Old Kirk & Muirhouse Parish Church, Pennywell Gardens
SUMMER FAYRE
Saturday 13 June 10am – 12 noon
All welcome
North Edinburgh Arts was even busier than usual this morning as friends and colleagues got together to congratulate one of their own. JULIE SMITH explains …
Congratulations to Sara Martin on being awarded an Inspiring Volunteer by the City of Edinburgh Council and Volunteer Centre Edinburgh. She is a great example of the many inspiring women North Edinburgh has produced over the years.
She has been active in the area since she moved here 11 years ago. From first attending Buggy Brigades with her daughter, she was a founder member of North Edinburgh Women’s Group. From there she has gone on to give her time to lots of projects in the area: she runs a Rainbows group at Drylaw Church, is an archery instructor in the archery group and a stalwart of West Pilton Park Action Group.
It is as a volunteer for North Edinburgh Timebank that she has truly made her mark. Throwing herself into the singing group – the Timebank Temptations – she has encouraged others to get involved and without her it’s doubtful if we’d ever end up singing the right notes in the right order!
She makes sure everyone is organised and up-to-date with what’s going on and isn’t slow to tell us off if we forget our folders or pencils! Equally, she is hugely encouraging to everyone else involved in all activities.
Without her, the Teddy Bears’ Picnic last month couldn’t have happened, and she is also a stalwart of the Knit and Natter group. It’s been a real privilege to work with her, and I know all her friends in the Timebank want to congratulate her. She has been there for lots of them at various points when they needed a chum – as they have been there to support her. She’s been active in North Edinburgh Fights Back and is a huge champion of the local community. She is a woman of strong opinions and a willingness to muck in wherever and whenever she can.
North Edinburgh is full of people making a difference in innumerable ways to their communities. As carers and cleaners, cooks and comforters, campaigners and confidantes – everyone is needed and valued. I hope Sara will act as an inspiration to others to take that first step and get involved in something they feel passionate about!
If you would like to get involved in North Edinburgh Timebank, or find out more about the activities it organises, contact Julie Smith on 07958540438 or email north.timebank@volunteeredinburgh.org.uk
Mackenzies serves up support for school hit by robbery
The Forthview Primary School community was devastated when their storage shed was broken into over a holiday weekend in May. Thieves stole bikes which had been borrowed to help teach pupils cycling proficiency, leaving the school facing a potential bill of one thousand pounds it could ill-afford to pay.
Forthview’s Tracey Berry said at the time: “Bikes that we had borrowed, so that Bill Stobie could teach bike ability to P6, have been stolen, along with footballs and gardening equipment. We are responsible for the bikes: it will cost us about £1000 to replace the them!
“Our fundraising is meant to be for outings and activities for Forthview children, not replacing things that thoughtless people have stolen. If you find one please hand it to the school – the more we find, the less money we have to pay out from the school funds.”
An appeal went out to trace the stolen bikes (see NEN blog ‘Forthview break-in: can you help trace bikes?, 11 May) – and the community response has been nothing short of remarkable!
Forthview head teacher Eileen Littlewood said: “Not only have parents, grandparents and their friends rallied to make donations for us, but a fairly new restaurant in Davidson’s Mains contacted us when they heard about the theft. They are very eager to support the community in any way they can and they offered to hold a fundraising night where staff and other people could come and enjoy a taster menu with wine for £30 a head.
“Staff who went along had a wonderful evening and the food was delicious. We enjoyed 8 courses and half a bottle of wine each. The cuisine was superb and at the end of the evening, Grant and Jamie who are the partners in the business gave us every penny back – £550!
“They did not even want to cover the costs of the food. We have been overwhelmed by their generosity. As one staff member said: ‘what a fundraiser – we made a lot of money, had a brilliant meal and wine as well!’The business in question is Mackenzies Restaurant and Bar in Davidson’s Mains, which opened under new management at the end of April. Mine hosts Grant and Jamie are local lads- from Granton and Wardieburn – and together with Grant’s partner Trisha pledged to help a local school in need.
The Mackenzies team’s tremendous support is greatly appreciated by all at Forthview – and they may just find that their generosity is reciprocated by a grateful community. Well done, Mackenzies!
PS: And the icing on the cake – a number of the missing bikes have been recovered too!
Like sport, love fresh air and healthy exercise? Then West Pilton Park’s the place to be this Saturday from midday – 4pm! There’s something for everyone … and it’s all FREE!
See below for details
Pilton Community Health Project will be producing a cake to highlight the best of North Edinburgh as part of this month’s Edinburgh’s Cake Fest – and they could use your help!
PCHP’s Community Development Manager Anita Aggarwal explained: “We are delighted to have been asked to contribute a cake to Cake Fest – they are building a map of Edinburgh made in cake!
“A master cake decorator (a member of the Sugarcraft Guild) will be with us on Thursday 18 June from 9.30am – 1pm to help us decorate our cake, which will be our building and a community garden – hopefully decorated with symbols and figures that represent the best of the area.
“Drop in anytime between 9.30 and 1 to contribute to the cake which will be displayed at the Botanics. Let us know if you need a creche.”
“You can see all the entire map of Edinburgh made from cake at the Botanic Gardens on Sunday 21 June – its all free and the cake will be shared around from 5pm.”
And what exactly is Cake Fest Edinburgh? Well, it’s part of The Year of Food and Drink Scotland 2015 events and, simply put, it’s a free day of cake, entertainment and Scotland’s best food and drink!
Sunday 21 June 2015 is Midsummer’s Day, and on Inverleith House lawn in the Botanic Gardens, Cake Fest Edinburgh will build a giant edible map of the city including over 50 magnificent landmark buildings in cake! Join us to witness this marvel, explore the gardens and sample delicious local produce.
There’s street food and a producer’s market from 10am and throughout the afternoon there will be workshops for the kids and free entertainment all day and evening long. From midday, the cake map will be assembled – careful, now! – and by 5pm the cake map will be complete …
Once the cake map is complete it will be left for all to admire whilst each baking team casts its vote for the Bakers Choice cake. Shortly after 5pm the winner will be announced by a very special guest – and bakers will then be invited onto the map to cut up their cakes to share with onlookers, all for free!
This event is for all the family and free to attend. For further information visit http://edinburgh.cakefest.org.uk/
From well established award winning gardens, to new grassroot food growing projects, the diversity of the initiatives which feature in the programme will surprise and delight Festival goers. Venues open on the weekend of 20 and 21 June include a library, an office block, a secret garden, and a farmhouse which is undergoing an incredible transformation!
A citywide celebration
From Portobello to Wester Hailes, Granton to Blackhall, Tollcross to Old Dalkeith Road, and many others in between, every corner of Edinburgh will have a garden celebrating the joy of community food growing. There will be a rich menu of events suited for every taste, for children and adults alike, including: children’s poetry writing, bug hunting, storytelling and sharing, choir music, conversations on nature, food and sustainability, wind band, foraging, cooking and eating, as well as practical gardening workshops, and the launch of Edible Edinburgh Food Charter of a Sustainable Food City.
In association with Sustrans, visitors can also join in a guided bike tour of the
gardens (free but ticketed). Bookings can be made online.
Whether on foot or on two wheels, visitors can plan their Festival trip and keep up to date with the latest events and information via The Power of Food Festival website (details below).
A Festival for everyone
Why not invite your friends and family to take part in the first Edinburgh Power of Food Festival? The weekend will give everyone a chance to meet people in their local community, to join those who are transforming the city landscape everyday, and to give a deeper meaning to the word ‘community’. Maybe it will be the beginning of a great adventure: who knows where The Power of Food will take you?
The full programme of events can be accessed here: PoF Programme
Come with family and friends to The Power of Food Festival
Celebrating community food growing and local change makers
summer solstice weekend 20-21 June
W: poweroffoodfestival.wordpress.
Twitter @PoFFest FacebookEdinburghPowerofFoodFestival
North Edinburgh Young People’s Forum launched the third edition of their The Matter? newspaper at West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre last night. It was an opportunity to catch up with what the group has been doing and their plans for the future.
The latest issue focuses on young people’s perception of crime in the Forth ward. Late last year NEYPF contacted over 150 young people across the area to find out what they thought about crime in their neighbourhood.
The conclusions? NEYPF is calling for more police patrols in the area and an improved working relationship between police and young people. There’s also a call for improved CCTV and better street lighting
The group’s findings were presented to the Scottish Government at a National Discussion Day event in April and NEYPF’s input will help to influence the Building Safer Communities programme.Stolen motorcycles and joyriding remain a big issue and the group announced exciting new plans to develop a community repairs workshop and garage. This project would encourage young people to gain new skills and qualifications.
NEYPF members have also recently undergone peer educator trainign and plan to create a peer education programme based around community perceptions of crime.
First up, though, it’s an invitation from local Inspector David Happs to visit to Drylaw Police Station and meet the local officers there, and also an opportunity to share their findings with #StrongerNorth’s Gold Team.
For further info contact NEYPF@hotmail.co.uk
visit the Facebook page
Twitter: @NEYPF
Excellent: West Pilton West Granton CC ticks the five ‘E’ boxes
West Pilton West Granton Community Council (WPWGCC) was praised as being a great example of what a good community organisation should be at their annual general meeting in West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre last night.
Eric Dobbie, chair of the recently re-elected Edinburgh Association of Community Councils, said the local community council ticks ‘all the boxes – all the five ‘E’s’: Engagement, Encouragement, Empathy, Environment and Enterprise.
He told the meeting: “We have some good community councils and, frankly, we have some rubbish community councils. We can create better and more effective CCs. What you are doing here is very exciting, and your work is a prime example of how it can be done. I’m really encouraged by how you have gone about this – it’s been quite an eye-opener.”
More than thirty people – including members from neighbouring community councils Trinity, Muirhouse Salvesen and Drylaw Telford – attended the meeting. Guest speaker was Councillor Maureen Childs, who talked about the changing role of community councils in community planning.
Secretary Willie Black told the meeting: “It’s been an eventful year for our community council. We’ve had some criticism but we’ve made quite a difference to the area.”
He went on to detail the active role WPWGCC has played in local initiatives over the last twelve months: bringing community councils together with the North team to stage a regeneration conference was one notable example, and community councillors have been active members of other local groups and organisations. There have been community clean-ups too – local folk have cleared ten tonnes of rubbish in four separate area cleanups!
“This sort of activity is being rolled out across the whole area – it’s a different kind of engagement but local people see the benefits and it gives people some pride”, Willie said. “We are lucky to have a lot of experience on our community council. We have members who work with young people and other members who have vast experience of community activities. That’s a real plus – we know what is happening on the ground.”
However the year was dominated by a rise in criminality and antisocial behaviour across the neighbourhood – and this escalated to reach a peak which saw the attempted murder of a local takeaway owner. The community council again came to the fore.
“Following that incident our usual monthly meeting was changed to become a public meeting to discuss community safety and for local people to voice their fears and concerns. There’s no doubt the senior police officers present at that meeting felt the anger of local people – the #StrongerNorth initiative was born out of this and the community council is still playing a leading role there.”
There’s still a lot of work to be done – Willie referred to the ‘Hanging Gardens of Pilton’ – rooftop vegetation on poorly maintained rented properties – and said the community council is working with others to bring landlords together to discuss issues of common concern. Access to Forthview School is another issue for the community council and WPWG also have some exciting plans to improve job prospects for local people – particularly young people – through the establishment of a community factoring service as a social enterprise.
The community council will be taking meetings out to a variety of venues and locations over the next year in a hope that this will generate more interest, and members will also undertake training to make them even more effective at representing their communities.
“The CC has made a marked difference in our area; we have achieved a lot that we can be proud of over the last year. There is momentum and we will build on that”.
Do you remember Pilton Community Health Project’s ‘Good Food For All’ event held last December?
Since that conference a group of local people and organisations have been meeting to develop ideas and to take the report findings on to the next stage – and you can be part of that!
The next food poverty meeting takes place this afternoon (Tuesday 2 June) from 1 – 2.30 at Pilton Community Health Project and is an opportunity to discuss what we can do to have our voices heard about food poverty. All welcome
Contact Anita for more information on 0131 551 1671