Alternative memorial planned for Princes Street Gardens
Bereaved parents have visited the Mortonhall Memorial Garden which opened on Friday. Continue reading Mortonhall Memorial Garden opens
Category: North Edinburgh News
A very merry night in Muirhouse!
Miss the Community Action North Christmas Tree event on Thursday? My colleague Andy captured the whole thing on video – and you can watch it in under twenty seconds!
I also captured a snippet of the Craigroyston musicians during rehearsals for the evening event:
And if you’d prefer a more leisurely idea of what went on, Broughton High School’s Morgan Creamer braved the elements to capture some memories of a special night in Muirhouse … thanks, Morgan – hope you have dried out!
More of Morgan’s pictures on our Facebook page
Show must go on: Christmas Charity Festival goes ahead
Inverleith event is ON despite the weather
Organisers have confirmed that this weekend’s annual Christmas Charity Festival at Inverleith Park will go ahead as planned.
Coming from the North Pole this weather won’t worry Santa and his reindeer too much but us mere mortals should wrap up warm – and wear sensible footwear!
Brave Brandon loses fight for life
Brandon Walker 2001 – 2015: ‘ a brilliant smiley wee guy’
Very sad to report the untimely death of local lad Brandon Walker (14), who had been suffering from an extremely rare heart condition.
Spartans Community Football Academy programme manager Kenny Cameron described Brandon as ‘a brilliant smiley wee guy, great banter and a great wee footballer. It’s heartbreaking news’.
Our deepest sympathy goes out to Brandon’s family and his many friends at this terribly difficult time.
Ocean Terminal event is just what the doctor ordered
‘Design Doctor’ social media campaign makes the virtual a reality with interactive upcycling event in Edinburgh
This weekend marks the culmination of a Scotland-wide, eight-week social media campaign to encourage people to upcycle and re-use furniture. Continue reading Ocean Terminal event is just what the doctor ordered
Letters: Something better change
Dear Editor
For too long the working population has been told that decision-making on investment is the province of the wealthy and very well off, and it is they who create the nation’s wealth. The arrogance and stupidity of such a claim shows the value they place on the working population’s contribution to that wealth.
Listed below are a few respective contributions:
Investors: It takes minimum effort and little time of one day to move money around through financial markets seeking a higher rate of profit.
Workers: If employed full-time, spend the best part of one whole day working and getting to and from work.
Investors: Their investment is usually short-term, then switching to maximise profit.
Workers: Their investment is life-long commitment to work.
Investors: Having the power of decision-making to hire and fire and even closing down places of work, showing no responsibility for workers or country.
Workers: Have lifetime commitment to home and provision for the family in all respects.
Investors: Employ tax lawyers to seek ways of reducing amounts due; alternatively hide their money in offshore tax havens avoiding tax altogether.
Workers: Income tax is taken from their wage packets, VAT on products and services.
Further, the political representatives of the wealthy have continued to starve local councils of funds to maintain community life, forcing savage cuts to all services. They now have the audacity to tell local councils to sell public assets of all kinds, buildings and land. This is where investors will step in to make a killing out of the people who created and paid for their public services, buildings and land, maintenance of parks, gardens, sports areas and open spaces.
Can all this be justified? The answer can only be NO, the way things are done must change, because if not there will be no end to the endless cycle of unemployment, hardship and unhappiness.
A. Delahoy, Silverknowes Gardens
Roberta Blaikie funeral: transport available
Call Royston Wardieburn if you need transport to Warriston
Regular readers will know that local activist Roberta Blaikie’s funeral is on Tuesday at 1pm at Warriston Crematorium.
Transport will be available for members of the local community – call Royston Wardieburn Community Centre on 552 5700 to let them know your requirements.
Christmas carols at Starbank Park
Friends of Starbank Park
Christmas Carols and Lights in the Park
with Newhaven Choir
Saturday 5th December
4.30 – 5.30pm
Mince pies and hot drinks
Can we have a Christmas tree? Yes we CAN!
Community celebrates despite deluge
It lashed down with rain all afternoon and into the evening – a real Muirhouse monsoon! – but local people came out in their droves to see the Christmas tree lights being switched on in Muirhouse Shopping Centre last night.
Craigroyston High School’s Josh Hardwick did the honours and kicked off an evening of music, food and fun that seemed to get everyone in the festive mood!
So many people to thank:
- Craigroyston Community High School for sharing their wonderful musical talents – the band and the choir were superb.
- Local schools Oaklands, Rowanfield, Pirniehall, St David’s, Forthview and Craigroyston for creating the beautiful snowflakes that now adorn the centre
- Fleurtations for delivering, erecting and decoration the tree
- Urban Union for supplying the Christmas tree
- The City of Edinburgh Council for their support and advice throughout
- Weber Shandwick for getting things done
- North Edinburgh Arts staff for their wonderful support: particularly John for his technical wizardry, Michelle and her team for the fabulous food (and wonderful winter punch!) and for sharing her artistic skills to make the shopping centre look great
- Local police for supervising the event
- The Tomorrow’s People team for all their hard work in decorating the Centre and making the event such a success.
- Santa for … well, just being Santa!
- And finally, the children and families of North Edinburgh who came out on such a horrible night to support the event. Comments have been overwhelmingly positive – maybe we’ll try another event in the New Year?
Thanks, everyone!
Andy & Dave, Community Action North (CAN)
Our day in pictures (below)
There are more on Facebook too …
Forthview P3s visit First Minister
Katie Morag Christmas card is ‘amazing’, ‘fantastic’ and ‘brilliant’!
Children from Forthview Primary School joined Nicola Sturgeon at Bute House yesterday for the launch of the First Minister’s 2015 official Christmas card.
The card features Katie Morag, the star of the children’s books written and illustrated by Mairi Hedderwick, who can be seen welcoming children from around the world to the First Minister’s official residence, Bute House.
The original illustration by Mairi Hedderwick will be auctioned next year and the proceeds will be shared between four charities; Enable Scotland, Children 1st, Books Abroad and the Scottish Refugee Council.
The First Minister said: “I am delighted that Mairi Hedderwick was able to create such a wonderful illustration for this year’s Christmas card.
“Katie Morag’s adventures accompanied by Mairi’s beautiful illustrations are adored by both children and adults right across the world.
“Christmas is a time for spending time with those that we love, but it is also a time for thinking about those less fortunate than ourselves.
“There is no doubt that Scotland is a caring and compassionate country but this year in particular, I have been so proud of the warm welcome and kindness which has been extended to all who have come here.
“Whether it’s by helping out at a charity, or having a cup of tea and a chat with a friend or neighbour who is on their own, it’s important to spend some time over the next few weeks giving comfort, companionship and support to those who need it.”
For the first time, special packs featuring Christmas cards from previous years will go on sale in National Galleries of Scotland shops in Edinburgh from next week.
Part of the 2014 fundraising initiative, cards will be sold in a pack of ten and will feature the artwork of Jack Vettriano, Elizabeth Blackadder, John Lowrie Morrison, Peter Howson and Phyllis Dodd.
All profits will be split between 2014’s charities; the Catherine McEwan Foundation, The Mackintosh Appeal, Legion Scotland, Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance and Yorkhill Children’s Charity.
The First Minister added: “Since we launched the charity Christmas card initiative in 2007, sales of artwork and prints have raised more than £168,850 for good causes across Scotland. I’d like to extend my thanks to all the artists, including Mairi, whose time and genorisity have made raising so much money possible.”
And the children’s view of the Katie Morag card? ‘Brilliant’, ‘amazing’ and ‘fantastic’!
