Category: North Edinburgh News

Local families – are you Motivated to Move?

Last year’s Muirhouse Million Steps was one of the area’s most talked-about community events, with over 120 people taking part in the marathon walk around the area. Community Healthy Lifestyles coordinator Lisa Arnott hopes to make the event even bigger this year, and offers a great opportunity for local families to improve their fitness. She explains what’s being planned:

“Preparations for Muirhouse Million Steps 2012 is well underway and this year’s event aims to be even more fun!  In partnership with the Move It Project,  Muirhouse Slimmers, Craigroyston Community High School and the Active Schools coordinator, Pilton Community Health Project is developing a new family fitness programme…. Motivate to Move or M2M.

M2M is a free eight week family fitness training programme which brings together great resources to enable up to eight 8 lucky families to improve their fitness and take part in the Muirhouse Million Steps. It is a pilot and place will be limited but a great prize for any family wanting to improve their families fitness with support from personal trainers.

The Muirhouse Million Steps 2012 will take place on Friday 28September. This year we are offering 8 local families the chance to win their own personal family fitness programme and to train for the Muirhouse Million Steps and beyond!!!!!!!!  Each lucky local family will receive:

  • Free personalised  8 week family fitness programme
  • Free support from their very own family fitness trainer
  • Free access to local sports facilities for a family fitness activity
  • At least 2 weekly sessions  of supported family fitness activity
  • Each participating family would need to be available from 5h August to end of September  and attend the Muirhouse Million Steps on Friday 28 September
  • Participating families must live in Muirhouse, West Pilton, West Granton, Drylaw, Granton, Royston or Wardieburn areas
  • Each family would need to be able to commit to at least 2 weekly supported family fitness training sessions. Times and days negotiable within reason, although there will be no supported training on a Sunday!
  • Each family will have their journey to fitness documented using photography and /or articles in the NEN, on the PCHP website, blogs and facebook
  •  A family can be up to 3 adults and at least 1 child of primary school age. The lucky families will be selected and notified by 12 July. “

If you are interested, please apply to Lisa Arnott, Community Healthy Lifestyles Coordinator at

Pilton Community Health Project 73 Boswall Parkway EH5 2PW

or email: lisaarnott@pchp.org.uk or tel: 0131 551 1671.

Pirniehall artwork brightens promenade

 

Pic: City of Edinburgh Council

Artwork designed by local children was installed yesterday (Tuesday) by the City of Edinburgh Council on the Granton stretch of the Edinburgh Promenade. The Rubbings Trail is a pilot and aims to provide a fun activity for everyone using the walkway to enjoy.

It hopes to draw people  along the walkway to collect three themed bronze plaques based on the history and heritage of Granton.  It is proposed that the collection is extended to run along the full length of  the promenade in the future.

The  plaques were designed by Pirniehall P4s Jason Bateman, Erinn Tyler and Alexander Trainer and include a shoal of  fish; an oyster catcher; and boats and a seal at Granton  Harbour. Local artist Kate Ive, winner of the  British Medal Society’s ‘New Medallist  Scheme’ 2011/12, translated the original  designs into bronze.

Cllr Tom Buchanan, Convener of the Economic Development  Committee, said: “The Council is committed to delivering a high quality  Promenade between Cramond and Joppa. Over  the last five years, in excess of £400,000  has been invested completing the section between Cramond and Granton. The Rubbings Trail is a fantastic addition to this stretch of  the Promenade, which is now being heavily used by walkers,  cyclists and visitors. I  look forward to many thousands of people each year enjoying this new  artwork produced by our talented school children alongside the excellent views  to Fife.”

The Edinburgh Promenade runs for 17km  and stretches from Cramond in the west to Joppa in the East. As well as forming  part of the Scottish Coastal Path it is also part of the North Sea Trail.

The Promenade is a vital  part of the waterfront regeneration and has the support of a wide range  of stakeholders.

City of Edinburgh Council

Muirhouse Centipede’s going green!

From potty planters and community barbeques to picture competitions and labyrinth mazes … Linda Dunbar gives an update on the Centipede Project …
A multi agency Steering Group has been formed which includes representatives from St Paul’s RC, North Edinburgh Arts, Fable Vision (Govan) and Link Up – and we are hopeful the representation will get wider.
We now have a plan of activities for the next nine months, kicking off with a Peculiar Planter Competition! We are looking for folk to bring along a potted plant (or plants) to the West Pilton and Muirhouse Gala on 26 August – but for the planters to be more than your bog standard terracotta pot – as the title suggests – the dafter the better! We want folk to write a few lines on a postcard, explaining their planter, or naming their planter, or telling up why they chose it. We will be working with local schools, nursing homes and community groups to ensure a big entry to the competition.
For those who are struggling for ideas, there will also be a chance to ‘plant up’ at the free Community BBQ and Summer Fair that will be held in Muirhouse St Andrew’s Parish Church the day before, Saturday 25th from 11am – 1pm. This will be the third year that Muirhouse have hosted a FREE community BBQ, but this year it will be enhanced by peculiar planters and summer fair stalls! Judging of the planters will take place during the Gala Day and prizes will be announced at 3.30pm.
This is just the start of a big programme of events – all made possible through Pilot Project Funding from the Parish Development Fund of the Church of Scotland. Also in the pipeline are:
‘A Time for Peace’ – a chance to step back and reflect on the peaceful sites within the Muirhouse and west Pilton Area – hosted by North Edinburgh Arts some time in October/November – date to be confirmed
12/12/12 Photo competition – take a digital photograph some time during the 24 hours of 12/12/12 that depicts one of the Advent themes of ‘love’, ‘joy’, hope’ or ‘peace’. In mid-late January there will be a display of the winning entries, again hosted by North Edinburgh Arts – date to be confirmed
Running over autumn and winter we will be engaging a community artist to design something ‘big and beautiful and spectacular’ in flowers or bulbs which we hope to work with the council in identifying one of the brown field sites within the Muirhouse area, to plant up (with the help of the community) and wait and watch for the grand display blooming in the spring.
In the church gardens, and elsewhere if we can identify suitable sites, we are going to install a labyrinth maze – we also hope to install small sensory/peace gardens at two or three sites in the area.
So – you can see the Centipede has got its boots on!
Folks can check out updates on Facebook’s Marvellous Muirhouse Page, and on www.centipedeproject.co.uk
Linda Dunbar

Telford in deal to transform ‘tired’ playing fields

Sports enthusiasts in Edinburgh are set to score with the launch of the city’s newest sports facility thanks to a unique partnership between Edinburgh’s Telford College and World of Football.

Edinburgh’s Telford College has teamed up with World of Football (WOF) to turn the college’s tired playing fields into a revitalised indoor sporting facility for use by both students and the local community.

The project will see the outdoor pitches at Marine Drive be incorporated into the new development of ten football pitches, six of which are indoor which are designed for five-a-side football – with one existing full size pitch set aside for other sports such as hockey, cricket and rugby.

Miles Dibsdall OBE, Principal of Edinburgh’s Telford College said: “We are delighted to announce that planning has been submitted for this fabulous new facility at our Marine Drive campus. It has been a very smart piece of business to strike a deal to work with World of Football to revitalise our pitches, which were becoming both sub-standard and under used. This is a great example of the college playing a key role in the local community. And what’s really pleasing is that this facility will benefit not just Telford College and the students from the new Edinburgh College when the merger happens in October, but also sports enthusiasts across the city that will be able to hire out the pitches.”

Tom MacGregor, Head of Sport at Edinburgh’s Telford College said: “It is great news that there are plans in place for a fresh new sports facility in north Edinburgh. This type of facility creates endless opportunities for students on our various sports courses – they will now have a state of the art facility to improve their learning that won’t be affected by bad weather at any time. It’s the perfect site for a facility like this and I’m sure the students will be itching to make use of it when it opens.”

Paul De Marco, Managing Director of World of Football said: “This is a great opportunity for us to expand on our brand in Edinburgh but also a great chance to get involved with the local community. Our family business originated from Granton in the 1930’s and we are delighted to be investing back into the community.”

He continued: “It made sense for us to target Marine Drive; it is a great space with amazing potential. It will serve as a great facility for the students to use for their studies but will also be a great addition to the North Edinburgh community. We don’t just build 5 a side football pitches we have developed a style of football which is totally unique and in building at Marine Drive from the ground up this will be our most advanced and in demand centre yet.”

Edinburgh’s Telford College is one of Scotland’s largest independent further education colleges.  They provide a wide range of career related programmes and currently have around 17,000 students and 600 members of staff.

More information about the college can be found at www.ed-coll.ac.uk

Putting the city’s youth services on the map

The City of Edinburgh Council has developed an online Youth Work Map that will help young people discover and participate in the city’s wide range of youth projects.

The map is the first of its kind and will provide a unique guide to the many organisations that provide vital services and recreational activities for young people, from youth clubs to counselling and support services. It is designed to highlight the diversity of services offered throughout Edinburgh and to help make information about them more easily accessible.

Users can search by categories such as activities and opening times, or by clicking on a specific point of the map to find out more about opportunities in their area.

A recent survey by the Council found that at least a quarter of the city’s 11 – 14 year olds are involved in youth work and many remain active in an organisation after ‘growing out’ of them, by becoming a volunteer or project worker. As a result of this, a quarter of Edinburgh’s current youth work workforce is aged under 25.

Participating in these projects provides valuable experience as well as potential training and development opportunities, which can enhance employability.

Education Convener, Councillor Paul Godzik, said: “Edinburgh benefits from excellent youth work services and a wide range of activities are available throughout the city. These services are vital and make a real difference to the lives of children and young people from all backgrounds. I would encourage people to have a look at the map to find out ways that they can become involved in these varied and highly rewarding activities.”

The Youth Work Map includes over 250 youth services and the Council would welcome information from any agencies that may have been missed.

City of Edinburgh Council

Big summer plans at Granton Youth Centre

Granton Youth Centre has planned a huge programme of summer activities lined up for young people from the Granton, Trinity, Pilton and Muirhouse areas. From IT, sailing and football to trips, paintball and residentials – and everything in between – there’s something for everyone down by Granton Square!

For further information call 467 5854, email info@grantonyouth.com or check out the website at www.grantonyouth.com

GYC’s summer programme is available here:

GYC Summer Programme 2012

 

Community planting and barbeque in West Pilton

We are  having a barbecue and planting event in West Pilton Community Garden on Saturday 7 July from 11 – 2pm with access to the kitchen and toilets at  PYCP. Please come if you are able, or let folk know it is on.

PS fingers crossed for the weather!
Kirsty
Pilton Residents
Flyer attached:

Craigroyston Community High School Summer Programme

There’s absolutely no reason to be bored this July with a full programme of local activities at Craigroyston Community High School on Pennywell Road. Whether it’s art, fitness or cookery there’s something for you at Craigie this summer!

MONDAYS

2, 9, 16 and 23 July

Art: Painting and Drawing 10.30 – 12.30pm

£10 for four weeks or £3 per session

9, 16, 23 July

Family swim session 2 – 3pm

Adult £1, child 50p.

9, 16, 23 July

Adult Swim Session 3 – 4pm

Adult £1.50

 

2, 9, 16, 23 July

Fitness Gym 5.30 – 7.30pm

£3 per session

 

TUESDAYS

 

Gallery visits with Steven Hood

10 July 10.30

Drawing from the Landscape

Meet outside the RSA on the Mound for 10.30am

£3 – no entrance fee

 

24 July 10.30

Expanding Horizons – Giovanni Battista Lusieri (1754 – 1821)

Stunningly beautiful landscapes in watercolour

Meet outside The National Gallery on The Mound at 10.30

Entrance fee £7.50/£5 concessions

 

Home Cookery: Soups, salads and bakes!

3, 10 & 17 July

Never be stuck for a quick, healthy and tasty meal again!

£3 (to cover cost of ingredients). Bring a container to take your food home – or you can eat it here!

 

Family Swim Sessions 5.30 – 6.30pm

3, 10, 17 and 24 July.  Adult £1, child 50p

 

Adult Open Swim Session 6.30 – 7.30pm

3, 10, 17 and 24 July.  Adult £1.50

 

Fitness Gym 5.30 – 7.30pm

3, 10, 17 and 24 July. £3 per session.

 

WEDNESDAYS

 

Fitness Gym 5.30 – 7.30pm

4, 11, 18 and 25 July. £3 per session.

 

 

THURSDAYS

 

5, 12, 19 & 26 July

Family Swim Session 2 – 3pm Adult £1, child 50p.

Adult Open Swim Session 3 – 4pm £1.50p

Fitness Gym 5.30 – 7.30pm £3 per session.

 

FRIDAYS

 

July 13, 20, 27 & 3 August

Feet Foxes 10 – 11am

Feet Foxes is a class for parents and children (age 18 months – 5 years) who are looking for some FUN and enjoy dancing, movement, singing and playing games together! Each class has a mix of structured and free play, which encourages creativity whilst working and having fun together. Classes run as drop-in sessions, so pop along whenever suits! We dance in our bare feet and it’s best to wear comfy clothes!

£1.50 – One adult and up to three children; additional children 50p.

 

Aquafit and Adult Swim Session 11.30 – 12.30pm

July 6,13, 20 & 27 £1.50 per session.

 

For more information, to book a place on the Art or Cookery classes or to book a place on one of the gallery visits please call in at the school, telephone 538 7285 or 477 7801 or email admin@craigroyston.edin.sch.uk

 

 

 

 

 

 

Community Gala – it’s looking good!

Plans for the West Granton and Muirhouse Gala are progressing nicely, organisers told a meeting of interested parties on Tuesday. Permission to use West Pilton Park was finally granted last week – fortunately! – and with insurance, entertainers, security, caterers, rides, PA system, performers, a stage, marquees, shows and stalls all seemingly now in place all that’s needed on 26 August are punters and hopefully a little sunshine!

More than twenty local groups and organisations were represented at the planning meeting held at Muirhouse St Andrew’s Church, and gala organiser Sean Gardiner told the meeting: “Everything has fallen into place relatively easily – the biggest challenge for fellow organiser Alex and I has been time. We both work full-time and there seems to have been a thousands and one things to be done, but we’re getting there. The aim of this year’s gala is really to try to provide something for everyone – from the smallest kids right up to their grandparents – a real community event that everyone can enjoy and feel part of. We’ll learn from this year’s event when we go on to plan next years’ Gala!”

The list of attractions is very impressive – see the group’s website for details – and the West Pilton Park Gala on 26 August should indeed be a lot of fun. It takes a lot of work to create fun events, though, and organisers would be delighted to hear from any volunteers who would be willing to spend an hour or so helping out on the big day.

If you can lend a hand, contact the gala organisers at www.westpiltonandmuirhousegala.co.uk, where you’ll also find Facebook and Twitter contact details.

PS: Stalls and tables are still available for comunity groups and organisations – more info and booking forms are available through the website.