With the holidays almost upon us the Total Craigroyston team has produced a useful guide to what’s on for children and families across North Edinburgh during the Easter break.
To find out what’s on, where and when, click on the link below:
Category: Pilton
PY’s ‘Giggers’ vote to focus on animals – and unicorn protection!
To coincide with the Scottish Independence Referendum in September, Pilton Youth & Children Project’s ‘Get Involved Group’ (GIG) undertook a ‘Democracy Project’ over several months.
The young people explored all the arguments about both sides of the independence debate and also found out about the roots of British democracy -did you know that only very rich people and only men used to get the vote?
The project ended with two performances of a play staged by the young people.
There were sketches about the working class people and suffragettes who fought and died for their right to vote and a sketch about a fictitious family in Pilton, whose kids eventually persuaded their parents to miss ‘Storage wars’ to go and cast their vote!
The young people performed brilliantly and all their weeks of hard work were well worth it as the audience gave them a standing ovation. Well done to the ‘Giggers’!
Following on from the GIG project about democracy, the young people in the ‘Get Involved Group’ went through a democratic process of identifying what the GIG should focus on next.
After much discussion, they unanimously voted for the next topic to be ‘Animal Welfare’ as this is something they care deeply about.
They are in the process of developing a ‘Dog Dirt Free’ zone around the PYCP building, as many children play there, but unfortunately people are letting their dogs foul there and not cleaning it up.
The group recently had a visit from Rachel Bliss from The Dogs Trust who spoke about the many aspects of Dog Welfare and Dog Safety. Rachel has agreed to come back to PYCP to do two more sessions for young people during the Easter holidays.
A couple of youngsters are very keen to look at protection of unicorns, and this is something that the workers are trying to figure out how best to tackle this subject-without shattering their illusions about unicorns being real!
Photos: (1) Suffragettes scene from GIG play, and (2) GIG trip to Cosmos to celebrate their West End Theatre run!
Pilton Youth & Childrens Project (PYCP)
MYDG takes the plunge!
MYDG young people, staff, colleagues, partners & community are going to swim for 24 hours in order to raise money for the groups & activities and the work they do with young people in North Edinburgh.
Please support MYDG by donating through “just giving”
PLEASE TEXT MYDG97 followed by your amount (£1-£10) to 70070
Or visit
https://www.justgiving.com/
Thank you for your support and contributions
You can keep posted on the lengths covered: @MuirhouseYouth on twitter!
Joanne Stewart
Three assaulted by knife-wielding robbers
Police seek witnesses to Ferry Road Drive knife attack but say #StrongerNorth initiative is producing ‘significant results’
Police are appealing for witnesses following an aggravated burglary in a Ferry Road Drive flat this morning. The attack comes just two days after community safety leaders hailed ‘significant results’ in the battle against crime and antisocial behaviour in the area.
Two intruders, both brandishing knives, broke into the property at around 6am and threatened and assaulted three male occupants before making off with cash, phones and other items. The victims were take to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary for treatment but their injuries are not thought to be serious.
The first suspect is described as white, skinny build, malnourished appearance, 18 – 20 years old, 5ft 3 – 5ft 4in tall. He has short, dirty blonde hair and was wearing a light grey cotton Adidas tracksuit with blue stripes.
The second suspect is described as white, 24 – 26 years old and a heavier build. This man has a round face with short dark hair that is receding at the front. He has a Scottish accent and he was wearing a black Superdry style jacket with dark jeans.
Police are appealing for the local community to come forward with information to assist their investigation into a terrifying incident.
Detective Constable Ryan Lee said: “This was a very distressing incident for the victims, who were assaulted by the two suspects within their home. We are appealing for anyone who saw any suspicious behaviour in the area of Ferry Road Drive at around 6am this morning to contact Police Scotland on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
This morning’s incident is the latest in a series of acts of violence and antisocial behaviour that have blighted the area over recent months. It’s a setback to the #StrongerNorth initiative, which was established last October following the attempted murder of local takeaway restaurant owner Jie Yu during a car robbery.
The perpetrators of that vicious attack were jailed last week and on Friday it was announced that senior law officers will be invited to visit the area to see first-hand the effects of what many local residents see as ‘soft sentencing’.
Last Friday, the agencies behind #StrongerNorth – Police Scotland, the city council and local community organisations – said the initiative is making progress but more needs to be done.
In a statement, Police Scotland said: “Preventing crime and bringing those responsible to justice remains a top priority for Police Scotland. There have been significant results with violent crimes 16% lower than the five-year average which means that in North Edinburgh, 130 fewer people have been victims of violent crimes.
Additional CCTV has been added to the area with further plans to bring more cameras to West Pilton. There has also been a sustained drop in the level of anti-social behaviour in the local community.”
Community Safety Leader, Councillor Cammy Day – who is also a councillor in the Forth ward – said: “#StrongerNorth is making real progress and I continue to be very grateful to the local community, who have rallied round to help make the north of the city a safer place.
“Information from local residents is helping us, along with Police Scotland, to combat antisocial behaviour and they have led the way on community clear ups to create a more positive environment.
“I am confident that, based on the positive reaction so far from residents, we will reach our goal of reducing crime to build stronger, safer communities.”
National resources from Police Scotland continue to assist North Edinburgh officers, with additional support from local Violence Reduction Units and the police helicoptor. Police horses have also been frequently deployed.
Inspector David Happs said: “The message from Stronger North remains clear – criminality in the local community will not be tolerated. While we have made significant steps tackling crime, we accept that there is still more work to be done.
“Our aim remains the same as it was six months ago: to create a better community for the people of North Edinburgh.”
Regeneration Drop-In at Community Shop today
Want to find out more about your community’s regeneration? Then the Community Shop’s the place to be over lunchtime today …
The Regenration drop-in provides another opportunity for the community to meet the team who are carrying out regeneration within their neighbourhood.
Representatives from the Council, NHS Lothian and Urban Union will be there to answer any questions about the new homes, NHS led partnership centre and also to talk about job and training opportunities as part of the wider community benefits.
Why not pop in and find out what’s happening in your neighbourhood?
Building New Futures drop in 270315
Nominate your inspiring volunteers
Inspiring Volunteering Achievement Awards 2015
Edinburgh’s Volunteering Ambassador the Lord Provost Donald Wilson will honour some of the dedicated volunteers who give their time, energy and commitment to the people of Edinburgh at a special awards ceremony to take place on Tuesday 16 June at The City Chambers.
Now nine years old, Edinburgh’s Inspiring Volunteering Achievement Awards reflect the exceptional range of organisations and individuals working in the city’s vibrant charity and non-profit sectors.
Nominations are now invited for this year’s awards, and can be submitted online here:https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/IVA2015
Organisations are welcome to nominate up to three individual volunteers and one team of volunteers.
Some lucky nominees will be invited to accept their award at the City Chambers, others will receive a certificate in the post. ALL nominated volunteers will receive a certificate either in person or in the post.
Eligibility criteria for 2015:
· The Awards are only open to people volunteering in the City of Edinburgh
· There are no age restrictions.
· Volunteers must have volunteered for at least six months with your organisation before being eligible to be nominated.
· If they have previously received an “Inspiring Volunteering Certificate” at the City Chambers they should not be nominated again.
· Only fully completed nominations will be considered for individuals or teams, and we will quote from these statements when presenting the awards.
Shortlisted nominations will be considered by the Lord Provost for the ‘Lord Provost of Edinburgh’s Inspiring Volunteer of the Year Award 2015’.
Special recognition categories to highlight some of the diverse areas of volunteering across the City of Edinburgh include:
· A Young Volunteer (aged between 11 and 25 years old)
· Long Standing Contribution to Volunteering Award (an individual who has volunteered for 10 years or more, and has made an outstanding contribution)
· Charity Shop Volunteer
· Fundraising Volunteer
· Trustee Volunteer
· Health & Social Care Volunteer (volunteers engaged in health and social care, including support work, befriending or projects which reduce social isolation and help assist independent living)
· Sports Volunteer (volunteers actively involved in supporting sports in their communities).
· Environment & Conservation Volunteer (volunteers engaged in environmental activities including education, conservation or gardening).
· Arts, Culture & Heritage Volunteer
· Housing / Tenant participation champion *** Introduced in 2014 ***
The Awards Ceremony usually takes place during Volunteers Week – which runs every year from the 1– 7 June, however in 2015 it will be take place on the later date of Tuesday 16 June. Nominations will close on 1 April 2015 at 8pm.
We also encourage volunteer involving organisations to organise their own recognition events during Volunteers’ Week, whether that be their own mini awards ceremony, coffee morning, lunch or social activity that recognises and celebrates the contribution of their volunteers. It’s a great opportunity to do something to say thank you, and show your volunteers that they are valued and appreciated.
Lord Provost Donald Wilson, said: “There are thousands of dedicated and inspiring volunteers in Edinburgh selflessly giving up their own time to help and support others. These awards are simply one way of recognising some of their tremendous work, and their contribution to the wellbeing of our city’s residents cannot be overstated.”
Kris Von Wald, Convenor of Volunteer Centre Edinburgh, said: “The Lord Provost has agreed to present these awards because he recognises how important volunteers are to Edinburgh and its residents. The Awards seek to acknowledge the hard work, commitment, energy and positive difference that volunteers make”.
Read all about it: local Forum lifts literary prize!
We-CTV Award for North Edinburgh Young People’s Forum
North Edinburgh Young People’s Forum (NEYPF) has won second prize in a national competiton organised by the Scottish Youth Parliament. Josh, Laura and Brandin’s entry was the only submission from Edinburgh to win an award at this week’s presentation ceremony (writes Dave Pickering).
Launched last June, the We-CTV Competition asked young people to address issues of interpersonal violence in communities. Groups were asked to produce a piece of creative work on themes like knife crime, abuse and online bullying in one of three categories: Art (drawing, painting, textiles), Literary (creative or discursive writing) or Multimedia (video or audio).
NEYPF decided to take part in the competition and agreed to write a piece on bullying.
It’s been a long process. Entrants were first asked to submit an expression of interest by the end of August 2014. The creative concept deadline was 31 October and a National Creative We-CTV Production Day took place on 11 November, giving entrants an opportunity to meet with creative experts and share ideas. The final submission deadline for ‘creative solution’ entries was 16 January and this was followed by an online vote.
The group has had an anxious wait since voting closed on 8 February, but the NEYPF were rewarded for their hard work when they were announced as runner-up in the Literary category at Wednesday evening’s awards which were held in Glasgow’s Film Theatre.
Josh Ward (13), Laura Hulbert (14) and Brandin Sharpe (13) – all of whom took part in a training session with NEN last Autumn – attended the gala event with NEYPF youth worker Danielle Ward and were delighted to win second prize in their category. As well as the Award, each team member received a certificate and vouchers from Pizza Express and Vue Cinemas.
Their certificates read: ‘Their contribution helped raise awareness of interpersonal violence against young people‘.
Prizes aside, the highlight of the event for the Forum members was meeting Sanjeev Kohli, Still Game’s Naveed, who was MC for the evening! His quote: ‘I am just a monkey in a suit’ was the group’s favourite.
The final words, quite rightly, go to the NEYPF members. “It was an emotional rollercoaster!” said Brandin, while Josh added: “It was fun and I met Navid and we came second!”
Short and sweet but says it all! Well done, NEYPF!
Just capital! Free wi-fi in Edinburgh this Easter
Connected Capital: Enjoy free wi-fi this Easter
Edinburgh residents and visitors are to benefit from free wi-fi in 70 public buildings across the city as part of the City of Edinburgh Council’s Connected Capital Programme.
Attractions such as the majority of Edinburgh Leisure centres and the National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh Zoo and Dynamic Earth, will be live in time for Easter and the rest will come on line in the coming weeks and months.
Those travelling on Edinburgh’s trams and Lothian Buses are already benefitting from free wi-fi as the project is rolled out across the city.
Edinburgh is one of 22 cities across the UK benefiting from the Government’s SuperConnected Cities £150m Programme, which is being delivered through Broadband Delivery UK.
Councillor Frank Ross, Economy Convener, said: “This is great news as the new service will mean that everyone will be able to get free access to the latest information on their favourite apps and websites while out and about and when going to the gym, taking in some art or when taking their children to one of Edinburgh’s many museums. It is also great timing as some of the attractions gearing up for Easter crowds already have public wi-fi installed.
“This project is central to the Council’s plans for growing the city economy, and encouraging residents and visitors to stay longer and increase their spend.”
Edinburgh Leisure, ICT Manager Stuart Fairbairn, said: “Edinburgh Leisure is delighted to offer free wi-fi in 13 of its venues thanks to this funding from the UK Government via our partners at The City of Edinburgh Council. It will allow us to provide our busy customers with a great opportunity to stay connected while working out or relaxing in these venues, giving them yet another reason to stay healthy and active with Edinburgh Leisure.”
Hugh Wallace, Head of Digital Media, National Museum of Scotland, said: “We’re already seeing a healthy level of uptake, and people connecting to the service are then linking to museum-based material on our website (what’s on information, downloadable apps, e-newsletter sign-up). When we fully promote the service we will encourage the sharing of content, engagement with the museum’s collections, and offer further downloadable options – something we hope will provide a real step change for our visitors.”
Culture Secretary Sajid Javid said: “I’m delighted Edinburgh took up the challenge to become one of the UK’s Superconnected Cities as part of the Government programme. It’s vital that our cities have the digital infrastructure like superfast broadband and wifi in place to deal with the demands of the digital age. Our investment in Edinburgh has delivered a welcome boost to the local economy, and is all part of our long term economic plan.”
Buildings that currently have free wi-fi include:
- Edinburgh Zoo
- National Museum of Scotland
- Dynamic Earth
- All Edinburgh Leisure centres with the exception of Warrender Swim Centre and the Edinburgh International Climbing Arena (EICA)
Buildings which will go live at some point in the next few months:
- Queen’s Hall
- Nelson Monument
- People’s Story Museum
- The Lyceum
- Festival Theatre
- King’s Theatre
- City Art Centre
- Edinburgh Festival Fringe
- Scottish Poetry Library
- Out of Blue Drill Hall
- Museum of Edinburgh
- Museum of Childhood
- The Writers’ Museum
- Museum Collections Centre
- Lauriston Castle
- Old City Observatory and the Dome
- Trinity Apse
- The Church Hill Theatre
- Usher Hall
- Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
- Traverse Theatre
- Warrender Swim Centre and the EICA (EICA)
Free wi-fi is also being installed in a number of the Council’s community centres, care homes and young people’s accommodation.
Tierney Award for Susan – Leader of the Pack!
Susan Jeffrey received Drylaw’s Thomas Tierney Award for Good Citizenship at a packed Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre last night. Susan was joined by friends, family and colleagues at a reception organised to mark the annual award that celebrates our unsung local heroes (writes Dave Pickering).
Susan was the unanimous choice of Drylaw Telford community members for her incredible contribution as a volunteer with the Brownies at Drylaw Parish Church – Susan has been with the pack on a Monday evening for thirty years!
Presenting the award, Councillor Lesley Hinds said: “It’s really nice to see such a big crowd here tonight and it’s particularly good that Mrs Tierney has joined us once again.
“The community council received four every strong nominations this year ans it says a lot that Susan was the unanimous choice of the community council for her thirty years service with the local Brownie Pack, but also in recognition of her work as a fundraiser with Drylaw Church, where she chaired the fundraising committee.
“Presenting the award gives me particular satisfaction this year as I am an ambassador for the local Girl Guiding movement and I know just what a difference people like Susan can make to young people’s lives. I wonder just how many girls and young women have been influenced in a positive way over those thirty years? Susan has been described as a ‘warm, caring person’ and while she may be quiet and reserved she has made a great contribution to community life here in Drylaw.”
Susan said: “I would like to thank everyone – my friends and family – who have helped and supported me. I don’t know if I will manage another thirty years but we will see how things go!”
Speaking after the presentation Guide Leader Elizabeth Martin, ex-Commissioner of Raeburn Division (which covers Pennywell District, of which Drylaw is part) said: “It was an honour for me to present Susan with her 30 year knot at 170th ‘B’ Brownies in January, my final role as Division Commissioner for Girlguiding Raeburn.
“Susan has seen many girls go through Brownies and some have even become leaders within Girlguiding and Scouting. She always encourages the girls to do their best along with encouraging the volunteers she has had over the years to take a full part in the unit. Susan runs a very full programme of activities for the girls and plans the unit meetings with her other leaders. Congratulations, Susan on your Award.”
If you’d like more information about Girlguiding – perhaps your daughter is interested in joining or you’d like to find out about volunteering with the organisation, visit www.girlguiding.org.uk
Susan is the fifteenth recipient of the annual award – and the women have forged into a clear lead! The tally now stands at 9-6 in the girl’s favour, so come on Drylaw boys – get out and support your community!
Thomas Tierney Award for Good Citizenship Award Winners:
2000 Harry MacDonald
2001 David Pickering
2002 Anna Aitken
2003 Alexander Sandilands
2004 Emma Robertson
2005 Florence Atkinson
2006 Evelyn Crawford
2007 Jackie Brown
2008 Eileen Outterson
2009 Margaret Robinson
2010 Henry MacDonald
2011 Ian Moore
2012 Alex Dale
2013 Mhairi Curren
2014 Susan Jeffrey
More pictures from last night’s event:
Dave Pickering
Spring Walk: book NOW!
Last chance to book!
Zoo Arts Extra
Spring Art Walk & Gallery Visit
Friday 27 March, 1.15pm
FREE, For all ages
Walk from North Edinburgh Arts (NEA) to the Gallery of Modern Art
Leaving from NEA at 1.15pm
- Please arrive 10 minutes before
- If you’re coming from the High School, we’ll meet you on Pennywell Road at 1.20pm
- Primary school age participants are welcome to come to NEA direct from school and wait in a supervised lunch / activity space (with art materials!)
- If you would like to be collected from school, please phone to arrange
On the Walk:
The walk will take about an hour and a half. Valla, our garden coordinator at NEA will be with us to show us edible plants and tell us about the environment of the cycle path and walk way.
Artist Mark Kirkham (http://edinburghsketcher.com/
Art materials, cameras, waterproofs provided.
We will also be leaving the walkway cleaner than we find it; with special litter grabbers provided! Scooters are a good idea for young ones who may find the walk a bit long. Please NO bikes!
At the Gallery of Modern Art:
We’ll wash hands and have snacks and something hot to drink
Draw, photograph and play in the grounds of the gallery
Split into small groups for a look around the exhibitions (with activities).
Afterwards
Head across the road to GMA 2, and through the amazing Dean Cemetery – perfect spot for a bit more sketching and photography – and catch the 37bus home (from Queensferry Road).
Back at North Edinburgh Arts by around 5.30pm (We will notify parents of any change by text).
This activity is for ALL AGES; individuals AND families.
Coming without a parent or responsible adult?
We need permission from a parent/carer to take you with us, as well as contact phone numbers.
Pick up a permission slip from North Edinburgh Arts, Muirhouse Library or your school’s reception / admin office (Pirniehall, St David’s, Forth View, Ferryhill & Craigroyston Primaries).
Or, request the form from admin@northedinburgharts.co.uk
