Category: North Edinburgh News

Thanks a million, Elsie!

Sunday 27 May marked a significant milestone in Elsie Moir’s 58 year association with North Edinburgh parents and children. Having reached her 80th birthday, Elsie decided it was time to ‘retire’ from the leadership of the Patch Club at Granton Parish Church.

Elsie started her teaching career atGrantonSchoolin 1954. Following her marriage in 1961, she went to South Africa and worked with husband Ian at a black African High School for 12 years. When Ian became minister of the West Pilton’s Old Kirk in 1983, Elsie asked for a teaching transfer to North Edinburgh. She was appointed toGrantonSchool, but resigned her post after a year in order to work in the Church with the large number of families who were moving into the renovated houses inWest Pilton.

 She started a Parent and Toddler Group and also a group for parents. Elsie believed passionately in giving people of all ages an opportunity to learn together, through the expressive arts (art, music and drama). This led to the formation of the ‘Worship Workshop’. People worked for six weeks around a theme which culminated in an all-age worship presentation in the Church. This approach was very attractive to parents and children, who appreciated being able to learn and work together.

Following Ian’s retirement in 2000 the couple became members of Granton Parish Church. The Patch Club grew out of an existing organisation, the Magic Carpet Club, which Elsie had started as a storytelling club for parents and pre-school children in 2006. In 2008 she started a Sunday version of the club – Patch Club. It has the same elements as the ‘Magic Carpet’ – free-play, storytelling, music and two craft activities.

Of the ten families currently attending, there are two Polish families, two Chinese families and a Czech family as well as local families. It is a very good meeting place for immigrant and Scottish families and warm friendships have grown among the group.

The Patch Club starts again after the summer break on Sunday 2nd September and meets from 11 – 12 noon inGrantonParishChurch,Boswall Parkway. New families are always welcome.

Thanks to Ian Moir and Chas Macintosh

Grierson celebrate Jubilee in style

Grierson Square residents celebrated the Queens Diamond Jubilee in style on Tuesday and even had their own ‘Griersonham Palace’.

VIP’s for the day Ella Thzaker, Margaret Slimon & Jim Slimon. (Pic: Thomas Brown)

The event was organised by locals Janet Munro and Andrina Pickavance, the two local have organised street celebrations in the past and thought that it was important to mark the occasion with their own street party. They told us “We have been planning this event for a few months, we had various meetings with our neighbours to ensure everyone was involved. Its all about the kids and giving them something to enjoy, we have races, prizes and lots of exciting things for them to do.”

Pin the tail on the Corgi with Nicola Spinks, Lucy Pickavance & Mhairi Pickavance. (Pic: Thomas Brown)

They also had there own ‘pin the tail on the Corgi’ this was a favourite among many of the younger children who attended.

They also had VIP’s for the day who were three local residents who had stayed in the Square for a number of years.

Event organisers Janet Munro and Andrina Pickavance. (Pic: Thomas Brown)

All the local people who attended had a great day and it was great to see such a great community spirit.

Oaklands MOVEs to space!

Oaklands was transformed into a strange new galaxy last month when the school celebrated National MOVE Day. Pupils, staff and visitors boldly went to search out new worlds – and raised over £140 in the process!

Oaklands introduced the Move curriculum in July 2009. It’s a movement-based programme which combines therapy and education to develop the individual’s mobility skills. Each individual programme is set by the physiotherapist, the pupil and their family and the school staff. Using a goal-based approach, the pupil works towards agreed targets; these range from being able to raise and hold their head independently enabling them to view and interact with the world around them, to being able to walk using walking frames.

Oaklands has supported National MOVE Day – a nationwide day celebrating the achievements of children with complex disabilities and health needs – since then, and the theme this year was ‘MOVE in Space’. The school was transformed into a strange and wonderful new universe where children and visitors could take part in a magical space voyage, stopping off at various points to enjoy exciting new experiences. Cosmic!

Leith celebrates Diamond Jubilee

Over 25 residents took part in a Diamond Jubilee celebration at St Nicholas Court Sheltered Housing Complex in Leith on Sunday. Residents and staff at the Port of Leith Housing Association (PoLHA) dressed in their finery and enjoyed afternoon tea, including celebratory champagne, as they watched the floatilla on Sunday. There was also a Royal Quiz and music at the event.

Resident Margaret McKinlay remembers the Queen’s coronation in 1952. She said: “I have fond memories of the day the Queen was crowned and am delighted that we have been able to celebrate that today in such a fun way with the other residents.”

PoLHA’s other sheltered housing complexes at Hermitage and Jameson Place were also celebrating. Maureen Tait who manages St Nicholas Court said: “We had a lovely day and it’s fantastic to bring everyone together to make this jubilee a celebration to remember.”

Wood you believe it? Green award for Oaklands

Oaklands School’s Millennium Wood scooped a prize when it was named runner up in the schools section of Scotland’s Finest Woods Awards last week.  Oaklands’ wood has only been growing for three years but the judges were clearly impressed and the school now has £250 to invest in improving their environment even more.

The cheque was presented by Bonnie Maggio of Scotland’s Finest Woods charity at a special assembly at Oaklands last week. Guest of honour at the event was Susan Walsh (pictured above right with her son Oscar), who with her family has done so much to support the Oaklands Millennium Wood project. The former Principal Teacher of Art at Fettes College worked with Oaklands over five years, seeing the garden grow and develop, and Susan and her family are now moving on to a new life in Canada.

They leave with a lot of love and good wishes, and they leave behind a growing, thriving wee area of peaceful woodland in North Edinburgh.

Dougie Samuel takes charge at Spartans

Douglas Samuel has been appointed senior team manger at Spartans. A statement posted on the Ainslie Park club’s website today confirmed his appointment and that of Neil Irvine as assistant boss. Dougie, a former club captain, is currently development manager at the club.

The Spartans statement says:

‘We are delighted to announce Douglas Samuel as the manager of our Senior team.  As most of you know Douglas has been head coach of Edinburgh University FC for the last nine seasons since leaving us as a player.  Douglas outlined his plans to the Executive yesterday afternoon and we were delighted to select him and his team to help us move forward over many seasons to come.  Neil Irvine will be Douglas’ assistant manager.  Neil was also a player with us before supporting Douglas at the University.

Chairman Craig Graham said “Douglas and Neil’s management and coaching pedigree make them the perfect choice.  We have ambitious plans over the next five years plus and Douglas will spearhead our on field developments.  As well as being manager of our Senior team Douglas will have oversight of our Junior, U21 and U19 set ups to ensure we align all our efforts”.

Douglas will be meeting our players over the next couple of weeks and we look forward to announcing our squad for next season at the end of the month.  Douglas’ full coaching and player development team will also be announced over the next couple of weeks’.

 

Granton musical: don’t miss it!

Following on from this morning’s post about Granton’s musical, I was lucky enough to catch the dress rehearsal this afternoon. This was the first time the cast have performed YANOMAMO in front of a live audience – their schoolmates – and the verdict? A resounding success!

Without giving too much away, YANOMAMO tells the tale of a tribe who have lived in the Amazonian rainforest since the dawn on man. Their future, and that of the rainforest, is put under threat by loggers and developers …

It’s well written, enthusiastically performed, the songs are great; in short, it’s very good and well worth seeing. There are a few tickets left for performances on Wednesday and Thursday evening (7pm) and Friday’s matinee (priced £5) – call the school office on 552 3987 to check availability.

 

North Edinburgh celebrates Diamond Jubilee

Maybe we didn’t have the sheer number of parties, but what we lacked in quantity we made up for in quality and enthusiasm when north Edinburgh celebrated the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee yesterday – and we had summer sunshine too!

Her Majesty herself made a surprise appearance at Holy Cross in Davidsons Mains (above), while a giant bear was seen dancing at an event organised by Stockbridge Colonies (below)!

And Wardieburn couple Marc and Joanne Blackburn organised a party for friends and neighbours at the local Salvation Army hall after they won a competition ran by local supermarket Iceland. Some revellers travelled from as far afield as Sunderland to join the Wardieburn event!

Granton Primary to stage their very own musical

Granton Primary School will be staging their first full-length musical this week. Everything about YANOMAMO has been created by the children themselves – from songs and set design to production and choreography.

The musical will be performed at the school on Wednesday and Thursday evenings at 7pm with a matinée on Friday (8th). Tickets are £5.

YANOMAMO is very much a first for the Boswall Parkway school, and tickets are understandably selling out fast. If you want to see a unique performance, call the school office on 552 3987 now!