Uncategorized – Page 254 – The NEN

‘Music is our first love …’

Showcase 25 set to raise the roof at The King’s Theatre

The concept of Showcase Musical Productions is a simple one – bring together some of the best ‘non-professional’ singers and dancers in Edinburgh and the Lothians area and raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support. That was the vision of John Wright and Bobby Harvey: and this year Showcase is celebrating 25 years of performing!

Showcase 25 will be a musical extravaganza paying tribute to Showcase past, present and future, featuring a selection of numbers from the likes of Les Miserables, Wicked, Queen, Adele and The Beatles. Cast members old and new will be joined by a junior cast, the Showcase of the future, at Edinburgh’s King’s Theatre on 29 and 30 May.

Cast member Carol McGovern has been performing with Showcase for the past 25 years. She said: “I am very proud to have been involved with Showcase for the last 25 years – more than half my lifetime! The variety of music we have performed over the years has been fabulous but it has become frustrating that it takes me longer to learn the notes, words and dance moves than I used to!

“I have made some special friendships over the years and it is lovely that our hobby can also raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Support and help the great work they do, which has become much more than an added bonus to many of us.”

With rehearsals well under way, director Andy Johnston, said: “It has been very difficult compiling a show that accurately represents 25 years worth of Showcase hits – our first draft programme would have run for nearly four hours! – but we feel this show will be an accurate representation of where Showcase came from, and of where we are now.”

The aspiration to celebrate the 25^th anniversary of Showcase at the King’s Theatre has been an exciting one and the performance has something for everyone; rock, pop and songs from the musicals, all orchestrated by musical director David Mcfarlane with imaginative choreography by Claire Smith.

While everyone involved performs in Showcase because of their love of the theatre, there is also a very serious side. Showcase is an important fundraiser for Macmillan Cancer Support in Scotland, having raised over £220,000 to date.

Andy Johnston added: “Each and every one of our cast gives so freely of their talents and time all to benefit Macmillan Cancer Support – I often remind the cast that as a company, we are in a very special position that we have a hobby than can genuinely change someone else’s life – and what can be more important than that?’

With 310,000 people diagnosed with cancer in the UK every year, many of the cast and supporters of Showcase have been affected by cancer and have first-hand experience of the support Macmillan gives.

Jayne Forbes, Macmillan Cancer Support Fundraising Manager, Edinburgh said: “We are extremely grateful to Showcase for their considerable support to date. They have raised an incredible amount of money which has helped us make a real difference to the lives of people affected by cancer.

“We help people in many ways, from specialist nurses and doctors, to help and advice for people who have financial worries as a result of their cancer diagnosis. In Edinburgh there are 53 specialist Macmillan nurses and health care professionals, helping people living with cancer and their families receive essential medical, practical and emotional support.

“None of this would be possible without supporters like Showcase. 98% of our funding comes from public donations. Quite simply, we couldn’t provide our services without the support of local people.”

Showcase supplements its fundraising efforts with concerts throughout the year and will be performing again in the Church Hill Theatre in September but with over 100 voices singing in glorious harmony in just ten days time, it is bound to raise the roof of the King’s Theatre!

Tickets are from £15.75 and are available at www.edtheatres.com/showcase.

This is a performance that is not to be missed!

Toughening up community justice

New Bill will reform the community justice system in Scotland

Plans for a new community justice model, designed to create a stronger community justice system in Scotland, were published by the Scottish Government on Friday.

The Community Justice (Scotland) Bill establishes a new model for community justice which puts local delivery, partnerships and collaboration at its heart.

The Community Justice (Scotland) Bill will:

Place responsibility for local planning and monitoring of community justice services with a defined set of local community justice partners
Place duties on these community justice partners to engage in local strategic planning and be accountable for its success
Develop a national strategy and a performance framework in relation to community justice
Create a national body to provide leadership, promote innovation and provide improvement support where it is required
Create a focus on collaboration – including the opportunity to commission, manage or deliver services nationally where appropriate

Community Safety and Legal Affairs Minister Paul Wheelhouse said: “The Scottish Government is committed to reducing re-offending and securing better outcomes for community justice services.

“Offending is a complex problem and there are well established links between persistent offending and poverty, homelessness, addiction and mental illness. Re-offending creates victims, damages communities and wastes potential.

“We want to work in partnership with organisations and communities to reduce re-offending and to deliver better outcomes for offenders and communities.

“We have engaged extensively with stakeholders in developing this model and share their view that community justice services should be person-centred and evidence-based while making the best use of resources; all of which is reflected in today’s Bill.”

The defined set of local community justice partners includes local authorities, NHS boards, Police Scotland, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Health and Social Care Integration joint boards, Skills Development Scotland, Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service and Scottish Ministers in their role as the Scottish Prison Service.

Tom Halpin, Chief Executive of SACRO said: “Sacro supports the introduction of proposals contained in the Community Justice (Scotland) Bill. This provides a strong opportunity for Scotland’s community justice services to work collaboratively and deliver reduced re-offending and safer communities.

“Working through Community Planning Partnerships, where multi-agency working supports the delivery of joined up services with strong leadership and accountability, is key to transforming the lives of people who are motivated to desist from offending.

“The lived experience of people using Sacro’s services to successfully change their life tells us this Bill is critical in building a socially just and inclusive society for all of Scotland’s communities.”

Councillor Harry McGuigan, COSLA’s Spokesperson for Community Well-being said: “COSLA will study the legislation and continue to work with Scottish Ministers to ensure that the Bill enables a truly local model with improved community justice outcomes at its core.

“Reducing reoffending continues to be a priority for local government and we are working closely with the Scottish Government to ensure a smooth transition to the new model for community justice. We have supported the redesign of community justice throughout the consultation process and we welcome the introduction of this Bill.”

Call for views launched on Smoking Prohibition Bill – News & Parliament TV : Scottish Parliament

A call for views on legislation which will create a new criminal offence for adults who smoke in a motor vehicle in the presence of a child has been launched today by the Health and Sport Committee.

Source: Call for views launched on Smoking Prohibition Bill – News & Parliament TV : Scottish Parliament

Light a candle for Nepal

Marking one week since the devastating earthquake in Nepal, Edinburgh residents and visitors are being invited to show solidarity at a candlelit vigil outside the City Chambers tomorrow.

The Lord Provost Donald Wilson lodged an emergency motion at a meeting of the City of Edinburgh Council on Thursday to call on local support for the Mercy Corps Nepal Earthquake appeal.

He said: “When an event as devastating as this take place, I believe it is important for residents to feel they have an opportunity to express condolences and provide united support.

“I urge everyone in Edinburgh to do and give what they can, whether they join us for the candle lighting ceremony, make a donation to the Mercy Corps, pause for reflection or say a prayer for the lives lost.

“Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world and is suffering one of the most horrific of disasters. The survivors of this terrible earthquake and all of the aid workers in Nepal urgently need sympathy and support from all corners of the world.”

Rajendra Bam, the Chair of the Nepal Scotland Association, added: “The effect on our country has been devastating. We represent about 800 Nepali people in Edinburgh and the Lothians and no one has been left untouched by this tragedy, everyone has a story. Our community is a very close one and what affects one affects another. We are working in cooperation with charities, such as Mercy Corps, towards the urgent relief programme. Anything that you can do to help us is much appreciated.”

Edinburgh-based international charity Mercy Corps has been working in Nepal since 2006. The humanitarian organisation has reacted with an emergency response in Nepal following the massive earthquake and their dedicated team has been working tirelessly, whilst dealing with their own tragedies, to evaluate conditions and deliver emergency supplies to desperate families.

Simon O’Connell, Executive Director, Mercy Corps Europe said: “Our teams have been working hard for the last week to meet emergency needs of survivors in Nepal and assess what is needed for the recovery of the country. We are distributing urgent relief to families in Kathmandu and in villages outside of the capital and working hard to get more emergency supplies in for families who are in desperate need. Time is of the essence and donations are critical to our ongoing relief effort.”

The City of Edinburgh Council is a partner of the Edinburgh Disaster Response Committee which is asking residents to help survivors during the aftermath of the disaster.

A fund has opened with the Edinburgh based humanitarian organisation Mercy Corps for urgent donations.

City to shine support for Nepal

‘There is no time to lose’ – Lord Provost Donald Wilson

Edinburgh residents are being encouraged to shine to show their solidarity with the people of Nepal tonight following Saturday’s tragic earthquake.

The City of Edinburgh Council is a partner of the Edinburgh Disaster Response Committee which is asking residents to help survivors during the aftermath of the disaster. A fund has opened with the Edinburgh-based humanitarian organisation Mercy Corps for urgent donations.

To pause to reflect on the devastation, the Lord Provost will lead a candlelight vigil which will be open for all residents to attend. The candle lighting will take place at 4pm on Saturday 2 May at the City Chambers.

Tonight is the last evening of the Council’s interactive light installation in St Andrew Square with the Edinburgh International Science Festival. In a display of support for Nepal, Twitter users will be asked to turn the Melville Monument red which is the shade of the Nepalese flag and the Mercy Corps Earthquake Appeal.

The Lord Provost Donald Wilson plans to lodge an emergency motion at Thursday’s meeting of the Full Council to call on support of the appeal. He said: “Edinburgh residents are known for their generosity of spirit and together we can make a difference to people in Nepal by providing urgent donations. Even a gesture of solidarity like the red lighting of St Andrew Square or a candle at Edinburgh’s vigil demonstrates support and raises awareness of the appeal. There is no time to lose.”

Edinburgh based international charity Mercy Corps has been working in Nepal since 2006. The humanitarian organisation has launched an emergency response in Nepal following the massive earthquake and their dedicated team of more than 90 people has been working tirelessly to evaluate conditions and deliver emergency supplies to desperate families, whilst dealing with their own tragedies.

Simon O’Connnell, Chief Executive Officer of Mercy Corps Europe, with their headquarters in Edinburgh, said: “Our thoughts are with the people of Nepal and all those in the region experiencing the effects of the quake. Our team has begun distributing urgently needed relief kits to people most affected and we are also working hard to get more supplies to reach the thousands in need.

“On behalf of the Mercy Corps team, we thank the Edinburgh community for your generosity and compassion as we race to help the Nepalese people.”

Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world, with about one-third of its citizens living below the poverty line. The country’s dramatic landscape makes it hard to reach remote villages even in the best circumstances. These next days are critical for ensuring the safety and wellbeing of survivors and Mercy Corps is reaching families left homeless who desperately need shelter, food and water.

Send lifesaving relief with an emergency donation to the Edinburgh Disaster Nepal Earthquake Fund now.

‘Unprecedented interest’ in Varcity North

‘Incredible’ offers with a 3-bed apartment at Varcity North for £173,000

Varcity North’s Stamford Campus is seeing unprecedented interest with the last two releases almost selling out within 48 hours. Such is the demand for this Edinburgh development on the site of the old Telford College.

Into the penultimate campus, Miller Homes’ has the Type 1(6) three bedroom apartment (plot 345) on the second floor priced at £173,000.

The apartment has an open plan living and dining area making the most of the entertaining space. The master bedroom has its own en-suite shower room with two further bedrooms, bathroom and separate utility room. The apartment also comes with a parking space.

The Stafford Campus is sixth block redeveloped within the former development and offers one, two and three bedroom apartments over five floors, with prices from £118,000 to £176,000.

Anne Marie Britton, Scotland Area Sales and Marketing Director at Miller Homes, said: “The scale of interest at Varcity North is not entirely unexpected. The development offers excellent value for money with attractive apartments that are appealing to a variety of buyers.

“This is evidenced by our last two releases at Varcity North selling within 48 hours. Therefore potential buyers who are looking to secure their ideal apartment, are advised to book an appointment with the sales advisor to ensure they don’t miss out on this opportunity to buy in the penultimate campus on the development.”

For more information, go to www.millerhomes.co.uk or call 0808 250 6468.

EVOC reminder: Meeting to discuss integrated services tomorrow

Dear All,

We’d like to cordially invite you to the latest event looking at adult Health and Social Care integration here in Edinburgh, with the next stage of development just starting.

A shadow Strategic Planning Group has now met, bringing together people from across the NHS, Health & Social Care, the Third Sector, Independent Sector and carers/service users. We want to feedback to everyone in the Third Sector interested in shaping the future of health and social care services on how the Strategic Plan is being developed.

This upcoming meeting will focus on Edinburgh’s draft

Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA)

which is a key element of the process of preparing a strategic plan.

Monday 27 April, 9.30am – 12.00noon

City of Edinburgh Methodist Church, 25 Nicolson Square, Edinburgh EH8 9BX

Please book here so we can arrange teas and coffees:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/feedback-engage-and-create-tickets-16532637564

JSNA Background

The JSNA aims to provide an assessment and forecast of needs to enable investment to be linked to all agreed desired outcomes, considering options, planning the nature, range and quality of future services and working in partnership to put these in place.

The purpose of the JSNA is to agree a comprehensive local picture of health and wellbeing needs, using intelligence and analysis to determine:

o Current and future needs

o What’s working, what’s not, and what could work better?

o What are the major health inequalities and what can be done about them?

o Unmet needs, including those of seldom-heard populations and vulnerable groups

This will be used to:

o Negotiate and agree overarching priorities on health and wellbeing;

o Influence commissioning and decision making

Really hope you can make this meeting.

Ian Brooke, Deputy Director, EVOC

Community Shares roadshow to hit the capital

Event to highlight new ways to generate funding

The Community Shares Scotland (CSS) team are holding the next roadshow in their pan-Scotland series at the Melting Pot in Rose Street this Friday (1 May).

The aim of the event is to show local communities how they can utilise an alternative funding method to develop their own projects and invest in their own futures.

It also offers groups a chance to meet and mingle with other community groups who are interested in setting up a share offer or learn from those who have had success already.

CSS programme manager, Kelly McIntyre, said: “We launched our roadshow programme last year with the aim of growing the community enterprise market through practical application and help people progress their own community projects.

“We are now beginning to see a network of like-minded enterprises grow across Scotland using community shares to generate income for their communities – from Fort William to Dunbar, Aberdeen to Harris and throughout Scotland.

“People have asked us for case studies and examples of other enterprises whom have been successful in getting their projects, big and small off the ground.

“For example, the Sunart renewable energy hydro scheme in Lochaber is real example of community spirit and effort to make an ambitious project a reality.

“And right on our door-step we have local greengrocer, Dig-In Bruntsfield Community Greengrocers Ltd, who will be giving a talk on the day about their experience of setting up a community greengrocer business through their community share offer.

Dig-In’s Catherine Francis said: “We are a community-owned and supported, not-for-profit greengrocer in Edinburgh who supply locally-sourced produce and foster community spirit.

“Thanks to our incredible volunteers, community shareholders and committee membership, we are now a thriving enterprise.

“We function along the lines of a community enterprise model, offering community shares which keeps us rooted in the community. We’re looking forward to participating in the Community Shares Roadshow on 1 May– coincidentally, also the first anniversary of our shop opening!”

Kelly McIntyre added: “Fair Trade is another area where community share schemes have been used to provide a different model for developing a live project.

“For example, Glasgow-based Bala Sport are a new co-operatively-led venture that plans to take Fairtrade Sports balls to the same level of awareness and sales as other popular Fairtrade products, such as bananas, coffee, tea, sugar and chocolate.”

Angus Coull, marketing and communications director of Bala Sport, explained: “As a start-up community benefit society, selling high-quality Fairtrade-certified sports balls, the help and support we received from Kelly at Community Shares Scotland was invaluable.

“With no previous experience and little knowledge of how community share offers work, so it was like having our own account manager with personal one-to-one advice and a lot of social media back-up.

“I was surprised at the amount of input from CSS – you can tell they really do want your business to succeed and they naturally know their stuff.”

He added: “As a tiny co-op competing with big brand sports balls companies, we need to raise £150,000 to help us buy in sufficient levels of stock in our early stages and we wanted to make a big impact at our launch event.

“We booked Hampden Stadium and, with the financial support from Community Shares Scotland, we were able to produce high impact promotional materials to reinforce the message and help convince the potential investors at the event.

“When Kelly thinks we’re easing off on the awareness raising, she’ll let us know – and the CSS tweets will start coming thick and fast – very welcome motivation and a pleasure to deal with.”

Bala Sports balls come from Fairtrade accredited factories in Sialkot, Pakistan, where both workers and the wider community benefit from the Fairtrade premium that is paid.

The current share offer closes on 31 May 2015 and people are encouraged to invest as little as £50 to meet the target of £150,000.

Check out the offer at http://www.microgenius.org.uk/project/fair-trade-sports-balls-limited-30

Free roadshow event but booking essential:

Friday, 1 May 10:0am to 3:0pm

The Melting Pot, 5 Rose Street, EH2 2PR

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/community-shares-scotland-edinburgh-roadshow-tickets-16015653250

Any questions? Give us a call on 0131 220 3777

CSS is made up of a consortium of partners, DTAS, Co-operatives UK, Locality, Plunkett Foundation and Rocket Science.

A cut above: Granton hosts Xposure heat

Edinburgh College hosted the Scottish regional heat of the Wella Xposure competition to find the UK’s top young hair stylists, with 20 students competing for a place in the final.

Students from colleges across Scotland came to Edinburgh College’s Hair and Beauty Academy for the competition, carrying out cut and colours on models using Wella products. Three expert judges from leading hairdressers watched the students work and, after the models took to the catwalk, selected their winners.

The judges were drawn from top Scottish salons – Jamie McDonald, from Cheynes Hairdressing, Khaliegh Sullivan from Patterson SA Hairdressing and Sammy Galloway from McIntyre’s Salons – chose five winners to go forward to the UK final.

The final will take place in Wella’s London studio in June, where a prize of £1,000 of Wella vouchers and a salon toolkit worth £500 will be won.

The students chosen to compete in the final (pictured above) were: Marisa Sonkur, Borders College; Laura Bowman, Fife College; Hayley Rollo, Fife College; Zoe Coull, Moray College UHI; Shannon Devenney, South Lanarkshire College.

Judge Jamie McDonald said: “The competition was really good. The standard of work is just awesome. It’s great to see the college supporting these kids and giving them a chance to be exposed to the bigger hairdressing world. Competitions like this let students see where they can actually go out in the world when they finish college.”

Jamie was also impressed by the Hair and Beauty Academy facilities on offer at the college’s Granton Campus, adding: “The college is phenomenal. Last time I was here two years ago I thought it was amazing, and the work the college has done in the salons since is really brilliant. Again, it gives the students the chance to see what it’s really like to work in a salon environment as opposed to the training room through the back and gives them a real experience of hairdressing.”

Edinburgh College students Debbie Sloey and Zara Brown (above) were among the 20 competitors, with Debbie (top) following up a recent gold medal at the Association of Hairdressers and Therapists’ annual UK-wide competition.

Frances Bain, curriculum manager for hair, beauty and complementary therapies at Edinburgh College, said: “Wella Xposure is a fiercely contested competition and we are very proud of Debbie and Zara getting through to the Scottish heats as this reflects the high standard of work they both produced.”

The college’s Hair & Beauty Academy at Granton is split into a beauty salon, spa and the college’s Wella Centre of Excellence salon, and includes Scotland’s first college ‘eco’ hair and beauty academy. The new academy is the first of its kind to provide a range of environmental features, including a ceramic fuel cell that uses hydrogen to convert gas to electricity and produce hot water as a by-product.

The academies are open to staff, students and the general public and offer a professional quality service for good-value prices.

Edinburgh College offers a wide range of hair, beauty and complementary therapy courses. Applications are currently invited for these courses and more than 900 other courses across the curriculum offered by Edinburgh College and starting in August on its four campuses. See www.edinburghcollege.ac.uk for more information on how to apply.

Book your seat at PCHP exercise training course

This weekend (Sat 18th & Sun 19th April) Pilton Community Health Project (PCHP) are very excited to be piloting a brand new ‘Seated Exercise Training Course’.

This has been developed by PCHP’s Physical Activity Development Worker in partnership with Specialist Instructors and Physiotherapists, in response to long term local need in North Edinburgh (and beyond).

For a number of years the physical activity development work at the PCHP has identified (and attempted to fill) a gap in the provision of regular physical activity for older people in residential homes, sheltered housing and lunch clubs. We strongly believe that every older person should have access to regular and FREE activity sessions that will maintain functionality and improve quality of life.

Please share this around your networks, there are still 3 or 4 spaces available on the training and it would be a real shame to see them go to waste!

Furthermore, since this is the first pilot it is FREE OF CHARGE!

Do you or someone you know work with (or would like to work with) older adults in North Edinburgh?

Do you or someone you know have an interest in and appreciation of the importance of keeping active in later life?

Are you interested in learning about the effects of ageing on the body and how this impacts health?

Would you like to gain new skills and knowledge around leading activity sessions for specialist groups?

Would you like to volunteer to deliver seated exercise sessions in North Edinburgh that might improve the health of older people?

If you can answer yes to any of these questions then this training might be just what you are looking for!

The training will be taking place at Pilton Community Health Project as follows:

Sat 18^th April 9.30am-3.45pm

Sun 19^th Apr 10.00am-3.15pm

If you are interested in taking part then please get in touch with liannepipskyj@pchp.org.uk or call 0131 551 1671 asap to secure your place!

Healthy regards

Lianne Pipskyj (Development Worker – Physical Activity)

Pilton Community Health Project

73 Boswall Parkway Edinburgh, EH5 2PW

0131 551 1671

liannepipskyj@pchp.org.uk

www.pchp.org.uk

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