The NEN – North Edinburgh News – Page 3786 – The community media resource for north Edinburgh

SCVO joins search for the missing million

The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) has joined forces with the STUC and the Daily Record for the Mission Million campaign to encourage the million people in Scotland currently unregistered to start using their vote.

John Downie, SCVO’s Director of Public Affairs, said: “It’s appalling to think that more than a million eligible people in Scotland aren’t registered to vote or won’t bother to use their vote, with the referendum just weeks away.

“We know that the top 20% of income earners are the most likely to vote, and as many as half of people in the bottom 20% don’t vote. This means it’s the poor, least educated and most vulnerable people who aren’t having their say. These are the people whose lives are most directly affected by political decisions about welfare, health and social care. If they don’t vote, it’s easier for politicians to ignore their needs.

“Politics is becoming all about raising funds and getting elected, no matter how few people actually support our politicians. But the referendum and other decisions about the economy, health and social care are far too important to be left to the politicians.

“Shockingly little is being done to convince people to use their vote but without enough voters we don’t have a healthy democracy. Charities can help but really it’s time for our politicians to do their bit to convince people that voting matters and to earn people’s trust.”

Grahame Smith, STUC General Secretary, said: “The independence referendum offers a superb opportunity to reinvigorate politics in Scotland. But it seems that both the tone of the debate and the limited action to promote participation means that far too many people will not have their say in September.

“Both sides of the debate are claiming they will deliver on social justice, so whatever the outcome of the referendum we will need to hold politicians to their promises. It is not too late for one final push to encourage people to register, and to vote on September 18.”

Allan Rennie, Editor in Chief of the Daily Record and Sunday Mail, said: “The decision Scots make in the referendum is one that will resound for generations to come. That is why it is crucial as many people as possible are involved in taking that decision, by getting registered to vote and using their vote on 18 September.

“There is still time get on to the electoral register and have a say – but not that much time.

“That is why we have joined with the SCVO and STUC to campaign for Scotland’s missing million voters to make their voices heard in what is going to be an historic day for Scottish democracy.”

A week on Ward 72: new exhibition at Western General

LOCAL arts and disability organisation, Artlink, is pleased to present an exhibition of drawings by Mark Kirkham – ‘The Edinburgh Sketcher’- documenting his observations as an artist-in-residence at the Royal Victoria Building at the Western General on Ward 72. The exhibition also shows Mark’s perspective – as a parent – of time spent in Edinburgh’s Royal Hospital for Sick Children.

Mark is an Edinburgh-based illustrator who produces an almost daily sketch blog of life in and around Scotland’s beautiful capital; an online sketchbook of scribbles and observations of daily life.

Impressed with his work, Artlink invited Mark in to become an artist in residence in the care of the elderly wards, documenting situations and stories from patients and staff on the ward. These observational drawings begin to explore how we communicate different healthcare experiences and contribute to a growing body of work which explores the positive relationship between the arts and healthcare in supporting recovery.

Mark said: “I would like to thank all the staff and patients for making me feel so welcome during my week on Ward 72. I drifted in and out, sketched from the corners of the room and tried to stay out of the way of the busy staff’. In the patients rooms it was a different experience, I was in their personal space and was welcomed in and given time and an insight into their lives. Through our chats and my drawing we connected and shared our individual stories and discussed what brings people into hospital.”

Over many years Artlink has worked with patients and staff to encourage their involvement in cultural and arts activity throughout NHS Lothian. We realise that this work not only creates positive involvement, we also know that it supports better communication and contributes positively to recovery. We are delighted with the response to Mark’s drawings so far.

Kirsten Smith, senior charge nurse, said: “It was great having Mark on the wards it was a positive experience for staff and patients. The patients were happy to talk about something else other than their illness and other routine matters for a while. Mark through his sketches has captured the person not the patient, you really see a person that is valued and respected and their story.”

A patient from North Berwick added: “I really enjoyed meeting Mark he came across as a very intelligent and interesting young man who obviously loves to draw. I liked his drawings and the amount of detail he has put, he’s captured North Berwick beautifully although he’s aged me by one year as i’m 90 not 91 but I am in my 91st year so I will let him off. I’ve showed it to some friends and they really like it too. I ended up being in hospital for three months and it was lovely to chat to Mark about other things and for someone from outside to come in to the ward.”

“I’m pretty sure we both benefited, I know how long days can be when in hospital and to have a friendly visit, which some of these patients aren’t lucky enough to have daily, it can be a great lift emotionally – which hopefully leads to a lift physically too,” said Mark.

The other part of the exhibition features Mark’s observations at the Sick Kids Hospital.

In 2011, Mark’s wife gave birth to twins, James and Zoe. James has Haemophilia A and consequently the family have had several visits to Edinburgh’s Sick Children’s Hospital. Whilst there, Mark continued to draw and most of the sketches shown here were made during the time James was in hospital. For Mark, drawing was a welcome distraction from all the things he was powerless to help with, and they have become a visual diary of a most terrifying, depressing and uplifting and amazing time in their lives, something that is being replayed many times over in a hospital ward right now.

We all have different ways in which we document our experiences. Some of us – like Mark – will draw, others write, and many of us will take pictures and now more often than not we will share these on Facebook or Twitter. In essence the arts are a tool of communication, both in terms of what we can make sense of and what we can’t. The arts can give us a new perspective on our experiences and provide new opportunities for understanding. Over many years Artlink have worked with patients and staff to encourage their involvement in cultural and arts activity throughout NHS Lothian. We realise that this work not only creates positive involvement, we also know that it supports better communication and contributes positively to recovery.

‘The twins were born on 9th March 2011 at just past 10pm at the Simpsons Memorial ward at Edinburgh’s Royal Infirmary. James arrived first weighing 4lb 15.5oz with his sister Zoe (5lb 5oz) following close behind”, said Mark. “We discovered James had Haemophilia A early, thankfully, when a routine heel prick on the maternity ward failed to stop bleeding. A genetic disorder which impairs the body’s ability to control blood clotting, Haemophilia A can cause even minor injuries to result in a severe bleed, either externally or internally. Such a bleed can last much longer and frequently require medication to stop.”

The Edinburgh Sketcher exhibition can be viewed from 1 August –November 2014 at

The Western General Gallery

Link Corridor between Alexander Donald building and Anne Ferguson Building

Western General Hospital, Crewe Road South.

You can see more examples of Mark’s work at www.edinburghsketcher.com

Arts and disability organisation Artlink celebrate their thirtieth anniversary this year. For more information about Artlink visit www.artlinkedinburgh.co.uk

Building vibrant communities: time for new thinking

Ian Cooke (pictured below) was manager of local community regeneration agency The Pilton Partnership/North Edinburgh Trust before moving on to become Director of Development Trusts Association Scotland. He shared his thoughts on community development at a national conference last month:

“Over the last few years we have seen the term ‘community’ increasingly move to the centre of the policy agenda in Scotland – community-led regeneration, community ownership, community renewable energies, community enterprise and a proposed key role for communities within the re-provisioning of public services.

“While this is both welcome and exciting, it does raise an important question about how we build capacity in communities, if they are to successfully rise to this challenge, and respond positively to these new opportunities. The development of enterprising, asset owning communities, who can lead regeneration processes and play a key role in future public sector delivery, invariably requires the development of an expanded knowledge base and skill set within communities, and requires us to re-think how we do community capacity building.

“Historically, community capacity building had been largely done ‘to’ communities, from outside agencies such as local authority services, Third Sector Interfaces (formerly CVS’s), consultants and other specialist voluntary agencies. Will this support continue to be available in the future, and are existing community capacity building services and agencies really up to the task of responding to this new agenda?

“Discussions about community capacity building have often been dominated by community development professionals. But much of the fore-mentioned policy development has been influenced by largely organic, bottom-up activity, as community after community has responded to threats and opportunities. In doing so they have drawn inspiration and support from a wide range of sources. Is it now time to reflect on this experience, and listen to communities themselves about what kind of capacity building they require?

“As Director of the Development Trusts Association Scotland, I have had the privilege of working with, and representing, some of the most dynamic community organisations in Scotland over the last few years, and it has been fascinating to discuss this issue with many of them. So here are a few thoughts to kick off this much needed debate about future capacity building provision in Scotland.

“Firstly, there seems to be a lack of clarity about what we mean by community capacity building – whose capacity is being built and for what purpose? My own experience suggests the need to focus on building the capacity of community anchor organisations as a pre-requisite for any wider community capacity building.

“Secondly communities need to be inspired, not patronised! The most effective (and cost effective) single intervention in the early development of community organisations is the opportunity to visit another community to find out what can be achieved and to learn how to go about it. This requires small grants of a few hundred pounds. So why do so few funders want to provide these?

“Thirdly, rather than funding capacity building activity as something done to communities, let’s recognise that the opportunity to employ their own staff is the most effective way to create a step change in capacity, and start investing directly in the core costs of community anchor organisations.

“Finally, let’s recognise the wealth of knowledge and experience which already exists within the Scottish community sector, and start to tap into this much more effectively and systematically by developing Peer Support Programmes.”

With the Community Empowerment Bill now before the Scottish Parliament, what can be done to support communities to influence the decisions that affect them? Let us know you thoughts

Family fun and games at Grassmarket

Old Town gets ready to celebrate Playday

Edinburgh’s Grassmarket will be transformed into a giant children’s play area tomorrow as the city to promote play in the city. The historic Old Town street will be transformed, with lots of family-friendly activities on offer including junk drumming, giant weaving, magic potions, a giant sand pit, water play and a cardboard city!

The event hopes to build on the successes of previous years where thousands of people have came along to join in Playday activities.

Playday is the national day for play, which is being celebrated next week. On Playday thousands of children and their families get out to play at hundreds of community events across the UK.

As well as a celebration of children’s right to play, Playday is a campaign that highlights the importance of play in children’s lives. It’s all about learning for life and showing that play is fun not just for the child but for adults as well.

Councillor Keith Robson is the city council’s ‘Play Champion’. He said: “Play is a massively important part of a child’s development and makes a tremendous contribution to happy and healthy childhoods. Our very popular Playday in the Grassmarket provides a fantastic opportunity to celebrate play and promote its many benefits.

“One of our objectives is that we want to ensure that communities recognise the importance of play for children especially outdoor play. Not only are there significant health benefits from being out in the open air, but also exposure to a range of different activities can help a child’s development.

“Here in Edinburgh we’re very lucky to have some fantastic outdoor spaces and I would encourage all parents to get outdoors with their children during these lovely summer months. The great park at west end of Princes Street Gardens has been a family favourite these holidays when friends have been visiting from around the UK.”

Edinburgh’s Playday event will be held in the Grassmarket from 12.30pm – 4.30pm. On offer will be a giant sand pit, water play, magic potions, cardboard city, play pod, mud kitchen, giant weaving, play for babies, junk drumming and much more!

Access is free but children should be accompanied by an adult. For more information contact

cf.play@edinburgh.gov.uk

There have already been two meetings of the Edinburgh Play Forum which is made up of various community groups, schools and other organisations with an interest in promoting play in the city. The aim is to make Edinburgh a playful city where children can enjoy their childhood.

The Council is currently updating it’s Play Strategy which will be discussed at the Education, Children & Families Committee later in the year.

Driving licence fees set to fall

Driving licence fees are set to fall by up to 32% under plans announced by Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander and Transport Minister Claire Perry.

The proposals are contained in a public consultation on driver licensing fees. The consultation sets out a proposed reduction in driving licence fees of 32% for digital transactions and 15% for paper applications.

As part of the proposals, drivers who apply online for their first driving licence would see the fee drop from £50 to £34. Drivers who renew their licence after 10 years would see the fee drop from £20 to £14. All driver tachograph cards would fall from £38 to £32.

Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander said: “I have been working hard to drive savings across the whole public sector and it’s great to see the benefit of these efficiencies feed through to drivers and businesses pockets. What the DVLA have shown today is that you can do more for less.”

Transport Minister Claire Perry said: “The cost of driving can be significant, especially for new drivers. I’m pleased to say that we are planning to save drivers £18m a year by cutting licence fees, thanks to the DVLA making significant savings to their running costs.”

The proposals are expected to save drivers nearly £18 million and the industry around £2 million every year.

DVLA is currently reviewing all the fees they charge to motorists and the consultation launched today is the first step in this ongoing review. The consultation (document attached below) closes on 25 August 2014.

14-07-02_Annex_B_Fees_Submission_Public_Consultation

Don’t judge our young people too quickly

Youngsters get stuck in to support Millennium Centre

Some of the youngsters in Muirhouse are given a hard time by others, but here we show the other side of them and prove we should not judge the majority by the minority.

Some youngsters came along to the Centre and volunteered during their summer holiday period and we thought it was a great idea. The lads went at it with gusto, tidying the garden as our older retired volunteer was on his annual vacation, and as shown in the photo sweeping and hoeing the paths and car park spaces. No task was beneath these young lads, and they were polite, friendly and hard working.

We would like to thank them all and ask others not to judge our young people too quickly.

James McGinty

Muirhouse Millennium Community Centre

Unknown Soldier: just one week left

Who said the art of letter writing was dead? LETTER TO AN UNKNOWN SOLDIER has turned out to be a huge success, and more than 16,000 people have contributed so far to this new kind of war memorial. Letters have poured in from all over the UK and beyond, each one expressing a different opinion, some deeply personal, others political, some loving and tender, others full of anger.

We’ve had letters from school children and politicians, midwives and teachers, published writers and servicemen and women. This week’s letters include one from the former Home Secretary and postman Alan Johnson, one about the experience of Sikh soldiers in the trenches and hundreds of letters from students around the country, including an absolute gem from 11 year old Craig Hayden Rankin from Rosebank Primary School in Nairn, Scotland.

A week today, the project will come to an end. Will you help us make it an even bigger success? Please, share this link and ask your friends and colleagues to write their own letter too. Our twitter name is @letter1418 and on facebook you can find us at Facebook.com/letter1418. Who knows, maybe we can reach 20,000 letters with your help!

1418now.org.uk/letter

Seeing is believing: new project tells the story of Edinburgh’s blind people

A Heritage Lottery Fund project that will bring to life the stories of people with sight loss in Edinburgh and the Lothians a hundred years ago is being launched today.

‘Seeing Our History’ will offer a unique but often grim glimpse of a time when the blind and partially sighted were consigned to the margins of society, almost wholly dependent on the goodwill of others.

Sight loss charity RNIB Scotland has received £55,700 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to begin the 12-month project.

The aim is to compile a 60-page booklet – in hard copy, braille and ‘talking-book’ formats – to accompany a series of six programmes to be broadcast on the charity’s award-winning Insight Radio station.

The project is indebted to former RNIB Scotland Chair and long-time community activist, campaigner and Councillor Jimmy Cook whose passionate interest in the history of blindness ensured that records survive today.

Dr Catriona Burness of RNIB Scotland said: “We are very excited to have received the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund for this unique project.

“Historical and cultural studies have mainly neglected the experiences of blind and partially sighted people. ‘Seeing our History’ will address this by showing what it was like to have sight loss in Edwardian Edinburgh and Lothians before the First World War. Adults and children endured harsh lives, usually dependent on subsistence work or welfare relief that was conditional on religious conformity.

“This was an era before sight-saving eye-treatments, disability benefits, computer screen-readers and audio-books. If to be poor then was to be at the margins of society, to be blind and poor was to be at the margins of the margins. People had to rely upon poor relief, charitable aid, and meagre supplementary earnings from activities such as hawking, knitting, teaching or playing music, selling tea or keeping house.

“‘Seeing Our History’ will give up to 12 research volunteers, including some with sight loss, an opportunity to develop heritage interest and learn new skills, while also taking the history of blindness to a wider audience who might not previously have given disability much thought.”

The project will base its work on the 1903-10 register of ‘the outdoor blind’ (ie, those not resident in institutions) recently donated by RNIB Scotland to the Lothian Health Services Archive. Details include names, address, place of birth, age when sight was lost, cause of blindness; marital status; how employed; weekly earnings before losing sight and weekly income after, and date of death.

The 1,170 entries in the register will be supplemented by other materials such as census returns, poor relief records, and family papers and wills for the wealthy to enable the project to reconstruct some of the stories of blind and partially sighted people’s lives across social class, gender, occupation, and locality.

Colin McLean, head of HLF Scotland, said “We are delighted to give this innovative project our support. As well as exploring a fascinating and so far largely undiscovered part of our heritage, the project provides opportunities for participants to learn new skills, expand their knowledge and produce a valuable resource for others to learn from, enjoy and be inspired by.”

More Green Flag glory for Edinburgh

A record number of 59 Scottish parks will fly a Green Flag this year after receiving the environmental award, eight more than last year. Edinburgh topped the list with 26 flags – two up on last year.

Entrants are assessed on eight criteria, including whether the park or green space is welcoming, healthy, safe, clean and well-maintained. Parks and green spaces must also be sustainable, manage conservation and heritage, have community involvement, market themselves and have good management.

The Award scheme is administered by Keep Scotland Beautiful. Derek Robertson, chief executive of the charity, said: “Scotland’s parks are going from strength to strength. We’re very proud of all of our award winners and particularly of the army of local volunteers who work all year round in rain or shine to make Scottish parks beautiful.”

Environment minister Paul Wheelhouse said: “The availability of high-quality green space and parks is very important for the health and well-being of the people of Scotland. Long may these commendable efforts continue.”

The announcement comes during Love Parks Week (26 July – 3 August), a celebration of our beautiful parks and green spaces across the UK. This annual campaign is managed by Keep Britain Tidy and supported, in Scotland, by Keep Scotland Beautiful.

The city council’s Environment Convener, Councillor Lesley Hinds, said: “We have a beautiful array of parks here in Edinburgh, ranging from small residential spots like Montgomery Street Park to world famous landmarks, such as Calton Hill.

“With the invaluable support of dedicated community and Friends of Parks groups, our parks team work tirelessly to ensure the green spaces across the city, many of them Green Flag Award-winners, are of a national standard.

“But we can’t do this without the support of the public. Our parks provide a haven for people around Edinburgh, particularly during the warmer weather, and I ask those who use them to keep them that way by behaving responsibly and disposing of litter.”

Edinburgh is currently gearing up to represent the UK in the Entente Florale, Europe’s largest environmental competition – judges visit the city’s parks and open spaces next month.

Happy birthday Nan!

DRYLAW’S NAN IS ONE HUNDRED

Born before the outbreak of the First World War, Drylaw woman Nan Macdonald celebrated her 100th birthday with family and friends at Drylaw Parish Church yesterday. Guests were entertained with jazz and traditional Scottish music and shared lots and lots of stories and happy memories.

Nan is quite fragile these days and she is currently in an Inverleith nursing home, but as ever Nan’s husband of 73 years Harry was never far from his wife’s side – looking particular dapper in his maroon jacket and proudly sporting his Foundation of Hearts tie!

The pair met in the late 1930s when Harry was a butcher boy and Nan was helping to look after her father’s house. They shared many interests, particularly cycling and spent many happy weekends together on bike rides up to the north of Scotland.

The Second World War intervened but didn’t end the couple’s courtship – Harry got leave during naval service and he and Nan were married in Stockbridge Church on February 22 1941.

After the war the couple set up home in Drylaw where the Macdonalds had three children – George, Henry and Evelyn. Since then clan has continued to grow and grow, and grandchildren and great-grandchildren came from near and far to join yesterday’s celebrations.

Harry, incidentally, has a wee while to wait for his telegram from the Queen – he claims he’s Nan’s ‘toy boy’ – he’s only 98!