the first homes should be available in Spring 2013.
Places for People
Alister Steele, Managing Director at Castle Rock Edinvar, said “We are delighted that with the funding now in place we can complete this site. It has been a long process as a result of issues with access coupled with changes to economic conditions, leading to the need to revise our plans. The City of Edinburgh Council has worked closely with us to help us to find solutions”.
The proposals comprise 93 units, a mixture of houses and flats. There will be a mix of tenures, social rented homes, mid-market rented homes and low cost home ownership. The design of the new buildings will be similar to that of Castle Rock Edinvar’s adjacent development to ensure the two developments complement each other with a few changes such as the replacement of the timber cladding with a different finish which looks similar and a buff coloured brick finish instead of white render.
The new development will have secure back court areas, with drying greens, children’s play areas and seating, as well as careful lighting to enhance security. There will be trees between the development and Granton Access Road. Private gardens will be provided to the front and back of most ground floor properties, with the majority of front gardens to be provided with low maintenance durable planting and clearly laid out public and private spaces.
For further information, please contact Diana Harries, Development Manager, Places for People Developments (diana.harries@placesforpeople.co.uk, Tel 559 2200) with any queries regarding the development.
Last month saw the Show Racism the Red Card fortnight of action come to Spartans Academy and local people were able to take part in a multicultural football event organised by Spartans.
Kenny Cameron is joined by Jordan at Spartans for the Show Racism the Red Card event.
After the event Kenny said “We have sixty young people from the local area come along and take part, after the games the young people will be treated to some food from around the world, so its not just about the football. Today was an opportunity for young people from North Edinburgh to meet up and take part in the beautiful game. Spartans sees itself as a fabric of the North Edinburgh area and these events strengthen our relationships with young people and other service providers. Events like tonight can only be a good thing and will help make a positive contribution to the local community.”
To find out more about what goes on at Spartans give them a call on 552 7854.
Cancer Research fashion night. (Picture: Carrie Lennon)
The cancer Research shop in Stockbridge hosted a fashion night last month at the Edinburgh Academy. This is the third year that shop manager Carrie Lennon has organised the event and after excellent evening was over Carrie said
“We raised £2600 on the night showcasing charity chic at our Charity Catwalk. The models were friends, family, volunteers and regular customers and they showed off top brands including Versace and Dolce and Gabanna. All of the clothes were items that had been donated to the Stockbridge branch by the public, and were all for sale after the show. We wanted to show off the amazing things that we get regularly donated to our store and show just how fashion forward you can be while supporting a worthy cause.”
A large number of people turned out for the Cancer Research fashion night. (Picture: Carrie Lennon)
“This is the third time that myself and key volunteers at the Stockbridge branch have hosted this fashion night, and this year our grand total was £500 more than last years”!
This year we have busy programme of activities over the festive season. Everyone is invited to come and share the celebration with us…
Saturday 10th December at 6.30pm
The Muirhouse Christmas Show—fun and entertainment from our choir, our youngsters, and a good few grown ups who still know how to have a laugh.
Saturday 17th December 10am-12noon
Nativity Cocoa Morning – A coffee morning with a difference – as well as the usual tea, coffee and eats there will be winter warming hot chocolate AND a host of nativity sets on display.
Sunday 18th December at 11am
4th Sunday in Advent – Family Service with our Children’s Nativity Play
Sunday 18th December at 3pm
Blue Christmas Service—a quieter reflective service for those who struggle with all the merriment of Christmas because life for them is hard, lonely or sad.
Christmas Eve Watchnight Service at 8.00pm
Christingle Service—a magical service for all ages as we prepare to celebrate Christmas
Granton Information Centre has received the prestigious Scottish National Standards certificate for the quality of their information and advice provision at a reception at the City Chambers.
GIC is the first Edinburgh organisation – and one of only a few advice agencies in Scotland – to achieve the award at this level, and their certificate was presented by Sheriff Principal Edward T Bowen QC.
The certificate presentation was the centrepiece of an event organised to celebrate the success of EHAP (Edinburgh Housing Advice Partnership), a consortium set up to provide housing advice services across the city in a contract with the city council. The consortium partners – Granton Information Centre, Community Health and Information (CHAI), Move On and FourSquare – offer a comprehensive range of housing advice services to the people of Edinburgh. EHAP provides a prison outreach project, a schools peer education service for S4 and S5 school leavers, housing advice in local neighbourhood settings and also provides representation at court – both for pre-prepared cases and also through an ‘emergency first aid’ service for people who turn up at court without representation. The EHAP event offered an opportunity to reflect on what has been achieved so far and to look ahead to future challenges.
Frances Durie and the staff team of Granton Information Centre receive their award. (Pic: Dave Pickering)
Welcoming delegates, Councillor Paul Edie (Chair of the Health, Social Care and Housing Committee) said: “Homelessness is something I’m very passionate about and I’m very proud of this council’s record. In Scotland, we have an obligation to eradicating unintentional homelessness by 2012 – not something that applies south of the border – and I think that’s a sign of what a progressive country Scotland is and how our social conscience reflects on public policy”.
He went on: “This council has a very radical strategy to tackle homelessness, developed in partnership with our colleagues in the voluntary sector and rolled out over the last couple of years. Critical to that strategy has been the provision of good quality ‘right first time’ housing advice to our service users. I’m really proud that last year homelessness dropped by 13% in Edinburgh, and EHAP are very important players in that strategy. No less than 99% of people who have used EHAP have not subsequently gone on to present themselves as homeless – that’s a jaw-dropping statistic; in any walk of life if you get that level of satisfaction rating you’d be entirely happy. I’d like to thank our EHAP partners for the great work they are doing to stop people losing their homes – a terrible thing to happen to anyone – and I wish you every success in the year ahead”.
One of Sherriff Principal Bowen’s responsibilities is to ensure ‘the efficient dispersal of Sherriff Court business’ and he explained that, while criminal cases take up the bulk of time at the court, civil business – including housing cases dealing with evictions and repossessions – take up a considerable amount of court time. He said that many of these cases could and should be resolved before they ever reached court, but added that there was also a need for suitable advice provision when cases did come to court.
“A recent review found that there is a need for proper advice – there remains a significant unmet need – and the EHAP service is critical to providing assistance prior to cases coming before the court system; providing there is a proper input by way of advice at an early stage, housing disputes can be resolved. The court needs to have confidence that suitable advice is available, so the service that EHAP provides is critical to the function of Edinburgh Sherriff Court. That’s demonstrated by the figures EHAP has provided for 2010 -11. We are indebted to all those involved in providing the EHAP service, which is widely acknowledged to be highly effective, and it gives me great pleasure to recognise that expertise by the presentation of these certificates today”.
Frances Durie, vice-chairperson of Granton Information Centre, received the award on the project’s behalf. She said: “This is a really tremendous achievement and a great honour for Granton Information Centre. Our staff have worked very hard over a long period to achieve the levels of professionalism that they have, and it’s good that this effort has been rewarded. We’ve always known that people coming to Granton Information Centre will get the highest standard of independent advice available anywhere, but it’s nice to receive wider recognition for the quality of our advice work”.
Granton Information Centre (GIC) provides free, impartial and confidential advice and assistance on a range of issues including welfare benefits, housing advice, tax credits and debt. If you would benefit from any advice you can visit them at their surgeries as per the details below.
Drop in sessions (Granton Information Centre):
Monday & Wednesday: All HOUSING issues: 9.30 – 12.30
