Rescheduled CC meeting takes place tomorrow

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Dear All,
Please find attached the agenda for tomorrow’s West Pilton West Granton Community Council meeting. This meeting is out of sync due to holiday arrangements. Please note that the last meeting was inquorate so the minutes of 5th April will be re-presented.
We will be having a discussion about the forthcoming Community Council elections. Please note from the attachments above the timetable for our elections. The Returning Officer for our elections is Councillor Vicki Redpath, other Councillors are Returning Officers for other Community Councils. These elections will require the existing Community Councillors to stand down and seek re-election.

Awards seek out Edinburgh’s ‘Heritage Angels’

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Volunteer groups and individuals in and around Edinburgh, who contribute to Scotland’s historic environment, are being asked to step forward and make themselves known, as entries for the Scottish Heritage Angel Awards 2016 opened on Friday (10th June). Continue reading Awards seek out Edinburgh’s ‘Heritage Angels’

Rockin’ The Botanics on Father’s Day

Dads Rock on Father’s Day at the Botanics

Sun 19 June, 11am to 4pm

Dads Rock and friends are taking over the Botanics on Father’s Day. Come along and enjoy a day of free fun activities including arts and crafts, face painting, music, storytelling, yoga and much more. Supported by Year of the Dad.

Find out more>>>

Picture: Andrew O’Brien

Sun 19th June 11amRoyal Botanical Garden Edin

Severing Time at North Edinburgh Arts

Friday 24 June 7.30pm

North Edinburgh Arts

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North Edinburgh Arts Theatre Project & Festival and King’s Theatres Edinburgh Learning and Participation

INVITATION

You are invited to the Sharing of Work – Severing Time – on Friday 24th June 7.30pm

This performance includes Theatre, Dance and Video work by the Adults and Children of the North Edinburgh Arts Theatre project.

Severing Time investigates the influence and resistance we have towards the pressure of advertising, media and social networks, and considers the challenges, disruptions and distortions to our well-being and sense of self that virtual encounters can create. The ‘self’ we manufacture for internet-based encounters can be reductive, dehumanising and commodifying. It can also be a reflection to find and reclaim ourselves.

Background and Development of the project

North Edinburgh Arts Theatre project is an established and well-recognised Theatre project for adults, and has a track record for exciting and innovative productions and events. The project was developed in 2011 after research into the requirements of local people. The main finding of this research was that people wanted to make theatre again, after a history of using theatre and other art forms to create work which highlights their community and its needs and aspirations.

The project supports the participants’ aspirations and hard work for well-being and full creative lives, making strong contributions to their own communities as well as participating in the North Edinburgh Arts Theatre project.

In November 2011 North Edinburgh Arts Theatre project developed Yes We CanCan – a Cabaret of Resistance, which was the cementing of the project. Since then, the project has participated in a number of performances including Theatre Uncut in 2012 & 2013 and it regularly offers Sharing-of-Work and Work-in-Progress events. The 1d Tenement Opera in January 2015 through the support of the People’s Health Trust was an exciting and important development for North Edinburgh, and since then, the film Remembering Today, which was made in October 2015, has been acclaimed and celebrated.

Now North Edinburgh Arts’ Theatre project is delighted to be joined by Festival and King’s Theatres Edinburgh Learning and Participation Coordinator for the next stage in the Project’s development. The Learning and Participation Coordinator is leading Drama Workshops for the children of participants, and welcomes wider participation from other children interested in drama and theatre.

If you are interested in the Theatre project please email Sandra  admin@northedinburgharts.co.uk

Celebrating our magnificent MoonWalkers!

Thousands ‘Swing Their Tartan’ to support cancer charity

PRESS RELEASEMoonwalk Scotland 2016

Thousands of women and men wearing bras decorated with a “Swing your Tartan” theme Power-Walked through the streets of Edinburgh at midnight, raising money and awareness for breast cancer charity Walk the Walk.

Among the throng was Walk the Walk Founder and Chief Executive Nina Barough CBE, who appeared on stage before the start of the walk (above).

Wearing decorated bras adorned with all things Scottish – from Highland Coos to Thistles, Saltires to Scottish food, plus of course, lots and lots of tartan – walkers set off from Holyrood Park at Midnight to take on a quarter, half, full or double marathon, raising money and awareness for breast cancer. Before the first step had even been taken, more than £400,000 had been raised.

These amazing people joined in a huge hooley led by rock Ceilidh band Bahookie. Women, men and children from the age of ten upwards showed off their fabulous Scottish costumes – knowing that most of the money raised by The MoonWalk Scotland stays in Scotland to help improve the lives of people with cancer.

Legendary Scottish tartan rocker Alan Longmuir of the Bay City Rollers met a team of fans taking on The MoonWalk – the Boob City Strollers – and offered his support: “The MoonWalk is an amazing thing for people to do. I’ve lost a few very good friends to breast cancer myself and I want to wish good luck to everyone taking part.

Nina Barough CBE, Founder and Chief Executive of Walk the Walk said: “It’s been a magnificent night! We had lots of children taking part in the quarter marathon New Moon and it was great seeing the children getting their medals! All our walkers have done magnificent times and everyone came through smiling and enjoying the experience. We had more people taking part than last year and it’s very special to see people in Scotland uniting together to make a difference.”

More pictures on our Facebook page

PRESS RELEASEMoonwalk Scotland 2016

Saving Granton Castle’s Walled Garden and other stories

Hi folks,
A while since we have sent out any news, so a lot to impart as we have been busy!
Articles about ‘Granton’s Lost Garden’ now published, recent presentations have met with a good response which has been publicised on our wordpress page finding-grantons-lost-castle-garden Still time to fill in the ideas survey if you haven’t done already as it will be open until midsummer, the link can be found on the wordpress page.
The Friends Group have had two meetings recently with the developers who own the walled garden, the most recent of which was very positive in its outcomes. Is there a glimmer of hope for the future of the walled garden and its restoration? The Community Empowerment Act outlines many ideals we hope can allow our voices to be heard, the ‘last of Scotland’s lost gardens’ is too precious to develop for 17 luxury townhouses.
  • Council petition!!!, save_granton_castle_walled_garden open to sign by anyone resident in Edinburgh. We need 500 signatures to be heard again at the city chambers, but there is a strict time limit … so please sign and share with those you think may be interested.
NEAC plot June 2016
On a brighter note, recent seedfunding has allowed some practical gardening sessions to be run locally to help promote our Friends Group and actively involve local people and community groups in organic horticulture and community growing. Beautiful results for everyone to share, berry picking soon, North Edinburgh Arts centre plot (pictured above, Mondays from 1-2pm and West Pilton Community Garden on Fridays 10am -12 noon.
Hope to post details of our next Friends Group Meeting venue, date and time soon, likely to be the end of June. Please get in touch if you want to come along to any of the gardening workshops, meetings or have any questions.
Best wishes,
Kirsty Sutherland

End of term celebration for Circle’s ISSEP

Ben Macpherson, Deidre Brock at Circle

Circle’s Inter School Social Education Project (ISSEP) works with primary-aged children supported by volunteer mentors who are 5th/6th year students.

For children, ISSEP provides a consistent 1:1 mentor one afternoon per week for the entire school year to support homework and a positive approach to learning, as well as providing a range of fun activities.

Mentors get a lot out of ISSEP too. It provides a first-class opportunity for volunteering, which is undertaken by some as part of accredited schemes such as Duke of Edinburgh and it helps to increase confidence and skills in working with young children. 

The ISSEP project has been a great success, and last week West Pilton-based Circle held an end of term celebration, as the project’s Claire Martin explains: 

Holly and Emma

Circle’s ISSEP Project enjoyed an end of term celebration on May 31st. Around 90 people joined the party at North Edinburgh Arts Centre. It was a fantastic way to celebrate the achievements of the 30 mentors and 30 children involved in the mentoring project this year (writes Circle’s Claire Martin).

The sun was shining and everyone enjoyed face painting, food, certificate presentations and a slideshow of the year’s highlights! Highlights included Zumba sessions at the mentors’ school and several visits to the Edinburgh International Science Festival.

Thank you to the mentors from George Heriot’s School whose fundraising efforts made these outings possible. We also enjoyed planting vegetables in the newly developed raised beds at Muirhouse Avenue thanks to Centipede Project.

Lots of special friendships have blossomed throughout the year and the feedback from parents, teachers, children and mentors involved has been extremely positive. Thanks to Ben Macpherson MSP and Deidre Brock MP for joining us to celebrate, as well as teachers from local primary schools and George Heriot’s School.

We wish the mentors well as they move on from secondary school. We look forward to the project starting up again after the summer.

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Boy dies following motorcycle accident in Silverknowes

SickKids

A 14-year-old boy has died after a collision between a car and a motorbike in Silverknowes. The boy, who has been named locally as Brad Williamson,  was taken to the Sick Kids hospital on Friday evening but died this morning.

The motorcycle, a white Vertigo driven by the youth, was involved in a collision with a black Toyota Aygo on Silverknowes Road near to the junction with Silverknowes Court, at around 4pm on Friday. The boy and his passenger, also 14, were both taken to the Sick Kids hospital with serious injuries.

Police are appealing for witnesses who may have seen the collision and are particularly keen to speak to the driver of a white limousine.

Sergeant Brian Smith, of Edinburgh’s Road Policing Unit, added: “This collision has resulted in death of a teenage boy and our condolences are with his family at this sad time.

“Our enquiries continue in order to establish the full circumstance surrounding this, and anyone who may have witnessed the collision is urged to get in touch.

“We’re particularly eager to trace the driver of a white Mercedes limousine-style car which was travelling north on Silverknowes Road at the time, as we believe they may be able to assist with our investigation.”

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101