Save the Children are running a free community event at North Edinburgh Arts Centre on Thursday 9 August from 1 – 5pm For further information please contact Fiona Morrison at Save the Children; contact details:
Family Fun Event next Thursday
Category: North Edinburgh News
North West Carers move south!
North West Carers Centre has moved from it’s Muirhouse Crescent base to a new home in Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre. Their Muirhouse offices were bigger than the project needed, so when an opportunity to cross the great Ferry Road divide into Drylaw came up, it was ideal. Manager Sarah Mavor and her team moved in on 9 July.
Sarah (pictured above left) said: “We were happy in Muirhouse but the office was really too big for us, so the move to Drylaw was a sensible one. Many of the people we work with come from the Inverleith Neighbourhood Partnership area too. It’s been a good move and we’re all enjoying the change of scene. Things are going well.”
While North West Carers Centre address has changed – it’s now Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre, 67b Groathill Road North, EH4 2SA – the telephone number and email addresses remain the same – that’s 315 3130 and email resource@nwcarers.org.uk
Services provided are unaffected too – North West Carers provide information, advice and respite and run support groups for young and adult carers, and also runs a Dementia Support Group, a Carers Afternoon Together and a Young Carers Group.
The North West Carers team are pictured just after the organisation’s annual general meeting on 25 July.
Roads Closed for Total Craigroyston’s Play Out
Muirhouse Park was closed off for four hours yesterday for a Play Out event. Total Craigroyston’s Sarah Low explained what it’s all about: ‘Play Out involves closing a street for a few hours, meaning children and families can play safely in their community. Among the activities were lots of traditional games – skipping, football, rounders and even ‘pop-up theatre’! Local parents identifies the need for events like this during the recent Total Craigroyston consultations.”
Local man Robert Pearson was there, and he takes up the story:
Road closed signs positioned at either end of MuirhousePark, this was out of the norm. Was it another police incident – or something else?
It was certainly something else and something that’s never happened in Muirhouse before! Local group Total Craigroyston had arranged a fun, safe environment for children and families to play.
From 11am until 3pm the street was a no-go for any motor vehicles, which was enough to get the kids smiling. But when the fun started, the smiles got even bigger! Total Craigroyston staff and volunteers from North Edinburgh Women’s Group had many games and activates in mind, and officers from Lothian and Borders Police were also here to enjoy the fun and get to know the locals.
Huge thanks to Mr and Mrs Hardwick who kindly allowed a water slide to be set up in their very own garden, it was not long until the kids had formed a very orderly queue!
Who would have thought that a little bit of fairy liquid, water and a sheet of plastic would keep many kids happy for many hours, with competitions to see who could slide furthest. 
The fun went on for many hours; other activities included chalking on the road, designing your very own puppet, rounders, football and much more.
Father of three David Graham, of Ferry Road Drive, only heard of the event from one of his friends just the day before. He said: “It’s fantastic to hear kids joking and laughing and it’s fantastic to see so many parents enjoying the activities with their children.” David was also keen to promote next week’s Total Craigroyston event, which will take place in his street.
Many adults took part in the game of rounders – that was until someone managed to lose one ball over the roof and another in the hedge! It was all part of the fun.
My own children really enjoyed the day. Six year old Thomas said “My favourite part of the day was the water balloons” – and he especially loved throwing the balloons as the police officer! Nine year old Gary added that it was brilliant be able to play safely in the street and not have to worry about cars. He really enjoyed the water slide and making his own puppets.
Over 100 children enjoyed the fun and joined in with many activities, and despite the heavy sudden downpours the fun continued. Huge thanks to everyone who helped and made this day possible.
Some more pictures:
Lothian and Borders police officer being chased, rather than chasing; he was soon to be hit with a water balloon!
Above: Local children Gemma (6) and Emily (9) perform their very own puppet show with assistance from Licketyspit staff.
Words and pictures by Robert Pearson
A world first for Granton Library?
No doubt many records will be broken over the coming days, but Granton Library may have set a record that can’t be broken.
Last Friday, Lara and Ali held a Zumba class at the library in Wardieburn Terrace for four to fourteen year olds – and very popular it was too!
As far as we know, this is the first ever Zumba session in a public library – maybe even a world first, unless you can inform us otherwise. Usain Bolt – eat your heart out!
Drylaw’s Family Fun Day
Great fun between the showers at Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre yesterday, where firefighters from Crewe Toll station and Drylaw Police joined the local community at the Family Fun event. The pony rides, face painting and bouncy castle were as popular as ever, but it seems the kids just can’t get enough of those sumo suits!
Centre hit by vandals – but Fun Day goes ahead
Vandals have caused damage estimated at £2500 at Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre. Up to three young people slashed the Centre’s polytunnel and destroyed young plants between Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning. The attack comes just a week after a scarecrow was set ablaze at the Centre.
Staff turned up at work on Wednesday morning to find a polytunnel used by the Centre’s gardening groups slashed open, and their worst fears were realised upon closer inspection – the tunnel’s contents had been scattered and destroyed.
Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre’s Elizabeth Graham, who supports the gardening groups, said: ‘I must admit I shed a tear when I saw the damage that had been done. Our gardeners had been growing on some young plants and these have been destroyed – it’s too late in the season now to start this process again – it’s so very sad. I hoped we could maybe repair the polytunnel using a strong tape but the damage is too severe. This is such a pointless act and I do worry that this may have been carried out by some young people who use the Centre – or who certainly know people who use the Centre. It’s very upsetting and such a waste”.
Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre is covered by CCTV cameras and police are now studying tapes. It’s understood that the culprits have been captured on camera.
And despite the vandalism episode, today’s Family Fun Day goes ahead at Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre. The fun starts at 11am – all welcome.
Letter – Caring for our NHS
Dear Editor
The NHS will care for everyone in the UK whoever and wherever they are; it is our most valuable public service and must remain so.
We are told people are living longer and therefore the workload of the NHS will grow; it follows there must be an increase in staff, fully trained in all aspects of care. It is obvious the existing staff – who are already under great pressure to maintain the service – would not be able to take on extra work and maintain the quality of both physical and mental care that is needed.
I hope those who view the NHS as a drain on the nation will come to realise that no-one is able to predict their needs as one gets older.
There are uncaring and reactionary people who say we cannot afford a comprehensive national service. If we are a caring society we can – and must – do just that.
A Delahoy
Silverknowes Gardens
Miller Homes releases Belford Campus at Varcity North
Fancy buying an apartment in your old classroom? Miller Homes has released a new apartment campus at their Varcity North development in Edinburgh. Belford Campus is the second of five apartment blocks being built on the site of the former Telford College, with its name reflecting that heritage.
Belford Campus is a four storey, L-shaped building, which will offer a range of one and two bedroomed apartments with allocated parking. Prices start from £123,000 for one bedroom and £167,000 for the two bedroomed apartments. Reservations are being taken now.
The flexible accommodation offers an exciting prospect for investors buying to let, downsizers, newly singles and couples looking to move closer into the city centre. With open plan living/dining combined with contemporary kitchen areas, the layout lends itself to living and entertaining in stylish, high quality apartments. Lift access to all upper floors, allocated parking and secure entry systems ensures that Varcity North is at the forefront of apartment living.
Situated between the city centre and the waterfront and with excellent transport links to all areas of Edinburgh and beyond, Varcity North combines stylish city living with spacious, practical and affordable homes.
Anne Marie Britton, Sales Director for Miller Homes Scotland East, said: “We’re delighted to bring the Belford Campus to market to complement the existing properties at Varcity North. Space, quality and price are the differentiators and this development is becoming the place to live for househunters seeking all three.
“Starting at just £123,000, our competitive prices make owning a contemporary city apartment a reality, enjoying easy access to all that Edinburgh has to offer. From parks to art galleries, the beach to stunning views across the Firth of Forth and restaurants, bars and bistros second to none, you won’t be short of ideas on what to do from your new capital apartment.”
For more information, go to www.millerhomes.co.uk or call 0800 840 8416. The sales centre is open Thursday to Monday from 11am to 6pm. Househunters can also logon via the Miller Homes’ website to book an appointment with an adviser at the development.
Letter – My Tears
Dear Editor
My tears are for all children, women and men who are suffering extreme poverty and starvation.
My tears are for all animals, birds and wildlife.
My tears are because of all the cruelty and the destruction of trees and natural habitat.
But my tears are not tears of despair, they are tears of knowing how different things could be.
We have allowed a relatively few powerful financial organisations to control and exploit – with unbelievable callousness – people, animals and the natural environment for their private profit.
These same people created the biggest financial mess ever seen worldwide and are now passing it on to everyone.
This “system” must be changed.
Wealth created by the work of people must be used for the benefit of all people; we would then be able to deal with all these terrible problems.
A Delahoy
Silverknowes Gardens
Triumphant Technophonia!
Triumphant Technophonia! Local students perform Olympic music
Disabled musicians using new technology took centre stage with City of Edinburgh Music School students when they performed Technophonia, an orchestral arrangement to celebrate the Olympics, to great acclaim recently.
The disabled musicians played specially designed, weird and wonderful instruments – with brilliant names like skoog, soundbeam and brainfingers! – which detect tiny movements, making it easier for people with disabilities to perform. The ensemble rehearsed weekly at Broughton High School, home of the renowned City of Edinburgh Music School, the new wave instruments playing in harmony with the conventional.
The children have been working with the charity Drake Music Scotland, established in 1997 with the ethos that ‘disability is no barrier to making music’. DMS’s Thursa Sanderson said: “We had no pre-existing link with the school, but our artistic director knew Tudor (Morris, head of the City of Edinburgh Music School). When we were applying for the New Music 20×12 funding for the commission, we thought it would be great to approach Tudor and ask if pupils from the City of Edinburgh Music School would like to be involved as they are recognised as the best young players from Edinburgh and the surrounding area.”
She went on: “It makes a huge difference for our young musicians with disabilities to play in an ensemble with them, because they rarely, if ever, get the chance to play or perform along with their peers, so it is a great experience for them. I think it works both ways, as it opens the eyes of the CEMS students to the technology and what you can do creatively with it, allowing them to see how young people with disabilities are able to play music – they just need the right resources and support.”
Tudor Morris said: “We were delighted to be involved in this initiative with Drake Music Scotland. It has been an incredibly rewarding project and a really great experience for our students.”
Scots composer Oliver Searle (pictured above) was one of twenty composers commissioned to write a twelve-minute piece to celebrate the Cultural Olympiad. He said: ”Part of this project was trying to write specifically for these instruments so you could say: this is a skoog piece, this is a piece for soundbeam and chamber ensemble, or this is for brainfingers. Not only have we used these instruments, but there are also solos for them!”
The soloists were Anthony Swift and Chris Jacquin, who both have cerebral palsy, and Stephanie Forrest on soundbeam, brainfingers and skoog respectively.
Andrew (15) said: ”When I was wee all I wanted to do was play an instrument. It’s just so amazing to get the opportunity to show people what I can actually be capable of.”
Technophonia, Scots composer Oliver Searle’s specially commissioned piece, was premiered in Edinburgh’s Queens Hall on 15 June, followed up with a Royal Conservatoire of Scotland on 22 June before a gala performance at London’s Southbank Centre on 15 July as part of the New Music 20×12 Weekend Celebration.
The performances received great acclaim. Triumphant Technophonia!”, “momentous achievement”, “brilliantly conceived” and “astonishing demonstration” were just a few of the many glowing comments on the three performances.
Technophonia demonstrated just how technology can aid disabled musicians perform on an equal footing with their peers, and that skoogs, soundbeams and brainfingers could become a regular sight in orchestras and bands. And yes, that disability is no barrier to making music. Congratulations to all concerned – bravo!