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Read all about it! Julia Donaldson visits Forthview

Former Children’s Laureate Julia Donaldson, creator of the much-loved Gruffalo and other brilliant children’s books, was a welcome visitor at Forthview Primary School yesterday. Julia worked with P3 classes during her visit to promote Reading Culture, a new initiative to encourage families to enjoy reading together.

Forthview is holding a series of reading events this month in a bid to encourage both pupils and their parents to read. The school has been working on the development of a Reading Culture, involving school pupils, parents, the local public library and the wider community.

The project aims to encourage children to read for pleasure and to involve parents in the hope that they will also be encouraged to read to their children and read for their own enjoyment. This work is funded by The Scottish Government as part of The City of Edinburgh’s involvement in the South-East Scotland Inter-authority Literacy Hub.

Edinburgh author Lari Don has agreed to be the school’s Patron of Reading. There was a day of events to launch this last week followed by author visits and library visits for every stage, as well as the setting up of a parents’ book group.

Other authors confirmed so far to take part in the Scottish Book Trust Live Literature funded sessions are Simon Puttock, John Fardell (who will also work with the school’s fathers’ group), Joan Lennon, Barry Hutchison and Roy Gill.

Mind you, Forthview parents have a proud record of writing stories themselves – remember the Pathway to Pilton project in 2012 (pictured below)?

Stay safe in the sun!

May be hard to believe, but it’s Sun Awareness Week!

PEOPLE in Scotland are being urged to stay safe in the sun, as part of Sun Awareness Week (May 5-11).

With the prospect of longer, warmer days ahead, people throughout the country will be spending more time outdoors. Scotland’s national telehealth and telecare service is urging people to seek advice on staying safe in the sun.

Professor George Crooks, NHS 24’s Medical Director, says that by taking a few simple steps, people can ensure they make the most of the summer season.

He said: “It is always a good idea to be prepared as best you can for the better weather and the wide range of information available at www.nhsinform.co.uk can help you do just that.

“By taking just a few simple steps, we can all make the most of the good weather, without any ill effects. It is all too tempting, especially in Scotland, to overdo it in the sun and end up with painful sunburn. The sun that shines in Scotland, though, is the same sun that shines in the Mediterranean.

“I would advise people, particularly children and young infants, to take sensible precautions like limiting exposure to the direct sun, using sunscreen and drinking plenty of soft drinks.”

NHS inform contains a wide range of advice and information on summer health issues, with dedicated sections on sunburn, heatstroke, allergies and hay fever.

NHS 24 is now available on the free phone number 111. By dialling 111, people across Scotland can continue to access the same high quality service for anyone seeking advice and support during the out of hours period when their GP surgery is closed.

North Edinburgh’s voluntary sector to meet on Wednesday

A reminder to the area’s charity and community projects that Forth and Inverleith Voluntary Sector Forum will meet on Wednesday 7 May at 10am in North Edinburgh Arts.

It’s been a wee while since the last Forum meeting and there is lots to discuss (see Agenda) so why not go along – new faces are always welcome!

If you do plan to attend, please contact EVOC’s June Dickson (telephone 555 9100 or email june.dickson@evoc.org.uk) to let her know.

Forth & Inverleith VSF Agenda 7th May 2014

Fancy a Stockbridge street party this Sunday?

Muirhouse Community Shop – 1 year old!

The Community Shop on Pennywell Road will be a year old tomorrow. In conjunction with Pilton Community Health Project and Edinburgh Community Food volunteers offer cookery demonstrations and good quality food. Try it out.

For more information, go here: http://muirhouseresidents.co.uk/community-shop-1yr-on/

Car Boot sale anyone?

Who isn’t interested in a car boot sale and this one is for a good cause. All sales of cakes and refreshments and pitch proceeds to go to Project Zambia (details can be found at www.justgiving.com/ProjectZambia2014)

Project Zambia is run by St Andrews Student Services. During summer students will be travelling to Kazemba, Chongwe for four weeks teaching literacy and music in a primary school. For these children, many of whom are single or double orphans, education represents the major route out of poverty.

Venue: Holy Cross Church Hall, Quality Street (opposite Tesco), Davidsons Mains

Date: Saturday 10th May 2014

Time: 2.00-4.00pm

Enjoy!

Fidra Court incident: Man charged

A 61 year old man has been charged under the Explosives Substances Act after an incident in Muirhouse at the weekend.

Fidra Court was cordoned off by police officers on Friday night after a number of suspicious packages were reported. Bomb disposal experts were called to the scene and residents were evacuated until the early hours of Saturday morning.

Police have confirmed that a 61-year-old man has now been charged and he is expected to appear in court later.

Chief Inspector Sara Buchanan said: “We are still in the early stages of our inquiry and I’d like to thank the public for their patience, particularly those who were evacuated at Fidra Court, while we worked to establish the circumstances of this incident.”

Government bingo!

Dear Editor

I thought George Osborne would be interested in my extended playing of Bingo, with the caller’s comments:

By itself, number 1 … Tory philosophy

By itself, number 4 … Out the door – bedroom tax

By itself, number 5 … Wasted years

By itself, number 8 … show them the gate!

Number 10 … Cameron’s Den – not for long!

Legs, 11 … Osborne will need them!

Unlucky for some, 13 …. for about sixty million!

Blind, 20 … Cabinet profile

Two little ducks, 22 … Quack, quack, Jeremy!

Three and one, 31 … we’ve been done!

Blind, 40 … plus Ali Baba

Five and seven, 57 … Tory heaven

The Brighton Line, five and nine, 59 … Let’s call time!

Clickety click, 66 … Any new tricks?

Any way up, six and nine, 69 … mine, mine, mine!

HOUSE!

Prize – a lemon! Game over.

A. Delahoy

Silverknowes Gardens

Regenerate Granton

The Granton Improvement Society has a vision to regenerate the area, aiming to provide employment, training, education and leisure activities. They are holding their AGM on 30th April when they will be electing Trustees and sharing the latest information. Why not go along?

6pm Wednesday 30th April
Royston Wardieburn Community Centre
Pilton Drive North

contact: info@grantonimprovementsociety.org

Botanics to create WW1 commemoration poppy field

The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) will mark the centenary of the start of the First World War by creating a poppy field at the centre of its Edinburgh site. The display will commemorate the employees who went to war, many of whom lost their lives, and will also remember others who were, or still are, affected by war.

RBGE’s Regius Keeper Simon Milne MBE said: “Plant symbolism is
an important part of cultures across the globe, particularly through representing emotions and spirituality. It is therefore fitting that at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, the heart of Scotland’s plant heritage, we mark the anniversary of the start of World War One with a poppy field. I hope that the flowers will encourage people to reflect on the 16 million people who lost their lives and the impact that the war had on the lives of everyone.”

The poppy field, located on the Garden’s prominently-positioned Glasshouse Lawn, will be sown in May using the common poppy Papaver rhoeas, an iconic symbol of remembrance and used to commemorate the Great War since 1921. This large, four-petalled, scarlet flower can lie dormant for many years before germination which is often triggered when the soil is disturbed.

During the First World War, battlefields that were blasted and bombed created ideal conditions for it to flourish. The sight of poppies, appearing to heal the torn earth, inspired Canadian Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae to write the memorable war poem ‘In Flanders Fields’.

RBGE’s horticultural team is planning for swathes of poppies to emerge in late July to mark the centenary.

David Knott, Curator of the Living Collection, explained: “We did trials with the poppy in our nursery last year in order to try and get the timing of flowering just right to coincide with the start of the commemorations.
Once the poppies are planted, we are pretty much in the hands of the weather as to the result but we all hoping our efforts will make a fitting and timely tribute.”

At the time of the Great War, the Garden had 110 staff and of the 88 men, 73 joined the forces and 20 lost their lives in action.