The Inverleith Summer Programme is packed with things to do over the summer holidays (see details below)
Registration is on Monday 22 June 6pm at Broughton High School so get your skates on!
Category: Stockbridge
It’s Water of Leith clean up time!
Water of Leith Clean Up
Sunday 28 June 11am – 1.30pm
Meet at clock at Canonmills clock (foot of Brandon Terrace) at 10.45. Wear long sleeves and long trousers (nettles!) – and bring a picnic!
Local Community Learning & Development Worker Callum Mcleod said: “It’s normally a fun day and if you can make it along I’m sure you’ll enjoy yourself!”
Crumbs! PCHP cake will put North Edinburgh on the map!
Pilton Community Health Project will be producing a cake to highlight the best of North Edinburgh as part of this month’s Edinburgh’s Cake Fest – and they could use your help!
PCHP’s Community Development Manager Anita Aggarwal explained: “We are delighted to have been asked to contribute a cake to Cake Fest – they are building a map of Edinburgh made in cake!
“A master cake decorator (a member of the Sugarcraft Guild) will be with us on Thursday 18 June from 9.30am – 1pm to help us decorate our cake, which will be our building and a community garden – hopefully decorated with symbols and figures that represent the best of the area.
“Drop in anytime between 9.30 and 1 to contribute to the cake which will be displayed at the Botanics. Let us know if you need a creche.”
“You can see all the entire map of Edinburgh made from cake at the Botanic Gardens on Sunday 21 June – its all free and the cake will be shared around from 5pm.”
And what exactly is Cake Fest Edinburgh? Well, it’s part of The Year of Food and Drink Scotland 2015 events and, simply put, it’s a free day of cake, entertainment and Scotland’s best food and drink!
Sunday 21 June 2015 is Midsummer’s Day, and on Inverleith House lawn in the Botanic Gardens, Cake Fest Edinburgh will build a giant edible map of the city including over 50 magnificent landmark buildings in cake! Join us to witness this marvel, explore the gardens and sample delicious local produce.
There’s street food and a producer’s market from 10am and throughout the afternoon there will be workshops for the kids and free entertainment all day and evening long. From midday, the cake map will be assembled – careful, now! – and by 5pm the cake map will be complete …
Once the cake map is complete it will be left for all to admire whilst each baking team casts its vote for the Bakers Choice cake. Shortly after 5pm the winner will be announced by a very special guest – and bakers will then be invited onto the map to cut up their cakes to share with onlookers, all for free!
This event is for all the family and free to attend. For further information visit http://edinburgh.cakefest.org.uk/
Power of Food Festival is fast approaching …
North Edinburgh plays a major part in this month’s Power of Food Festival with events and activities in Blackhall, Drylaw, Granton, Leith, Muirhouse and the Botanics to name just a few …! 
Hello everyone!
It’s an amazing privilege to be in a position today to launch the programme of Edinburgh’s first Power of Food Festival, only five and a half months after we decided to turn the original idea into a reality. It’s been a bit of a mad time getting everything in place, but really exhilarating to see it all coming together thanks to the efforts of a wide range of individuals keen to share their resources, skills, energy and passion. And how appropriate to be launching such an initiative on Volunteers Week! Volunteers are at the heart of community food growing and of the centre of the Festival.
We look forward to seeing you in one (or several!) of the 15 gardens of the Festival on 20-21 June and hope you enjoy the celebration!
Best wishes from
The Power of Food Festival Committee
Rebecca Crowther
Christine Giraud
Marie-Amélie Viatte
After months of preparation, The Power of Food Festival is pleased to announce an exciting programme of free events organised by each venue in line with what they do best: connecting people!
From well established award winning gardens, to new grassroot food growing projects, the diversity of the initiatives which feature in the programme will surprise and delight Festival goers. Venues open on the weekend of 20 and 21 June include a library, an office block, a secret garden, and a farmhouse which is undergoing an incredible transformation!
A citywide celebration
From Portobello to Wester Hailes, Granton to Blackhall, Tollcross to Old Dalkeith Road, and many others in between, every corner of Edinburgh will have a garden celebrating the joy of community food growing. There will be a rich menu of events suited for every taste, for children and adults alike, including: children’s poetry writing, bug hunting, storytelling and sharing, choir music, conversations on nature, food and sustainability, wind band, foraging, cooking and eating, as well as practical gardening workshops, and the launch of Edible Edinburgh Food Charter of a Sustainable Food City.
In association with Sustrans, visitors can also join in a guided bike tour of the
gardens (free but ticketed). Bookings can be made online.
Whether on foot or on two wheels, visitors can plan their Festival trip and keep up to date with the latest events and information via The Power of Food Festival website (details below).
A Festival for everyone
Why not invite your friends and family to take part in the first Edinburgh Power of Food Festival? The weekend will give everyone a chance to meet people in their local community, to join those who are transforming the city landscape everyday, and to give a deeper meaning to the word ‘community’. Maybe it will be the beginning of a great adventure: who knows where The Power of Food will take you?
The full programme of events can be accessed here: PoF Programme
Come with family and friends to The Power of Food Festival
Celebrating community food growing and local change makers
summer solstice weekend 20-21 June
W: poweroffoodfestival.wordpress.
Twitter @PoFFest FacebookEdinburghPowerofFoodFestival
Queen’s Award for LifeCare
Stockbridge-based LifeCare have had their work recognised by Her Majesty the Queen. LifeCare, which works with elderly people, has been honoured with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK.
Across the city, Duddingston Kirk Lunch Club has also received the highest accolade.
Both charities were recommended for awards by Edinburgh’s Lord Provost and Lord Lieutenant, Donald Wilson, who also takes on the role of the city’s volunteering champion and both LifeCare and Duddingston Kirk Lunch Club will be invited to attend a garden party at Holyrood Palace with the Queen in late Spring.
LifeCare Edinburgh, based at Cheyne Street in Stockbridge, works across the city supporting the independence and wellbeing of the elderly, people with dementia and carers, helping them to remain at home, connect with others and participate more fully in their community. This is done through a rang of services which includes day units, a popular community café and volunteer projects.
Su Millar, Chief Executive of LifeCare Edinburgh, said: “We are absolutely thrilled with this news and proud to be one of two organisations to receive such a prestigious award. We are delighted that it is recognising the excellent work our volunteers do here at LifeCare Edinburgh.
“We are grateful to Sopra Steria, Edinburgh for nominating us. It demonstrates our commitment to our volunteers and we could not offer all that we do without them. The volunteers who work with us complement our staff teams whether it is assisting in the day units, helping in the café, supporting our events, or helping older people with their shopping.”
“They all bring their own enthusiasm and expertise so without them LifeCare Edinburgh would not be able to make such a difference in the lives of the people we care for. Our volunteers range from students doing their Duke of Edinburgh Award, people who have retired and have more time to spare, to those looking to gain experience in the workplace.”
Duddingston Kirk Lunch Club provides a vital lunch club service for elderly and frail people in east Edinburgh. The service is provided on an entirely voluntary basis by a dedicated group of volunteers, many of whom are themselves elderly.
The local groups are two of 187 charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups to receive the prestigious award this year. The number of awards handed out to groups have increased by over 60% from 2014, due to an increase in high quality applications, showing that the voluntary sector is thriving and full of innovative ideas to tackle community challenges.
Volunteers from LifeCare and the Duddingston Kirk Lunch Club will receive the award from Edinburgh’s Lord Provost later this summer.
The Lord Lieutenant Donald Wilson said: “The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service is the equivalent of an MBE for volunteer groups and recognises the outstanding work they provide within their local communities. I am delighted that not one but two of Edinburgh’s fantastic charities have been chosen by the Queen to receive this recognition.
“Both LifeCare and the Duddingston Kirk Lunch Club truly deserve the praise. It was an honour to recommend them personally for their voluntary service, and it will be my privilege to present them with their awards and certificates later this year.”
The Minister for Civil Society, Rob Wilson, added: “I would like to congratulate all groups who received this year’s Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, in recognition of their fantastic achievements. The hard work and commitment that goes into the work of these organisations is surpassed only by the passion and motivation of the individuals who volunteer.
“I hope these groups continue to inspire others to get involved and make a positive impact so that we can continue to build a bigger, stronger society.”
Any group of two or more people that has participated in voluntary work for more than three years can be nominated for the award. Full details on how to nominate are available at http://qavs.direct.gov.uk/
Nominations for the 2016 awards close on 18 September 2015.
Inverleith Neighbourhood Partnership public meeting
Inverleith Neighbourhood Partnership
Public Meeting
Monday 25 May 6.30pm
Blackhall Library
Come along to the Inverleith NP meeting on Monday at Blackhall Library!
If crime is an issue for you, please come and hear what’s being done and what you can do to reduce risks!
Unlucky for some: thirteen BoS branches to close
Bye, bye Blackhall: Bank of Scotland branch to close
Bank of Scotland has announced plans to close thirteen branches across Scotland this year. Among the unlucky thirteen is the Blackhall branch on Hillhouse Road. The branches will close by 18 September.
The announcement follows a strategic review of the business which was announced in October last year.
Edinburgh bears the brunt of the closures and is set to lose SEVEN branches. As well as Blackhall the city will lose Fairmilehead, Holyrood, Marchmont, St James Centre, Murrayfield and Sighthill. Four branches will also close in Glasgow and one in Aberdeen. Another branch in Moray closed earlier this month and was replaced with a mobile branch service.
A Bank of Scotland spokesman said: “Our focus has been on urban areas where there is another Bank of Scotland branch nearby. Branches continue to play an important role for us.”
The nearest local branches for BoS customers will be Deanhaugh Street in Stockbridge, 43 Comely Bank or the Barnton branch on Queensferry Road.
The Bank of Scotland news comes hot on the heels of the Royal Bank’s announcement of several branch closures – including Goldenacre – earlier this week. Clydesdale Bank customers – brace yourselves!
Inverleith Neighbourhood Partnership meets next Monday
Local crime and Raeburn Place issues on the agenda
The next public meeting of the Inverleith Neighbourhood Partnership takes place next Monday 25 May at Blackhall Library from 6.30pm. Agenda and papers are now available online and can be found here.
If you have concerns about crime / housebreaking in your neighbourhood, come hear from Inspector Happs about some of the work that is taking place to tackle this.
Also, Raeburn Place: what are your views on traffic / waste / street furniture, etc ? Come and share them!
Amnes-T in the Park!
Broughton High School students stage event to support World Refugee Day
On Saturday 20 June (10am– 2pm), Broughton High School’s Amnesty International Youth Group is holding Amnes-T in the Park to raise awareness of World Refugee Day. Get into the summer festival vibe and come along to the school’s rugby pitch for a day of live music, games and food for all the family to enjoy!
New local talent, including Rastafarian White Boys, will bring the field alive as you dig into a delicious selection of home baking. The event will focus on the current issues surrounding refugees through a series of artwork made by school pupils. These will highlight important facts in a fun and engaging way!
All ages are welcome, although primary school children should be accompanied by an adult – and entry is free!
All the money raised on the day will go towards helping Amnesty International carry out their vitally important work protecting human rights worldwide.
Niamh McNulty
Broughton High School Amnesty International Youth Group
A message from Mark Lazarowicz
![Mark_Lazarowicz[1]](https://i0.wp.com/nen.press/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Mark_Lazarowicz1.jpg?ssl=1)
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.