Category: North Edinburgh News

Top chef ensures home cooking’s on the Fresh Start menu

Top Scottish chef Tom Kitchin has added his support to Fresh Start’s Cookers for Christmas appeal. The Michelin-starred chef launched Fresh Start’s appeal to buy recently homeless people a cooker for their new home and promised a £1 donation from every bill paid at his award-winning The Kitchin restaurant for a month. 

The Cookers for Christmas appeal allows Fresh Start to buy cookers to pass on to Edinburgh families and individuals who were previously homeless but who have recently been found a home. It gives the new householders the opportunity to make a fresh start by offering them one of the most important tools to help them.

Tom Kitchin made a trip to the Fresh Start warehouse in Ferry Road Drive to lend a hand and said: “This campaign is one close to my heart. Scotland boasts some of the best local produce available and eating well can be incredibly affordable. Giving people the tools to allow them to support themselves and their families is vital. A kitchen should be at the heart of a home and what better way to help families who have been homeless than giving them the means to cook in a secure and safe environment.”

Fresh Start Managing Director Keith Robertson said: “The people who receive the appliances have just been allocated a property and are often starting out with nothing – they don’t have the means to buy such an expensive item. Clearly, the most economical way to eat well is to cook at home, so by providing a cooker we are supporting new householders to take an important first step by helping them financially and physically.”

To find out more or donate to Fresh Start’s Cookers for Christmas appeal, visit the Fresh Start appeal page

Fresh Start’s Cookers for Christmas appeal is also going ‘social’ this year through the charity’s social media sites so if you’re on Facebook or Twitter, please share or retweet the appeal. For Twitter, the hashtag is #cookerforchristmas

 

 

Let’s be frank – panto’s on it’s way to Goldenacre!

Seems to be lots of local luvvie stuff happening over the coming weeks, a veritable theatrical feast! To ‘Curtain Up On Murder’ in Blackhall and ‘Quangle Wangle’ in Muirhouse we can now add – shock, horror! – Frankenstein the Panto at Goldenacre!

The acclaimed St Serf’s Players will be performing David Swan’s comedy from 28 November – 1 December (see flyer for details).

We’re certainly spoilt for choice for theatre in North Edinburgh this winter season!

Quangle Wangle brings Christmas magic to North Edinburgh Arts

 

Licketyspit and North Edinburgh Arts will be presenting Licketyspit’s acclaimed Christmas production

The Christmas Quangle Wangle

at North Edinburgh Arts

from Thursday 6 – Saturday 15 December 

The Christmas Quangle Wangle is a hilarious, musical adventure for families, friends, schools and nurseries, inspired by the poems and stories of Edward Lear.  It is presented at North Edinburgh Arts by its newly appointed Theatre Company in Residence, Licketyspit. The production is written by Virginia Radcliffe and developed in collaboration with Johnny Austin.

“On top of the Crumpetty Tree, the Quangle Wangle sat………”

Stella and Stan are waiting for Christmas. They find a mysterious parcel which leads them to the Quangle Wangle, sad and alone in his Crumpetty Tree. But the arrival of an array of colourful characters changes his and their lives forever.

Join Stella and Stan on their adventure and spend this Christmas at North Edinburgh Arts on the Quangle Wangle’s Hat with the Orient Calf from the Land of Tute, the Dong With the Luminous Nose and the Jumblies as they sail to sea in a sieve! Children will delight in this nonsensical world of make-believe and storytelling, limericks and madcap songs. The Christmas Quangle Wangle is the perfect festive introduction to theatre for younger audiences, from ages three upwards and their grown-ups.

Stella and Stan are played by Scott Fletcher and Ashley Smith, rising young performers in Scottish theatre. Scott is best known for his role as Charlie Smith in Gary: Tank Commander and his many theatre roles include performances in Black Watch for National Theatre of Scotland and the Royal Lyceum’s production of Peter Pan.

Ashley has worked extensively in Scottish theatre since graduating from RSAMD and appearances include Sex and God, Magnetic North; Magic Spaghetti for Licketyspit;  27 for National Theatre of Scotland and Hansel and Gretel with Catherine Wheels.

These performances celebrate the development of a new partnership for North Edinburgh Arts and Licketyspit. North Edinburgh Arts is establishing Licketyspit Theatre Company as Theatre in Residence, supported by The National Lottery through Creative Scotland, to specifically engage and to further develop an Early Years and families audience. North Edinburgh Arts received £50,000 from Creative Scotland’s Public Engagement programme to establish Licketyspit Theatre Company as Theatre in Residence.

Laura Mackenzie-Stuart, Portfolio Manager for Theatre at Creative Scotland, said; ‘We are delighted to have invested in The Christmas Quangle Wangle. We hope the magical experience of going to the theatre will spark a lifelong passion for theatre in younger audiences and their grown-ups.’

North Edinburgh Arts and Licketyspit are excited to be presenting The Christmas Quangle Wangle during 2012, the bicentenary of the birth of Edward Lear.

Crumpetty Tea and Orient Calf Noodles will be available in the North Edinburgh Arts Café where children can make Quangle and Jumblie pop-ups and draw Quangle Wangle’s Hat for a North Edinburgh Arts and Licketyspit exhibition.

The Christmas Quangle Wangle is written by Virginia Radcliffe, around Edward Lear’s poems, and developed in collaboration with Johnny Austin. The production is directed by Johnny Austin; design is developed from the original Catherine Lindow design by Ali Maclaurin; music is by Tim Brinkhurst & Virginia Radcliffe.

“Quangle Wangle…captures its audience’s fiery imagination… a pyrotechnic telling of Lear’s poems” – The Stage, 2004 production

LISTINGS:

Licketyspit and North Edinburgh Arts present

The Christmas Quangle Wangle

North Edinburgh Arts, 15a Pennywell Court, Edinburgh EH4 4TZ

Thursday 6 – Saturday 15 December 2012

Monday – Friday: 10am and 1pm; Saturdays: 10.30am & 1.30pm

Tickets: Forth Ward Residents £2, all other tickets £6.

Box office: 0131 315 2151

www.northedinburgharts.co.uk

Quangle Wangle was first produced by Virginia Radcliffe for the Wee Stories Early Years Project in 2003 and again for Licketyspit for Christmas at Edinburgh’s Traverse Theatre in 2004 directed by Matthew Zajac. It was also produced for Derby Live for Christmas 2009 with a new design by Ali Maclaurin. It was first created in collaboration with Johnny Austin and designed by Catherine Lindow with original Music by Tim Brinkhurst.

The Yard is primetime TV tonight

Don’t miss the live broadcast of BBC’s DIY SOS The Big Build at 8pm tonight – the hour-long DIY SOS special in support of BBC Children in Need features The Yard, the Eyre Place Lane adventure playground for children and young people with additional support needs.

The BBC intro says: ‘Emotions run high as Nick Knowles and the team enlist local tradespeople to come to the aid of a centre in Edinburgh for children with additional needs.

‘The Yard is a unique indoor and outdoor centre that helps 1,500 young people and their families each week. They provide a space where families can gain much-needed respite while their children make friends, develop their confidence and learn vital life skills.

Children in Need provides support, but the Yard is housed in a building that is in desperate need of a complete overhaul. There are just ten days to complete the build and make sure these children get the future they so richly deserve.’

Did the team complete the challenge? We’ll find out tonight, but The Yard’s Chief Executive Celine Sinclair said:

“The programme will highlight the highs and lows that went into transforming The Yard into the spectacular space it has become, as well as focussing on the importance of The Yard as a place to play for children and young people with additional support needs. So if you haven’t managed to visit us since the Big Build, don’t miss tonight’s programme and be sure to visit soon – you will be as amazed by the transformation! Once again I would like to say a huge thank you to all the parents and families, Nick Knowles and his team and all the tradespeople involved in the build.”

For further information about The Yard visit their website at www.theyardscotland.org.uk

To donate £5 to CiN, text DIYSOS to 70705. Text messages will cost five pounds plus your standard network charge, and five pounds will go to Children in Need. For full terms and conditions visit bbc.co.uk/pudsey.

Murder in Blackhall!

Blackhall St Columba’s Parish Church is the place to be for murder mystery fans this month when the St Columba’s Dramatic Society performs ‘Curtain Up On Murder’ from 21 – 23 November.

Tickets are now on sale for the comedy murder mystery, which is set in a theatre at the end of a pier.

Performances are on Wednesday 21, Thursday 22 and Friday 23 November at 7.30pm, doors open at 7pm.

Tickets, which cost £6, are available from the Church Office, cast and Drama group members and also on the internet from their website www.scds.co.uk

Fast Forward praise for NENgage sessions

Leith-based national voluntary organisation Fast Forward has launched a new blog showcasing their range of projects across Scotland following participation in the recent NENgage social media workshops. 

Rona Saunders, Fast Forward’s communications officer, attended the NENgage sessions and has used learning from them to create the blog and embed short films. She said: “The NENgage sessions were good to meet like-minded individuals and learn new skills.  I’ve brought them back to our organisation and shared them with our staff.  It’s a great way for us to demonstrate the range of work we do with young people across the country.  It was super to attend free sessions locally to learn all the skills required.  Thanks very much to the whole NENgage team”.

Fast Forward is the national voluntary organisation promoting health by, with and for young people, focusing on the prevention of alcohol, drug and tobacco misuse.  The new blog features contributions from the whole staff team and features films and images from their sessions.  The active Fast Forward volunteer team of young people are also currently creating blog posts for future contributions.

You call follow the Fast Forward blog here: http://fastforwardorg.wordpress.com/ and there’s more info about the organisation at www.fastforward.org.uk

And thanks for the plug, Rona!

 

Lottery cash extends financial inclusion project

Port of Leith Housing Association (PoLHA) is one of five Edinburgh housing associations to benefit from Big Lottery Funding to continue the Financial Inclusion Project (FIP) until 2017. 

FIP is a partnership project between Port of Leith, Castle Rock Edinvar, Dunedin Canmore, Hillcrest and Margaret Blackwood housing associations and the Edinburgh Citizens’ Advice Bureau.  The programme, which enables the CAB to second money advice staff to the housing associations to provide financial and debt management advice, was established in January 2007.

Fiona Neilson runs the programme at PoLHA. Last year she helped over 130 tenants bringing them almost £75,000 of additional income. She said: “It is fantastic that funding has been secured to continue with this programme which has already helped hundreds of Edinburgh families manage their finances and bring a positive change in their lives. The project will now be funded until it celebrates its milestone tenth birthday – this shows what a success it has been and we are confident will continue to be.”

PoLHA, which has over 3000 tenants in North Edinburgh, also works with energy charity Changeworks to help tenants manage energy costs and efficiency, as well as a number of other support services.

Keith Anderson, Chief Executive at PoLHA, said: “This programme has been a major success and I am delighted this can now continue for a further four years. The changes effective money management can bring to families will help to ease pressure and worry and build confidence and skills.”

 

Edinburgh goes Dutch for cycling lessons!

BIKES but this is Bruges not Broughton …

Edinburgh must look to the Netherlands for inspiration in meeting its goal of boosting cycling rates, city council cycling leader Councillor Jim Orr told delegates at the annual Cycling Scotland Conference today.

The event at the COSLA Conference Centre in Haymarket was hosted by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in collaboration with Cycling Scotland, Royal HaskoningDHV, Cycle Nation, Sustrans and the Dutch Cycling Embassy.

Cllr Orr, who is Vice Convener of the City of Edinburgh Council’s Transport and Environment Committee, delivered the opening address to delegates.

He said: “The catchphrase for this year’s conference is “Love cycling, go Dutch” and, like me, I’m sure all those from Scotland are looking forward to learning how our Dutch colleagues have succeeded in building high cycling levels in that country and working out how we can follow suit here.”

Cllr Orr outlined Edinburgh’s ambition of having 15% of all journeys to work being made by bicycle by 2020 – up from the current level of around six per cent, and he acknowledged the positive publicity for cycling generated by Edinburgh Olympian Sir Chris Hoy and Tour de France victor Bradley Wiggins.

He went on to say that Edinburgh’s budget commitment for cycling is currently five per cent of the transport budget, but added that there is still plenty of work to be done if Edinburgh is to emulate the Dutch model.

“Transport culture is still dominated by the private car and the local bus company, and the majority of people don’t yet feel it’s safe to cycle on our streets. I’ve only been involved in cycling policy for six months and I know how complicated it can be.  But personally I am an optimist and confident about our chances of meeting our targets for 15% of journeys to work by bike in eight years’ time.”

Who cares? North Edinburgh Arts to host carers event

The Edinburgh Carers Team is hosting a series of events for carers across the city to review the service – and one of the ‘Carers Supporting Carers’ events will be held at North Edinburgh Arts next week.

The City of Edinburgh Council and Edinburgh Community Health Partnership is reviewing the joint strategic action plan on support for carers, and they want to know what carers think:

‘Towards 2012′ was the joint strategic action plan for Edinburgh from 2007 – 2012. Has it made a difference to the lives of carers?

What should the priorities for carer support be for the next five years?

These events are one way to feed in your views, and are also part of a project to develop ways for carers to get more involved in planning the types of carer support that will be provided in the future.  Come along to find out more.

The events offer the opportunity to:

  • Meet others who are carers for a relative or friend
  • Come for tea, cake and complementary therapies
  • Share your ideas and thoughts about services for carers
  • Hear ways for carers to shape services
  • Find out what support there is for carers in Edinburgh.

The local event takes place at North Edinburgh Arts Centre

on Friday 23 November from 2 – 4pm.

To book your place or to find out more contact:

Nina Anker Petersen, Outside the Box, Unit 23, 150 Brand St, Glasgow G51 1DH

Tel: 0141 419 0451                 Email: nina@otbds.org

flyer for carers events november 2012