Stroll down to Saturday soccer school

 

Civil Service Strollers is one of Edinburgh’s oldest football clubs – the Strollers were founded in 1908 – and the club has strong roots in the North Edinburgh area, having been based at the former Civil Service Playing Fields on Marine Drive (now operated by Edinburgh’s Teford College) for well over fifty years. The club is keen to see more local youngsters enjoying the game and is launching a new Saturday morning soccer school this weekend.

General manager Tom Brown said: ‘We are starting up a regular Saturday morning soccer school for both boys and girls on Saturday ( 28 April) and we hope lots of young people will come along. The plan is to have two groups – one for 4-6 year old and the other from 6- 10 and the emphasis will be on enjoying the game and having fun. We are trying to engage the local kids to form a community hub and Saturday’s soccer school is just the start.”

Stroller’s Saturday soccer school starts at 9.30 at the playing fields on Marine Drive.

 

 

Let’s hear it for CORE’s Soundkidz!

On Saturday 31 March, a group of children took to the stage in the theatre of North Edinburgh Arts Centre to perform songs and lyrics that they had written.  You would be forgiven for thinking that these children must have been from one of the capital’s specialist music schools…but these mini composers were showcasing music which they had been working on for just 14 weeks at Soundkidz music group. Organised by CORE and funded by Creative Scotland with in-kind support from North Edinburgh Arts and Edinburgh Mela , the group let the children explore their musical creativity every Saturday afternoon at North Edinburgh Arts.

With the help of youth workers Tamsin Dearnley and Kirsty Miguda, the group worked with a variety of musicians from a range of musical backgrounds. From conducting and African drumming to jazz singing and lyric writing, the children got a taste of the diverse directions in which music could take them. They also began writing their own lyrics and songs, creating individual pieces and group performances. After a few weeks, the children were ready to compose a whole song as a group. They chose the guitar chords, wrote the lyrics and a melody and rehearsed until they knew their song inside out.

At the performance, the audience first heard members of the group recite lyrics which they had written. From lions and horses to video games and city life, the audience gained an insight into where the children’s imaginations had taken them. The children then showcased group pieces that they had composed during a session in which they had been given a word, a rhythm, a percussion instrument and just 30 minutes to create a piece.

The show’s finale arrived. Gathered together on the stage, with guitarist Stuart Taylor to accompany them, the children launched into the catchy chorus of the song that they had written. At the end the audience clapped and cheered as the children took their bows and received their certificates (along with a copy of the CD which they had recorded the previous week). A brilliant performance by North Edinburgh’s budding musicians!

Drylaw launches Food Blog

Drylaw Cooking Group launched their new Blog last week and invited locals into the centre to watch cooking demonstrations, buy cakes, take part in a best apron competition and much more.

Elizabeth Graham (left) and Shay Dean (right) launch the Blog. (Picture: Thomas Brown)

The evening was sponsored by Sainsbury’s at Craigleith and Shay Dean the stores PR Ambassador was on hand to assist with the launch night. Around 50 members of the community came along and the night was hailed a success by Elizabeth Graham, Project Worker at Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre, she said “Our cooking group has been meeting for around two years at the centre and we thought that a great way to spread the word of what we are doing and our recipes is with a Blog. Each week we will update the Blog with recipes and photos from that week and hope that other local people can try some of our recipes.”

Shay Dean from Sainsbury’s said “Our Community Grants Fund is made up of the money raised from the Bags for Life scheme. We granted an award to Drylaw of £150.00 for this Blog launch and I am delighted to come along tonight to represent the store. We also have other projects from North Edinburgh who we are currently assisting with applications and these include PEP, Blackhall Primary School and Craigroyston Girls Football Club.”

Local woman Anne Murray won the best apron competition, and its clear she was a deserved winner as a lot of time and effort has clearly gone into her apron.

Anne Murray receives her prize for the best apron competition. (Picture: Thomas Brown)

You can follow the Drylaw Cooking Group Blog by clicking here.

Letter

Dear Editor

A hustings was arranged  at Muirhouse  Millennium Centre on Thursday 19th April . Despite prospective candidates having been invited to this event to discuss issues which effect the Forth Ward, only three candidates bothered to attend . Labour Conservative and the Green parties were represented – there was no representation from the  SNP, LibDems and the Anti-Cuts candidates .

Steve Cardownie has also indicated that he will not be able to attend a hustings on April 26 at Royston Wardieburn  Community Centre . I understand that these so called  representatives are busy however they have not  indicated that they will send anyone from their parties  to the hustings. George Gordon is also standing in the Forth Ward  along with Councillor Cardownie for the SNP; surely  one of these candidates can represent their  parties? Invitations have been sent to all prospective candidates  to attending the hustings, some have not bothered to reply to their invitations   Yet they expect people in Forth Ward to  vote for them ?  I think not !!!!!!

I hope the electorate remember this  when they vote on May 3rd

Anna Hutchison

Crewe Road West

Twenty’s plenty for Drylaw residents

Easter Drylaw Residents Association (EDRA) launched their local road safety campaign at Drylaw Parish Church earlier this week. The group plans to raise awareness of speed limits in the area hopes to encourage drivers to act more responsibly.

EDRA chair Eileen Brash explained: “Parking and traffic matters are regularly discussed at our meetings, and the issue most frequently raised by residents concerns the speed many vehicles drive at within our area. In response we are launching an Awareness Campaign which will highlight the speed limit in this area – 20mph.”

She continued: “We are liaising with the police, councillors, local council staff and Ferryhill Primary School and we have applied for funding which would enable 20mph road markings to be installed at all entrances leading to and from Groathill Road North. We believe these measures will complement the 20mph signs already erected on Ferry Road and at the top and bottom of Groathill Road North, and make it clearer to motorists that they are travelling in a 20mph zone”.

EDRA will be raising the issue in a number of ways over the coming weeks – through schoolbag leaflet drops, posters, banners, flyers and a series of ‘awareness days’.

EDRA would be delighted to see more local residents getting involved to support the campaign. The group meets on the third Monday of the month from 7.30 – 9pm in Drylaw Parish Church; to find out more, or to discuss other issues of concern, why not attend their next meeting?

Relatives sought following Crewe Road fatality

A pedestrian who was seriously injured in a road collision on Crewe Road South earlier this month has died.

Alan Dowling, (64), of Muirhouse View, passed away this morning at the Western General Hospital, where he was being treated for serious injuries he sustained in the collision with a cement mixer lorry on Thursday 5 April.

There are no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death, and a report has been sent to the Procurator Fiscal.

Police are appealing for assistance in tracing relatives of Mr Dowling, and anyone with any information that can help is asked to contact Lothian and Borders Police on (0131) 311 3131.

D Day for Raeburn

Councillors will make a decision on renovation plans for the Raeburn House Hotel when the Development Management sub-committee of the Planning Committee meets this morning. Council officials recommend that the refurbishment plans are rejected despite wide public support for the project.

A 19 page committee report for this morning’s meeting states: ‘ … the proposals are contrary to the development plan and non-statutory guidance. The proposals will not preserve the character or appearance of the conservation area and will adversely impact on the listed building and its setting. It will not have any effect on residential amenity, road safety or biodiversity. The refurbishment of this building, to restore it and maintain it into the future, is not disputed as being a desirable outcome. However any proposals must be of good quality and sensitive to the existing building to ensure that our built heritage is conserved.’

The report concludes: ‘It is recommended that the Committee refuse this application, for the reasons stated relating to its detrimental impact on the character and appearance of the conservation area and the setting of the listed building.’

Councillors will make their decision at a 10am meeting of the Development Management Sub-Committee in the City Chambers.

 

Careers event at Granton library

Granton Library is hosting a careers event for young adults tomorrow (Wednesday) from 4 – 6pm.

Participating agencies include Careers Scotland, Edinburgh Leisure, Working Links and the City of Edinburgh Council and

* VIRTUAL LIBRARY TOUR *

*DRESS FOR SUCCESS*

* REFRESHMENTS *

* MUSIC *

are among the delights and activities on offer!

Drop in at the library – it’s at 29 Wardieburn Terrace – any time between 4 – 6pm, or call 529 5630 for more information.