Pilton – Page 36 – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

As we see it: Youth Forum looks at local crime

Read all about it! North Edinburgh Young People’s Forum newspaper investigates attitudes to crime in Forth

North Edinburgh Young People’s Forum would like to invite you along to the launch of our new newspaper which focuses on the perceptions of crime in the Forth Ward through the eyes of young people. We shall also be seeking opinions on ways we can develop this work and our future plans and ideas.

NEYPF`s Crime Perception Newspaper Launch

@ West Pilton Neighborhood Centre

Wednesday 3^rd June 2015

5:30pm – 7:00pm (Registration from 5pm)

Refreshments are provided

All at the Forum hope to see you on the night!!

Searching for Teddy McDougall

Does anyone remember Teddy McDougall?

An American woman is trying to trace her husband’s childhood friend from the Pilton area. Can you help?

This is just a shot in the dark, but it is a very sincere and hopeful request.   I know Edinburgh is a very large city, and I assume “McDougall” may be as common a surname there as “Smith” is here in the States, but this is my request:

There was a boy named Teddy McDougall who lived on Pilton Walk (?) near my husband, John Geddes Martin, Jr., when he was a boy and his family lived on Granton Road in Edinburgh.   Teddy had some sort of affliction, possibly epilepsy, which caused some limitations for him, but he was very artistic. John was, and is, a very kind person and spent time with Teddy when other boys in the neighborhood shunned him. My husband was born in 1947, and he was slightly younger or older than Teddy, so Teddy’s year of birth would have been probably within the range of 1945 – 1949.

John and his family came to the USA in 1964. He kept in touch with Teddy through Teddy’s mother, Lily McDougall, for several years but eventually lost touch.   I believe Teddy’s father, Jack McDougall, might have died while the Martins were still in Edinburgh, but I’m not certain about that point. John’s parents have passed in recent years (John Geddes Martin, Sr., in 2005, and Catherine Gilhooley Martin in 2008), so we cannot ask for more information they might have remembered.   Recently when an old family friend visited, we were told that Teddy had been sent to live in a nursing facility while still a young man.

John had a stroke some years ago and one of his constant thoughts is about Teddy.   We would very much like to locate Teddy and try to communicate with him if he is able.

Considering the information I have provided, is it possible Teddy might be a member of your family or extended family?   Can you offer any suggestions how we might locate him or determine if he and his mother are still living?

I have “googled” to search for Teddy, Edward, or Theodore McDougall and for Lily, Lilly, or Lillian McDougall, but to no avail.   I’ve also searched for nursing homes in Edinburgh but found there are MANY.   I did go to the website for carehome.co.uk and sent an email through their site providing some of the information included in this email to ask if there is any way to determine if and where Teddy resides.

It is true we have no urgent medical or other reason to locate Teddy, only that it would please my husband to contact Teddy, and hopefully Teddy will remember John and be pleased also.

Thank you for considering this request and for any help you might provide.

Gratefully,

Susie Martin

15124 Catawba Circle, South

Charlotte, NC, USA 28104

Spartans Fund for Grim appeal tops £5300

Magnificent support for family devastated by Crewe Terrace fire

North Edinburgh and the wider community has dug deep to contribute to a fund set up by Spartans to support a valued volunteer who’s Crewe Terrace home was destroyed by fire on Thursday. Spartans set up an appeal for donations on Thursday evening – and just 36 hours later over 200 donations have been pledged and £5300 raised!

It’s a magnificent effort for a hugely popular volunteer – known as Grim O’Grady, Gary Betts set up Spartans Connections for players with disabilities over a year ago and the initiative has grown and grown.

Grim is still heavily involved in the setup and was at Spartans’ Ainslie Park home, just minutes away from his own family house in Crewe Terrace, when he first noticed the fire.

Spartans club secretary John McCabe told BBC Scotland news: “Grim saw smoke in the distance and made a joke saying ‘I hope it isn’t my house’ and then five minutes later his son phoned and said it was their house on fire.

“He was in an awful panic as he was worried about his pets. His whole house is gutted and his family only have the clothes on their backs, they have lost everything else. He is such a great man that we felt we must help him in any way we can so he can buy food and clothes and pay for accommodation.”

John McCabe went on: “We have had a big response from the community and Central Taxis has given him taxi vouchers so he can get around during this hard time. He does so much for people in north Edinburgh that they want to help him.”

While it’s fortunate that no-one was injured in the blaze, sadly the family pets could not be rescued and perished in the fire.

Grim has issued a statement on behalf of his family through the Spartans Connections website. Thanking Spartans, the community, he said:

“Obviously no amount of money can bring back our much loved pets but the community spirit that’s been brought about from our Spartans family is unbelievable.

“It’s incredible to see how far the hands of friendship have spread. Lynne, Jamie & myself are very humbled by how much has been given in the short & tragic time of these horrific events. It would have been a lonely horrible & isolated time had our community not come together.

“We’d like to thank everyone for their kindness, it has been such a crutch to know when we were at our lowest there were so many wonderful folk there to hold out their hands & pick us up. Showing great respect. We will be round to thank everyone soon.

“We are going to come back to our community as soon as we can find a place. We want to get back to where we belong & with the help of all our wonderful community begin to pick up the pieces & start again. Thank you all for showing such compassion and all your donations.”

To make a donation go to

www.justgiving.com/fund-for-grim

Crewe Terrace fire: Spartans come to the aid of ‘one of our own’

Spartans Academy sets up appeal fund

GRIM O’GRADY FUND

You might know that Grim (or Garry to give him his Sunday name) came home (Thursday 14 May) to find his family house in North Edinburgh had been destroyed in a fire. Grim and his family have lost all their possessions including his wonderful dog Buster and their cats.

To help Grim and his family quickly get back on their feet we have set up a collection for them via the Spartans Academy just giving website.

Everyone right across Spartans knows Grim and the fantastic contribution he makes, especially to the Spartans Connections programme. He has given up so much to help a large number of people within the North Edinburgh community and we’re hoping the Spartans, Lowland League and Scottish Football communities can help him in his time of need.

The football club will start the collection with a contribution of £500. If you would like to make a contribution but cannot do it online, please hand it into the Academy office and let them know it is for the Grim O’Grady Fund. If you want to contribute by cheque please make it payable to our charity, The Spartans Community Football Academy.

Our thoughts are with Grim and his family.

Make an online donation at www.justgiving.com/fund-for-grim

So far (Friday 9am) the appeal has raised over £17000 – keep giving!

Flat destroyed in Crewe Terrace fire

Thirty firefighters battle Crewe Terrace flat inferno

Firefighters battled for over three hours to bring a fierce blaze in an upper villa flat in Crewe Terrace under control today. Five appliances and more than thirty firefighters attended the fire which broke out around 11:30 this morning (writes Dave Pickering).

At one point it was feared that the fire would spread to neighbouring properties. One Crewe resident said: “The fire was in the attic conversion and you could see the flames quite clearly. The fire had got quite a hold, the house was well alight but the firemen did a great job – it couldn’t have been easy to deal with that.”

It’s understood no-one was injured in the fire but the house has suffered extensive damage. Investigations are now under way to ascertain the cause of the fire.

PIC: Gillian McGuinness McFarlane

Jobs Fair in Muirhouse

Muirhouse Library and Shopping Centre will host an Employment and Learning Fair between 10.30am and 1.30pm this Thursday (14 May).

The event is aimed at both adult jobseekers and young people looking for advice and support to get into work or learning in North Edinburgh. Organisations attending the event will include employability providers from the local area as well as employers with vacancies to fill.

Community Renewal is one of the organisations involved in the jobs fair, and emplyment adviser Diana said: “Previous events have resulted in jobseekers securing interviews on the spot so jobseekers are advised to come prepared with CVs and dressed to impress!”

A message from Mark Lazarowicz

I would like to thank all those who gave me their support in the general election held on 7 May. I was proud of the way we took our message to every street in every part of Edinburgh North & Leith, and although we were unsuccessful, I am sure that the efforts of our team were one of the reasons why I received more votes in 2015 than in the 2010 election.

I have been extremely privileged to have been able to serve the people of Edinburgh North & Leith as their representative in Parliament since 2001, and I thank them for giving me that opportunity.

I congratulate the successful candidate Deidre Brock on her victory. Like all MPs, she can be contacted at the House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA, switchboard 0207 219 3000.

My constituency office will now close down, and as I am no longer an MP I will not be able to deal with any constituency work. However, Malcolm Chisholm MSP continues to have his constituency office at 5 Croall Place, Leith Walk and can be contacted for any Scottish Parliament matters in the Edinburgh Northern & Leith constituency.

Charity fundraising? It’s a snip!

Little Princess Chrissie raises £1000 for children’s charity

Little Christina Downie heard her mum talking about a small charity and took it upon herself to do something to support other children. The six year old Forthview pupil decided to get her hair cut for charity – and she’s raised over £1000!

Proud mum Dawn explained: “Back in February Chrissie heard me talking about Little Princess Trust, a charity provides real hair wigs to children who have lost their own hair through cancer treatment. She told us that she wanted to help the charity and she came up with the haircut idea herself.

“She is a very kind wee girl who always thinks and cares about other people so when we saw how determined she was we knew she would see it through.

“We thought at first we might raise a hundred pounds or so, but people have been so generous. The school, neighbours, my mother’s workmates have all supported Chrissie and she’s raised over £1000, with still more to come!”

Christina’s Aunt Ashley, who’s a hairdresser, popped in to family’s West Pilton home on Friday to cut Chrissie’s hair. She took around eleven inches off the length – and that hair will soon be turned into gold for the Little Princess Trust!

When the snipping was over Dawn said: “It’s really nice but I feel a bit weird – Chrissie’s hair hasn’t been that short since she was about a year old!”

Fortunately wee Christina likes her new look. She said: “I look different and it feels funny at first but I’m glad I’ve had it done.”

Ah, well. Hair today, gone tomorrow! Fundraising? It’s kid’s stuff!

https://youtu.be/YJciVFZd5aU

Call in for coffee and chat at the Coversation Cafe

The Community Leadership College is holding the first in a series of ‘conversation cafes’ at West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre this morning from 10am – 12 noon.

The greatest asset our community has is the people who live here, and the Community Leadership Cafe plans to build on the skills, knowledge and experience of our own residents to help build a better and stronger community for all.

Like to find out more? Call in for a chat at West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre today from 10am – 12 noon – it’s very informal and there’s free refreshments too!

If you can’t make it along this morning, don’t worry – a number of sessions are planned. Confirmed venues so far include:

Wednesday 6 May: Muirhouse Millennium Centre, 2 – 4pm

Thursday 14 May: Muirhouse Millennium Centre, 6 – 8pm

Monday 18 May: West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre, 4 – 6pm

Thursday 21 May: North Edinburgh Arts, 2 – 4pm

Monday 25 May: North Edinburgh Arts, 11am – 1m

Monday 1 June: West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre, 4 – 6pm

… and there will be more!

For further information call Kelly (0751 975 8526) or Dave (0751 975 8555) or email comlc2015@outlook.com

Local learners on a high!

Local young people short-listed for learners award

Late last year I spent time with a bright and enthusiastic group of young adults at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre to plan a piece of work. Their mission? To choose a subject of relevance to young people, research and then write an article on that subject for North Edinburgh News.

The group has now produced their article (see below) – and all their hard work is to be recognised too!

Community Learning & Development tutor Karen Riddell, who supported the group during the project, explained: “They really were a vibrant group of young people with strong opinions and it was great to see them engage with the topic and undertake the various activities related to building their skills and putting the article together.

“The group was nominated for an Edinburgh Adult Learners Achievement Award and I’m delighted to say that they have been short-listed for an award in the Young Adults Category.”

The Tomorrow’s People team will learn their fate at an event at the City Chambers on 20 May. Fingers crossed for you, guys – and here’s your article …

LEGAL HIGHS: Is It Worth It?

Local young people speak out against ‘legal highs’

We are a group of young people from Pilton who have just spent 16 weeks on the Tomorrow’s People employability programme. Part of our course helped us brush up on our literacy and critical thinking skills through a weekly CLD Practical Journalism course held at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre.

Dave Pickering, the editor at the North Edinburgh News, very kindly gave us the opportunity to write an article for his paper, so after much debate we decided to research and write about Legal Highs.

We compiled a local survey and found out that most of the young people who responded to the survey had either used Legal Highs or knew someone who had. The main reasons cited were: they were easy to get, friends were trying them, they’re cheap – at least half the price of illegal drugs, they give you a really good high, taking them gives you something to do, boredom and peer pressure.

Even although a high percentage of young people surveyed had used them without any serious long term consequences, we did find out that at least 68 people died last year as a direct result of using them, so they are not quite as harmless as some people think.

We found that their name made them quite misleading and people thought it meant they were pretty safe to use. The truth is that drugs councilors now advise their clients to stick to their heroin as legal highs are even more dangerous, burning the skin as it is injected and causing blistering and serious infection.

Most people who completed the questionnaire had also tried illegal drugs and strongly felt that these were safer than Legal highs. As a group, we definitely agreed with that.

We also feel that the government are failing to make drug taking safer. No matter what you might feel about drugs, a lot of people from literally all walks of life use them and are going to continue to do so. David Cameron dodges the issue for fear of losing votes and insists that ‘What is in place is working’ despite the fact that over 2500 people died from drugs-related causes last year in the UK.

Is it not time to follow Portugal and make drugs a health issue rather than a criminal one so that people are offered more protection? In Portugal they found that de-criminalising it didn’t bring about any increase in the level of drug use by people and also that millions was saved on the essentially ineffectual enforcement of drug laws.

Across Europe clubs have drug-testing facilities so that people can test substances before they take them – surely that must offer people more protection than kidding on that ‘what is in place is working’!

A recent Home Office report that we looked at said that having tough drugs laws didn’t make any difference to the level of drug use but Home Secretary Teresa May had this part of the report removed and it was only found out about when Norman Baker revealed the findings after he resigned! This just goes to show that governments make useless drug laws to kid on they are in control of the problem when they’re really just doing it as a vote catcher.

Present policy bears no relation to the reality of people’s recreational drug use and it’s time for the government to introduce some new policies to protect its citizens and not put their own vote-catching first.

We need much better drug education to help us keep ourselves safe, and the obvious place for this to take place is in schools. We felt strongly that a peer to peer support programme in schools would help young people make informed choices about drug use and help keep them safer.

Our research found that young people felt there needed to be far more opportunities for young people in the work-place and much better affordable or subsidised recreational facilities to offer them the chance to experience other kinds of ‘legal highs’, their own ‘natural highs’ like ski-ing, skating, abseiling, snow-boarding, canoeing, dirt-biking, go-karting etc. Risk-taking is part of brain-development for young people and we need to offer them the opportunity to explore this in a safer environment.

Drugs become a problem when there is little else in the drug users lives. We found out that in an experiment, mice which were separated from other mice kept going back to drink the drug-laced water whereas mice that lived in groups didn’t. The experiment showed that lack of strong emotional bonds in your life can drive you to bond with legal highs or drugs instead.

They say it takes a community to bring up a child so that’s why it’s very important for us to work together to stop the reckless experimentation that can lead to addiction, to value the young people of Pilton and provide them with the support they need to keep their use of drugs and alcohol to an acceptable level and help them realise their potential.

It seems to us that one of the worst thing about legal highs is the hypocrisy of supposedly ‘respectable’ shop-keepers who are prepared to stock them in the full knowledge that people, especially young people, buy them to consume them. We feel a local campaign should be set up to stop these shops from selling them.

Good websites:

(1)Anyone’s Child; Families for Safer Drug Control – www.anyoneschild.org

(2) Release.org