Young people – make your voice heard in Scottish Youth Parliament

Young Edinburgh residents are being reminded that the deadline to register an interest in taking part in the next Scottish Youth Parliament Elections is fast approaching.  Twelve Edinburgh seats are up for grabs and applications are open to young people aged 14 to 25 – but must be submitted by 7 December.
The Scottish Youth Parliament is the democratically elected voice of Scotland’s young people. It is a young people’s parliament, designed by young people and led by young people for the benefit of young people.  It is committed to ensuring young people are heard by the decision makers of Scotland and to campaigning on the issues which matter most to Scotland’s youth.
Councillor Paul Godzik, Children and Families Convenor said “This is a great opportunity for any young people out there that fit the bill to get involved in politics and learn what it’s like to be at the heart of a decision-making process.  I would encourage anyone who’s interested to speak to our Young People’s Participation Team to find out more.”

So if you’re aged between 14 and 25 (at 15th March 2013), live in Scotland and can demonstrate passion and commitment, then you can take up the chance to make your voice heard.  Get in quick though, as registration closes on 7 December 2012.

If you’re interested and fit the criteria, why not go online to register now?

Finch Taylor outside Scottish Parliament

Welfare reform advice on it’s way to council tenants

Council tenants facing housing benefit changes are being contacted by the City of Edinburgh Council. Leaflets  highlighting the potential impact the new rules will have when they come into force next year are now being issued across the city. These leaflets will give helpful advice on the options tenants have to limit the financial impact of the reforms.

The biggest effect is going to be on tenants who have an unoccupied bedroom as they will receive less housing benefit from April next year. Anyone under-occupying will lose 14% of their housing benefit if they have one spare bedroom (between £13 and £15 per week) or 25% for two or more spare bedrooms (between £20 and £27 per week). Options for tenants cover areas like paying rent, moving to a smaller home, maximising income and sharing with friends, family members or lodgers.

Councillor Cammy Day, Housing leader for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “Tenants need to know just exactly what these changes will mean to them and the potential financial impact it’s going to have. Some tenants could be faced with a 25% reduction in their housing benefit. Their rent will still have to be paid so that means they will have to make up the difference from their household income. If tenants don’t pay their rent they are at risk of losing their home. No one wants to see that happen so we are advising people to get in touch with their local housing team now to discuss the various options open to them.”

My Favourite Place – and there are 150,000 of them for free!

 

CRAIL a favourite place?

From the tip of Shetland to the depths of the Borders, we have been scouring Scotland for your favourite places and now, during Book Week Scotland, we are bringing this special collection to you. My Favourite Place is the perfect book to read during Book Week Scotland, Scotland’s first ever national celebration of reading.

From inspiring stories and poems by members of the public, to pieces from well-loved writers including Michael Palin, Alexander McCall Smith and Scotland’s makar Liz Lochhead, My Favourite Place is a snapshot of Scotland’s favourite places.

The book contains over thirty stories, collecting places from all over Scotland and includes a series of illustrations from leading Scottish artists including Alasdair Gray, Louise Hopkins and Kate Davis.

150,000 copies of My Favourite Place are being given away the length and the breadth of the country this week (26 November – 2 December). You’ll find copies in so many places: libraries, bookshops, museums, businesses, arts venues, train stations, CalMac ferries, workplaces and even in Specsavers branches!

The contents of the book were collected as part of the My Favourite Place project run by Scottish Book Trust and BBC Radio Scotland in 2012. To find out more about the project and read the submissions from the public, visit: www.scottishbook.trust.com/myfavouriteplace.

Scottish Book Trust

What’s your favourite place in Scotland? Let us know?

QUEEN’s VIEW another favourite

I’ve looked out and dusted off some of my favourite stories and will be enjoying these books all over again – and as it’s so dark, wet and miserable outside, what better time to to curl up with a cup of coffee and a good book?

What will you be reading during Book Week Scotland? Let us know!

Woman treated in hospital following Pilton chip pan fire

Firefighters came to the rescue of two adults and a baby following a chip pan fire in West Pilton on Thurday night.

Three fire appliances attended the blaze in West Pilton Rise at around 7pm. Two pumps and a height appliance tackled the fire on the second floor of the building, where crews found three casualties suffering from smoke inhalation.

A man and a woman both aged 26 and a ten-month-old baby boy were attended to at the scene before the woman was taken by ambulance to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary for a further check-up and treatment.

Two firefighters in breathing apparatus used a high-pressure hose reel and a fire blanket to extinguish the blaze in the smoke-filled flat.

Police drop-in sessions at Millennium Centre

Officers from Drylaw’s Safer Neighbourhood Team are to hold regular Police drop-in sessions at Muirhouse Millennium Centre. 

PC Sharon Carr said: “The first two sessions are Wednesday 5th and 19th December from 11am – 2pm, and in the New Year the January dates are Wednesday 9th and 23rd, again from 11am – 2pm. It’s an opportunity for local people to pop in and chat about any policing issues or concerns they may have in an informal setting.”

For further information contact Drylaw Safer Neighbourhood Team on 0131 311 3131.

Doublespeak at Drylaw Telford!

It promises to be a busy evening with not one but two presentations at Drylaw Telford Community Council’s final meeting of 2012, which takes place a Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre off Groathill Road North on Wednesday evening at 7pm.

Scottish Hydro’s Simon Gray will be giving timely advice on energy efficiency, while Selby Richardson of architects Urban Design Features will be giving a presentation of plans for the new skatepark which received the green light last month.

Lots happening at the centre next week – as well as the monthly community council meeting and all other regular activities Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre’s annual general meeting is taking place on Friday 30 November at 6.30pm.

All welcome at both events.

 

 

Award for Gala organisers

West Pilton and Muirhouse Community Gala’s committee have received an award for their achievements. The group, which managed to plan, organise and deliver a very succesful Gala in just a few short weeks (an even arranged some sunshine!), was highly commended at this week’s Children and Families Achievement Awards at the Assembly Rooms.

Committee chair Sean Gardiner said: “We were nominated for the award by Edinburgh Council’s local Community Learning and Development team and, out of 8000 entries, we were selected as finalists. The event was hosted by Grant Stott (pictured below at the Gala) from Forth One who was extremely happy to see an event he had been involved in had gone so far!”

 

Letters: paying the price

Dear Editor

Every week people when shopping find prices are rising quite sharply; there is no hiding this fact.

Government spokespersons express surprise at the inflation rate of nearly 3%, which is based on a lower calculation anyway. Perhaps the world in which they live a rise of 10p or 20p on an item means nothing.

More and more people search for cheaper ‘own brand’ items when shopping – sometimes it works, other times the size or weight has been reduced so the price rise is hidden.

If th Government can put a freeze on wage increases or restrict them to 1% or 2%, then they can restrict price rises to the same level; this can be done in the name of ‘fairness’, to which they constantly refer!

This restriction on gas, electricity and oil suppliers is long overdue – the increases they have announced for starting this winter are amoral and shows their complete indifference to the hardship being caused.

Pressure must be put on officials of all kinds – whether they are MPs, MSPs, councillors, gas and electricity companies or supermarkets – to take very seriously the question of price rise restriction.

A. Delahoy

Silverknowes Gardens

 

 

Green award for Drylaw gardeners

Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre is being celebrated by national environmental volunteering charity, The Conservation Volunteers. As part of the charity’s regional Green Heroes Awards, Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre is being recognised for the positive environmental impact it has made in Edinburgh. 

Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre was presented with the Community Award and was chosen for their outstanding commitment to volunteering and inspiring positive environmental change in Edinburgh with The Conservation Volunteers.

Elizabeth Graham, Community Engagement Coordinator at Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre (picured above, left) said: “Our volunteers put a lot of hard work and enthusiasm into the gardening project so it is great for this to be recognised by TCV. Everyone is welcome to come and help in the garden so we are a diverse group of people and everyone plays their part. Our main focus this year, thanks to funding from Scottish Natural Heritage, has been recording the species we have and building on this to increase the biodiversity of the area.”

Through their involvement in local conservation projects, Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre has created a wildflower meadow, planted a wildlife hedge, worked with two local schools to help them grow their own, and planted two community-managed orchards.

The Conservation Volunteers’ Green Heroes Awards recognise winners from six categories: Partnership, Volunteer of the Year, Project Leader, Community, Green Skills and European awards.

Chris Peach, TCV Scotland who nominated Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre said: “We’re delighted to be acknowledging Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre who has given such an enormous amount of time and energy to conservation in Edinburgh. Without Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre providing their unwavering support and commitment we would not be able to enjoy the green spaces in Edinburgh we love and use every day. We hope that by highlighting the work of Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre, it will inspire others to get involved in protecting the green spaces in Edinburgh and ensure that they remain here for future generations to enjoy.”

For more information about the Conservation Volunteers’ Green Heroes Awards visit: www.tcv.org.uk