Get shoogling for Bookbug Week!

Bookbug Week is taking place this week (15–21 May), encouraging little ones and their families to dance to their favourite songs and rhymes and then cosy up with a story.

This year’s theme is Bookbug’s Big Shoogle and the week will focus on the benefits of movement and dance for early years development.

Dance and movement are not only fun for little ones, but play an important role in their development. Movement helps young children to build strength and mobility. The tactile elements of many songs and rhymes help them to learn about different parts of their body.

Bookbug is a national programme run by Scottish Book Trust, a charity changing lives with reading and writing. All children in Scotland receive four Bookbug Bags full of books and activities between their birth and first year of school.

Families can also share songs and rhymes in fun Bookbug Sessions in local libraries and community groups and through the Bookbug app. The Scottish Government has been supporting Bookbug since 2010.

This year’s Bookbug Week celebrations will include a partnership with BBC Tiny Happy People, a free-to-use website with fun activity ideas to help support 0–4-year-olds’ speech, language, and communication development.

They will be adding some brilliant activity idea films to the Bookbug app for one week only, which highlight the importance of parents and carers talking to their little ones as early as possible. BBC Tiny Happy People will also be joining Glasgow Life at the Mitchell Library on Wednesday 17 May for a day of Bookbug Sessions and fun activity events for families.

Popular children’s entertainers Sprog Rock will be premiering their brand-new music video, featuring children from Forbes Nursery in Leith, on Tuesday 16 May. Also online, Scottish Book Trust is running a competition to win a special selection of 10 books, a musical instrument kit and a space hopper.

There are Bookbug Sessions taking place across the country, with some local authorities putting on extra activities: Aberdeen libraries will be setting up shaker-making stations, science educators Mini Professors will be running sessions in Fife libraries about sound waves, and little ones in South Ayrshire can practice their fine motor skills through robotics app Osmo in their local libraries.

Children and Young People Minister Natalie Don said: ‘I am very excited for this year’s Bookbug Week and their special Bookbug’s Big Shoogle theme.

“Initiatives like this can help encourage an early love of books among children in addition to providing great opportunities for parents and their wee ones to spend time together whilst having fun and learning.

‘Both reading and being active have multiple benefits for children, including supporting positive mental and physical health, relationships and improved attainment.

‘I’m delighted that the Scottish Government are able to provide increased funding for 2023/24 of £1.8 million for the continuation of the Bookbug programme.’

Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said:We’re excited to share Bookbug’s Big Shoogle with families across Scotland this year, celebrating the benefits of movement and dance.

“Our thanks to Emma Melchor for designing this year’s brilliant Bookbug Week illustration.’

Locally Bookbug sessions are on Tuesday at Granton Library at 11am or Pilton Neighbourhood Centre at 10.30, and on Friday at Granton Library at 11am or Muirhouse Millenium Centre at 10.30 am!

Check out the libraries facebook pages for more details. 🙂

Dementia book launch at Stockbridge Library

Are you interested in learning more about dementia and how to support those who are affected by it? Do you have dementia and have questions about what it all means? A new self-help book, “FAQs on Dementia” written by Tom Russ and Michael Huddleston comes out today!

To celebrate this exciting release, there will be a book launch event at Stockbridge library on Friday 5th May, from 3.30pm-4.30pm. The event will feature the authors, and some friends and colleagues with dementia. Representatives from Alzheimer Scotland, Brain Health Scotland, the NRS Neuroprogressive and Dementia Research Network will be there to share information.

The Golden Hare bookshop will be in attendance to sell the book, so you will have the chance to buy your own copy at the event.

Here’s an extract from the blurb:

Will my partner stop loving me now they have dementia?

Does my mum have to go into a home now?

Is dementia a terminal illness?

All these questions, and hundreds more, are covered in this short but powerful, helpful, practical guide to understanding the nature, and impact, of dementia. Read at your leisure, or dip in and out when you most need the support or to shine a light on the issues and concerns that are making you uncomfortable or unhappy, and to bring them out of the shadows so you can understand and accept them.

little dobbies’ Stockbridge store announces local Helping Your Community Grow winner

YMCA Edinburgh encourages votes to be national winner

little dobbies’ Stockbridge store has announced its local Helping Your Community Grow winner, seeing YMCA Edinburgh receive gardening resources to enhance their garden space.

YMCA Edinburgh empower young people, children and their families through mentoring, youth activities, sports and family support. The charity is needs led and delivers activities and supports to help ensure families, irrespective of challenges faced, have the scaffolding in place for children to grow up loved, safe and respected.

YMCA Edinburgh now invites local residents to cast their vote to help the charity be crowned the national winner and receive additional funding and support.

This will include advice, gardening products and plants. Dobbies’ own-brand peat-free multipurpose compost, recycled and recyclable containers, UK-sourced plants and safer pest control products are among the many products the garden centre will donate.

Mike Kerracher, YMCA Edinburgh Association Manager said: “We are hugely grateful for the support from little dobbies Stockbridge. Resources will be used for gardening activities in our outdoor learning sessions with kids and in our Women’s Wellbeing sessions.

“We are well aware of the therapeutic benefits of gardening and this donation will help community members, including those who have experienced trauma and/or do not have access to a garden, feel the benefits of gardening.”

Deirdre Rutherford, General Manager at little dobbies Stockbridge said: “We are delighted to be supporting YMCA Edinburgh and are looking forward to helping them with their gardening activities by donating gardening equipment, plants and compost.”

To cast your vote for YMCA Edinburgh visit Helping Your Community Grow | Dobbies Garden Centres

Votes are open until Tuesday 25 April. There is only one vote per person. The project with the most votes across the UK will be the national winner. 

Constituents meet Deidre Brock MP at Warm This Winter mass lobby

‘I felt that Deidre was listening to us and shared our concerns’

Edinburgh North and Leith constituents met with their MP Deidre Brock at Stockbridge Library as part of the nationwide Warm This Winter mass lobby yesterday.

Four constituents spoke to Deidre Brock MP during her surgery hours, and other locals and volunteers from Greenpeace Edinburgh came along to support the campaign for Government-funded insulation, investment in renewable energy and further assistance for vulnerable households during the cost of living crisis.

Volunteers also delivered messages written to Deidre Brock by her constituents over the past few weeks. This event was one of more than 80 taking place across the UK this spring [1]. 

Ian, a constituent from Leith said:  ‘People from Edinburgh North and Leith met Deidre Brock MP in Stockbridge on Friday and shared the messages we’ve collected from other local people about how they are experiencing the cost of living crisis and that they want solutions such as home insulation.

“I felt that Deidre was listening to us and shared our concerns. I voiced my exacerbation at the UK’s woeful record on insulating households – and she was very much in agreement. Deidre also provided helpful advice on an individual basis as to where we could go to access more support to deal with high fuel costs and insulate our leaky properties. 

‘We’re really pleased that, at the meeting, Deidre Brock MP pledged to call for the expansion of Government-funded home insulation schemes, heat pump installation, more investment in renewable energy, and further support for vulnerable households with their energy bills.

“We look forward to hearing from her soon about how they’re pushing for the Energy Bill to work for the constituents of Edinburgh North and Leith and make our homes warmer and bills cheaper.’ [2] 

The recent Spring Statement failed to commit any new money to keep homes warm, and the Government’s promised ‘Green Day’ [3] (30th March) turned into yet another failure on climate action.

Greenpeace Edinburgh volunteers are calling for £5.3bn in new cash for home insulation, £14bn of emergency support for households struggling with bills, and £3.3bn to roll out cheap, clean heating in our homes to get the UK off gas once and for all.

We also need to triple renewable energy by 2030, and stop new oil and gas extraction. The Energy Bill is the next opportunity to legislate for these measures and build a secure energy future, with cheaper bills and warmer, greener homes.  

  1. Map showing events organised in constituencies for the Warm This Winter mass lobby. 
  2. List of MPs who have pledged
  3. Read Greenpeace’s full ‘Green Day/ Energy Security Day briefing here

Dying to Talk? Bereavement afternoon tea event at LifeCare

A charity set up to empower people to make informed decisions around funerals and end of life planning, is hosting a free afternoon tea event at 2pm next Wednesday at Life Care in Stockbridge.

Dying to Talk? is an informal and friendly chat about death, dying and loss over afternoon tea.

Caledonia Funeral Aid Funeral and Bereavement Advisor Emma Kelso explains: Death is a subject that’s never been easy to talk about, and yet it affects people every day.

“Life is finite and death is inevitable, so our aim is to encourage people to bring it out into the open, break the taboo and reduce the fear.

“We will invite people to share experiences, talk about things that they’ve discovered during their own journeys and maybe discuss their own personal end-of-life plans, all over a cuppa.

“By empowering people to talk in a friendly, safe space, we hope to move towards a Scotland where everyone is empowered to make the right choices for themselves and their loved ones. As a result, they will become aware that there are choices and consequently we can realise a Scotland without funeral poverty.”

Although the event is free, people are encouraged to pre-book at Caledonia Funeral Aid’s website www.funerals.scot

Older people’s charity warmly welcomes new support

LifeCare Edinburgh and Hibernian Community Foundation announce partnership benefitting local older people

Hibernian Community Foundation have announced an exciting new partnership with local older people’s charity LifeCare.

The renowned charity provides positive care for hundreds of older people every day but is struggling to cope with unprecedented demand for its services.  LifeCare launched an emergency appeal late last year to help reach more older people across the city and the Hibernian Community Foundation have added their support.

James Wells, Chief Executive of LifeCare said “We are extremely worried about those in our community.  Local older people are still coming to terms with the aftermath of the covid restrictions; abilities and mobility deteriorated rapidly and now with the new cost of living crisis, enquiries for our help are rising – up 250% for some services.

We are very grateful to receive new support from Hibernian Community Foundation. Thanks to their generosity, we have already been able to increase our care for those that need us most.

Together we delivered hot festive meals to clients who were alone at Christmas.  Our clients enjoyed seeing a friendly face and having a chat with the delivery team. We are in the process of planning other positive initiatives which will allow us to reach more local older people with positive and caring support and activities.

We look forward to continuing our work together to help ensure that no older person is left alone or isolated.”

Lewis Melee, Head of Community at Hibernian Community Foundation, recently visited one of the charity’s registered daycentres on Cheyne Street to meet some of LifeCare’s clients and join in with the day’s activities. 

He said “Supporting the members of the local community is so important to the foundation and club.  It was lovely meeting LifeCare’s clients and hearing how they used to visit the stadium in years past. 

This winter we’re organising two lunch clubs every week, and a memories and reminiscence group at the home of Hibernian FC, Easter Road Stadium. These services are open to everyone and with this partnership we hope to extend our offering – you don’t have to be a Hibee to come along!”

Visit https://www.lifecare-edinburgh.org.uk/ to donate or find out more about the charity’s services across the city.

LifeCare: Would you like to join our board?

We are looking for new trustees to help LifeCare in its great work supporting local older people

LifeCare is at an exciting stage in its development and we are looking for Trustees who will passionately inform our services bringing new skills and experience to help lead the organisation.  

We are particularly (but not exclusively) interested in individuals with experience in the following fields:

  • Health and Social Care
  • Finance
  • Fundraising
  • Marketing and Digital Innovation 
  • Hospitality

Most of all, we are looking for people with lived experience of care, or as an unpaid carer, to help strengthen our capacity to better embed the voice of the people who use our services at Board level. 

Can you help us?  We are looking for people who share our values, that are passionate and committed about supporting local older people, who can be creative in building our profile and work closely with our team and stakeholders to deliver outstanding person-centred services to our clients.  

The Board usually meets in the evenings (either in-person or via Zoom).  The role is non-remunerated however reasonable expenses will be reimbursed and training / ongoing support will be provided.  If you have any questions or would like a quick chat to find out more, please contact our chair  beverleyfrancis@lifecare-edinburgh.org.uk.  

To apply please send a CV and covering letter expressing your interest to beverleyfrancis@lifecare-edinburgh.org.uk.  Please contact us if you would prefer to submit an application in another format.

Closing date 31st March 2023

Webpage: https://www.lifecare-edinburgh.org.uk/2023/02/27/join-lifecares-board-of-trustees/

Vintage Vibes: Looking for lovely people in North Edinburgh to volunteer

Did you know that Edinburgh is the loneliest city in the UK for older people?

@Vintage Vibes Edinburgh is a charity project that matches you with a wonderful older person who is local to you and has a shared interest, to create a fantastic friendship that meets once a week. It’s flexible, fun and fulfilling.

“You couldn’t have picked a better person, she is a great friend.” – Doreen

Interested? Email hello@vintagevibes.org.uk or go to vintagevibes.org.uk and sign up online

Scots Holocaust victim Jane Haining to be remembered with Stolperstein ‘stumbling stone’ in Edinburgh

Following a campaign initiated by Edinburgh Central SNP MSP, Angus Robertson, the City of Edinburgh Council has agreed to pay for the installation of a Stolperstein or ‘stumbling stone’ memorial to Jane Haining.

90 years ago, Jane Haining left Edinburgh for Budapest to help Jewish children in the Hungarian capital. She was killed in Auschwitz in 1944 and subsequently recognised as ‘Righteous Among the Nations’ at Yad Vashem World Holocaust Remembrance Centre in Jerusalem. Ms Haining is the only Scot to be given the honour. 

The motion was passed by city councillors yesterday.

‘Stolpersteine’ or ‘stumbling stones’ are small brass plaques set in pavements with the inscription of the name and life details of victims murdered by the Nazis. Across Europe, there are now over 75,000 brass plate memorials outside the homes or places associated with victims of the Nazi Holocaust. 
 
The proposals were welcomed by Councillor Vicky Nicolson and Professor Joe Goldblatt, Chair of the Edinburgh Interfaith Association and prominent member of Scotland’s Jewish Community, who brought a motion to the City of Edinburgh Council to have the Stolperstein paid for and installed by the City. 

Angus Robertson MSP said: ‘Jane Haining is Scotland’s most prominent Holocaust victim and is Righteous Amongst the Nations at Yad Vashem.

“A ‘Stolperstein’ to her memory would be fitting, perhaps outside Edinburgh’s St Stephen’s Church, where her mission to help Jewish children was dedicated. As well as being a proper commemoration, it will also serve as a warning to never forget the lessons of history.”

Professor Joe Goldblatt said: “I hope that in the years to come when children and others pass the Stolperstein stone and plaque they will feel pride because of this daughter of Edinburgh whose courage and bravery saved so many Jewish lives.

“I hope that the Church of Scotland and Jewish community will work closely together to plan a meaningful and memorable unveiling of the stone.”

SNP Councillor for Inverleith Ward, Vicky Nicolsonsaid: “Before Jane Haining left for Budapest, a dedication service was held for her at St Stephen’s Church in Stockbridge. It was presided over by the chair of the Jewish mission committee, Dr Stewart Thompson.

“Jane Haining left for Budapest the next day, seven months before Adolf Hitler became Chancellor of Germany on 30 January 1933.  She went to her dedication service as an everyday citizen and left as a missionary to Budapest where she looked after and saved many Jewish children’s lives until her extermination at Auschwitz-Birkenau.

“Edinburgh was the last place Jane Haining chose to be prior to her mission and it is time we, the Capital City of Scotland, commemorate her incredible humanity, bravery and kindness.  

“Her Stolpestein will be a marker and a reminder of the Holocaust and what that did to the world. Jane Haining was an incredible woman and for Edinburgh not to have recognised her yet is wrong and we want to right that wrong.”

Rt Rev Dr Iain Greenshields, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland said: “We are delighted that Edinburgh City councillors have voted in favour of buying and installing a ‘Stolperstein’ in memory of Jane Haining, who showed tremendous courage in the face of intolerable evil during a dark period of history.

“A woman of deep Christian faith, she was fully aware of the risks she was taking but repeatedly refused Church of Scotland pleas to leave Budapest and return home to Scotland as the war engulfed Europe.

“Jane was determined to continue doing her duty and stick to her post, saying ‘If these children need me in days of sunshine, how much more do they need me in days of darkness?’.

“She was simultaneously an ordinary and extraordinary woman and her story is one of heroism and personal sacrifice and reminds us that when we feel powerless, there is always something that we can do.

Her story is moving, humbling, heart-breaking and inspirational and we hope that this honour will help keep her memory alive for generations to come.’

LifeCare: Free Movement Therapy sessions for unpaid carers

Are you an unpaid carer looking after a loved one? Or know someone who is? LifeCare is launching a series of classes and activities that are FREE for unpaid carers and the person they care for.

Starting on the 25th January at 11am in our Boardroom, come along to movement therapy designed to spark memories, have fun and boost your physical and mental wellbeing.

If you would like to attend, please submit your name on the following form:

https://forms.office.com/Pages/DesignPageV2.aspx…