Forthview Primary pupils will return to school next week – but in classroooms scattered across Edinburgh. Dealing with the temporary closure of seventeen schools has been a logistical nightmare for council officials and it’s proved impossible to keep the Forthview kids together. Continue reading Forthview: going forth across the city
Back to school – at West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre?
Royal High senior pupils to return on Wednesday
The City of Edinburgh Council has drawn up contingency plans to ensure all primary and special school pupils will be back in schools by Tuesday of next week (Monday, ironically, is a school Spring holiday). Continue reading Closed schools: contingency plans swing into action
‘The safety of children and our staff is our main priority’ – City Council Chief Executive Andrew Kerr
The Chief Executive of the City of Edinburgh Council and senior education officials met with directors of the Edinburgh School Partnership (ESP) this afternoon (Sunday 10 April) to receive an update on the programme of detailed structural surveys which is underway on the PPP1 schools. Continue reading CLOSED SCHOOLS: DETAILED SURVEYS UNDERWAY
“Public confidence needs rebuilt as well as school walls: and fast” – Green Candidate Andy Wightman
The Scottish Government’s resiliency committee has met to discuss the emergency closure of seventeen PPP schools across Edinburgh – but The Scottish Greens say the ‘fiasco’ highlights the need to expose private finance failures. Continue reading Closed schools update: Scottish government offers ‘full support’
Parents advised to make childcare arrangements for next week
Craigroyston, Forthview, Pirniehall and St David’s Primary Schools are among seventeen city schools which will all remain closed on Monday, the city council has announced. Continue reading Local schools to remain closed on Monday
Trinity Academy pupils have produced the first edition of The Writers’ Block, a new school magazine.
S6 pupil Callum Watson, who edits the magazine, is already looking forward to the follow up issue and is inviting contributions from the school community. Good luck with the new venture, Trinity!
Lesley Hinds extends an invitation to a community- focussed follow-up discussion for Northern Edinburgh and Leith
Last December some people living and working in Northern Edinburgh and Leith participated in an Open Space community event which explored how local communities might benefit from or influence the direction of the changes the Scottish Parliament additional powers will allow. Continue reading Towards a Community Manifesto: More Power for Local Communities?
Spartans Community Football Academy have launched their annual Easter Egg Collection – and the Ainslie Park-based team are once again aiming to ensure that no local child goes without an Easter Egg this year.
The Academy donated over 400 chocolate Easter Eggs to local food banks last Spring – an eggstraordinary total! – and they have set a target of reaching at least 300 again this year.
Can they make it? You can do your bit to help by laying donating an egg at the Academy at Ainslie Park by next Thursday (24 March)!
Seems like it all kicks off in March!
Here’s your March Newsletter which includes news of quite a few local events – and there’s still time to catch Art in Granton at Madelvic House today. (See poster, below).
Art in Granton exhibition at Madelvic House
So it’s Spring! Get out there, get engaged and involved in all the good stuff!
Bill Rodger (Trinity Community Council)
Trinity CC met on 14 March. Here’s a summary of the main points:
CRIME
While EH5 (Granton/Pilton/Trinity) remains one of the worst affected postcodes Police Scotland assure us that housebreakings are down more than a third compared to last year but it still hurts if you are the victim.
Aside from all the individual security measures we can help each other simply by keeping an eye open on what is happening in our street. So let’s look out for each other. And you may want to make it easier for your neighbour to look out for you. That hedge that screens your property is also a useful hiding place. Have you got the balance right between security and privacy?
And for those living in Craighall Gardens and Terrace, Police Scotland are providing a Neighbourhood Watch security briefing at 7.30 on 21 March at Trinity Academy. Rumour has it that it’s a big room so even if you don’t live in the Gardens or Terrace you may be able to slip in quietly to pick up a few tips!
DOG FOULING
This seems to be on the rise in Trinity. There are various theories about why this might be, but at the end of the day, if you own a dog or are in charge of taking dogs for a walk, you have a legal duty to clear up any mess because of the health hazard it represents. And if you are one of the 99% of well behaved dog walkers and witness someone failing to clear up, you may wish to challenge them.
TRINITY’s PARKS
Friends of Victoria Park was formally inaugurated on 17 March when some really interesting ideas for the future of the park were discussed. To take these forward, the following were elected:
Chair – Antonia Boyce
Vice Chair – Tim Parker
Secretary – Aileen Ward
Treasurer – Ian Forbes
Other Committee Members – Lynne Lineen and Kevin O’Donnell
FoVP would love to hear from anyone else who would like to become involved, or even join the Committee – especially if they are interested in communications and social media. A membership form is attached. Or get in touch by email on friendsofvp@gmail.com
Friends of Victoria Park Membership Form 2
And on a seasonal note Friends of Starbank Park are holding their annual Easter Egg Hunt for 3 – 8 year olds at 10.30 in Starbank Park on Good Friday 25th March. If the thought of your child working off their energies searching for calories simply to replace them works for you (and who wouldn’t it work for?) then get along there!
All money raised is going to the Hans Christian Andersen themed Children’s Nature Trail to be constructed amongst the trees.
MORE GREEN STUFF
Spring always raises the spirits. Buds pop, shoots shoot and bushes grow. But it has complications. Overhanging trees and hedges can obstruct pavements and are a particular problem for the visually impaired members of our community. They can also attract a fine from CEC. So break out the secateurs and keep on top of the shrubbery.
OCEAN TERMINAL HOTEL
You will doubtless know of Ocean Terminal’s ambitious plan for a bold hotel design to abut the north east corner of Ocean Terminal itself. We heard from the architects that the widely published visualisations were rather misleading as they simply show the maximum volume which the structure could occupy.
In fact, the design will likely be a narrow fin which will nonetheless reach 28 storeys and link to a boardwalk running around the west side of Ocean Terminal while connecting to a future dockside walkway beside the Albert Dock.
We had a productive dialogue with suggestions for direct access to the Terminal and rooftop landscaping for the existing building to add to the conceptual design for conference facilities and 28th floor viewing platform.
Trinity CC is supportive in principle of a landmark development which will reinforce the critical mass which a retail centre of the scale of Ocean Terminal’s needs. However, we cannot give unqualified endorsement and reserve our position until a more detailed design is available and, in particular, a full visual impact assessment has been undertaken. We expect to hear more on that by the end of April.
SAINSBURY CRAIGHALL ROAD
Work has started on the site and should complete in the summer. The store is expected to open in November
ANNUAL WALKABOUT
Final planning for the 2016 Trinity CC Walkabout now in hand. Expect this to happen on the morning of 23 April and, to celebrate the establishment of its Friends Group, we plan to tour Victoria Park and its immediate environs. Any thoughts? Get in touch!
More on Facebook or TCC website or at our next meeting on Monday 11 April at 7 pm in Wardie Parish Church, Primrose Bank Road. Open to all. Come and give us your opinions. Or contact a Community Councillor. We need to know your views so that we can represent them!
Did you find this bulletin useful or informative? If so, why not show it to a neighbour? Anyone in Trinity can subscribe to the bulletin simply by emailing tcc-comms@outlook.com or drop us a line and tell us what you think could be better.
Jamie Andrew, the Scottish mountaineer who lost both of his hands and feet after a mountaineering accident in the French Alps, has today launched one of Scotland’s toughest challenge events – The Push 2016.
The Push takes place on Saturday 10 September across the Pentland Hills. The event sees participants walk, jog or run across the Pentlands, choosing from one of three distances – 10 miles, 14 miles or 26.2 miles. With the combination of elevation, terrain and distances – the routes for The Push make this one of the toughest outdoor events in Scotland.
This year’s event includes new routes across the Pentland Hills, ensuring the event remains a tough challenge for all those who take part.
The Push is a major fundraising event for St Columba’s Hospice, a local palliative care provider in Edinburgh. The Hospice provides free end-of-life care to patients from across Edinburgh and the Lothians, and support to their families. Whilst the charity is based in Edinburgh it has a global impact on the development of palliative care through its dedicated Centre for Education and Research. All the care provided by the Hospice to patients and families is free and the Hospice must raise the equivalent of £22,000 every day to continue running.
Jamie Andrew launched The Push as his inspirational story will encourage those thinking about taking part in the event. 17 years ago Jamie was involved in a terrible accident in the French Alps. He was climbing in the Alps with his friend and they were caught out in a storm. After five days and nights clinging to the side of the mountain, the search and rescue services were able to rescue the pair. Sadly it was too late for Jamie’s friend and climbing partner who had died. Jamie’s life was saved through the amputation of both his hands and feet. Now, after a long recovery he is mountaineering once again through cleverly attaching equipment to his limbs to enable him to climb sheer rock races and mountains.
Jamie said: “The Push is a fantastic event and I am pleased to be able to launch it with St Columba’s Hospice. As a mountaineer I have taken on many challenges and have found that when I set myself a target it’s a great way to keep getting outside and training. The Push is a really great challenge for all those who participate, whether you do 10 miles, 14 miles or 26.2miles – set yourself the challenge and get training!”
Alex Sharp, challenge events manager at St Columba’s Hospice added: “For The Push 2016 we have new routes and a new start point, meaning anyone who has taken part before can do so again and have a new and amazing experience. The Push really is one of Scotland’s toughest challenge events, not only because of the height you will climb as you walk the hills, but also because of the distance and the terrain. The Push is also great fun – getting out on to the Pentland Hills with your team to practice and the atmosphere on the day make this a really special and rewarding experience for all those who take part.”
John Strachan, managing director of Maximillion Events, said: “At Maximillion Events we are delighted to be working with St Columba’s Hospice to run The Push 2016. We have been working closely with the team at the Hospice to ensure this year’s event is better than ever. We know that all the participants will enjoy the new routes and see the very best the Pentland Hills has to offer, as well as enjoying the great atmosphere created by the participants themselves! We can’t wait for the event to take place!”
To sign up to The Push go to www.pentlandpush.com.
Pictures: Neil Hanna
