North Edinburgh News – Page 3646 – The NEN

Fire festival spreads to Mound

This year’s Samhuinn Fire Festival, the event held in Edinburgh every Halloween to mark the end of summer and beginning of winter, is to move beyond its usual Royal Mile route and will now climax at the Mound Precinct.

With more than 6,000 spectators last year, the Beltane Fire Society event has become so popular it’s had to move its finale to its new city centre location by Princes Street, so thousands more people can watch the spectacle and mark the turning seasons.

The celebration will begin at 9pm on Friday 31 October at the High Street, with a procession of drums, fire and characters from celtic lore making their way from the High Street at the Royal Mile, down Cockburn Street, and on to the stage at the Mound Precinct for the final battle between the forces of Summer and Winter.

Sara Thomas, event co-ordinator said: “It’s great to be taking Samhuinn to the very heart of the city this year. The extra space at the stage on the Mound Precinct means we can make the event more spectacular than ever, and far more people will be able to see every moment. It’s an incredible event, fantastic to watch – even more so given all the performers are volunteers, we don’t get any formal funding, and the audience can turn up on the night with no need to buy tickets – just make a donation to our lovely Bucketeers.”

Becky Salter, playing the key role of the Cailleach in the event, said: “Samhuinn is a wonderful event to be part of, full of fire, drums and excitement. There’s nothing like it anywhere in the world. We want the people of Edinburgh to share it with us, to join us in marking the end of Summer and the rise of Winter – and this extended route will mean far more people can witness it all.”

Attendance at Samhuinn Fire Festival is by donation on the night, with no ticket needed.

The event is organised by the Beltane Fire Society, a charity run by volunteers, dedicated to marking the fire festivals of the ancient celtic calendar and keeping traditional Scottish skills of street theatre, music and pageantry alive.

Samhuinn Fire Festival is a modern ‘re-imagining’ of an ancient celtic festival marking the end of summer and rise of winter. The modern event has been held in Edinburgh since 1995. Its spring and summer counterpart, Beltane, takes place on Calton Hill on the last day of April each year, and has been running since 1988.

Sculpture Workshop to unveil stunning new building

Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop to launch Creative Laboratories next month

**Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop will proudly unveil the new Creative Laboratories building – an architecturally stunning facility specifically designed for sculptors – on 20 November.**

Situated on old railway sidings in Newhaven, Creative Laboratories will create a cultural hub, dedicated to the research and production of contemporary visual art.

Designed by Sutherland Hussey Architects as an inspiring environment where artists can make and present work, the new facility is equipped with viewing and meeting spaces designed to bring audiences closer to the art being made. It will feature a 22.5m high triangular tower, a dramatic new addition to Edinburgh’s iconic skyline.

The building has been fully funded by the Arts Funding Prize for Edinburgh administered by Foundation Scotland by means of an anonymous £3 million donation.

Irene Kernan, director of Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop (ESW) said: “This is an amazing opportunity for Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop which will enable us to fulfil our ambitions to create a world class sculpture centre in the city.

We are very fortunate to have an internationally renowned architectural practise on our doorstop in Sutherland Hussey Architects. The Arts Funding Prize represents a major investment in future generations of artists and will be a major resource for our local community in Newhaven as well as the city as a whole.”

A single-storey pavilion surrounds an outdoor courtyard linking a series of internal and external environments for events and the production and exhibition of work; Incorporating sculpture bays, project spaces, and a foundry the new facilities will complement those already in use at Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop’s Bill Scott Sculpture Centre, also designed by Sutherland Hussey, which opened in July 2012.

To mark the beginning of ESW’s new International programme, Johanna Billing will be in residence in November. A print commission by Miranda Blennerhassett and Bronze edition by Kate Ive will also launch with the opening of the new building.

At the heart of the new facility the tower is a statement of ESW’s progressive, interdisciplinary ambition. It will house a new sound commission by Tommy Perman, Simon Kirby and Rob St John and will act both as a visual and cultural beacon attracting visitors to the complex.

This large outdoor arena will enable sculptors to make ambitiously-scaled pieces while a public cafe overlooking the courtyard will encourage greater interaction with the wider area.

Nick Clegg: time to talk about mental health

A message from Deputy Prime Minister to mark

World Mental Health Day

The Deputy Prime Minister said:

It’s astounding that, in this day and age, when millions of us spend so much time blogging, tweeting and updating our Facebook status, there’s still one issue that we all hesitate to talk about – our mental health.

This is despite the fact that 1 in 4 of us will experience a mental health condition each year. We’re talking about people from every walk of life: mums, dads, sisters, brothers, pensioners, and teenagers… the list goes on.

If we broke an arm or a leg, we’d happily chat to our family, friends and work colleagues about the pain, inconvenience and treatment involved. But substitute that broken bone for anxiety or depression and, because of the stigma still associated with mental health, it’s harder for many to find the right words.

This World Mental Health Day, you can help us change that.

In this coalition government, the Liberal Democrats have worked hard to close the gap between the treatment of physical health and mental health in the NHS: increasing access to talking therapies for those who need them; transforming the help children can get as they move into adulthood; and now, for the first-time ever, introducing NHS waiting time standards for mental health conditions, alongside investing £120 million to improve services.

But you don’t need to be a health expert or politician to do your bit. A quick chat over a cup of tea, a supportive text or phone call or a friendly word to ask if everything’s okay – today, all these things could make a massive difference.

So, if you know someone struggling with a mental health problem, pop on the kettle or pick up your phone now – let’s give them the support they need to live the life they want.

You can find further information and advice to help you at: www.time-to-change.org.uk.

It’s time for all of us to talk about mental health.

Septemberfest in focus

Last month’s Septemberfest proved as popular as ever, with over three thousand people attending the event. We asked Broughton High School photography students to capture the day in pictures – and the Septemberfest snappers have done a fine job!

Some of their images will appear in the NEN due out next week, but there simply wasn’t room for them all so I’ve reproduced over sixty of their finest here.

Enjoy, and thank you Hayley-Anne Amm, Hannah Cazaly, Natalie Drywa, Aillidh Gladstone-Wallace and Eric Vaskala!

United We Stand at North Edinburgh Arts

Townsend Theatre Productions are bringing their latest play to North Edinburgh Arts Centre next Friday (17 October). Their last two plays – ‘The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists’ and ‘We Will Be Free’, about the Tolpuddle Martyrs – were brilliant and attracted a full house.

United We Stand is based on the true story of the 1972 Builders Strike and the Shrewsbury 24 who were prosecuted for their involvement in the strike. The Shrewsbury Campaign, led by Ricky Tomlinson, is still seeking to overturn the unjust prosecution of the 24 workers.

We are hoping for a full house next Friday so if you want a ticket for yourself or a group you run or are involved in, please contact either the Arts Centre on 315 2151 or email me asap. The tickets are £8 full price, £5 concession and £3 good neighbour (you must live locally and have a Good Neighbour card which is free).

I am running a bus which will do pick ups throughout the area. Please let me know if anyone you know who requires transport to get there and back.

The play starts at 7.30 sharp but the bar is open from 6.30 to allow people to meet and have a blether before the play.

Hope to see you next week.

Lynn McCabe

Westwoods is simply the best

Westwoods Health Club at Fettes has been crowned the Best Premium Health Club in Scotland in the prestigious Health Club of the Year Awards UK. What makes the accolade even more special is that the competition judges were the club’s own members!

David Gibson, one of Westwoods fitness Instructor/personal trainers also won one of the five National People’s Awards.

Now in its fourth year, the MEMBERS’ CHOICE Health Club Awards received 35,000 votes from members rating their club on the quality of facilities, customer service and value for money. Four hundred club entries came from a mixture of small independents, public leisure centres, hotel clubs and some of the best known brands in the industry.

Westwood’s director Wendy Wallace said: “We were keen when we opened the club 12 years ago to not only offer a fantastic health and fitness facility but to also create a friendly social club that makes a real difference to the lives of many people. We would like to thank all of our members who took the time to assess our facilities as it is because of them that we have been presented with this award.”

General manager James Matthew added: “We are so excited to have won this award. The whole team works extremely hard to deliver a high standard of service and value for money.”

Westwoods member Kirsty Rennie said: “I have been a member for many years and I am delighted that Westwoods has finally been recognized for its excellent facilities and friendly, helpful staff. I love using the club especially when I know that my kids are being so well looked after by the fantastic crèche staff.”

Picture: The happy Westwoods staff team with the awards!

Top chef inspires city’s school cooks

Top Edinburgh chef and restaurateur Mark Greenaway took time away from cooking award-winning food to encourage the city’s school cooks to use and experiment more with fresh, seasonal and Scottish produce last week.
He was speaking at a Food for Life seminar in the City Chambers, organised by the City of Edinburgh Council and Food for Life Scotland, to launch the latest school menu – developed to meet the Soil Association’s Bronze Food for Life Catering Mark standards.

With the help of Food for Life Scotland, all Edinburgh schools are working towards the bronze standard, ensuring that more meals are freshly prepared using seasonal produce.

Achieving the prestigious award will make Edinburgh the first Scottish Local Authority to serve Catering Mark awarded meals in all school levels.

Mark was joined by Environment Convener Councillor Lesley Hinds to commend all those involved in the Council’s bid, and to celebrate the important work that school cooks do in helping to nurture and nourish the capital’s school pupils.

Cllr Lesley Hinds said: “I’m sure Mark’s input, together with implementation of the Food for Life Catering Mark will help our school caterers build on the great work they already do in our schools using fresh, seasonal and Scottish produce. As a Council we have a strong commitment to sustainability and to providing fresh nourishing and locally sourced food across our facilities.

“Currie Community High School and Buckstone Primary School already have the bronze award and we need to keep up the momentum to achieve our goal of Edinburgh being the first local authority in Scotland to achieve this across the whole school sector.”

Mark said: “It was fantastic to see so many of the city’s school cooks in one place, sharing their experience of cooking and hearing about the changes being made to the menus which will allow them to serve more fresh and seasonal produce in Edinburgh’s schools. I think Food for Life Scotland has the potential to make a significant difference to food culture in schools and beyond, which will benefit all of us over time.”

Food for Life Scotland is working closely with City of Edinburgh Council as part of the Edinburgh Food for Life Partnership, a partnership between the City of Edinburgh Council, the University of Edinburgh and NHS Lothian which aims to embed a culture of real food change across the capital.

Three City of Edinburgh Council care homes already have the Bronze award – Clovenstone House, Marionville Court and Ferrylee.

Picture: Chef Mark Greenaway is joined by school cooks (left to right): Michelle Johnston (Ferryhill Primary), Julie Young (Currie Community High School), Jackie Montgomery (Dean Park Primary) and Lorna McKenna (Liberton High School).

Homebuyers could be in for Swinney budget boost

A new tax to replace stamp duty could be a bonus for homebuyers when Finance Secretary John Swinney sets out the Draft Scottish Budget for 2015/16 today. He is expected to focus on polices which will help to make Scotland a more prosperous country, tackle inequality and protect public services.

Scotland’s economy has returned to pre-recession levels, but the Scottish government says today’s budget will be set against the context of Westminster cuts by around 10 per cent in real terms over five years and capital spending cuts of over 25 per cent.

The budget will also include proposed tax rates and publish tax receipts forecasts for the first time, ahead of the Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) and Scottish Landfill Tax (SLfT) coming into force on April 1, 2015.

Speaking ahead of his statement – in which he will indicate that Scotland is in a new phase of economic and political debate – Mr Swinney said: “We have seen a strengthening of Scotland’s economic performance over the last two years and currently have record levels of employment.

“However, major challenges in the economy still remain, compounded by the fact the public finances are under such pressure by the UK austerity programme.

“This budget follows unprecedented levels of political engagement not only on Scotland’s constitutional future but the wider priorities of the people of Scotland.

“What will lie at the heart of the budget will be a determination to make Scotland a prosperous and fairer country where the benefits of economic growth are not only maintained but are shared by everyone.

“Many of these aspirations will be taken forward within the budget and also within the setting of tax rates. The Land and Buildings Transaction Tax is the first tax created by the Scottish Parliament since before the 1707 union.

“The budget is a major landmark in taking forward the Government’s programme and is also a historic opportunity to set new tax rates for Scotland.”

A visit to Granton could improve your health – and maybe your wealth!

A visit to Granton Information Centre could improve your health – and may also improve your wealth! The local advice centre received top marks from clients in a satisfaction survey conducted over the summer.

Highlights of the survey include:

• Around 71% of GIC clients have a medical condition – but almost half of them feel GIC has helped to bring about an improvement in their health

• 48% of clients received additional income following GIC’s intervention – and with another 22% awaiting decisions it’s very likely that this figure will rise to over half. Additional income includes both one-off payments and ongoing benefits entitlements – ranging from a few pounds to five-figure sums.

• 97% of clients would recommend GIC’s services to others

• 96% found GIC assistance ‘very helpful’, 98% found staff ‘very approachable’ and 74% found the help and support they had received ‘more than expected’.

Two hundred clients were chosen at random from GIC’s live cases database and invited to participate in the Satisfaction Survey, which was carried out over the summer. The results are based on the final total of 108 respondees.

GIC manager Caroline Pickering said: “There has been an increased demand on GIC’s service over the past few years and our management committee thought this would be an ideal time to review the services we provide – to look at what we are doing, what works well and what can be improved.

“The best people to guide us in this are the people who use those services, so we are very pleased with the positive results of the survey. It’s great for staff to be recognised for the hard work they do. Some of the comments we received from grateful clients were really touching.”

GIC chairperson John Mulvey said: “We know the staff are working exceptionally hard in difficult circumstances so we’re delighted to see how much service users and the wider community appreciate their efforts. The organisation has been working in North Edinburgh for thirty years now but it’s clear that GIC’s services are needed as much today as they ever were.”

Ambulance service launches dementia initiative

3,800 copies of learning resource to be distributed across Scotland

Scottish Ambulance Service clinicians are set to benefit from a new learning resource on dementia designed and developed by NHS Education for Scotland and the Service itself.

It is essential that ambulance clinicians are able to recognise when a person may have dementia, and that they are are confident of their ability to provide appropriate support, care and treatment. The bespoke resource will help ambulance clinicians to give informed, high quality and person-centred support to people with dementia, their families and carers.

Ambulance clinicians will frequently come into contact with people with dementia, their families and carers as well as people with early signs of dementia who have not had a diagnosis. While recognising the often immediate and time limited nature of their contact, this will have an influence on the impact of the whole care experience for the person with dementia, their families and carers.

Pauline Howie, Chief Executive, Scottish Ambulance Service, said: “This new learning resource is an invaluable clinical support tool that will be issued to every one of our frontline emergency staff, as well as our Patient Transport Service teams.

“People with dementia often face many complex challenges and issues and this initiative, which is enhanced by a number of specially trained ‘Dementia Champions’ within the Service, will help our teams to provide the most appropriate care and treatment for people with dementia and their families and carers.”

Malcolm Wright, NHS Education for Scotland Chief Executive added: “We are delighted to have developed this important resource in partnership with the Scottish Ambulance service. NHS Education for Scotland is committed to providing educational resources and training opportunities for the entire health workforce to support rights-based, and person-centred approaches to the care, support and treatment of people with dementia and their families and carers. This new, targeted resource is a valuable addition to our suite of resources developed as a part of the ‘Promoting Excellence’ work force development programme”.

The learning resource focuses on understanding dementia, effective communication, and providing positive person-centred support. It can be used for individual learning, learning as a group or team, in a facilitated learning event, or in a mixture of all of these approaches.

As well as providing key learning, activities and scenarios are used throughout the learning resource to help encourage exploration and reflection about real practice issues.