Category: North Edinburgh News

Hedgehogs need help this winter …

The Scottish SPCA is urging members of the public to call its animal helpline if they find a hedgehog this winter.

Staff at the charity’s National Wildlife Rescue Centre at Fishcross, near Alloa, are currently caring for 75 hedgehogs, almost twice the amount cared for during the same period last year, and the majority of which are too small and weak to survive outside during the cold weather.

Centre Manager Colin Seddon said, “Hedgehogs should be hibernating by now but there will be some out there who won’t survive without help. Most of the hedgehogs in our care have either been caught out by the long wet spell of weather and haven’t been able to store up the necessary body fat to go into hibernation or are from late litters, which is common.

“These youngsters will be out foraging for food such as earthworms, beetles, slugs, snails, insects, fruit and carrion but they’ll be finding it very difficult at this time of year. Many of them arrived weighing between 300g and 400g, almost half their ideal weight. We would be particularly concerned if a hedgehog is out during the day and would urge anyone who finds one to call us so we can come and collect it. They should try to contain it by picking it up using gardening gloves or a thick towel and placing it in a secure box. It can then be left with fresh water and tinned cat food until we arrive.

“Hedgehogs will struggle as the temperatures drop, so if anyone spots one during the freezing winter weather they should call us immediately. Our rehabilitated hedgehogs will be released once they achieve a suitable weight of over 600g and when the weather warms up to a consistent night time temperature of over four degrees centigrade.”

Anyone who finds a hedgehog this winter is urged to call the Scottish SPCA Animal Helpline on 03000 999 999.

Community conference this Saturday

A reminder that North Edinburgh Fights Back, the STUC and Edinburgh Trades Union Council are jointly hosting a Tackling Poverty Conference at Craigroyston Community High School on Saturday 1 December from 10am – 4pm.

Speakers, workshops and lively debate guaranteed!

See attached flyer for programme and registration details:

poverty conference

 

Outstanding Oaklands!

Local school MOVEs on up to become Centre of Excellence

Oaklands School is to become a MOVE Centre of Excellence – only the third school in Scotland to achieve that status. The special school on Ferry Road will receive the MOVE quality mark accolade at a special assembly on Monday 17 December.

MOVE (Movement for Learning and Life) helps children who have complex disabilities to:

  • Acquire and maintain increased independence in sitting, standing, walking and      transferring,
  • Learn, gain and maintain more mobility through transference of skills,
  • Experience better health, enhanced personal dignity, improved communication skills and access to education.

The MOVE programme is shown to improve functional mobility skills and empower children and adults who have complex physical and learning disabilities to better direct their own lives. The MOVE Programme uses a family/person centred approach to develop functional mobility, based on current theory and research in education, therapy, biomechanics and motor science.

MOVE teaches functional motor skills that the child will need as he / she grows and develops and begins to access the wider world outside of school and home life. Skills taught are carefully selected and aim to help the child reach their identified goals and may include learning to walk 100 meters so they can walk from a car to the entrance of cinema, being able to sit unsupported so they can travel on a bus or being able to pivot transfer to access toilets in the community where disabled facilities can be poor.

Increased abilities in sitting, standing and walking decrease the burden of care for families and care providers. These increased abilities also bring new opportunities for greater participation and involvement in family life and for inclusion into the wider community.

Oaklands School embarked on the MOVE programme with three pupils in 2003, and now supports 23 pupils following the MOVE programme – four pupils have graduated from MOVE. The school has enthusiastically embraced the MOVE concept, and annual MOVE Day celebrations are a particular delight at Oaklands – whether that’s travelling through time and space or enjoying an unforgettable Strictly Come Dancing event!

The school was visited by MOVE Partnership’s CEO Nigel Carter in September and he was clearly hugely impressed – a subsequent glowing Quality Mark report said:

‘The MOVE Programme at Oaklands School is of high quality and is outstanding as compared against the components of the MOVE Quality Mark. The programme is outstandingly led and managed by Anke Baillie, the MOVE Programme coordinator, with outstanding support from the Head teacher, Maureen Mathieson, the leadership team and the Oaklands MOVE Group, who are ensuring that all possible time, effort and resources are being made available to ensure the success of the MOVE Programme.

‘Documentation and procedures are outstanding enabling all to understand and follow the MOVE process and procedures across the school. Students are well motivated and enthusiastic to do their best due to high expectations and a commitment and enthusiasm from all staff.

‘The superb learning environment of the school allows a creative and innovative approach to the delivery of the MOVE Programme that focuses on the key elements of individual pupil need and ensures that MOVE is integrated fully into the school systems and processes. Students make excellent progress and are keen and willing participants in their programme and are supported fully by their parents and carers.

There is a great deal of innovation taking place at the school that it is a model for excellence for the MOVE Programme.’

In short, Mr Carter described the Oaklands setup as ‘the best evidence of good practice I’ve ever seen!’

The presentation of the MOVE Quality Mark and MOVE Regional Centre of Excellence award will take place on 17 December.

Congratulations to all at Oaklands on a tremendous achievement.

 

 

 

 

Young people – make your voice heard in Scottish Youth Parliament

Young Edinburgh residents are being reminded that the deadline to register an interest in taking part in the next Scottish Youth Parliament Elections is fast approaching.  Twelve Edinburgh seats are up for grabs and applications are open to young people aged 14 to 25 – but must be submitted by 7 December.
The Scottish Youth Parliament is the democratically elected voice of Scotland’s young people. It is a young people’s parliament, designed by young people and led by young people for the benefit of young people.  It is committed to ensuring young people are heard by the decision makers of Scotland and to campaigning on the issues which matter most to Scotland’s youth.
Councillor Paul Godzik, Children and Families Convenor said “This is a great opportunity for any young people out there that fit the bill to get involved in politics and learn what it’s like to be at the heart of a decision-making process.  I would encourage anyone who’s interested to speak to our Young People’s Participation Team to find out more.”

So if you’re aged between 14 and 25 (at 15th March 2013), live in Scotland and can demonstrate passion and commitment, then you can take up the chance to make your voice heard.  Get in quick though, as registration closes on 7 December 2012.

If you’re interested and fit the criteria, why not go online to register now?

Finch Taylor outside Scottish Parliament

Welfare reform advice on it’s way to council tenants

Council tenants facing housing benefit changes are being contacted by the City of Edinburgh Council. Leaflets  highlighting the potential impact the new rules will have when they come into force next year are now being issued across the city. These leaflets will give helpful advice on the options tenants have to limit the financial impact of the reforms.

The biggest effect is going to be on tenants who have an unoccupied bedroom as they will receive less housing benefit from April next year. Anyone under-occupying will lose 14% of their housing benefit if they have one spare bedroom (between £13 and £15 per week) or 25% for two or more spare bedrooms (between £20 and £27 per week). Options for tenants cover areas like paying rent, moving to a smaller home, maximising income and sharing with friends, family members or lodgers.

Councillor Cammy Day, Housing leader for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “Tenants need to know just exactly what these changes will mean to them and the potential financial impact it’s going to have. Some tenants could be faced with a 25% reduction in their housing benefit. Their rent will still have to be paid so that means they will have to make up the difference from their household income. If tenants don’t pay their rent they are at risk of losing their home. No one wants to see that happen so we are advising people to get in touch with their local housing team now to discuss the various options open to them.”

My Favourite Place – and there are 150,000 of them for free!

 

CRAIL a favourite place?

From the tip of Shetland to the depths of the Borders, we have been scouring Scotland for your favourite places and now, during Book Week Scotland, we are bringing this special collection to you. My Favourite Place is the perfect book to read during Book Week Scotland, Scotland’s first ever national celebration of reading.

From inspiring stories and poems by members of the public, to pieces from well-loved writers including Michael Palin, Alexander McCall Smith and Scotland’s makar Liz Lochhead, My Favourite Place is a snapshot of Scotland’s favourite places.

The book contains over thirty stories, collecting places from all over Scotland and includes a series of illustrations from leading Scottish artists including Alasdair Gray, Louise Hopkins and Kate Davis.

150,000 copies of My Favourite Place are being given away the length and the breadth of the country this week (26 November – 2 December). You’ll find copies in so many places: libraries, bookshops, museums, businesses, arts venues, train stations, CalMac ferries, workplaces and even in Specsavers branches!

The contents of the book were collected as part of the My Favourite Place project run by Scottish Book Trust and BBC Radio Scotland in 2012. To find out more about the project and read the submissions from the public, visit: www.scottishbook.trust.com/myfavouriteplace.

Scottish Book Trust

What’s your favourite place in Scotland? Let us know?

QUEEN’s VIEW another favourite

I’ve looked out and dusted off some of my favourite stories and will be enjoying these books all over again – and as it’s so dark, wet and miserable outside, what better time to to curl up with a cup of coffee and a good book?

What will you be reading during Book Week Scotland? Let us know!

Woman treated in hospital following Pilton chip pan fire

Firefighters came to the rescue of two adults and a baby following a chip pan fire in West Pilton on Thurday night.

Three fire appliances attended the blaze in West Pilton Rise at around 7pm. Two pumps and a height appliance tackled the fire on the second floor of the building, where crews found three casualties suffering from smoke inhalation.

A man and a woman both aged 26 and a ten-month-old baby boy were attended to at the scene before the woman was taken by ambulance to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary for a further check-up and treatment.

Two firefighters in breathing apparatus used a high-pressure hose reel and a fire blanket to extinguish the blaze in the smoke-filled flat.

Police drop-in sessions at Millennium Centre

Officers from Drylaw’s Safer Neighbourhood Team are to hold regular Police drop-in sessions at Muirhouse Millennium Centre. 

PC Sharon Carr said: “The first two sessions are Wednesday 5th and 19th December from 11am – 2pm, and in the New Year the January dates are Wednesday 9th and 23rd, again from 11am – 2pm. It’s an opportunity for local people to pop in and chat about any policing issues or concerns they may have in an informal setting.”

For further information contact Drylaw Safer Neighbourhood Team on 0131 311 3131.

Doublespeak at Drylaw Telford!

It promises to be a busy evening with not one but two presentations at Drylaw Telford Community Council’s final meeting of 2012, which takes place a Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre off Groathill Road North on Wednesday evening at 7pm.

Scottish Hydro’s Simon Gray will be giving timely advice on energy efficiency, while Selby Richardson of architects Urban Design Features will be giving a presentation of plans for the new skatepark which received the green light last month.

Lots happening at the centre next week – as well as the monthly community council meeting and all other regular activities Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre’s annual general meeting is taking place on Friday 30 November at 6.30pm.

All welcome at both events.