Category: Uncategorized

PEP winter plan swings into action

With the first snows of winter falling over the weekend, Pilton Equalities Project has drafted a severe weather contingency plan and circulated it to other local organisations for comment and suggestion.  PEP staff and volunteers came to the aid of many vulnerable local people last winter and manager Helen Tait is making sure that processes are in place to ensure that frail and elderly residents are protected as winter bites.

“Last winter’s weather was awful and we are making sure we are prepared just in case we see a repeat”, said Helen.   “We have contacted other local groups across the area to ensure that we are organised.  By working together and supporting each other there is no duplication – it’s important that the help available goes to where it’s most needed”.

Base on three priorities – Food, Heat and Health – PEP’s severe weather plan aims to get assistance to the most isolated members of the community – be that shopping, clearing paths, emergency heating or even setting up soup kitchens if it proves necessary.

Local organisations have been asked to contact PEP with suggestions by telephone on 315 4466 or by email pepequalities@btconnect.com

Crunch time for ECRN

Community activists from across the city have been urged to attend a ‘vital’ meeting of the Edinburgh Community Representatives Network (ECRN) tonight.  The meeting will decide the future direction of the organisation which was set up to give communities a voice in decisions that affect them.

ECRN provides a forum for city activists to come together to discuss issues of common concern, but in March this year the organisation lost it’s funding for a part-time support worker.  This seriously curtailed ECRN activities and the organisation’s office bearers stood down at ECRN’s annual general meeting in July.  Since then, however, office bearers have had a change of mind and tonight’s meeting has been organised to thrash out a way ahead for ECRN.

In ‘Something Needs To Be Done’, a discussion document tabled for tonight’s meeting, ECRN chairman George Pitcher argues that the need for the organisation to continue is as great as ever, although he believes ECRN should not become a campaigning group.

Mr. Pitcher said:  “Anything which will help people, as groups or as individuals to become involved in community representation is what ECRN should be about.  Building up people’s knowledge and confidence to do things for themselves is the name of the game.  It is certainly not to give clout to ECRN, but to help give clout to the citizens of Edinburgh, whether it be Muirhouse or Marchmont, Cramond or Craigmillar, enabling them to play a vital part in defining and servicing the needs of those very communities in which they live out their lives.  My answer to the question, ‘Does ECRN need to change?’ is a big NO!”

Mr. Pitcher urges ECRN members old and new to attend tonight’s meeting, which will be held in Southside Community Centre on Nicholson Street at 7pm.  “To influence policy decisions, etc., you need to be there so come along and play a part in what could be the most vital meeting ever organised under the Edinburgh Community Representatives’ Network banner”, he said.

For further information on the ECRN or more details of tonight’s meeting call George on 0754 980 9206 or email geo.pitcher@o2.co.uk

Let There Be Light!

Drylaw Telford Community Council is to raise concerns over the quality of recently-introduced lamp standards across the area.  Members at the community council’s latest meeting in Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre on Wednesday said that the new streetlights are not powerful enough and do not light pavements adequately, and the group plans to raise safety concerns at forthcoming Neighbourhood Partnership meetings.

The city council embarked on a rolling programme of replacing street lights earlier this year, but community council members believe the new lights are not as effective as the older lamp standards they are replacing.

Community councillor Jackie Brown also manages Drylaw’s Rainbow Daycare Centre for older people, and she says members are feeling less safe at night as a result of the lighting replacement programme.

“The new lights are lower and less powerful so don’t shed nearly as much light.  Older members of the community are feeling vulnerable.  Some of them are carrying torches so that they can see where to put the key in the door lock when they get home, while some others are avoiding going out altogether when it gets dark.  It’s not only older people who are affected by the new lights, though – lots of people are not happy with the new lights”.

The city council is introducing the new units to reduce cost, energy use and light pollution.  In October the council’s Planning Committee approved a draft version of the Edinburgh Lighting Strategy for consultation and the closing date for comments is 31 December.  Drylaw Telford Community Council will formally respond to the consultation and also plan to raise concerns at December meetings of Forth Neighbourhood Partnership and the local Clean, Green and Safe action group.

What do you think of the new street lights?  Let us know!

Unkindest Cut Of All For Local Butchers

One of North Edinburgh’s longest established businesses will close on Saturday after having served the community for over thirty years.  The Pork Butcher on Pennywell Road closes it’s doors for the last time this weekend – and butcher Brian Burke has no doubt about the cause of the closure.

“The decision to knock down all those houses in Muirhouse and Pennywell is what’s really done for us”, said Brian, who has managed the shop for 33 years.  “We’ve managed to get through downturns before, times when people have less money to spend – we survived that.  But over the last four years or so – when they started by knocking down Muirhouse Crescent – we’ve  seen our customer numbers really drop. You can’t knock down around 950 houses – and rebuild none – without trade being affected.  Bit by bit trade has dwindled and we can’t carry on – the customers are just not here any  more.  Every shop will tell you the same – every one is struggling.  I can well remember when we would have five or six butchers  working on a Saturday and we never stopped – the place was non-stop all day.  It’s hard to believe it’s the same shop”.

Nephew Charlie is a relative newcomer – he’s only worked in the Pennywell shop for 27 years!

“I’ll be finished my apprenticeship soon!” he said.  “Seriously though, it really is tragic not just for us but for the whole community. We’ve seen this happening for the last few years – since they started emptying the houses.  It will be three  years until the first of the new homes are built and occupied – that will be too late for most businesses and I think most of the shops will be shut by then.  I think everyone wants out but they are tied into contracts and it looks hopeless.  I don’t see how any business can survive when there’s no prospect of customers.  When the council was planning the regeneration of the area I think they should have done what they did in Niddrie – decanting and demolishing bit by bit and rebuilding and getting people back in.
If they had done that down here businesses would at least have had a fighting chance, but they didn’t”.

While Saturday will be a sad day for the Pennywell butchers, Brian and Charlie will leave with a lot of fond memories.

“We have had an awful lot of laughs over the years, a lot of fun”, said Brian.  “We always liked to give the kids a slice of chopped pork when they came in, and now we’re giving a piece of chopped pork to the kids of those kids.  You get to meet a lot of good people and I’d like to thank all of our customers who have supported us over the years”.

Charlie added:  “Just recently I was having a drink when someone stuck a pint in front of me.  ‘That’s for keeping me going on chopped pork when I was wee!’ he said!  We have had some really good times and we’re bound to miss it – we’ve been doing it for
such a long time.  It will be very sad when we lock these doors for the last time”.

The city council’s ‘21st Century Homes’ regeneration initiative was welcomed by most people – particularly those languishing
on waiting lists and tenants living in substandard accommodation.  Around 470 new homes will be built in Muirhouse and Pennywell as part of the programme, bringing families – and customers – back to the area.  Sadly, those 21st century homes will come too late to save the local butchers who served the community for well over half a century.

Margo opens Elizabeth Maginnis Court

 Margo MacDonald MSP performed the official opening of Elizabeth Maginnis Court, Dunedin Canmore’s new housing development in Royston Mains Crescent yesterday.  Developed in partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council and the Scottish Government, the superb new facility contains 68 flats and a variety of communal facilities all designed around a central landscaped courtyard. 

It’s a building the late Granton councillor would have been very proud of -Elizabeth Maginnis Court provides flexible accomodation for older and vulnerable people; a group long very close to Elizabeth’s heart.

Margo MacDonald was joined by Councillor Paul Edie (Convener of Health, Social Care and Housing), Councillor Eric Milligan and Cardinal Keith O’Brien – long time friends of Elizabeth’s – all of whom paid moving tributes to the late local councillor who died three years ago.   The Maginnis family was well represented at the event, hosted by Dunedin Canmore chief executive Ewan Fraser, alongside city politicians, officials, community representatives and of course the new residents themselves.

Sisters Jean and Grace and their pals Betty and Rosemary joined the celebration and they all love their new homes.

“It’s really lovely here – I wouldn’t swop for anything!”, said Rosemary.  Betty agreed:  “It really is a smashing place – everyone feels very safe here”.  And Jean and Grace couldn’t be happier.  “We love it here – it’s been worth the wait and we are so happy”.

And doubtless Elizabeth would have been very happy for them too!

 

 

Four-week-old baby treated by medics after Drylaw flat fire

A four-week-old baby girl was treated by ambulance crews at the scene of a fire in Drylaw.

Medics were called in over concerns for the child’s breathing because of large amounts of smoke caused by the blaze on Tuesday evening.

Fifteen firefighters were called to the scene at Wester Drylaw Drive at around 6.30pm after reports a wheelie bin was alight in a stairwell.

Four crew members wearing breathing apparatus put out the flames.

Emergency crews checked over the baby as a precaution but she did not require hospital treatment.

No one else was injured during the alarm.

Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service said the cause of the blaze was still under investigation.

Man beaten after questioning gang

A man was punched to the ground and kicked after questioning a group that were drinking in his close.

The 62-year-old went into the common stair in Ferry Road Drive at around 7.30am on Sunday.

He found a group of three men and a woman sat in the close drinking and asked them what they were doing there.

One of the men punched him in the face and the victim fell to the ground before another man started kicking him. The group then left the close.

The victim went to St John’s Hospital where he was treated for a broken jaw and reported the attack to the police on Tuesday.

Lothian and Borders Police are appealing for witnesses as they try and find the men responsible.

The first suspect is described as a white man aged around 20, around 5ft 10in tall and well built with short, fair hair. He was wearing a sweatshirt and grey jogging bottoms at the time of the attack.

The second man is also white and around 20 years old. He is around 5ft 8in tall with a slim build and dark brown or black hair.

A police spokesman said: “This was an unprovoked and vicious assault that resulted in a man suffering a painful and serious facial injury.

“Given the time of day, there may have been a number of people in the streets on their way to work and anyone who remembers seeing anything suspicious in the Ferry Road Drive area on Sunday morning is asked to contact police immediately.

“Similarly, if anyone can assist in identifying those responsible for this attack, they are also asked to get in touch.”

Anyone with any information can contact Lothian and Borders Police on 0131 311 3131, or the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.