Royston Wardieburn fundraiser to support earthquake victims
The Nepal Scotland Association has organised an evening of Nepalese food, music and dancing at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre from 5pm on Saturday 23 May.
Tickets are available from RWCC reception, or from community members (contact the numbers on the poster).
Show your support for our friends in Nepal!
Thirty firefighters battle Crewe Terrace flat inferno
Firefighters battled for over three hours to bring a fierce blaze in an upper villa flat in Crewe Terrace under control today. Five appliances and more than thirty firefighters attended the fire which broke out around 11:30 this morning (writes Dave Pickering).
At one point it was feared that the fire would spread to neighbouring properties. One Crewe resident said: “The fire was in the attic conversion and you could see the flames quite clearly. The fire had got quite a hold, the house was well alight but the firemen did a great job – it couldn’t have been easy to deal with that.”
It’s understood no-one was injured in the fire but the house has suffered extensive damage. Investigations are now under way to ascertain the cause of the fire.
PIC: Gillian McGuinness McFarlane
Edinburgh College acting students are stars in Romania
Edinburgh College acting students brought a sprinkling of stardust to Romania as they performed to a sell-out crowd at one of the country’s prestigious national theatres.
Twenty-one students from the HND Acting and Performance course travelled to Romania to perform a show and take part in workshops and theatre tours, and watch performances by their Romanian contemporaries.
The students were visiting the country to present their show We are Made of Stardust at the National Theatre in Târgu Mureș, where they played to a full house and received a five-minute standing ovation. The students previously performed this show at the college’s Performing Arts Studio Scotland in Granton.
We are Made of Stardust was originally developed in Romania by college lecturer Scott Johnston, who has been travelling to the country for 22 years. Scott worked with the first youth theatre based at the National Theatre Târgu Mureș to develop the show, before developing a new version with his Edinburgh College students.
He said: “This was a hugely exciting opportunity for our students to perform on a prestigious stage and share their experience with Romanian actors. The students organised a Scottish theme night, attended Romanian and Hungarian nights and saw five productions at the national theatre and other venues.”
To help his students put their own stamp on the production, Scott used a technique he developed called bookends devising. He said: “Simply put, this means that I have written and designed the beginning and end 10 minutes of the production. The cast along with me devise and write the piece in between. The show I will take to Romania has exactly the same beginning and ending as the one I made here at college.”
In 2010 the University of the Arts in Târgu Mureș awarded Scott the university medal for developing artistic and academic work at the university – the first Briton to be awarded this honour. Last year, supported by the college, he completed a Masters in Stage Directing at the University. He has worked throughout Romania and done workshops and directed plays in many of the major theatres. He has also directed international professional co-productions for Romanian and Scottish companies including Stellar Quines and Cumbernauld theatre.
Students from the college’s performing arts courses will be taking part in performances as part of the college’s Let’s Glow festival throughout May and June. Let’s Glow is a celebration of the college’s creative students, featuring performance and exhibitions covering everything from music, theatre and dance to photography, film, art animation, textiles and design. The full programme of events can be found at www.edinburghcollege.ac.uk/letsglow
To find out more about performing arts courses at Edinburgh College, which include dance, musical theatre, acting, technical theatre, textiles and make-up courses visitwww.edinburghcollege.ac.uk/courses
‘It’s a great, mutually-beneficial partnership’ – Rob Hoon (Manager, Out of the Blue Arts & Education Trust)
The doors of Custom House are one step closer to being opened to the public thanks to a lease arrangement between the City of Edinburgh Council and the Scottish Historic Buildings Trust (SHBT).
An in-principle deal with SHBT to lease the listed Leith building was confirmed last month, but received the official green light to proceed yesterday at a meeting of the Council’s Finance and Resources Committee.
The decision will allow SHBT to sublet the building on month by month basis, with cultural social enterprise group Out of the Blue Arts and Education Trust the preferred tenant. The Council will remain landlord for the building, and will work with SHBT to develop a feasibility study into long-term plans for the building.
It is hoped local residents and businesses will be given a glimpse inside the building during an Open Day celebration later this year.
Councillor Richard Lewis, Culture and Sport Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “The missives have been signed and the lease agreed, and the keys to Custom House will now be passed to SHBT. It is the oldest structure of its kind in Scotland having been built in 1812 and the Council will work with the Trust to carry out initial works to the interior and exterior of the building.
“Under the Trust’s watch and with the Council as landlord, the doors of this historic building will finally swing open to the public and the Custom House building will once again become a hub in the heart of the Leith community.”
Chair of the SHBT Board of Trustees John Campbell, said: “Although we are a small charity, we have a strong track record in saving important buildings at risk for communities across Scotland and we are delighted now to be involved in securing a future for the Customs House.
“Our first priority will be to make some repairs to the building and spruce it up so that pretty soon members of the public will be able access it. Its various rooms will be available for use whilst we develop the capital project from feasibility study through to completion.
“This is a very exciting project that will deliver a vibrant mixed use hub for the benefit of the people of Leith and beyond. A key element will be the presentation of selected artefacts and interpretation displays to highlight the historic importance of Leith as the gateway to Edinburgh and Scotland. Other uses may include offices, workshops and public rooms for meetings and events.”
Rob Hoon, Manager of Out of the Blue Arts and Education Trust, said: “Out of the Blue will work with the Scottish Historic Buildings Trust to take a short-term lease to look after the Custom House building, use it for artist studios, and liaise with the community regarding a future museum/heritage centre for a few years before refurbishment. It’s a great mutually beneficial partnership.”
Attending todays’ Jobs & Employment Fair are:
Airport Recruitment Centre
Army recruitment
Bluebird Care
Blueprint training
Care Uk
Freespace
NHS recruitment
Urban Union
Scottish Gas
Home Instead
Support/providers
Cre8te/Digital Skills Academy
Forth Sector
Freshstart
Income maximisation/Welfare reform
Making it Work
North Edinburgh Childcare
Smartworks
Volunteer Centre
Intowork
Barnardo’s Works East
CITB
Community Jobs Scotland
Cyrenians
Edin College
Edinburgh Guarantee/IYP
SDS
Tomorrow’s People – Working it Out (North Edinburgh)
RUTS
Now all we need are the punters … !
‘This morning is another chance for the City of Edinburgh to show they value the environment and the wishes of the people of North Edinburgh’ – GIS secretary Barbara Robertson
North Edinburgh will be well represented at today’s Planning Committee meeting. As well as the aforementioned Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden delegation there will be a deputation from Granon Improvement Society too!
GIS secretary Barbara Robertson said: “Granton Improvement Society have a deputation to the Planning committee this morning to get them to agree to the designation of the Walled Garden area as Green Space being adopted as part of the Local Development Plan going forward.
“The project for a Garden Festival on that site, originally designated in the Llewllyn Davis Master plan as green space in 2002/3, has been developed by GIS over many years (see https://grantonimprovementsociety.wordpress.org for more information).
“We have been doing all we can to prevent the building of houses on this historic site and allow the GIS to make our visionary project come alive. This morning is another chance for the City of Edinburgh to show they value the environment and the wishes of the people of North Edinburgh.”
THURSDAY 14 MAY
10.30am – 1.30pm
Are you looking for a new job? A change of direction? looking to get some new skills or start a course … need some help?
Find out more about real jobs, training and learning opportunities near you!
Meet representatives from a range of organisations that can advise and support you with applications, updating your skills, volunteering, caring and more. City council Welfare Refrom officers will also be available to provide advice on benefits and housing.
It’s all available today at Muirhouse Library and Pennywell Shopping Centre – check it out!
B-list boost for Friends campaign
A deputation representing The Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden will attend today’s Planning Committee meeting with renewed optimism thanks to an imminent report from Historic Scotland.
Friends group organiser Kirsty Sutherland explained: “Just two days before our Friends Group deputation to the City Chambers we learned from Historic Scotland that they have almost completed the review of Granton Castle Walled Garden – and the great news is that they want to upgrade its status to B-listed!
“We hope this groundbreaking news will help convince the city council’s planning committee members to support our Friends Group aim of safeguarding this historic garden from a luxury housing development.”
The recent Historic Environment Act and planning guidelines issued for Historic Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Edinburgh all recognise the significant contribution heritage landscapes & greenspaces make to our communities sense of place, cultural identity & understanding of history.
Friends Group members and supporters feel that one of the oldest walled gardens in Scotland deserves to be safeguarded, cherished and restored.
Kirsty added: “We’re really excited by the Historic Scotland news – I’m bubbling over! It’s a bit like David and Goliath, trying to stop a multi-million pound business from building houses in the garden.We’d like to thank everyone for their support – the more people that speak up and send in a wee message of support, the better.”
Deputation Letter to Planning Committee 14 May
Our subsidiary company MH4 has a number of two bedroom flats available for let now. These flats are set within two blocks, all of which are let as Mid Market Tenancies.
To be considered for one of these flats you need to earn more than £18,000 and less than £37,000. And not rely on Housing Benefit to meet the cost of your rent.
The rent is £518 per month, due on the 1st of each month. A deposit of £518 is also required prior to signing the tenancy agreement.
The flats have an open plan living/dining/kitchen, two double bedrooms with built in wardrobes, a bathroom with an overbath shower and ample storage. Carpets are provided in the bedrooms and livingroom, and vinyl in the kitchen area and bathroom.
The flats are available for occupancy from the start of July.
If you are interested in applying please contact MHA on 336-5282 or email info@muirhouseha.org.uk
It is crucial that you apply quickly so that references and employments and bank details can be checked to allow you to move in July.
5000 sales valued at £1 billion – and 2500 more on the way
More than 5,000 families and first time buyers have purchased their home through the Help to Buy (Scotland) scheme, Housing Minister Margaret Burgess announced yesterday.
A further 2,500 sales are expected to be completed this year through this scheme and the Help to Buy (Scotland) Small Developers scheme.
Over £305 million was allocated to the two schemes – far exceeding the original industry demand for £220 million and target of 4,500 homes.
The value of the 5,000 properties sold under the scheme since November 2013 is now over £1 billion.
Help to Buy (Scotland) has been developed and delivered in partnership with Homes for Scotland and the Council of Mortgage Lenders, representing the industry and lenders. They continue to work with Ministers to monitor the schemes.
Mrs Burgess said: ““Housing is, and will remain, at the heart of the Government’s ambitions to deliver a fairer and more prosperous country.
“By investing £305 million in the Help to Buy (Scotland) scheme, £85 million more than the house building industry originally requested, we have also stimulated the economy, created jobs and given the construction industry a huge boost.
“The 5,000 sales achieved has far exceeded the industry’s original target of 4,500 homes. This has provided thousands of families, couples and single people, including first time buyers, the help to move up or onto the property ladder.”
The scheme has proved to be popular all across the country. Elgin couple Cameron & Magdalena McKenzie, who purchased a property through the Help to Buy Scheme, said: “Our family were delighted to use the help to buy scheme to assist us in getting a bigger and more modern property.
“We would never have been able to buy a bigger family home if it was not for Help to Buy. From start to finish, it was also very positive dealing with Bob Milton Properties.”
Bob Milton of house builder, Bob Milton Properties, said: “We were delighted to have sold another home with the assistance of the Help to Buy scheme. The scheme allowed Cameron and Magdalena to fulfil their dreams and move up to a new energy efficient home with their required number of bedrooms for their family needs.
“The people purchasing the plot next to Cameron and Magdalena’s had a son looking for a home. I put them in touch and the son, who was a first time buyer, bought Cameron and Magdalena’s home. Clearly, the Help to Buy scheme had a very positive link in allowing two sales to happen.”
Liz Mallon, Sales and Marketing Manager of City Legacy, the company responsible for marketing the Commonwealth Games Athletes’ Village properties, said: “The Commonwealth Games Athletes’ Village is a very special development which has really caught the imagination of buyers and bridges that much-needed gap for affordable living in Glasgow’s East End, just a few miles from the city centre.
“The support of the Scottish Government Help to Buy Scheme on this affordable quality private housing development has made a significant difference to the many first time buyers and families who have purchased their first new home in this unique historic housing development.”
Pete Bell, Chairman and Managing Director of Fife-based Campion Homes said: “We are not surprised this scheme has proved so popular. It allows first time buyers to get on the property ladder and shows just how important small and medium sized builders are to the house building industry in Scotland. We are delighted to be part of it.”
